October Horror Movie Marathon 2015
I decided to try and get through as many of my unwatched blurays as possible for the month of October, specifically horror movies. It looks like they compromised about 1/3rd of my unwatched collection, so it seemed like a good time to go on a horror bender. Most of these will be pretty unknown or obscure films since that tends to be what I gravitate towards as far as my horror leanings. Below are some mini-reviews of each film I've watched. I'll continue to update throughout the month, hopefully on a daily basis, but we'll see how far I get. I also started a few days late into the month so I will have to catch up over weekends and evenings (I work all day so the schedule might get hectic).Now to begin....Psycho II (1983)Psycho II is a pretty interesting film. The mystery pertaining to “Is Norman sane?” was a good direction to take the series in as opposed to just diving head-first into slasher territory. This film is a bit longer than the typical horror film clocking in at 113 minutes. Luckily it never really drags, although the revealing answer to the mystery surrounding Norman’s sanity might have been revealed a bit early in the run time as the filmmakers do not hold it off until the climax. Good entry in the series. Much better than Psycho III (see below), but I can’t remember if it’s better than Psycho IV, although I would be surprised if it wasn’t.Psycho III (1986)I wasn’t overly impressed with this one. It starts off pretty good (Nun accidentally killing a suicidal Nun) but quickly veers off track. The over-the-top trashiness of guy Norman puts in charge of the Bates Motel really never felt authentic but very forced. The relationship between the ex-nun and Norman is cause for a few intriguing moments. The body in the ice chest was by far the highlight of the film. Probably a pass unless you’re a Psycho-series fiend. This franchise wasn’t able to pull a “Friday the 13th” and get better as it went on. Check out Psycho II instead and stop there.The Innocents (1961)Wow! I can’t believe I put off watching this for so long! Shot in black and white this film is packed with atmosphere and dread. From the opening scene with a woman lamenting about how she did nothing wrong through the appearance of the end credits, the film never lets up. The plot revolves around Miss Giddens, who is tasked with taking care of two young siblings at a country estate by their Uncle who does not want to raise the children. This one just oozes atmosphere from the opening shot. The eerie score only serves to heighten the suspense, which constantly is amped up between the young children and Miss Giddens. The relationship between the boy and the grown woman is…off-putting to say the least. You are never sure what is real and what is a hallucination. Extremely well shot, well-acted, and all around well made. Would definitely recommend.
Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary (1975)
I actually didn’t even know this film involved vampires, and had bought it solely on it being in the Code Red Releasing catalog. Immediately upon starting this one up, the low budget, schlocky charm was apparent. Mary spends most of the running time of the film seducing men and woman and then drinking their blood. Then a mysterious man in black shows up and starts trying to kill Mary AND also drink blood. Not much plot here. Definitely a good watch for grind house aficionados. I didn't hate it, but probably wouldn't watch it again. The 70's sensibilities are on full display in this one between the costumes and the art that adorns the various sets (Mary is an art dealer). The epic low-budget knife vs. rock fight at the end is laugh inducing. Apparently this was a Mexican production so it was shot mostly down south, so there are some varied and interesting locales.
Messiah of Evil (1973)
A woman tries to find out what happened to her artist father by journeying to the California coastal town he lived in. She meets a group of 2 woman and a man (it’s a very strange dynamic), who stay with her as they are investigating the strange goings-on in the town. The town people end up being zombie/vampires/possessed due to the 100 year blood moon (this is what I believe was going on as it’s very convoluted). The film ends up being very surreal which adds to the atmosphere. . Well shot and the acting isn’t terrible, but the plot is really convoluted and hard to follow. Many things are left unexplained. It feels like a lot got cut out that could have benefited the story. Overall, not a bad film though. Much more interesting than other low-budget entries from the early 70's era.
Contamination (1980)This movie was obviously made to cash in on Ridley Scott's "Alien" being a huge hit. It fails in that regard. The eggs in this film just contain a bacteria that makes people explode, and not any type of alien creature. It's typical Italian fare concerning a group of scientists and army personnel trying to find the source of the eggs after an empty container ship shows up in the New York harbor. The film is very 80's Italian horror,which I am a big fan of. So I might be a little biased. The progression reminds me very much for Fulci's Zombie. They somehow end up in South America as well. This film isn't bad, but not alot happens until the last 15 minutes or so. The more I think of it though, the less interesting I think this movie actually was. Best quote ever? "You're the first woman I went after that I never got past first base with" Solid gold!Sorority House Massacre (1986)Slightly sleazy and very short, clocking in at a brisk 74 minutes, this film is a great microcosm for 80s slasher flicks. Pulsating synthesizer music throughout serves to underscore the dread the lead actress feels due to her psychic connection with the killer. Obviously there is a montage scene of the girls trying on clothes accompanied by rockin' 80s music, because why wouldn't there be? The title does not disappoint because eventually there is a massacre at the sorority house. One of the better of the slasher genre as it sticks to the formula and isn't boring. The obligatory boyfriend arrival scene was so stereotypical of low budget 80s films across all genres, it adds to the nostalgia factor. Would recommend to fans of 80s slashers. Interesting fact - Carol Frank, who was the director, was the assistant director on Slumber Party Massacre, another 80s slasher gem.
