This will be my 3rd year doing this, gonna try to actually keep up posting my watches here, I always start and fall way behind.
-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
-
We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.
31 Days of Horror (2020) - The October Movie Marathon
- Thread starter ThirstyFly
- Start date
Feel like throwing in one more flick for this weekend's prologue, and maybe I will tackle Exorcist 3 now.
Been on a Carpenter run and man Prince of Darkness is such an amazing movie. The music is great, the cast is pretty damn diverse for the time and the special effect are also super good.
Also really enjoyed Vampire and Christine.
The part at the end where you see the devil hands about to enter our world really got me. The hand looks super dated and yet it still manage to shook me a bit lol.
OP
OP
I always felt I was kind of in the minority for not caring for Hellbound. Glad to hear some similar opinions.
As for Pinhead hamming it up, I'll take the bonkers Hellraiser 3 cheese over Hellbound's any day. He's hilarious in #3.
It's a shame none of the sequels even come close to the original, which is just incredible aside from the rather messy last 2 or so minutes.
Keeping up with the thread once it really gets going mid-month is always the hardest part for me since I'm not a very active poster the rest of the year. I always get buried by the end and have to sloppily collect my thoughts on a bunch of stuff at once.
This time, I'm going to make a better effort to post my reviews in a more timely fashion and plan to at least get my rough thoughts down right after every viewing so I can clean them up and post as a review sooner.
I always enjoy reading/following this thread, tho I rarely get around watching a lot in oktober for some reason. I did just binged a bunch of movies with my regular horror binge buddy, hopefully she's up for more next month.
I think one of the most interesting things I've wached lately was The Invitation, tho I'm not sure it still classifies as horror, maybe more thriller. Never made the connection that it's from the same director as Jennifer's Body, Karyn Kusama. Strong stuff.
I think one of the most interesting things I've wached lately was The Invitation, tho I'm not sure it still classifies as horror, maybe more thriller. Never made the connection that it's from the same director as Jennifer's Body, Karyn Kusama. Strong stuff.
Last week I did an Amityville movie watch. Geez there are a lot of them. I could write a few paragraphs on each one, but that is always my hang up when doing the format of this thread... I watch so many movies that it would take me hours to write up my feelings on each one.
Amityville Horror
Amityville 2: The Possession
Amityville 3-D
Amityville 4 The Evil Escapes
Amityville It's About Time
Amityville A New Generation
Amityville Dollhouse
Amityville Horror Remake (with Ryan Reynolds)
Amityville Haunting
Amityville Asylum
Amityville Death House
Amityville Playhouse
Amityville No Escape
Amityville Vanishing Point
Amityville Legacy
Amityville Terror
Amityville The Awakening
Amityville Murders
Amityville Curse
Amityville Exorcism
Amityville Island
Amityville Prison (Escape the Night alt title)
Amityville Mt Misery Road
Amityville Evil Never Dies
Amityville The Final Chapter (Sickle alt title)
Amityville Harvest
And a handful of documentaries:
The Real Amityville Horror
The True Story: The Amityville Horror
The Real Story: The Amityville Horror
Amityville; Horror or Hoax
Amityville The Haunting
Amityville Documentaire (The only one I did not watch, french film on Youtube with no subtitles)
My Amityville Horror - See below!
I watched all those and honestly, the documentaries were easily the best movies, particularly the one called My Amityville Horror (2012). This movie is an interview with Daniel Lutz, the boy from the book who was only 10yrs old during the 28 day ordeal in the Amityville home. He is an honest, real, and convincing historian. He is also a fucking asshole with a chip on his shoulder who acts like he could explode in a violent rage at any given moment. The movie was fascinating. I couldn't take my eyes of of it. Daniel is very obviously a traumatized and emotionally unstable man. His accounts of things are hair raising and 100% true, at least to him. There is a point when the documentary goes off the fucking rails when they visit the home of Lorraine Warren. You would know her as one half of the famous paranormal investigator team of Ed and Lorraine Warren. They have been played on screen by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farminga in movies like The Conjuring, Annabelle, Nun (were they in Nun?). Anyway, Daniel very obviously has an immense amount of respect for this women: almost a reverence. At one point she breaks out a piece of the true cross (lol) and Daniel kisses it and I think people started crying? It was fucking weird as shit though. It is obvious that Ed & Lorraine (and Daniel too) were hardcore catholics. Like, crazy catholics. The movie shed more light to me, sometimes unintentional, than the book or all the above movies ever have. It was a great documentary and I highly suggest it.
Also, between Saturday & Sunday as a family we watched Aliens on Saturday then Black Water and Rogue on Sunday (love me some crocodile movies!). All 3 were first time watches for my kids. I love discussing the "what would you do in that situation" with my wife and kids. We sat and watched these in my media room while mom played World of WarCraft on her laptop, I did clean up and assembly on some miniatures, and my kids played short stints of MineCraft & Fall Guys between movies. It was a great weekend. We decided that this started the family Halloween Horror Marathon.
Amityville Horror
Amityville 2: The Possession
Amityville 3-D
Amityville 4 The Evil Escapes
Amityville It's About Time
Amityville A New Generation
Amityville Dollhouse
Amityville Horror Remake (with Ryan Reynolds)
Amityville Haunting
Amityville Asylum
Amityville Death House
Amityville Playhouse
Amityville No Escape
Amityville Vanishing Point
Amityville Legacy
Amityville Terror
Amityville The Awakening
Amityville Murders
Amityville Curse
Amityville Exorcism
Amityville Island
Amityville Prison (Escape the Night alt title)
Amityville Mt Misery Road
Amityville Evil Never Dies
Amityville The Final Chapter (Sickle alt title)
Amityville Harvest
And a handful of documentaries:
The Real Amityville Horror
The True Story: The Amityville Horror
The Real Story: The Amityville Horror
Amityville; Horror or Hoax
Amityville The Haunting
Amityville Documentaire (The only one I did not watch, french film on Youtube with no subtitles)
My Amityville Horror - See below!
I watched all those and honestly, the documentaries were easily the best movies, particularly the one called My Amityville Horror (2012). This movie is an interview with Daniel Lutz, the boy from the book who was only 10yrs old during the 28 day ordeal in the Amityville home. He is an honest, real, and convincing historian. He is also a fucking asshole with a chip on his shoulder who acts like he could explode in a violent rage at any given moment. The movie was fascinating. I couldn't take my eyes of of it. Daniel is very obviously a traumatized and emotionally unstable man. His accounts of things are hair raising and 100% true, at least to him. There is a point when the documentary goes off the fucking rails when they visit the home of Lorraine Warren. You would know her as one half of the famous paranormal investigator team of Ed and Lorraine Warren. They have been played on screen by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farminga in movies like The Conjuring, Annabelle, Nun (were they in Nun?). Anyway, Daniel very obviously has an immense amount of respect for this women: almost a reverence. At one point she breaks out a piece of the true cross (lol) and Daniel kisses it and I think people started crying? It was fucking weird as shit though. It is obvious that Ed & Lorraine (and Daniel too) were hardcore catholics. Like, crazy catholics. The movie shed more light to me, sometimes unintentional, than the book or all the above movies ever have. It was a great documentary and I highly suggest it.
