October Horror Movie Marathon

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

THE BLACK PHONE – The black phone in question is down in Ethan Hawke’s cellar. He plays a nefarious child killer known as ‘The Grabber’, who is also equipped with black balloons and a black van. The interesting thing about the black phone is that it seems to pick up the ghostly voices of The Grabber’s victims, which is useful for Finney after he ends up in creepo’s basement as his predecessors decide to help him out by ringing in advice from beyond the grave. I enjoyed ‘The Black Phone’. I always think of the seventies as being full of unrealistically garish colours, but the makers of BP bring us down to earth and remind us that everything looked a bit beigey back then. It’s a more convincing colour scheme than that of your typical latter-day fake grindhouse effort. More than that, the film has a strange fairy tale quality about it, something almost a bit mythic maybe. At points, especially at the end, I half wondered whether the whole thing was a fantasy solely within the mind of Finn, a sort of daydream about escaping an ogre’s cave that might be useful in coping day to day with his domineering dad. And what about his psychic sister? How random. But BP isn’t about ontological puzzles at the end of the day, it’s more of a window on the toxicity of times and places people often seem to prefer to get dewy-eyed about, and also there’s perhaps slightly inevitable stuff about the dark side of masculine identity. Solid effort all round and a recommend from me.

I was interested in seeing this but you've kinda put me off now.

[Demoncrat]

It's a bit hollow that one. Great presentation but a tad meh in the end. Save your money D.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demoncrat

It's a bit hollow that one. Great presentation but a tad meh in the end. Save your money D.

Thanks, D. Just the idea of a kid trapped in a cellar talking to voices on the phone really doesn't sound that exciting either.

[Justin101]

I enjoyed it personally. It was well done and had some tense moments. Hawke playing against type was fun to see as well.

[Frankie Teardrop]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Thanks, D. Just the idea of a kid trapped in a cellar talking to voices on the phone really doesn't sound that exciting either.

In its defence, there's some nice atmosphere if you like grotty cellars!
All that stuff about it somehow feeling like it might be a fantasy is purely my booze-enhanced interpretation, I'm not aware of any similar perspectives out there. It's just that imo there are certain aspects of it that have a weirdly make-believe tone, whether that was intended or not. I quite like that.

[Nordicdusk]

30 Days Of Unseen Horror

Day 29

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A group of friends are stalked on a farm by a crazed killer.

A terrible film horrible horrible acting and a pointless uninteresting story. They did try to do a lot of practical gore but we never see actual kills from a distance everything is just zoomed in with the killer usually just playing with guts but then there is CGI mixed in and it ruins any good that they tried to do. Even at just over an hour it's a complete waste of time.

Avoid great poster tho.

[trebor8273]

I thought black phone was great well worth a try.

[MrBarlow]

Ouija: Origin Of Evil. 2016.

In 1967 a widowed mother who claims to be a psychic adds a Ouija board to her scam unbeknown to her, the youngest daughter can communicate with a dead person.

The first film is ok, but this prequel is a bit darker and more atmospheric than the original film had. In the first we are given a character who was brought up in the house played by Lin Shaye, this one follows her childhood with her sister and mother who seem to enjoy scamming people till it becomes too real for them to handle. Henry Thomas plays the catholic school headmaster who tries to save the family and we know it may not go well. This has the same visual effects as the first film and a bit more decent acting.

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[Nordicdusk]

30 days Of Unseen Horror

Day 30

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Every year five old friends meet for a little reunion this year it's a fishing and camping trip deep into the Canadian wilderness . The five friends are all doctors in various fields of medicine. On the first night in camp the joke and laugh about medical mistakes they have made and mock some of their patients all apart from Harry who doesn't find any humour in these stories. Unbeknown to the party someone is watching and listening to from the darkness and doesn't take kindly to their mockery or the misfortuneate people they have mistreated. While down by the river all their boots are stollen and a slaughtered deer with a snake around it's neck is left behind that resembles the image of the American Medical Association they then know the person responsible knows what they are. What follows is a race to survive while they are picked off one by one Harry is the one who takes charge and tries to keep everyones heads above water while he struggles to keep his own sanity in check.

This is one intense trip the acting is amazing watching these men try their best to hold it together with even the toughest ones struggling to stay on the level. Every single performance is so believable and realistic no one is a hero these are normal men doing what they can to survive they are scared out of their minds they don't know what to do the way they constantly argue shows how fragile they are.

This is shot so beautifully the scenery the sounds of the woods even the sound of the river crashing over the rocks all makes you feel like you are there in the middle of it all with the group. Some of the scenes are very haunting and will stick with you long after the end credits roll with that beautifully haunting music that accompanies them making you reflect on what you have just watched.

A must watch.

[Nordicdusk]

That's it the end of my 30 Days Of Unseen Horror. This has been my best year yet since I started this mostly all great films and a few amazing films in the mix only a few clunkers i had a lot of funn doing it.Thanks for reading and liking my takes of these films.

Its almost time, kids. The clock is ticking. Be in front of your TV sets for the Horrorthon, followed by the Big Giveaway. Don't miss it. And don't forget to wear your masks. The clock is ticking. It's almost time.