Part II - Husband and Knife: A Horror-ble October (with Friends!) - October 8th-14th
Here we are, going strong on our second week. And what a
week we have lined up! The last movie on the list was the one we were
both most scared to watch, some modern indie-horror masterpieces, and some
horror comedies, including the best of all time. Buckle up, week 2 begins
now!
Scariest Movie: The Descent
Best Overall Movie: Young Frankenstein
October 8th - The Return of the Living Dead
Plot Synopsis: Some punks, medical supply employees,
and a Nazi crematory operator try to outlast the zombie apocalypse.
Kyle: It will be hard to find a horror movie more fun
than The Return of the Living Dead. This is a parody film
done right, as it really feels like a true B-movie. That's the key to
B-movie homages, they have to be natural and can't try too hard to be schlocky.
Writer/Director Dan O'Bannon, who also helped to write Alien,
Aliens, and Total Recall, clearly had a vision and it was
executed perfectly. The special effects are amazing, from the cut in half
dog to the iconic Tar Man, these practical effects still hold up today.
James Karen's acting as Frank is so over the top that it's almost impossible
not to smile anytime he talks. You'll also get a taste of zombies that
you don't see very often. They are organized and intelligent, and can
even run and talk. This would be the perfect movie to have on at a
Halloween party, as it features enough blood and schlock to be one of the most
entertaining zombie movies ever made.
Scare Rating: 0.5 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cemetery parties
Ellen: Return of the Living Dead is a hilarious zombie
flick that pays great respect to older zombie movie while still be self-aware
enough to make great jokes along the way. If you see this film to be scared,
you will be disappointed because it is not scary at all, but you will laugh and
you will thoroughly enjoy the special effects and excellent acting from many
cast members. I love this movie because the zombies actually talk and even
communicate why they want to eat braiiiiiiins so badly. The
dialogue is also snappy and hilarious, and the story takes no time at all to
get right into the zombie action. There are so many great details, from
once-dead butterflies fluttering inside a glass case to hints dropped
throughout the film that maybe the mortician is a nazi even though he is
seriously so nice. Return of the Living Dead is
perfect for those who want to enjoy the zombie genre, but don't want to be on
edge the whole time.
Scare Rating: 0 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 3.5 out of 5 cemetery parties
Aaron: The Return of the Living Dead will always
hold a special place in my heart, since it was the first zombie movie I ever
watched. My enthusiasm for
this film goes beyond pure nostalgia though, as it actually delivers a solid
zombie film that doesn’t take itself seriously. Return is wonderful because it sets so
many of its own rules for how the undead function. It gives an explanation of what causes
the dead to rise, and shows us the events unfold, instead of just simply
throwing us into the middle of a world already overrun with zombies. The zombies themselves are anything
but Romero’s shamblers. These
guys are fast (this being the first movie to introduce the concept of fast
zombies), they’re smart (rigging up pulley systems and “ordering delivery” via
CB radio), and they’re fully aware that they are dead (even explaining why they
need to eat brains. Oh
yeah, and they’re really hard to kill (or re-kill?). All of these unique “rules” work
together to cause the situation to become increasingly out of hand, leading to
what I feel is an extremely appropriate climax of the film. Highly recommended if you want to be
entertained, but don’t expect to be scared.
Scare Rating: 2 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 4 out of 5 cemetery parties
Average Scare Rating: 0.83 out of 5 screams
Average Movie Rating: 4 out of 5 cemetery parties
Plot Synopsis: A descendant of Victor Frankenstein goes to
Transylvania to continue his family's work.
Kyle: What can be said about this film that hasn't already
been said countless times? It's one of the best comedies of all time.
