Tag Archives: horror movie reviews

The Lost Hallowe’en Horror Fest

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The Lost Boys (1987)

“Sleep all day.  Party all night.  Never grow old.  Never die.  It’s fun to be a vampire.”

Welcome to Santa Carla, California – murder capital of the world!  It’s also crawling with vampires…

Sam (Corey Haim) and Michael (Jason Patric) move to the coastal town with their mother (Dianne Wiest), following her divorce.  They move in with eccentric old Grandpa (Barnard Hughes) and start to explore the community.  Michael falls in with a group of motor cycling young rebels and begins to stay out late, as he is initiated into the gang.  Sam meets up with the Frog Brothers, Edgar (Corey Feldman) and Alan (Jamison Newlander), who attempt to warn him of the dangers of Santa Clara. Lost_boys

The warning of the Frog Brothers will come in handy.  The gang leader, David (Kiefer Sutherland) is initiating Michael into a cult of vampires…

But then you’ve seen this movie, right?  It’s a 1980’s classic – featuring the Two Coreys, Kiefer, and a cast of teenage stars in a film that just manages to keep itself from becoming a cheese fest.  Though Corey Haim’s outfits are more vomit inducing than any of the vampire’s kills.  Come to think of it, I always thought the vampires were way cooler than the heroes.  Nowadays I can just enjoy The Lost Boys for the fun it is.

It’s not the scariest film ever made, but there are some nice vampire folklore touches, a few jumps, and enough humour to keep this one fresh.  The soundtrack is OK, and the narrative keeps you hooked.  Plus it’s one of the most quotable movies ever.

“What, you don’t like rice?”

8/10

Hallowe’en Horror Fest of the Dead

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Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Shaun (Simon Pegg) decides to get his life on track in the middle of a zombie apocalypse.  Together with best mate Ed (Nick Frost) and group of fellow survivors including his mum, step dad and (ex?) girlfriend, they group together to avoid the undead hordes.  In a pub. Shaun-of-the-dead

This black comedy from Director Edgar Wright and Pegg is very fine indeed.  There are some very funny moments and lots of detail, giving the film a depth and quality that can be enjoyed repeatedly.  Dark it my be, but there’s still plenty of humour and some poignancy too.

A homage to old zombie movies more than a spoof, there’s lots to get your (rotting) teeth into here.  It’s nice to see a zombie movie from a British perspective, where we get a cricket bat as the main defensive weapon.

If you’ve not seen Shaun of the Dead, check it out soon.

Fun fact: I first saw this film when I was getting a tattoo done.  Ouch!

8/10

Evil Hallowe’en Horror Fest

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The Evil Dead (1981)

This is one of those Video Nasties then, is it?  Banned in the early 80’s for being so horrific it could warp the mind…

The Evil Dead is the first film of Sam Raimi, and it was fairly infamous many years ago.  So much so that I was very wary when watching it the first time. evildead

Five friends visit a remote cabin in the woods.  There, they discover an ancient Book of the Dead and taped recordings of readings from it.  The recordings are played, awakening evil demons that trap the group and pick them off one by one.  There’s no escape – even the forest itself seems alive…

This film is somewhat dated now, the low budget not helping disguise the fairly unconvincing effects.  The story too is fairly basic, performances are basic too – except for Bruce Campbell who actually does a good job as Ash.  No surprises that The Evil Dead was a first time picture, then.

Raimi manages to create a great atmosphere, though.  Even after all these years, there are some extremely creepy moments, and some genuine shocks that will make you shit your shoes off.  Whereas the gore deflates the picture, the isolation and hopelessness are convincing.  Not my favourite ever film, but certainly a movie that demands to be seen.

8/10

Hallowe’en Horror Fest Shadows

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Dark Shadows (2012)

Tim Burton and – who else? – Johnny Depp bring us Dark Shadows, based on the cult late ’60’s TV show of the same name.  It’s a mix of horror, comedy and drama that is happy to lurk in Gothic darkness, but also offers a campy humour. dark

Barnabas Collins (Depp), heir to the wealthy Collins clan fortune, makes the mistake of spurning the love of Angelique (Eva Green).  Angelique happens to be a witch who curses Barnabas to become a vampire.  After being imprisoned for 200 years, Collins is awoken and finds himself in the year 1972.  A man – or vampire – considerably out of his time, Barnabas returns to the family home with the intention of restoring the Collins family to both wealth and harmony.  Aided by matriarch Elizabeth (Michelle Pfeiffer), Barnabas faces Angelique once more; whilst also attempting to help his family and win the love of his life.

Does that sound like fun to you?  It did to me.  Which is why I’m surprised that some people didn’t dig this retro gem.  The mixing of genres may have confused some audiences, but to me Dark Shadows is a delightfully ghoulish confection in the spirit of the Addams Family and The Munsters.

