Here are thirteen horror movies that I've watched this past month. Actually, I've watched many more movies than this, but thirteen sounds like a nice number to settle on, for a Halloween-themed blog. If there is some sort of cohesive theme to this list, I'd say it's best defined by the word "roller coaster". Each one on these is a roller coaster ride of spooky goodness.
A couple of these movies I watch on an annual basis. They will be marked with a scary devil face symbol, like this: >:^D
The Thing (1982) >:^D
This is John Carpenter's classic adaptation of John W. Campbell's short story "Who Goes There?", and scary movies don't get much better than this. Moody, tense, and full of jaw-dropping pre-CGI special effects, this story of a shape shifting alien being which infiltrates and fosters paranoia within an Antarctic outpost is still scary after all these years. The musical score is chilling all on its own, even without the atmospheric visuals, and it features one of the best performances ever by a canine actor (bad dog!). And check out Kurt Russell's ridiculous hat, for Halloween costume ideas!
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
I can't make a list like this without adding at least one horror movie classic from Universal Pictures! Actually, this one's a comedy, but the monsters are never made fun of and are played 100% straight. Bud Abbott and Lou Costello play two bumbling shipping clerks who deliver a crate containing the Frankenstein's Monster (Glenn Strange, in his 3rd time playing the character) to a wax museum and end up becoming embroiled in a monster melee involving Frank, Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi, in his 2nd and only portrayal), and the Wolf Man (Lon Chaney, Jr, his 5th go-round). Vincent Price also makes a cameo as the Invisible Man. It's classic, fun stuff.
[REC] (2007)
My favorite movie in the whole "found footage", through-the-lens-of-a-video-camera (a.k.a. "shaky-cam") genre, [REC] follows a spunky Spanish late-night T.V. host (played by Manuela Velasco) as she rides with a group of firefighters on a call to a apartment complex. Soon they're all quarantined inside by the CDC while a virus spreads amongst the residents, turning them into raving madmen. The point of view from the camera lens creates a real roller coaster effect for the viewers. The scares are punchy, the sounds effects are super creepy, the explanation for the virus is wholly original and cool, and the final night vision sequence is still one of the scariest scenes I've ever beheld. There is an American remake called "Quarantine", which pales in comparison, even thought it is, shot-for-shot, nearly the same movie (plus, they changed the spooky origin of the virus, turning it into "super-rabies" - lame). The sequel [REC]2 is nearly as good, so check it out for more fun. And [REC]3 looks spectacular (arrives March 2012).
Dawn of the Dead (1979) >:^D
George A. Romero's undisputed classic, and still the best zombie movie of all time, "Dawn of the Dead" follows a quartet of zombie apocalypse survivors as they shack up in a mall, where they must defend themselves from the dead, the living, and even their own self-destructive consumerist natures. Fun and frightening, with lots of brains and heart, and also featuring the groundbreaking special effects of Tom Savini - this movie is the definitive zombie flick. Not even the many sequels or the 2004 remake can touch it. "We got this, man! We got this by the ass!"
The Gate (1987)
This is one of the best kid-oriented horror movies you'll find, but the funny thing is, if it was released in theaters today, it would most likely be rated R (it was PG-13 back in '87). Set in a quiet suburban neighborhood, an uprooted old tree and an ill-timed pet burial in the exact same spot nudges open the gates of hell, and now the Old Ones need only two human sacrifices to begin their new reign on Earth, and young Stephen Dorff and friends are the only ones who can stop them. Atmospheric, weird, and chock full of funhouse energy, '80s styles, and loopy kid-logic (the kids figure out what the demons are up to by reading the inside cover of a heavy metal record!), the movie appeals to the scared little kid who crouches inside everyone's soul. And those little mini-demons, with their slack jawed mouths and black eyes, still make my skin crawl.
The Devil Rides Out (1968)
I just discovered this movie about three months ago, and it very well might become a Halloween tradition of mine. Christopher Lee is our protagonist, Duc de Richleau (and when Christopher Lee is the good guy, the bad guy must be really bad), who discovers that an old friend of his is involved with a Satanic cult. Now Duc must battle the evil cult leader for his friend's soul. Produced by the British horror masters at Hammer Studios, and directed by legend Terence Fisher, this movie is based on a novel by Dennis Wheatley (there's a whole series of Duc de Richleau novels). It's fast paced and full of accurate Satanic lore, with a few uber-creepy sequences, and featuring a dashing, powerful performance by Lee (one of his best, I think). Some of the special effects are hokey, but they don't interfere with the story (this is one of the few classic movies I think would benefit from a remake). Awesome movie.
