31 Days of Horror

[Andrew Forbes]

No, it's not October yet, but I figured if I was ever going to get in on one of these things, I'd better prepare in advance. Therefore, using a complex formula, I have devised a list of 31 horror movies that I intend to watch during the pre-Halloween month. I doubt I will succeed in watching them all, but whatever. I have seen 22 of the 31, and I've tried to eliminate my regular titles (gone are The Thing and The Shining). Is anyone else planning their Halloween viewing? (cue Sax: "Horror movies are retarded, as are people who spend a month watching a preplanned selection of movies." Touché.)

The complete list:

The Brood
The Call of Cthulhu
Deep Red
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)
Faust
Friday the 13th
Black Christmas
Ginger Snaps
Inferno
Bedlam
Lord of Illusions
Hour of the Wolf
Night of the Living Dead
Opera
The Portrait of Dorian Gray (1945)
Pontypool
*REC
The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb
Tenebre
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Black Sabbath
Baron Blood
The Unknown
Hangover Square
The Brides of Dracula
Paranoiac
Mad Love
The Fall of the House of Usher (1960)
The Vault of Horror
The Gorgon
The 7th Victim

[mkiker2089]

I'm done with the slasher, I'm going more cerebral this year. I haven't made a list but a few thoughts are

The Wickerman
Silence of the Lambs
The Orphan
Hide and Seek
Star Trek Voyager: Twisted
Doom (not all cerebral, I love that movie)

I'm going to try to watch some things given to me, I've never seen these but was given the DVDs as gifts
Night of 1000 Cats
Friday the 13th
Soul Survivors

[The Omen]

I don't have a set list, but so far I have watched :

1. The Texas Chain saw Massacre ('74) (Bluray)
2. The Shining ('80) (Bluray)
3. The Last Horror Film ('81)

I'm going to be utilizing my netflix queue this year instead of my personal library, since I no longer sport a sizable dvd collection.

[Andrew Forbes]

I've started early. It's the only way I'll have any chance of watching them all. I started off with The 7th Victim. Intriguing and atmospheric for most of the running time, I found it finished with a wheeze instead of a bang. It certainly didn't reach the heights of Cat People or I Walked with a Zombie.

I also finished off Mother of Tears. Man, was that a shitty ending. Still, I think most of the flick lives up (or down) to its pedigree. Sadly, this movie confirms Argento's misogynistic worldview, as well as his inability to create a coherent narrative, but it's got style and some good scares.

[The Omen]

I've started early. It's the only way I'll have any chance of watching them all. I started off with The 7th Victim. Intriguing and atmospheric for most of the running time, I found it finished with a wheeze instead of a bang. It certainly didn't reach the heights of Cat People or I Walked with a Zombie.

I also finished off Mother of Tears. Man, was that a shitty ending. Still, I think most of the flick lives up (or down) to its pedigree. Sadly, this movie confirms Argento's misogynistic worldview, as well as his inability to create a coherent narrative, but it's got style and some good scares.

I really hated Mother of Tears and I'm an Argento fanatic. I might have to give it another chance, but I didn't feel the work was inspired...though the ridiculousness of it all could be worthy of repeat viewings.

Kudos on Hour Of The Wolf being on your list. I love that film.

[BrettCullum]

I started off with The 7th Victim. Intriguing and atmospheric for most of the running time, I found it finished with a wheeze instead of a bang. It certainly didn't reach the heights of Cat People or I Walked with a Zombie.

I am a big fan of The 7th Victim. I think it was Rosemary's Baby before there ever was such a thing. I don't think it ended with a wheeze, although I will give you the resolve was subtle. And of course it is nowhere near the two Lewton classics you mention. How could you ever hope to top those two?

I'm going to kick it all off with a new release I have heard much praise for - GRACE. Odd because it looks to be like a Rosemary's Baby as well, and the theatre down the street from my house is showing THAT film as a midnight movie this week. Maybe I should pop over and check it out on the big screen.

I think I am not going to plan too hard this year... I'm going to go by instinct. But I do know the following are on the radar:
REPULSION
Videodrome
Diary of the Dead

[cdouglas]

My plans are pretty small, but a friend of mine and I are planning to do a marathon viewing of all of the George A. Romero zombie flicks. So that should be fun. I haven't seen Diary of the Dead yet.

[Andrew Forbes]

I haven't seen Diary of the Dead yet.

