31 days of Halloween: Slaughter High

Slaughter High is a 1986 slasher-horror film written and directed by George Dugdale, Mark Ezra, and Peter Litten.

Slaughter High is a film I first saw a few years ago at the Washington Psychotronic Film Society, a fantastic organization that shows some very obscure and zany films ranging from horribly bad comedies to little known or largely forgotten horror films. This is one of those horror films that, well, everyone forgot about.

The film is about a group of post-graduate high schoolers (played largely by people in their late twenties and mid-thirties (Caroline Munro, who was I believe 35 in this film). They used to treat their classmate Marty Rantzen horribly. They would play pranks on him and treat him like garbage. The problem here is Marty was a loser, and was either oblivious to most of the hazing from his classmates or he had just gotten so used to it it didn't phase him.

Unsuspecting Marty ends up smoking a joint (full of poison or something along those lines) using one of the science lab's Bunsen burner (real smart). He gets sick and the kids play a trick on him by adding chemicals to his experiment to cause an small mishap when he proceeds with his experiment. Well Marty returns, and what do you know, his experiment is a bust, and woops, a jar of acid that was not secured very well falls and shatters in front of him, spraying his entire face and body.

Years later they all are invited to their High School reunion. The entire gang shows up, and soon realizes they're the only ones there. Unfazed by that suspicious situation, they all break into the school - which appears abandoned - another thing to be suspicious at which none of them appear to be.

The gang finds a party all set up just for them. The problem is, it's April Fool's Day - and they're about to be punked.

The film is silly, and the characters are mind bogglingly stupid. Who has sex after one of their friends dies in front of them? Who jokes around after one of their friends dies in front of them and then it becomes clear they're unable to get out of the house? Who pranks someone who's using dangerous chemicals? Ah, stupid people in movies that just deserve to die. That's who.

On a side note, Simon Scuddamore, who plays the film's slasher, committed suicide shortly after the film's release.

The music is epic.

** out of *****

Dennis Hopper has Prostate Cancer

Moments after watching his Twilight Zone episode, "He's Alive," I find out Dennis Hopper has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Let's hope for the best.

Zooey and Katy - A Halloween made too easy?

31 days of Halloween: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a 1920 German expressionism horror film directed by Robert Wiene.

Overall the movie was absolutely astonishing in terms of its visuals, but for the most part the story was lacking a bit. Only toward the end did it really start to pick up. Then again, for being a 67 minute film (at least the version I saw), it was pretty good.

The visuals were breathtaking and like a nightmare at the same time. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is regarded as the first German expressionist film (or at least the film that broke the technique into mainstream) - if I remember correctly. The sets are a sight to see, and frankly no film could honestly pull something so bizarre off today. Absolutely all of the doors are crooked, the windows slanted, walkways are bent, roads twist and turn, and it all looks like some bizarre painting that Salvador Dalí would have relished in.

Even though I found the story lacking a little bit, though it's the dawn of cinema, what should I expect, it was quite clever. The set up of the story is completely innocuous, and is dashed to shreds later on, much to my surprise. The story opens in a pretty dull and "normal" setting, and quickly thrusts the viewer and the characters into the "expressionistic reality" which could easily be viewed as a dream-world nightmare of epic proportions.

I personally would have to say that the more seasoned film buffs should check this film out, as it will probably confuse or bore the plebeians. It's not quite so scary as it is creepy and disturbing. The story has been lifted time and time again over the years, probably lessening the impact of the story to today's audience compared to when it was first released.

***/*****

31 days of Halloween: The Tripper

The Tripper is a 2007 American horror film. The film is directed, produced, written by, and stars David Arquette. Other actors in this film include Courteney Cox Arquette, Balthazar Getty, Jaime King, Lukas Haas, Thomas Jane, Stephen Heath, Jason Mewes, Marsha Thomason, and Paul Reubens.

The film is a silly, absurd story which reminds me of the over the top, "so bad it is good" horror films of the 1980s.

The film deals with a group of twentysomethings who are traveling to a "love and peace concert." Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee Herman) plays the unscrupulous manager of the concert, hamming up just about every single line he has in the film. Thomas Jane plays the local sheriff. The teens traveling to the concert include Samantha (King), Jack (Heath), Jack (Haas), Joey (Mewes) and Linda (Thomason).

The villain of the film is a killer who dons a Ronald Reagan mask. Hence the name, "The Tripper" - a play off a line from "Knute Rockne, All American" where Ronald Reagan says the line "Win one for the Gipper." Well, the film devolves into a series of hippies getting axed to death in the woods. Hey, better than that "evil Republican" chopping down the forest, right?

So silly. Very enjoyable. This film was originally part of 2007's After Dark Horrorfest.

** 1/2 out of *****

Hippy Blood will Trickle Down

The trailer to The Tripper.

31 days of Halloween: Evil Dead II

Evil Dead II, the sequel to The Evil Dead, is a 1987 horror film starring Bruce Campbell and directed by Sam Raimi. The film was followed by Army of Darkness, which came out in 1993.

The interesting thing about this film is that the first 15 or so minutes is essentially a retelling of the first film. Ash and his girlfriend Linda travel to a cabin in the woods for a vacation. This cabin is not their own, but one they find unoccupied and decide to stay there for the weekend. He comes across a tape by Professor Knowby who is reciting passages from the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis (The "Book of the Dead"). Well, with those recitations, Ash unknowingly unleashes the ungodly force of the dead upon them. Linda is possessed, and she becomes a deadite. He kills her and he is then lifted up into the air and thrown into the woods.

