Halloween Mixtape 2017

2017 Halloween Special

The Madness 10 Years of Fear: Week 3 Summary

TV Shows 

Stranger Things Season 1 2016 - 6 Points
Finished rewatching the first season, still just as good the second time around. Now the final week of waiting for season 2 begins.

S1E7 - 4pt (ATB Special bonus) 5/5
S1E8 -  4pt (ATB Special bonus) 5/5

Super Monsters 2017 - 9Points 
A new Netflix series geared towards the pre-school set. My 3 year old loves PJ Masks and this is basically that but with the children of classic monsters. It's her new obsession.

S1E1 - 3pt (ATB 2017 release)
S1E2 - 3pt (ATB 2017 release)
S1E7 - 3pt (ATB 2017 release)

Lore Season 1 2017 - 8 Points 
Finished up the series with episodes focused on werewolves and the infamous Robert the doll. I find the Robert story to be really fascinating.

S1E5 - 4pt ( ATB 2017 release) 3/5
S1E6 - 4pt (ATB 2017 release) 5/5

Tales from the Darkside - 12 Points 
Some more solid episodes from the final Darkside season. I wonder what the new series could have looked like, I may have to pick up Joe Hill's collection of scripts for the series to see what could have been.

S2E22 - 3pt (ATB George Romero) 3/5
S4E1 - 3pt (ATB George Romero) 4/5
S4E2 - 3pt (ATB George Romero) 4/5
S4E5 - 3pt (ATB George Romero) 5/5

Freakish - 6 Points 
I never finished the first season, but I figured it probably wouldn't be difficult to pick up in season 2, it wasn't. The first 2 episodes are still much of the same to what I did see in season 1. I really think they need to get out of the school and explore this world.

S2E1 - 3pt (ATB 2017 release) 3/5
S2E2 - 3pt (ATB 2017 release) 3/5

Sunday October 15th - 18 Points

The Burning 1981 - 6pt (ATB, Video Nasty)
"Are you ready for the summer? Are you ready for the hot nights? Are you ready for the fireflies, the moonlit skies, and a whole lot of fooling around..." Meatballs: Slasher edition. I love this movie. 5/5

Return of the Living Dead 1984 - 6pt (ATB Puppet zombie)
Greatest zombie comedy ever made? It's pretty close for me. A movie that never grows old. 5/5

The Babysitter - 6pt (ATB 2017 release)
I loved this movie. It's everything that I wanted "Better Watch Out" to be, because it takes a similar premise and actually makes it fun. It let's the here be a hero, and the humor works. I can't wait to watch it again. 5/5

Monday October 16th - 7.5 Points

Night of the Living Dead 1968 - 6pt (ATB Romero)
My favorite of Romero's zombie films. I think Dawn is great, but this one is timeless in a way that isn't. 5/5

Garfields Halloween Adventure - .5pt
First time watch. I've heard about this for years so I wanted to see what the fuss was about. I thoroughly enjoyed it, lots of Halloween goodness in there. 4/5

Amazing Stories Mummy Daddy - 1pt (practical effects)
What a great episode. An actor in mummy makeup rushes off the set of a film because his wife goes into labor. After he gets stranded in the middle of nowhere the locals mistake him for an actual mummy (which he also runs into) and they decide he needs to be executed. Really entertaining. 4/5

Tuesday October 17th - 26 Points 

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse - 6pt (ATB Zombie effects)
First time watching all of the way through. I think there's a lot of good stuff in here, but when the humor fails it's pretty groan worthy. Worth a watch but definitely not going to be for everyone. 3/5

The Devils Candy - 6pt (ATB 2017 release)
I had no idea what to expect here, and I was pretty surprised. The ending gets a bit over the top but I still had fun with it. 4/5

The Beyond 1981 - 6pt (ATB Video Nasty)
Possibly my favorite Fulci film (of the ones I've seen). I absolutely love the third act of this film. 5/5

Halloween Wars Episode 3 - 4pt (ATB 2017 release)
Monster party was the theme resulting in some pretty cool dancing werewolves.

Halloween Baking Championship S3E4 - 4pt (ATB 2017 Release)
Brains and phobias were the focus this week. I want one of those brain cakes, they look so good.

