#NightmareNovember2020
My Watchlist for Nightmare November 2020. (@CampCthulhu)
Whatever happens, happens. But nobody could've predicted the nightmare that this year had become (except me because I had this watchlist planned before the year even began). It's an all month, non-stop nightmare to celebrate all of the most twisted and darkest dreams!
Whatever happens, happens. But nobody could've predicted the nightmare that this year had become (except me because I had this watchlist planned before the year even began). It's an all month, non-stop nightmare to celebrate all of the most twisted and darkest dreams!
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- DirectorWes CravenStarsHeather LangenkampJohnny DeppRobert EnglundTeenager Nancy Thompson must uncover the dark truth concealed by her parents after she and her friends become targets of the spirit of a serial killer with a bladed glove in their dreams, in which if they die, it kills them in real life.Day 1 - Sunday the 1st (SLASHER SUNDAY) *DOUBLE FEATURE*
Mini-Review: An 80's supernatural slasher from New Line and Wes Craven, and the first installment of the Nightmare on Elm Street series. It's been a while since I watched this in its entirety, and it has pretty much completely lived up to my expectations of it. You probably know the deal about this by now, but, if you don't, then it's a pretty standard supernatural slasher setup and story here (guy gets killed, finds a way to 'come back', and decides to pursue revenge against his killers). There's a bit of a 'twist' on how the killer comes back, but other than that it's fairly straightforward. The cast is pretty much pitch perfect and all on point here (Freddy and Nancy are the best here, but shout out to John Saxon and Johnny Depp, who makes his film debut here).
Freddy Krueger is also the killer here. He's got a sadistic personality (and even inflicts damage on himself sometimes) and seems to take enjoyment in tormenting his victims (he's described as a child murderer). His appearance is (of course) iconic at this point (his skin is horribly burned and his attire consists of a dark hat, a red and green sweater and his bladed glove). His main weapon is also that same bladed glove (which he is shown crafting in the opening montage of the movie). The kills are limited but they are pretty creative and extremely bloody ('the geyser of gore' is still the best here). The climax and final confrontation are kind of subtle but still pretty satisfying. The ending itself is basically the perfect sendoff for a movie like this (a blazing and somewhat enigmatic crowd pleaser).
Final thoughts, this makes an effective use of the 'slasher formula' and features a tight runtime and fast pacing (which add to the movie's high watchability). The visual effects in this are top notch for the most part (images like the 'wall push' or the 'underwater ambush' look fantastic, but, on the other hand, some like Freddy's 'wacky arms' look pretty campy). The makeup, costuming and props are high grade as well (the injuries, the gore, and Freddy's glove in particular are all really gnarly and awesome looking). Most of the other filmmaking aspects like the cinematography, lighting, set design and decoration, soundtrack, and even the sound editing are all high quality as well. This was definitely a game changer at the time it came out, and it still holds up very nicely today. It's both one of Wes Craven's finest pictures, and one of the finest slashers in general.
Rating: 10/10 (Masterwork)
Best Character(s): Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) & Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) - DirectorRichard LowryStarsRyan Quinn AdamsKevin AlainSitara AttaieDays before the November mid-term Elections, three young girls who are a Muslim, Mexican and Haitian, are stalked by a deranged killer dressed as the POTUS.Day 1 - Sunday the 1st (SLASHER SUNDAY) *DOUBLE FEATURE*
Mini-Review: A late 2010's indie comedy slasher here. Well, this is more or less just a parody of Halloween (1978). The plot is basically a total ripoff of Halloween's plot, and the story is also similar (the plot's setup and most of the story beats are nearly identical to Halloween - it begins with a scene in the past which details the killer's origin (just like Halloween) and there's even a POV shot in there, too), and then it cuts to the present day where the killer escapes from an asylum). The cast are mediocre to average here (the characters themselves are pretty cringy across the board here, though - I guess Lana is probably the best, but light shout out to Blanca).
The killer, David Barron, is basically the Shape (he's an escaped mental patient who doesn't speak). His disguise is a business suit with a red tie and a gaudy rubber mask that is supposed to resemble Donald Trump (it has a toupee stapled to its scalp, and, overall, it sort of looks like the poster). He mainly uses a kitchen knife, which has an American flag painted onto it. He apparently has the power to teleport (I guess this is supposed to be a shout out to Jason Voorhees, who also has this power). The kills are mostly trash with maybe one or two decent ones in there ('the balloon popper' is probably the best here). The climax literally limps to its ending, and that ending is pretty weak and unsatisfying (shout out to the bizarre 'patriotic' montage).
Final thoughts, the special effects (including the makeup, costuming and props) are largely trashy and cheap looking (the worst is easily the priest with the dreadful bald cap and accompanying costume). The CGI (what little there is) is really crappy and phony (maybe it's intentionally bad, but it's really terrible - it's not really a CGI shot, but the entire 'wall climbing' bit is super bad (especially since it's clearly a sideways shot of a parking lot, LOL)). The opening credits sequence is a clear riff on Halloween's opening credits (except with a Trump mask). Speaking of Halloween knock offs, pretty much the whole soundtrack is a shameless knock off of Halloween's score (including the main theme).
I didn't really care for the camerawork in here (it's pretty annoying, but there's also random 'specks' on the camera lens at times). I also disliked the screenplay in here (the comedy is mostly a miss with me, and dialogue is very cringy in here). I got two stray shout outs going out to the Psycho (1960) staircase kill (dig that trashy green screen) and Lutin's horrible accent (which slips constantly). This is a pretty bad offering here - it largely fails as a spoof, and I guess this is supposed to be a satire of the 'current climate'. It sets its stage, but it isn't clever or creative enough to stick the landing.
Rating: 3/10 (Bad)
Best Character: Lana (Sitara Attaie) - DirectorGene BlalockStarsAmber BensonKevin ChamberlinMat DevineAn anthropology professor's obsession with a paranormal mystery threatens her job, marriage, and sanity as she fights to find a missing student.Day 2 - Monday the 2nd
Mini-Review: A late 2010's supernatural horror from Gravitas here. This is extremely dry and rote here. From what I remember of the plot and story, it seems to concern some conspiracy about a hidden deity, which the main characters are investigating (again, I think that's the gist of it). It isn't a very original or compelling storyline, and the sluggish pacing really holds it down. The cast is pretty melodramatic here (they seem to be trying, but the cheesy material isn't doing them any favors - I guess the lead, Sam Rand, is probably the least worst here, but shout out to Kevin Chamberlin's cameo, who you may recognize from Disney's Jessie).
I guess the deity is supposed to be the 'villain' here, but he doesn't even make his presence known until the last fifteen minutes. Until then it's just Sanjay being a crazed zealot of the deity. The deity has a pretty cool looking appearance when he finally makes his entrance (they only offer one clear quick shot of him though, unfortunately). The climax is pretty much an anticlimax (it takes forever to get there, and the end result is largely underwhelming) and the ending seems like a homage to Lovecraftian horror (like 'go mad from the revelation' type deal here). The final scene seems to suggest that there's more to come (and hopefully there isn't).
Final thoughts, the camerawork (cinematography and lighting) seems decent at first, but it gets stale quickly (the 'grayness' over the picture doesn't help with the bland vibe). I didn't really care for the screenwriting in this (plot and pacing issues aside, the dialogue is pretty rotten and cringy at times). On a positive note, the special effects and CGI are both adequate in here (the gore and injuries look pretty good and the 'portal' to the deity's world is really neat looking). I got one stray shout out going out to the off-brand NyQuil ('DroZzz', lol). I wish I had more to say about this (because it seems like a Lovecraft homage), but this bored me to tears and nearly put me to sleep during my viewing of it (needless to say I was pretty resigned by the time it ended, and didn't really care much for it, ultimately).
Rating: 3/10 (Bad)
Best Character: Samantha Rand (Amber Benson) - DirectorPhillip MarshakTom McGowanGregg G. TallasStarsCameron MitchellMarc LawrenceFaith CliftMitchell, a police detective investigating the death of a victim of a German concentration camp, discovers a nightclubbing playboy who has strange powers over women and is seemingly ageless.Day 3 - Tuesday the 3rd
Note: Also known as "The Nightmare Never Ends".
Mini-Review: An early 80's supernatural slasher from Troma here. This is basically a 'shoot the shaggy dog' movie here. Here we have a pretty pointless and bizarre story, which is laced with plot holes (like Claire's vision, which is never explained or even elaborated on) and accentuated with a sluggish pacing (not a lot happens, and what does happen takes forever and doesn't really amount to much in the end). The cast is mostly mediocre here (you've got Cameron Mitchell, who, as always, tries to make the most of the exploitation trash that he finds himself in - but, on the other hand, you've got Claire, who is extremely stiff and wooden with a performance that literally borders on robotic).
The killer, Olivier, is a Nazi Satanist who uses dark magic to retain his youth (he seems to utilize a 'body swap' ability to achieve this). His personality is a pretty hammy mustache-twirling villain here (he really makes no mistake about what he's doing and almost goes full cartoonish at some points). He has the power to summon a 'creature', which he uses to commit his kills (this creature is only shown in short shots, so it's difficult to get a good look at its appearance). He pretty much has no plan or discernable goal at all ('something' gets alluded to, but it's never elaborated on beyond a cursory mention). The kills are mostly off-screen and fairly unimpressive ('car go boom' is my highlight). The climax is pretty slapdash and kind of bewildering, and the ending itself isn't very climactic (it'll make you think, but not in the way you want it to, lol).
Final thoughts, the editing is pretty choppy at times here (some shots are cut way too quickly and sloppily - you'll know it when it happens). Most of the camerawork is fairly mediocre (it's a lower budget picture, but the photography is below average). The score is pretty decent in here (kind of synthy sometimes). There's hardly any notable special effects in here (for example; the car explosion is literally stock footage from somewhere else), but some of the props (like the creature's puppet) do look decent. I got one stray shout out going out to 'Ishtar' and her sexy costume (by the way, I'm still not sure what the point of that scene was, lol). There's not much else to say about this, frankly. It's some low budget schlock that Troma picked up for their 'Troma Team' release series (it's got Cameron Mitchell in it, though - so that's always a plus).
Rating: 4/10 (Mediocre)
Best Character: Lt. Sterne (Cameron Mitchell) - DirectorJohn CarrPhillip MarshakTom McGowanStarsBarbara WylerJamie ScogginStacey Lyons"Night Train to Terror" is a 1985 horror anthology movie where God and Satan are on a train discussing the fate of three individuals.Day 4 - Wednesday the 4th
Mini-Review: A mid 80's indie horror anthology here. This is an anthology film which is made up from footage from other horror films (three of them; Scream Your Head Off (1981), Death Wish Club (1983), and The Nightmare Never Ends (1980) (which I reviewed before this)). So, as I do with any anthology review, I'm only going to cover each of these segments briefly here. The first segment (The Case of Harry Billings) is kind of plodding and a little confusing until the finale, which is very explosive. The acting in this segment is pretty bland (no real standouts here). Two stray shout outs going out to the special effects and props in here (the gore and the body parts (apart from the heads) both look pretty great - the machete beheading is fantastic).
The second segment (The Case of Greta Connors) features some bizarre 'death game' type plot and, by the end, the story doesn't really end up having much of a point (this segment is really strange and kind of nonsensical and it ends very abruptly). The acting from this segment is a bit better than the first segment, but it still isn't great (the actual characters themselves are pretty lively and varied, too). Like the first segment, the special effects are pretty neat (and kind of funny) looking in here (the 'beetle' stop motion and the body melt are both hilariously great). One stray shout out going out to the POV shot of the beetle flying around.