Also, between Saturday & Sunday as a family we watched Aliens on Saturday then Black Water and Rogue on Sunday (love me some crocodile movies!). All 3 were first time watches for my kids. I love discussing the "what would you do in that situation" with my wife and kids. We sat and watched these in my media room while mom played World of WarCraft on her laptop, I did clean up and assembly on some miniatures, and my kids played short stints of MineCraft & Fall Guys between movies. It was a great weekend. We decided that this started the family Halloween Horror Marathon.
I've seen the church scene from 3 a few times. That's a whole different level of hamming it up haha.
Here's the threaddd.
Already started... I feel like its cheating, but who am I cheating really?
The Worst Witch 10/10 Tim Curry musical
Vivarium - really enjoyed this, super anxious vibes. Love love psychological horror.
Doctor Sleep - I was stunned how bad I thought this movie was, to a point I can't understand how anyone could even remotely like it. This weird CW Xmen movie, from such a beautifully done original film.
Already started... I feel like its cheating, but who am I cheating really?
The Worst Witch 10/10 Tim Curry musical
Vivarium - really enjoyed this, super anxious vibes. Love love psychological horror.
Doctor Sleep - I was stunned how bad I thought this movie was, to a point I can't understand how anyone could even remotely like it. This weird CW Xmen movie, from such a beautifully done original film.
Seconded, only I can see its appeal really, as a totally disposable rental horror film. Ewan McGregor and the young girl are great in this, even if the plot is sooooooooo bad.
Danny's trajectory as an adult is also a fine, fine story.
Same. I only really liked the first Hellraiser. Even then I wouldnt put it up there as one of my all time favourites.
In preparation for creating my 2020 list, I came across a dilemma. I want to eventually watch all of the movies on my top 500 horror films list, but Cannibal Holocaust is the highest rated movie that I haven't watched yet. I keep not wanting to see it due to the graphic animal killings, but it's available on Shudder so I'm tempted to watch it.
The good to bad ratio was off the charts lol. A few of those shouldn't even count as Amityville movies because they are tangentially related *at best*. Amityville 3 was cool because it was in 3D so it has all sorts of gimmick shots that are funny when you are watching it in 2D. Also, it starred teenaged Lori Loughlin and Meg Ryan! Total record scratch moment for me when I saw them lol.
Haven't seen these before so I'll look into them. Is High Tension subtitled or dubbed?
Finished making my list tonight.
I have only seen 7 films on the list. I sprinkled them throughout so if I have a spree of trash I know I got something I enjoy!
I have only seen 7 films on the list. I sprinkled them throughout so if I have a spree of trash I know I got something I enjoy!
I'd rather watch it subtitled. Tried watching it off Amazon once but it was dubbed.
Week One: A Trip through Bollywood Horror, with the Help of the Ramsay Brothers, Day 2 (Sept 28)
Having already had one encounter with the Ramsay Brothers on Mahakaal, their, shall we say, generous lifting of A Nightmare on Elm Street, rewinding the clock back to when they were a fair bit less shameless in their nicking of western horror films proved to be a wise choice, if only to see more humble beginnings where possibly litigious elements are kept to a minimum. Indeed, there is even a keen interest in this film in a most unexpected way, as a number of plot elements seem awfully familiar to anyone who has ever seen Poltergeist, despite this releasing the year previously, making one wonder just how deep the rabbit hole gets with the various theories on just who that film truly belongs to. But we aren't here to talk about just who moved the headstones but forgot to move the bodies first: this is the time for brass tacks!
As implied, the story here involves a real estate deal that involves a scenic view from on top a hill, and the graveyard that currently occupies it. Those expecting an expedient chronicle of such matters are in for a surprise, though not an entirely unpleasant one, as the film's first half spends a lot of its time going through the entire process of securing the property, by hook and by crook, and the questionable means of which the hotel itself is built, up to and including murder to prevent interloping parties from exposing the sordid truth. Scares are non-existent here, and we are instead treated to a growing cabal of diabolical ne'er-do-wells led by an especially delightful Ranjeet, who clearly relishes every asshole thing his character gets into, making him a ringleader you so want to love to hate. The colorful band of criminals bribe, lie, swindle, bamboozle, honeypot, coerce and... well, you saw where it all leads to, putting all of them on the hook for some retribution from beyond the grave. Meanwhile, in the far less interesting part of the film, the would-be proprietors of the hotel that the villains are abusing the good nature of to their own ends get into all kinds of romantic wistfulness and longing for their respective and/or potential partners, and it's hard not to want the film to immediately go back elsewhere as this is all very stock stuff to give the heroes a sense of duty and obligation that separates them from the greed and corruption of their adversaries.
At least, until the second half of the film starts, as the worm begins to turn and makes our hotel into just a tad bit more than a brief stay in the lap of luxury. Hilariously improbable coincidences start putting people together in increasingly amusing ways, as the displaced corpses of those defiled graves begin their revenge tract. Starting off simply with a little poltergeist action here and there, their malevolence soon turns into outright Looney Tunes acts of vengeance, giving the film a fun bounce to it as each of the villains gets a showcase death scene that skips between being genuinely litigious (a late death involving an exploding mirror produces results that Dario Argento would have disapproved of) to recoiling in guffaws for just how ridiculous it can get (a death by lightning bolt produces a wonderfully charred corpse that is just missing a Mel Blanc bon mot from the victim to cap it off). Even the more innocent members of the guest list aren't safe, leading to an incredible moment where one of our heroes decides it's a great time to start fanning the flames of passion again with a previously lost love, despite being very recently widowed! The bloody malarkey that ensues is quite satisfying and at time genuinely inspired, giving the film a good capper to the proceedings.
Did this need as much story as it wound up with? Probably not, and as is tradition for Bollywood films of this kind, there is a long comedy relief subplot that could have been dropped entirely to the film's benefits, especially as it engages with some charitably mild gay panic humor that certainly dates the film to the 80s than just about anything else. But what is surprising is that it is a genuinely funny film without it already, as the Ramsay Brothers clearly have a nicely wicked wit about them that shows up in their filmmaking (a two-faced flip of real estate pitches early on, the film's final musical number being interrupted by the discovery of a dead body), while also producing some fun musical numbers that don't feel at all out of place. And even if some influences can feel a bit obvious, they do at least have a talent for recognizing why those scares worked the first time around and manage to successfully stage a few jolts of their own to break up all the scheming and comeuppances that show if not fully developed here, that they definitely had it in them for sterner horror elements that I suspect that they got better at and will soon see in the rest of this week's batch of films. The results here do produce a very entertaining film that is surprisingly easy to recommend for anyone wanting just enough western influence in their Bollywood films to make it go down easy while also providing the necessary genre elements that one goes looking for when diving into the horror filmmaking of other countries. A solid hoot!
