October Horror Movie Marathon

[Nordicdusk]

30 Days of Unseen Horror

Day 10

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Struggling to have a child of their own a couple discover a child in the woods just off their property after a strange object crashes to earth. The Beyers keep the whole thing a secret just telling family and friends they adopted the child. Everything is going great for the Beyers a loving child how is smart and egar to learn he seems like the perfect kid until he reaches puperty where a darkness starts to awaken within Brandon.

Wasn't expecting much but Brightburn delivered something pretty cool. Alot of the negatively around this film seems to stem from superhero fans yes it's sort of just an evil Superman film but I'm not sure it was out he'd as a superhero film maybe I'm wrong.

The kid playing Brandon does a fantastic job of making you want to smack the shit out of him through the film but then he pulls it back and acts like the adorable son so your constantly trying to decipher which one is which not knowing when he will snap.

Once he realises his power Brandon goes on a mini killing spree with some fantastic brutal gore that a couple times made me wince. I love the costume Brandon wears the hood is pretty creepy with those red eyes shinning through as he creeps around in the dark stalking his prey.

Brightburn is a lot more fun than I expected it to be and that ending was pretty awesome.

[MrBarlow]

Hellraiaer III: Hell On Earth. 1992.

Terry Ferrell plays the wannabe big journalist Joanne "Joey" Summerskill who witnesses a young boy in chains die in a hospital. Paula Marshall is the young female who introduces Joey to the puzzle box stolen from a statue that club owner Kevin Bernhardt has just purchased.

A somewhat little salute to the late Anthony Hickox for this viewing of the third installment of the franchise created by Clive Barker. Where the first two movies were made here in Britain, this one seems to go to L.A. for some strange reason, it may not be the best installment but certainly not the worst. The club massacre scene seems to help the film avoid being dull and a creation of new cenobites. Doug Bradley returns as pinhead who seduces his victims with the promise of eternal life and doing a double role as Elliot trying to his evil side conquering the world. For me this is always entertaining even though Ashley Lawrence was given a special appearance that lasted about one minute.

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[Frankie Teardrop]

DOUBLE EXPOSURE – Photographer / walrus Adrian likes to think he’s a bit of a lothario, until bedding the babes starts to seem more trouble than it’s worth – his paramours are turning up dead, and in his dreams it’s his fingers curled around the knife handle. ‘Double Exposure’ plays like a snappy attempt at a De Palma rip off. Many of those hit the vid store shelves around the time (1983, in this case), and ‘Double Exposure’ is fairly typical of its ilk, forever juggling style with grubbiness (mostly coming down in favour of the latter). There are some interesting things going on with the doubling motif that runs through it and structures the suspense – is dream guy the real guy, and how does it all relate to Adrian‘s twin brother, a former mirror image now mutilated after an accident? Don’t ask psychotherapist Seymour Cassell, he’s only on board to manifestly not give a flying f@ck and, in one weird scene that goes nowhere, to show off a series of his own deliberately bad amateur photos. But ‘one weird scene that goes nowhere’ is actually the clue to framing ‘Double Exposure.’ Its strength, for the likes of me anyway, is that by accident or design (I can guess which), many of ‘Double Exposure’s scenes have ended up weird and a bit random, and whilst they might not go anywhere or say anything that makes hard sense, together they pull the film away from being just a meat and potatoes thriller that comes with side dish of filth. Impromptu mud wrestling, fragments of police procedural that feel like they’ve drifted in from the film next door, psychodramatic meltdowns that seem almost played for laughs… all season the stew and slide the movie further into nonsensicality. I’m not saying it’s inept, because it’s actually quite tight in some ways and at least manages to stay on course until it resolves coherently, but there’s this mild haywireness present throughout that, depending on taste, either undermines it a bit or gives it an edge. There is bloodshed, a little, and some moderate sleaze, but the quirky atmosphere of this dog’s dinner of a thriller allows it to rise above the sum of its parts.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Happy Hell Night (1991)

A slasher based around a fraternity dare which forces members of Pi Delta Sigma to go to the local asylum and take a photo in the cell of a notorious madman who slaughtered some college kids 25 years previously.

Happy Hell Night, despite it's very gory kills, is a film which lacks suspense. The killer, who looks a little like Mr Barlow from Salem's Lot is a decent creation until he opens his mouth. After every one of his ice pick murders he wisecracks in a helium infused voice "No shagging" and other lines like this, dragging the terror factor down to a sub Krueger levels.