The third segment (The Case of Claire Hansen) is basically an abridged version of The Nightmare Never Ends (1980). Plot and storywise, it plays out the exact same way as that movie (there is one new bit added to the story with the box that Claire is given). Speaking of Claire, the acting is the same as before, but Claire is overdubbed by an actually competent actress (she's much better in here than in the original). There's new footage added to this version (this footage is mostly new special effects shots - more gory kills and more makeup, costuming and creature shots). The main highlight of these new scenes is easily the awesome and cheesy claymation murder scenes (they elevate this picture greatly, honestly). One stray shout out going out to Ishtar's new look (lol).
Final thoughts, the wraparound segment is pretty much a music video intercut with God and the Devil bargaining for the various souls from the presented segments. God and Satan are basically exactly how you think they'd be (their meeting also plays out in an expected manner). Two stray shout outs going out to the funny and pretty catchy theme song ('Everybody But You') and the break for breakin' (yep, it's the 80's). The first segment is kind of weak but it achieves redemption after that grand finale. The second segment is just bewildering but has some nice campy gore and special effects scenes. The third segment takes a fairly mediocre flick, streamlines it, and injects it with some delicious 80's visual effects, which greatly improve this movie. Overall, I wouldn't say that this is a 'good' film, but I had some good fun watching it. As far as I'm concerned this brings the entertainment, and lives up to its 'cult classic' status.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Olivier (Robert Bristol) - DirectorBert L. DraginStarsChuck ConnorsCharlie StrattonHarold PruettA group of campers revolt against their strict camp director and take over the camp for themselves.Day 5 - Thursday the 5th
Mini-Review: A late 80's teen horror from Concorde and Embassy here. So, while this is pretty light for the most part, it does have some dark moments in it (which are darker than I was expecting). The plot and story here are your typical summer camp shenanigans and such until about the midway point when it takes its dark turn (and then it just gets progressively darker after that). The runtime is standard and the pacing is good enough here (there isn't much filler and it never really lags too much). The cast seems mostly on point and adequate here (Franklin is my favorite here, but shout out to Chuck Connors, better known as Mr. Slausen from Tourist Trap (1979), as Mr. Warren).
Franklin Reilly is also the main villain here. He starts off seeming like a hero (something of a revolutionary - as implied on the poster), but that façade quickly becomes sinister (he plants the seeds for his coup early on - he's shown manipulating situations in order to win over the other teens). He rules the summer camp with an iron fist (he's pretty much like a dictator once he takes over). The climax is pretty much one huge brawl, and the ending just seems to put a nice tidy bow on everything (pretty much the full-on 'happily ever after' resolution with a very prompt finish).
Final thoughts, the dark moments of this are a pretty harsh contrast to the lighter moments earlier in the movie (it goes from light 80's cheese to pretty savage darkness - not so much violence, but just general cruelty). I wish I could comment on the technical aspects of this, but I don't think it'd be fair considering the quality of the copy that I watched (which was from a VHS copy - this is only available on VHS and LaserDisc). The fighting and murder scenes are pretty cheesy in here (especially the fight scenes, which have some bewildering choreography). I got one stray shout out going out to the strange 'sexy lingerie music video' that came on the TV. I can't say that this impressed me too much. It's decent enough for what it is, but it wasn't really up my alley (it did hold my attention though, and it's got Chuck Connors in it - so there's that).
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: Franklin Reilly (Charlie Stratton) - DirectorRichard MoggStarsKaitlyn YurkiwLauren RichardsonHillary KaplanFour girls are stalked by a killer with a rusty power drill.Day 6 - Friday the 6th
Mini-Review: A mid 2010's indie satire slasher here. This is no budget VOD trash from start to finish here. I guess this is supposed to be a parody of the Slumber Party Massacre series, but that was already pretty satirical, so this just ends up feeling bizarre. The plot and story have a short runtime, but this is packed to the brim with filler scenes (it might as well be Slice of Life until Kort decides to make his move - and those scenes aren't particularly captivating). The cast is pretty much all trash and very campy (their trashy, campy acting is probably intentional because if it isn't, then they messed up - Jamie is probably the least worst, so I guess she's my favorite here).
The killer, Kort, is the standard 'creepy stalker' type villain (he's obsessed with the main girls, and decides to murder them because they reject him). Appearance-wise, he kind of reminds me of Russ Thorn (or Clive Hockstatter) from The Slumber Party Massacre (1982) (it's mostly his gray hair - which is kind of hilarious considering that he's supposed to be sixteen). His disguise is basically the same as the poster (it's mainly that 'old person' rubber mask). He does use a power drill as his main weapon (also as the poster suggests - but the cord is never plugged in, nor is the drill ever equipped with a drill bit). The kills are largely trash with some awful DIY gore ('the brain scrambler' is my highlight). The climax is pretty much where all the killing happens (and did sort of surprise me with who ends up being the last alive), and the ending is very stupid (especially the final scene).
Final thoughts, the special effects are mostly trash here (look, I realize that this is a 'no budget' flick, but they're literally using ketchup as blood in here - and that's terrible). There is some light nudity in here (but it seems unintentional?). The pacing is pretty crap in here (I mentioned the overwhelming amount of flat filler scenes, but those scenes just really drag on - this movie is in a constant struggle to stretch itself out to feature-length). The screenwriting is very rotten and almost seems improvised with the way the actors deliver their lines (seriously, you'll know it when it happens).
A few stray shout outs going out to the weirdo 'adult film' ('Galaxy Hookers') that the girls watched, the obviously disconnected phone (so dumb, lol), Marlo's constant fourth wall breaking, and Kort's stalking habits (which appear similar to Michael's from Halloween (1978)). I think you can probably surmise what the deal is with this from the poster alone (which is another 'too cool to be true' type deal here). It's not the worst I've seen (that title still goes to Satanic Meat Cleaver Massacre (2017)), but it's still VOD trash through-and-through and mostly just amounts to 'all filler, no killer'.
Rating: 2/10 (Terrible)
Best Character: Jamie (Kaitlyn Yurkiw) - DirectorHenri SalaStarsDebbie LasterDale MidkiffDebra HunterA female scientist performs experiments on three college girls that turn them into drooling, murderous mutants.Day 7 - Saturday the 7th
Mini-Review: A mid 80's Sci-Fi horror from Troma here. So, this is just crazy bewildering from start to finish here. The plot and story are very incoherent and confusing in here (I think the deal here is that some scientist has made a 'mind control' device and his psychotic colleague decides to use it for evil). This seems like it should be pretty straightforward, but the way it all unfolds obfuscates the narrative (the story rotates around too much and loses the plot). The cast is mostly average in here (this being a Troma joint, you'd probably expect them to be more campy, but they're pretty competent - Julie is my favorite here, but shout out to Jessica and Linda).
Julie Clingstone is also the main villain here. She's just a total sociopathic maniac (she actively tries to turn the 'test subjects' into murderous cretins). Speaking of those guys, they're mindless zombies for the most part. They've all got varying degrees of degradation after they 'turn' (they're pretty much snarling Neon Maniacs at this point). The zombies get their fair share of murdering, but the 'machine' can also be used for murder (it 'somehow' mutilates people with steel balls or something - it tears its victims apart from the inside out). The climax and ending are both really dumb, but there is some nice gore.
Final thoughts, and speaking of gore, the special effects and makeup are pretty good here (the kills are bloody and the gore looks good, and the zombies' appearances are decent enough - 'the sneaky slit' is my kill highlight). This being a slice of 80's Troma trash here means that there's plenty of gratuitous nudity and cheesy sex scenes (without any gratuitous shower scene surprisingly - shout out to those freaks just openly smashing on the pinball table). I got two stray shout outs going out to the bizarre hand puppet robot thing (WTF?) and Ralph's 'special sandwich' (lol). Special mention to Vinegar Syndrome's release of this (the version that I watched here), which features a nice quality overall. This is pretty stupid and trashy, but it's Troma, so what do you expect? It's got the gore, the nudity, and the nonsensical story (the full trifecta), and proves to be a moderately entertaining bit of 80's trash here.
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: Julie Clingstone (Debbie Laster) - DirectorJack SholderStarsRobert EnglundMark PattonKim MyersA teenage boy is haunted in his dreams by deceased child murderer Freddy Krueger, who is out to possess him in order to continue his reign of terror in the real world.Day 8 - Sunday the 8th (SLASHER SUNDAY)
Mini-Review: A mid 80's supernatural slasher from New Line, and the second installment of the Nightmare on Elm Street series. Well, this is a little better than I remember it being, but it still isn't particularly good at all. So, what we have here is basically that some guy's family moves into Nancy's old house and somehow reawakens Freddy, which starts up the murdering again. That plot and story isn't very interesting, and seems thrown together in an effort to quickly produce a sequel to capitalize on the original's success (which, to be fair, it pretty much was). The performances are competent but the characters themselves are lesser here (Jesse is probably the best of them, but Freddy is easily still my favorite here).
The killer is obviously still Freddy here. He's more or less the same as before (personality and appearance-wise), but the way he 'comes back' is sort of different here (it's actually never really revealed 'how' he returns, but he 'possesses' Jesse and uses him to interact with the 'real world' to commit his kills). The bladed glove is still his main weapon, but he can also make the claws grow through his fingertips now (yes, it's sort of like Wolverine's claws). Speaking of the kills, they're very weak and unimaginative in here (they are bloody and sort of gory, but they're incredibly basic, like nearly all of them are just a simple slashing - 'the wall skewer' is my highlight). The climax is pretty lackluster and the ending is pretty much a repeat of the first movie.
Final thoughts, despite the story being a letdown, the pacing is fairly adequate in here (with the tight runtime also helping in this regard). Although I didn't care for the characters, I did like some of their interactions (mostly Jesse and Grady, who are like 'friendly rivals'). The special effects and makeup are both about on par with the original (some highlights include; Freddy's scalp pull and brain reveal, Freddy's body melt, and, easily the best, Jesse's transformation scene). I got one stray shout out going out to the opening nightmare sequence (especially the pretty neat looking effects with the bus on those 'pillars').
I've only watched this once before this rewatch, but I've heard about this movie's supposed 'subtext' (which I suppose is evident, but it doesn't really have much of an impact by the end of it). My previous main memory of this was strongly disliking it, but I feel like it is somewhat more entertaining after this rewatch. If the kills and characters were better, and if the story wasn't clearly a cash grab, then this probably could've been good. This held my attention, but I don't really have a strong opinion of it one way or the other.
Rating: 5/10 (Average)
Best Character: Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) - DirectorJohn Llewellyn MoxeyStarsDeborah RaffinLynne MoodyChuck ConnorsDuring a road trip, two UCLA coeds end up in a Southern prison farm on trumped-up charges brought on by a small town sex-crazed corrupt sheriff.Day 9 - Monday the 9th
Mini-Review: A mid 70's 'women-in-prison' made for television flick from ABC here. There's apparently two versions of this, but I watched the 'TV Cut' for this review here. There aren't many differences between this version and the 'Theatrical Cut' from what I can tell (literally the only real difference seems to be more gratuitous nudity). This is a pretty classic, albeit less sleazy, picture in this genre here (it's got the whole shebang more or less). You've got your attractive young girls who are framed by a corrupt sheriff, and forced to carry out a bogus sentence at a prison camp (that's the gist of it, and you're off to the races). This story has a hopeless feeling about it and generally unfolds like a nightmare (true to the title).
