BobO'Link

Those of you who still have the "Cult Terror Cinema" set from Mill Creek on your shelf - be afraid... very afraid... of the schlock in that set. I inadvertently watched the best two movies in the set first. If I have anything to say about it I won't bother with the last 10 ever again.

The "best" two are The Crater Lake Monster (1977) and Land of the Minotaur (1976). The rest of the movies in the set make these two look like high art and they are just bottom tier "B" movies themselves.

One is so bad I wonder just how it managed to see a release. OK... It's really of the so bad you might enjoy it's badness type movie. I speak of The Creeping Terror (1964). The monster moves so slow that even "slow zombies" can out walk it. The people it "captures" practically throw themselves into its maw. A woman's scream is looped incessantly at regular intervals. They apparently lost most of the dialog - either somehow didn't get recorded, was too low quality, or just plain out-of-sync. A good 75% of the movie is narrated, describing what you're seeing on the screen. The 25% with dialog is so bad it qualifies for worst dialog ever recorded with acting/delivery that's just as bottom barrel as the rest of the movie. Don't watch it alone - you'll want someone there to share MST3K type comments with.

Indy24LA

Thanks guys, I'm roughly 1/3 through the first draft. The hardest part is carving out the time and then forcing yourself to sit down and write. But like exercising, once you are warmed up and actually doing it, it's never as bad as you dreaded. It's a basic story about a family terrorized by a cryptic stalker, but like a lot of good horror/thrillers, I am trying to layer it with current social issues, without lecturing. Right now I am going the Poltergeist route by taking time to introduce the family while sprinkling in some subtle mysterious teases.

All that while watching Marianne on Netflix, which is pretty good so far. I'm half way through it and the scares are great, but I don't know if I care about any of the characters.

rbrown498

You might find this interesting: https://tubitv.com/movies/321210/the...ind_the_camera

brainee

I don't know the episode lengths of this particular series. But I typically count 90 minutes of streaming series viewing (which is what would fit into a 2 hour time slot with commercials) as the equivalent of "one" movie.

brainee

Looking through my Goodreads list, here's my recent (the last year) horror reading (with my Goodreads rating, out of 5 stars):

The Institute (Stephen King): 4/5
Cthulhu's Reign (various): 3/5
Ghost Walk (Brian Keene): 3/5
Raising Stony Mayhall (Daryl Gregory): 5/5
The Cabin at the End of the World (Paul Tremblay): 4/5
20th Century Ghosts (Joe Hill): 4/5
Strange Weather (Joe Hill): 4/5
White Night (Jim Butcher): 3/5
Proven Guilty (Jim Butcher) 4/5
The Drowned Life (Jeffrey Ford): 4/5
Into the Drowning Deep (Mira Grant): 3/5
The Anomaly (Michael Rutger): 3/5
Alice (Christina Henry): 5/5
Pandemonium (Daryl Gregory): 5/5
Meddling Kids (Edgar Cantaro): 3/5
The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All (Laird Barrron): 4/5
A Head Full of Ghosts (Paul Tremblay): 4/5
The Shining Girls (Lauren Buekes): 4/5

You can browse through the monthly "What are you reading?" threads in the Books section for mini-reviews.

BobO'Link

I just finished a first time viewing of The Ring (2002). Color me rather unimpressed. I'd call it a rather "meh" type "horror" movie. It's not exactly bad but it's nowhere as good as reviews and ratings would have you believe. I very much disliked the "ending."

clckworang

I was slow to start watching anything last night as I was dealing with my plants and being lazy and indecisive. In the process, I watched a few minutes of 20/20 and naturally got sucked in. I recorded it and was thinking about watching it. It's about a woman kidnapped as an infant by the serial killer who killed her mom. I didn't think there would be a great objection to counting it considering the story, but I just thought I'd throw it out there.

Undeadcow

I somehow decide to watch both Doom (2005) and Doom: Annihilation (2019) back to back and now I have to quit the challenge in disgust but it's my own fault for not knowing better. There was so much yelling down dim corridors. Annihilation was a much better and more faithful than the 2005 attempt and Doom: Annihilation had nicely cheesy scifi carnage so I especially enjoyed Annihilaiton and it was really the 2005 version that is so bad. I think Event Horizon might be the best Doom movie ever made so maybe I will just watch that next.

MysterioMan007

Halloween 6...

Tommy Doyle: "Get me a doctor! Now!"

*Leaves without seeing doctor...

Bluelitespecial

I'm watching Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow tonight for the first time since I saw it in theaters 20 years ago.

Chad

Caught a couple for today's theme:

Revisited Death Line (Raw Meat) and it's so, so good. Donald Pleasence chews the scenery in the best possible way. It's just too bad they only had Christopher Lee on set for one day because the dialogue exchange between the two was priceless. Gary Sherman was on Shock Waves a few months back and it's a good listen.

Paganini Horror was campy, stupid, and hypnotic fun that suffered from obvious budget limitations. The only thing that moved slower than the pacing of this film was Donald Pleasence's voice in slow-mo.

The one and only article I could find regarding his centennial from earlier today:

https://www.pophorror.com/remembering-donald-pleasence/

It's a real pity such an iconic actor didn't receive more coverage. I seem to recall both Christopher Lee and Vincent Price getting their fair share, and he's definitely in their league, IMO.

Gobear

Definitely agree. I think Pleasance doesn't get his due because he was always a character actor and not a lead. Vincent Price and Christopher Lee created iconic performances and were stars; Donald Pleasance was always solid, but he was never a Dr. Phibes or Count Dracula. Dr. Loomis in the Halloween series is probably his best-known role, but even that was a supporting part.

