Movies: Horror Movie Discussion

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

Though I watch horror throughout the year I really go hard in October. Due to a few factors this year -- some work travel (i.e. airport and airplane related downtime), a minor surgery requiring two days of being on the couch and a general sort of insomnia -- I was able to crush my previous record of 52 movies in the month with a positively glutinous 76 movies.

I mentioned a few throughout the month in this and some other threads. Not going to list them all here, just a few highlights.

Didn't watch many new movies but I really dug Longlegs.

I Walked with a Zombie is an atmospheric classic I'm finally glad I got around to. Same for The Changeling. Alison's Birthday is another that one me over with its creepiness.

Went on a big Dracula run including Klaus Kinski in Nosferatu in Venice (meh); the Frank Langella-starring Dracula; a stately but rushed production; three Christopher Lee Hammer Draculas (Satanic Rites of ... Scars of ... Taste the Blood of .. ) all of which are enjoyable for the exact same formulaic ways. Also did the Lee-less Legend of Seven Golden Vampires which was a fun mash up with Shaw Bros. kung-fu.

But the king Dracula movie for me is Frances Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula which has the perfect mix romance, gore, scares, skill and opulent production value.

It was nice to revisit Hellraiser, but I hadn't seen Hellbound: Hellraiser II in probably 20 years and I'm half tempted to say it's better than the original ...

Alone in the Dark and Nightbeast were a lot of fun in the midnight movie sorta way. Amityville II was nuts. Night of the Creeps also never disappoints on this measure.

Black Candles and The Beast (1975) feel like they're going to put on some sort of list I don't want to be on. But what's done is done.

 

[shadow1]

I just watched this yesterday as well and agree 100%. It has several good elements and moments but just never fully gels. It kept almost veering into "Demons but in a church" but then it would pull back or change course. Just made me want "Demons but in a church."

And though I deleted your pic in the quote ... I also watched Halloween H20 yesterday.

I rewatched that one again on Wednesday. I always hope I like it better than I remembered, but never do.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

I rewatched that one again on Wednesday. I always hope I like it better than I remembered, but never do.

I'd actually never seen it. I've always been kinda lukewarm on the Halloween series. I honestly though it was pretty good and I'd rate it among the better movies in the series ... but I feel like my thoughts are out of step with most Halloween fans (I like all three of the David Gordon Green movies, for instance). Great ending though! Shame they couldn't stick to it ... I'll probably wait to jump into Resurrection but I have to admit I'm kinda curious about how they come back from this one.

 

[shadow1]

I'd actually never seen it. I've always been kinda lukewarm on the Halloween series. It was pretty good and I'd rate it among the better movies in the series. But my thoughts are out of step with most Halloween fans (I like all three of the David Gordon Green movies, for instance). Great ending though! Shame they couldn't stick to it ... I'll probably wait to jump into Resurrection but I have to admit I'm kinda curious about how they come back from this one.

Your thoughts aren't really out of step. It's got its fans. I got into the series somewhere vaguely after H20 was released but before Resurrection. Back then, there seemed to be a consensus about H20 being one of the best in the franchise. That reputation has eroded over time, with a lot of people (including me) thinking of it as HallowScream/Scream clone.

I would love to hear your thoughts on Resurrection.

 

[Osprey]

Alone in the Dark and Nightbeast were a lot of fun in the midnight movie sorta way.

I watched Alone in the Dark a few weeks ago, myself, but haven't gotten around to reviewing it. I was surprised by one of the maniacs killing a guy while wearing a hockey mask. Apparently, it was filmed and premiered before Friday the 13th Part 3, though the latter actually beat it to wide release.

I'll probably wait to jump into Resurrection but I have to admit I'm kinda curious about how they come back from this one.

It ruins the ending of H20, so maybe it's a good call to put it off and enjoy the memory a little longer. That said, I also look forward to hearing your thoughts on the movie.