shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Sept 30, 2015 20:16:39 GMT -5
Okay folks. October 1st is tomorrow, so please have your final tallies in asap. I'll declare a winner tomorrow night.
As a reminder, the theme for October is always Halloween, so the winner this month can either narrow the focus for October ("Slasher Horror," for example) or choose the November assignment instead.
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Post by Hoosier X on Oct 1, 2015 12:30:13 GMT -5
...I liked the Spirit. Very different from the comic but I really liked the visuals and the actors involved. I love The Spirit. I've seen it a few times. It gets better every time. So strange. Scarlett Johansson is hilarious as Silken Floss and Stana Katic is also great. And Paz Vega wanders in for one scene and she's absolutely bonkers. Samuel L. Jackson is also really good and I'm glad to hear he didn't choke to death on the scenery. He understood perfectly what kind of movie he was in. I'm not surprised so many people didn't think this was for them, but I am surprised that the people that like it are so timid about it. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Oct 1, 2015 19:03:01 GMT -5
Looks like our winner for September is Jesse by a nose. Jesse can either opt to narrow the focus of our October Halloween assignment or wait and choose a theme for November. Can't wait to see which direction you choose!
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shaxper
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Posts: 22,872
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Post by shaxper on Oct 3, 2015 7:27:55 GMT -5
I pmed Jesse. If we don't hear back from him today, we'll go ahead with the general horror theme for this month and use Jesse's theme for November. That would mean there would be no winner for October, FYI.
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Post by coke & comics on Oct 3, 2015 14:58:08 GMT -5
For a general horror theme, I'm looking at:
Angel's Egg (1985)
Re-Animator (1985)
The Brood (1979)
The Fury (1978)
It came from beneath the sea (1955) (A holdover from the undersea terrors month)
The Hidden (1987)
Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)
Jacob's Ladder (1990)
For a more specific theme, well, that will help narrow it down.
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shaxper
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Posts: 22,872
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Post by shaxper on Oct 3, 2015 15:58:51 GMT -5
I start every October either with the Hammer Dracula series or the Friday the 13th series. Since we did Universal Monsters in August, I feel like I have a lot more time to get to everything I want to watch  |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Oct 8, 2015 9:31:21 GMT -5
I've been slacking but tomorrow is my day off so I'll be marathoning some classics!
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shaxper
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Posts: 22,872
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Post by shaxper on Oct 8, 2015 15:39:23 GMT -5
I guess I should officially announce that, by default, this month's theme is classic horror!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2015 16:28:10 GMT -5
I guess I should officially announce that, by default, this month's theme is classic horror! |
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Post by Prince Hal on Oct 8, 2015 20:35:39 GMT -5
I hope everyone who likes old-fashioned horror watches The Uninvited (1944), with Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey. A unique ghost story, with so many little idiosyncrasies that it rises above the potboiler it could have been. First of all, Milland and Hussey play a brother and sister who buy an old house together -- Huh?-- and stumble on mysterious goings-on. Don't want to spoil it, but like any true Gothic, in a edition to the haunted house full of secrets, there's an illicit love affair; not-so-subtle hints of lesbianism; a seance; a beautiful musical theme ("Stella by Starlight")written by Milland's character, a composer, of all things ; whimsical humor; genuine danger; an English village right out of Suspicion; and excellent acting by the ears and Donald Crisp, Gail Russell, and a dashing Alan Napier.
Then there's The Changeling (1980) with George C. Scott also playing a composer, oddly enough. Some of the scariest scenes I've ever watched. Two moments stand out, one visual, one aural. Watch it, I ain't even hinting. Scott rents an eerie old house in the aftermath of a horrific tragedy and then, well, let the games begin... With his then-wife Trish Van Devere and the excellent Melvyn Douglas. Watch it in the dark, please.