Certainly watchable, with plenty of grue and gratuitous nudity, and a fairly well known cast - Darren McGavin, Sam Rockwell and Jorja Fox are all knocking about at times - but Happy Hell Night is a film of what might have been rather than a classic in it's own right.

Not one of my 'must watch' Halloween titles but one to return to every few years.

[Nordicdusk]

30 Days of Unseen Horror

Day 11

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Count Frederic Regula has been sentance to be drawn and quartered in the town square in front of anyone willing to show up to the ghastly event. His crime is the murder of 12 virgin from which he hopes to gain immortality but he is caught before he can get to the 13th victim where his ritual can begin. The count vows to return and take revenge on the daughter of his 13th victim and the son of the man that sentanced him to death.

I was just look through YouTube the other night and this popped up bit of German horror with Christopher Lee how could I not save that for a later date and that date was last night.

First thing to note is that Christopher Lee isn't in much of the film he appears at the start as the count and after his death he doesn't show up again for quite sometime and while his name added to the film may peak people's interest the film didn't suffer for not having him in the majority of it.

The whole trial and execution at the begining is fantastic it's creepy and brutal with an iron mask with the spikes on the inside placed upon the counts face while he is pulled apart by horses and a hooded executioner who doesn't love a hooded executioner it's always is a sinister look.

When Roger Mont Elise shows up in the village looking for where the counts castle is we are treated to a beautiful religious parade led by a man carrying a cross on his back the parade is full of statues and banners with a striking colour pallet while I'm not a religious man I have always loved religious art buildings and statues so these things are always a welcomed addition to a film.

When Roger finally gets directions to the castle he finds a couple of companions willing to accompany him on his trip all along the way we get some beautiful scenery and creepy imagery the forest is dark and thick with fog but in the trees there are body parts and people hanging from the branches then suddenly in the clearing we get a red into orange sky while the dark images of the carriage barrels across the horizon superb.

When we finally get to the castle the beauty keeps on coming art adorns the walls that almost looks like it's lit by a black light the way it jumps off the wall at you the whole film is one of the the most visually pleasing films I have seen in a while not something I was expecting going in.

Maybe some people may find the film slow but this is definitely an atmosphere film setting the mood before the final show down. I did laugh at how much time was spent on the journey to the castle but I didn't get bored at all there was plenty to look at and if things start to drag there is always Karin Dor to look at and oh god is she beautiful here.

Visually beautiful and a great atmosphere makes this one a great time.

[MuckyFunster]

8. Slaughterhouse

I’ve been wanting to revisit this one for ages. The wee “30% fat content” sausages “killing people” line really stuck in my head from years ago but I couldn’t remember much more about the film. I really enjoyed going over it again. Good fun film. Big Bad Buddy Bacon is a great character, and a great name for a character too. His mad dad sort of puts me in mind of Motel Hell (I’ll need to revisit that one again soon too!).


9. Moon in Scorpio - first time watch.

Oh man, it feels like all the bits that would have explained the story have been edited out. A slasher set onboard a boat seems like it would be a good break from a cabin in the woods or something, but I feel like this one fell flat on its face. Don’t want to give away any spoilers or anything, but why was the killer wanting to kill these folks in particular? And what does “Moon in Scorpio” mean anyway?! So many questions. It was weird seeing Britt Ekland without a Scottish accent Don’t think I’ve seen any of her films other than The Wicker Man.


10. The Last Roommate - Plex - first time watch.

Plex emailed me to let me know that I’d maybe like this film. Don’t know what would have given them that idea a wee short one at only 48 minutes long but even that was a bit long. Very amateurish low budget film with some very ropey acting and dialogue. Found myself more interested in my phone than the film (which, tbh, is quite like me anyway - don’t have a great attention span).


11. House of 1000 Corpses

I really like this film but haven’t watched it in years. Easily my favourite of the Firefly Family films. The Devil’s Rejects, to me, always felt unusually cruel and brutal. 3 From Hell was also cruel and brutal but almost felt like they were caricaturing the family (I still can’t watch Richard Brake in anything without feeling sick in my stomach!). The first hour of 1000 corpses outshines the last 30 mins by a mile - it’s full of dark fun and the cast are all excellent. I bet they had a blast while making the movie.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nordicdusk

30 Days of Unseen Horror

Day 11

Attachment 248309

Count Frederic Regula has been sentance to be drawn and quartered in the town square in front of anyone willing to show up to the ghastly event. His crime is the murder of 12 virgin from which he hopes to gain immortality but he is caught before he can get to the 13th victim where his ritual can begin. The count vows to return and take revenge on the daughter of his 13th victim and the son of the man that sentanced him to death.

