Category: *31 Days of Horror

‎31 Days of Horror: Day 9: “Curtains” (1983)

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I’m breaking the rule of only watching NEW films and checking out a classic that I haven’t watched in far too long. I’ll be upfront and honest, this movie should be a mess (Google the behind the scenes production problem for more details). The fact that it isn’t is a miracle in and of itself but the fact that the movie is a damn near masterpiece? Well, let’s just say that the slasher gods must have been looking down on this movie because it is simply incredible. Love the twist at the end, love the figure skater who gets killed by the masked man in the old hag mask, and love the final chase in the old prop room. Sure it isn’t entirely believable and there is a bit of logic that must be stretched thin but that doesn’t stop this movie from being one of the best of its kind.

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31 Days of Horror – Day 7 – “Cutting Class” (1989)

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A fairly run-of-the-mill late 80’s slasher whodunit mostly notable for the horror debut of Brad Pitt. He’s fairly terrible in this, overplaying the role of the school jock to a cartoonish degree. Far better is Jill Schoelen in the role of Paula, our reluctant final girl. Not a bad movie by any measure – the production values are excellent and the score is a lot of fun – this is one of those movies that just fades from memory the second you are finished viewing it. Worth a watch for slasher fans but there are definitely much better films in the genre to choose from.

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31 Days of Horror – Day 6 – “Office Killer” (1997)

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A wonderfully over-the-top performance by the one and only Carol Kane can’t save a movie that doesn’t know whether it wants to be a horror movie or a satire on the interworkings of office behavior. It is badly paced but well shot (it was directed by famous photographer Cindy Sherman) with some nice bits of black humor that feels at odds with the material. You have Carol Kane as a batty office lady who loses it and kills her coworkers and you can’t find a way to make the material work? A missed opportunity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we4BeJ5ezvk

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‎31 Days of Horror – Day 5 – “Ghoulies II” (1988)

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After having a not-so-great time with the original Ghoulies (couldn’t finish it without falling asleep), I was pleasantly surprised who entertaining I found this sequel. A shocking about of blood and several F-bombs make me wonder whether or not the MPAA actually saw this movie when they awarded it a PG-13 rating. Also, Ghoulies at a circus? Love the concept and those little ugly bastard just make me smile with their “wacky” hi-jinks. Not a “good” movie but a decent way to kill 80 minutes.

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‎31 Days of Horror – Day 4 – “Monsters in the Woods” (2012)

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I went into this film with little expectations and was still disappointed. A film crew is shooting a horror movie in the woods and are attacked one by one by a real life monsters. A duo of angels (?) are sent to vanquish the creature and save what is left of the film crew. This film starts out as found footage but the idea is abandoned about a half an hour in after the camera man is killed. Monsters in the Woods is all over the map and can’t decide whether it is a satire of the horror genre or a horror film itself. It’s not a terrible watch but I would never watch it again. Take that for what its worth.

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31 Days of Horror – Day 3 – “Paranorman” (2012)

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Going into the film, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I liked, but did not love, Coraline and the trailer for Paranorman seemed to be a bit all over the map. Was it a horror tale for kids? A coming of age story? An adolescent comedy? Turns out it was all of the above with a surprisingly touching message about tolerance. Lots of great humor for horror fans (just try to count all the references) and one hell of a final act involving a little girl killed for witchcraft getting revenge. Much darker than I expected, it will definitely go down as one of my favorite horror films of the year. Also, props to the filmmakers for making one of the main characters gay and not making a big deal about it. All in all, a definite must see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zIjLA8NGLY

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31 Days of Horror – Day 2 – “Evil Laugh” (1986)

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Billed as the “80’s Scream”, this film has some amusing jokes but painfully unlikable characters and a complete lack of gore. It’s worth a watch for slasher fans but nothing memorable. A particular microwave scene reminds me a little bit too much of the “Last House on the Left” remake. I would say they stole it from this movie but I don’t think anyone has ever seen this one.

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‎31 Days of Horror: Day 1 – More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead (2011)

Slasher Studios*31 Days of Horror

To celebrate 31 days of horror, Slasher Studios is watching one horror film a day for the entire month of October. Should be fun, right? Well, if the movies are good, it should be. These are just going to be mini reviews but I may go back and flesh out these reviews at a later time. Interested in joining in on the fun. Come join the facebook group: 31 Days of Horror.

‎31 Days of Horror: Day 1 – More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead (2011)

I’m hoping horror documentaries count because as documentaries go, this one was pretty damn amazing. I’ve never been the biggest Return of the Living Dead fan though I love the film’s spirit and energy. This documentary is another story all together. It is just about flawless. More Brains tells the story of how everything can go wrong on a film set and how it is still possible to make a film everyone is proud of. A lesson more indie filmmakers need to take to heart. Lots of informative interviews and lots of honesty (the problems aren’t shied away from) make for an entertaining watch for even the most casual Living Dead fan.

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