Wednesday October 18th - 10 Points

Asylum 1972 - 6pt (ATB Peter Cushing)
The Cushing bonus continues to introduce me to movies I probably would have continued to leave on the backlog. Asylum's a pretty fun anthology though I don't understand how all of those paper wrapped body parts could ever pose a real threat. 4/5

Halloween Wars Hayride of Horror Episode 3 - 4pt (ATB 2017 release)
The theme was to create a horrific zoo, and there were some pretty disgusting creations involving animals with burst stomachs.

Thursday October 19th - 18 Points

Stagefright 1987 - 6pt (ATB Michele Soavi)
Michele Soavi had a series of really cool movies and then very little. Stagefright is a great blend of American slasher tropes mixed with the Italian aesthetic. Also, that owl mask is pretty great. 4/5

One Dark Night 1982 - 6pt (ATB Zombie effects )
First time watch about a man who comes back from the dead and terrorizes a group of girls in a mausoleum by raising the dead. I think this movie needs a good edit. There's a whole subplot with the antagonists daughter and Adam West that could be completely removed. We need to get to the good stuff sooner. 3/5

Manhattan Baby 1982 - 6pt (ATB Fulci)
Fulci's take on The Exorcist. Not as gory as the stuff Fulci had been doing, especially with this following New York Ripper, but I kind of like that. I have a bit of a soft spot for these Exorcist rip-offs, it's like the directors are highly aware they can't match the Exorcist in execution so they just go completely off the wall and it's always entertaining. 3.5/5

Friday October 20th - 6 Points

TCM 2 1986 - 6pt (ATB Hooper)
It's like Hooper knew he couldn't possibly top himself, so he went directly into the comedy realm while attempting to somewhat mimic what he did the first time around. While it's nowhere near as good as the original, I still love this for what it is. 4/5

Saturday October 21st - 12 Points

Creepshow 1981 - 6pt (ATB George Romero)
We set up our outdoor screen, lit the bonfire and introduced some friends to this classic. I never know how people are going to react to these older horror films, but everyone seemed to really enjoy it. 5/5

Trick r treat 2007 - 6pt (ATB zombie kids )
Followed up Creepshow with Trick R Treat. This was only new to one person, but everyone is in agreement that it remains one of the best Halloween themed films ever made. Another one that never gets old. 5/5

Total Week - 140.5 Points

The Madness 10 Years of Fear Week 2 Summary

TV Shows

Stranger Things Season 1 2016 - 18 Points
In anticipation of the new season I'm rewatching season 1. Just as good on the second watch as the first. I'm really looking forward to the 27th.

S1E1 - 3pt (Child protagonist, 2016 release)
S1E2 - 3pt (Child protagonist, 2016 release)
S1E3 - 3pt (Child protagonist, 2016 release)
S1E4 - 3pt (Child protagonist, 2016 release)
S1E5 - 3pt (Child protagonist, 2016 release)
S1E6 - 3pt (Child protagonist, 2016 release)

Tales from the Darkside - 24 Points
The George Romero bonus makes this a great year to catch up on some Tales from the Darkside. I forgot how much fun the later seasons are in the series. There was one episode here, "The Grither", that I saw when I was a kid and have been searching trying to find for years, I never realized it was a Darkside episode.

S1E1 - 3pt (ATB Romero)
S2E9 - 3pt (ATB Romero)
S2E10 - 3pt (ATB Romero)
S2E11 - 3pt (ATB Romero)
S3E5 - 3pt (ATRomero)
S3E6 - 3pt (ATB Romero)
S3E9 - 3pt (ATB Romero)
S3E12 - 3pt (ATB Romero)

Lore Season 1 2017 - 16 Points
As a listener of the podcast, I've been waiting for the show for a while, and as a fan of the pod, the show doesn't disappoint. The first 4 episodes cover stories about changelings, vampires, lobotomies and speaking to the dead. Looking forward to finishing the series next week.

