October Horror Movie a Day 2022

[SJP]

I'm back!  Why?  Because I like this place, even though I haven't visited in almost a year.

Though I didn't post my list from last year, I did want to say...I did it.  I did finish it, though it was close.  It's not a perfect track record, but I am still batting pretty well.

As always, the rules are:
1. Horror is wide ranging; anything that includes horror as a general premise, even if comedic, is fine, though movies that are jokingly horrific ("Ishtar is so bad, it's scary!" is not a good excuse) do not.
2. One a day, for 31 days.  It's already started as of me typing this, but go by your local time.  It started 12:01 on the 1st, ends 11:59 on the 31st.  At least, for starting movies.  If a movie runs over time by a few minutes, but you started it, it's fine.
3. Front loading (watching 3 movies to get ahead and skip two days) is not OK, but catching up (watching three movies because you missed the last two) is OK.
4. Movies in a series count as separate entries.  All the Saw movies can technically last you a month; there are 31 now, aren't there?
5. New movies are encouraged, but old favorites are fine as well.
6. TV Specials are also OK (Simpsons, Peanuts, whatever you nostalgically remember).
7. Riffed versions are not only acceptable, they are encouraged!
8. Enjoy and have fun!

Honorable Pre-Month Mentions: I watched these two early because they were leaving Prime and wanted to see them.  They don't count, but wanted to review and mention them anyway.
(A) Creature, aka Titan Find (1985)
(B) Too Scared to Scream, aka The Doorman (1982/1984)

1: Twice Told Tales (1963)
2: Knights of Badassdom (2012)
3: Rifftrax: Bloody Pit of Horror (1965/2012)
4: Zombie '90: Extreme Pestilence (1990/1992 English "Dub")
5: Rifftrax: The Dark (1978/2018)
6: Carnivore: Werewolf of London (2017)
7: Haunted Palace (1963)
8: Army of the Dead (2021)
9: Rifftrax: Uninvited (1987/2017)
10: Netherworld (1992)
11: Screamtime (1983)
12: Doom: Annhiliation (2019)
13: Rifftrax: The Dark Power (1985/2015)
14: The Terror (1963)
15: Morbius (2022)
16: Rifftrax: When a Stranger Calls Back (1999/2013)
17: Rifftrax: The Most Dangerous Game (1932/2020)
18: The Stuff (1985)
19: Wicked City (1987)
20: Dante's Inferno (2010)
21: Rifftrax: Wes Craven Presents Mind Ripper (1995/2017)
22: Rifftrax: Retro Puppet Master (1999/2017)
23: Shakma (1990)
24: Rats: Night of Terror (1984)
25: Killers from Space (1954)
26: Rifftrax: Mutant (1984/2012)
27: Evil Toons (1992)
28: Prophecy (1979)
29: One Dark Night (1983)
30: The Brain (1988)
31: Simpsons Season 33 Treehouse of Horror/Bob's Burgers Season 13 Halloween (2022)

[SJP]

My two honorable mentions: Long story short, I wanted to save these for October, but saw earlier in the week they would be leaving Prime before September 30th and I didn't know when or where I would have a chance to finish them.  They don't count, but wanted to do these quick reviews:

Creature (1985)
Trying to make a quick buck on a discovery on the moon Titan, two groups of salvage experts encounter a nasty monster that not only controls minds with brain slugs, but also eats anyone who runs into them.  Klaus Kinski appears, but interestingly, not as the movie monster, just as a creepy German guy, so he's not really acting too much.
A fun Alien ripoff, but what's fun is suddenly recognizing half the cast as people that appeared in other, much more famous roles.  There's Ferris Bueller's dad as the white collar head of the American salvage crew that suddenly realizes douchiness isn't a good thing, Wendy Schaal from The Burbs and American Dad as one of the crew, and oddly, director William Malone, who I realized is the guy who would go on to direct House on Haunted Hill '99, which is actually a film I enjoy without sarcasm.

