Embedded Files
Hey Lunies, I know I've been absent for most the month, but I got a new job and then was off in Florida-Land avoiding (Hurricane) Michael and eating far too much at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival.
To that end, I've compiled a small list of movies I've seen and generally like to watch or will watch during October, and then later I'll do a list of movies I still have yet to see because I'm lame and a scaredy cat XD.
So in no order except for how they come to mind:
13 Movies Dio Likes to Watch During October!
They Live
Subliminal messages at its best, They Live won't be the only John Carpenter movie I'll be listing (and while a favorite, not my top fave), but its worth the list even though its not traditionally a horror movie.
There's an inkling of Body Snatchers in it, except the bad guys are already large and in charge, but its the performance of legendary Rowdy Roddy Piper and Keith David's EPIC 6 MINUTE FIST FIGHT that makes this movie a treat for me. The creepy alien makeup is pretty dated in the right ways, looking so over the top weird its almost funny and loops back to creepy.
I love this movie. I love the messages, overt and not so overt. I love the angry frustration Carpenter throws onto the screen to get his point across.
But mostly, I just really really love that fight scene. XD
Ghostbusters 1 & 2
Ok I'm cheating by listing them both I can't choose between Zool and VIGO! I grew up on these movies as a child and the animated tv show as well, and I have to say I just love watching them over and over. If you only choose one "traditional" halloween movie to watch, CHOOSE BOTH OF THESE for a marathon night. You won't be sorry.
Unless you watch the reboot. Skip that.
Train to Busan
I'm not a zombie flick kinda gal. The gore and cannibalism scares this puss way too much. But when a friend showed me a trailer for Train to Busan, I gave it a chance, and holy shit am I glad I did. Its hands down my favorite zombie flick, and that was previously held by Shaun of the Dead.
It starts out with a bang within the first 20 minutes and only barely lets up to introduce our star players, from the main characters of Sok-woo, the sometimes absent business man father to lonely daughter Soo-ahn, to tough as nails Sang-hwa and his pregnant wife Seong-kyeong, to a young baseball player and his girlfriend, to the utterly despicable Coo Yong-Suk, and 2 elderly sisters. Most of the action revolves around the titular train hurtling towards Busan, and painfully shows in horrifying and triumphant light the best and worst of all human conditions in a fight to survival. It can make you sob in love of the human condition and loathe with every fiber the worst in all of us, and doesn't let up a single moment in the tension once it hits the ground running. If you're looking for a new zombie flick to sink your teeth into, I recommend Train to Busan.
Creepshow
My dad once bought a cheap bargain bin version of this movie and I finally watched it a few years ago, and MAN, I am so sad I missed it earlier in my life. Its got a little bit of everything, from horror, to humor, to revenge and of course BUGS.
MAN I HATED THAT SEQUENCE XD.
Creepshow is an anthology movie, made of different shorts, and each has their own charm, like the goofy Jordy played by the master of horror Stephen King himself, or watching Leslie Nielsen be a murderous psycho, or the beautiful Adrienne Barbeau play an absolute shrew. If you're old enough, that is, to recognize some of the actors in this classic.
But "They're Creeping Up on You" is easily the most terrifying cuz, holy shit, I hate roaches and body horror. But you'll have to watch it to find out....
Halloween
There's not much I can say that hasn't already been said for this classic slasher flick other than IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT:
Also, its sad, but my childhood of Mystery Science Theater 3000 brought me up to think that Donald Pleasance has only been in bad movie.
I'm so glad I was dead wrong when I finally saw this. Man, he's so good in it. @_@
Shaun of the Dead
The best zom-rom-com, with a kicking soundtrack. No really. Any soundtrack with Grandmaster Flash and Queen makes for the best movie of all frickin time.
What?
The Zed word. Don't say it!
Why not?
BECAUSE ITS RIDICULOUS.
Duba duba duba duba dubabadu
*groan*
Duba duba duba duba dubabadu
*moan*
What's he doing?? He should say "Bass!"
Or "Freeze"?
