October Horror Movie Marathon

[Frankie Teardrop]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Did you see this on Blu, Frankie? Is the HD soundtrack (in whichever format) a step up from the dvd? As a film where sound is paramount to enjoyment it's intrigued me for ages.

I did see it on blu, but I watch most stuff on my laptop, often through headphones. And unfortunately my latest headphones have turned out to be really muddy, which I should've seen coming as soon as I looked at the price tag, cheap shite basically. So I'm not the best judge of the soundtrack to Berberian on HD and I can't remember my original DVD experience, but I expect there's an AV step up somewhere along the line.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

I did see it on blu, but I watch most stuff on my laptop, often through headphones. And unfortunately my latest headphones have turned out to be really muddy, which I should've seen coming as soon as I looked at the price tag, cheap shite basically. So I'm not the best judge of the soundtrack to Berberian on HD and I can't remember my original DVD experience, but I expect there's an AV step up somewhere along the line.

Thanks. I could of course have just looked it up as i have now.

Here's what the review on Blu-Rage says

The English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track opens up the film exceptionally well. It has excellent depth and outstanding fluidity. There are also some very original sound effects throughout the entire film that benefit greatly from the improved audio resolution. In fact, I would say that this film actually has the most impressive range of sound effects I've encountered in quite some time

Sounds good to me. The image is supposedly lovely with great depth too.

[Frankie Teardrop]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Thanks. I could of course have just looked it up as i have now.

Here's what the review on Blu-Rage says



Sounds good to me. The image is supposedly lovely with great depth too.

Yes, it definitely looked nice.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

I've only seen one horror film so far this month, but have been reading and appreciating all of the reviews here.

I am intrigued by the opinions of Rob Zombie's Halloween films as I watched them and really didn't like them. Like Demdike, since then I've watched many more of Zombie's films, specifically the 'Firefly' trilogy.

As I have the US Halloween box set, containing all the Halloween films made up till 2014 and the two Rob Zombie ones, I'm inclined to find a week closer to the end of the month to watch and reappraise those two.

In isolation and ignoring the sequels, Carpenter's Halloween is a brilliant film. I'm going to politely disagree with Demdike and declare Jamie Lee Curtis the definitive Laurie Strode. Whether that opinion will change after watching the Zombie Halloween films remains to be seen!

[Nordicdusk]

30 Days Of Unseen Horror

Day 8

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Francis Ingram is a very wealthy man who is wheelchair bound and even with only one hand he still manages to be a master piano player. Francis has a keen interest in the occult and has hired a man who's job is to keep his library of books on the supernatural maintained. Francis also has a nurse living with him as a full time carer Julie who not only does he depend on for medical care but he has become obsessed with her but her heart belongs to a local conman and composer. When it comes to light that Julie plans to run away Francis changes his will and later that night he is murdered. His money hungry relations come for the funeral and reading of the will but they are shocked to hear that he entire estate has been left to Julie a decision the in-laws will contest in court but soon the bodies start to pile up and no one person is not suspected.

Really loved this some brilliant acting with a stand out performance from Peter Lorre. I love the setting in the old dusty mansion but equally the setting of the surrounding village and the suspicion of the local and their superstitions. The use of lighting and shadows in the mansion at night and odd camera angles really works to give the creepy feel and that's the sort of thing that's as important if not more so than anything in these sorts of films. When the special effects are done right in these film it always blows me away how great they look for the time and here is a great example .

A highly entertaining film and visually very creepy and beautiful.

[MrBarlow]

Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III. 1990.

A couple become a target for the cannibalistic family living in a deserted area of Texas, while a survivalist is on the hunt for the family.

Different family members with this one but we know leatherface will make his appearance as a tagline for this was "The Saw Is Family". Viggo Mortensen stars as a member of the deranged family along with Joe Unger and Miriam Byrd-Nethery as the head of the family and Jennifer Banko as the youngest and also daughter to the big guy with the chainsaw.

Like the original this has a more serious take on the franchise without any comedic moments that the second one had, even Ken Foree is in this as the guy seeking revenge and manage to go ape shit just about, some good gore and good built up dark atmosphere and everyone manages to be great with the acting.