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shaxper
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Posts: 22,872
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Post by shaxper on Oct 9, 2015 2:49:24 GMT -5
I hope everyone who likes old-fashioned horror watches The Uninvited (1944), with Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey. A unique ghost story, with so many little idiosyncrasies that it rises above the potboiler it could have been. First of all, Milland and Hussey play a brother and sister who buy an old house together -- Huh?-- and stumble on mysterious goings-on. Don't want to spoil it, but like any true Gothic, in a edition to the haunted house full of secrets, there's an illicit love affair; not-so-subtle hints of lesbianism; a seance; a beautiful musical theme ("Stella by Starlight")written by Milland's character, a composer, of all things ; whimsical humor; genuine danger; an English village right out of Suspicion; and excellent acting by the ears and Donald Crisp, Gail Russell, and a dashing Alan Napier. God, I love that people care about this film again! It remains, in my opinion, the finest classic horror film ever made. And I NEVER realized that was Alan Napier! This one's new to me. I will have to check it out! |
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Post by Prince Hal on Oct 9, 2015 8:47:42 GMT -5
Shax, I'm delighted you know of this one. I love thta thescreenwriter and director do not feel the need to explain or justify every single facet of the story -- Why the brother and sister would buy a house together; the very obvious difference in ages between Milland and Russell, for instance. Adds to the charm and believability. Such movies are few and far between, but are refreshing for their lack of explanation.
I'm sure Roy Thomas would disagree.
PS: My original post mentions the acting by the "ears." Fershlugginer auto-correct must have thought "leads" was in apropos.
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shaxper
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Posts: 22,872
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Post by shaxper on Oct 9, 2015 10:30:23 GMT -5
Shax, I'm delighted you know of this one. Back when I ranked my Top 50 horror films from the first 50 years of cinematic horror, it did pretty well on the list  And here's #1... #1: The Uninvited (1944/USA) What begins as a quirky comedy starring a screwball brother reminiscent of Cary Grant and his endearing sister quickly evolves into a moody haunted house film filled to the brim with gorgeous camera work, great tension, truly endearing and FUNNY comedy, highly lovable characters, at least one moment that will truly have you leaping out of your seat, and a compelling mystery at the heart of the whole thing that, if you pay enough attention, you might solve before the main characters do. Is this film atmospheric and scary? Heck yes. Is it heartwarming and fun? Certainly. Can the two mix together seamlessly into one film? Absolutely. Additionally, while the moments of horror in this film are far apart and devoid of gore, it makes them all the more surprising and terrifying because you absolutely don't see some of them coming. In the meanwhile, the endearing characters and the compelling mystery at the crux of everything will keep you fully entertained, while the highly expressionistic camera work will feed the inner ghoul until those moments of true terror arise. This is a film that lets you have your cake and eat it too, offering everything a film-goer could hope to gain in a single film. I laugh out loud with each viewing, I adore the characters, am enthralled by the mystery and cinematography, and there are several moments in the film that ALWAYS make me jump out of my seat and cause my heart to freeze momentarily. No other film scares me like this one, and few others win over my heart as well. Truly, this one has it all. |
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Post by Prince Hal on Oct 9, 2015 11:01:48 GMT -5
Shax, I'm delighted you know of this one. Back when I ranked my Top 50 horror films from the first 50 years of cinematic horror, it did pretty well on the list And here's #1... #1: The Uninvited (1944/USA)What begins as a quirky comedy starring a screwball brother reminiscent of Cary Grant and his endearing sister quickly evolves into a moody haunted house film filled to the brim with gorgeous camera work, great tension, truly endearing and FUNNY comedy, highly lovable characters, at least one moment that will truly have you leaping out of your seat, and a compelling mystery at the heart of the whole thing that, if you pay enough attention, you might solve before the main characters do. Is this film atmospheric and scary? Heck yes. Is it heartwarming and fun? Certainly. Can the two mix together seamlessly into one film? Absolutely. Additionally, while the moments of horror in this film are far apart and devoid of gore, it makes them all the more surprising and terrifying because you absolutely don't see some of them coming. In the meanwhile, the endearing characters and the compelling mystery at the crux of everything will keep you fully entertained, while the highly expressionistic camera work will feed the inner ghoul until those moments of true terror arise. This is a film that lets you have your cake and eat it too, offering everything a film-goer could hope to gain in a single film. I laugh out loud with each viewing, I adore the characters, am enthralled by the mystery and cinematography, and there are several moments in the film that ALWAYS make me jump out of my seat and cause my heart to freeze momentarily. No other film scares me like this one, and few others win over my heart as well. Truly, this one has it all. Excellent review, Shax! Plus I love the dog! |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Oct 9, 2015 12:46:13 GMT -5
It was Shax's suggestion that caused me to track down the uninvited and I've been waiting for this month to finally view it, but first I have another omission in my horror catalog: The Omen.
I've read about it countless times so I'm aware of the basic plot and can recognize allusions to it in other books and films but I've never actually seen it for some reason.
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