2/38
Having already had one encounter with the Ramsay Brothers on Mahakaal, their, shall we say, generous lifting of A Nightmare on Elm Street, rewinding the clock back to when they were a fair bit less shameless in their nicking of western horror films proved to be a wise choice, if only to see more humble beginnings where possibly litigious elements are kept to a minimum. Indeed, there is even a keen interest in this film in a most unexpected way, as a number of plot elements seem awfully familiar to anyone who has ever seen Poltergeist, despite this releasing the year previously, making one wonder just how deep the rabbit hole gets with the various theories on just who that film truly belongs to. But we aren't here to talk about just who moved the headstones but forgot to move the bodies first: this is the time for brass tacks!
As implied, the story here involves a real estate deal that involves a scenic view from on top a hill, and the graveyard that currently occupies it. Those expecting an expedient chronicle of such matters are in for a surprise, though not an entirely unpleasant one, as the film's first half spends a lot of its time going through the entire process of securing the property, by hook and by crook, and the questionable means of which the hotel itself is built, up to and including murder to prevent interloping parties from exposing the sordid truth. Scares are non-existent here, and we are instead treated to a growing cabal of diabolical ne'er-do-wells led by an especially delightful Ranjeet, who clearly relishes every asshole thing his character gets into, making him a ringleader you so want to love to hate. The colorful band of criminals bribe, lie, swindle, bamboozle, honeypot, coerce and... well, you saw where it all leads to, putting all of them on the hook for some retribution from beyond the grave. Meanwhile, in the far less interesting part of the film, the would-be proprietors of the hotel that the villains are abusing the good nature of to their own ends get into all kinds of romantic wistfulness and longing for their respective and/or potential partners, and it's hard not to want the film to immediately go back elsewhere as this is all very stock stuff to give the heroes a sense of duty and obligation that separates them from the greed and corruption of their adversaries.
At least, until the second half of the film starts, as the worm begins to turn and makes our hotel into just a tad bit more than a brief stay in the lap of luxury. Hilariously improbable coincidences start putting people together in increasingly amusing ways, as the displaced corpses of those defiled graves begin their revenge tract. Starting off simply with a little poltergeist action here and there, their malevolence soon turns into outright Looney Tunes acts of vengeance, giving the film a fun bounce to it as each of the villains gets a showcase death scene that skips between being genuinely litigious (a late death involving an exploding mirror produces results that Dario Argento would have disapproved of) to recoiling in guffaws for just how ridiculous it can get (a death by lightning bolt produces a wonderfully charred corpse that is just missing a Mel Blanc bon mot from the victim to cap it off). Even the more innocent members of the guest list aren't safe, leading to an incredible moment where one of our heroes decides it's a great time to start fanning the flames of passion again with a previously lost love, despite being very recently widowed! The bloody malarkey that ensues is quite satisfying and at time genuinely inspired, giving the film a good capper to the proceedings.
Did this need as much story as it wound up with? Probably not, and as is tradition for Bollywood films of this kind, there is a long comedy relief subplot that could have been dropped entirely to the film's benefits, especially as it engages with some charitably mild gay panic humor that certainly dates the film to the 80s than just about anything else. But what is surprising is that it is a genuinely funny film without it already, as the Ramsay Brothers clearly have a nicely wicked wit about them that shows up in their filmmaking (a two-faced flip of real estate pitches early on, the film's final musical number being interrupted by the discovery of a dead body), while also producing some fun musical numbers that don't feel at all out of place. And even if some influences can feel a bit obvious, they do at least have a talent for recognizing why those scares worked the first time around and manage to successfully stage a few jolts of their own to break up all the scheming and comeuppances that show if not fully developed here, that they definitely had it in them for sterner horror elements that I suspect that they got better at and will soon see in the rest of this week's batch of films. The results here do produce a very entertaining film that is surprisingly easy to recommend for anyone wanting just enough western influence in their Bollywood films to make it go down easy while also providing the necessary genre elements that one goes looking for when diving into the horror filmmaking of other countries. A solid hoot!
2/38
OP
OP
My favourite thing to happen, is when I watch multiple Hammer Vampire movies in a row and then wait a couple of days to write my reviews and I can't remember what happened in which one anymore because they're all so similar.
I love it, though I think they really kind of dropped the ball on the last couple of minutes. The end definitely could be stronger.
Subtitled on Tubi-
tubitv.com
High Tension (2002)
Best friends Marie and Alexa head to a secluded farmhouse for a quiet night to study, but a late-night visitor brings a haunting change of plans.
Given how profilic Indian cinema is, I've always been curious about Bollywood horror. The only one I saw was that NOES remake you mentioned. TBH I remember thinking it was decent.
Week One: A Trip through Bollywood Horror, with the Help of the Ramsay Brothers, Day 3 (Sept 29)
The Ramsay Brothers hit it real big with this one, often considered the big turning point for horror in Bollywood cinema and a massive box office success, which led to the Ramsays establishing a formula that I'm sure to see more of this week while inspiring plenty of imitators that saw gold in doing something a lot scarier than the normal theater fare. Even the expected comedy subplot does little to dissuade the film from following a much stronger horror vibe from start to finish, establishing its threat early on with the appearance of Samri, demon-worshipping sorcerer turned hulking vampire (and in the role that made his career, Anirudh Agarwal certainly makes a strong impression as our villain with his impressive frame and intense facial expressions) as beheading isn't enough to prevent his curse from following the Singh family throughout the centuries, leading to the modern day when the latest head of the household worries that his daughter will soon be in the beast's sights.
Even beyond the rock solid horror credentials, from its credibly lethal villain to its bloody violence and on through to some good use of atmosphere in the different locations we visit throughout the film with tasteful use of fog and some inspired usage of handheld cameras, the Ramsays remember an important lesson that you can be scarier and more suspenseful with the very simple yet frequently forgotten detail that making the audience care about its characters helps both elements. Both Sanjay and Suman start the film poised to be star-crossed lovers for Suman's own good, only for her father to realize that he simply can't stand in the way of love, even when the threat is real enough to kill her if things follow their natural course. What's a budding love to do? Take matters into their own hands and vow to at least investigate the possibility of there being an actual curse, which gives them a lot of currency for the audience to root for them for the rest of the film, even when it veers off into the comedic subplot and away from them. Both Mohnish Bahl and Arti Gupta make for quite the attractive and likable pair of heroes and certainly makes you wish that they manage to get through it alright by the end, even if you know that their friends are practically doomed. Even there, though, Puneet Issar's turn as the genuinely hilarious alpha male and Sanjay's BFF Anand makes his eventual sacrifice actually hurt when the time comes, especially as it comes after he dispenses with a pack of secondary villains in a brutal martial arts showcase.