I sure hope you like SUBTLETY!!!!!!!

[the5thghostbuster]

Not entirely set yet, but so far for sure:

Creepshow
Creepshow 2
The Shining
The Brood
Child's Play
Ghostbusters
The Wicker Man (the original, not that awful remake)
Interview with a Vampire
The Last Man on Earth
An American Werewolf in London
Hellraiser

[Andrew Forbes]

Just watched The Picture of Dorian Gray and was blown away. Every bit as atmospheric as a Lewton-Tourneur picture, but with the production and cinematography of an Ophuls movie. Hurd Hatfield is an ideal Gray--handsome, vaguely skeletal and possessing the eerie tranquility of a marble statue.

[barnaclelapse]

I'm trying to go for something along the lines of twenty, twenty-one favorites and ten or eleven new titles or just films I haven't gotten around to seeing yet. I always shoot for a pretty wild cross section of horror types, eras and the like.

The list is still kind of forming in my mind, but I feel pretty good about it. I was even debating about whether or not to write a feature about it for one of the zines that employs me.

[the5thghostbuster]

Forgot these ones:

THE INNOCENTS
THE HAUNTING (the original)

[HGervais]

This is the stuff I have pulled for next month's frightful viewing.
ROGUE
RAISING CAIN
DEAD ZONE
FRAILTY
PRINCE OF DARKNESS
I'M NOT SCARED
THE INNOCENTS
EXISTENZ
THE OMEGA MAN
AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON
NIGHT OF THE COMET
DEAD & BURIED
THE HAUNTING
CRONOS
BUBBA HO-TEP
STIR OF ECHOES
HALLOWEEN
MISERY
DEATHDREAM
FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED
FIDO
FRIGHT NIGHT
SHAUN OF THE DEAD
SECONDS
QUATERMASS 2
CHILD'S PLAY
SESSION 9
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD
[*REC]

[MilanJett]

[quote="The Omen"]1. The Texas Chain saw Massacre ('74) (Bluray)[quote] Just bought that one, watching it soon.

2. Phantasm 1 & 2 buying and watching these two soon.

3. Last House On The Left both the original and the remake.

4 Halloween the original on Bluray

[SmokestackJones]

Hey there,

Well, I got the usual suspects: Universal Monsters, Lewton, etc., plus some off-the-beaten-path stuff. Here's what I got so far:

The Black Cat (both Universal versions)
The Raven (1935)
The Body Snatcher
The 7th Victim
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
Hands of the Strangler/The Haunted Strangler
Corridors of Blood
The Lodger (1944)
Night Monster
Theatre of Blood
The Pit and The Pendulum (1961)
The Call of Cthulhu
Island of Lost Souls
The Black Room

-SJ

[barnaclelapse]

You win a cookie for including Theater of Blood.

That's still my favorite Price movie of all time.

[Dan Mancini]

I have no plan, but so far I've watched:

Deep Blue Sea
Two Evil Eyes (BD)
The Mist (BD)
Shaun of the Dead (BD)
Black Christmas (2006)
An American Werewolf in London (BD)
House of 1,000 Corpses (BD)

I grabbed Creepshow on BD a week or so ago, but haven't gotten around to it yet, and The Devil's Rejects and The Exorcism of Emily Rose are en route from Netflix.

[Andrew Forbes]

Brides of Dracula. No Lee, but it's not a critical loss. Cushing is in top form and creates the best improvised crucifix ever. Bonus points for Michael Jackson (aka actress Andree Melly) as the creepiest vampire in history. I really dig this entry in the series, but Yvonne Monlaur is a really terrible actress.

[Dan Mancini]

So far:

Deep Blue Sea
Two Evil Eyes (BD)
The Mist (BD)
Shaun of the Dead (BD)
Black Christmas (2006)
An American Werewolf in London (BD)
House of 1,000 Corpses (BD)
Creepshow (BD)
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (BD)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Black Christmas (1974) (BD)

[Andrew Forbes]

I tried watching House of Usher and ended up switching it off. I often tire of movies where everyone makes oblique references to a terrrrrible secret that dooms them but won't just get the f*** on with explaining anything or living their lives. That's not to say that I don't enjoy anything Gothic. At least Mario Bava movies have the advantage of looking phenomenal. This is the second Corman/Price flick I've seen (the other was The Pit and the Pendulum), and they both fell flat. I just don't think I'm a Vincent Price fan. I don't find him creepy, just hammy. Then again, I enjoyed Dragonwycke, so maybe it's just Corman's Poe movies that don't work for me. Odd, given that I enjoy Poe and that the films share an aesthetic similarity to Hammer horror, which I usually love. Oh, well.

