The Haunting (1963)

After reading the book by Shirley Jackson I put in Robert Wise's film adaptation into the DVD player to compare this Halloween.  My first question is why take out Hill House from the title?   Don't you want people to know that your film is an adaptation of a known novel?  I love the book's title and the name of the house and think they should have left the title alone.  That said, you have to praise Mr. Wise for taking a very stiff novelistic story and giving it cinematic weight.  There's genuine fear going on here and I greatly enjoyed the spooky sounds and wide angle shots.  The acting is also very strong with Julie Harris' portrayal of Eleanor being so good it's almost like she was possessed by the actual character.   Some of the changes from the book are understandable such as John Markway's wife being a skeptic instead of a ghost hunter herself and the wonderful sequence at the spiral staircase is great.  Yet then you have to ask why change the doctor's last name?  Nelson Gidding did a very good job as a screenwriter tightening the story's structure but he added a bunch of boring dialogue too.  I felt during some scenes like I was watching a play.  Overall it's clear that this is an inventive and stylized horror film that works on many levels.  Grade: B+

A note on the two remakes of this story:  Stephen King's sort of remake called Rose Red is actually the best adaptation of Jackson's novel.  Why he changed the house's name, I'm not sure but all the same events happen (if updated for the modern world).  I'd check it out if you enjoy TV-made miniseries.  But whatever you do avoid the '90s remake of The Haunting with Liam Neelson and Catherine Zeta-Jones.  It's awful with goofy CGI and horrible direction.  It might be one of the worst films I have ever seen.  It's because of that film I avoided Jackson's novel for so long and that alone is a crime.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirly Jackson (Novel)

It's pretty much known that Jackson's novel about a haunted house is considered by many the best haunted house story in prose.  After reading it I was shocked to find out how much natural humor is embedded in the moody novel.  There are some incredible spooky atmospheric descriptions but it's not really a ghost story at all.  In many ways this is more a character study than a story.  Hell House is the character being studied and if there is a plot it's a love affair between the house and the lonely and fragile Eleanor Lance.  I almost stopped enjoying the novel toward the end because it seemed like she didn't know what to do in the final chapters but I was delighted in the last pages with a satisfying and creepy end.  Grade: A-    

Black Sunday Aka The Mask of Satan (1960)

A witch is being burned at the stake, but a short rain storm douses the flames.  To kill her they use a spiked mask but before they can put it on she warns the mob witnessing her burning that she will come back to have her revenge.  This film is about her return as a Professor and his travel companion search the inside of a crypt and unknowingly awaken her.   This is so far my favorite film by Mario Bava.  The black and white cinematography enhances the horror while at the same time deluding the camp some.  You can imagine that back in the sixties people were flipping out about this gruesome film.   It's dated some but still enjoyable to watch with a thrilling conclusion.  Grade: B+

The Innkeepers (2011)

Ti West should stop trying to make horror movies. He’s not very good at it. From this film and his awful The House of the Devil, I can tell he is a decent film maker stuck in the wrong genre. His films look great, the actors in his films act well, and he has a solid professional polish to his storytelling but when it comes to scares he sucks.  His endings suck too.  Not that the rest of this film is that great, but I thought the quirky Claire played by Sara Paxton was a pleasant heroine. Too bad she really lacks any kind of compelling reason for doing what she does.  Grade: C

Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)

Another example of Postmodern horror that excels with big laughs and great character acting.  Tucker and Dale (played by the great Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine) are two hillbillies going into the woods to spend their vacation in their new vacation home.  Then a group of college kids assume they're evil hillbillies (as seen in movies like Deliverance) and a series of bad assumptions lead to a battle of wills.  What a satisfying and rewarding twist.  If you like gory comedy than you're in for a treat.  Grade: B+

Spoiler Alert:  I only had one problem with this film and that is how the film makers open with a reporter and her camera man being killed.  The film makers lead you to believe this is a set up for a sequel by bookending it, but it's a completely unnecessary scene.   