There is definitely that trademark eagerness to please throughout the film that really has nothing to do with the horror at all, as the martial arts blurb would already suggest, but the Brothers here did not let them overwhelm the inherent strength of the material at all. Even the songs feed into the emotional center of the struggle at the center of the film in an effective way, and certainly a catchy one with the strength of the soundtrack here being a virtue throughout as it mixes synthesizers with live instruments to create a damn fine horror movie score. By mostly cutting things down to what works about horror films when adapting for the local audience, it's no wonder that they caused such a sensation when they also remembered to craft a damn solid film on top of all that. It's always nice to see the start of a legacy in a country's horror filmmaking, as I am often looking for in the marathons, making this a very easy recommendation to first timers.
3/38
The Ramsay Brothers hit it real big with this one, often considered the big turning point for horror in Bollywood cinema and a massive box office success, which led to the Ramsays establishing a formula that I'm sure to see more of this week while inspiring plenty of imitators that saw gold in doing something a lot scarier than the normal theater fare. Even the expected comedy subplot does little to dissuade the film from following a much stronger horror vibe from start to finish, establishing its threat early on with the appearance of Samri, demon-worshipping sorcerer turned hulking vampire (and in the role that made his career, Anirudh Agarwal certainly makes a strong impression as our villain with his impressive frame and intense facial expressions) as beheading isn't enough to prevent his curse from following the Singh family throughout the centuries, leading to the modern day when the latest head of the household worries that his daughter will soon be in the beast's sights.
Even beyond the rock solid horror credentials, from its credibly lethal villain to its bloody violence and on through to some good use of atmosphere in the different locations we visit throughout the film with tasteful use of fog and some inspired usage of handheld cameras, the Ramsays remember an important lesson that you can be scarier and more suspenseful with the very simple yet frequently forgotten detail that making the audience care about its characters helps both elements. Both Sanjay and Suman start the film poised to be star-crossed lovers for Suman's own good, only for her father to realize that he simply can't stand in the way of love, even when the threat is real enough to kill her if things follow their natural course. What's a budding love to do? Take matters into their own hands and vow to at least investigate the possibility of there being an actual curse, which gives them a lot of currency for the audience to root for them for the rest of the film, even when it veers off into the comedic subplot and away from them. Both Mohnish Bahl and Arti Gupta make for quite the attractive and likable pair of heroes and certainly makes you wish that they manage to get through it alright by the end, even if you know that their friends are practically doomed. Even there, though, Puneet Issar's turn as the genuinely hilarious alpha male and Sanjay's BFF Anand makes his eventual sacrifice actually hurt when the time comes, especially as it comes after he dispenses with a pack of secondary villains in a brutal martial arts showcase.
There is definitely that trademark eagerness to please throughout the film that really has nothing to do with the horror at all, as the martial arts blurb would already suggest, but the Brothers here did not let them overwhelm the inherent strength of the material at all. Even the songs feed into the emotional center of the struggle at the center of the film in an effective way, and certainly a catchy one with the strength of the soundtrack here being a virtue throughout as it mixes synthesizers with live instruments to create a damn fine horror movie score. By mostly cutting things down to what works about horror films when adapting for the local audience, it's no wonder that they caused such a sensation when they also remembered to craft a damn solid film on top of all that. It's always nice to see the start of a legacy in a country's horror filmmaking, as I am often looking for in the marathons, making this a very easy recommendation to first timers.
3/38
Looks like I have finally decided on my 31 movies. I probably won't watch them in this exact order. Stars indicate it will be a first time watch.
1. Black Christmas (1974) *
2. Re-Animator (1985) *
3. Bliss (2019) *
4. Audition *
5. Rosemary's Baby
6. Train to Busan
7. The Host (2006)
8. Let the Right One In
9. Suspiria (2018)
10. Texas Chainsaw Massacre
11. Tigers Are Not Afraid *
12. Raw
13. Mayhem*
14. Spring *
15. Cannibal Holocaust*
16. The Wailing
17. Mandy *
18. The Neon Demon
19. Scream
20. The Thing
21. The Love Witch*
22. Ginger Snaps*
23. The Green Inferno*
24. The Lighthouse
25. The Slumber Party Massacre*
26. The Slumber Party Massacre 2*
27. Revenge*
28. In Fabric*
29. Dead Ringers
30. Midsommar
31. The Nightingale*
1. Black Christmas (1974) *
2. Re-Animator (1985) *
3. Bliss (2019) *
4. Audition *
5. Rosemary's Baby
6. Train to Busan
7. The Host (2006)
8. Let the Right One In
9. Suspiria (2018)
10. Texas Chainsaw Massacre
11. Tigers Are Not Afraid *
12. Raw
13. Mayhem*
14. Spring *
15. Cannibal Holocaust*
16. The Wailing
17. Mandy *
18. The Neon Demon
19. Scream
20. The Thing
21. The Love Witch*
22. Ginger Snaps*
23. The Green Inferno*
24. The Lighthouse
25. The Slumber Party Massacre*
26. The Slumber Party Massacre 2*
27. Revenge*
28. In Fabric*
29. Dead Ringers
30. Midsommar
31. The Nightingale*
Last edited:
These are most of the movies I'm gonna watch this year. There are still some missing in their adventures on postal services like Bilocation, Bluebeard, Impetigore, Satan's Slaves, The Promise, Pee Mak and probably some others that I forgot.
Not all of them are 100% horror movies, but they fit in the theme.
Not all of them are 100% horror movies, but they fit in the theme.
I got my list finalized. I'll be almost through half of my top 500 list after this year. Of course, it's subject to change.
FTVs
FTVs
- The Dead Zone (1983)
- The Devils (1971)
- The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
- The Old Dark House
- Gojira/Godzilla (1954)
- Faust (1926)
- The Spiral Staircase (1945)
- M (1931)
- The House with Laughing Windows (1976)
- Antichrist (2009)
- Blind Beast (1969)
- The Queen of Spades (1949)
- Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)
- Salem's Lot (1979)
- Dark Water (2002)
- The Bad Seed (1956)
- Cannibal Holocaust (1980) – Maybe
- The Love Witch
- Child's Play (2019)
- Dressed to Kill (1980)
- Trick r Treat
- Hellraiser
- Halloween
- Halloween III
- Innocent Blood
- Vamp
- Fright Night
- City of the Living Dead
- The Beyond
- The Church
- Demons
- Demons 2
- Friday the 13th
- Friday the 13th Part 2
- Friday the 13th Part 3
- Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
- Friday the 13th: A New Beginning
- Friday the 13th: Jason Lives
- Friday the 13th: The New Blood
- Tenebre
- Suspiria (1977)
- Hereditary
Week One: A Trip through Bollywood Horror, with the Help of the Ramsay Brothers, Day 4 (Sept 30)
As I mentioned in my review for Purana Mandir, the Ramsay Brothers managed to create a formula that they dutifully reused since, now that they had the public's attention and plenty of ways to recycle what they had built previously. This, in of itself, is hardly the stuff to really knock a production company down for, as after all, reliable horror greats like Universal Studios in the 30s and 40s, as well as Hammer Films, built an enduring legacy on the back of samey plot that could swap out villains where needed, a dedicated group of company players that can be relied upon to fill in the necessary roles and plenty of cheap local real estate to play around with without needing to break the bank. One can't hardly fault the Ramsays for following in those footsteps, but that doesn't mean they should be left off the hook in case we wind up with something subpar or worse.