I enjoyed the comedy elements, and there’s enough blood to tick the horror box.  Most of all though, I love the 1970’s setting – obviously inspired (again) by Hammer, there are cool cars and an exceptional soundtrack.  Alice Cooper even has a cameo as himself, for goodness sake – playing two classic Coop tracks!

Great cast, cool atmosphere – it all adds up to a winner in my book.

9/10

Attack of Hallowe’en Horror Fest

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Halloween (1978)

This film is perfect for Hallowe’en Horror Fest!  I can’t believe I’ve not reviewed it already.  Here we have the original Halloween from Director John Carpenter, and by golly it’s a beauty.

Michael Myers has been locked up in an institution since the Hallowe’en night when, as young boy, he murdered his sister.  Now Michael has escaped, and returned to his home town to wreak bloody murder on the local teens.  Dr Loomis (Donald Pleasence)  is in pursuit of the deranged killer, but will he be able to stop Myers before Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is his next victim? Halloween_cover

I’m not really a fan of slasher films, but here we have a film that bucks the trend.  Halloween is tense as hell – Carpenter manages to startle the audience time and again.  The viewer is constantly on edge waiting for the next shock.  This film created many of the cliches we are now familiar with in the slasher genre – so it’s to the credit of the Director that the frights still work.  The leads deliver believable performances, too – making this a classic standing head and shoulders over the imitators.

Carpenter also provides the spooky soundtrack, music which can give you a chill even without the visuals!

Recommended.

10/10

Hallowe’en Horror Fest of Blood

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Theatre of Blood (1973)

Vincent Price plays Edward Lionheart, Shakespearean actor presumed dead – now returned to seek revenge on the theatre critics who mocked him.  One by one, the tormentors are killed in gruesome ways based on the bard’s work.  Twisted by Obsession, Lionheart creates elaborate methods to slay the critics in the pursuit of an award he felt was rightly his.  theatre-of-blood-poster

This film features a great performance by Price, not to mention a superb cast of British actors not afraid to embrace the camp yet grisly feel of it all.  We see Arthur Lowe, Michael Hordern, Diana Rigg, Ian Hendry, Jack Hawkins and more.  Oh, and the impossibly pretty Madeline Smith gets some screen time too.

The plot is not the most original of ideas – it’s very similar to The Abominable Dr Phibes (also starring Price).  However, several of the murders are actually quite ghastly – as well as bizarre – and the actors’ performances keep the pace rolling along.  There are surprises and chills aplenty, making Theatre of Blood a film I heartily recommend.

8/10

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Well it’s basically inspired by old B-movies and horror/sci-fi flicks, so The Rocky Horror Picture Show is in this years Hallowe’en Horror Fest!

I’m not a huge fan though, sorry.  Mrs Platinum Al loves this old nonsense though, and made me promise not to write a bad review.  So to ensure I don’t end up like Eddy, I’ll list the things I enjoyed about this film and not mention the negatives.

  • It’s a musical, but has nothing to do with that Lloyd-Webber tit.
  • A couple of the songs are actually quite good – Science Fiction Double Feature is a great tune with cool lyrics in tribute to some classic films.
  • Charles Gray is MAGNIFICENT.
  • Susan Sarandon has a great rack.
  • Magenta would also get a portion (nice French maid outfit).

It’s actually quite good, campy fun for the most part, though I lost interest for the last twenty minutes.  I won’t be dressing up in stockings and suspenders for a late night showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show any time soon.

4/10

Hallowe’en Horror Fest Must Die!

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Outpost (2007)

A group of mercenaries are hired to escort a business man into a remote area of war torn Eastern Europe.  Their mission leads them to a mysterious bunker, once the secret base of Nazis in World War II.  Suddenly under attack, the group find themselves in the midst of forces they cannot comprehend…

Nazi zombies!  Brilliant!  This film is well produced and thoroughly well acted.  The sense of paranoia grows through out the movie.  Using clever lighting and a small set, the feeling of claustrophobia builds within both cast and audience alike. outpost-2008-uk-horror

However, despite the gritty look and disturbing atmosphere, the last twenty minutes fell a bit flat.  I had held this movie in high esteem following my initial viewing a few years back.  Watching it again, I felt as disorientated as the characters at the end – but not in the way the Director would have wanted.  A great premise was lost in the final few minutes.

Maybe I’ve confused this film with the far better Dead Snow as years have gone by.  Either way, a bit more Nazi zombie would have been a good thing.  Never the less, I’d recommend Outpost as one to watch.

7/10

The Return of Hallowe’en Horror Fest

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Another October, another Hallowe’en Horror Fest!  As per last year, the Virtual Hot Tub will become a horror themed heaven – or hell – right on through to Hallowe’en.