The performances are top notch in this (the girls are likeable, the villains are despicable, and the supporting cast, like Sara and Emiline, serve their roles well - Deborah Raffin is great as the lead, and shout out to Dulcie and Smitty, but Chuck Connors plays a perfect villain in Sheriff Danen and ends up being my favorite in here). There's plenty of other villains in here (like Dancer and Greer - actually pretty much the entire prison staff), but Sheriff Danen is the main one. He's incredibly sleazy and scummy (pretty much a complete monster, frankly), and it seems like the rest of the villains see him as a 'loose cannon' (he takes it a little 'too far' a couple of times). The climax features an awesome prison escape, and it ends on a dark note.
Final thoughts, the pacing is great in here, and it packs a good amount of content within its lean runtime (I never really felt like there was a moment when it lagged, honestly). The camerawork is decent, albeit standard, for a television movie (the only blemish here is the random 'specks' or 'blotches' on the camera lens in some scenes). Most of the other technical aspects are great in here (like the soundtrack, the screenwriting, the set design and decoration, etc.) I got two stray shout outs going out to nice car chase and Dulcie and Smitty's skimpy outfits during the 'fieldwork' scenes (which aren't the same as the poster, but they are close enough). This is just a great outing for this genre, and would probably be a good entry point for it as well (it's entertaining and sleazy, but never too mean-spirited).
Rating: 8/10 (Great)
Best Character: Sheriff Danen (Chuck Connors) - DirectorMario CaianoStarsBarbara SteelePaul MullerHelga LinéA woman and her lover are tortured and killed by her sadistic husband. The pair return from the grave to seek vengeance.Day 10 - Tuesday the 10th
Mini-Review: A 60's Italian Gothic supernatural horror / haunted house movie here. So, this has some admirable aspects, but I'm not quite sure it fully succeeds with its approach here. The plot and story are a blend of the 'Gothic horror' and 'haunted house' genres (like it starts off as Gothic horror and finishes as haunted house). Here we've got a guy who murders his cheating wife and her lover, and then is haunted by their ghosts (this is the basics of it, obviously - it doesn't really get much deeper than that). I wasn't really enamored by this story, frankly (it isn't bad, per se, it just doesn't do anything particularly noteworthy or impressive). The pacing is also very slow and plodding (as is with many older films it seems, but this is the main gripe I have with this feature).
The performances are good to great in here (Barbara Steele, in her dual role of (apparently) twin sisters, Muriel and Jenny, is the best here, but shout out to Stephen Arrowsmith (not Aerosmith and definitely not Li'l Bomber) and Solange). Stephen is also the main villain in here. His main motivation is revenge but he's also fueled by greed (his pursuit of Muriel's fortune and estate). He seems sort of like a 'mad scientist' here (he's got a laboratory underneath the estate and is able to create a 'blood potion' to restore Solange's youth). The climax and ending are both like one quick shot of action (unfortunately, that's like the most action in the entire movie, and it's only like eight minutes of the runtime).
Final thoughts, the special effects and makeup are both adequate and kind of bizarre in here (the 'ghostly' appearances of David and Muriel, especially Muriel, are pretty gruesome, and the visuals on the 'death bed' murder scene are quite awesome). The dialogue in here sometimes gets overly dramatic and becomes a little cheesy (most of the time the actors do a good job of selling it, though). The rest of the technical aspects are good in here (it's generally a well made picture; the cinematography, the score (by Ennio Morricone), the lighting, the set design, the direction, etc. - it all comes together nicely). I got one stray shout out going out to Jenny's awesome Giallo closeup during her dream freak out. This is competently made and mostly enjoyable, but the sluggish pacing unfortunately holds it back from being truly great.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Muriel / Jenny (Barbara Steele) - DirectorShin'ya TsukamotoStarsRyûhei MatsudaHitomiMasanobu AndôThree people in Tokyo take a surreal voyage of self-discovery through memory and nightmares. "O" intends suicide while talking on a cell-phone with a stranger he meets on line who plans a simultaneous suicide. Events take a horrifying turn. Keiko Kirishima is a cool, seemingly emotionless police detective, brilliant but off-putting. She's faced with two mutilated corpses who appear to have killed themselves, but she's not sure. A cell-phone number links the deaths. She calls on Akumu Tantei, a poor and suicidal young man who has the ability to enter people's dreams. He's reluctant to help. His past haunts him. A subconscious duel of terror and blood awaits the three.Day 11 - Wednesday the 11th
Mini-Review: A mid 2000's Japanese supernatural slasher from Shinya Tsukamoto here. So, this is almost like a Japanese version of A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) here (almost but not quite). The plot and story here concern a police investigation into some suspicious suicides, which end up being linked to a supernatural murderer (it's not really anything we haven't seen from other 'dream'-based slashers, but it is delivered in an interesting way). The cast is pretty great and committed across the board here (as is the case with most Japanese horror films - Keiko is my favorite here, but shout out to Zero, who is played by the film's director, and Wakamiya).
Zero (or '0') is also the killer in here. He's sort of like a Japanese Freddy Krueger (not so much his personality, but more so his actions - he mutilates himself many times and he can trap people in their dreams, which is where he kills them). He has powers but it's never really explained how he got them. He mainly uses a kitchen knife to commit his kills (he slashes his victims apart in their dreams, and in the 'real world' the victim finds a sharp object and 'kills themselves' to emulate Zero's slashings). The kills are all slashings, but they are very bloody with some gore ('engine trouble' is my highlight). The climax features a very strange 'final battle' between Zero and Kagenuma, and the ending finishes on a mostly upbeat note.
Final thoughts, as with many Shinya Tsukamoto films, the makeup and special effects are quite a spectacle (the gore and injuries and the creature effects look great in here - special shout out to those funny-looking 'facial' effects, which reminded me of Arseface from Preacher, lol). Another hallmark of Shinya's filmmaking is the camerawork and production design, which is on par with most of his other work (the gray filter which is also present in Tetsuo: The Bullet Man (2009) is here, and the 'crazy motion cam' from Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989) also makes a comeback here as well). The runtime on this is on the longer side, but the pacing is mostly decent (there's some light lag, but it keeps a steady pace for the most part). I often find myself greatly enjoying Shinya's films, and this was no exception. I don't have many gripes about this - had it been a bit more 'extravagant', then it probably could've been a classic.
Rating: 9/10 (Incredible)
Best Character: Keiko Kirishima (Hitomi) - DirectorJames JusticeUmberto LenziStarsNicolas De TothSarah BuxtonRawley ValverdeAfter the execution of a motorcycle gang leader convicted of murder, a helmeted biker goes on a killing spree during spring break in Florida.Day 12 - Thursday the 12th
Mini-Review: A late 80's Italian-American slasher from Umberto Lenzi here. I reviewed this once before in Slasher Sunday 2019, and, for this re-review, I decided to watch it with a commentary track featured on Kino Lorber's 'Special Edition' release. Content-wise, this is the same as before (I think it was 88 Films' release that I reviewed last time - the picture quality is superior on Kino Lorber's release). You know the deal here; heinous gang leader is executed, then a mysterious helmeted biker (who may, or may not be connected to the gang leader) appears and starts to murder hapless spring breakers. I feel about the same about the performances this time as I did before (I had Dawg as my favorite last time, but I'd say that Gail is probably my favorite this time around - obviously still shout out to Dawg, John Saxon and Michael Parks).
The killer, the 'Biker', wears a pretty classic 'Giallo'-like disguise (motorcycle helmet and leather getup). He uses an array of kill methods, but seems to favor 'electricity' as his main 'weapon' (which I guess is a reference to the electric chair execution in the prologue). He rides a modded motorcycle, which also has a literal 'electric chair' modded into the backseat. His motive seems to be revenge, but he also just seems to hate 'fun' (as in, the fun that the spring breakers are having). The kills are creatively ridiculous and pretty bloody with some nice gore ('the hot wire', which was my favorite in my original review, and 'evidence in the furnace' are my highlights). The climax and ending are still a mixed bag, but still mostly enjoyable (my favorite part is still Dawg's revenge, lol).
Final thoughts, I don't have much else to say about this. The practical effects and makeup are pretty great (the elaborate gore and aftermath shots look awesome (especially the body melt) and the multiple electrocutions (shout out to the backseat 'electric chair') have some neat visuals). The rest of the filmmaking (camerawork, lighting, costuming, set design and decoration, etc.) is adequate and further accentuated by the 1980s setting (lots of vibrant colors and neon lights). This being an 80's flick means that there's a layer of delicious cheese in here as well (which I always find to be endearing). I got two stray shout outs going out to Gail pepper spraying the dog (yep) and the 'Go Gators!' guy (yes, he gets another shout out, lol).
Since I watched this with the commentary track enabled, I'll give some quick comments on that. It features film critic Samm Deighan on it, and it's pretty much a podcast about Lenzi's filmography and other similar films. I already knew most of the topics discussed here, but there was some new information that I learned from this. Deighan seems pretty casual, and does a mostly good job of conveying the relevant information in here. I don't listen to commentaries often, but this one was decent enough (and probably pretty informative to someone who may be interested in these types of movies). Overall, I enjoyed this about as much as I did when I watched it a year ago. It's still a pretty great, sleazy and cheesy, romp with some Giallo-like inspirations.
Rating: 8/10 (Great)
Best Character: Gail (Sarah Buxton) - DirectorLucio FulciStarsLucio FulciBrett HalseyRia De SimoneA horror film director is stalked by a mad psychiatrist/serial killer bent on killing people to model the killings after the director's gory death scenes from his movies.Day 13 - Friday the 13th
Holiday Special: Friday the 13th
Note: Also known as "Nightmare Concert".
Mini-Review: An early 90's Italian meta comedy slasher from Giallo legend, Lucio Fulci, here. This is basically a bunch of other films edited together to create a new film here. Here's the story; Lucio Fulci becomes unhinged while working on two violent films, and gory murders start to occur in the 'real world', but everything blends together in Fulci's mind and he can't tell what's real or what's fake. It pretty much plays out like a slasher from there (Fulci tries to figure it out while the killer's on the loose). Something like this seems like it should be cobbled together, but it's well organized and makes sense (well, mostly, lol). The cast (well, from the new footage) is adequate for the most part (Fulci plays a fictional version of himself, and is easily the best here, but shout out to Schwarz, though).
Professor Schwarz is also the killer in here. He decides to hypnotize Fulci and hopes to frame Fulci for the gruesome murders that he commits (this is all pretty upfront here, but Schwarz doesn't really seem to have a reason for his killing spree other than 'he's just crazy'). Schwarz mostly uses sharp or bladed objects to commit his kills. His main disguise is a hoodie and red gloves (he's actually standing in for the killer from Massacre (1989), who pretty much wears the same disguise). The kills are all extremely bloody with some grotesque gore (there's beheadings galore in here, including a hilarious one that involves a trike, but the Psycho (1960) 'shower tribute' is my highlight). The climax is pretty prompt and sort of an anticlimax (mostly in regards to the killer's fate), and it ends on a lighthearted note.
Final thoughts, this has some comedic moments in it, which I liked overall ('stick it in the pocket!' is my favorite bit - actually, that whole 'Nazi orgy' sequence was hilariously over the top and bizarre). Pretty much all of the special effects shots are from other movies, but they're mostly spectacular (if you're only in this for gratuitous and increasing elaborate murder scenes, then you won't be disappointed). The 'wraparound segment' (if you want to call it that) does a good enough job of connecting all of this together (most of it is seamless and some of it is presented as 'hallucinations'). I got one stray shout out going out to the opening bit with those cats feasting on the brains (just adorable). This knows what it is, and does a great job of exploiting the material that it has to work with. It takes the best bits from some lesser films, and produces a superior result with them.