Here, the "family history involving a hidden demonic threat that the children must defeat" story is employed here, yet despite a strong start with a more robust setup and an interesting little wrinkle that could have led to a more unique story with the separation of the sisters and their respective lockets made to uncover a hidden treasure, one can sense immediately that the script did not get anywhere near the polish it needed to make the plight here one worth investing in. For starters, turning it into a treasure hunt does a lot to make the proceedings feel very tepid compared to its forefather, making it hard to root for the characters when material gain is the sole focus of their adventure. Not helping matters further is how quickly a potentially interesting subplot is immediately halted in an attempt to make the film's secondary villain all the more nefarious, and even feeling rather tasteless with the increase in leering and threats of sexual violence that he brings with him in his wake. Even seeing the familiar faces of Arti Gupta and Puneet Issar (who, I might add, is playing a character with the same exact name as the one he had in Purana Mandir for next level laziness!) does little to help and actually winds up pointing out just how much weaker their characters are in comparison. Much of the screen time winds up being split between our two male leads who don't amount to much more than looking good, giving the film a pretty massive void of charisma that it has no hope of filling.
It makes it a shame since the horror elements are still pretty solid here. Though not nearly as imposing as Samri was in Purana Mandir, the shaitaan does make for a credible threat all the same, especially with its decidedly hands-on approach to violence that does lead to some punchy deaths and does have the appropriate menace to pull off the idea of it being a nigh-invulnerable foe for our heroes to defeat. And though I would have loved to have seen much, much more of it as a setting, the dungeon that it resides in makes for a very good house of horrors indeed, with its twisting corridors, dilapidated structures and surprisingly vibrant animal-life of a grimmer nature (one does wonder how the vulture gets in and out, but hey!) that give it the proper credentials.
In the pursuit of big box office in a short period of time, such stumbles are expected, though hardly excused as it's easy to point to what had already worked and ask why more time and care wasn't taken to replicate those elements. Formulas always run the risk of superficiality that can't be ignored, which happens too often for my liking on this particular picture. As a part of the research I did for this week, I was already aware of the uneven nature of the Ramsay Brothers' output as the decade went on, with some clearly better than others without much rhyme or reason beyond the sausage factory element being at play here, so the results here aren't terribly surprising. It is disappointing, though, that for even the film being a full half hour shorter than its "source material," the writing's inability to get you to feel for any of the heroes work wonders in making it feel just as long, as you wonder just when you should find it in yourself to invest. The scares are there on paper, but without the proper motivation, the screams that the Ramsays may have wanted turn to sighs instead.
4/38
As I mentioned in my review for Purana Mandir, the Ramsay Brothers managed to create a formula that they dutifully reused since, now that they had the public's attention and plenty of ways to recycle what they had built previously. This, in of itself, is hardly the stuff to really knock a production company down for, as after all, reliable horror greats like Universal Studios in the 30s and 40s, as well as Hammer Films, built an enduring legacy on the back of samey plot that could swap out villains where needed, a dedicated group of company players that can be relied upon to fill in the necessary roles and plenty of cheap local real estate to play around with without needing to break the bank. One can't hardly fault the Ramsays for following in those footsteps, but that doesn't mean they should be left off the hook in case we wind up with something subpar or worse.
Here, the "family history involving a hidden demonic threat that the children must defeat" story is employed here, yet despite a strong start with a more robust setup and an interesting little wrinkle that could have led to a more unique story with the separation of the sisters and their respective lockets made to uncover a hidden treasure, one can sense immediately that the script did not get anywhere near the polish it needed to make the plight here one worth investing in. For starters, turning it into a treasure hunt does a lot to make the proceedings feel very tepid compared to its forefather, making it hard to root for the characters when material gain is the sole focus of their adventure. Not helping matters further is how quickly a potentially interesting subplot is immediately halted in an attempt to make the film's secondary villain all the more nefarious, and even feeling rather tasteless with the increase in leering and threats of sexual violence that he brings with him in his wake. Even seeing the familiar faces of Arti Gupta and Puneet Issar (who, I might add, is playing a character with the same exact name as the one he had in Purana Mandir for next level laziness!) does little to help and actually winds up pointing out just how much weaker their characters are in comparison. Much of the screen time winds up being split between our two male leads who don't amount to much more than looking good, giving the film a pretty massive void of charisma that it has no hope of filling.
It makes it a shame since the horror elements are still pretty solid here. Though not nearly as imposing as Samri was in Purana Mandir, the shaitaan does make for a credible threat all the same, especially with its decidedly hands-on approach to violence that does lead to some punchy deaths and does have the appropriate menace to pull off the idea of it being a nigh-invulnerable foe for our heroes to defeat. And though I would have loved to have seen much, much more of it as a setting, the dungeon that it resides in makes for a very good house of horrors indeed, with its twisting corridors, dilapidated structures and surprisingly vibrant animal-life of a grimmer nature (one does wonder how the vulture gets in and out, but hey!) that give it the proper credentials.
In the pursuit of big box office in a short period of time, such stumbles are expected, though hardly excused as it's easy to point to what had already worked and ask why more time and care wasn't taken to replicate those elements. Formulas always run the risk of superficiality that can't be ignored, which happens too often for my liking on this particular picture. As a part of the research I did for this week, I was already aware of the uneven nature of the Ramsay Brothers' output as the decade went on, with some clearly better than others without much rhyme or reason beyond the sausage factory element being at play here, so the results here aren't terribly surprising. It is disappointing, though, that for even the film being a full half hour shorter than its "source material," the writing's inability to get you to feel for any of the heroes work wonders in making it feel just as long, as you wonder just when you should find it in yourself to invest. The scares are there on paper, but without the proper motivation, the screams that the Ramsays may have wanted turn to sighs instead.
4/38
These are most of the movies I'm gonna watch this year. There are still some missing in their adventures on postal services like Bilocation, Bluebeard, Impetigore, Satan's Slaves, The Promise, Pee Mak and probably some others that I forgot.
Not all of them are 100% horror movies, but they fit in the theme.
What region are those?
Trying to catch up on some classics I've never seen and some newer ones I've missed. Had to cut a lot of the repeat viewings I usually look forward to, but I'm pretty happy with this list.