This is where the first film ends (well sorta, since it's an alternate version of the events from the first film). The second film finally "starts" here - where Ash, on the ground is possessed by a demon until the sun "forces" it out of him. He is trapped in the woods, unable to escape so he returns to the cabin for shelter and some potential safety. While Ash is in the cabin, Professor Knowby's daughter Annie and Ed travel to the cabin with locals Jake and Bobby Jo.

The for make it to the cabin to find it in shambles, covered in blood, and Ash sitting there in the middle of it. At first he's blamed for all the death and destruction. He's thrown down into the cellar, and the three soon discover that Knowby had to kill his wife, Henrietta, who had become a deadite and then buried her in that same cellar. Henrietta then broke through the soil and began to attack Ash.

Ash's mission is now to help everyone make it out of the woods alive and send the demons back to hell.

The film is entertaining, funny, frightening, and suspenseful. It's still more of a horror film than a comedy, something that Army of Darkness is more of. When you take into account the recap at the start, and the modified start of Army of Darkness that changes the end of Evil Dead II, the film runs around 70 minutes. When the heck did Sam Raimi start doing 2 hour+ long films?

*** 1/2 out of *****

31 days of Halloween: William Castle Appreciation

Well I finally made it back to the Washington Psychotronic Film Society (I hadn't been there since they moved to The Warehouse). And boy, aside from having to switch trains a few times, it was a blast!

The theme of the night was in honor of William Castle, a schlocky director who would use marketing ploys and cheap thrills to get people to see his movies (I reviewed House on Haunted Hill, one of his films earlier in the month). The movie that was selected was "13 Frightened Girls!" which, well wasn't very frightening - marginally entertaining in an odd sort of way, a kind of Nancy Drew international mystery - but with more death and the crazy doctor from The Manchurian Candidate.

I feel like I'm skimping tonight, but I'm cold and wet from the rain outside and I just can't get myself to write anything more related to horror.

Watch the trailer, if you dare (it basically gives away most of the movie).

Check out more information:

• YouTube intro to "The Tingler"
• YouTube intro to "13 Ghosts"
• IMDB entry
• Wikipedia entry

31 days of Halloween: Sisters of Death

Sisters of Death is a 1972 horror film (that was ultimately released in 1977). The film stars Arthur Franz, Claudia Jennings (playboy playmate!), Cheri Howell. The movie was directed by Joseph Mazzuca.

The plot revolves around six sorority sisters who play a game of Russian Roulette (smart move there ladies). Well, as the audience would suspect, one of the blanks was replaced by a real bullet. Years later the 5 remaining girls are invited to an isolated house, to reminisce about the past. And everything will be dug up. As the box description says, "now it's time to play."

It is a film before its time. The movie has all the quintessential slasher horror elements, but years before most of them were widely used.

I found this film for 1.99 at a computer store with one of those "fake" generic non-descript covers that it shares with a dozen other films. The image on the front isn't from the movie, which I suppose is almost as bad as using Joe Don Baker's mug from Mitchell for the cover of Curse of Demon Mountain. Worse yet, the box is wrong and says "John Kelly" directed this film, which I suspect is something they forgot to swap out when the packing was put together. I see now it's part of one of those "50 movie packs" - bummer, I could have gotten it for $11.99. I honestly wish I could see a restored version of this, since it really was an enjoyable horror film to watch and not nearly as schlocky and cheap as I had expected.

You can apparently watch the entire film here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcI4hWwPadc

*** out of *****

31 days of Halloween: Cube

Cube is a 1997 Canadian horror film.

The film stars Nicole de Boer as Leaven, Nicky Guadagni as Holloway, David Hewlett as Worth, Andrew Miller as Kazan, Julian Richings as Alderson, Wayne Robson as Rennes and Maurice Dean Wint as Quentin. The movie is directed by Vincenzo Natali.

The film is, well, interesting and unique. The movie uses - perhaps - two or three sets total throughout the entire film. All of them are the same. Cubes. The story involves a group of people, all with memory loss, waking up and discovering themselves trapped in a complex of hundreds of cubes, with no idea what they're doing there or how to get out. Some rooms are safe, others booby-trapped.

The booby-trap rooms are full of shocking surprises - acid, razor wire, flames - you name it. Some are set off by movement, others - who knows.

I find a few problems with the movie, one being that we have absolutely no insight into why these people are part of this "experiment." While this may appear to be a pea for "spoon feeding," I would caution the reader that one must really care enough about the events that are going on within a film to allow themselves to forget about what the film isn't telling them. While an interesting character study, the problems I have with the film involve mostly the nature of why these people are there in the first place. It just isn't enough that it's a bureaucracy out of control, where people do things where the right hand doesn't talk to the left hand to such a degree that people could be drugged, had their memories erased, and then put into a situation where death is all but certain.

Perhaps it doesn't really matter, but without that crucial piece of information I find it hard to really connect to most of the characters. Perhaps the only failing - the only characters I could really connect to were Leaven and Worth - who were played by the two actors I was most familiar with (though I am also quite familiar with Wayne Robson from "The Red Green Show").

But hey, for a film that cost somewhere around a quarter of a million dollars (American) isn't half bad!

*** out of *****

Paranormal Activity wins weekend

Paranormal Activity, in it's 5th week released, has finally earned the top spot in the box office, beating newcomers Saw VI, The Vampire's Assistant and Astro Boy.

I'm also surprised to see that the film's average theater take is the highest of (at least) the top 15 films of the weekend. Not bad!

31 days of Halloween: The Midnight Meat Train

The Midnight Meat Train is a 2008 horror film based off a short story by Clive Barker.

The film stars Bradley Cooper as Leon, Leslie Bibb as Maya, Brooke Shields as Susan and Vinnie Jones as Mahogany. The movie also features Roger Bart, Ted Raimi, Peter Jacobson, Barbara Eve Harris and Tony Curran.