The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)

This cult classic staring Vincent Price as the revenging Dr. Phibes is a sublime example of weird disco horror that's darkly funny and full of memorable scenes.  My favorite is with the locust.  Dated as you'd expect, with strange art deco sets and colorful costumes it's a wonder Hollywood hasn't made a remake yet (unless you count SAW which basically uses the same story with far more gruesome results).  I highly recommend this film for those who like a little cheesy fun with their revenge stories.  Grade: B+    

Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)

They did it again! I never would have expected directors Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost of being able to sustain the stationary camera concept so brilliantly used in this franchise created by producer Oren Peli . Yet they did with a believable thought-out use of laptop cameras. While not nearly as scary as the first two films, what I enjoyed about these last two is how they expand on the story. We now know who the demon is, it has a name—Tobey. And we know that Katie is an evil demon-possessed killer and that Hunter is important for some witches coven.   There’s still a lot of mystery but the humor and dreadful awkwardness is still evident.   I really don’t see how they can continue but they did it this time why not. It’s really a no-brainer for the studios. These films can be made with very little and they make a guaranteed bus load of money. While I still think the first three make for a great trilogy, I’m having a lot of fun seeing where they take this story.   It’s inevitable that they’re going to screw up at some point and drag this concept to the ground but hopefully I’m proven wrong. For the next film, if I had any request, would be the introduction of a good force so Tobey and folk don’t have such an easy time getting what they want. And what is it they want? I guess we’ll have to wait until next October to find out. Grade: B+

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

There's a cool sub-genre in horror films that I like to call PostModern Horror.  These are films that take the formulas and cliches we're all familiar with in the genre and flip them upside down.  Scream was one of the first films to do this and films like Shawn of the Dead have continued the tradition.  Most of these films are comedies but that doesn't mean they're lacking any horrific moments.   This one directed by Scott Glosserman is about a documentary film crew following a young man named Leslie Vernon on his first killing spree as a slasher.  While reminiscent of a film like Man Bites Dog, this ones plays more like a comedic tribute to slasher films of legend (Michael, Jason and Freddy) than a dark satire.   Angela Goethals and Nathan Baesel have great chemistry on screen and its their back and forth that makes this film work.  Grade: B+

The Walking Dead (Seasons 1 & 2)

As a fan of the comics and of Frank Darabont I was ecstatic about this television show and now that I’ve seen the first two seasons I’m even more thrilled. It uses the comic as a bases but allows for an organic change to occur to become something new. Characters emerge not from the comics and entirely different events play out to keep readers like me surprised. The funny thing is that as I watch this show I’ve begun to see plot holes in the entire Zombie sub-genre which I’ll explain below, but as a dramatic survival show that has potential to a legendary work of the television medium.  This one is a winner, so far. Grade: B+

Zombie Plot Holes (or Developments I hope are talked about or I’ll be greatly Annoyed)

1. Zombies are dead so they decay. At some point they’re going to fall apart and be unable to walk and be a threat. How long will this take and when this happens what will happen to the show, being that it’s called the Walking Dead. (Or are they going to rename the show the Crawling Dead)

2. Would the entire population really be that devastated by a zombie plague? I understand there was chaos and the military just started shooting people for no reason but I don’t really buy it. They need to explain how this happened better, in my opinion.

3. Zombies are really not that dangerous and I find it silly how the writers have to find ways for zombies to sneak up on their victims (like they’re quiet ninjas) or their victims have to trip and fall to make it fair for the zombies to reach them.   In small numbers they’re slow, brainless things which any survivor should get used to really quick. They’re only dangerous in large numbers which could be avoided better.  Spoiler Alert: I mean the way Dale is killed is pathetic.  What should have been a powerful scene just had me angry?  The zombie just tears open his stomach like he's made of cheese.  How strong are these things?  I wouldn't be able to tear open a human stomach on my own.  I can barely rip through a piece of raw chicken.   

Kwaidan (1965)

These four Japanese ghost stories are rich examples of the supernatural.  Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful in every way.  Masaki Kobayashi brilliantly directs these stories with that right amount of spooky mood and horrific irony.   The first story deals with a man who leaves his first wife to marry a second wife for wealth.  The second story is about a young man who promises a mystical woman of the snow that he did not see her.  The third story and the longest deals with a blind Biwa hōshi who is requested to sing for the dead and the last story is about a man who sees a ghost in the reflection of his tea.  Sure it's a little long and there's a battle sequence that starts off the third story which isn't really that important, it's still a fine film and worth watching.  These are so good I will probably watch these again.  Grade: A-     

My Blood Valentine (1981)