I guess I'll also update this post with my thoughts on each movie as I watch them.
01. Frankenstein (1931) / Bride of Frankenstein (1935) double feature
These are my favorites of the original Universal monster movies, or at least of the ones I've seen. The creature makeup in the first film is better, but Bride is smarter and funnier and way more self-aware. I love the sort-of-meta framing of Mary Shelley recounting the story.
02. Host (2020) * / Haunt (2019) *
Host is way creepier than I expected for a found footage film shot in quarantine, and at less than an hour long, it's also super efficient. Because it's so short, I went ahead and watched Haunt next, which was going to be my Day 3 movie. It's...fine. It doesn't really do much to establish any motivation for its villains, but if you just go into it expecting a sort of goofy thrill ride, it's fun. I added Scare Me to my list for Day 3 since that just hit Shudder and has been getting pretty good reviews.
03. Scare Me (2020) *
Oh wow this was not what I expected. So first of all, it's great, and you need to watch it immediately, but also it's not really horror at all; it's a comedy about horror — and less superficially, about white male mediocrity. The script and acting and sound design are so on point, it takes an idea that could have easily worn out its welcome in the first act and keeps transforming it in unexpected and inventive ways. The whole cast is great, but Aya Cash in particular knocks it out of the park.
04. The Slumber Party Massacre (1982) *
It's total trash and I'm here for it. This feels like something you'd watch on VHS in the 80s when your parents weren't around.
05. The Hills Have Eyes (1977) *
I wasn't really feeling this one. I already knew the general premise and tone to expect (having seen Ryan Hollinger's video on it earlier this year), and I think maybe if I watched it some other time it'd click for me. But in late 2020, in the midst of everything that's going on, it was just a little too bleak and humorless, and I kept tuning it out to doomscroll through Twitter instead.
06. Prom Night (1980) *
This one starts off a little slow and dry, and it has an uphill battle trying to establish all its main characters after a six-year jump cut. But around the halfway mark, once it hits the prom scene, it gets way more fun and interesting. It's a great looking film in that late 70s / early 80s way, with lots of brightly colored lights, lens filters, and disco music. The killer's identity is pretty obvious by the end, but it seems to understand that the audience will have already figured it out and doesn't overplay the reveal. Also, Jamie Lee Curtis has moves.
07. Black Christmas (1974) *
I was only half paying attention to this one, unfortunately. It seemed fun. Big personalities among some of the characters, and it seemed to understand the humor inherent in horror. I should watch it again sometime when I'm less distracted.
08. Nightmare Cinema (2018)
This was a repeat viewing; I first saw it last year at the Drafthouse when it had a wider theatrical opening. I absolutely love the fourth segment, "This Way to Egress." I described in on Slack as something like "Silent Hill x Control x Eraserhead x Cronenberg x Jacob's Ladder," which sounds like a lot for a short, but there's a clear through line among those touchstones. Other highlights include "The Thing in the Woods," which is a pretty tight encapsulation of all the dynamics of a good horror flick, and "Mashit," which has a rad synth-rock score that reminds me of Goblin's work on Argento films.
09. Scare Package (2019) *
Shudder is really knocking it out of the park, huh? This one was a ton of fun. Extremely winking/nodding comedy-horror-satire-anthology-with-a-meta-framing-device? Yes please. Super gory but in the most hilarious way possible. The soundtrack is a fun mix of 80s synth stuff and punk rock, and there's a really good cameo I won't spoil.
10. Tales of Halloween (2015) *
This one was a bit of a step down from the last two days' anthology horror films, but it's not all bad. I described it on Twitter as "the sort of thing you could put on in the background at a Halloween party and everyone would be happy with it." It doesn't have much of a framing device or through-line to speak of, and with ten shorts in under 100 minutes, none of them really have time to introduce any big twists, so it's a lot of surface-level horror tropes for an hour and a half. Could've done without with the ableist language in the second segment and the John Landis cameo in the ninth.
11. Ginger Snaps (2000) *
Phew, this was a lot. I kind of got Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes from this one.
12. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) *
I didn't really know anything at all about this one beyond its name and that it had a good reputation, and it turned out to be extremely not what I expected in the best possible way. It's not really horror at all, more of a supernatural drama about broken people. Fantastic cinematography and soundtrack.
13. Tigers Are Not Afraid (2017) *
Another "not really horror" entry, this one has huge Pan's Labyrinth vibes. Dark fantasy as a child's escape from real-world conflict. It's bleak and heartbreaking and really good.
14. La Llorona (2019) *
Really enjoyed this one. It's a slow burn, more of a tense character drama than outright horror, but it's impeccably shot, and it does a good job of hinting at supernatural elements without ever losing focus of its more grounded, real-world horrors.
15. Hereditary (2018)
It's Hereditary. I've seen it like a bunch of times and it never gets any less messed up.
16.Midsommar Director's Cut (2019) The Mortuary Collection (2019)
I was going to rewatch Midsommar Director's Cut tonight, but it was too late for a three-hour movie by the time I wrapped up some work stuff, so instead I watched The Mortuary Collection since Shudder just added it. It's pretty great. I think Scare Package still has the edge as my favorite anthology I've seen this year, but this one has a really unified tone (being as it is all written and directed by one guy), and Clancy Brown is perfect as the mortician/host.
17. Get Out (2017)
Somehow I've only seen this one once before. It holds up real well on a second viewing; I think I might've liked it even better when I already knew where it was going. There's a bunch of clever details I'd missed the first time around.
18. Us (2019)
I like this one more and more each time I watch it. Sure, the twist is visible a mile away, but the performances are so amazing across the board it's easy to forget just what a technical marvel it is to have the whole cast playing opposite themselves. And the score during that climactic fight scene between Addy and Red in the tunnels, when it keeps cutting back to the dance? So good.
19. The Lighthouse (2019)
I love this movie; it was one of my favorites of 2019, but it's also a bit of a drag on repeat viewings. So much of the appeal is seeing everything descend into chaos, but when you already know where it's going, it feels like it takes a very long time to get there.
20. Satanic Panic (2019)
This one's a total guilty pleasure. It's hilarious, a little gory, a little trashy, and just a lot of fun.
21. One Cut of the Dead (2017)
It's almost impossible to talk about this one without spoiling it. Just watch it. It's a surprisingly wholesome and charming zombie film made on a shoestring budget. Highly recommended even for non-horror fans.
22. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
It's the prototypical zombie film. It understands that the real conflict isn't with the zombies; it's among the survivors.
23.Zombi 2 (1979) * Master Pancake Suspiria (1977) Watch Party
The Alamo Drafthouse was hosting a live Master Pancake showing of Suspiria tonight, and since I had already had that one on my list for the 25th, I ended up shuffling the next few days around to accommodate it. I've never seen a Master Pancake showing in person before, but the streaming version was pretty fun. As for the film itself; it's still my favorite Argento film and one of the best-looking films I've ever seen.