Midnight Meat Train is a pretty disturbing film. Leon is a photographer who travels the city, and the subway, in the middle of the night trying to capture the "essence" of the city. Like all crazed artists, they're willing to sit and watch other people get harassed, assaulted, and as we later find, killed. Susan Hoff, one of those crazed artists convinces that Leon must venture out and get some "real" shots of the city. This starts a spiraling event in Leon's life which introduces him to the sadistic Mahogany, a butcher by day and night.

Leon suspects that Mahogany is killing people on the subway, and that a string of missing persons over the last century can be linked directly to him and whatever shady dealings that Mahogany is part of. What he eventually uncovers is enough to unravel his own life, and all who are around him as well.

I thought that the film was very moody, and unfolded quite well. In fact it's one of the better atmospheric films since, at least for me, The Ring. Leon's brush with the Meat Train begins to grow on him as the film progress, and he becomes more obsessed with what is going on. What I really liked about the acting was that Vinnie Jones finally plays someone quiet - breaking from the usual loud, obnoxious character he's usually associated with playing. The ending was wholly unexpected when I first started watching, but the feeling of dread as I progressed through the film made the eventual ending more and more obvious to me, though I hoped it wouldn't actually happen. Clive Barker is one screwed up individual.

You can catch this film on FearNet On Demand for free.

*** out of *****

Full season of Community and Parks and Recreation ordered

While I'm *still* not sure about what I think about Parks and Recreation, I'm quite happy to hear that Community has been picked up for a full season. I think the series has a lot of potential in it. Let's hope it doesn't lose steam.

I'm also not sure why it took me 6 episodes to realize that one of the characters is played by Alison Brie, who plays "Trudy Campbell" on Mad Men.

31 days of Halloween: Pitch Black

Pitch Black (later known as The Chronicles of Riddick: Pitch Black) is a 2000 science fiction/horror film. The film stars Vin Diesel and is directed by David Twohy.

The film starts with a crash. A serious crash. The transport ship carrying passengers and a dangerous prisioner, Richard B. Riddick (Diesel), is struck by a freak meteor storm "off the beaten path" on their way through space. By luck the ship navigates towards the nearest habitable planet, where it promptly crashes.

The film also stars Radha Mitchell as Carolyn Fry, Cole Hauser as William J. Johns, Keith David as Abu "Imam" al-Walid, Lewis Fitz-Gerald as Paris P. Ogilvie, Claudia Black as Sharon "Shazza" Montgomery, Rhiana Griffith as Jack, and John Moore as John "Zeke" Ezekiel.

Co-pilot Carolyn Fry (Mitchell) successfully saves as many of the passengers as possible, though she contemplates letting them die to save her and the pilot's lives. After the crash, the few survivors discover that Riddick has escaped.

The planet is hell (it's called Hades, which is fitting), with three suns that never seem to set lighting it. The other survivors include Muslim Imam (David) and his three assistants (aka fodder for the monsters), young Jack (Griffith), Paris P. Ogilvie (Fitz-Gerald), Zeke (Moore), Shazza (Black), and a bounty hunter named William J. Johns (Hauser). The survivors attempt to avoid Riddick while they fight to survive the heat. They discover an abandoned facility, abandoned almost two decades earlier. They they soon discover the ugly truth that darkness is coming, and so are the creatures of the night.

I loved the film's use of color to indicate the various "suns" that appeared above the sky, and the creatures (which I don't believe are ever named) are pretty freaky. While I wouldn't totally classify this as a "horror" film - as it's more a sci-fi adventure, the film is pretty creepy in it's own right if the mood is good.

The film was a minor hit, making 53 million dollars worldwide over a budget of 23 million. A sequel, Chronicles of Riddick, which I adore did not do as well, though there is at least one if not two more Riddick films in the works. Both Diesel and Twohy are set to return, and I can't be happier.

*** 1/2 out of *****

31 days of Halloween: Pit and the Pendulum

Pit and the Pendulum is a 1961 horror film by the master, Edgar Allan Poe. The film was directed by Roger Corman (the guy behind all those schlocky films of the last 60 years), and based on a screenplay adapted by the ever fantastic Richard Matheson (who I talked about just a few days ago). The film stars Vincent Price, John Kerr, Barbara Steele, Luana Anders, Antony Carbone, and Patrick Westwood.

I was surprised by this. Corman's direction while solidly established in that era's horror genre "conventions" - color scheme, same film stock, similar but probably different castle sets. I am sure I've read the original Poe story, but to the life of me I can't really recall it. We were so inundated with "The Raven" year after year that that may actually have been the only Poe story I actually know! The film does a pretty decent job from a screenplay aspect of creating a moody, atmospheric work that builds slowly over an hour before the real fun starts.

Francis (Kerr) travels to Spain to meet his late sister's husband, Don Nicholas Medina (Price), who remains in a family home that once belonged to Medina's father - a notorious butcher during the Inquisition. Medina assues Francis that the death was an accident, but Francis suspects differently.

Not exactly memorable, but certainly watchable. A film to see Roger Corman directing at his best, and just see Vincent Price on screen.

*** out of *****

31 days of Halloween: The Haunting

The Haunting is a 1963 horror film directed by Robert Wise.

The film stars Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson and Russ Tamblyn. The film is cast perfectly.

This is seriously one of the creepiest films I have ever seen. The film, tame by today's standards is one of the best directed, composed, and shot horror films ever made. The film has no blood and is not a crazy special effects orgy. It's just chock full of suspense, atmosphere and tension.

The film's contrast is perfect. The angles are disturbing and unsettling, the sound used in the film is simply... wonderful. The film is a masterpiece of "less is more." That may be a major failing of today's generation, who expect their horror to be violent, brutal, full of stupid people and cell phones that don't work when you really need them to.