As ‘80s slasher flicks go, this one is pretty darn good. Way better than Friday the Thirteenth released a year earlier.  It tells a pretty formalistic story of young adults getting murdered by a madman known as Harry Warden, an insane ex-Miner who kills on Valentine’s Day because he was in a mining accident while the town held a Valentine dance. The gore is top-notch (if you like that kind of thing) and there’s actually a love-triangle in there to bolster the plot.  Also the town they shot the film in is a great working-class back drop. The acting at times is decent but a few awkward moments of bad acting do pop up on occasion. I wouldn’t say this is a great slasher film like Halloween or Black Christmas, the director George Mihalka lacks the skills for pacing and iconic imagery. Someday I’ll check out the remake that came out a few years earlier.  While this one is dated, I doubt the remake evokes the same kind of genuine horror. Grade: B+

Election Debates: Part 2 (Commentary)

Obama got the message.  Mitt wasn't going to play fair.  After attempting to debate as Mr. Nice Guy in the first debate, the President put on his armor and went to war in the final two debates, winning both of them.   Romney did well though.  Not at telling the truth, but by staying in the center (when convincing the world for months that he was a right-wing conservative) and looking "capable" of acting like a President.  To me it was no contest.  In the town hall debate Obama showed strength and proved in all his attacks that Romney was trying to swindle the electorate.  In the foreign policy debate Obama proved he understood the world and how to navigate its dangerous waters better than his challenger.  Yet the question everyone is asking is, did the fact Obama perform better make a difference after losing to Romney in the first debate?  Only time will tell.   For me, I keep scratching my head trying to figure out how Romney is convincing people he means what he says.  All you have to do is go on YouTube and you'll find dozens of videos showing the guy switching stances.  He really will say anything to get elected.  This doesn't mean he's a good leader; it means he is a good salesman. Sure as a business man he was great at making boat loads of cash (as salesmen are supposed to do) but he wasn't really that great at creating jobs and improving lives (for not all the companies he invested in did well).  Romney says he will not add to our deficit because it's wrong but you have to remember he left the State of Massachusetts in debt.  He promises to repeal ObamaCare only to replace it with something just like it but without a plan on how to pay for it.  His tax plan doesn't add up and he avoids this fact by going on the offensive instead of giving us specifics.  He wants to spend more on the military when we're not going to be at war with anyone (or so I hope).  And he still hasn't really addressed his 47% remarks without sounding like a rich guy out of touch with the growing population of have-nots.  Romney is like Silly Putty.  He'll mold himself into any shape and peal off any image you want him to be.   Yet once and if he is in the Oval office how is he going to act?  Is he going to shut himself away like he did with the Massachusetts's State Congress and ride his own private elevator?   Probably.  Even more strange is how women are standing by this guy.  In the debate he avoided the question about equal pay for equal work when it came to women.   You don't have to be pro-life or pro-choice to know that's a good idea.  (And for those who support choice, he hopes Roe vs. Wade is overturned.)   It's hard not to imagine him taking us back to the days of Mad Men where he'll just hire women based on what binder is put in front of him.   I could attack Obama on a few things, but why when of the two of them Obama actually stands for something.   We know who he is.  That's integrity and that's a sign of a great leader.  If re-elected Obama needs to focus on our national debt and he needs to work on getting the moderate Republicans on his side (if there are any Moderates left).   Obama did well these last four years stabilizing our country after Bush took the USA for a joyride and busted it up really bad.   But to continue his progress he'll need to make some tough decisions to get this country back on track.  Romney says he can do this and Obama can't.  The problem is I don't believe Romney.   His entire campaign is built on the Anit-Obama movement.   Vote for me not because you like me or because you think I can do what I promise but because you hate Obama.  Sadly this tactic is working and making a muddled election.  This should be a slam dunk.  Anyone with a brain and an ounce of compassion for his fellow man would vote for Obama.  Our country is better off with him.   Yet the Billionaire Spin-machine is brainwashing us and they're succeeding.  It's almost enough to make me want to scream.  Grade: Obama: B+ Romney: C-

When A Stranger Calls (1979)

Black Christmas used the urban legend of the baby sitter getting scary calls better but this thriller does a good job of building suspense and creating a sense of terror. Carol Kane is wonderful as the babysitter and Charles Durning delivers an intense performance as the revengeful cop. The true star of the show is Tony Beckley as Curt Duncan, the crazy guy. He plays evil really well but what makes his tactics so frightening is that he’s a sick man unable to control his actions which makes you almost feel sorry for him, until you remember what he did. This is not a masterpiece by any means; but a nice well-executed film that will be remembered more as one of the films that Scream satirizes. This is too bad because it is a good film. Grade: B+