I was just look through YouTube the other night and this popped up bit of German horror with Christopher Lee how could I not save that for a later date and that date was last night.

First thing to note is that Christopher Lee isn't in much of the film he appears at the start as the count and after his death he doesn't show up again for quite sometime and while his name added to the film may peak people's interest the film didn't suffer for not having him in the majority of it.

The whole trial and execution at the begining is fantastic it's creepy and brutal with an iron mask with the spikes on the inside placed upon the counts face while he is pulled apart by horses and a hooded executioner who doesn't love a hooded executioner it's always is a sinister look.

When Roger Mont Elise shows up in the village looking for where the counts castle is we are treated to a beautiful religious parade led by a man carrying a cross on his back the parade is full of statues and banners with a striking colour pallet while I'm not a religious man I have always loved religious art buildings and statues so these things are always a welcomed addition to a film.

When Roger finally gets directions to the castle he finds a couple of companions willing to accompany him on his trip all along the way we get some beautiful scenery and creepy imagery the forest is dark and thick with fog but in the trees there are body parts and people hanging from the branches then suddenly in the clearing we get a red into orange sky while the dark images of the carriage barrels across the horizon superb.

When we finally get to the castle the beauty keeps on coming art adorns the walls that almost looks like it's lit by a black light the way it jumps off the wall at you the whole film is one of the the most visually pleasing films I have seen in a while not something I was expecting going in.

Maybe some people may find the film slow but this is definitely an atmosphere film setting the mood before the final show down. I did laugh at how much time was spent on the journey to the castle but I didn't get bored at all there was plenty to look at and if things start to drag there is always Karin Dor to look at and oh god is she beautiful here.

Visually beautiful and a great atmosphere makes this one a great time.

Have you listened to the commentary yet? Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw excellent as ever.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by MuckyFunster

It was weird seeing Britt Ekland without a Scottish accent Don’t think I’ve seen any of her films other than The Wicker Man.

You never seen The Man with the Golden Gun?

[Nordicdusk]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Have you listened to the commentary yet? Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw excellent as ever.

No I only watched it on YouTube but I will be buying it . Can you recommend a good release ?

[Frankie Teardrop]

THE MUMMY THEME PARK – I agree with John Waters ie “there are no bad films, only boring ones.” But I wonder if John Waters ever saw ‘The Mummy Theme Park’. It’s as if some people (or perhaps beings similar to humans but closer to replicants) heard at one point about things called ‘movies’ and decided to try to make one, based on vague and slightly mocking instructions handed to them by a sadist. Or I might say instead that no, it feels like the entire future collective consciousness of mankind has broken down, become malignant and beamed an image of itself back into our own ancient times, where it has been reconstituted by a crap computer effects package as a form of torture. But then I’d be getting carried away with myself. ‘The Mummy Theme Park’ is just one of those “what am I watching” experiences. We should be glad of them when they crop up, because that doesn’t happen too often; you could watch bagful after bagful of boring tripe scraped from the cheapest corners of CEX, and most of it would leave only the bare hint of an impression if it managed to form a memory trace at all. But you would not forget ‘The Mummy Theme Park’. Well, if I’m going to make a stand for this ‘experience’, I’d better tell you what it’s about. Someone has decided to open a ‘Jurassic Park’ style tourist attraction inside a Pharoah’s tomb that has risen from the depths after an earthquake, and they’ve roped in a photographer so they can show the world how great it all is in a brochure or something. The park, the mummy theme park, is overrun by cybernetically enhanced Egyptian mummies who throw basic undead moves but also demonstrate confusion when faced with human breasts. There’s lots of wandering around and the usual horror time filler stuff, but it’s like watching people do all that in a shit computer game. Everything in it, mummies, ‘actors’, beer-spitting pharaoh heads, floats around atop cheap budget greenscreen from 2004, decorated with woeful visuals that could only have been supplied by the malfunction of some low-end video graphics suite. I was appalled, excited and mildly bored in equal measure, and any film that can provoke that kind of response in me bears the sure mark of cinematic rotten-to-the-coreness. Respect. Director Alvero Passeri made ‘Plankton’, which I’ve seen but can’t recall. I’ll have to dig it out; if it’s even remotely as ripe as this, I’ll be onto a winner.