31 Days of Horror - Day 30 (THE DESCENT)

I thought The Descent was a pretty good film. It won't be to everyone's tastes though. Part women bonding film, part horror film. The second half of the film is more action packed and bloodier but the first half is just as good setting the mood of the film perfectly. Plus it has a little humor. Two of the women stand out from the rest: Natalie Mendoza and Shauna MacDonald. A must see for anyone looking for some thrills mixed with a good storyline.


(2005) Stars Shauna MacDonald, Natalie Mendoza, Nora Jane Noone, Alex Reid. Directed by Neil Marshall.

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Beth:"I'm an English teacher, not fucking Tomb Raider".

31 Days of Horror - Day 26 (SCREAM)

Wes Craven 1996's horror film Scream is a wonderful homage to all the slasher flicks before it. Written by Kevin Williamson of Dawson's Creek fame with an ironic twist and respect for older horror films, most notably Halloween, Psycho, and Friday the 13th. Set in a small sleepy town in California, Scream begins with a hell of a 10 minute opening sequence which has a young girl home alone (wonderfully played by Drew Barrymore) who is being harassed by a twisted phone caller. Things get really scary when said caller shows up at her house. From that beginning, Scream continues with a steady pace of thrills and scares and humor. Our heroine of the film is Sidney (a fresh faced Neve Campbell) who is dealing with the 1 year anniversary of her mom's murder. She manages to survive a first encounter with the killer, who manages to hack up everyone else in sight. What makes Scream works for me is the self aware attitude most of the characters have especially Sidney and one her friends, video geek Randy (played with relish by Jamie Kennedy). There is plenty of gore and blood to be found in this film but it is balanced with well timed humor and much respect for previous horror movies. The supporting cast is top notch especially Courtney Cox (playing news reporter Gail Weathers) She looks fantastic and her character will no way remind you of Monica from Friends. Gail is a different kind of animal. Her future husband David Arquette is inept deputy Dewey, and Arquette nails his performance perfectly. Rose McGowan is a hoot as Sidney's hot-to-trot friend Tatum. Henry Winkler is actually pretty good as the principal. Skeet Ulrich is kinda creepy as Sidney's boyfriend. But it's Neve Campbell who rocks the most as Sidney. She goes from bereaving daughter to stand up woman who holds her own against the killer. Scream was a surprise smash when it hit theaters in December 1996. I remembering the audience being totally jacked up for it too. A worthy sequel followed one year later that was nearly as good as this one. Less said about the third chapter the better, even though it did have its moments. But Scream is a perfect way to wind down the Halloween season. If you have never seen it I suggest checking out the whole trilogy just to be complete. And Scream 4 is due out April 2011. I've seen the trailer and it looks awesome. Can't wait.

(1996) Stars Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Skeet Ulrich, Drew Barrymore, Rose McGowan, Jamie Kennedy, Liev Schreiber.
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Phone Voice: Do you like scary movies?
Sidney Prescott: What's the point they're all the same, some stupid killer stalking some big-breasted girl who can't act who is always running up the stairs when she should be running out the front door, it's insulting.

31 Days of Horror - Day 21 (THE LOST BOYS)

A group of teenage vampires attempts to recruit a new member who is not quite so certain about the trouble he is getting into. One of my favorite vampire movies of all time. Featuring a super cast and a rocking music score. Kiefer Sutherland is awesome as David, leader of the vampires who recruits Michael (Jason Patric).
Corey Haim plays Michael's younger brother Sam, who is into comic books, big time. Dianne Wiest plays their gullible mom. Barnard Hughes is a riot as Grandpa. And let's not forget the Frog Brothers (Corey Feldman, Jamison Newlander). They make this movie as comic book store owners by day, and vampire hunters by night. They supply most of the humor. But there is plenty of gore and graphic deaths in this movie as well. The Lost Boys rocks.

(1987) Stars Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland, Dianne Wiest, Edward Hermann, Barnard Hughes, Jami Gertz.



Edward Frog: Listen, just so you know, if you try to stop us, or vamp out in any way, I'll stake you without even thinking twice about it!