S1E1 - 4pt (ATB 2017 release)
S1E2 - 4pt (ATB 2017 release)
S1E3 - 4pt (ATB 2017 release)
S1E4 - 4pt (ATB 2017 release)

Sunday October 8th - 32  Points

Pet Sematary 1989 - 6Pt (ATB kid zombie)
Lot of remake rumors have been swirling around for a while. I like this version, but would welcome a different take. 3/5

Goosebumps S1E16 A Night In Terror Tower Part 1 - 1pt (child protagonist)
Goosebumps S1E17 A Night In Terror Tower Part 2 - 1pt (child protagonist)
A couple of kids go on vacation in london and are transported back to the time of executioners and guillotines. 2/5

Demons 1985 - 6pt (ATB Argento/Lamberto)
Any movie that features a character riding motorcycle through a movie theater cutting up demons with a sword has to be respected. 5/5

Revenge of Frankenstein 1958 - 6pt (ATB Peter Cushing)
Interesting take on the frankenstein story picks up directy where the previous film left off. Cushing's Frankenstein is practicing under a new name and creates a new monster by transplanting the brain of a sick and crippled man into the body of a healthy one. Things don't go well. 3/5

Blood Feast 1963 - 6pt (ATB video nasty)
H.G. Lewis' work is pretty important to the horror genre, I'm just not a big fan of most of it. I like Blood Feast for what it is but never revisit it. His best are 2000 Maniacs and Wizard of Gore. 2.5/5

The Black Room - 6pt (ATB 2017 release)
I loved this. I went in completely blind, only knowing that the release date would get 6 points, but was suprised at how good it is. Highly recommend it. 4/5

Monday October 9th, 22 Point

Don't Kill It - 6pt (ATB, 2017 release)
Dolph Lundgren battles a body jumping demon. This movie is a blast. Solid action, good humor and some genuinely nasty moments, particularly in the opening. 4/5

House on Willow Street - 6pt (ATB, 2017 release)
Meh, this one didn't do much for me. Run of the mill possession horror film. Features some good effects. 2/5

Halloween Wars 2017 Episode 2 - 4pt (ATB, 2017 release)
This weeks theme was around monsters hiding in plain sight. A few really amazing creations. There is one woman this season who paints backdrop murals that are unreal.

House on Straw Hill (Trauma)1976 - 6pt (ATB, Video nasty)
Who doesn't like Udo Kier? I could watch him in anything. I've had this blu ray for a while but finally had a good excuse to check it out. I doubt it's one I'll revisit often, but it's better than a lot of the nasties out there. 3/5

Tuesday October 10th - 22 Points

The Creeping Flesh 1973 - 6pt (ATB, Peter Cushing)
I was a it disappointed with this. I didn't think it would take almost the complete runtime for the creature to return to wreak havoc. 2.5/5

The Roost 2005 - 6pt (ATB zombifying animal bite)
A group of friends break down and run into a pack of bats whose bites create murderous zombies. A lean movie, with a ton of atmosphere that accomplished a lot with very little. 5/5

Halloween Wars Hayride of Horror E2 - 4pt (ATB, 2017 release)
This weeks theme had pumpkins turning on the farmers.

The Evil Dead 1981 - 6pt (ATB Video nasty)
I think i'm in the minority that this is my favorite of the series. When I was younger I was all about the sequels, my parents took me to see Army of Darkness during its theatrical run and I immediately sought out the other films. I watched and rewatched the sequels, but now I find myself going back to this original more than any. 5/5

Wednesday October 11th - 10 Points

Cult of Chucky - 6pt (ATB, 2017 release)
I'm seeing a lot of internet hate for this, but I loved it. It's completely ridiculous, but a ton of fun. 4/5

Halloween baking championship S3E3 - 4pt (ATB 2017 release)
Now I really want a brain cake.

Thursday October 12th - 12 Points

The Void - 6pt (ATB, 2017 release)
There seems to be so much good horror coming out, this is one of several 2017 release I watched this week and most have been really good. The Void is a blend of all of my favorite horror films, but still feels like it's own movie. 5/5

Cemetery Man 1994 - 6pt (ATB, Michele Soavi)
I was introduced to this in the 90's when IFC used to show independent films. I was obsessed with it. It's such a weird movie with a fantastic score and a streak of black humor throughout. 5/5

Friday October 13th - 11 Points

Stakeland 2 - 6pt (ATB 2017 release)
A fine follow up to a great movie. I think Mickle's original is really good, so a follow up is a tough task. While I won't be running out to rewatch it, seeing these characters together again in an apocalyptic America overrun by vampires and religious extremists is entertaining enough. 3/5

