A bit off topic, I know. And maybe a bit boring, yeah. But I usually try to rewatch classic horror movies during October. Watched the first two Karloff “Frankenstein” films over the weekend. Yesterday was “Invisible Man”. The effects, given their time, are still jaw dropping to me.
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The biggest problem with “Memento” is how to briefly describe it to someone who hasn’t seen it yet. “It’s about someone with short term memory problems” just doesn’t get it. But, man, does it get even better the second or third time you watch it.
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I watched “Halloween III: Season of the Witch” (1982) for the first time yesterday (with 8 MORE DAYS TIL HALLOWEEN SILVER SHAMROCK!)
Its basically the Americanization of “Quatermass and the pit” (1967), as written by its original screenwriter, Nigel Kneale!
Super glad I finally watched this one after hearing about how odd it was for years, and yeah the plot of it is TOTAL BONKERS! You know what, screw it this is might be my favorite film in the Halloween film franchise if not its a close second!
Its such an incredibly HUGE swing of a movie for a horror franchise to make and I am super happy to see its finally been getting its due as its own little unique horror gem that it is in recent years!
This has some of the best fall/autumnal vibes I’ve seen in any film period and might just be the most John Carpenter movie not directed by him!
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I really like ‘Halloween 3 - Season of the Witch’ myself…great fun every October 31st.
No Michael Myers, but we do get the brilliant cult actor, Tom Atkins, who is always a pleasure to see on screen.
The tune, ‘Silver Shamrock’, is a clever variation on ‘London Bridge is Falling Down’. (See the two Youtube examples below).
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- Bresson: Lancelot du Lac (cinema) 1/10
- Corman: The Pit and the Pendulum 7/10
- Deodato: Cannibal Holocaust 10/10
- Herzog: Nosferatu 9/10
- Hamer: Kind Hearts and Coronets 8/10
- Austin: Virgin witch (cinema) 6/10
- Ferreri: Tales of Ordinary Madness (cinema) 7/10
- Genovesi: 7 donne e un mistero 4/10
- Polanski: Repulsion 7/10
- Meyer: Cherry, Harry and Raquel 5/10
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Excuse the short interruption, just pointing everyone’s attention to the November madness starting Wednesday we call Spagvemberfest: The What? Why? and How? of SpagvemberFest!
Watched The Island of Dr. Moreau last night and thought it was alright. If nothing else, Brando and Kilmer were both really fun on screen.
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Halloween 3 is one of the best Halloween themed movie of all time in my book!
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Yesterday I had a Universal monsters double feature. I started with “Dracula” from 1931. This one is the film to kickstart the universal monster movies and is very influential. I really enjoyed it, but it felt more like a musicless play than it did a movie. Clearly Tod Browning had a bit of a problem with the transition to talkies. Lugosi Béla was great as the elegant and well dressed Count, and the sets were great.
I followed it up with the far superior “The Old Dark House” from 1932, directed by James Whale. This one was fantastic! The acting by everyone, and in particular Boris Karloff, was great, the atmosphere was very fitting and the plot was very unique and involving. If Dracula, nearly a hundred years later, would be considered little more than an antique historical curiosity, “The Old Dark House” is an excellent and atmospheric horror-thriller that everyone should watch!
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Spent my Halloween watching Psycho with a live Symphony Orchestra! It was an amazing experience having those sharp strings coming from right Infront of you.
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Wow, sounds really cool!
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My Halloween movie was Paco Plaza’s newest film “Hermana Muerte”, a nun horror flick (one of the better ones, I’d say), and prequel to “Veronica” by the same director.
After something terrible had happened in a convent during the Spanish civil war, the remaining nuns try to restore the place to its original order. Neophyte Sister Narcisa discovers soon after her arrival there’s something dark about the place - and the nuns.
This is a well made, carefully shot and well acted film that builds slowly, relying on atmosphere rather than garish, gory shocks. It also has a somewhat retro look to it. If you like calmly unfolding convent stories about religious beliefs, superstitions, and curses, with some heavy Catholic imagery thrown in, you should give this one a go. I thought it was much better than Plaza’s “La Abuela”. The final third is pretty intense.
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For October 31st, I opened a bottle of red wine and watched an ‘Ealing Studios’ favourite…
An excellent compendium of five spooky tales, which was the inspiration for the later ‘Amicus’ horror films…
My favourite tale is the last one, which features a ventriloquist’s dummy that may, or may not, be possessed…The ventriloquist is played excellently by Michael Redgrave.
One of the most horrifying things about this film, is the amount of cigarettes that the cast get through…
This was, after all, 1945…
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‘Frightmare’ (1974)
First time watch for me … and I thoroughly enjoyed it - Sheila Keith is phenomenal in this movie, and I intend to check out other Pete Walker films that she appeared in.
I love finding new old stuff, if you know what I mean? 
I’m always saying that I’m not really a horror fan, but if it’s quality filmmaking, even low budget exploitation, with something interesting happening, I’m happy to give it a go.
Picked up the German mediabook blu ray release in a major charity shop haul last week …
A mixed bag of horror titles, giallos and even something from the dreaded Jess Franco (quality not guaranteed)
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Just re-watched 8 Mile, still think that final battle is one of the best showdowns in movie history.
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Last one i watched was 4 bullets for Joe blu ray
A bottle of red wine, and some mindless but entertaining jolly japes last night…great fun indeed! 
Followed by one of the best DC animated adaptions I have seen, featuring the ‘Justice League’ - very entertaining from start to finish…
What happens when Superman suffers loss, and then becomes judge, jury, and executioner?
Blimmin’ good superhero action, that’s what…
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I caught this one on YouTube today. First time viewing (I meant to watch it in October but never had the time).
Gothic horror is just the best. That’s how this film got on my radar. Really period Gothic is my favorite thing, anything from the late 1700s through to the 1920s. Hammer Horrors are my favorite. But I was listening to the audio commentary for Crimson Peak last month, and del Toro cited this one. I ended up really liking it, but I had to give it time to unfold. Certainly watching it without sudden ads would be great, since it is so atmospheric. The loud banging sounds made me think of the classic The Haunting. I wouldn’t say this one has better cinematography, but I think it had a better story.
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i just rewatched that a couple weeks ago. really good film! and damn that little kids voice is haunting as hell
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