The Snowtown Murders (2011)

I have one word for this brilliantly acted and stylized film: boring. Okay, that’s a bit harsh. A lot of disturbing and horrific activities transpire during the course of this film. You, the viewer, will only see about ninety percent of it but I know John Bunting and his followers killed and tortured a bunch of people. How do I know this? Because it’s a true story and I read about it afterward on the Internet. Too bad director Justin Kurzel decided to dilute this incredible true story with vague references and scattered unnecessary textural shots. Too bad the various victims in his story come and go without much introduction or closure. I kind of understand that the main character, Jamie, is mental ill and maybe Kurzel wants his audience to see the world in a mental funk too, but it annoys more than enlightens in this case. As stated, the acting his remarkable and intense, especially from Daniel Henshall as Bunting.  If you’re interested in great performances you might enjoy this one. If you like great imagery without a plot you’ll find this film wonderfully stark and artful. But if you’re like me and want a good story told well you’ll be hugely disappointed. Grade: C+

Dead Silence (2005)

James Wan and Leigh Whannell, the makers of Saw give us a treat about a young man who investigates the death of his wife, killed by a revengeful ventriloquist ghost and her creepy shifty-eyed dummy. If not for a weak hero in actor Ryan Kwanten this one would be a new classic. But I can’t get too hung up over Ryan’s average performance or the fact that Wan uses some spooky but slightly unbelievable set pieces because this is basically an enjoyable horror film worth the watch. Grade: B+

Salo or 120 Days of Sodom (1975)

There’s a reason this Italian commentary on fascism is considered one of the most controversial films ever made. While not really a horror film in a sense, it is a shocking and disturbing parable worthy of the genre. Yet while new such films like Human Centipede shock for the sake of entertainment and spectacle this film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini shocks to inspire thought. This is a true work of art that insults the viewer with twisted people of power abusing those without. A warning: this is for mature audiences only and in mature I don’t just mean age but in having an intellectual understanding of history, theater of cruelty and the Marquise De Sade of which this film bases much of its depravity on. Grade: A

Spoiler Alert: One aspect of the film which I found out-date was the amount of homosexuality.  I'm not taking about the forced orgies, I'm talking about men consentually indulging in sexual relations.  I'm sure back in the'70s this was very offensive but this one part of the film no longer works as a disturbing image (or at least to me).  It doesn't ruin the original impact of Pasolini's message but it does show how norms change.

Last House on the Left (1972)

If you’re really interested in seeing Wes Craven’s directorial debut then this is it, but it’s a very low-budget rape and murder movie with awful acting and badly executed violence. The only semi-redeeming aspect to this film is how he counters the actual brutality with some hokey music that almost mocks the terror. This odd juxtaposition works but only a few times.  And I know Craven insists that this was inspired by Ingmar Bergman’s masterpiece The Virgin Spring, but it’s nowhere near as thought provoking or artful. This is just a bad move from a guy who will someday be a horror directing icon. Grade: C-

Intruders (2011)

Clive Owens stars in this inventive Bogey man-type story about a demon named Hallowface. Two story lines tell the tale of Hallowface, one about a mother worried that her son’s possessed and the other is about a father (Owens) trying to protect his daughter who seems to have conjured Hallowface from her imagination. There are some frightening moments and a lot of great imagery at work here. Director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo does a fine job sustaining the mystery until the end and the result is a satisfying conclusion to a psycho-mystical horror film. Grade: B+

Rogue (2007)

Could be called, Jaws with a crocodile, this thriller centers around a group of tourists stranded out in the Australian outback being hunted by a giant croc. I loved this adventure horror film from the director of Wolf Creek (Greg McLean) for what it was and that’s a well-made when-animals-attack monster movie. Michael Vartan, Radha Mitchell and a young Mia Wasikowska star.  Everything that happens in this film has been done before in other such films but I don’t really care. It was a pleasure to watch. Grade: A- 

Night of the Demon (1957)

Known as the Curse of the Demon in the US market, this British horror film from the ‘50s really impresses, even today. An American psychologist, John Holden (played by Dana Andrews), arrives in London for a conference. When he arrives he learns that his English counterpart was killed. This leads him into contact with an evil magician of the dark arts named Doctor Karswell (played brilliantly by Niall MacGinnis) who curses Holden to die in a three days. To prevent his death Holden must overcome his own skepticism and unravel the mystery of a strip of paper with runes on it. The Ring and especially Drag Me To Hell borrow from this film which was based on M.R. James' story Casting the Runes.  I highly recommend this other gem from director Jacques Tourneur.  Grade: A-