I have seen this movie over ten times now, but it still remains funny,
which is the true test for comedies. However, this time around I tried to
watch the movie with a more critical eye. First, I need to point out the
obvious...Gene Wilder in this movie is just amazing. Because it is a
comedy, his performance is severely underrated. He switches from dramatic
to comedic with impeccable timing to manic, all with ease. Rest in peace,
Mr. Wilder, watching this movie makes your passing hurt a bit more. I
also liked how this movie really isn't a parody at all, but rather a comedic
retelling. Elements from the book are present, but rather than being
portrayed in a horror manner, Mel Brooks was able to find comedy in every scene
he adapted. This review seems like I'm just stating the obvious, so
here's one more obvious thing before I end the review...if you have not
seen Young Frankenstein, what the hell is wrong with you? Go
do it now!!! If you have seen it, watching it again is just as enjoyable
as you remember.
Scare Rating: 0 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 5 out of 5 sedagives
Ellen: This movie is comedy perfection. I have seen Young
Frankenstein so many times that I have lost count, and it never ceases
to make me laugh. What makes this film so perfect is the combination of
hysterical writing, a perfect cast, and amazing set designs that evoke the
original Frankenstein films. Even if you haven't seen the
film, you undoubtedly have heard someone quote it or make a reference to it,
which goes to show that it has stood the test of time. I myself cannot watch it
without quoting almost every single line, it is that quotable! Few movies in my
life have made me want to watch them over and over and over again, but Young
Frankenstein will always be a film that I will enjoy and want to share
with friends and family. It is not scary in the least, but it is the perfect
addition to a Halloween movie marathon!
Scare Rating: 0 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 5 out of 5 sedagives
Adrian: While not a classic horror movie, it is a fun spin
on a classic tale. Witty, amusing, one of my all-time favorites
Halloween movies.
Scare Rating: 0 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 5 out of 5 sedagives
Matt: Make a better movie… no seriously, I dare you to make
a better movie. It’s probably been done, but not
often. Not a horror movie in the least, this still holds a great
sense of old Universal horror flicks. The tone is perfectly balanced
with Mel Brooks’ comedic genius. In what I feel is one of his most
reserved movies, Mel actually delivers one of his best, assuming it isn’t
outright the best. In general I find Mel Brooks’ slapstick style too
overt, but the humor in this is so much more subtle, so much more
developed. As far as scares go, there are some things that make you
jump, but this is most assuredly a comedy. I watch this every
October, and I’ve never regretted it. This viewing was just more of
the same.
Scare Rating: 0.5 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 4.5 out of 5 sedagives
Average Scare Rating: 0.125 out of 5 screams
Average Movie Rating: 4.875 out of 5 sedagives
Plot Synopsis: A single mother and her son are haunted
by a strange children's book character.
Kyle: The thing that makes The Babadook special
is the fact that it has a strong underlying message. It is rare to find a
modern horror movie that actually has something to say, and The
Babadook's heavy themes are put on full display. Essie Davis gives an
amazing performance as the widowed mother, who is still coming to terms with
her husband's death. The kid actor is fine, but man, is his character
obnoxious. I know that he is supposed to be, but it is still cringeworthy
at times. My buddy and fellow guest blog reviewer Ross put it
best...watching this kid is a great form of birth control. His 6 year old
character was also a bit too smart for his age. As for The Babadook
himself, he is very creepy, especially through the use of sounds. He is
not in it much, but when he is, it is holding your breath suspenseful.
The movie should also be celebrated for having the tone of a modern
horror film, but not featuring a single jump scare. There are plenty of
moments where you're expecting them, but they do not come, and the movie
manages to be plenty scary without them.
Scare Rating: 3 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 3.5 out of 5 top hats
Ellen: What I appreciate most about The
Babadook is that it is both a terrifying story about an evil presence
terrorizing a family and a strong commentary on how grief and loss can
catastrophically affect people and their relationships with their loved ones.