Ghosthouse (1988)
A couple hears strange and disturbing message come through on a CB radio and track it to a mysterious house that is inhabited by the ghost of a young girl and her demonic doll. They meet a few others along the way and eventually they end up in the house of the title. This film reminds me of a slightly more polished House by the Cemetery (Fulci, 1984) crossed with a dumbed down and less scary Poltergeist (Hooper, 1982). I wasn't initially aware but this was in fact an Italian production,and the credited director Humphrey Humbert is actually Umberto Lenzi, who directed such films as Nightmare City, Cannibal Ferox, and Welcome to Spring Break among many others. For a haunted house film, this one isn't that bad. Little expressionless girls and a razor-toothed doll popping up from time to time actually proves effective. This one ended up being much more gory than I would have thought, but that was also before I knew Lenzi was associated with this production. Worth a watch. Interesting fact - the house used in this film was in fact the same one that was used in House by the Cemetery
Witchery (1989)David Hasselhoff AND Linda Blair in the same late 80s witch-sploitation film? The Hoff and his lady are squatting on an island, a family of potential buyers show up with their realtor, and they all get stuck due to inclimate weather. Also squatting...a group of witches. Pregnant Linda Blair gets sucked into a bathtub, there is a pretty painful lip-stitching scene, a few burnings, and multiple instances of people screaming while being sucked through a red swirling vortex. Joe D'Amato produced this and once again there is a showcase of painful fingernail loss ala his flick, Beyond the Darkness. This one isn't as bad as reviews led me to believe. As a movie about witches, it could have been much worse.
X-Ray (aka Hospital Massacre) (1983)
Depending on which source for film info you're using, this one goes by a few different release years and titles. I'm going by the information on Scream Factory's bluray, so that is above. The poster was the most "appropriate" I could find as well. Very standard slasher revolving around a woman's visit to a hospital which causes a killer to begin offing doctors, nurses, and pretty much anyone else that happens to be there. It packs alot of kills into a short period, so there isn't much room for character or plot development. Not that there usually is in these types of films. There is a hilariously awkward scene of a doctor examining the lead after making her get completely naked. It also goes on for a few minutes, which amps up the awkward factor. Final thought: not bad worth a watch. The acting is above average and the kills come fast and furious.
Screamers (aka Island of the Fishmen) (1979)This is one movie that delivers on everything that is on the poster! The surreal plot involves a group of shipwreck survivors that are marooned on an island who happen across a mad scientist and his quest to steal all the gold from the sunken city of Atlantis using fishmen that are addicted to some type of chemical milk. None of that is an exaggeration. As cheesy as it sounds, this film actually has half an interesting plot. The fishmen look awful and end up being the least interesting part of the film. The mad doctor portions of the film actually make it intriguing. The low-rent model work adds to the low budget charm of the proceedings. It isn't terrible, but it isn't very good either. For fans of cheesy monster films and obscure completists. Mortuary (1983)Bill Paxton playing a weird cemetery-skipping, orchestra-conducting, mortician-in-training? What could go wrong? Apparently a lot. Two guys accidentally stumble into a satanic/spiritual ritual involving one of their girlfriends mothers. One of the guys goes missing, the other tries to unravel the mystery of what happened to him. Another mystery is if the mother is involved or not. This film is strange. It seems like its going to be interesting, but then settles into the usual "crazy guy stalking specific female" and takes that through the final two thirds of the film. Nothing inventive or intriguing to really hook the viewer. The main issue of the film is it is funny, but not intentionally. Paxton is a little too over-the-top in his portrayal of the weird guy who works at his father's mortuary. The ending is funny and over-the-top crazy. In the end it had some potential for the first 30 minutes but quickly goes off the rails. Not Paxton's best work. Wait for the final jump scare ala Carrie. It makes no sense here though.Schizoid (1980)Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future, Angels in the Outfield) and Klaus Kinski (writer of extremely deviant tell-all memoirs) are both suspects in this who-done-it film that is equal parts sleazy, gory, and mysterious. The plot centers around a newspaper columnist that begins to receive anonymous letters threatening to kill people. The reporter also attends a group therapy session, who's members begin to get knocked off one by one with a giant pair of scissors, conveniently after Professor Kinski (Pieter in the film, but I like the other name) makes them feel like a woman. Is it the awkward repairman (Lloyd) who is way too into his job? Is it the creepy ladies guy all these woman can't seem to keep their hands off (Kinksi)? Or could it be one of the many other off-putting individuals interspersed throughout the film? By slasher standards, this one actually develops (some of) the characters fairly well. It at least doesn't completely telegraph who the killer is at the outset, since most of the male characters would fit the bill anyway.