Too Scared to Scream (1984)
As the tenants of an apartment complex find themselves inconveniently murdered, suspicion falls onto the gentlemanly but really weird doorman Vincent Hardwick, who doesn't do much to allay suspicion against him, what with being very quiet and living with his paralyzed mother, who keeps looking at him like he's about to drive a knife into her at any second.
Another movie that is interesting less in the plot (in which it's the motive, not the killer, that provides the most intrigue) than in the fact that, like Creature, it's all the people in it that is the most fun.  Vincent himself is Lovejoy/foulmouthed gunslinger extraordinaire Ian McShane, the late John Heard has a bit part as an assistant medical examiner, and the film is directed by Tony Lo Bianco (as in, "Hey!  It's that guy from all those cop movies from the 70s" Lo Bianco), and is apparently the only thing that he ever directed.  Highlights include the cast, a foulmouthed maid who yells at a Mynah Bird, and the 80s Jazzercise sequence towards the end that will have you saying, "Yep, this takes place in the 80s!"

[SJP]

1. Twice Told Tales (1962)

Vincent Price heads up three tales based on works by Nathaniel Hawthorne...very, very loosely based, anyway.
In the first, Sebastian Cabot and Price star in Dr. Heidegger's Experiment, in which a birthday party for two old men (or rather, two middle-aged men in obvious powdered hair and makeup) starts out wonderfully on finding a Fountain of Youth style potion, but things take a darker turn when Cabot tries to resurrect his long dead wife.  In the second, Rappacini's Daughter, a young Italian man in Genoa (read: all actors are from California and don't even try to hide it) falls in love with a young lady who is poison to everyone she touches...literally.  Price plays the father who made her that way.  In the third, House of the Seven Gables, Price plays a relative who is certain a long hidden treasure hides in the house and will do anything to get it...even if his sister, wife, and long-suffering descendant of the land's original owner try to get in his way.

Enjoyable for the probably high-quality at the time but now silly-looking special effects (did you know poison burns you just like a frying pan, complete with smoke?), but the stories do tend to drag, thanks to being based on short stories that take less time to read than the segments they inspire...something that happens a lot with Poe and other Gothic short stories of the time.  Certainly not the worst of these I've ever seen, thanks in large part to the cast, but there have been better, as well.

[WhyDontTheyLook]

1. Sat 10/1: Halloween (1978) -- Starting off at the top! It's all downhill from here. Thought about watching the Rifftrax version, ended up opting for the unriffed as a run-up for the new film coming out in a couple weeks or so.

2. Sun 10/2: Smile (2022) -- While it does hit a lot of familiar story beats, between the intense atmosphere established by first-time director Parker Finn and Sosie Bacon's go-for-broke performance, it ends up being a compelling and memorable film.

[WhyDontTheyLook]

3. Mon 10/3: Spookies (1986) -- Heard a lot of hype for this movie, a hybrid production of a movie that ran out of funds about 75% in and was then 'fixed' by another director bolting on new footage with different actors entirely, and... it lives up to it. Not just a bad movie, it's a glorious disaster, and completely bonkers. Lots of rubber monsters and old-school practical effects. Would love to see it riffed sometime.

[talulah gosh]

Please keep up your list, this is fascinating! Do you take suggestions? I would do it with you, but I don't have the resources to find that many movies quickly!!

[WhyDontTheyLook]

4. Tue 10/4: Halloween (2018) -- Continuing to rewatch ahead of the new Halloween Ends movie coming out soon. Man, that mask is in pretty rough shape at this point. Jamie Lee Curtis is great in this, everyone else about as good as they need to be to be in a Halloween movie.

5. Wed 10/5: Rifftrax: Blood Harvest (1987) -- Pretty surprised this isn't more famous among bad movie enthusiasts, because... wow. Billy Rebane somehow makes Giant Spider Invasion look coherent and well-plotted with this one. Riff was solidly funny, though Tiny Tim in clown makeup makes a pretty easy target.

[SJP]

Please keep up your list, this is fascinating! Do you take suggestions? I would do it with you, but I don't have the resources to find that many movies quickly!!

My recommendation?  Tubi, hands down.  Movies have commercials in them, but they have a VERY wide range of movies, horror of all genres, and you don't have to have a paid membership.  Seriously, they have good movies (Return of the Living Dead), cult movies (The Stuff), and even bottom barrel crap that I may watch again just because of how awful they were the first time around (Paranormal Asylum and Dark Moon Rising, two of the worst movies I've ever seen for this, are on there right now).  Very good for locating weirdo movies you used to find elsewhere but vanished from streaming when you weren't looking.