31 Days of Horror - Day 20 (THE FRIGHTENERS)

Frank Bannister (a departure for Michael J. Fox)is a psychic swindler with the perfect business partners. They work cheap... they're dedicated... and they're dead. Possessed with a genuine ability to communicate with the dearly departed, Bannister earns a stiff living by setting up spirit clearance scams with his trio of ghostly cronies. But Frank may not be the only one in the small town of Fairwater working the paranormal side of the street. A series of inexplicable deaths and bizarre occurrences suggests the presence of a malevolent poltergeist. With the suspicious finger of a zealous FBI agent pointing directly at him, and the woman he cares for in danger, Bannister attempts to unravel the supernatural crime spree by venturing into a realm where all fears are realized... and true evil does not die. Very cool movie directed by Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings series). And it was great seeing horror vets like Jeffrey Combs and Dee Wallace Stone make appearances.

(1996) Stars Michael J. Fox, Trini Alvarado, Jeffrey Combs, Jake Busey, Chi McBride, Dee Wallace Stone, R. Lee Ermey, John Astin.

31 Days of Horror - Day 19 (MISERY)

A famous novelist (James Caan) is "rescued" from a car crash by an obsessed fan (Kathy Bates). Awesome film adaptation of Stephen King's best-seller featuring a powerhouse performance by Kathy Bates as Caan's character number one fan. She deservedly won an Oscar for Best Actress. A chilling movie peppered with dark humor.

(1990) Stars James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth, Frances Sternhagen and screen legend Lauren Bacall.

31 Days of Horror - Day 17 (UNDERWORLD)

Selene (an awesome Kate Beckinsale), a beautiful vampire warrior, is entrenched in a war between the vampire and werewolf races. Although she is aligned with the vampires, she falls in love with Michael, a werewolf who longs for the war to end. Cool action pulsates throughout this entertaining movie. Beckinsale, usually known for English dramas, cuts loose as Selene. And Bill Nighy is awesome as Victor, lord of the Vampires. Michael Sheen is equally good as the werewolf leader, Lucian.

(2003) Stars Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Bill Nighy, Michael Sheen, Sophia Myles.

31 Days of Horror - Day 15 (DEAD SNOW)

A ski vacation turns horrific for a group of teenagers, as they find themselves confronted by an unimaginable menace: Nazi zombies. Graphic killings and plenty of gore and dismemberment. Fun stuff.

31 Days of Horror - Day 14 (NEAR DARK)

A mid-western farm boy (Adrian Pasdar) reluctantly becomes a member of the undead when a girl he meets turns out to be part of a band of southern vampires who roam the highways in stolen cars. Wild and bloody vampire tale that features loads of blood and gore. Lance Henriksen is the leader of the vampire family. Bill Paxton is totally wild as a family member. A very different vampire movie that is one of the best in the genre. One of director's Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break, The Hurt Locker) first films and it's a good one.

(1987) Stars Adrian Pasdar, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, Jenny Wright, Jenette Goldstein, Tim Thomerson.

Classic Horror Films - Day 13 (THE RING)

It sounded like just another urban legend--videotape filled with nightmarish images, leading to a phone call foretelling the viewer's death in exactly seven days. As a newspaper reporter, Rachel Keller was naturally skeptical of the story, until four teenagers all met with mysterious deaths exactly one week after watching just such a tape. Allowing her investigative curiosity to get the better of her, Rachel tracks down the video... and watches it. Now she has just seven days to unravel the mystery of the "Ring." Terrific performance by Naomi Watts and a brief cameo by Amber Tamblyn. The Ring is one of my favorite modern horror films.

(2002) Starring Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Jane Alexander, Brian Cox, Pauley Perrette.

31 Days of Horror - Day 12 (CUJO)

It's synergy today on my blogs. On All Good Things, I posted about Cat People. And here I'm posting about a killer dog. A saint bernard gets bit by a bat and contracts rabies. A mother and her son take their car to the mechanic's shop and must endure a day long siege by the rabid mutt. Cujo was one of my favorite horror movies from the 80's and it still holds up today. Dee Wallace Stone, a mainstay of 80's movies such as E.T., The Howling, and Critters is perfect as the mom trying to save herself and her son. The attacks by Cujo are brutal and harrowing. Based on the Stephen King best-seller.

