Thursday, October 29, 2009

Last Chance For Horror

Today is Thursday and for all you Netflix users- like myself- it is your last day to adjust your Queue to get some horror movies delivered on Halloween. As such, here are some solid recommendations from yours truly...who will be working on Halloween night. Whoopedy-freaking do.

Demons/Demons 2: Two solid choices, although one of them has an interesting edge. While the original is the superior film, the sequel is about people watching a horror movie in their house. So, if you are doing just that- it's even better if you live in a building, like the movie's protagonists- this could give you some freaky scares.

Return of the Living Dead: While not my favorite zombie film, it is fun and gory. As a bonus, the plot involves referencing Night of the Living Dead as being real. Not that you need an excuse to watch a movie about people being chased by leg-less zombies.

Shadow of the Vampire: This movie is criminally-underrated, which is a damn shame. It takes the premise that the star of Nosferatu- Max Schreck- was a real vampire. How else do you explain the astounding make-up work done in 1929? This is all you really need to know: Willem Dafoe as Nosferatu. If you haven't seen this movie as a horror fan, slap yourself and then go rent/buy it already.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: Another curious favorite of mine, this movie is a precursor to David Lynch and is the clear inspiration for any trippy horror film you have/will ever have seen. Since it is 90 years old, you can see it many forms, be it cheap DVD, as part of about 500 different bundles or online. Public Domain is your friend, true believers.

The Abominable Dr. Phibes: This is my personal choice to watch any holiday- like I need an excuse- but especially this one. Price turns in one of his best performances, despite never actually delivering a line on film. Like Shadow, I say that this is a must-see. A man is killed by a brass unicorn that is catapulted across a London street. This movie is not about scares- it is about style and insanity. That's my recipe for a great movie.

She Creature: While not the best monster movie ever made, it is another underrated one from 2001. The plot is pretty simple: a crew of a ship picks up a mermaid and plans to take her back to the mainland for a profit. Given that this is a horror film, you know how this will turn out. The movie is paced well, establishes its setting and gives you a good old monster mash at the end. What more can you ask for?

That's obviously just the tip of the iceberg for horror films, but I just wanted to give you some of my favorite ones that are sure to please.

Two more big horror reviews to go before the format returns to my usual mix of weird crap that I find interesting. If you check the sidebar, you can see the tentative review schedule for next week. Stay tuned...

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