Rating: 8/10 (Great)
Best Character: Dr. Lucio Fulci (Lucio Fulci) - DirectorHoward R. CohenStarsRichard BenjaminPaula PrentissJeffrey TamborA family inherits an old mansion which houses the dangerous 'Book of Evil' that has all the monsters of the world trapped inside it.Day 14 - Saturday the 14th
Mini-Review: An early 80's comedy horror from New World here. This is a pretty straightforward comedy horror here, and unfolds like a haunted house flick. The setup is simple here; family inherits relative's rundown house, which happens to contain a supernatural book that unleashes an assortment of monsters into the place (so, it's a spin on the 'haunted house' subgenre). House (1986) and Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) both have pretty much the exact same plot as this. This however doesn't really take an adequate advantage of this type of story, and sort of meanders around until the finale (there's various 'creature attacks' here and there, but everything is literally just waiting for the titular day to arrive - most of the movie actually takes place on Friday the 13th weirdly enough).
The performances are decent to above average here (all of the family members are decent, but John, the patriarch, played by Richard Benjamin, is my favorite here (mostly because of his nonchalant way of confronting these bizarre horrors), but shout out to Van Helsing and Jeffrey Tambor as Waldemar). The villain has a pretty typical 'conquer the world' plan here (he seeks the book to utilize it for evil). The monsters are pastiches of other 'famous' movie monsters in here (you've got your Wolf Man, Mummy, and Gill-Man knock-offs, but there's also a couple of 'original' monsters in here, too - like that weirdo 'goat' monster with the elongated eyes). The climax is when the movie finally reaches Saturday the 14th, and it basically boils down to a lighthearted massacre. It finishes on a similarly lighthearted and upbeat note.
Final thoughts, this isn't really particularly special effects heavy (well, not that I noticed), and is mostly reliant on makeup and costuming (which is hit or miss here: some of the costumes on the monsters look good, but some of them look hilariously fake - shout out to the Great Value Gill-Man whose zipper is blatantly visible on his costume). Most of the comedy in here is either pun-based or referential (plenty of punny dialogue - shout out to the Jaws (1975) light parody in the bathtub scene, complete with theme song knock-off). I didn't get a lot of mileage out of the comedic moments, personally (I did like some of the physical comedy, though - like John being completely oblivious about the goat monster and Billy literally bargaining with it later on). I got one stray shout out going out to stuff randomly exploding at times (which reminded me of Aqua Teen Hunger Force, lol). I can't say that this impressed me very much, unfortunately. The comedy wasn't very strong or memorable and the pacing is pretty bad, but it's got some decent performances and a lot of heart, which redeems it somewhat.
Rating: 5/10 (Average)
Best Character: John Hyatt (Richard Benjamin) - DirectorChuck RussellStarsHeather LangenkampRobert EnglundCraig WassonA psychiatrist familiar with knife-wielding dream demon Freddy Krueger helps teens at a mental hospital battle the killer who is invading their dreams.Day 15 - Sunday the 15th (SLASHER SUNDAY) *DOUBLE FEATURE*
Mini-Review: A late 80's supernatural slasher from New Line, and the third installment of the Nightmare on Elm Street series. This feels far more like a proper and thought-out sequel to the first movie here than Freddy's Revenge (1985) (which, as I mentioned in my review of that, felt like a hurried cash grab). The story is interesting and creative and feels like a natural escalation from the events of the first movie (with it taking place at that 'institution'). Although the main setting is more confined, there's plenty more to offer here with the assorted 'dream worlds' (which are nicely varied). The plot takes its time to set up, but runs very smoothly afterward. The cast is pretty much all great in here (they each serve their roles incredibly well - Nancy and Freddy are once again my favorites here, but there's plenty of others to shout out, including; Patricia Arquette (in her film debut) as Kristen, Taryn, Kincaid, 'Larry' Fishburne, John Saxon (who returns in a cameo appearance), and even Zsa Zsa Gabor (whose cameo I've always loved)).
Freddy is obviously the main villain as he always is. He's got the same look, but his personality is a little more comedic this time around (as opposed to the first two movies where he's mostly just sadistic). His main weapon is his bladed glove, but he gets an adequate use out of his 'dream manipulation' powers as well (which leads to some creative kills). And speaking of the kills, it seems like they went all-out in this entry for them (there isn't many of them, but they all feel pretty unique and some of them are quite spectacular - 'no strings on me' and 'welcome to primetime!', which both feature some awesome visuals, are my highlights). The climax and ending are both fairly satisfying and have a 'definitive' feel to them (especially the final confrontation), but the final scene seems to suggest that there's more to come (and there is, of course).
Final thoughts, pretty much all of the visual effects are glorious in this (from the costuming, makeup and hair styling (shout out to Freddy's syringe fingers and Taryn's comically oversized mohawk), to the creature and gore effects (who doesn't love the 'Freddy Worm'?), to the awesomely cheesy stop motion effects (shout out to the Freddy skeleton fight, which might as well be ripper straight from those sweet sword and sandal movies). The screenwriting is more concise and the dialogue is a lot sharper in this entry (it obliterates Freddy's Revenge and even tops the original to me). The camerawork is impressive across the board here (there's many great shots in this, but the 'puppetry' scene is straight up iconic).
The rest of the technical aspects of this are top notch for the most part (the set decoration, the lighting, the production design, the sound editing, etc. - they all brought their A-game for this one). I got three stray shout outs going out to the opening quote from Edgar Allan Poe, the interesting decision to have two 'final girls' in this, and the 'dream powers' angle, which gave this sort of 'slasherhero' vibe. I've always liked this entry a lot, and it was actually the first film from this series that I watched (so, it's got a special place in my heart). They went maximum effort with this picture, and provided a massively entertaining barn burner, which might be the best entry of the series (as well as my personal favorite).
Rating: 10/10 (Masterwork)
Best Character(s): Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) & Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) - DirectorRenny HarlinStarsRobert EnglundRodney EastmanJohn BeckmanFreddy Krueger returns once again to terrorize the dreams of the remaining Dream Warriors, as well as those of a young woman who may be able to defeat him for good.Day 15 - Sunday the 15th (SLASHER SUNDAY) *DOUBLE FEATURE*
Mini-Review: A late 80's supernatural comedy slasher from New Line, and the fourth installment of the Nightmare on Elm Street series. This movie feels like Freddy's Revenge (1985) in a lot of ways, but the main way is that it feels like a cash grabby movie (Dream Warriors (1987) obviously reinvigorated the franchise, so of course they're gonna make a follow-up). However, just because it was made to capitalize on success doesn't mean that it's all bad. Here's another weak slapdash story with it basically negating the upbeat ending from the last movie (Kristen, Joey and Kincaid all return from the previous movie, and you can probably guess how well this goes for them). As usual, despite the story being a downer, the plot is still well paced (the opening almost seems like an epilogue for the previous movie, and then the 'real' movie begins after that).
The cast is about average here (nothing to write home about, Freddy is still the best here, but shout out to Rick and Kincaid - quick note about Kristen; she gets recast as Tuesday Knight in here who isn't as good as Patricia Arquette, but mostly gets the job done in here). Freddy returns as the killer (of course). He's mostly the same as the rest of the movies (same outfit, same weapon, same powers), but the main difference here is his personality (which leans more into the 'comedic' side that he had in Dream Warriors). The kills are pretty weak and inferior to the previous entry ('squashed like a bug', which is easily the most creative in the movie, is my highlight). The climax features a pretty campy 'final fight' between Alice and Freddy, and the ending doles out an entertaining and neat-looking 'killer defeat'.
Final thoughts, this begins with a quote, just like the previous movie (it's a bible quote from Job this time). The visual effects and makeup are less impressive this time around. They're not terrible (they're actually still way ahead of most slashers out there), and do have some bright spots (like the 'people pizza', which is very cheesy, and 'roach Debbie', which is a genuinely impressive sequence), but some stuff (like the 'chest hole') looks really trashy. I forgot to mention it earlier, but this has a really ridiculous setup here (Freddy's resurrection is so stupid and outlandish that it has to be seen to be believed).
A few stray shout outs going out to Freddy in drag (it's exactly what you think it is), Rick's weirdo training montage (complete with headband - yep, it's the 80's), Alice's equally weird 'suit-up' montage (LOL), the flaming dog urine (yes, you read that right), and, finally, the screenwriters who somehow remembered Elaine's catchphrase ('andale! andale!'). This leans more into the comedic aspect of the previous movie, and its nullifying story and standardized plot don't really hold it back too much from being a pretty fun and cheesy outing here (that is also fairly better than I remember it being).
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) - DirectorBruce R. CookStarsBrian ThompsonJack StarrettElizabeth KaitanA professor and four graduate students journey to a house in the mountains to investigate paranormal activities, but the experiment goes awry after an alien entity starts attacking them.Day 16 - Monday the 16th
Mini-Review: A late 80's supernatural (or is it?) Sci-Fi horror from Unearthed here. Well, there's a lot going on in this movie, and most of it doesn't really make much sense in the end. The plot and story here might seem straightforward but they get very 'dreamlike' and discombobulated (which I'm sure is on purpose, but this isn't really very captivating in a broader sense). After the setup (which itself has its own setup - yeah, there's layers here), stuff just sort of starts happening (there's a vague mission which involves trying to summon some kind of interdimensional alien or demon or whatever, but none of this is ever really elaborated on too closely). Despite this obscured plot and bizarre story, the pacing is actually pretty tight here (it moves on fairly quickly from one set piece to the next).
The performances are above average here for the most part (we've got Clayton Rohner, an 80's horror mainstay, who always gives some elevation to his roles (and here is no exception), but Alisha Das, who plays the female lead, is probably my favorite here - shout out to Brian Thompson, better known as the 'Night Slasher' from Cobra (1986) or Shao Kahn from Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997), as Dean). There's no main villain here (there's that one guy, who's never given an identity beyond the 'Professor', who does some scummy stuff, but none of it really amounts to much by the end). Speaking of the ending, it all comes to its bewildering head in the climax, and, just when you think it's about to start making sense, the ending smacks you with another whammy.
Final thoughts, the showcase of special effects are something of a treat here (the various grotesque alien mutations and body mutilations look pretty great - my favorite by far is the 'big brain moment' with the skull roaches). The cinematography is interesting and I enjoyed some of the shots in here (shout out to Donna's POV 'mouth shot'). I really liked the set design and the lighting (especially the lighting) in here (there's lots of colorful scenes, which give off a very 80's vibe - the green in the mine shaft and Kim's weirdo dream are my highlights). I got two stray shout outs going out to Dean's unhinged barking (wtf?) and Dean's catchphrase ('this highway is mine!'). I guess the theme of this is supposed to be an allegory of Zhuangzi's famous quote ('Once I dreamt I was a butterfly'), but it just gets a little too confusing and isn't really as entertaining as it should be. It's a decent enough effort, which is carried by the pacing, the visuals, and the camerawork.
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: Kim (Alisha Das) - DirectorDon DohlerDave GeattyStarsTom GriffithJamie ZemarelKarin KardianA creature from outer space crash lands in a small town and starts killing people.Day 17 - Tuesday the 17th
Mini-Review: An early 80's Sci-Fi monster movie from Troma, which is apparently a remake of an earlier movie, The Alien Factor (1978), by the same director. There's not much going on here, and this is very bare bones and straightforward. So, there's this alien who crash lands on Earth, and then it decides to embark on a killing spree (and that's it - that's plot of the entire movie). I can't really say that this is a particularly impressive story, but I guess it does do its job of promptly getting into the carnage here (as soon as the alien shows up, the murdering begins). The acting is largely dry with bad delivery here (George Stover as Steven is probably the best here, but shout out to Drago and Wilton).
