October Horror Movies Day 31

On Halloween night, I decided to settle in with some nice Halloween-themed classics. It had been a while since I saw Halloween III: Season Of The Witch (1982) and it seemed like the perfect movie for the night. Halloween III was the first Halloween movie I saw, and I vividly remember it. I was at my grandparents' house and I was watching it on an 8" television in the kitchen, constantly on the lookout for my grandparents for fear that I would get in trouble for watching a scary movie. I remember being somewhat confused because even though I hadn't seen any of the other Halloween movies, I had heard tales of the terrifying Michael Myers that lurked within them. Yet this film contained no Michael Myers. I think it was because of my unfamiliarity with the Halloween movies that I enjoyed this one as much as I did. And it seems to get more enjoyable upon every viewing. I'm not saying that Halloween III should be considered a classic, but it stands on it's own as a fun little Halloween-themed horror film. Also, I really want a Silver Shamrock mask. I often wonder what would have happened if the Halloween franchise had continued on with non-Michael Myers themed plots. It surely wouldn't have spawned as many sequels, but it also would have probably produced at least a few films better that some of the terrible sequels that have come out lately. 7 out of 12 beers.

Trick 'r Treat (2007) has become a modern Halloween classic despite (or perhaps because of) it sitting on the shelf for nearly two years after it was finished. Dumped onto DVD instead of the theatrical release it was originally slated for, Trick 'r Treat has gained a cult following mostly due to the fact that it's essentially a love letter to Halloween. Trick 'r Treat is an anthology film that weaves together four separate stories that all take place in one small town on Halloween night. This movie is essential for Halloween viewing. Especially with a big bag of candy. 10 1/2 out of 12 beers.

Next up was one of my favorite horror movies as a child, The Monster Squad (1987). This movie is like The Goonies for monster kids. A group of kids have to protect themselves and the world from a group of classic horror movie monsters (Dracula, The Mummy, The Wolfman, The Creature From The Black Lagoon, and Frankenstein's Monster) that return every 100 years to bring about chaos on earth. This movie is great and is a prime example of a movie from the 80's that could never be made today. The protagonists are kids, which firmly establishes the film as a kid's movie. Yet the film is completely politically incorrect (as kids usually are) and actually deals with some fairly heavy subject matters. Add in some light gore and profanity, and you've got the perfect recipe for a movie made for kids that parents will hate. Though my parents never had a problem with The Monster Squad (and believe me, I watched it a LOT), I absolutely loved this movie. Four of the biggest names in monsterdom? What monster kid wouldn't love it? The Monster Squad is perfect for Halloween viewing. 11 out of 12 beers.

And finally, I ended the month with one more horror movie I had never seen. Rocktober Blood (1984) is a pretty entertaining heavy metal slasher flick. Basically, a famous rock star kills massacres a bunch of people and then is executed for his crimes. Several years later, he apparently comes back from the dead and terrorizes his ex-girlfriend who now fronts his former band. It's just as silly as it sounds, and I have to admit it was fun. Also, the music by the band Sorcery is not bad if you can appreciate 80's heavy metal. 7 1/2 out of 12 beers.

So that concludes my month long quest of watching 50 horror movies I've never seen in one month. At a grand total of 56 movies (52 of which I hadn't seen before), I consider it a victory. Though I won't be documenting every horror movie I watch from here on out, I can guarantee that I will not stop watching them any time soon. I look forward to trying to beat my record again next year. And on the horizon, I've got a few more video nasties lined up which I can hopefully get around to soon.

October Horror Movies Day 30

Unfortunately because of my work schedule, I didn't have the chance to watch more movies until the 29th. Then, just as I was about to settle in for a movie marathon, Hurricane Sandy took out our power. I know it could have been worse than a power outage, but it was still disappointing. When I awoke on the 30th to find we had power, I immediately put on a movie.

Midnight (1982) is directed and based on a novel by John Russo, most commonly known as one of the screenwriters of the original Night Of The Living Dead. The movie follows a teenage runaway who meets up with some college kids on their way to Spring Break. After they run into some trouble with the law for stealing groceries, they hide out in a backwoods area where more trouble awaits them. Midnight is not an exceptionally original movie. We've seen it's basic plot countless times over in horror movies, however Midnight has an air of sleaziness to it that makes it work. It's hard to explain, but there's kind of a feeling of dread and unease that permeates the film. I personally have never heard of this film, but I feel like I should have. It's certainly not the best horror movie, but I feel like it should be mentioned more than it is. 8 out of 12 beers.

After an extremely frustrating day at work, I needed something to calm me down. I figured that after watching fifty-one horror movies I had never seen before, I had earned the right to relax with an old friend. That old friend was Little Shop Of Horrors (1986). Little Shop Of Horrors is my go-to movie. I put it on when I'm angry, I put it on when I'm sad, I put it on when I'm happy, and I put it on when I'm drunk. There's just something about the movie that makes everything right with the world. I'm a devoted horror maniac and gore-hound, but I'm not ashamed to admit that this musical is probably my favorite film of all time. I could literally gush about this movie for hours, but I'll just end by saying that the newly released Blu-Ray looks fantastic and it's great to finally see the spectacularly apocalyptic original ending fully restored and looking better than ever. Little Shop Of Horrors gets 12 out of 12 beers.