What a tit.
ITS ON RANDOM.
If you don't get it, go get it. And grab a pint at the Winchester while you're at it.
Profundo Rosso (Deep Red)
Its more a slasher flick with some supernatural, and to be honest, I also really, really like Suspiria, but I always come back to Profundo Rosso because it actually was recommended by my sister when she took a course in horror movies at college (I KNOW RIGHT??? I WISH I TOOK THAT CLASS). I had seen Suspiria before and love its dark, broody atmosphere. Argento makes some of the most gore-geous giallo films and they're all worth a watch or 3 for the garish colors, the atmosphere, and the suspence that is sadly lost on some newer films.
You won't be disappointed by this mystery film, and if you got the night to yourself, add in Suspiria to give you just the right chill chaser to keep you up all night.
Dracula: Dead and Loving It
I love my comedies, as you can see, and Leslie Nielsen as the titular vampire is as good as it gets to spoof films. Mel Brooks plays Van Helsing in one of the best portrayal of the character, and its a hilarious romp through the classic story.
It seems its funniest if you've seen Bram Stoker's Dracula but it stands wholly on its own as a parody of the classic gothic horror.
Harker: But Lucy...! I'm British!
Lucy: *showing her cleavage* But so are these!
Harker: She's alive?
Van Helsing: She's Nosferatu.
Harker: She's Italian?
Remember; You...saw...EVERYTHING. 8D
High Spirits
If you grew up in the 80s you'd remember Steve Guttenberg as being in like 500 movies, especially Police Academy, but my favorite film is this sweet rom-com about a human and a ghost falling in love in an Irish castle. Its a harmless, cutesy movie about how love triumphs over death.
Or its about wife swapping. That too.
Memorable scenes include a group of ghostly, void-faced, red eyed nuns tossing a priest around for thinking impure thoughts, a rather impressive scene of a puppet theater attempting to drown a young child, Peter O'Toole as a failing owner of said castle, and a young Liam Neeson partially nude and seducing another man's wife.
Also responsible for introducing the term "bahoogies" to my vocabulary.
The Ring
The original.
The first.
The ONE.
The ONLY.
Responsible for introducing the west to the concept of onryo, yuurei, and the endless depths of J-horror. Watch it once, and I guarantee you'll jump at a telephone at least once.
Shutter (Original Thai Version)
My personal reigning champ of Asian horror for a long time (until of course the aforementioned Train to Busan), Shutter is still a favorite. Being a Fatal Frame fan, of course I'd be all over ghost movies with a camera, and this one didn't disappoint.
My favorite scene is the car chase. Certainly my top fave jump scare in all movies I've seen. Insane.
There was a remake, that was rather faithful all things consider, however the ending came out slightly different and I prefer the slightly more open ending of the original. Shot (heh) well, acted well, with great make up, I recommend Shutter for those looking for another taste of yuurei after getting their feet wet with Ring, Ju-On, and One Missed Call (all of which should be seen with the original versions first before the western remakes to get the right flavors).
The Thing
Yeah, I admit it, I'm a huge Carpenter fan, with the 3 movies I've already listed, but The Thing is by far my favorite of horror movies, hands down. The practical effects alone should really sell this movie to you, from Dog Thing attacking the sled dogs (WARNING DOG LOVERS SHOULD STAY AWAY ;.;), to the crawling head, to the infamous defibrillator scene and epic blood testing scene. I love everything about this movie and every second of it scares the ever loving shit out of me.
What really makes this movie for me too is the rugged Kurt Russel, the score, the effects, and the absolutely up in the air ending that still gets people talking about it years later. Its got such a good dose of the end of the world that I daresay it bests most of the "evil wins" endings of the 70s horror movies.
Want a movie that has the best special effects hands down? This movie is for you.
Whet your appetite for more? Join me soon when I reveal which movies I still haven't seen yet that I need to before I die. XD Track 'im down via Netflix or even youtube (I've seen some people host the older, original j-horror stuff but you gotta look).
Happy viewing!
--Dio (10/16/18)
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