The monster is an unnamed alien. This alien has a neat and kind of funny look (their appearance looks alright, but that suit that they wear looks weird and reminds me of something that would be seen in a disco). The alien uses a combination of a raygun and their bare hands to kill (the raygun is cheap-looking and literally just disintegrates people). This being a monster movie means that there's kills in here (most of them are really campy with people getting vaporized by the raygun, but a few of them are pretty gory - 'ride the lightning', which features a hilarious aftermath shot, is my highlight). The climax is probably about what you'd expect, and the ending might as well be a smash cut.
Final thoughts, the editing is pretty rough at times in here (especially early on, which is where it lacks the most 'smoothness'). The camerawork isn't very noteworthy, but there are some nice shots in here (which are accentuated by the score - the scenes near the beginning with the light behind the alien are my favorites). The makeup and special effects are above average in here (they get the job done and then some - the 'CGI' visuals and the gore are mostly decent, but sometimes the aftermath shots look pretty cheesy). The screenwriting is very basic and seems unpolished (the dull acting doesn't compliment these flat lines either). I got two stray shout outs going out to the ultra cheesy sex scene (complete with soundtrack) and the awesome ending theme over the credits. This is mostly just some more low budget 80's trash that Troma picked up here. It's very simple but also reasonably fun (it packs in its schlock, and does a nice job of appealing to Troma's 'refined taste').
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Steven Price (George Stover) - DirectorTom HollandStarsChris SarandonWilliam RagsdaleAmanda Bearse"Fright Night" sees a teenager believing that the newcomer in his neighborhood is a vampire. He turns to an actor in a television hosted horror movie show for help to deal with the undead.Day 18 - Wednesday the 18th
Mini-Review: A mid 80's vampire flick from Sony, and the first installment of the Fright Night series. So, this starts off with a 'modern' angle, but eventually it mostly plays out like a loose adaptation of Dracula. Charley's new neighbor is a vampire, and he wants to stop him from doing dirty deeds within the quiet suburbia. That about sums it up, and it's a pretty simple story, which, as mentioned, evolves into a sort of homage to Dracula (there's enough fun moments in here to keep things interesting, though). The performances are mostly top notch here (not only are the actors serviceable, they also do a adequate job of 'enhancing' their roles - Chris Sarandon as Jerry Dandrige is my favorite (and probably the best), but shout out to... pretty much everyone else, frankly).
Jerry Dandrige is also the main villain here. He's a pretty classic smarmy crazy charismatic vamp boy here (I don't want to say he's basically 80's Dracula, but he's totally 80's Dracula). He doesn't really have a plan beyond 'let's be evil, dear boy', and seems to just want to live a 'quiet life' (with lots of murder). He's got all of the classic vampire powers (including conjuring/traveling through mist, animal transformation, super strength, etc.), and can also transform into a 'grotesque' monstrous looking vampire. He's got an evil henchman, Billy Cole (played by Jonathan Stark, who I remember from House II: The Second Story (1987)), who also seems to be a supernatural figure. The climax goes full Dracula and gives a pretty satisfying 'final confrontation'. The ending itself seems to hint at a sequel (which there is, of course).
Final thoughts, the cinematography and lighting are pretty great in here (plenty of nice shots with some confident camerawork in general - the alleyway chase scene is a standout). The makeup and practical effects are similarly high grade in here (some truly gruesome and neat effects - the body melt, the bat monster, and the wolf transformation are my favorites here). Speaking of that wolf, the stunt work is pretty decent overall (the 'wolf' attack and the showdown at Jerry's house are nicely choreographed). I got two stray shout outs going out to the nightclub set piece (which is pretty rad) and the cheesy movies on the titular 'Fright Night' TV program. This is just a really enjoyable, well produced, well acted, well executed vampire flick that mostly lives up to its status here.
Rating: 9/10 (Incredible)
Best Character: Jerry Dandrige (Chris Sarandon) - DirectorTommy Lee WallaceStarsWilliam RagsdaleRoddy McDowallTraci Lind"Fright Night Part 2" is a sequel to "link=tt0089175]". Charley Brewster and the horror host Peter Vincent must face more vampires, out for revenge.Day 19 - Thursday the 19th
Mini-Review: A late 80's vampire flick from Sony, which is the second installment of the Fright Night series, and a direct sequel to Fright Night (1985). This has the same director as Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982), and, while this does feel like a proper sequel to the original, it does have shades of this director's previous work. The plot and story here are pretty much a reverse of the first movie (it's our hero who gets hypnotized and the love interest has to team-up with the vampire hunter to rescue him from the lady vampire villain). It's about on par with the original, but it does try to amp up threats and set pieces in here (even more vampires and elaborate sequences).
The performances are also mostly on par with the first movie (Charley and Vincent (who is probably my favorite here) are back here, and just as good as the first movie - Regine and her posse are all very colorful and lively, and include some familiar faces in here, like; Brian Thompson (aka the Night Slasher) and Jon Gries (aka Uncle Rico)). Regine Dandrige is also the main villain here. She is Jerry's sister, and her motivation is to avenge her fallen brother. She's somewhat more subtle than Jerry, and seems to prefer being covert (she seems to prefer using her mind control powers rather than brute force). The climax serves up sufficient final confrontation, and the ending itself (once again) seems to hint at a sequel (which there isn't, this time).
Final thoughts, a lot of the production quality of this is on par with the first movie; the special effects (which shines with some more grotesque death scenes - including another tasty body melt), the makeup and costuming (Louie's monstrous form looks pretty cool), the soundtrack (which has the original composer returning), the screenwriting (which has some clever bits like the first movie), and the set design and decoration (this has the mundane areas, but it also gets intricate with places like Vincent's apartment and the vampire lair). The camerawork doesn't seem as 'polished' as the first movie (the cinematography and lighting aren't as sharp or creative). I got three stray shout outs going out to Bozworth eating bugs (so gross, lol), the 'bowling with vampires' montage (so dumb, lol), and the 'bug bomb' kill (Tommy Lee Wallace sure loves to kill characters with bugs, lol). This has a lot in common with its predecessor, and is about as entertaining as it as well. It's a pretty fun and great time despite not being as memorable as the original.
Rating: 8/10 (Great)
Best Character: Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall) - DirectorCraig GillespieStarsAnton YelchinColin FarrellDavid Tennant"Fright Night" - A new neighbor moves in next to Charley, who discovers that he is an ancient vampire who preys on the community. Can he save his neighborhood from the creature with the help of the famous "vampire killer", Peter Vincent?Day 20 - Friday the 20th
Mini-Review: An early 2010's comedy horror vampire flick from Dreamworks and Touchstone, which is the third installment of the Fright Night series, and serves as a remake of the original Fright Night. Well, this really is just a modern remake of the original. The plot and story here unfold mostly the same as the original, but there are a few deviations (like Evil Ed being the one who discovers Jerry, and Charley being a skeptic about it or Charley's mother having a more prominent role). The runtime is also about the same as the original with the pacing being on par, too (like the original, this doesn't really dwell too much on specifics and seems to just prefer 'getting to the point').
The performances are mostly great in here (the characters are well cast and represent their roles nicely - Anton Yelchin does an adequate job as this 'modern' Charley Brewster, but Colin Farrell as the 'New Jerry' is my favorite here, and shout out to Toni Collette). Jerry Dandrige returns as the main villain here. He's a bit more 'rugged' in this (he does put on a 'charming' persona, but that quickly dissolves). He seems 'depowered', and lacks some of the abilities that he has in the original (he doesn't use mist or change into animals - he does have a 'monstrous' form, though). His main plan this time around is to 'revive' his species (basically make more vampires). The climax and ending are both largely the same as the original movie.
Final thoughts, the script is decent and the comedy is mostly good in here (the 'house invitation/beer borrowing' bit is my favorite here). This has a 3D gimmick which is lost on me because I didn't watch this in 3D (the spots where the 3D shots are supposed to happen are pretty blatant, and, in 2D, are pretty horrible). The visual effects include plenty of CGI shots with the phony looking blood and gore (the blood especially, even for 2011, doesn't really look very convincing). There is some decent makeup on some gore shots, though. The rest of the technical aspects are adequate enough (and about what you'd probably expect from a picture from the early 2010's). This boasts a good cast, screenplay, and production quality. If the CGI was better and the 3D hadn't aged poorly, then this probably could've been great (it still does a good job of updating this story for the 'modern' audience, though).
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Jerry Dandrige (Colin Farrell) - DirectorEduardo RodriguezStarsWill PayneJaime MurraySean Power"Fright Night 2" - In Romania, Charley and his friends discover that their alluring art professor is a real-life vampire, hell-bent on completing an ancient ritual with Amy's blood.Day 21 - Saturday the 21st
Mini-Review: An early 2010's video vampire flick from FOX, which is the fourth installment of the Fright Night series, and serves as another remake of Fright Night (1985). Despite having the title 'Fright Night 2: New Blood', this isn't a sequel to Fright Night (2011). It's actually a second (albeit more loose) remake of the original Fright Night. The plot and story play out nearly exactly like the original Fright Night (most of the story beats are the same, but a couple of aspects from Fright Night Part 2 (1988) are present as well). I watched the 'Unrated Cut' for this review (which only runs about a minute longer than the R-Rated Cut), and the pacing is about on par with Fright Night (2011) (and it should be - considering that the source material is the same).
The performances are mediocre to below average in here (I didn't really care for these interpretations of the characters, for example: Peter Vincent is a reality show host instead of a Vegas showman like the other remake - Jaime Murray as Gerri Dandridge is easily the best here (and probably the main reason to watch this, honestly), but shout out to Evil Ed 'Bates' (this dude's surname literally changes every movie)). Jerry Dandrige gets yet another turn as the main villain here, but it's a gender flipped version of him as 'Gerri Dandridge'. Gerri is more or less just a female version of OG Jerry (she swaps charm for seduction, though). She gets an origin flashback (which is animated in a motion comic format) where she's revealed to be Elizabeth Bathory. Her plan is to become a 'daywalker' vampire (through the consumption of Amy's blood or something like that).
Her powers are generic (just like New Jerry's), but she herself is easily the strongest and the fastest of these Jerry's so far (another example: New Jerry gets owned by a car hitting him, but Gerri literally gets hit by a car head-on and the car just bounces off of her). She does have one new power that the other Jerry's don't have (it's apparently echolocation, which she uses to track Charley and Amy at one point). She doesn't have any minions, but, like New Jerry (and OG Jerry for that matter), she does 'make' a minion out of Evil Ed (Ed being turned into a vampire is like the main constant of all of these movies). The whole final act pretty much goes full Blade (1998), and the final confrontation is basically the same as the original and the remake (window shatter with a side of sunshine).
Final thoughts, the makeup and special effects seem a little better than the other remake in here (the blood looks more realistic, and so does most of the gore - it does look a little iffy in some shots, but it's great otherwise ('cross-eyed' is my favorite shot)). The screenplay is pretty crappy and laced with some horrible dialogue (this script is about what I was expecting from the other remake, frankly). There's a lot more nudity and skimpy outfits in this (true to the 'video trash' category, though). The set design and decoration and the locales in general are pretty great here (this takes place in Romania, and features some nice outdoors scenery). The camerawork seems a bit more 'sleek' than the other remake (which was more 'subtle'). I got two stray shout outs going out to the epilepsy trigger during the underground chase and the delicious body melt near the end (getting back to basics, lol). This is almost like a foreign remake here, and seems like it should fit in with similar video trash, but its adequate production quality gives it a 'spiffy' feeling. It's not quite on par with the other remake, but it's a decent enough effort here (and well worth watching just to see Jaime).