[the5thghostbuster]

Only one so far (thanks life) has been Brimstone & Treacle, which I reviewed at the blog. Funny enough though, turns out it fits in with Halloween even better than I thought, as the original television play makes more explicit reference to the supernatural...

[hoytereden]

I tried watching House of Usher and ended up switching it off. I often tire of movies where everyone makes oblique references to a terrrrrible secret that dooms them but won't just get the f*** on with explaining anything or living their lives. That's not to say that I don't enjoy anything Gothic. At least Mario Bava movies have the advantage of looking phenomenal. This is the second Corman/Price flick I've seen (the other was The Pit and the Pendulum), and they both fell flat. I just don't think I'm a Vincent Price fan. I don't find him creepy, just hammy. Then again, I enjoyed Dragonwycke, so maybe it's just Corman's Poe movies that don't work for me. Odd, given that I enjoy Poe and that the films share an aesthetic similarity to Hammer horror, which I usually love. Oh, well.

Try The Masque of the Red Death-Usually considered the best of the Price/Corman Poe films.

[Dan Mancini]

So far:

Deep Blue Sea
Two Evil Eyes (BD)
The Mist (BD)
Shaun of the Dead (BD)
Black Christmas (2006)
An American Werewolf in London (BD)
House of 1,000 Corpses (BD)
Creepshow (BD)
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (BD)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Black Christmas (1974) (BD)
The Devil's Rejects (BD)
The Descent (BD)
Halloween (1978) (BD)
The Fog (1980)
Dog Soldiers (BD)

[SmokestackJones]

I. for one, am glad to see Call of Cthulhu make other watch lists besides mine.

-SJ

[rickyvogas]

I find it eerie that the local rental store that I browsed through during my childhood was also called Video King.

[molly1216]

Frankenstein 1970 the Commentary is great there is stuff about Comedy of Terrors in it
Dracula 31
King Kong 33
Murders in the Zoo 33
Comedy of Terrors
Shaun of the Dead
Arsenic and Old Lace
The Walking Dead
You'll Find Out
Zombies on Broadway
Old Dark House
Green Hell
Forbidden Planet

[Dan Mancini]

So far:

Deep Blue Sea
Two Evil Eyes (BD)
The Mist (BD)
Shaun of the Dead (BD)
Black Christmas (2006)
An American Werewolf in London (BD)
House of 1,000 Corpses (BD)
Creepshow (BD)
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (BD)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Black Christmas (1974) (BD)
The Devil's Rejects (BD)
The Descent (BD)
Halloween (1978) (BD)
The Fog (1980)
Dog Soldiers (BD)
My Bloody Valentine (2009) (BD)
Drag Me to Hell (BD)
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) (BD)
Toolbox Murders (1978)
Toolbox Murders (2003)
Gnaw
Halloween (2007) (BD)

[Andrew Forbes]

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

I think I like this version better than the Mamoulian/March version. It has more effective atmosphere, more menace (thanks to a greater reliance on performance and a minimum of grotesque makeup), and a stronger supporting cast, most notably in the case of Ingrid Bergman. The earlier version was probably more technically innovative for its time, and the latter was essentially a scene-for-scene remake, but that doesn't mean that the original is a better film. I'm glad to have both.

[HGervais]

Martin Scorsese's list of the 11 scariest films of all time.

[hoytereden]

Martin Scorsese's list of the 11 scariest films of all time.

Good job! 9 out of the 11 worked for me with the only 2 maybe's being The Entity and The Shining. Glad to see him mention Night of the Demon as opposed to the American cut titled Curse of the Demon. Marty mentions the "What you don't see" factor in the film but the truth is that the opening sequence tips off the demon's appearence almost right away! Tourneur wanted to keep the demon under wraps but the studio wanted a "monster" and so there it is. I think it's a tribute to the director that even with that the the film is still excellent and has many creepy moments. Niall MacGinnis is terrific as the guy who thinks he can control the Demon. The whole "Birthday Party" sequence is brilliant.