Here’s this years first horror film mini review…

Pet Sematary (1989)

A family move to a new house, by a busy road, which is also near to the Pet Sematary of the title.  It is here that the local kids bury their beloved, sadly departed pets.  Cursed ground nearby, however, can revive the dead; though the dead come back not as they once were…  Inevitably the busy road takes it’s toll, and the struggle with grief leads to unnatural choices. Pet_sematary_poster

I had seen this adaptation of the Stephen King novel many years ago.  First time around I wasn’t massively impressed, but the film did entertain.  Watching Pet Sematary again after two decades, I was far more enthralled.  I now found some of the tale quite uncomfortable, as a parent.  Though that’s where King excels, taking our everyday fears and exploiting them, creating something quite unnerving.  This movie version manages to retain that dread and convey it well to the audience.

Pet Sematary is slightly dated, and the course of events slightly obvious, but there’s enough chilling imagery to make this film worth watching.

Plus this film picks up bonus points for two things:

  1. It features the late, great Fred Gwynne in a non-Herman Munster role
  2. It also features two Ramones songs (“Sheena is a Punk Rocker” and the title track) in a rare, early example of that fine band invading popular culture.  King is, of course, a big fan.

8/10

Hallowee’en Horror Fest Meets the Wolfman

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Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman (1943)

It wouldn’t be right, to review a load of horror movies and not include something from Universal.  I couldn’t forgive myself.  Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman, though not at the more critically acclaimed end of the Universal catalogue, is a hell of a lot of fun.

Lawrence Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr) is revived – in very creepy style – from his tomb.  Sometime later he’s treated in Cardiff hospital (yes, you read that right), only to disappear on a quest to destroy himself and his werewolf curse.  Eventually, Talbot finds his way to Frankenstein’s castle, where he aims to persuade the doctor to aid him.  Instead, Talbot finds the Frankenstein monster (Bela Lugosi), and ultimately chaos ensues… 187699-werewolves-frankenstein-meets-the-wolf-man-poster

This film features some great Universal sets and lots of atmosphere.  It wins bonus points from me, for setting the first part of the film in Wales – though the supposedly Welsh actors don’t tackle the accent at all!  It’s a bizarre fact that Hollywood chose to set it’s Wolfman saga in Wales, though I have no idea why.

Lugosi’s attempt with the monster falls a little short, though apparently his dialogue – which would have enhanced the performance – was cut.  As a result, the last part of the film doesn’t meet early, high expectations.

The thrill with Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman is seeing two Universal monsters together in one film.  When I heard about these Universal “team-ups” when I was a monster obsessed kid, this idea fascinated me.  It was like superhero team ups in comic books, and all seemed very exciting.  The end result doesn’t quite deliver, but I love it all the same.

8/10

Hallowe’en Horror Fest Must Be Destroyed

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Ed Wood (1994)

OK – so Ed Wood doesn’t have any shocks or frights.  Nor does it contain anything remotely supernatural.  Yet it does have Bela Lugosi, Vampira, a Hallowe’en scene and references to some of the worst horror B-movies of all time.

This film charts the career lows (and more lows) of Ed Wood, a man whose movies are largely considered absolute disasters.  Played by Johnny Depp, Wood and his band of misfits blunder from one production to another, with far more enthusiasm than talent.  Thus we see a dramatised version of Wood’s life behind the scenes of such turkeys as Bride of the Monster and Plan 9 From Outer Space. ed_wood_ver2

Bela Lugosi is played fantastically by Martin Landau, in a role that elicits great sympathy from the audience.  The film also stars Sarah Jessica Parker, the legendary Bill Murray, Patricia Arquette and Lisa Marie as the aforementioned Vampira.  Depp, too, does a riveting job, making Wood likeable – a failed hero the audience can root for.

Directed by Tim Burton, this is a film that I can watch again and again.  You don’t have to be familiar with the works of Wood, but it does add another dimension if you are.  It’s a wonderful film that has, at it’s core, a story of succeeding against the odds.  Sort of.

Not a horror film then, as such, but the fact that Ed Wood features such icons of early horror makes this film an unmissable Hallowe’en treat.

10/10

Day of the Dead (1985)

So it’s post apocalypse and there are zombies everywhere.  There are these survivors holed up in an underground mine/storage facility.  Tensions mount between the survivors –  some being scientists and some military – as they each have their own agendas.  Eventually everything goes belly up and it’s zombie attack time.

I don’t think that gives away too many spoilers – you weren’t expecting anything else, were you?

Director George A Romero was also responsible for the completely thrilling Night of the Living Dead.  He also made Dawn of the Dead, a very fine sequel.  However, for me, Day of the Dead doesn’t quite reach the heights of the two earlier films.  Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty to get your teeth into here, and there are a few genuinely innovative moments.  It’s just harder to relate to people stuck in an underground cavern than it is a shopping mall.

I won’t mention the zombie Bub, a character that I definitely thought was too much.  But check it out, certainly if you’ve seen the other Dead films.

7/10