(1983) Starring Dee Wallace Stone, Danny Pintauro, Daniel Hugh Kelly, and Ed Lauter.

31 Days of Horror - Day 11 (THE EXORCIST)

When a 12-year old girl is possessed by demons, a young priest takes it upon himself to selflessly save her at the behest of her famous movie-star mother. In your face horror flick that doesn't hold back. Pushes the R rating to the breaking point with scenes of intense graphic violence and coarse language. 13 year old Linda Blair is put through the wringer as she goes from a sweet young girl to a monster. Unbelievable makeup effects and stellar performances by Blair, Ellen Bursytn as her mom, and Max von Sydow as the priest who performs the exorcism.

31 Days of Horror - Day 10 (ALIEN)

In deep space, the crew of the commercial ship Nostromo--comprised of five men and two women--is awakened from their cryo-sleep capsules, halfway through their journey home to investigate a distress all from an alien vessel. The tale unfolds as they further look into the S.O.S. distress call from that battered commercial space vessel--only to discover that it's a warning call, rather than a call for help. However, it is too late to turn back as three members of the crew have already left to investigate the derelict ship. Far away in space and time, all five encounter an awesome galactic horror, that begins to kill the crew members one by one. Sigourney Weaver's break-out role as Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley carries the film as she becomes the leader. Strong support from Tom Skerritt, Yaphet Kotto, John Hurt, and Veronica Cartwright.Terrifying film...I saw this when I was around 13 and it scared the crap out of me.

31 Days of Horror - Day 9 (THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE - 1974; 2003)

(1974 version) A group of teenagers on the road in Texas stop off at the wrong farm and encounter a family gone awry. Once abattoir workers, the decay of the Southern rural economy has left them unemployed, and the directionless father and sons take to using their butchering skills on passing people. One by one, the kids encounter members of the grisly family. Tobe Hooper makes a truly creepy and horror film that will have you on edge. Marilyn Burns goes through hell for the final 30 minutes as she tries to survive the night face to face with Leatherface, the chainsaw wielding maniac. Classic horror gore.

(2003 version) A tale of five 20-somethings whose free spirited road trip becomes a terrifying descent into madness. When they find themselves isolated in a rural Texas community, they fall into the clutches of a mo... read more nstrous clan of Texas cannibals and find themselves being whittled away by the chainsaw-wielding Leather face. The remake is surprisingly good. And really gory. This time Jessica Biel gets put through the wringer as she tries to survive a night in hell with Leatherface and his demented family including a sadistic R. Lee Ermey as the town sheriff.

31 Days of Horror Schedule

Here is the remaining schedule for my 31 days of horror.

Oct 9th: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Oct 10th: Alien
Oct 11th: The Exorcist
Oct 12th: Cujo
Oct 13th: The Ring
Oct 14th: Near Dark
Oct 15th: Dead Snow
Oct 16th: Resident Evil
Oct 17th: Underworld
Oct 18th: Bram Stoker's Dracula
Oct 19th: Misery
Oct 20th: The Lost Boys
Oct 21st: The Frighteners
Oct 22nd: A Nightmare on Elm Street
Oct 23rd: An American Werewolf In London
Oct 24th: The Howling
Oct 25th: Saw
Oct 26th: Scream
Oct 27th: Scanners
Oct 28th: The Blob (1988)
Oct 29th: Final Destination
Oct 30th: The Descent
Oct 31st: Halloween

31 Days Of Horror (FRIDAY THE 13TH)

At Camp Crystal Lake, a group of young counselors begin to get ready to lead guests in the summer. Unfortunately for the counselors, someone isn't happy about what's going on in the camp and enjoys playing 'kill the counselor'. As bodies fall to the ground, no one is safe in the camp. The one that started the cinematic career of masked hockey killer Jason Voorhees, even though Jason doesn't actually do the killing in this film. But everything is in place, the horny teen-agers, the gory killings, and of course, the memorable theme. Adrienne King makes a gutsy heroine in Alice, and Betsy Palmer is positively off her rocker as Jason's pyschotic mom. Also check out Kevin Bacon in one of his first roles. Followed by countless sequels including the even better Part 2.