The characters Eleanor (Julie Harris), Theodora (Claire Bloom), and Luke Sanderson (Richard Johnson) join John Markway (Russ Tamblyn) a doctor to investigate the paranormal. They travel to Hill House, a place that Markway believes to be a perfect place to conduct his experiment. Eleanor soon realizes she gets more than she bargained for, after the house appears to take interest in her.

The remake is okay in its own right, but it doesn't hold a candle to this movie. Probably proof that even with all the technology and money Hollywood has, they're incapable of making a film like this as good as they used to.

**** out of *****

31 days of Halloween: I Am Legend

I Am Legend is a book written by screenwriter and novelist Richard Matheson. Matheson penned some of the best Twilight Zone episodes including "Third from the Sun," "A World of Difference," "Nick of Time," "The Invaders," "Little Girl Lost," "Mute," "Death Ship," and "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet." He also wrote the book, "What Dreams May Come," which was later made as the 1998 Robin Williams film.

I Am Legend is a film that has been made no less than three times. The first was Last Man on Earth, staring Vincent Price – fighting Vampires. Price plays the Robert Neville character, called here Robert Morgan, a scientist. I'd have to say that this version is the closest to the original story, though some changes were made that still really perplex me (title and main character's name). The infected humans are more like walking zombies (though they can speak relatively well).

The second film adaptation of this work was "The Omega Man" with Charlton Heston taking the reigns as Robert Neville, a military scientist. This time around the "monsters" are more like cultish albinos (with the black 'monsters' donning white Afros). The film suffers from what I like to call "The 70s." I didn't really buy that the affected humans found it so difficult to capture Neville in this film, considering some of the events that occur later in the film. The infected humans are better done in this film and a lot closer to the intelligence of the original story's creatures.

The third version is the most recent, film, donning the book's title, I Am Legend. This time Will Smith takes on the role as the protagonist (or antagonist depending on how you look at things). I liked the atmosphere of the film, and the story is done successfully throughout most of the film. The problem I have with the movie is that the audience is not shown any real potential intelligence from the creatures. Outside a few instances of brief "human comprehension" - they're treated like animals. The ending is butchered far more than either of the two previous versions endings. They filmed an ending that was relatively close to the end of the original film - with elements of Nevile realizing the reality of his being, but because the audience isn't shown anything but the animalistic nature of the "Darkseekers" - the ending just didn't make enough sense to test auidences, so they changed it. I find it somewhat ironic that the only one of the three movies that used the original title completely missed the meaning and intent of the story with the changed ending.

Maybe they'll get it right some day.

31 days of Halloween: Invasion of the Bee Girls

Not a lot can be said about Invasion of the Bee Girls, a 1973 exploitative "horror" film, at least not a lot that's good. Surprisingly, from the mess this film is, it is entirely enjoyable in the "it's so bad, it's good" way. Like a person who can't look away from an accident. This isn't like Schadenfreude (I'd watch something really bad like that horrible comedy "100 Girls" for that). Invasion is a wonderful B-movie which highlights just about every facet of what a mid-70s B-movie was.

The cinematography is horrible, the lighting is sub-standard, the direction is, well: directionless. The screenplay is obviously written as tongue-in-cheek camp, as there is no plausible way that Nicolas Meyer (Star Trek II, IV, VI) could have written something like this without chuckling all the way to the bank. That is, unless he was really desperate for money. So, with that in mind, it fits the bill for a 1970s exploitation grind-house flick.

The plot entails a town who is beginning to have mysterious deaths begin to pile up. The strange connection is that these deaths are sudden and are happening to people who are otherwise healthy - not to mention in the process of having sexual intercourse. Hilarious right? Yes, there are "Bee" girls - even including the "conversion" process to "Bee girl" that involves stinging the females, stripping, then plastering them with some sort of opaque liquid latex/plaster before covering them with none other than - Bees. I guess it's that easy. As an added bonus the women scientists really pull off the look... right.

** out of *****

31 days of Halloween: The Toybox

The Toybox is a 2005 British horror film.

Let me just say. It's a film with too many ideas. Like a taking a nice steak dinner with a baked potato and a piece of cake for desert and blending it together. The narrative is confusing and simply not that enjoyable. The story really didn't seem to start until about the hour-point, and even then it was pretty useless. I just just can't review this film any further because I don't need a migraine at the moment.

Watch if you dare.

* out of *****

31 days of Halloween: Day of the Dead

Let me get this out of the way right now. Day of the Dead, not the original 1985 film but the 2008 remake, is just a bad movie. Fresh off the heels of the 2005 horror remake of Dawn of the Dead, it attempts to pull in that same crowd that enjoyed that film.

Well, this ain't that film. While I got to say that the remake of Dawn of the Dead was better done on many aspects compared to the original film (though the ending is over the top), I have to say that the original Day of the Dead is leaps and bounds better than this film. And I don't particularly like the 1980s Day of the Dead that much as it is.

A town, in Colorado is closed off from the rest of the world when people begin to contract a flu like sickness. Well, little do they know (and obvious to us) the people who contract the flu begin to (surprise) die and become zombies.

This film is just silly, over the top, and absurd in its execution, acting, and at times directing/editing. Worse than that, the zombies don't make sense. It's one thing to have "fast zombies" but these zombies are not only fast, but completely defy gravity.

The films stars Mena Suvari and Nick Cannon with a small cameo from Ving Rhames, I guess to make the movie seem more "legitimate."

** out of *****

31 days of Halloween: Identity

Identity is a 2003 horror film.

A movie I just picked up at a 4 for $20 deal from Blockbuster one day, I wasn't sure what to make of Identity. I hadn't heard anything about it, which can either be a bad thing or a blessing in disguise. After watching it, I was happy I had seen it.