Kyle and I have watched a few films already that involve the loss of a parent
or spouse, but The Babadook is different because the loss and
heartbreak has never really left the main characters and creates a shroud
around them that practically invites the evil to come into their lives. Some
movies glaze over just how devastating losing a spouse can be and how it can
make a parent resent even their own children because they remind them so much
of the one they lost, but The Babadook zeroes in on this and
makes you wonder if the mother will ever fully invest herself in parenting her
child. This movie is pretty darn scary, but it does not rely on jump scares,
which gives it more room to work with sounds and lighting to give a creepy
atmosphere. I really, really like this movie overall, and I truly believe it is
a great example of modern horror.
Scare Rating: 3.5 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 4 out of 5 top hats
Average Scare Rating: 3.25 out of 5 screams
Average Movie Rating: 3.75 out of 5 top hats
Plot Synopsis: After hooking up with a guy, a girl
finds out that an entity is now following her, and will not stop until she is
either dead or passes it on.
Kyle: I did not like It Follows as much the
second time around (after viewing it the first time, I called it one of my
favorite horror movies ever), but I still love the breath of fresh air that it
is to a tired modern horror genre. I have never seen any movie like this,
and I doubt I will see one similar any time soon. It is a very original
idea and is fleshed out very well. The directing and acting are solid,
but the true hero here is the soundtrack. It is one of my favorite
soundtracks ever, bravo to Disasterpiece for creating a unique and chilling
score to match this movie. The real terror comes from the creature's
unrelenting nature. No matter what, it is always following you.
The fact that it's slow makes it a bit creepier, as it seems like it is just
taking its time to murder you. The creature is virtually an STD, and I
think this should be screened to promote abstinence. I did think the
dialogue between the creepy creature parts was unnatural, but overall I really
like how interesting and new this movie feels. Just don't show it to your
date.
Scare Rating: 2 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 4.5 out of 5 theater organists
Ellen: Before seeing It Follows, I
didn't really think there could be a horror movie that could potentially promote
abstinence, but here you have one, folks! This movie is a great blend of an
excellent musical score, original storytelling, and chilling imagery. One of
the reasons why I love this film so much is that although the creature cannot
be seen by anyone except the person it is following, the people around you can
still see the creature attacking you. Basically, you are being thrown
around by an invisible force, and it is rare that a movie actually calls
attention to this dilemma (if I can't see the monster, how can I see it attack
people?). The creature is also made much scarier by the fact that a) it simply
walks to you as if it knows it will catch you eventually and doesn't need to
rush, and b) it can take the shape of anyone it chooses, including loved ones
just to spite you. The climax of the movie is also fantastic! You can't see the
creature, but you can still feel the fear and confusion of the people in the
room as it is attacking the main character. If you are looking for an original
horror concept, look no further!
Scare Rating: 2 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 4 out of 5 theater organists
Johnathan: It Follows sounds like an exploitative B-movie –
the driving force of the movie is teenagers having sex – but, through a
less-is-more approach, the film speaks intelligently on the subject of
sexuality and serves up plenty of creepy images in the process. Since the
supernatural being (force?) only takes on the form of a slow-walking human, I
constantly scanned the background for any movement that might spell doom for
the characters. Writer-director David Robert Mitchell plays with this unease in
creative ways. Is that person over there “It”? Oh wait, it’s just a girl
walking home. The times when “It” does get close are thoroughly unsettling, and
the minimalist 80’s style soundtrack by Disasterpiece maintains the anxiety
between each confrontation. Commendably, all of these unnerving moments are
accomplished without the use of found-footage, cheap nudity, or excessive gore. It Follows focuses on psychological scares more
than visceral ones, and it leaves you with a lot to ponder. What does “It”
represent? STDs? The loss of innocence? The use of sex to manipulate others? A
combination of fears? I have a few hunches, and I’m sure each person will see
something different. My only big criticisms are a few of the supporting
characters feel underwritten, the second half drags in spots, and the ending is
a little underwhelming, but I recommend It Follows to anyone looking for a smarter horror
movie that works on multiple levels.