Creature of the Black Lagoon (1954)

This ‘50s creature feature is a technical wonder. The creature suit is fantastic for not only does it look great but it’s functional too. That’s where this film becomes more than just a monster film but a great spectacle, the underwater moments are riveting.  This is great work from director Jack Arnold.   The trumpet call every time the monster shows itself is super repetitive (and laughable) and the woman character is way too helpless. But the dueling scientists and the various ways the crew try to capture the monster add to the adventure.   It is dated and sexist, but it’s still a fun to watch.   Grade: B+

Election Debates: Part 1 (Commentary)

I decided to interrupted this Horror Movie festival to comment on a real life horror story taking place right now and that's the battle for President of the United States.  This election is too important not to write about it.  The monster in this tale is Mitt "Frankenstein" Romney and there's a real reason to be scared and that's because some polls are showing him in the lead.  Obviously I'm a supporter of the President, I think he is a fine president worthy of a second term.  It's as simple as that.  I don't want to switch to another guy right now, especially one so desperate to win he'll say anything to convince people he's the guy.  Obama is in the worst place right now.  He doesn't want to come across as too defensive and angry while at the same time he needs to show why Romney's policies would be bad for the country.  This explains his weak performance in the first debate.  That and he probably was not prepared for Romney to flip flop on everything he'd been saying out on the campaign trail.  I don't really think Obama did anything bad it's just that Romney "looked" more energetic.  Unfortunately people vote for how people "look" instead of what they "say" in this country.  Which plays in Romney's favor, a used-car-salesman type who made a living selling, not telling the truth.  It's always easier to be in the position of the underdog, attacking the one in charge than to be the one in charge.  Romney took advantage of that.  At least Obama has Joe Biden on his side, to fire up the Democratic base and piss off the right-wing Paul Ryan groupies.  If the first debate will be remembered for Mitt Romney's Big Bird comment, the VP debate will be remembered for Joe Biden laughing.  I don't blame him for laughing for the two Rs ideas are laughable.  That people are buying into it, is frightening.  The math doesn't add up as this Daily Show episode shows in a clear and funny way.  The question is will this false wizard tell us how he'll do what he promises?  Nope, because that would mean giving people specifics and Mitt doesn't have any.  He wants the voters to trust him.  But how do we trust someone who doesn't really stand for anything.  Mitt flip flops on all the issues and depending on who he is talking to, says what needs to be said only for his campaign to correct him later with a "he didn't really mean that" line.  I'm not saying Obama is perfect and there are things to go after him on, but Romney only focuses on those things that look damning but really don't prove anything.  The attack in Lybia was horrible but every President has had to deal with some attack on foreign soil.  If President I guarantee Mitt will have to investigate one of his own.   What makes me shiver the most is Romney's tough dogma against Iran.  The guy doesn't have a clue about foreign policy so he just stands up there talking about when he is president the rest of the world will do whatever he wants because they will take him serious.  What a joke!  The world takes us serious because we have a Nobel Peace Prize winner for a President and Mrs. Clinton as the Secretary of State.   And as for Health Care, the only thing Romney wants to change about ObamaCare is the name (for remember even though he says Health Care should be determined by the States, he will be in charge of the Federal Government-- what he's saying is he's going to do nothing on Health Care reform.)  So for a summary: the first debate was a win for Romney only because Obama played it safe (which turned out to be a bad move).  Yet Romney still has yet to really stand for anything, except for getting rid of Obama.  That's his platform really, replace Obama with me, please; not because you should but because I want to be president really bad.  Obama will need to go on the offensive in his next debate while at the same time prepare for the fact that Romney knows he will be more aggressive.  I expect Obama to perform better but Romney might still appear the winner simply by the fact he doesn't have to play defense.  The VP debate was a great entertainment between an experienced politician who knows what he's talking about against a boy-wonder of manipulation.   Asked if supporters of Abortion should be worried if Romney takes the Presidency Ryan danced around the issue without really answering it.  Of course supporters of abortion should be worried.  Paul Ryan is good at defusing his own inadequacies and it's only because of this that he didn't fall on his face.  But as debates go Romney/ Ryan = 1.  Obama/ Biden = 1.  Romney Team Grade: C; Obama Team Grade: B+

