'Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein'
This classic 1948 comedy has the titular funnyman as hapless freight handlers who come into contact with Dracula (Bela Lugosi), the Wolf Man (Lon Chaney, Jr.), and Frankenstein's monster (Glenn Strange). Saw this for the first time on Netflix last year, and I thought it was absolutely hilarious with a perfect ending that introduces yet another horror icon into the mix.
This classic 1948 comedy has the titular funnyman as hapless freight handlers who come into contact with Dracula (Bela Lugosi), the Wolf Man (Lon Chaney, Jr.), and Frankenstein's monster (Glenn Strange). Saw this for the first time on Netflix last year, and I thought it was absolutely hilarious with a perfect ending that introduces yet another horror icon into the mix.
'Arsenic and Old Lace'
Frank Capra (director of 'It's A Wonderful Life') directs this 1944 adaptation of the play of the same name. Theater critic Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant) discovers on his wedding day that his old, beloved aunts are homicidal maniacs and that insanity runs in the family. And it only gets worse when his estranged brother Jonathan comes back to town. Okay, it's not much of a horror movie, but still a rather dark comedy with plenty of macabre elements. I actually played Jonathan Brewster in a production of this in high school during the fall of my senior year. Sophomore year of college I finally watched this movie on Netflix and I thought it was very funny.
Frank Capra (director of 'It's A Wonderful Life') directs this 1944 adaptation of the play of the same name. Theater critic Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant) discovers on his wedding day that his old, beloved aunts are homicidal maniacs and that insanity runs in the family. And it only gets worse when his estranged brother Jonathan comes back to town. Okay, it's not much of a horror movie, but still a rather dark comedy with plenty of macabre elements. I actually played Jonathan Brewster in a production of this in high school during the fall of my senior year. Sophomore year of college I finally watched this movie on Netflix and I thought it was very funny.
'The Cabin In The Woods' (R)
Joss Whedon co-wrote this 2012 horror movie that has five friends (Kristen Connelly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz and Jesse Williams) renting a cabin in the woods for the weekend, where spooky things are occurring and there clearly is much more to this cabin than meets the eye. Co-starring Richard Jenkins, this may sound like a stereotypical 'cabin in the woods' style horror movie but it's not. Yes it has certain cliches and stereotypes but it not only satirizes those but there is also a purpose for those which I won't reveal here. It's kinda creepy, it's funny, and overall it's a fun movie.
Joss Whedon co-wrote this 2012 horror movie that has five friends (Kristen Connelly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz and Jesse Williams) renting a cabin in the woods for the weekend, where spooky things are occurring and there clearly is much more to this cabin than meets the eye. Co-starring Richard Jenkins, this may sound like a stereotypical 'cabin in the woods' style horror movie but it's not. Yes it has certain cliches and stereotypes but it not only satirizes those but there is also a purpose for those which I won't reveal here. It's kinda creepy, it's funny, and overall it's a fun movie.
'Dracula'
Ah, the 1931 horror classic that kicked off the Universal classic monster movies. I watched this on Netflix last year, and in my honest opinion even though it's 83 years old and horror movies have drastically changed it's still a relatively creepy movie with a strong performance by Bela Lugosi in his iconic role.
Ah, the 1931 horror classic that kicked off the Universal classic monster movies. I watched this on Netflix last year, and in my honest opinion even though it's 83 years old and horror movies have drastically changed it's still a relatively creepy movie with a strong performance by Bela Lugosi in his iconic role.
'Evil Dead' (R)
Yes, I'm talking about the 2013 remake. Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods. The evil presence possesses them until only one is left to fight for survival. Directed by Fede Alvarez in his feature film debut and co-produced by Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell. It starts off slow, but once the violence and gore kicks in it's an unbelievably wild, awesome, and bloody ride. Stay tuned to the end of the credits for a special cameo. This of all movies was the movie that finally gave me the inspiration to start this blog. A very rough personal situation almost delayed that, but now I'm getting off topic. If you liked the original 'Evil Dead' trilogy, you won't be disappointed with this new incarnation.
Yes, I'm talking about the 2013 remake. Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods. The evil presence possesses them until only one is left to fight for survival. Directed by Fede Alvarez in his feature film debut and co-produced by Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell. It starts off slow, but once the violence and gore kicks in it's an unbelievably wild, awesome, and bloody ride. Stay tuned to the end of the credits for a special cameo. This of all movies was the movie that finally gave me the inspiration to start this blog. A very rough personal situation almost delayed that, but now I'm getting off topic. If you liked the original 'Evil Dead' trilogy, you won't be disappointed with this new incarnation.
Another classic horror movie (this one from 1960) that I watched on Netflix last year. Apart from knowing about the infamous shower scene and that chocolate sauce was used as the blood for this movie, I didn't know much about it. Not knowing much about it definitely helped in that this movie just got creepier and creepier, with a twist that I did not see coming at all and actually made me jump in my seat in my dorm room. I also watched the 1998 shot-for-shot colorized remake of this that starred Vince Vaughn, but the less said about that movie the better. Watch the original one instead.