31 Days Of Horror - Day 7 (MY BLOODY VALENTINE - 2009)

Old school horror flick with lots of gore, blood, screaming, running, and nudity. Delivers on all the thrills promised and it's not watered down like most of the PG-13 horror crap that has infested cinemas for the last few years. And no CGI that ruins it either. Valentine revels in it's own blood and gore and it's one of the best horror films I have seen in awhile. Put it this way, it's way better than the last two Saw films put together. And by putting it in 3D is just icing on the cake. Oh and the acting is surprisingly good for this type of movie. No teenagers here, these are adults who try their best to survive being killed. And the opening 15 minutes features one helluva body count.


2009. Starring Jensen Ackles, Jaime King, Kerr Smith.

31 Days Of Horror - Day 6 (WRONG TURN)

Solid horror flick about young people being chased by deranged hillbillies. The killing scenes are quite graphic and intense. Eliza Dushku stands out as one of the potential victims. If you like your horror movies bloody then you'll like Wrong Turn.

 2003. Starring Eliza Dushku, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Jeremy Sisto, Desmond Harrington, Lindy Booth

31 Days Of Horror - Day 5 (30 Days Of Night)

A very different kind of vampire movie that is very effective. Set in a small Alaskan town called Barrow, the residents get ready for a month long of no sunlight. Most head south, but some stay to ride it out. On the last day of sunlight a stranger comes in to town, taking out the town's power and communication. And also kills all the sled dogs just for good measure. He's played with relish by Ben Foster (who was a nonfactor as Angel in X-Men 3). Josh Hartnett and Melissa George play the husband and wife sheriff team who must sort out all the weird happenings. When the sun finally goes down, all hell breaks loose. Savage vampires descend on the town led by Marlow (wonderfully played by Danny Huston). And this bunch of bloodsuckers are quite vicious. They paint the town red with their brutal attacks. I thought this movie was pretty cool for a couple of reasons. It showed vampires in a different light, more like killing machines than suave romantics. And the townsfolk are potrayed as regular people. None of them have access to fancy weaponry or training ala Blade and Underworld. But they do fight back the best way they can. With axes, firearms, dynamite, and heavy duty snow plow equipment. The cast is solid led by Hartnett and George. They are very strong in their roles, and to make matters even more complex, they're in the middle of a separation. The vampires are intense-they move very fast and kill even faster. And the look of the film is great. The story does have some holes in it during the down time when our heroes are hiding out and trying to stay quiet. But it doesn't last too long before an attack occurs. Definetly a good movie to see over Halloween. And be prepared because the gore factor is quite high with decapitations, bodies being gutted and chomped on, and vampires being skewered left and right.




2007. Starring Josh Harnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston.

31 Days Of Horror - Day 4 (SHAUN OF THE DEAD)

Excellent horror comedy that hits the mark. Shaun and his best pal Ed are room-mates in England and are just coasting through life. Shaun has a girlfriend named Liz who wants more from him. Then one day people start turning into zombies and Shaun becomes the reluctant leader. The laughs are plenty as are the thrills. It can get very gory but still fun. I laughed my ass off and it's one of my favorites now. Highly recommened.

2004. Starring Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Nick Frost.

31 Days Of Horror - Day 3 (PSYCHO)

One of Hitch's best films he ever made. Anthony Perkins is perfect as Norman Bates, a young man who runs The Bates Motel, who has a serious mother fixation. Along comes Janet Leigh, a young woman on the run from the cops for stealing money from her job. And the rest is cinema magic. Psycho set the standard for all the slasher flicks that would follow, but it's still the best one. It works as a thriller and a character piece. You really get to know Norman Bates and Perkins does a helluva job. Janet Leigh is pretty good too. A must see.