Scare Rating: 2 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 4 out of 5 theater organists
Average Scare Rating: 2 out of 5 screams
Average Movie Rating: 4.16 out of 5 theater organists
October 12th - Behind
the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
Plot Synopsis: A documentary crew follows a serial
killer in training.
Kyle: Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon is
a delightful indie horror homage/comedy. The writers and director had
definitely done their homework for this one, managing to joke about horror
movie tropes while creating a movie that follows the same formula of the
predecessors it so clearly idolizes. The movie is designed as a
documentary, but diverts from this at times, and abandons it completely at the
end. While it worked for the story, I wish they would have just stuck
with the documentary style throughout the runtime rather than switching back
and forth. The movie was still extremely enjoyable and quite funny,
dissecting the slasher movie formula and adding tons of special guests
including the actors who played Jason and Freddy. One of the most surprising
things about this movie is the twists. It plays out exactly as you think
it would, but then manages to go off the rails into a new territory, and that
made the story stronger. I definitely recommend this one if you're
looking for a more lighthearted but still suspenseful horror flick.
Scare Rating: 2 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 4 out of 5 apple orchards
Ellen: This film is a welcome departure from your typical
horror films because it delves into the making of a crazed murderer not through
a terrifying plot, but through a comical, documentary-style lens. Leslie Vernon
seems like an unlikely candidate for horror movie fodder, especially since he
is so excited to prove how he can become a legend just like Freddie, Michael,
and Jason. The dialogue in this film is what makes it so great - Leslie Vernon
has amazing lines and the acting makes him so darn likable that you often
forget that he will eventually be killing people for fun. Despite the great
dialogue and excellent character development on Leslie's behalf, I simply could
not get past how terrible the picture quality was in this film. The screen had
a distractingly ripply affect and there were many scenes that were out of
focus. Terrible camera quality aside, I enjoyed that Behind the Mask gave
me a chance to see the thought process of a classic horror movie killer and how
they might go about setting up their killing spree.
Scare Rating: 0 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 3 out of 5 apple orchards
Average Scare Rating: 1 out of 5 screams
Average Movie Rating: 3.5 out of 5 apple orchards
October 13th - Evil Dead 2
Plot Synopsis: A man tries to overcome the demonic force
that killed all of his friends and his girlfriend in the previous movie.
Kyle: During this movie, I turned to Ellen and asked her
what is her favorite horror movie of all time. The reason I asked was
because I decided that Evil Dead 2 is my favorite. This
movie hits on every single level. The directing by Sam Raimi, who later
went on to direct the original Spider-Man trilogy, was original and engaging.
Most of the shots were fantastic, especially the shots of the roaming
demonic force. Another massive plus is Bruce Campbell, talk about being
born for a role. He is hilarious and serious, saying so much in this with
just his eyes and brow. The movie is also just shy of an hour and a half,
which just leaves you wanting more. However, if you are not into strange
movies, you may want to stay away from this one. While it is hilarious
and incredibly entertaining, it is weird, especially the mother, Henrietta, who
is played by Raimi's brother, Ted. But personally, I love watching a
man's possessed hand forcing him to smash plates over his own head and flicking
him off. The gore, the humor, and the atmosphere are all perfection
here. Evil Dead 2 is the perfect horror comedy and my favorite
movie so far on this whole list.
Scare Rating: 1.5 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 5 out of 5 chainsaw arms
Ellen: I. Love. This. Film. Plain and simple. Evil
Dead 2 is an amalgamation of so many great things - great writing,
hilarious character development, iconic scenes, amazing makeup, and creepy
imagery. This movie isn't scary, per se. It is suspenseful in many scenes, but
overall the movie takes an almost comical look at evil demonic beings attacking
innocent people. I have become a huge fan of Bruce Campbell, and I especially
enjoy Starz Ash Vs. Evil Dead, which makes it that much easier to
appreciate how great Evil Dead 2 is. I found myself laughing a
lot in this movie, mainly when Ash is fighting with his own hand and hitting
himself over the head with plates. It seems like such a simple thing, to
pretend to fight with your own hand, but Bruce Campbell owns his
character and makes the scene simply brilliant, as he does for the entire
movie. Sam Raimi's demons are both hilarious and creepy, and the film would
honestly not be nearly as good without them. If you are looking to be genuinely
scared, Evil Dead 2 isn't the right film, but if you want to
have a great time watching a spin on the classic horror genre, then watch this
immediately!