Evil Dead 2 (1987) >:^D
You really don't need to see the original "Evil Dead", because the first 15-20 minutes of "Evil Dead 2" is basically a mini-remake of the first movie (although you still should see it). Director Sam Raimi's superior sequel adds a dash of Three Stooges-style mania to his gore-ific demon fest, as Ash (Bruce Campbell) and his girlfriend, on a romantic getaway in a remote cabin, accidentally unleash ancient forest demons who like to possess and torment the living. Soon, with the aid of some other hapless souls, they figure out a way to end the horror once and for all. This is the movie that made Bruce Campbell a cult legend, and Raimi's bravura camerawork and over the top gory/cartoony mayhem culminated in one of the most crazy fun horror films of all time. And the unforgettable, ironic ending led to the equally cult classic (but less gory) sequel, "Army of Darkness". Whatever you do, don't let your hand get possessed by a nasty demon from hell -
Kairo (Pulse) (2001)
During the Japanese horror movie boom of the late '90s early '00s, there were plenty of effectively scary ghost movies ("The Ring", "The Grudge", "Dark Water", "One Missed Call", etc), but the scariest, to me, was "Kairo". Remade in the U.S. in 2006 (the utterly awful "Pulse"), Kiyoshi Kurosawa's film is about ghosts breaking into our world through the internet, isolating us, sapping our will, and taking everything we are, leaving only a stain of black ash where our bodies used to be. It's about isolationism and the dehumanization of the modern age, wrapped in good, old fashioned scare techniques, subtle special effects, apocalyptic mania, and accompanied by the most hair-raising sound design I've ever heard in a movie. The ultimate reason for the ghostly activities is cool, so hang onto the people you love and try not to despair, because technology will ultimately lead us to our doom. Happy Halloween!
Return of the Living Dead (1985)
Since they're not a part of George Romero's series of undead movies, these zombies like to move fast and dine exclusively on human brains. A mixture of humor, EC Comics-style grue, and punk rock music, Dan O'Bannon's "Return of the Living Dead" focuses on ghouls raised by a government-created toxic chemical (Trioxin), and the incredibly colorful cast of characters who must do battle with them. They also can't be killed by being shot in the head - they must be utterly destroyed. And they can talk Full of wit, inventive special effects, fun performances, and shot through-and-through with rebellious punk rock sensibilities, this is one of the few zombie movies to rank as highly in "fun factor" as "Dawn of the Dead". None of the four sequels lives up to this one (although "Return of the Living Dead 3" has its moments).
Psycho (1960) >:^D
Confession time - I've never been scared by "Psycho". Not even by the infamous shower scene. But that doesn't matter, 'cuz it's still a hell of a fun, deviant ride. Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller about a woman on the run who stops at the wrong motel, has been ripped off hundreds of times, but his directorial style and the playful sense of mischief feel fresh every time I see it. Janet Leigh is perfect as the young ingenue, but when Anthony Perkins (as Norman Bates) takes center stage during the second half of the movie, that's when it takes off. He's both sympathetic and menacing at the same time - a masterful performance of nervous energy. Combined with Hitch's directorial style and the moody black and white cinematography (as well as Bernard Hermann's jittery score), it all comes together as a classic slice of American retro horror. A couple of the sequels were good, but stay far away from the 1998 remake, which has Vince Vaughn as Norman Bates. Vince Vaughn? Really??
Murder Party (2007) >:^D
Now we're down to the final three, and I've saved the most Halloween-themed movies for last. "Murder Party" is a little independent flick from a couple of years ago that's become a holiday favorite of mine. When loner Chris literally stumbles across an invitation to something called a Murder Party, he dons his costume (a suit of armor made of cardboard), bakes some pumpkin bread, and foolishly decides to attend. Whaddaya know, the hosts of the party are all self-obsessed artsy types who want to kill him as part of an art project, in order to obtain a grant. This movie is not scary, it's actually more of a comedy with some twisted/gory bits. It's charming in its own way, with plenty of Monty Python-style influences, and because it's set during Halloween, it's perfect holiday viewing! And it shares my utter contempt of pretentious, snide arthouse types.
Trick 'r Treat (2007) >:^D
A 100% Halloween saturated movie, this Bryan Singer-produced, Michael Dougherty-directed spookfest was unfairly ignored by it's distributor and didn't get a theatrical release - but it should have. Every single Halloween trope is touched upon in this movie, an anthology film of sorts featuring five different storylines which intersect during one particularly busy and chaotic Halloween night. The movie feels like a great episode of "Tales From the Crypt" - it's infused through-and-through with very dark, playful humor and energetic direction. And it's dripping with love for the holiday. It's loosely based on a short animated film by Dougherty, and the final (and best) act of the movie features the main creature from that film, Sam, a creepy little dude who punishes all those who disrespect Halloween tradition. It's a perfect movie for the holiday.
Halloween (1978) >:^D
Duh. Still the best. John Carpenter rules.
Happy Halloween, everybody!
No comments:
Post a Comment