'The Ring' (PG-13)
The 2002 American remake of the popular Japanese horror movie 'Ringu', whose success inspired a whole slew of American remakes of various Japanese horror movies ('The Grudge', 'Dark Water', 'Pulse', etc.). A reporter (Naomi Watts) investigates a mysterious videotape that seems to kill those who watch it. It has to have been at least ten years since I've seen this so I don't know how well it holds up, but I remember thinking that this was actually pretty scary with it's constant feeling of dread and the very creepy, disturbing imagery played in the video. Way better than it's 2006 sequel.
The 2002 American remake of the popular Japanese horror movie 'Ringu', whose success inspired a whole slew of American remakes of various Japanese horror movies ('The Grudge', 'Dark Water', 'Pulse', etc.). A reporter (Naomi Watts) investigates a mysterious videotape that seems to kill those who watch it. It has to have been at least ten years since I've seen this so I don't know how well it holds up, but I remember thinking that this was actually pretty scary with it's constant feeling of dread and the very creepy, disturbing imagery played in the video. Way better than it's 2006 sequel.
'Saw' (R)
As the continuing tag line goes, if it's Halloween...it must be 'SAW'. And indeed 'Saw' is back in theaters for it's 10th anniversary. Holy crap I remember this movie coming out...I'm old. I remember 'The Grudge', 'Ray', 'Ladder 49', 'Shark Tale', 'Friday Night Lights', and 'Taxi' all being in theaters the same time as this movie. Anyway, the original 'Saw' follows two men (Cary Elwes and Leigh Whannel, the latter of the two also having written the movie) who wake up in an underground lair of the 'Jigsaw' killer with a dead body, a gun, two saws, a tape recorder, and a few tapes in the room with them. The men must follow various rules and objectives if they wish to survive and win the deadly game set for them by Jigsaw. The movie that started a franchise that had a new movie being released every Halloween from 2004 with this movie thru 2010 with the rather terrible 'Saw 3D'. The movie that, for better or worse, helped coin the "torture porn" subgenre of horror movies (along with 'Hostel'). More of a bloody thriller than a horror movie, but the various traps and scenarios that Jigsaw's victims are in can be rather fascinating, and it's loaded with plenty of twists and turns that will keep you guessing. I haven't seen this movie in years, but I remember liking it.
As the continuing tag line goes, if it's Halloween...it must be 'SAW'. And indeed 'Saw' is back in theaters for it's 10th anniversary. Holy crap I remember this movie coming out...I'm old. I remember 'The Grudge', 'Ray', 'Ladder 49', 'Shark Tale', 'Friday Night Lights', and 'Taxi' all being in theaters the same time as this movie. Anyway, the original 'Saw' follows two men (Cary Elwes and Leigh Whannel, the latter of the two also having written the movie) who wake up in an underground lair of the 'Jigsaw' killer with a dead body, a gun, two saws, a tape recorder, and a few tapes in the room with them. The men must follow various rules and objectives if they wish to survive and win the deadly game set for them by Jigsaw. The movie that started a franchise that had a new movie being released every Halloween from 2004 with this movie thru 2010 with the rather terrible 'Saw 3D'. The movie that, for better or worse, helped coin the "torture porn" subgenre of horror movies (along with 'Hostel'). More of a bloody thriller than a horror movie, but the various traps and scenarios that Jigsaw's victims are in can be rather fascinating, and it's loaded with plenty of twists and turns that will keep you guessing. I haven't seen this movie in years, but I remember liking it.
'Sinister' (R)
A more recent horror movie that stars Ethan Hawke as a down on his luck true-crime writer looking for his next big hit book. So he moves his family into a house where a gruesome murder took place to find inspiration. In the house he finds a cache of 8mm home movies films that suggest the murder he is currently researching is the work of a serial killer whose career dates back to the 1960s. In a way it's a conventionally plotted movie with occasional scenes that are meant to be found footage. Very well made, well acted, and very creepy. The found footage scenes are without the doubt the scariest things in this movie, practically being mini snuff movies. The twist I couldn't see coming.
A more recent horror movie that stars Ethan Hawke as a down on his luck true-crime writer looking for his next big hit book. So he moves his family into a house where a gruesome murder took place to find inspiration. In the house he finds a cache of 8mm home movies films that suggest the murder he is currently researching is the work of a serial killer whose career dates back to the 1960s. In a way it's a conventionally plotted movie with occasional scenes that are meant to be found footage. Very well made, well acted, and very creepy. The found footage scenes are without the doubt the scariest things in this movie, practically being mini snuff movies. The twist I couldn't see coming.
Can you believe that this movie is five years old? Neither can I. Time flies whether we want it to or not. A shy student (Jesse Eisenberg) trying to reach his family in Ohio, a gun-toting tough guy (Woody Harrelson) trying to find the last Twinkie, and a pair of sisters (Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin) trying to get to an amusement park join forces to travel across a zombie-filled America. I absolutely love this movie. Hilarious from start to finish, great characters fueled by excellent performances from the cast (Woody Harrelson standing out the most), buckets of blood and gore, and a classic cameo by Bill Murray. What? The movie's been out for five years - I can spoil the cameo. I can't recommend this movie enough.
Well this concludes my lists of movies I recommend watching on Halloween, and those I don't recommend watching on Halloween. What are some of your favorite movies to watch this time of year?