[SJP]

2. Knights of Badassdom (2012)
After being dumped, a fellow is roped into joining his friends' LARPing session, which involves the inadvertent use of a real spellbook to summon a succubus, which wreaks havoc on the unsuspecting nerds.
This is a weird entry, because while it is obvious that gore is cut out (ten years on and a director's cut has still yet to be released), it also feels like there's a lot more than that on the cutting room floor.  The action doesn't really start until 45 minutes in, but even then it feels like there's a lot of missing character development, to the point where I felt like I was missing a lot of really important information, or that lesser characters got more screen time than the main ones, which hurt the ability to relate to them better.  Still, it has some good lines in it, and the lack of major CG is astounding for the time it was made.  Enjoyable, but feels wanting.

3. Rifftrax: Bloody Pit of Horror (1965/2012)
A photo shoot goes horribly wrong as models fall victim to the owner of a castle who is either insane or possessed by the sadomasochistic torturer known as the Crimson Executioner.  Failed attempts at sexy torture and an oiled up villain in Silver Age red tights consume much of the runtime.
Was this one part of the Worst Sellers sale?  I don't know why...it's a constant standby when I need to put on something in the background.  Favorite bits include the singing fireplace mount, the "Great Buffalo Shot here" gag, "Trojan MAN!" and the 'exertion fart' during the rack scene.  60s cheese whose charm lies in the fact that it has long since gone out of style.

4. Zombie '90: Extreme Pestilence (1990/1992)
Two doctors try to learn about a zombie outbreak.  This is interrupted constantly by completely unrelated scenes of people being eaten.
Mostly brought to my attention by the Cinema Snob years ago, I have now seen this video in its entirety (YOU might be able to see it yourself, but TU see it might BE difficult), and I can say...it's hard to call this a film.  It is essentially a gag reel of zombie eating special effects, made on no budget, occasionally interrupted by the vaguest attempts of a plot (which doesn't so much resolve as just sort of end).  The main draw beyond the barrels (literally, I'm sure) of fake blood is the completely adlibbed English dub, which is the official dub thanks to the original director liking it so much when he saw it.  For those who have only seen bits and pieces of it in online reviews, please note the funniest scene, which probably isn't mentioned much, involves a zombie john who was created by a zombie prostitute whose...well, 'part' suffers both an unpleasant car-related end along with one of the best quips in the whole movie.  Can't really say 'highly recommended,' as that would recognize it as a complete film, but as a novelty it is hilarious and nonsensical in the best sort of way.

5. Rifftrax: The Dark (1978/Unknown Riff Release Date)
A killer stalks the streets decapitating people and exploding them with laser vision.  The police suspect he might not be strictly normal.
I've wanted to see this one for awhile, and located it on Tubi.  The movie itself is notable for a mildly famous late 70s cast (and that it was originally directed by Tobe Hooper before he was let go and replaced), but in the end, a lot of it is much ado about nothing.  So little of the film is visible (though whether this is the fault of the movie or a crappy print is up for debate), but even then, the main characters don't do a whole lot, minor characters get murdered in hilarious ways (the guy thrown into a fence on obvious wires is a sight to behold), and in the end, it all just ends up being a special effects extravaganza and nothing is explained, but hey, there's Mr. Antoine's Health Spa, and that's not so bad.  Definitely better with the riff.

[WhyDontTheyLook]

Please keep up your list, this is fascinating! Do you take suggestions? I would do it with you, but I don't have the resources to find that many movies quickly!!

My recommendation?  Tubi, hands down.  Movies have commercials in them, but they have a VERY wide range of movies, horror of all genres, and you don't have to have a paid membership.  Seriously, they have good movies (Return of the Living Dead), cult movies (The Stuff), and even bottom barrel crap that I may watch again just because of how awful they were the first time around (Paranormal Asylum and Dark Moon Rising, two of the worst movies I've ever seen for this, are on there right now).  Very good for locating weirdo movies you used to find elsewhere but vanished from streaming when you weren't looking.

Seconding this! I don't think Tubi even has a 'paid' option, and doesn't require you create an account with them (though you do need to create a free account if you want to start a list and add stuff you want to watch to it).

[WhyDontTheyLook]

6. Thu 10/6: The Cave (2005) -- A group of explorers trapped a mile below the surface contend with H.R. Giger's rejects. There was a fairly good story idea here, but the filmmakers whizzed it down their legs with flat directing and a hack-job of a script. Cole Hauser was nicely creepy, though.

7. Fri 10/7: Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) -- Rewatched the first Hellraiser last month. This film builds and expands off of that, and has some pretty great visuals and gory practical effects.

