October Horror Movie Viewing

This has been a lazy October for me watching festive films. In the past, I've gone bonkers with horror movies during Halloween month (even achieving a movie per day one year), but this year I just couldn't muster the energy or interest to compile a decent list of flicks and to watch very many frightful pictures. Well, I did write down some titles, but it was a half-hearted attempt. Then again, I found it really hard to decide on things I wanted to see that I hadn't already watched dozens of times already. As I pored over my hundreds of horror DVDs and Blu-rays, I realized I'd sort of reached my saturation point with these movies. As good as they are, they don't command the same attention they used to; I think I just need to wait a few years, then I'll be good to revisit my personal video collection again. 

So this year, I jumped around from Netflix to Youtube and even bought a couple of videos. Thankfully, most of those viewings were pretty satisfying. 

Dinner is served... a la carte, in Deranged

I kicked off the month with the Netflix production of Gerald's Game, a taut and briefly gruesome adaptation from the Stephen King novel (which I read and enjoyed several years ago). I recommend this one for its somewhat restrained approach... and its contemplation on psychological horrors. 

Don't Kill It is a low-budgeter starring Dolph Ludgren as a modern day demon hunter. Silly and fun. Don't expect anything groundbreaking; just sit back with the popcorn and yuk it up.

Deranged is an early 1970's telling of the Ed Gein serial killer story. We've had many movies since this one that were based either loosely or more loosely on the exploits of the real-life Butcher of Plainfield. Deranged precedes them all, including Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the various Hannibal films. This is a gritty bargain-basement flick that is kind of creepy and effective despite the weak journalist narrator style. It seemed a bit tame at first, but descended into some rather disturbing images as the tale progressed.

Sometimes They Come Back was an early 90's Stephen King adaptation. It works fairly well, maintaining that vibe that made 80's King films so watchable, even the bad ones. The story didn't lean too hard on the supernatural, instead working with its solid cast and dramatic story. 

TerrorVision was a pretty ridiculous effort. I enjoyed a good (?) chunk of the movie in spite of its silliness. But maybe it was the irreverence that made it appealing. An 80's movie that is simply so "of its time" that you can excuse the weirdness and badness and just go along for the ride. Pretty out there...

Just give us a little kiss, luv... from the grim Maniac

Dig Two Graves, on Netflix, knocked my socks off. An atmospheric thriller, this one was dark and grim and so effective that even as I watched, I knew I'd want to see it again sometime. Great layered story enhanced by fine performances.

The first of my new home video acquisitions was the recently released Alien: Covenant. I had missed this in the theatres, but did rent it online a bit later. Not exactly a hit, this entry in the Alien universe still captures the essence of this now-classic franchise and wasn't an utter disappointment. In fact, upon re-viewing, I enjoyed it even more. Lean on character development but fully stocked on creature effects and guts'n'gore scenes. Fassbender is the real star here, as he was in Prometheus, this time playing two roles. No spoilers... just go watch it. Pretty fun, if a weak link in the series.

Maniac is grainy, murky 1980 serial killer story. A mentally disturbed dude with a thing for mannequins is knocking off various folks, mostly women, in the dark corners of NYC. Once you discover why he does this, you'll either be riveted or repulsed... or both. This excursion explores the mind of the psychotic character.

1922 is yet another Netflix production of a Stephen King tale. Not bad at all, 1922 gives us good old Thomas Jane in the lead role as a man who goes to unpleasant lengths to keep his piece of farmland. Another examination of a gradually unhinging mind, this film was a bit of a surprise with its gruesome bits and themes. 

The Babysitter, while not quite a horror per se, does contain horrific elements and scenes. Those aside, though, this is a fun comedy, if you have the ability to laugh at dark and awful bloody messes. The story became progressively crazier and nearly lost me, but thankfully, the film-makers reined things in just enough to succeed with this formula. 

I'm not sure where I'll go from here up until the evening of October 31st, but I have some ideas... like Raw Meat (on Youtube), a nasty story of a cannibal living in the subway tunnels of London, England. As icky as the subject matter is, it's a compelling bit of 70's horror. 

I'm more than halfway through the newly-released season two of Stranger Things, one of the coolest Netflix shows I've ever seen. A sort of sci-fi/supernatural/conspiracy story in the spirit of Spielberg's 80's movies. 

There's a good chance I'll put on one of the classic Universal monster movies on Halloween night, possibly The Wolf Man from 1941... the most re-watchable of the oldies and my favourite of the bunch. But I'll re-assess my rough little viewing schedule and try to spruce it up for the few nights left 'til All Hallow's Eve.

Happy haunting!