This is my second year taking part in the film watching competition known as "Halloween Horror Movie Marathon Madness" or simply "The Madness". Throughout the month of October a group of Facebook users sing up and are assigned to groups with one simple goal; watch as many madness eligible films as possible and end the month victorious with the most points. If you are interested be sure to check out the group by visiting https://www.facebook.com/groups/HALLOWEENMADNESS/ Below are the movies I watched during week four of this years madness. Since week four is the final week of the competition and falls in with Halloween I watched a handful of films that I watch annually around Halloween giving up some bonus point opportunities but still a good week overall.
The Midnight Hour (1985, 94mins)
Total Points: 3 (vampires and werewolves attack under darkness)
Classic television production in which some kids accidentally raise all variations of the dead on Halloween night. This is an annual Halloween viewing for me since I first saw it a few years ago. I wish I had seen it back in the 80's. 4/5
Elvira's Movie Macabre: Frankensteins Castle of Freaks (1984/1974, 90mins)
Total Points: 9 (Elvira ATB for finale in cave)
Why is it that little people were so often portrayed as perverts back in old days of horror. Whether it be the sinful dwarf, Ralphus and now little Genz who is doing god knows what to those corpses. I actually had a lot of enjoyment with this one. 3/5
Queen Crab (2015, )
Total Points: 2
Brett Piper is at it again, which could be good or bad depending on who you are. For me, it's somewhere in between. His movies are usually amusing to a degree but wear thin after a bit. Same holds true here. In case anyone was wondering, the plot involves girl who spends her life raising a crab into a gigantic mutant crab. 2/5
A Plague so Pleasant (2013, 76mins)
Total Points: 2
An interesting take on the zombie film where the government has outlawed the killing of zombies. The best stuff probably involves the day to day office life in a post apocalyptic world where employees must endure new forms of HR training. 3/5
The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror (1988 - Present, 30mins)
Episode I - Total Points: .5 - The first ever Simpsons Halloween special saw the family move into a haunted house and be abducted by aliens as well as a unique take on Poe's The Raven. Still stands as a fun episode and a good starting point for some of the amazing episodes to come. 4/5
Episode IV - Total Points: 3 (Features The Devil as a primary character) - Homer sells his soul for a doughnut, Bart battles a gremlin on the school bus and and vampires take over Springfield. This stands as one of my favorite episodes. Parodying everything from the Twilight Zone to Bram Stoker and Salems Lot the episode is great fun with tons of little in jokes for genre fans. 5/5
Episode VII- Total Points: 1 (creature living in attic) - Bart discovers he has an evil deformed twin living in the attic, Lisa accidentally grows a mini civilization and Kang and Kudos run for president. Overall a fun episode but it's always difficult to have an episode where the humor relies heavily on the news items of the time so younger viewers most likely have no idea where some of the humor in the final segment is coming from. 3/5
Episode XXVI- Total Points: 1 (scene underground) - Sideshow Bob finally kills Bart, Homerzilla wreaks havoc and Millhouse and the Simpson kids gain superpowers a'la Chronicle after falling into a hole. While I still watch the annual Halloween outing from the Simpsons it's rare they ever hold a candle to some of those really strong episodes early on. Unfortunately this one left me pretty underwhelemd as well. 2/5
The Haunted Mansion (2003, 88mins)
Total Points: 4 (hidden passage in bookcase, hellmouth opens up in floor)
First time with this one. It's pretty bad. I'll stick with the ride, which is great fun. 1/5
The Unknown Terror (1957, 76mins)
Total Points: 6 (finale in cave)
A group of people encounter a fungus monster in a cave. The movie wouldn't be so bad if it didn't take sooooo long to get to the good stuff. 1.5/5
Elvira's Movie Macabre: Count Draculas Great Love (1973/1982, 98mins)
Total Points: 9 (Elvira ATB two vampires destroyed by sun)
What's not to love about Spanish vampire films? Lots of nudity and lots of violence. Without those elements, they would probably be unwatchable. Of course Elvira always helps. 2.5/5
The Descent (2005, 99mins)
Total Points: 6 (Finale in Cave)
A true modern classic and one that holds up with every viewing. It's like an hour and a half of pure claustrophobic horror and I love every minute. Also, I think Juno gets a bad rap throughout the movie. 5/5