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: Gerri Dandridge / Elizabeth Bathory (Jaime Murray) - DirectorStephen HopkinsStarsRobert EnglundLisa WilcoxKelly Jo MinterThe pregnant Alice finds Freddy Krueger striking through the sleeping mind of her unborn child, hoping to be reborn into the real world.Day 22 - Sunday the 22nd (SLASHER SUNDAY) *DOUBLE FEATURE*
Mini-Review: A late 80's supernatural comedy slasher from New Line, and the fifth installment of the Nightmare on Elm Street series. Even after the last movie seemingly killed off Freddy for good, this somehow manages to bring him back once again. This felt pretty uninspired overall. The plot and story have a sound setup in theory (main girl gets pregnant and Freddy decides to use her to be 'born again'... or something like that), but the execution of this is pretty crappy (and really dumb if you think about for more than a minute). The cast is mostly average here (none of the 'victims' really standout, so, of course, Freddy's the best again).
Freddy gets his fifth outing as the killer here. His resurrection this time around is literally not even mentioned (he just shows up in Alice's dream at the beginning without explanation, and we're off to the races - it does seem like he 'infiltrates' Alice's unborn baby somehow, though). Freddy's other character traits are mostly retained here (he gets even more comedic in this entry, and uses his 'catchphrase' more often - you know what it is). The kills feature some creative dream sequences (like the comic book fight), but the actual kills themselves are pretty basic and lame ('cut my life into pieces' is my highlight). The climax goes full body horror, and the ending is pretty weak and unsatisfying.
Final thoughts, the pacing of this is pretty trash, to be honest (in general, but especially the kill pacing, which takes almost half of the movie before the first kill even happens). The comedy is just alright in here (it's not as sharp as the previous two movies, but it gets the job done - Freddy in particular pretty much reaches his 'final form' in this movie). The visual effects are still mostly good in here (the gore and body horror shots look pretty good - there's also some creative effects involving claymation and other animation as well). There is nudity in here, but not really that much (what there is is pretty gratuitous, though). I got one stray shout out going out to 'Super Freddy' (the man, the myth, the meme). This is a very by the numbers effort here. It benefits greatly from Robert Englund's performance and the creative effects, and manages to be a decent offering here.
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) - DirectorJohn GrissmerStarsLouise LasserMark SoperJulie GordonA boy kills a man and accuses his twin brother of the murder, and the innocent brother ends up institutionalized, while his psychotic twin goes free. 10 years later, the innocent twin escapes, which triggers his brother into killing again.Day 22 - Sunday the 22nd (SLASHER SUNDAY) *DOUBLE FEATURE*
Note: Also known as "Nightmare at Shadow Woods".
Mini-Review (Unrated Cut): An 80's holiday slasher from Film Limited and Arrow Video here. I reviewed this once before in Spooktober 2018, so for this re-review, I decided to watch the 'Composite Cut' (which apparently could be considered the 'Nightmare at Shadow Woods' cut) and the 'Unrated Cut' with the commentary track enabled. So, these two versions of the film are basically the same here (the only real difference is one new scene from the 'TV Cut', aka 'Nightmare at Shadow Woods' cut, of the movie). I'm only going to cover the 'Composite Cut' briefly here (in a separate review, obviously).
The plot and story share some similarities to Halloween (1978) (which perfected the 'slasher formula', but this also features some deliberate 'homages' to it - like the 'escape mental patient setup' and 'pursuing doctor'). This is pretty classic, 'tried and true' template, which works out mostly well in this (and this does offer something of a spin on it). The cast is above average to pretty great in here (most of the supporting cast does well, and their characterizations are simple but adequate - in my previous review, I had Mark Soper, in his dual role as the Simmons twins, as my favorite, and I still do here, but shout out to Louise Lasser (who is pretty committed here) and Julie).
The killer, Terry Simmons, is a total psychopath here (he does a good job of putting on a 'good guy' façade, but that fades fast). He's got something of a 'catchphrase', which he says whenever he sees blood ('it's not cranberry sauce!'). He doesn't wear a disguise, but he does 'pose' as his twin (Todd) a couple of times. He uses a few different weapons, but favors a machete. The kills are savage and brutal with plenty of blood and gore, but more than a few of them are off-screen ('fix your face' and 'stick a fork in him, he's done!' are my highlights). The climax features a decent chase sequence, and it ends on a very dark note (weirdly grim for this movie, which has a pretty 'fun' vibe up until then).
Final thoughts, I still love the synthtastic score, by Richard Einhorn, in here (the opening theme in particular is pretty killer). The special effects are top notch in here (the gore in the aftermath shots is absolutely grotesque - 'splitting headache' is one of the coolest looking shots). As with most of these 80's slashers, you've also gotta have a good deal of nudity and skimpy outfits (which this has - pretty much straight off the bat in the prologue as well as the classic 'gratuitous shower scene'). I wasn't really feeling Dr. Berman's narration near the beginning (it feels out of place). I noticed the camerawork more in this rewatch (there's some nice shots in here). I got three stray shout outs going out to the 'lost cat' girl ('you're gonna hurt my kitty!', LOL), Jackie blazing up while on the job, and Ted Raimi's cameo as the 'condom salesman'.
About the commentary track (which is featured on the Arrow Video Blu-ray release), it's very sparse in here (the commentators are conservative with their input). The commentary features the director, a producer, and a rep from Arrow Video. It's not very informative or particularly interesting (the director doesn't really have much to say about the movie, but does seem to have fond memories of it). There's not much to take away from this commentary (other than a couple of tidbits here and there). It's not really a very necessary companion here for the most part. Overall, this picture is just as good as it was when I first watched it back in 2018 (it's totally 80's and just a lot of bloody fun).
Mini-Review (Composite Cut): This is almost identical to the 'Unrated Cut' here (it's also from Arrow Video's release). The only real difference here is one new scene (which is apparently taken from the 'Nightmare at Shadow Woods' TV Cut of the movie). This scene is mostly a superfluous scene at the swimming pool (it doesn't really reveal any new information, but there is some nice eye candy in there). The minor changes also seem to include a couple of 'alternate' cuts (apparently, but I didn't really even notice them). This version has a slightly longer runtime than the Unrated Cut, but, interestingly enough, the pacing doesn't suffer here (and isn't too far from the Unrated Cut). The Unrated Cut is the superior version to me, and if you're gonna watch only one of these, then the Unrated Cut is the way to go here (this version isn't bad, though - the swimming scene does have some decent comedy in it).
Rating (Unrated): 9/10 (Incredible)
Rating (Composite): 8/10 (Great)
Best Character: Terry & Todd Simmons (Mark Soper) - DirectorJoseph SargentStarsCristina RainesJoe LambieAnthony JamesAnthology of four horror tales with a supernatural twist based on urban legends.Day 23 - Monday the 23rd
Mini-Review: An early 80's horror anthology from Universal here. This has a nice variety of horror subgenres in here, and does a good job of blending them together. As always, I'm only going to cover these segments briefly here. The first segment ('Terror in Topanga') is basically a slasher. It has one of the more classic setups here (escaped mental patient), but it ultimately plays out like a certain urban legend (you'll know it when it happens). It mostly acts as a 'teaser', but it does set the tone well enough. The acting is mostly decent but not particularly noteworthy. It finishes up on an upbeat note.
The second segment ('The Bishop of Battle') is a Sci-Fi action horror with a take on 'be careful what you wish for' going on here. It involves a kid who wants to complete a difficult arcade game (he specifically wants to reach the final level). This is a lot more 'action' than 'horror' here, and is carried greatly by its lead actor (Emilio Estevez, who is also my favorite performer in the picture) and some neat special effects (with the vector graphics on the arcade game). I'd say this probably turns out like you're expecting it to (and ties up on a downer note).
The third segment ('The Benediction') is a mashup of supernatural horror and carsploitation. There's not much to this segment, frankly (it's very straightforward here). This features a great lead performance by Lance Henriksen, and some similarly great car stunts in here (nice smash up carnage and explosions). It's an interesting combination that does work for the most part, but the actual content of it is pretty bare bones here. It concludes on an uplifting (albeit expected) note.
The fourth segment ('Night of the Rat') is a monster movie (with, as the title suggests, a giant rat). This is the longest segment but its pacing is mostly adequate here (it gets to the point, and never really lingers on the specifics). This has good acting from all of its principle cast (which is like four of them - five, if you count the cat, lol). The visual effects on the 'devil rat' look pretty weird, but also kind of neat (it's like a strange 'video'-like effect - the rat also gets a puppet model). This also ends on a mostly positive note.
Final thoughts, this is largely well produced across the board here; the camerawork (the cinematography and lighting both create the appropriate atmosphere for each given segment), the score (by Craig Safan, which also does its job of enhancing said atmosphere), and the set and prop design (they do a great job of giving these segments a unique identity to compliment their disparate subgenres). Three out of four of these segments are all pretty great (the only segment I wasn't really feeling, ironically, was the first one). The acting and production quality elevate the otherwise simplistic nature here, which results in a mostly great picture here.
Rating: 8/10 (Great)
Best Character: J.J. Cooney (Emilio Estevez) - DirectorRichard DriscollStarsLinnea QuigleySteve MunroeLorna BlissWelcome to the Grindhouse experience like it was meant to be, killer story lines and themes zig zig across the screen in Grind-O-Vision, a nonstop thrill ride of babes, guns, muscle cars, motorcycle shoot outs, rendezvous with the devil and much more. From "Manhunt" to "Stripper with a Shotgun," Grindhouse Nightmares is cinema exploitation at its best. Featuring Michael Madsen and the Queen of the Scream Queens, Linnea Quigley.Day 24 - Tuesday the 24th
Mini-Review: A 2010's indie exploitation action horror anthology here. I know what you're thinking: 'this looks like some hot garbage', and you are absolutely right. So, this is a total no budget ripoff of Grindhouse (2007) (it's two short films and a bunch of random crap in between). I'll handle this like I handle every other anthology movie here. The first segment ('Man Hunt') is like a 'contained horror' (I guess?). There's not much to say about this, frankly - it's more or less just a trash ripoff of Saw (2004) (it's really stupid and crappy - it's worse than Halloween Pussy Trap Kill! Kill! (2017)). Almost everything else in this segment is awful (the acting sucks, the voice over sucks, the special effects suck, etc. - you get the idea). The resolution is moronic and made me laugh.
The second segment ('Stripper with a Shotgun') is some Nunsploitation type deal here. The structure is so bad in this segment, and there's barely any plot at all (the editing is horrible and intercuts with Linnea Quigley (who plays an audience member) who literally announces when a new story beat is about to occur). The acting and ending of this are similarly trash just like the first segment (Brigitte Nielsen's cameo is probably the best here), and the final scene is a really dumb 'twist'. There's tons of nudity in this (including full frontal from the main girl), and the best part is easily the opening strip show (which is set to a trashy cover of 'Toxic' by Britney Spears - the strip show is also continued in various transition shots).