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up next Splice.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970) ★★½

Picking up roughly after the events of Dracula Has from the Grave, this begins with a businessman, Weller (Roy Kinnear) who is thrown from his carriage. After regaining consciousness, he sees a caped figure with a large crucifix sticking out of his back disintegrating into melted wax crayon, which then evaporated into powder. In it, he finds jewellery identifying the mysterious being as Dracula.

Long story short, Weller has taken some of the desiccated blood and sells it to three rich philanthropists (including one played by Peter Sallis) who, in a black mass ritual with a disgraced aristocrat, resurrect Count Dracula.

Most people would be grateful at being given another life, but Dracula is pissed off at these three gents and decides to kill them, turning – as in Dracula (1958) – one of their daughters (Isla Blair) into a vampire and entrancing another (Linda Hayden) in the process.

Despite some decent atmosphere, this uninspired sequel can't seem to make its mind up whether to prominently feature Christopher Lee or not, so the great actor, who doesn't appear until the 45th minute in this 95-minute film, can't have more than five minutes screen time.

Linda Hayden is good value for money, though not quite as captivating as in Blood on Satan's Claw, and the costumes and production design are typically good for a Hammer production.

Overall, the film is a bit leaden and lacks the energy, engagement, and eeriness of the Terence Fisher-helmed Dracula films.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)

I have to admit i struggle with this Roger Corman adaptation of the classic Poe story. In short i find it dreary.

The actual story of The Pit and the Pendulum lasts only a couple of pages and takes in only the last few minutes of this film. The rest of the film was devised by screenwriter Richard Matheson and to me barely resembles Poe at all. Even Vincent Price parodies his role in Fall of the House of Usher from the year previous somewhat, rolling his eyes and coming over all feint and overwrought as a tortured soul when the script actually didn't need anything like that.

Production values are strong (ish) even if the matte painting of the pit of the title is clearly just that. Meanwhile the tinted blue flashbacks with Barbara Steele don't work for me at all and prove a distraction rather than embellish the film.

I get the feeling that The Pit and the Pendulum was one of the films referred to by Michael Reeves when directing Price in 1968's Witchfinder General At one stage Price exclaimed to the director “I've made 84 films. What have you done?” Reeves replied: “I've made two good ones.”

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970) ★★½

Picking up roughly after the events of Dracula Has from the Grave, this begins with a businessman, Weller (Roy Kinnear) who is thrown from his carriage. After regaining consciousness, he sees a caped figure with a large crucifix sticking out of his back disintegrating into melted wax crayon, which then evaporated into powder. In it, he finds jewellery identifying the mysterious being as Dracula.

Long story short, Weller has taken some of the desiccated blood and sells it to three rich philanthropists (including one played by Peter Sallis) who, in a black mass ritual with a disgraced aristocrat, resurrect Count Dracula.

Most people would be grateful at being given another life, but Dracula is pissed off at these three gents and decides to kill them, turning – as in Dracula (1958) – one of their daughters (Linda Hayden) into a vampire in the process.

Despite some decent atmosphere, this uninspired sequel can't seem to make its mind up whether to prominently feature Christopher Lee or not, so the great actor, who doesn't appear until the 45th minute in this 95-minute film, can't have more than five minutes screen time.

Linda Hayden is good value for money, though not quite as captivating as in Blood on Satan's Claw, and the costumes and production design are typically good for a Hammer production.

Overall, the film is a bit leaden and lacks the energy, engagement, and eeriness of the Terence Fisher-helmed Dracula films.

No, no, no!

I can't agree with this one bit. Still as the saying goes 'one man's meat is another man's poison'.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Fright Night (1985)

An eighties vampire classic that doesn't go down the usual routes but borrows from the likes of Hitchcock's Rear Window instead of genre faves in an updating of the 'Boy who cries wolf' scenario with ingenious results.

William Ragsdale plays a teen who is convinced a vampire has just moved in next door, however his girlfriend, mum and best mate really aren't, nor is washed up late night tv horror host Roddy McDowell when Ragsdale approaches him for help.

Fright Night gives us some surprisingly complex character relationships that put it on a level above your typical eighties fright flick, yet it doesn't stint on the horror either especially in the mouth watering finale where practical gore and make up FX reign supreme. Chris Sarandon makes for a charismatic vampire in a film perfect for October Horror Movie Marathons.

Eureka's Blu-ray looks terrific and has a strong two channel sound. There's more extras than you can shake a wooden stake at.