Nightmare on Elm Street Part 4: Dream Master (1988)

I knew I was in trouble when I saw Renny Harlin as the director. He’s technically not a bad director he’s just a generic one that picks bad scripts. In the game of horror movie franchises, it’s about this point, number 4, where things start to sour. If you’re looking for a scary thriller with lots of suspense then this Freddy Kruger outing will disappoint. If you want some good laughs and are looking for some surreal special effects that entertain the eye then you’ll find this one pretty fun. I’m in the middle. I wish the script was better because this one was really weak.  Basically the producers knew they’d make a killing at the box office so they threw a script together to reboot the Kruger-collecting-souls storyline with new characters, of course killing the characters from the previous film. You can see why Patricia Arquette didn’t reprise her role from the superior third film. Grade: B-

Witchfinder General (1968)

In the United States this was titled Edgar Allen Poe’s The Conqueror Worm. Don’t let that fool you, this is not based on anything written by Poe, that was just an advertising gimmick to lure viewers into seeing Vincent Price who had been in a series of Poe films already. This one is based on a novel by Ronald Bassett and while more of a historical novel the story is as much a horror story as you can imagine. Director Michael Reeves ups the violence and pushes Mr. Price into giving one of his best performances as a complex psychopath named Matthew Hopkins making money killing people accused of being witches. The hero of our tale is a soldier played by Ian Ogilvy who sets out to avenge Hopkins for killing a friend and raping his wife, played by the beautiful Hilary Dwyer. While some of the zooms let us know this was made in the sixties, it’s actually a very good film. It’s too bad Michael Reeves died after making this and never made another film. He showed a lot of promise. Grade: A-

Hour of the Wolf (1968)

When I heard this Ingmar Bergman film was classified as a horror film I didn’t believe it. Yet it is, reminding me of a psychological Edgar Allen Poe story but with that Bergman quality that pulls you with artful abandonment. It’s the story of man’s mind about to fall apart. It has a castle full of crazy neighbors and a wife consumed by her husband’s guilt and inner pain. Even the way the film opens with a passage stating this is a true story of a man disappearing reminds me of the Paranormal Activity movies. Bergman’s staple cast is here and doing their constant brilliance. It’s maybe a little slow for some people and I think it could have been spookier at times but this is a great experiment of the genre. Grade: B+

Pontypool (2008)

This intellectual horror film, with lots of dialogue and character interaction, puts a clever spin on the zombie genre. I wouldn’t call it ground-breaking but the concept is a fascinating theological invention. I don’t really want to give it away but some will be confused and won’t buy it or you’ll be like me and embrace it for the effort employed by screen writer Tony Burgress to make it work—and it does work. The film centers around a rock shock DJ up in Canada performing his evening radio show. Suddenly reports come in, unofficial, of a strange riot in their town. What an enjoyable film director Bruce McDonald made with some outstanding character work from actors Stephen McHattie and Lisa Houle. Rumors of a sequel are on the Internet so we’ll have to see if it gets made. Grade: A-

The Vanishing [Spoorloos] (1988)

Do not confuse this with the American remake staring Keifer Sutherland and Jeff Bridges, an entertaining thriller that barely scratches the surface of the psychological depths going on in this Dutch original (which ironically are directed by the same guy, George Sluizer). A husband and his wife are on holiday, driving into France. They have an argument when the car runs out of gas.  They then arrive at a gas station where they makeup. Suddenly the wife disappears when she goes in for a drink. The audience knows who is responsible, a predatory man with a fake cast obviously interested in abducting someone. But the husband doesn’t know what happened to her and this will send him into an obsession that is impossible to settle. The villain in this story is wonderfully low key and frightening. This is a powerful horror film, and let me make this clear, while it could have been made as a thriller or even as a dark mystery, there is a sinister force at work here that is as evil as a slasher film. Grade: A-

Black Sabbath (1963)

Boris Karloff does his impression of Hitchcock, introducing two short films before playing the lead in the final story in this Italian Horror anthology directed by Mario Bava.  The first two tales, A Drop of Water and The Telephone are amusing but feel like add-ons to the central story, an adaption of Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy's story The Family of the Vourdalak about a family dealing with the possibility that their father has returned as a Russian vampire or Vourdalak.  (Aleksey is a cousin of Leo Tolstoy, by the way.)  I'm curious about the Italian edit of this film.  I've read they're different, with the Telephone having a Lesbian subplot (an element you can feel is missing in the American edit).  Oh well, this version is still a satisfying journey into the macabre with the older Karloff proving he still has what it takes being a creep old guy.   Speaking of creep old guy, this is the movie that inspired Ozzie Osborne's band in choosing a name. Grade: B+