Final thoughts, there's something of a 'wraparound' segment, which features Linnea Quigley as an 'audience member' (I guess she's supposed to be a nurse) in some fake theater (which is really just some horrible fake looking green screen). Linnea is clearly reading from cue cards and is just there for a paycheck (her makeup and costuming looks super cheap and is pretty terrible). There's an 'intermission' segment which is filled with some bad fake commercials and a few fake movie trailers (most of which are parodies of other movies - Michael Madsen has a couple of cameos in these trailers, and it's pretty sad and bewildering to see him in this trash, to be honest).
On the technical side, this is very poorly made (the camerawork, sound design and editing, set work, special effects, screenwriting, direction - pretty much everything is just really bad). There's some faux film distress on here (like burn marks, scratches, and grain - all of which look incredibly fake and shoddy). A few stray shout outs going out to the gratuitous three minute black screen at the start of the first segment (just horrible), the weird random intercuts of The Comic (1985) (WTF?), the adorable CGI rats (lol), and the trashy green screen scrapyard chainsaw fight scene (with literal 'comic words' on the screen).
I'm gonna be honest here - this is trash, super trash, the worst kind of trash (it's not so bad, it's good, it's not so bad, it's terrible - this is so terrible, it's useless). This might be one of the worst movies I've seen. Don't watch it - it's not fun to watch, it's not fun to make fun of. It's just an extremely putrid flick, and a worthy rival to Satanic Meat Cleaver Massacre (2017)'s throne (and, just like that movie, I would've rated this a zero if I could). Last footnote: part of me wonders how this no budget trash was able to acquire so many notable actors in it - that's the most unbelievable part about the whole thing.
Rating: 1/10 (Useless)
Best Character: Stripper (Brigitte Nielsen) - DirectorOliver ParkJason BognackiA.J. BrionesStarsPatricia ArizmendiAdrián BarriopedroClaudia BeattieRod, radio DJ, hosts a popular horror-themed show packed with tales of terror for eager listeners. When he receives alarming calls from a horrified child things start to feel off.Day 25 - Wednesday the 25th
Mini-Review: A late 2010's horror anthology from Black Mandala here. The theme here is about 'spooky stories' (relayed by Rod Wilson, the host of the titular 'Nightmare Radio'), and most of the segments here do conform to that theme. It's gonna go down the way it usually does here (there's a lot of segments here, so I'm just gonna get down to it). The first segment ('In the Dark, Dark Woods') acts like something of a prelude, and is basically a play on The Invisible Man. There isn't much to this segment, and is told entirely through the host's narration. The special effects (especially on the Invisible Woman) are pretty nice looking (the 'skin suit' in particularly is exquisite). I guess it mostly does its job of setting the tone here.
The second segment ('Port Mortem Mary') is a period piece supernatural horror. It's about some funeral home (I guess?) where a little girl (named Mary) has to photograph another dead little girl (also named Mary). This segment doesn't have much going on and seems like filler. It's got a good production quality and some nice makeup but that's about it. The conclusion isn't anything mindblowing, and doesn't really have a huge impact. The third segment ('A Little Off the Top') is like a 'torture' horror (like the Hostel series). The story here concerns a hairdresser named Sylvio, who works with 'hair extensions'. Like the previous segment, this is pretty dry and bare bones, and, also like the previous segment, it's main highlight is the makeup and effects. It's a pretty cheesy buildup to an obvious climax.
The fourth segment ('The Disappearance of Willie Bingham') is more 'torture' horror (but slightly more 'dramatic'). Here's the deal: the titular character is a heinous criminal who is mutilated through horrific surgeries as apart of a some kind of 'revenge program'. It's a pretty absurd premise, and isn't really sold very well (comes off as melodramatic). The special effects are convincing enough (the amputations mostly), and it ends on something of a 'twist'. The fifth segment ('Gotas / Drops') is a foreign supernatural horror. Here we have a story that sort of feels like Spanish Suspiria (keyword: sort of). There's a few jump scares on here (which I, of course, hate), but there's also decent makeup and costuming on the Incubus (including full frontal). The ending and 'reveal' are pretty lame.
The sixth segment ('The Smiling Man') is a 'home invasion' type deal here. There isn't much of a story here (it's basically some weirdo breaks into some random house and 'interacts' with a little girl). This feels like some Rob Zombie tryhard trash here (with a couple of jump scares). The ending is hardly an ending (I hate it). It's got some okay-ish makeup (on the titular 'Smiling Man', which makes him look like a character from Zombie's 31 (2016)), and that's about it. The seventh segment ('Into the Mud') is a foreign backwoods supernatural horror here. It revolves around an apparently captured woman who a hunter intends to sell to a local circus. This is mostly action with little dialogue. It's decently filmed with some 'alright' makeup and costuming, and ends on an expectedly gory note.
The eighth segment ('Vicious') is some home invasion and supernatural horror mashup here. The scoop here is that some kind of demon is stalking a woman after she returns home. This is jump scares galore and is pretty meh overall with a weak resolution (some of the sequences are vaguely interesting (like the bedroom emergence), but it resorts to canned scares too much here). The wraparound segment ('Horror Stories Never End') is sort of a slasher (I suppose). This gets most of its play in between the various segments (Rod takes some time to 'conversate' with a couple of callers, and hears strange noises from time to time). It finishes on a pretty weak and disappointing note, and throws a sequel hook in as a cherry on top.
Final thoughts, most of the acting (save for a couple of segments) is pretty adequate in here (Rod gives a 'fair' performance, but gets outshined by the 'Jules Keefer' caller - who keeps it real, and earns his spot as my favorite in the movie, lol). The production quality of pretty much all of these segments seems clean and professional (which is better than I usually expect from these indie horror anthologies). As mentioned, these stories do follow the central theme even though the tones of some of them clash some of the others (this anthology favors supernatural horrors, so stuff like 'The Smiling Man' or 'A Little Off the Top' feel out of place). I got one stray shout out going out to the ending credits which misspells 'Vicious' as 'Viciuos' (LOL). This is decently entertaining with a sleek production value (it'll keep you engaged throughout its runtime, and that's about it).
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: Jules Keefer (Ian Costello) - DirectorJordan DowneyStarsWanda LustNatasha CordovaLindsey AndersonA homicidal turkey axes off college kids during Thanksgiving break.Day 26 - Thursday the 26th
Holiday Special: Thanksgiving
Mini-Review: A late 2000's monster movie / comedy horror / supernatural slasher mashup from Gravitas here. This is very short and very basic for the most part here. The plot structure follows the formula, and the story isn't particularly interesting. The deal here is that a 'demonic' turkey is conjured by a Native American shaman to get revenge on pilgrims and later their descendants (it's not unlike many other 'Native American' supernatural slashers, like; Blood Shack (1971), The Ghost Dance (1982), or Scalps (1983) - this just uses a creature instead of a human possession). The runtime is barely over an hour, but the pacing flows well enough here (there literally just isn't the time to spend on superfluous scenes here).
The performances are fairly campy and over the top (on purpose, I think - otherwise they messed up). They're mostly fine for what they seem to be going for (the majority of the victims weren't really doing much for me, but the turkey (called 'Turkie', who is voiced by the movie's director) is kind of great). Turkie is also the killer. He's literally a hand puppet with a pretty funny looking design. He's very mean-spirited and sadistic. He's got an array of kill methods here. His origin is detailed in an animated flashback. The kills are have a good amount of blood and some decent gore ('Gobble, Gobble!' is my highlight). The climax isn't too satisfying but it does get the job done (lol). The ending is a clear sequel hook (and is pretty ridiculous).
Final thoughts, this begins with a 'flashback' to 'olden times' (which sort of hints at Turkie's origin), and the very first scene of the movie is a gratuitous nudity shot (I saw one of the posters, which says 'boobs in the first second', and they aren't lying, lol). The comedy in this is mostly a hit with me (Turkie gets some snappy lines). The score is pretty weird and gives this a campy tone (probably what they're going for, though). The camerawork is amateur, but it is better than expected (especially from what is apparently a 'camcorder' film). The special effects and makeup are low budget but they alright in some shots (mostly night scenes). I got two stray shout outs going out to the black bar over the beer can logo (LOL) and Turkie's resurrection which involves dog urine (is this supposed to be a reference to The Dream Master (1988)?). This seems destined to be typical VOD trash, but it turns out to be just clever and fun enough to rise above that category and be a pretty decent concoction here.
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: Turkie (Jordan Downey) - DirectorDavid DeCoteauStarsLinnea QuigleyBrinke StevensMichelle BauerThree geeky college girls who can't get a date, organize a seance and become sex starved vamps.Day 27 - Friday the 27th
Mini-Review: A late 80's low budget comedy horror from Vinegar Syndrome here. This is apparently a 'companion piece' of sorts to Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama (1988) (it shares the same director and some of the same cast). Here's the deal; a trio of sorority sisters throw a party, perform a séance during that party, get possessed by a demon, and proceed to go on a murder spree. It's a pretty straightforward story, and is actually kind of similar to Sorority Babes (both concern a monster who gets summoned and then wreaks havoc). The runtime is about the same as Sorority Babes, but I liked the pacing more in this here (there seems to be more going on here, which makes the plot flow better).
The performances are about on par with Sorority Babes (and they should be given the cast - of the girls, I probably liked Brinke Stevens as Marci the most, but shout out to the other two, Melody and Mickey, as well). This is part creature feature with the creature being a Succubus. This Succubus is the pretty typical 'evil demon' type personality (it does the classic Pazuzu bit when it's in control of the girls near the end). Its appearance looks low budget, but it isn't too bad (I liked the shot of just its claws near the beginning). The Succubus mainly kills its victims by 'sucking the life' out of them (and I think you can guess from where). The climax is basically a homage (parody?) of The Exorcist (1973), and the ending seems to imply that there's more to come (but there isn't, of course).
Final thoughts, the special effects are definitely low budget and don't look as good as Sorority Babes (they're maybe a bit better than other low budget movies from this era, though). There's a ton of nudity in here (it's mostly topless shots, but there's also plenty of ass shots from Mickey - shout out to the extremely gratuitous bathing scene, which is obviously one of the main highlights of the movie). The comedy in this is mostly a hit with me (lots of it is sex jokes, which the girls sell nicely - for obvious reasons). I got three stray shout outs going out to the Creepozoids (1987) poster (which is another film by the same director as this that also stars Linnea Quigley), Melody's impromptu 'music video' dance number (it's just weird enough), and The Exorcist shout out ('no invite to the preview'). This is a pretty simple flick here. It makes good on its promises, delivers the goods that you're expecting, and turns out to be a pretty great offering here.
Rating: 8/10 (Great)
Best Character: Marci (Brinke Stevens) - DirectorUmberto LenziStarsHugo StiglitzLaura TrotterMaria Rosaria OmaggioAn airplane exposed to radiation lands, and blood drinking zombies emerge armed with knives, guns and teeth! They go on a rampage slicing, dicing, and biting their way across the Italian countryside.Day 28 - Saturday the 28th
Mini-Review: An early 80's Italian Sci-Fi action horror / zombie flick from Umberto Lenzi here. This is sort of like a zombie movie, but also not really (they're not really 'zombies', per se, they're more like 'ghouls' - the characters themselves think that they're vampires). The plot and story in this kick off almost immediately (the setup wastes no time and gets to the point rather quickly), and it's almost nonstop action from that point onward (excellent pacing). Here's the scoop (because the main character is a reporter - get it?), a cargo plane shows up and unleashes a horde of irradiated ghouls, which terrorize a nearby city (it's just massacre after massacre after that, and we're off to the races).