Scare Rating: 2 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 5 out of 5 chainsaw arms
Adrian: Terrible. Not that scary. Kind of
gross. At the end we’re left thinking, what the hell? I
find it vaguely odd the main character transitions as he does throughout the
movie, in the span of 12 hours.
Scare Rating: 2 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 0.25 out of 5 chainsaw arms
Matt: What the hell?!?!?!?! I know this movie is considered a
classic of the genre, but seriously, what the hell? No establishing
a premise, no giving a damn about characters, let’s just go straight to
horrible movie. Of course, Evil Dead films are known for their
tongue-in-cheek approach, their very knowing nod to what they are, and yet,
watching, I was left wondering, when does this get funny? When does
this get scary? Spoiler alert: it doesn’t. There are some
nice bits, you’ll never look at Hemingway the same after watching, but
honestly, I regretted digging this up from the past I had with it.
Scare Rating: 1.5 out of 5 screams
Move Rating: 1 out of 5 chainsaw arms
Average Scare Rating: 1.75 out of 5 screams
Average Movie Rating: 2.81 out of 5 chainsaw arms
October 14th - The
Descent
Plot Synopsis: A group goes spelunking into what they
think is uncharted territory.
Kyle: As you can could probably guess, none of the
above movies were the one that Ellen and I were most scared to watch. No,
that title belongs to The Descent, and we were scared for good
reason...this movie was intense! The movie uses its claustrophobic
setting so well, that for the first hour you really don't even worry about what
is hinted at coming. Led by an all female cast, these ladies kick some
serious ass and show they can hold their own much better than I can apparently.
The lighting and directing by Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers) really
adds to the setting as well. What makes this movie really scary is
knowing how out of their element these ladies are compared to what is hunting
them. Fighting almost seems like a lost cause. However, I did feel
that at times, during the action set pieces, it was a bit hard to follow.
But with the massive amounts of gore this movie has, I guess some people
might be thankful for that. I also feel like the ending did not fit in
well with the rest of the movie at all. But overall, this one was great,
really fast moving, gory, and suspenseful.
Scare Rating: 5 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 4 out of 5 spelunkers
Ellen: Full disclosure, caving to me is one of the
scariest, most daring things for someone to go out and do, and the thought of
squeezing into tight spaces between rocks that could crush you makes me feel
extremely anxious. Cut to The Descent, which is, for many
reasons, by far the scariest movie we have watched this month. Not only did the
first five minutes include a very intense scene, the entire movie created a
very dark, chilling sense of dread, even before the characters descended into
the cave. I felt so claustrophobic, so on edge, the entire time the characters
were climbing, shimmying, and squeezing their way through crevices and rock
formations, but that was no comparison to how scary the rest
of the movie is when what is lurking in the depths of the cave comes out to
play. The Descent thankfully does not rely on jump scares,
although the ones that are used are very well-executed. What I loved best about
this film is that the women first go into the cave seeming brave and excited,
but their deep, carnal instincts come out of no where and there is some
seriously bad-ass survival action going on. I took off half a point overall
because the ending felt forced and out of place, but if you are looking for an
awesome, bloody scare fest, this is it!
Scare Rating: 5 out of 5 screams
Movie Rating: 4.5 out of 5 spelunkers
Average Scare Rating: 5 out of 5 screams
Average Movie Rating: 4.25 out of 5 spelunkers
Again, if you made it this far, thank you so much for reading! The first blog was my most viewed ever, so it means a lot that our work has been paying off. Please let us know if you watched any of the movies we recommended!
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