The film stars a vast array of well known actors including John Cusack, Ray Liotta ,Amanda Peet, Alfred Molina, Clea DuVall, John C. McGinley, Jake Busey, Rebecca De Mornay, and Carmen Argenziano.

The film builds a unique, dark and dreary universe of characters, and sets up a great little "who done it" situation at a motel in the middle of nowhere. At times I am somewhat undecided about twists in films, and even more so when the twist is as huge as the one presented in this film. It's earth shattering.

In some ways the film is taken off in a new direction, one that makes sense and creates an entirely different dynamic. In other respects it might come off a little absurd, far beyond something logically expected in a film. This appears to be the major point of contention with many of the viewers. However, I think the end redeemed itself from any issues the "twist" injected into the film.

*** out of *****

New Stargate film by Emmerich?

Well, I'm shocked. Well, okay, I'm not that shocked. I've read articles about how Emmerich and Dean Devlin have been trying to float a direct sequel to the Stargate film.

The problem was that the show is moderately popular, and that the films would have nothing to do with the continuity established in the film. That's a problem, and it seems to be the same problem the rumored "Bryan Singer Battlestar Galactica" film is having.

There's just no way that they could pull off what essentially is a reboot of the franchise while the series is still on the air. That would be like if they had released the Star Trek reboot back in 2002.

I've heard that they may fit this in between the first film and the start of the series, but unless it doesn't involve any of the characters or even Earth, there's no real point. Personally they should have just adapted 10,000 BC as a prequel (of course making it better) where the revolution against Ra occurs.

31 days of Halloween: The Descent

The Descent is a 2005 British horror film directed by Neil Marshall.

Life has not been good to Sarah. On a trip back from a whitewater rafting trip, her husband and young daughter are killed in an auto accident. Sarah is in the hospital for weeks, and is traumatized. Juno, a friend of Sarah tries to get all their friends together to relax, unwind, and move on. Her plan is to hike a cave in the Appalachian mountains. All the plans have been set up, they're ready for their adventure.

They arrive to the cave, which doesn't quite look like the one in their itineraries, but they trek on down. They find some wondrous sights, and keep tunneling deeper and deeper. Soon they are trapped by an unfortunate cave-in (a scene that really freaked me out). After the other girls take another look and assess where they're at - they realize that Juno has taken them into an unexplored cave system. With no one knowing where they're at - they must go forward. But strange things are lurking in the dark. Are they just imagining the walls moving, or is something there?

I was lucky enough to see this film in the theaters (one of literally a handful that I know I've seen in the theaters) and boy - what a rush. The film on the big screen is not for the faint of heart. It is extremely claustrophobic and when the girls come across the residents of the cave, well. All Hell breaks loose.

What's interesting is that the film was not shot in a cave at all.

*** 1/2 out of *****

Quarantine

Quarantine is a 2008 horror film remake of the Spanish film, [REC]. After seeing Paranormal Activity I thought it fitting to review this one a few days later.

The film is about a late night television reporting crew, Angela Vidal (Jennifer Carpenter) and Scott Percival (Steve Harris), who were sent to do a ride-along with the Los Angles fire department.

While at the station, a call is received and the fire department is sent in. Arriving at the scene of the crime, they meet the building manager (played by "that Eastern European 'guy'", Rade Serbedzija). They enter the building, and work their way up to the apartment where screaming had been heard. What happens from here is utter mayhem. As they try to leave the building, they realize that authorities have sealed off the building, and jammed all communications from being able to leave the building.

Quarantine is a pretty intense horror film, fast paced, and quite startling.

*** 1/2 out of *****

Curse of Demon Mountain

Curse of Demon Mountain (originally known as The Shadow of Chikara) is a 1977 horror film staring Joe Don Baker, Sondra Locke, Ted Neeley, and Joy N. Houck Jr. The film was written and directed by Earl E. Smith.

The story involves Confederate veterans (of which Joe Don Baker is one) finding out about a secret stash of treasure on a mountain, and seeking out to claim it. The mountain, however, is protected by forces beyond this world, and will seek out to stop anyone from trespassing and disturbing the land.

I will preface this review because I saw a really crummy (probably public domain) version of the film, so most of the atmosphere this film could have potentially created is thrown out the window.

I think that, based on what I saw on screen and what little I've read about it, real horses were probably killed in a stunt off the side of a mountain or the entire story was fabricated at some point. Either way, quite interesting.

Confederate captain Joe Don Baker and his friend, "Half Moon" get to the end of the civil war alive, and mostly unharmed. With nothing to go home to, Baker's character seeks out a purpose. Well, they set out to find a hidden cache of valuable stones (diamonds and the like). Along they way they pick up a prospector and rescue, "Drusilla", a survivor of an almost gang rape. Along the way they are are impeded by natives who are trying to protect the sacred mountain, and as they near the site, mysterious circumstances begin to befall the group. Something doesn't want them to approach the mountain.

Now the film, it's far too long, meandering, and boring. However, as I already said, if the movie had been a pristine cut, I would have probably found myself enjoying it far more.

** 1/2 out of *****

31 days of Halloween: The Ring

I'd like to revisit an old review I did back in 2007. The Ring stars Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, and Brian Cox and was directed by Gore Verbinski, the man behind the camera for the Pirates of the Caribbean films.

Back then, as with when it was originally release, and even now, I believe in my heart that the movie is the best horror film of this decade (The Decent is close, but no cigar). The film is atmospheric, the cinematography and direction are top notch. The acting is superb, particuarly from Naomi Watts is unlike most films in the genre.

