Tag Archives: movie review

The Halloween Horror Fest Commands

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It’s time for some more mini horror movie reviews, as the spooky month of October demands. Settle down, kids!

Scream 2 (1997)

We’ve covered the first Scream film a while back (2016, hot tub fans!) and eventually I’ve got round to watching the sequel. Unlike Scream, which I had seen before my Halloween Horror Fest review, I’d never bothered to watch Scream 2 till now.

Slasher movies ain’t really my bag, as I know I’ve mentioned before. Nor are “modern” films (OK, this is 25 years old, whatevs) or films about teenage Americans. Never the less, I’d enjoyed Scream and the second instalment has been on my watch list for a while.

Here the survivor from the first movie, Sidney (Neve Campbell) is now attending college when a spate of copy cat killings, inspired by the deeds of Ghostface in the previous film, start to occur. There follows a series of nasty murders and numerous twists and turns as the killer stalks and slays various characters. All the time, the audience is trying to guess the identity of the new Ghostface.

There’s nothing supernatural here, but there are plenty of jumps and surprises. Like the first film, this sequel attempts to play with the audiences expectations with numerous well observed references to other movies. Also like the first film, I found Scream 2 far more entertaining than I expected.

7.5/10

Renfield (2023)

Bang up to date now, with this 2023 movie starring Nicholas Hoult as the titular character, the familiar of Dracula. Yes, THE Dracula, played here with demonic glee by the one and only Nicholas Cage.

Here the trusted and sort-of immortal Renfield, the Count’s trusted servant, becomes dissatisfied with his lot – what with all the seeking victims and removing the gory evidence his life entails. Renfield joins a counselling group for people in abusive relationships, initially to stalk the abusers for Dracula’s prey. Eventually, the familiar decides to remove himself from his toxic existence, but not without resistance from his former master.

I was looking forward to seeing this movie, but sadly missed it in the cinema. The short time it ran in cinemas should have given me a clue as to whether it was any good…

What could have been a fresh look at the horror of the Dracula legend instead morphs into an action comedy, with guns and explosions and over the top fight scenes. It’s still an entertaining movie, but not what I hoped for at all. I hate dumb action movies and Renfield steers far too close to those waters.

Having said that, Cage is brilliant as the Lord of the Undead and I’d love to see more of him in this role.

Watchable but throwaway, which is a shame. Next.

6/10

Dr Terror’s House of Halloween Horror Fest

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Good evening, fiends! Welcome yet again to my abode, come inside and warm your bones by the fire. Take a seat, make yourself comfortable. Forget the howling wind and lashing rain outside. My faithful servant, Ygor, will bring you refreshment. And when you are ready, I’ll begin my tale…

Halloween Horror Fest 2023 is upon us – which means watching lots of spooky movies and sharing my mini reviews with you, lucky reader. As always, I intend to view a variety of films that are in the Halloween tradition. Whether old or new, frightful or fun – let’s indulge in a season of entertainment that’s truly fantastic!

Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965)

A British horror classic, this film was made by Amicus Productions – not Hammer, as many would assume – though this rival picture features some familiar faces in it’s starry cast. Amicus are well remembered for their anthology movies, featuring several short stories within a framing narrative, a device that’s well utilised here.

Five strangers on a train journey meet Dr Schreck (Peter Cushing) – his name being German for “terror” – and his deck of tarot cards (his “House of Horrors”). Each passenger in turn has their future told by Schreck’s cards. There are tales of werewolves, vampires, voodoo and malevolent plants, as the passengers fates are revealed.

Some tales work better than others. The voodoo based segment, starring none other than Roy “Record Breakers” Castle and Kenny Lynch, is simple but effective with garish lighting and exotic jazz. You can’t go wrong with the legendary Christopher Lee, in his art critic/revenge from beyond the grave story, nor a young Donald Sutherland as a New England doctor with a vampire bride – even though the stories can seem too short, due to the portmanteau style.

I was less intrigued by the tale featuring Alan Freeman (yes, “Fluff” Freeman!) and his dangerously intelligent plant, so I guess even my ability to suspend disbelief can be pushed too far.

Despite the rushed nature of the stories, I consider Dr Terror’s House of Horrors a must see. The film looks great, boasts a formidable cast, and goes all out to entertain – even if it’s sometimes a bit creaky and dated. Worth watching for Cushing and Lee alone, there’s actually a lot more to enjoy in this Amicus thriller.

9/10

The Devil Commands (1941)

We’re going further back for our next spooky movie, where we’ll meet another horror legend, the one and only Boris Karloff! In this B&W B-movie, dear old Boris is less mad scientist, more frustrated professor led astray by the machinations of others.

Dr Blair (Karloff) is researching brain waves, when following the shock death of his beloved wife, he decides to use his research to speak to the dead. Under the conniving influence of a fraudulent medium, the doctor’s research becomes more dangerous and deadly…

I prefer my horror supernatural rather than sciencefictiony, but this is a neat, stylish little film. Despite a simple, perhaps obvious plot, the performance of the wonderful Karloff the Uncanny entices the viewer to keep watching, The Devil Commands is a great watch for those, like me. who like a bit of old school scary.

7/10