Mao

Slow start and no way I can even get in 31 movies this year...

I began last night with Luz (2018).

I know a lot of people that liked this, but even at only 71 minutes, this was like watching grass grow...slow, boring, almost non-sensical. I fell asleep and had to get up and go back several times.

Nice to see some love for The Dead Don't Die. I found it laugh out loud funny...maybe just struck the right nerve.

No mentions of In The Tall Grass on Netflix yet. Looking forward to watching that soon!

alfonsosoriano

I was thinking the same thing. Each Creepshow is about 45 minutes, so two is 90, which is one movie! Thanks!

jacob_b

Anyone seen the Blumhouse Productions on Hulu?

clckworang

My mind is there, but my numbers are a bit slow going early on. I had a couple of birthdays I needed to do things for this weekend, so that cut into some time. I'm already worried because I'll be gone for a few days toward the end of the month. I'm already trying to think ahead of how I can get at least one film in each day, fulfill my requirements for work since it will be a work conference, and also make time for a little bit of fun. I will be in New Orleans after all. I may not feel like doing much beyond getting some really good meals and walking the French Quarter.

Anyway, did I ever actually post about Let the Right One In or did I just think about it? It was a repeat viewing for me a few days ago. I introduced it to a friend. She really liked it and immediately pushed to watch Let Me In, which I hadn't seen before. It was very interesting to watch the two back to back. I promise I won't go into spoiler territory. But each was so similar, the remake often taking scenes whole, yet each has a different feel. So much has to do with the casting of the lead boy in each film. It gives me the same scenes a different feel, but I would still give the edge to the original. I found it more affecting overall and appreciated its subtlety. I still liked the remake, though, and would recommend it for a watch.


I just think of them as one-hour shows without the commercials, so like you said, two episodes would equal one spot.

MysterioMan007

Into the Dark series? I've seen the first two, which were The Body and Flesh and Blood. I thought The Body was decent enough, but didn't like Flesh and Blood all that much. I plan on continuing them until I'm caught up, but don't see myself binging them.

jacob_b

Ya that's the one! Saw Pooka! which was pretty fun and then Down which was ok. Thought, even for a short film, it did drag a bit. The new one that just came out, which interesting, the cast kind of kills it as does the effects.

DaveyJoe

I watched Absurd by Joe D'amato which seemed to be attempting to capitalize on the success of Halloween. An unkillable man stalks innocent people in a small town neighborhood. It has some moments that drag, but when it gets going it's a pretty entertaining slasher.

One thing I really enjoyed was the soundtrack, I'm loving the trend of Severin including soundtrack CDs on some of their releases, and I hope it continues.

Chad

Just wanted to give a heads up that the trivia question will postponed by a day or two. I should have it back on the usual Sunday schedule next week.

cwileyy

Good to know! I have both Beyond the Door and Shock on my watchlist for later this month!

jacob_b

These discussions are a bit slow for the first weekend of October compared to the years before, no?

Been about a week, so let's talk favorite viewings so far. Saturday night was this independent theater's 3rd annual Horror Movie Marathon all nighter. Started with Trick r Treat which is always a classic and one film I love to revisit. Then we had the choice of The Cult or Exorcist III which I picked The Cult due to this being a Witches theme (though they threw 2 other themes for us, one being taking place at Halloween and the other being the 3rd movie in the franchise, which I guess it makes sense since this was the 3rd one) and was thinking they would play this one. We then went to Nightmare on Elm Street 3 or Hocus Pocus. Probably should have picked Hocus Pocus but didn't want to change theaters again. Then we got to The Witches or Poltergeist III. Glad I had picked The Witches because, even though it was PG, this was surprisingly good and got my attention from 2 AM to 4 AM. It was really well done and had some good scares and effects. That was one of my favorite viewings (and first time viewing at that) so far. At 4 AM I dipped out as the choices were Army of Darkness or Night of the Demons and I was not a fan of Army of Darkness and while I enjoyed Night of the Demons I had twisted my ankle earlier before I got to the theater and I was done because I figured Halloween 3 would be next as Silver Shamrock Novelties was the "sponsor" of the night. I was disappointed no The Blair Witch was shown. Honestly, kind of disappointing as the only real witch horror was The Cult that I saw and then had 2 kid choices of witch films. They could have even had the new Blair Witch film screen as it fits into the Witch theme and 3rd in the series or Paranormal Activity 3. Kind of a letdown considering my friend also bailed after the 2nd movie and I could have just house and dog sit at my friend's and watched films. Nice to see Trick r Treat on the big screen and did enjoy The Witches but not sure if it made it worth it.

Other films that I've enjoyed as first time viewings: Phantasm though the Tall Man doesn't really look Tall, Joker as it gives a new twist to his story, Ghost Stories and Pooka! which can be found on Hulu, as well as the one I just finished now, The Barber which was actually done by Chapman University which is pretty close to me. Doesn't get good reviews online, but I thought the acting was well done, had a good soundtrack and while the plot isn't anything new, I was hooked to see what would happen next.

DaveyJoe

One thing that was weird about [REC] 2 is that during the opening scenes where they're introducing the characters and their body cam equipment, the movie keeps cutting to production credits. Doesn't that kind of defeat the illusion of this being a found footage movie when they start off with "Film produced by production company!" right off the bat? Usually found footage movies skip opening credits and dive right into the gimmick.

Voorheeshulk

so for Monday the 14th, do we need to watch the 3 years/movies from the Theme and from the Subset to check it off our list, or just one as per usual?

Darkgod

usually its just one to qualify. Im watching one the day of.. maybe 2. Ill watch the others during the month.