The story follows journalist Rachel Keller (Watts), who is investigating the mysterious death of her niece (Amber Tamblyn). Uncovering something greater than just a teen's 'heart attack' (which should be obvious based on the imagery of the dead body, that this was no 'heart attack'). Three friends of hers who went to a cabin in the woods all died the same way. Realizing that no one appears to be interested in this angle, and spurring on her journalistic tendencies, she embarks on a journey to uncover exactly what killed her niece and her friends. A rumor spreading around the teens is that they watched a mysterious cursed video, and died exactly seven days later.

Rachel discovers an unmarked video at the cabin her niece stayed at, she watches, and after a terrifying phone call Rachel is convinced that she too only has 7 days to live. She is only spurred on further to figuring a way to break the curse after her son, Aiden watches it. With her friend Noah (Martin Henderson), she begins to dig up the past surrounding the video.

The Ring was both a blessing to modern horror and the very thing that opened the floodgates to some of the modern, bland tripe that has entered the marketplace. The Ring can be blamed for the huge push of bland Asian-horror film remakes which all include revengeful young girl spirits, or pale white dead boys (The Grudge, Dark Water). This film can even be blamed for the terrible follow up, The Ring Two, which was a waste of talent and time (The 15 minute short film sequel, "Rings" is entirely superior to the sequel). The problem with those films is that this one is atmospheric. The others just aren't. Being an effective PG-13 film that didn't *need* the R-rating, the industry mistook it as a sign that watered down films are more profitable, even if the R-rating is integral to the quality of the film.

An unrelated sub-genre of horror, aptly labeled "torture porn" has made headway over the last few years. What it lacks in terror is made up by gratuitous violence - most of the time not scary in the least. In some respects I see it as the "anti-PG13" movement, where there are ardent followers of the genre who enjoy seeing red hot items go into people's eyes, or others being forced to maiming themselves or others. Others appear to accept some of the atrocious things that the bad guys do - up to and including putting someone into the position of say, removing an arm or dying - take your pick - and claiming that they aren't a murderer. And that rapist just gave the girl the option, right?

But I can ignore all that. I can sit back and enjoy The Ring and remember the fond days where people I knew ran from their rooms in sheer terror upon seeing the end of the film.

****/*****

Paranormal Activity

Well, I finally got to the theaters, and the movie I saw was the little movie with big aspirations, Paranormal Activity.

The movie Paranormal Activity didn't disappoint me as much as I would have expected. When you consider the state of horror these days, they could have done much worse. I'd like to go over some of the background of this film before going into the movie itself, because it's almost more interesting than the movie itself. The film is as independent as you can get. The actors and 3 crew members filmed over 7 days in the directors house in 2007. The movie's budget was about the cost of a brand new car. *Brother... take some pointers for the future.* Spielberg came across the film in 2008, and was so impressed he negotiated for the film to be remade by the director. The director, Oren Peli convinced him that the film be screened and ell, the screening was such a hit that the remake was scrapped and the original made it onto Paramount's release slate. That's simply amazing!

Now onto the movie. Paranormal Activity is about Katie and Micah, twenty-somethings who are trying to track down exactly what is haunting them. The movie is entirely shot using the camera that Micah purchased as part of the film. This camera is carried around by the two characters and is left on a tripod in their bedroom while they sleep.

The acting was believable, and surprisingly so since the two leads apparently were amateurs. Micah is a huge idiot, consistently making things worse by introducing a quija board, telling Katie not to call the exorcist, and overall being a pretty big douche to her feelings about the video equipment he has set up.

What really got me was the ambient noise. The creepy, low pitched sound that frequented the film and the paranormal activity really struck me as disturbing, and triggered *something* in me that bothered me to the core.

On a side note when I turned on my phone upon leaving the theater it claimed it was October 6th, 5:11 am. Creepy.

I'm probably more impressed with this film because it was a low-budget, independent film that was produced outside of Hollywood. The movie is not the best horror film made ever, or even in recent years (though as a "horror" film it's better than probably anything since The Descent), but is worthy of probably the best horror film this year. A remake just probably wouldn't have captured the same feeling that came from this production. I may have more to say about this in a follow up tomorrow, but at the moment, I'd suggest seeing the film!

*** 1/2 out of *****

31 days of Halloween: The Spell

The Spell is a 1977 tv-movie about a teenage witch who inflicts pain on those who anger and upset her. The movie stars Lee Grant, Susan Myers, Helen Hunt, and James Olson and is directed by Lee Philips.

The film is pretty forgettable as a Carrie knockoff. Rita is a slightly overweight teenager who gets picked on at school. Little do the other students know, she's capable of inflicting pain and death with just a look. She begins a reign of terror (I suppose) on her classmates and family friends - all of whom treated her like garbage.

The problem with this film is not a lot happens. It's meddling, and almost boring at times. There's little to no suspense and absolutely no buildup. I suspect that the film would have been better had they edited the film more tightly, however it wouldn't have left the audience with much.

** out of *****

31 days of Halloween: House of Wax

House of Wax, the 1953 version and not the horrible version with Paris Hilton, is a wonderful horror film. This film is wonderful. The star, Vincent Price, as always, is eloquent and masterful.

A mysterious sculptor (Vincent Price), a man who has been missing for quite a few years after an accident, resurfaces with a new exhibit, a wax statue museum. During the grand exhibition the morgue begins to mysteriously lose its bodies from the morgue. The sculptor's assistant begins to become suspicious of the sculptor and starts to piece together suspicion that the bodies are ending up at the wax museum. To make matters worse, the sculptor starts to believe that the assistant's girlfriend would make a great Marie Antoinette.

This film is similar to the 2005 version of the story in only two ways: The name (House of Wax), and the fact there actually is wax used in the film. The real similarities end there. There is nothing outside of that, nothing, zip, nada that is the same. Everything was changed in the remake. But not to be too harsh on remakes, this film is *shock* a remake of Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933), a film I have yet to see. A fun additional fact: House of Wax was the first 3d film with a stereophonic soundtrack.