Hocus Pocus 1993- 5pt (child protagonist, practical zombie, underground tunnel)
I took my kids to a screening at our local theatre, and it was practically sold out. The kids had a blast and the audience was completely into it. 3.5/5

Saturday October 14th - 6 Points

IT - 6pt (ATB 2017 release)
Finally got to see IT, and I was not disappointed. I'm not a fan of the original despite loving it as a kid. This new adapation gets so much right, the casting is perfect, the themes of the book are portrayed more effectively, and none of it seems watered down. I'm hoping they can do right with the adult storyline. 5/5

Total Week 2 - 173

The Madness: Ten Years of Fears Week 1 Summary

Sunday October 1st - 34 pts

The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Episodes I - VI

While I no longer keep up with the new episodes of the Simpsons I do make it a point to always watch the annual Treehouse of Horror episodes. Even with varying quality over the years the episodes are tradition for me and I never miss it. Episodes I-VI represent some of the best with send ups on everything from The Twilight Zone to A Nightmare on Elm Street and my all-time favorite segment, "The Shinning".

Episode I- 1pt (child protagonist) 3/5

Episode II - 1pt (child antagonist) 3/5

Episode III - 1pt (child protagonist) 4/5

Episode IV - 1pt (child protagonist) 4/5

Episode V - 1.5pt (child protagonist, classic monsters) 5/5

Episode VI - 1.5pt (child protagonist, Paul Anka plays himself) 5/5

The Monster Squad 1987 - 5pt (child protagonist, man in suit, classic monsters)
Introduced my 7 year old to a childhood favorite and she really liked it. Since she is planning to vamp it out for Halloween she took it as an opportunity to research the mannerisms of a vampire which was pretty entertaining. She also loved Frankenstein's monster. 5/5

Bloody Moon 1981 - 6pt (ATB Video Nasty)
Beheadings, impalement, deformities, incest...just another day in the world of Franco. Probably my favorite of Franco's films, though that bar is pretty low. 4/5

Dimension 404 Episode 2 "Cinethrax" - 4pt (ATB 2017 release)
Patton Oswalt battles space aliens snatching the bodies of moviegoers through a new 3-d technology. Film references abound with a strong tinge of They Live has me pretty excited for what else this series has to offer. 5/5

The Addams Family 1991 - 4pt (Child protagonist, cavern)
I've watched it every madness, opinion remains unchanged. The jokes work, the casting is spot on, sets are great, the story is mediocre. 3.5/5

Road to Halloween Wars - 4pt (2017 release)
My family loves Halloween wars, this was a good primer to the season premiere with introductions to all of the contestants and their skills. 3/5

Channel Zero No-End House Episode 1 - 4pt (ATB 2017 release)
Note to self...if a random house with a reputation for messing with minds pops up near my home, stay away. Episode 1 has me intrigued, I'll probably give episode 2 a chance. 3/5

Monday October 2nd - 13 pts

Anthropophagous 1980 - 6pt (ATB Video nasty)
I was watching this on a bus to work...I should be more careful when watching nasties in public. Fetus consumption isn't everyone's cup of tea. 3/5

Halloween Wars Episode 1 - 4pt (ATB 2017 release)
The theme was hitchhikers. These people created cars out of pumpkins. I feel good when I successfully carve a pupil inside of an eye. 5/5

Ghosted S1E1 - 3pt (ATB 2017 release)
New series on Fox with Craig Robinson and Adam Scott, two actors I really like. Episode 1 was enjoyable enough but ultimately a bit forgettable, I'm hoping the series finds it's legs.

Tuesday October 3rd - 16 pts

Curse of Frankenstein 1957 - 6pt (ATB Peter Cushing)
I have a serious gap in my Hammer film viewing, planning to change that a bit with the Peter Cushing bonus. The film itself is a strong adaptation. Cushing's Victor is the right amount of deplorable and Lee's monster is equal parts gruesome and sympathetic. 5/5

Evilspeak 1981 - 6pt (ATB Video nasty)
So many killer hogs...so many beheadings...so much nastiness...I love it. Evilspeak grows on me with every viewing. After all, who doesn't love Clint Howard?