24. Suspiria (2018)
I love this one. It's not as visually striking as the 1977 original, but it is a far more engrossing and unsettling experience.
25. All the Colors of the Dark (1972) *
Didn't really know anything about this one going into it; I mostly just wanted to watch a giallo I hadn't seen before. It was an odd mix of surrealism, occult imagery, and psychological horror. On paper, that sounds like my jam, but I wasn't really feeling this one. Kept getting distracted by Twitter. I'd give it another try some other time for sure.
26. Zombi 2 (1979) *
I know this is considered by some to be a classic zombie flick or one of Fulci's masterpieces or whatever, but it didn't do much for me. It's gross and gory, and it does have some imaginative scenes — one involving a shark in particular — but where it fails is in understanding (as Night of the Living Dead did) that the real conflict of a zombie film isn't between the humans and zombies; it's among the survivors.
27. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Not much I can say about this one that hasn't already been said a zillion times. It's my favorite of the classic slashers; Freddy Krueger is my favorite horror villain; it's just a thoroughly entertaining film all around. I watched all the sequels a couple years back, and there are some real fun moments throughout, but for my money, the core conceit of a serial killer who can only murder you in your sleep never works better than in the original, with its hazy portrayal of dream logic.
28. Friday the 13th (1980)
Maybe my least favorite of the classic slashers. It's grown on me after a few viewings, but it's still a rote slasher that's in need of an iconic villain and puts all its eggs in a basket labeled "kills that were probably more shocking forty years ago."
29. Sleepaway Camp (1983)
I'd already been spoiled on the ending for this one before I saw it the first time, but it was interesting to watch it again knowing exactly where it was going to go. It's problematic as heck, but it's also a lot of fun in a really sleazy way. I'm honestly not sure how to read this one on a more subtextual level; it could be pretty gross and transphobic and/or homophobic, but it also could be sort of stealthily progressive? It's a weird one for sure.
30. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
This was only the second time I've seen this one, and I'd forgotten just how wild it was. It's a masterclass in escalating tension, and that ending is just pure chaotic neutral energy. It's also darkly funny, moreso than I'd remembered. And I think Leatherface might be the only truly scary horror movie icon?
31. Halloween (1978)
What can I say about this one that hasn't already been said? It's the quintessental slasher.
*First-time viewings
I've also spent the last couple days watching In Search of Darkness (2019) and Never Sleep Again (2010), also both first-time viewings.
I guess I'll also update this post with my thoughts on each movie as I watch them.
01. Frankenstein (1931) / Bride of Frankenstein (1935) double feature
These are my favorites of the original Universal monster movies, or at least of the ones I've seen. The creature makeup in the first film is better, but Bride is smarter and funnier and way more self-aware. I love the sort-of-meta framing of Mary Shelley recounting the story.
02. Host (2020) * / Haunt (2019) *
Host is way creepier than I expected for a found footage film shot in quarantine, and at less than an hour long, it's also super efficient. Because it's so short, I went ahead and watched Haunt next, which was going to be my Day 3 movie. It's...fine. It doesn't really do much to establish any motivation for its villains, but if you just go into it expecting a sort of goofy thrill ride, it's fun. I added Scare Me to my list for Day 3 since that just hit Shudder and has been getting pretty good reviews.
03. Scare Me (2020) *
Oh wow this was not what I expected. So first of all, it's great, and you need to watch it immediately, but also it's not really horror at all; it's a comedy about horror — and less superficially, about white male mediocrity. The script and acting and sound design are so on point, it takes an idea that could have easily worn out its welcome in the first act and keeps transforming it in unexpected and inventive ways. The whole cast is great, but Aya Cash in particular knocks it out of the park.
04. The Slumber Party Massacre (1982) *
It's total trash and I'm here for it. This feels like something you'd watch on VHS in the 80s when your parents weren't around.
05. The Hills Have Eyes (1977) *
I wasn't really feeling this one. I already knew the general premise and tone to expect (having seen Ryan Hollinger's video on it earlier this year), and I think maybe if I watched it some other time it'd click for me. But in late 2020, in the midst of everything that's going on, it was just a little too bleak and humorless, and I kept tuning it out to doomscroll through Twitter instead.
06. Prom Night (1980) *
This one starts off a little slow and dry, and it has an uphill battle trying to establish all its main characters after a six-year jump cut. But around the halfway mark, once it hits the prom scene, it gets way more fun and interesting. It's a great looking film in that late 70s / early 80s way, with lots of brightly colored lights, lens filters, and disco music. The killer's identity is pretty obvious by the end, but it seems to understand that the audience will have already figured it out and doesn't overplay the reveal. Also, Jamie Lee Curtis has moves.
07. Black Christmas (1974) *
I was only half paying attention to this one, unfortunately. It seemed fun. Big personalities among some of the characters, and it seemed to understand the humor inherent in horror. I should watch it again sometime when I'm less distracted.
08. Nightmare Cinema (2018)
This was a repeat viewing; I first saw it last year at the Drafthouse when it had a wider theatrical opening. I absolutely love the fourth segment, "This Way to Egress." I described in on Slack as something like "Silent Hill x Control x Eraserhead x Cronenberg x Jacob's Ladder," which sounds like a lot for a short, but there's a clear through line among those touchstones. Other highlights include "The Thing in the Woods," which is a pretty tight encapsulation of all the dynamics of a good horror flick, and "Mashit," which has a rad synth-rock score that reminds me of Goblin's work on Argento films.
09. Scare Package (2019) *
Shudder is really knocking it out of the park, huh? This one was a ton of fun. Extremely winking/nodding comedy-horror-satire-anthology-with-a-meta-framing-device? Yes please. Super gory but in the most hilarious way possible. The soundtrack is a fun mix of 80s synth stuff and punk rock, and there's a really good cameo I won't spoil.
10. Tales of Halloween (2015) *
This one was a bit of a step down from the last two days' anthology horror films, but it's not all bad. I described it on Twitter as "the sort of thing you could put on in the background at a Halloween party and everyone would be happy with it." It doesn't have much of a framing device or through-line to speak of, and with ten shorts in under 100 minutes, none of them really have time to introduce any big twists, so it's a lot of surface-level horror tropes for an hour and a half. Could've done without with the ableist language in the second segment and the John Landis cameo in the ninth.
11. Ginger Snaps (2000) *
Phew, this was a lot. I kind of got Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes from this one.
12. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) *
I didn't really know anything at all about this one beyond its name and that it had a good reputation, and it turned out to be extremely not what I expected in the best possible way. It's not really horror at all, more of a supernatural drama about broken people. Fantastic cinematography and soundtrack.
13. Tigers Are Not Afraid (2017) *
Another "not really horror" entry, this one has huge Pan's Labyrinth vibes. Dark fantasy as a child's escape from real-world conflict. It's bleak and heartbreaking and really good.