Check it out, you will not be disappointed.

*** 1/2 out of *****

31 days of Halloween: 9 Lives

9 Lives is a 2002 horror film set in Scotland.

The movie is set in Scotland, at an old estate. Tim has invited eight of his closest friends to celebrate his 21st birthday. Everything was perfect, until... one of them came across a secret compartment in the library containing a possessed book. The revengeful spirit, Murray, seeks to kill all those in the house. Murray won't rest until all 9 are dead. The problem - the spirit transfers to the body of anyone who kills the current host.

Personally it shows some, and I stress some promise, but the inclusion of Paris Hilton in the cast undermines whatever goodwill the film could have had as a staple of an actually watchable horror film on FearNet. It is far too boring to really be re-watchable, and really not bad enough to really get too much of a kick out of it.

** out of *****

31 days of Halloween: The Crawling Hand

The Crawling Hand is a 1963 science fiction/horror film about a demented arm that seeks out victims to strangle.

The plot involves a teenager that happens across the wreckage of a crashed space capsule and happens across the severed arm of the astronaut that detonated the vehicle upon reentry. You see, the astronaut was infected with something which wanted him to "kill" - so a power struggle ensued, causing the ultimate destruction of the capsule. But anyway, so this teenager becomes infected, and begins to go around killing people. Probably the only scene that plays out well is the after hours diner scene where the old crotchety manager/owner gets whats coming to him. The rest of the film has no suspense build up, is corny, and poorly acted.

The movie stars Rod Lauren, Peter Breck, Allison Hayes, and Alan Hale (The Skipper from Gilligan's Island).

It was later featured on the television shows Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) but you can watch the entire thing on Hulu.

* out of *****

31 days of Halloween: Evil Breed: The Legend of Samhain

Evil Breed: The Legend of Samhain is a low budget 2003 horror film. The film stars a boatload of porn stars including Ginger Allen, Chasey Lain, Taylor Hayes and Jenna Jameson. The rest of the cast includes Bobbie Phillips, Howard Rosenstein and 90's crummy movie mainstay Richard Grieco.

For serious B-horror films like this, you'll have to expect some "special" things going on. The film clocks in at a dazzling 88 minutes (including credits), while the film is supposed to be set in Ireland I don't think they found a single Irish actor or actress. The accents are atrocious. Ginger Lynn makes an attempt, but it fades in and out every few seconds. With that said, the acting from the porn stars is better than many of the actual actor's acting.

Since I know some of what went on behind the scenes, I felt kind of bad about how the final film was treated. The film was taken away from the director and many of the crew and replaced. The film was edited poorly, and so the final result was not what was originally intended, though when is it ever when the final result is so poor? I'll give them a bit of leeway, especially since the ending that appears in the film makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

There's some horror there, but the film is so bland and silly that any horror elements get lost in the bloody mist.

* 1/2 out of *****

31 days of Halloween: The Rats

The Rats is a 2002 horror film about super-intelligent rats who wreak havoc on New York City.

This film wasn't as bad as I had initially expected, but it's definitely the run of the mill "small creature is running amok and loves the taste of blood" horror film. The film opens at an upscale department store where a women trying on clothes gets bit by a rat, believing it to be something more akin to a rusty nail, she is sent on her merry way. Well, soon enough it becomes clear it was a rat, and a pretty nasty one at that.

Susan Costello, who works at the store calls on Jack Carver who is an expert exterminator. Jack tracks down the cause, a colony of rats living in the city's underbelly. Of course, all authority figures want to sweep this under the covers in classic horror film fashion, but that doesn't stop Jack or Susan.

Some scenes aren't really funny, but the thought (and sight) of dozens of rats swimming across a pool (a la Jaws) towards a group of screaming children is pretty humorous.

Apparently this film was to debut on September 11th 2001. Well, needless to say, the film was pushed back until 2002.

** 1/2 out of *****

31 days of Halloween: Troll 2

Troll 2 is a horror movie (if you can call it) released in 1990.

Over the years Troll 2 has been considered one of the worst "watchable" films ever made. Anyone familiar with Mystery Science Theater 3000 knows the difference between a really bad film and one that's bad but surprisingly watchable on some level. There's absolutely no suspense, and any buildup is destroyed by the poor writing, acting and direction. The comedic elements fall flat and the scenes meant to instill fear only instill laughter. And that is precisely what saves it as a film. That might sound melodramatic, and it is. The film is a piece of garbage. Schadenfreude at its finest.

The plot centers around a family who are taking a vacation to Nilbog. Joshua, the young lead character of the film, is hesitant on going. He starts to see visions of his grandfather telling him that the family must not go on this vacation. Joshua's sister, Holly, has a loser boyfriend who has loser friends that Holly doesn't like. Going against Holly's wishes, her boyfriend and his friends intend to follow them to her family's vacation getaway, you know, for reasons and stuff. Well, surprise surprise, they're all entering a trap set by goblins (or trolls I suppose, the film doesn't really make it too clear). The goblins are hungry, and they have a taste for plant matter (being vegetarians) and thus must kill human mammals by turning them into plant matter. Yep, kill living creatures by turning them into plants doesn't bother them - they're eating vegetables after all, right? Creepy hilarity ensues with poorly plotted and shot deaths.

One of the most memorable parts of the film is the following sequence:

* out of *****

31 days of Halloween: Splinter

Splinter is 2008 horror film directed by Toby Wilkins.