Dimension 404 Episode 4 "Polybius" - 4pt (ATB 2017 release)
A boy summons a demon while playing an arcade game. Kind of interesting to watch right after Evilspeak considering the similarities. Not as good as episode 2 but I think the series has a lot of potential, it's like a lighter version of Black Mirror. 3/5

Wednesday October 4th - 10 pts

Halloween Baking Championship S3E1 - 4pt (ATB 2017 release)
Next to Halloween Wars this is another family staple during October. The contestants bake candy filled cookies and I would eat all of them. 5/5

South Park S1E7 Pink Eye - 3pt (ATB Kid Zombie)
South Park is overrun with zombies after Kenny is crushed by a satellite. I've been watching South Park since season 1, this episode solidified my obsession with series early on. It's still so good.

Tales From the Crypt S4E7 - 3pt (ATB Kid Zombie)
A radio psychologist tries to help the psychic from Poltergeist deal with her problem child. I remember seeing this when it aired and it really unnerved younger me. Adult me, not as much, but it's still a fun episode.

Thursday October 5th - 25 pts

Delirium 1979 - 6pt (ATB Video nasty)
First time watch though I've known the cover art for a long time...I wish that's how I still knew it 1/5

Axe 1974 - 6pt (ATB Video nasty)
I kind of like Axe. The acting is rough and it seems like it doesn't know if it wants to be Last House on the Left or TCM, but I still kind of like it. One of the weirder nasty titles considering its lack of gratuitous nastiness. 3/5

Vampirina: The Plant Predicament / Mummy Mayhem - 3pt (ATB 2017 release)
A new Disney cartoon about a vampire family that moves to the suburbs. It's kind of fun considering the audience.

Halloween Baking Championship S3E2 - 4pt (ATB 2017 release)
This time the theme is slime. Cookies need to ooze out some kind of filling. The winner was based around a slug theme, pretty nasty but great idea.

Return of the Living Dead Part II 1988 - 6pt (ATB Puppet Zombie)
Nostalgia is a delicate thing. This is one of the first zombie movies I ever saw. It was the late 80's, I was maybe 6 and it was on cable back when you could count on channels like AMC or USA to show a variety of genre stuff. I fell in love with it. I watched it over and over again. It's been years since I've revisited it. Unfortunately what I didn't realize was that in addition to the distributor adding new dialogue to the film the score has been completely changed due to rights. I could only focus on how bad the movie is. I think I need to track down a VHS copy and see if reinstating that original score can restore some of that original fondness.

Saturday October 7th 27 pts

Addams Family Values 1993 - 4pt (child protagonist, cavern)
See comments on part 1, pretty much the same for this, however I really enjoy the camp stuff. Unfortunately the rest of the cast don't have nearly as much to do.

Mad Monster Party 1967 - 5pt (classic monsters, underground lair, stop motion)
First time watch. I wouldn't go out of my way to watch it again. I think something like this requires some nostalgia to really enjoy. I liked some of the songs, but found the movie a bit tedious.

Little Shop of Horrors 1985 - 3pt (puppetry)
My kids loved this. A quote "when the man and the plant are singing it's like when Anna and Elsa were singing" and then, regarding Jim Belushi, "feed him to the the plant!", I wish...

Simpsons Treehouse of Horror VII - 1pt (child protagonist)
The Clinton and Gore bit is so strange now...love the evil twin segment

Halloween Wars Hayride of Horror Episode 1 - 4pt (2017 release)
So I found out tonight that there are two different versions of Halloween Wars this year, and that's pretty exciting for someone looking to rack up those ATB's with little ones around during a year full of nasties. The theme is Hayride of Horror, and it's pretty cool, though the edibles from both teams seemed a bit weak.

Better Watch Out 2017 - 10pt (Opening weekend bonus)
I had completely turned on this, until the last minute or so, at which point it redeemed itself a bit. The tonal shift partway through is really jarring and I felt like I was watching a watered down Funny Games. Maybe I would warm up to it on a second watch, now that I know what it is. Also, the comedy didn't work. 2.5/5

TOTAL WEEK 1 - 125 PTS