The performances are fairly adequate across the board here (I watched the dubbed version, and most of the voice overs are fitting enough - Hugo Stiglitz as the lead is my favorite here, but shout out to Anna, Sheila and Cindy). There's no main villain here (not even a 'lead' undead). The ghouls look and function kind of like zombies (they've got grotesque 'rotting' appearances and nasty wounds, and 'you gotta shoot 'em in the head' to put them down permanently). They're 'smarter' than zombies, though (they use weapons to murder their victims, and coordinate attacks against them as well). The climax features an awesome set piece (shootout with the ghouls at the amusement park), and the ending itself is pretty ambiguous (but it seems to imply that 'it's going to happen').
Final thoughts, the makeup and special effects are mostly good in here (some of the designs and effects are pretty impressive, but some are pretty phony looking - shout out to the 'bloody boob job' aftermath mutilation). There's kills in this and they are very bloody and gory ('illegal eye poke', which seems like a shout out to Lucio Fulci's Zombie (1979), is my highlight - special mention to the multiple head explosions in the final shootout). The rest of the other technical aspects are good enough in here (especially for a low budget Italian grindhouse flick). I got four stray shout outs going out to the totally 80's leotard dance number, the surgeon who uses a scalpel as a throwing knife (awesome), the 'hysteria' smack and make out (dude, lol), and that freaking headshot (WTF? LOL!). This does a lot with a little, and proves to be a really fun and entertaining time here (and is far better than I remember it being).
Rating: 9/10 (Incredible)
Best Character: Dean Miller (Hugo Stiglitz) - DirectorRachel TalalayStarsRobert EnglundLisa ZaneShon GreenblattDream-haunting Freddy Krueger returns once again to prowl the nightmares of Springwood's last surviving teenager, and of a woman whose personal connection to Krueger may mean his doom.Day 29 - Sunday the 29th (SLASHER SUNDAY) *DOUBLE FEATURE*
Mini-Review: An early 90's supernatural comedy slasher from New Line, and the sixth installment of the Nightmare on Elm Street series. So, I guess this was set up as some sort of 'grand finale' for the series, but it doesn't really end up doing much with that premise. They did manage to pull out all the stops in the 'ridiculousness' category in regards to the plot and story here, though (Freddy's been dead - many times in fact, but this is apparently the 'final' time (yeah, right)). This is how it goes; some kid is ambushed by Freddy in his dream, has his memory erased, and is sent on a mission to locate a mysterious woman on Freddy's behalf (and, of course, it gets all twisty and screwy from there - I didn't really dislike this story, but I did dislike the way it was delivered, which is pretty poorly). Despite my dislike for the story's execution, the pacing of this is mostly up to par with the rest of the series (it might even be a little faster than usual, actually).
The cast is about on par with The Dream Master (1988) and The Dream Child (1989) without any real standouts (they're all fine and serviceable for the most part - Freddy is once again the best here and elevates this picture greatly, but shout out to Tracy and Yaphet Kotto as 'Doc'). Freddy gets his sixth outing as the killer here, and pretty much reaches his final campy form as well (although he doesn't say his 'catchphrase' as often). He's got the same appearance as usual (there are flashbacks which depict him in his human form, though), and still has the bladed glove (but literally nobody in the movie gets killed by it). There's no explanation for his return in this (he just shows up, and we're off to the races). The kills are pretty creative but not particularly gory ('like claws on a chalkboard', which is probably the goriest, is my highlight). The climax does feature Freddy's death (true to the title), but that death is very campy and unsatisfying (mostly due to the poor effects). The ending itself seems like it's trying to convince itself that this is the final ending (which it isn't, of course).
Final thoughts, the makeup and special effects are impressive in some shots and disappointing in others (the 'man-shaped' hole in reality looks neat, but John walking up the invisible stairs looks crappy - the makeup on Freddy's face is less convincing in this entry). The tone of this is set straight off the bat with the double opening quotes (a serious one by Friedrich Nietzsche, and a comedic one from Freddy that he says in Dream Warriors (1987) - 'welcome to prime time!'). I wasn't really paying attention to the rest of the technical aspects too closely, but they seemed to be adequate enough in here (the only thing that seemed off to me was the editing, which seems a little choppy at times). I got four stray shout outs going out to Freddy riding the broomstick (crazy campy), John's ridiculously long rolling sequence (LOL), the entire video game sequence (pretty creative, pretty stupid), and the myriad of cameos (Roseanne, Tom Arnold, Johnny Depp returning as Glen, and even Orville Ketchum all appear). This isn't as horrible as I remember it being, but it still isn't anything to write home about either. It really just feels like a fan film with a high budget, and ends up being a fairly average entry here.
Rating: 5/10 (Average)
Best Character: Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) - DirectorWes CravenStarsHeather LangenkampRobert EnglundJf DavisA demonic force has chosen Freddy Krueger as its portal to the real world. Can Heather Langenkamp play the part of Nancy one last time and trap the evil trying to enter our world?Day 29 - Sunday the 29th (SLASHER SUNDAY) *DOUBLE FEATURE*
Mini-Review: A mid 90's supernatural meta slasher from New Line and Wes Craven, and the seventh installment of the Nightmare on Elm Street series. I suppose this is the 'final' entry of the main series here (not counting Freddy Vs. Jason (2003), obviously). The plot and story here are very meta, and, even though it's set in the 'real world', it still manages to weave into the 'original' continuity (Freddy can warp reality and does so to 'crossover' into the 'real world'). The meta aspect of the story is handled fairly well, and leads to some interesting and fun scenarios here (like Englund making an entrance at that talk show in full Freddy makeup). The story also goes back to the more 'serious horror' of the original movie (Freddy still has some comedic moments, but the tone returns to the more 'traditional' horror).
The performances are mostly great here, and features a few cameos of actors from the previous movies (Englund and Langenkamp are the best here in their dual roles of fictionalized versions of themselves and their original movie characters - s a l i e n t shout out to John Saxon, who also plays a fictional version of himself as well as reprising his role as Donald Thompson). Freddy gets his seventh (and possibly final?) showing as the killer in here. He's less comedic and more sinister this time (more in line with his original incarnation). His appearance is slightly altered in here (he still has the sweater and hat, but he now sports a duster and leather pants). His glove also gets an upgrade (in accordance with the story with Chase being the one who forges the new glove, which is more sleek looking). The kills are decently bloody but not very gory or creative ('Tina Gray Tribute' is my highlight). The climax is a callback to earlier in the movie, and the ending itself carries more finality to it than the previous entry.
Final thoughts, speaking of callbacks, this also features a couple of callbacks to the original movie in here (like Freddy's stretchy arms and Heather getting a gray streak in her hair). The runtime is extended here (clocking in just under two hours), but the pacing seems adequate for the most part (there are some bits which probably could've been trimmed down, but most of the scenes spend their time wisely). The special effects and makeup are a bit better than the previous entry, and seem somewhat more 'modern-ish' in here (some of the sequences, like the freeway part, remind me of sequences from Freddy's Dead (1991) - Freddy's makeup seems improved from the last movie, but I still don't think it's as good as the 80's installments). The set design is pretty great in here (this series is known for its creative set pieces, and this is no exception - my favorite is the 'dungeon lair' near the end). The other technical aspects are a notch ahead of the previous movie, and seem like a prototype for Scream (1996) (the cinematography, lighting, composition, etc. - it's pretty similar to Scream). I got one stray shout out to the prank caller who trolls Heather with the 'Freddy Rhyme'. This has a certain confidence and polish to it, which make it a pretty awesome return to form and a high note to finish the series on.
Rating: 9/10 (Incredible)
Best Character(s): Robert Englund / Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) & Heather Langenkamp / Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) - DirectorAlejandro BruguésJoe DanteMick GarrisStarsMickey RourkeSarah Elizabeth WithersFaly RakotohavanaFive strangers converge at a haunted movie theater owned by The Projectionist. Once inside, the audience members witness a series of screenings showing them their deepest fears and darkest secrets over five tales.Day 30 - Monday the 30th
Mini-Review: A late 2010's horror anthology from Shudder here. The theme with this one concerns a 'haunted' movie theater, which shows viewers their future in the form of a film (these films are doled out by an individual, played by Mickey Rourke, who is known as the 'Projectionist'). You know the deal here - I'm only going to cover each of these segments briefly and move on. The first segment ('The Thing in the Woods') is a slasher with a twist. This starts out like a summer camp slasher, but eventually becomes something completely different after 'the turn'. I don't know if I really 'liked' this story or its twist, but it does move fast and gets to the point. The special effects are decent with some nice gory kills ('burned inside out' and 'your head asplode!' are my highlights - some of the other effects shots are cool too, like the 'head split' or the 'human pincushion'), but the CGI is a little dodgy at times. The sound design is mostly alright, but some of it is kind of crappy (the gunshots are horrible). There's some comedy in this and most of it is decent (it's largely ironic with stuff like the accidental headshot). It finishes on a dark note.
The second segment ('Mirari') is like a body horror type deal here. It's about a woman who goes to a plastic surgery clinic to get her facial scars removed, and ends up discovering the clinic's 'dark secret'. There's not much going on with this, honesty (it's just kind of average). It's got a theme about body image and other 'related' topics, which aren't really handled particularly well. There's some decent makeup (some gruesome injuries and wounds) in here, but that's about it (and it features a downer ending - this one is probably my least favorite segment here). The third segment ('Mashit') is like a supernatural action horror mashup. The story is the standard demon possession in religious setting here. It's not very original and doesn't have the greatest pacing or CGI, but it does have some great gory kills (beheadings galore in the finale), decent makeup and costuming (the titular demon, who also appears on the poster, looks pretty neat) and a pretty stupid and fun final showdown (it ends on a grim note just like the rest - noticing a theme here?).
The fourth segment ('The Way to Egress') is sort of a psychological horror. This is mostly like a mind screwy story, which revolves around a woman who goes to some doctor's office seeking help with her perception of reality. Sounds weird, and it gets even weirder. This one is probably my favorite segment here (it's got a certain style to it that I liked a bit). It's presented in black and white, and features a pretty decent cinematography overall. I also liked the makeup, visual effects, and the set design (the 'deformed' mutants and the single dilapidated setting). The ending goes complete mind melt, and also has a pretty juicy head explosion (full tilt). The fifth segment ('Dead') is a supernatural crime horror. The deal here is some kid and his family are ambushed and killed by a random gunman, but the kid comes back to life and can now interact with ghosts at the hospital. It's pretty mundane, and it felt longer than the rest (the execution is simple and the pacing is sluggish). It's probably the most 'meh' of the segments (I didn't hate or love it), and it concludes on an ambiguously dark note.
Final thoughts, the wraparound segment is a vaguely supernatural horror. It feels like an afterthought, and just seems like it's there to give some 'continuity' to the other various segments (there's not much to it apart from being the initial setup - you've got Mickey Rourke chewing the scenery during some of the interludes, but there's not much more to offer beyond that). It tops off with what appears to be a sequel hook (there's a lot more films of others in the Projectionist's collection). The acting is mostly adequate to above average in here (the fourth segment has the best performances with Helen and Dr. Salvadore, played by Adam Godley, being my favorites, but shout out to Helen's sons). Most of the other technical aspects are exclusive to their respective segments, but, overall, this does sport a sleek and professional production quality (which already puts it leagues ahead of a lot of the other horror anthologies I've seen - especially recently). The bulk of these segments are enjoyable enough (or have enough enjoyable aspects about them) to make this a pretty good and entertaining offering overall.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character(s): Helen (Elizabeth Reaser) & Dr. Salvadore (Adam Godley)