I was introduced to it by my good friend Jonathan just a few weeks ago, for which I was completely unaware of its existence prior. After looking into it, I saw found out that it had a limited release in theaters and was pretty much promptly released for home consumption. Not sure what to expect from a small horror film that I had never heard of, I went in without any preconceptions beyond the front cover (which really didn't color my judgment either way). Well, it's pretty creepy and surprisingly good!

The film stars Shea Whigham as Dennis Farell, Paulo Costanzo (Royal Pains!) as Seth Belzer, Jill Wagner as Polly Watt, and Rachel Kerbs as Lacey Belisle.

The film is mostly contained in one single location, lending it to a pretty claustrophobic atmosphere. It may appear similar to The Thing, but it's entirely superficial. There are certainly homages to it ("There's a thing out there" is a line spoken in the film), as well as other horror films, but that's about it.

Splinter is a wonderful monster film and certainly an overlooked horror gem that could use some additional recognition.

50 years of The Twilight Zone

Well folks, on October 2nd, 1959 The Twilight Zone debuted.

Everyone familiar with the show has their favorites, here are some of mine in no particular order and as Rod would so often say, "I hope you enjoy." Note that some of these aren't necessarily all the commonly mentioned classics, but while re-watching them over the past few weeks, they are episodes that really stood out for me or still creeped the Hell out of me. I guarantee that I left quite a few off this list that I should not have. Am I superstitious to leave it at 12 episodes only? Or am I bright because there are plenty more I could list? Realistically I could more easily do a "list of least favorite episodes" and not leave any off the short list since so many are not only iconic, but surprisingly good even by today's standards.

Nightmare at 20,000 Feet: William Shatner plays a nervous man who just happens to be the only person who sees something toying with the wing of the airplane in-flight. This episode has atmosphere and is still pretty creepy.

Time Enough at Last: Burgess Meredith is the lone survivor of an aerial attack, but soon realizes that there's more to life than being surrounded by the living. The episode is wonderfully ironic and iconic.

To Serve Man: An alien race comes to Earth with the promise of solving all our problems. Is this a wish too good to be true?

The Midnight Sun: The Earth is in its last moments, about to be swallowed up by the Sun. I probably enjoy this episode mainly for the twist that comes in the story. There are some kind of rediculous moments, the neighbor's over the top reactions, the insane guy off the streets, but the episode instills the right amount of fear of the inevitable that never lets up, that is until the end.

The Obsolete Man: Burgess Meredith is a man who lives in a society that deems decadent aspects of the past "obsolete" if it conflicts with the word of the government. While a few years ago I thought this episode was beginning to date itself, I looked at it in new found light and found I quite like it.

The Invaders: Agnes Moorehead is a loner living in isolation who comes face to face with space aliens. This episode is wonderful. The music by Jerry Goldsmith is creepy as hell, listening to it alone gives me goosebumps. The "invaders" themselves, in their silly space suits are probably the only aspect that didn't hold up as well as all the rest of it.

Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?: A group of people on a bus stop at a diner when the road conditions become too bleak to continue on, but when they arrive there's an additional person then when they departed. The police report that an unidentified craft crashed at the local pond. So who's the Martian? I like the whodunit aspect of the episode. John Hoyt and Jack Elam stand out.

Nick of Time: William Shatner and his wife stop at a small town on their honeymoon when their car breaks down. When they stop at a diner for a quick bite, the discover a fortune telling machine that begins to control their actions.

Mirror Image: Vera Miles is a young woman waiting alone at a bus stop in the evening. Others around her convince her that she's done things she doesn't remember doing, and she starts to see items of her move around, without her actually doing so. There are some positively chilling moments in this episode.

Living Doll: Telly Savalas' daughter owns a doll that hates Telly. What a fraking creepy episode. I hated talking dolls after seeing this episode when I was younger.

Twenty Two: Twenty Two creeps me the hell out. Barbara Nichols as a stripper is at a hospital, where night after night she dreams she ends up in the morgue. Some don't like it because it was shot on video (and not film). I honestly think it adds to the unsettling nature of the episode.

It's A Good Life: This is one of the few things that I've ever seen that has caused me to watch in abject horror with mouth wide open for 22 minutes straight. The absolute revulsion that I had for Anthony and the kind of world that had been created by him bothers me each time, and even though I know the outcome, I always find myself hoping that they can stop the madness.

The Twilight Zone revolutionized television, and has influenced it for 50 years. Here's to 50 more!

31 days of Halloween: House on Haunted Hill (1959)

I am Frederick Loren, and I have rented the house on haunted hill tonight so that my wife can give a party. She's so amusing. There'll be food and drink and ghosts, and perhaps even a few murders. You're all invited. If any of you will spend the next twelve hours in this house, I will give you each ten thousand dollars, or your next of kin in case you don't survive. Ah, but here come our other guests.

The first film in this month-long attempt is the 1959 horror film, House on Haunted Hill. This B movie was directed by William Castle and written by Robb White. Vincent Price stars as millionaire Fredrick Loren.

The film's premise is that Loren and his wife, Annabelle (Carol Ohmart), are holding a party at a "Haunted House." Those who remain in the house all night will each earn $10,000. As the night progresses, all the guests are trapped inside the house with ghosts, murderers, and other terrors. Joining them are Nora Manning (Carolyn Craig), a secretary; Lance Schroeder (Richard Long), a pilot; Watson Pritchard (Elisha Cook Jr.), the scared owner of the house; Dr. David Trent (Alan Marshal), a psychiatrist; Ruth Bridgers (Julie Mitchum), a columnist with a gambling problem.

Unfortunately the movie was a bit convoluted and silly by the end. There were a few moments of terror towards the start and middle of the film, but it was pretty tame even compared to films from that time period. The film often "confused" with this one is the 1963 film, The Haunting - now that was a terrifying haunted house film!

*** out of *****