14. La Llorona (2019) *
Really enjoyed this one. It's a slow burn, more of a tense character drama than outright horror, but it's impeccably shot, and it does a good job of hinting at supernatural elements without ever losing focus of its more grounded, real-world horrors.
15. Hereditary (2018)
It's Hereditary. I've seen it like a bunch of times and it never gets any less messed up.
16.
I was going to rewatch Midsommar Director's Cut tonight, but it was too late for a three-hour movie by the time I wrapped up some work stuff, so instead I watched The Mortuary Collection since Shudder just added it. It's pretty great. I think Scare Package still has the edge as my favorite anthology I've seen this year, but this one has a really unified tone (being as it is all written and directed by one guy), and Clancy Brown is perfect as the mortician/host.
17. Get Out (2017)
Somehow I've only seen this one once before. It holds up real well on a second viewing; I think I might've liked it even better when I already knew where it was going. There's a bunch of clever details I'd missed the first time around.
18. Us (2019)
I like this one more and more each time I watch it. Sure, the twist is visible a mile away, but the performances are so amazing across the board it's easy to forget just what a technical marvel it is to have the whole cast playing opposite themselves. And the score during that climactic fight scene between Addy and Red in the tunnels, when it keeps cutting back to the dance? So good.
19. The Lighthouse (2019)
I love this movie; it was one of my favorites of 2019, but it's also a bit of a drag on repeat viewings. So much of the appeal is seeing everything descend into chaos, but when you already know where it's going, it feels like it takes a very long time to get there.
20. Satanic Panic (2019)
This one's a total guilty pleasure. It's hilarious, a little gory, a little trashy, and just a lot of fun.
21. One Cut of the Dead (2017)
It's almost impossible to talk about this one without spoiling it. Just watch it. It's a surprisingly wholesome and charming zombie film made on a shoestring budget. Highly recommended even for non-horror fans.
22. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
It's the prototypical zombie film. It understands that the real conflict isn't with the zombies; it's among the survivors.
23.
The Alamo Drafthouse was hosting a live Master Pancake showing of Suspiria tonight, and since I had already had that one on my list for the 25th, I ended up shuffling the next few days around to accommodate it. I've never seen a Master Pancake showing in person before, but the streaming version was pretty fun. As for the film itself; it's still my favorite Argento film and one of the best-looking films I've ever seen.
24. Suspiria (2018)
I love this one. It's not as visually striking as the 1977 original, but it is a far more engrossing and unsettling experience.
25. All the Colors of the Dark (1972) *
Didn't really know anything about this one going into it; I mostly just wanted to watch a giallo I hadn't seen before. It was an odd mix of surrealism, occult imagery, and psychological horror. On paper, that sounds like my jam, but I wasn't really feeling this one. Kept getting distracted by Twitter. I'd give it another try some other time for sure.
26. Zombi 2 (1979) *
I know this is considered by some to be a classic zombie flick or one of Fulci's masterpieces or whatever, but it didn't do much for me. It's gross and gory, and it does have some imaginative scenes — one involving a shark in particular — but where it fails is in understanding (as Night of the Living Dead did) that the real conflict of a zombie film isn't between the humans and zombies; it's among the survivors.
27. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Not much I can say about this one that hasn't already been said a zillion times. It's my favorite of the classic slashers; Freddy Krueger is my favorite horror villain; it's just a thoroughly entertaining film all around. I watched all the sequels a couple years back, and there are some real fun moments throughout, but for my money, the core conceit of a serial killer who can only murder you in your sleep never works better than in the original, with its hazy portrayal of dream logic.
28. Friday the 13th (1980)
Maybe my least favorite of the classic slashers. It's grown on me after a few viewings, but it's still a rote slasher that's in need of an iconic villain and puts all its eggs in a basket labeled "kills that were probably more shocking forty years ago."
29. Sleepaway Camp (1983)
I'd already been spoiled on the ending for this one before I saw it the first time, but it was interesting to watch it again knowing exactly where it was going to go. It's problematic as heck, but it's also a lot of fun in a really sleazy way. I'm honestly not sure how to read this one on a more subtextual level; it could be pretty gross and transphobic and/or homophobic, but it also could be sort of stealthily progressive? It's a weird one for sure.
30. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
This was only the second time I've seen this one, and I'd forgotten just how wild it was. It's a masterclass in escalating tension, and that ending is just pure chaotic neutral energy. It's also darkly funny, moreso than I'd remembered. And I think Leatherface might be the only truly scary horror movie icon?
31. Halloween (1978)
What can I say about this one that hasn't already been said? It's the quintessental slasher.
*First-time viewings
I've also spent the last couple days watching In Search of Darkness (2019) and Never Sleep Again (2010), also both first-time viewings.
Last edited:
Good lord, I had no idea there were that many Amityville movies.
Now I need to check out that documentary, sounds fascinating.
80% of movies I watch are horror anyways, but I'm still excited for this! All of these will be first time watches. There is also no particular order I'm going to watch them in.
The Neon Demon
Martyrs
&
The Making of the Frighteners with partner
Resident Evil Vendetta with partner
Inland Empire with partner
Zombieland Double Tap with partner
Doctor Sleep with partner
- Psycho
- The Curse
- The Woman in Black (1989)
- Killer Klowns from Outer Space
- Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead
- Nightmare on Elm Street 2
- Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street
- Contagion
- Antebellum
- Ghost in the Machine
- Braindead
- Nosferatu
- Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
- The Addiction
- Inferno
- Stagefright: Aquarius
- Little Otik
- Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1976)
- Maniac (2012)
- Don't Look Now
- Beyond the Black Rainbow
- Extra Ordinary
- Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
- The Wailing
- Night Watch (2004)
- Demons 2
- Splice
- eXistenZ
- Tales from the Hood
- Lost Highway
- Village of the Damned (1995)
The Neon Demon
Martyrs
&
The Making of the Frighteners with partner
Resident Evil Vendetta with partner
Inland Empire with partner
Zombieland Double Tap with partner
Doctor Sleep with partner
Have plans tomorrow night so I started early to not fall behind.
Just watched We Are The Flesh.
I think I need a good year to process that.
Just watched We Are The Flesh.
I think I need a good year to process that.
Actually watched this for the first time last 30 Days lol fun little movie
"Let it Begin"
Just watched Starfish on Shudder it starts slow but it's so good really cool monster effects it's on Shudder I also watched Among The Living which was kinda silly but still good it's a slasher movie from France.
It's MLIFE release. I bought it from a group buy on an other forum.
OP
OP
Curious to hear you thoughts. Actually just got done rewatching Ring 0.Soon.
I love that line!i'm ready
I only recently just discovered why he actually says that :p
Someone remind me to watch my weird horror mystery dvd I got in a horror magazine in a Japanese convenience store a few years ago.