Silent House (2011)

I hate when I watch a film only to realize it's a remake of a foreign film.  I wish I would have seen the original but I didn't.  This is a very flawed film.  I like the premise but the film spends way too much time with Elizabeth Olsen running around in a house crying in fear and acting irrational.   The story is basically a young woman (and her cleavage) in a house with a mysterious intruder hunting her.  Is it supernatural or something more; this is what keeps the audience interested.  Her father was attacked and when her Uncle show up they decide to investigate further.  It's dense with horror movie cliches, like her tripping as she runs away and her able to hide from her intrude in a place where he'd obviously see her.  The film doesn't really get good until the last fifteen minutes where an image of a toilet on the wall running with blood perked my excitement.  This kind of imagery should have happened earlier in the film.  Chris Kentis and Laura Lau made a much better horror film in Open Water, so they know how to tell a good story.  But I was disappointed by this one, even with a twist that satisfies.  Grade: B-       

Splinter (2008)

Another effective horror film that follows the trapped in a house horror movie concept with some fresh ideas; (okay, maybe not fresh but a blending of monsters that feels original and works well at being threatening and scary). The story starts off as a joint kidnapping thriller where an ex-con and his girl friend take hostage another couple on vacation. But at a gas station they are attacked by a mysterious monster-infection that’s an impressive addition to the movie monster canon. The success of this film is in the script and the acting. The screenwriters Ian Shorr and Kai Barry create real moments of terror mixed in with characters that “think” and believably try to “solve” their way out of their situation. I love when I see this instead of following character who act like morons. It’s especially helpful that director Toby Wilkins  knows what he is doing and that's focusing on his cast which is very strong with Shea Whigham standing out. Horror Movie Month 2012 is on a roll. Grade: A-

Dolls (1987)

Stuart Gordon makes wonderful horror films. They’re quirky circuses of horror and this one is a campy good time.  A girl and her selfish father and rotten stepmother find refuge for the night at a Doll maker’s cottage along with an optimistic young man and two floozies. The house is decorated with dolls and as dolls go they’re creepy and ready to teach a lesson on keeping the child within you. Sure it feels like an ‘80s horror film and the special effects look like special effects and the actors are acting like bad actors but it’s so charming to watch anyway; it just gives you a big smile, a perfect comedy for Halloween.  Grade: B+

Triangle (2009)

This is a clever horror film that’s not ruined by figuring out what’s going on. Melissa George gives a dependable and intense performance as a woman on a sailing voyage with a friend and three other vacationers only to get stuck in the Bermuda Triangle. The filmmakers never says it’s the Bermuda Triangle so maybe that’s not true but regardless they get stuck and things go really wrong when they board a mysterious cruise ship without any passengers. The concept of the story could have back fired but the writers understood what they were doing from the beginning and that’s why I loved this film. Grade: A-

Spoiler Alert:  My favorite image has to be when a dying Emma Lung crawls away from George onto a deck of corpses of herself, all at various degrees of decomposition.  This isn't really a scary film, but it's this scene alone that echoes a sense of doom that only comes from the best of horror. 

The Mummy (1932)

October is here and so begins my Annual Horror Movie Month, where I dedicate one month to one of my favorite genres.   I've been sorting my Netflix queue and researching the TV guide to come up with I hope a variety of spooky, gory and horrific entertainments.  To jump start the fun I selected this old Boris Karloff classic.  These classic horror films (primarily from Universal) are very much dated and I can't really believe anyone, even back in the '30s, were actually scared watching them.  But they are fun yarns to experience for those interested in the traditions of horror.  This one does hold up as an enjoyable and tame Dracula clone.  Karloff plays the title role of the Mummy of an Egyptian priest named Imhotep who comes back to life to find his beloved, now reincarnated as young woman played by Zita Johann.  It's not as visually dynamic as Dracula, directed by the same Karl Freund, but it's not boring and has a decent flashback sequence.  Then there's Boris Karloff who does an excellent job morphing into a role that's different than his famous Frankenstein incarnation.  Grade: B+