[SJP]

6. Carnivore: Werewolf of London (2017)
A British man and his American (read: British actress trying very hard to sound American, though it's given away when she says "Have" about halfway through the movie) girlfriend go on a vacation, which would be great if it weren't for the bloody werewolf trying to break in (read: plastic chested gorilla costume with radio controlled wolf mask).
I apologize to The Dark for being much ado about nothing.  This movie pretty much has a cast of four for much of its runtime (save for some scenes at the beginning, end, and a cab driver who is onscreen all of thirty seconds before becoming one of the many nameless rabble of victims) and literally most of the movie is the two main characters running back and forth between four rooms in the same building.  And it doesn't help when the trivia helpfully points out that the film was made at an actual resort house, so you know they couldn't actually cause damage to the property (thus why the werewolf never tries to bust through windows except for a bit of obvious CG).  Sadly, the monster itself is not shown in good lighting or at proper angles very much, so we never get a really good look of how cheap the costume actually is.  It clearly bunches up in spots when the monster is attacking doors, looks like the hair is made of imitation fleece, and yes, the chest is visibly made of plastic.  They really should have gone full Velocipastor and shown the ridiculous suit in all its glory.
To be fair...the movie is in the high 2's on IMDB.  That's a little unfair.  It's not good, but despite the crappy costume and lack of proper pacing...it's not really a 2.  It's just kind of boring.  It's a high 4 at worst, I'd say.
Memorable scene: Our 'hero,' shirtless, having just been attacked by the monster, stands dramatically in front of the woods, facing the wolf and another villainous character.  He then says his memorable quip: "I'm calling the police."  Then he runs away.  Utterly out of place, it is both ridiculous and brilliant at the same time.

[WhyDontTheyLook]

8. Sat 10/8: Black Sheep (2006) -- Not to be confused with the David Space/Chris Farley movie. This is an Australian horror-comedy in which sheep on an Australian farm consume genetically modified waste and become fearsome killers. This film is a goddamn delight, finding the right tone for blending humor and horror without losing either. The gory practical effects are superb.

9. Sun 10/9: The Belko Experiment (2016) -- A building full of office workers are forced to commit mayhem against one another in this comic and bloody movie written (though not directed) by James Gunn. Hits a difficult-to-thread satirical tone, neither dead serious nor winking at the camera.

10. Mon 10/10: Amityville Death House (2015) -- If you thought 'Amityville: The Evil Escapes' was a bad Amityville movie... I got news for you. Mark Polonia (of 'Feeders' infamy) directed four of these films, and they make 'Evil Escapes' look slick. And yeah, I'm aware that most of the Amityville films, especially the ones that are getting churned out these days, are terrible... but nobody makes terrible as fun to watch as a Polonia. This one's got Eric Roberts, too, so you know his check cleared.

11. Tue 10/11: Underworld (2003) -- Yeah, I love this big, dumb werewolves vs vampires movie with all its overwrought energy and earnest weirdness. Kate Beckinsale in tight black leather is a selling point, too, I'll admit.

[WhyDontTheyLook]

12. Wed 10/12: Hor-Riff-Ic: Sleepaway Camp (1983) -- Like I was gonna go through October without at least one Hor-Riff-Ic riff! This is a really good one, taking on a cheesy, sleazy classic from the 80s.

13. Thu 10/13: Paginini Horror (1989) -- A really bad, really cheesy, and really fun giallo movie, in which an all-female rock group in need of a hit try to record something based on a composition by Paginini (a classical composer who allegedly sold his soul to the devil). Insanity ensues. The WTF is strong with this one, but in an enjoyable way.

[WhyDontTheyLook]

14. Fri 10/14: The Children (1980) -- A passing toxic cloud turns a school bus full of grade-school children into zombielike creatures who can apparently make people melt and die by embracing them. Creepy, silly, and gory, well worth dipping into if you like the 'kids as murderous monsters' horror subgenre.

15. Sat 10/15: Candyman (2021) -- I found this to be an effective regeneration and continuation of the Candyman franchise, building the most on the first one (while not necessarily contradicting 2 and 3).

16. Sun 10/16: Hellraiser (2022) -- Lore-heavy reboot of the Hellraiser franchise on Hulu. Not all of it works, but much of it does, with a lot of great visuals and a good performance from the new Pinhead, Jamie Clayton.