The Lost Boys (1988, 97mins)
Total Points: 4 (vampires attack under darkness, scene in cave)
The Lost Boys is kind of an interesting one for me. I grew up loving it and over the years lost some of that love. I'm not really sure what it is but it just lost some of the magic that really worked for me as a child. It's still a fun movie with plenty of memorable characters and moments there's just something missing that prevents it from being a real classic for me. 3.5/5
Dear Dracula (2012, 42mins)
Total Points: 1 (attacks under darkness)
Dracula goes to a small town to visit his biggest fan, a young boy who wrote him a letter. Fun for what it is though I would have no interest in watching it again. 2/5
Night of the Demons (1988, 90mins)
Total Points: 6 (sunlight destroys the demons)
One of my favorite Halloween movies of all time and one I've been watching for years around Halloween. It's one of those movies that I randomly discovered at an impressionable age and fell in love with it and its first sequel immediately upon first viewings. This one must have been like capturing lightning in a bottle as there are few movies out there that have this kind of energy and entertainment value even after multiple viewings. Essential Halloween viewing. 5/5
Halloween (1978, 91mins)
Total Points: 2
Not much to say on this one. I watch it every year and it will always stand as one of my favorite horror films. 5/5
The Fog (1980, 89mins)
Total Points:3 (phantom fog)
The Fog is a really effective outing from Carpenter that just happens to be sandwiched right in the middle of what I would consider his two best theatrical releases, Halloween and The Thing. I remember being terrified of the box art on this movie and the first time I finally conjured up the courage to watch it was actually when it ran on cable and the scene with the old lady and the little boy scared the crap out of me. I still love The Fog and usually put it on around this time of year. 5/5
Dementia 13 (1963, 75mins)
Total Points: 2
Dementia 13 is another annual watch for me but one that I really only started watching regularly over the past few years. I happened to catch it one evening on TCM and was shocked at how much I enjoyed it and was almost dumbfounded as to how I had never watched it prior. I think the movie moves at a really good pace and is a ton of fun. 5/5
Halloween 3 (1982, 98mins)
Total Points: 2
My third favorite Halloween film after the first two and a film I've talked at length about previously. All I can really say is what's been said by many others, Halloween 3 was unfairly overlooked for years by genre fans and I get the sense that as the young fans who grew up with it finally found their voice we were finally able to speak out in defense of a movie that deserved more respect. 5/5
Jason X (2001, 91mins)
Total Points: 2
Jason X is a fun movie for what it is. The filmmakers clearly knew where the franchise was at this point and by putting Jason into outer space they very quickly made their intentions clear to the audience. At the very least it brought the basic formula into a new environment and managed to have some fun along the way. 3/5
Elviras Movie Macabre: Night of the Living Dead (1968, 96mins)
Total Points: 3 (Elvira bonus)
Night of the Living Dead is another one I watch on or around Halloween every year. It's a movie that had an aura of mystery around it when I was younger as my mother would tell me the story about the first time she saw it in a theater as a teenager and how much it frightened her. Seeing it at a young age allowed it to have a similar and lasting effect on me. I find it to be the perfect movie to watch around this wonderful holiday. 5/5
Total Week 4 Points: 71.5 Points
This is my second year taking part in the film watching competition known as "Halloween Horror Movie Marathon Madness" or simply "The Madness". Throughout the month of October a group of Facebook users sing up and are assigned to groups with one simple goal; watch as many madness eligible films as possible and end the month victorious with the most points. If you are interested be sure to check out the group by visiting https://www.facebook.com/groups/HALLOWEENMADNESS/ Below are the movies I watched during week three of this years madness. Week three has my lowest points of this madness. As usual life gets in the way, but that's all part of the game. Next week I've got a bunch of triple bonus films lined up so hopefully I can end on a higher note.
Frankenstein (1931, 70mins)
Total Points: 2
I decided to start my week off with my favorite of the Universal monster movies (at least of the ones I've seen). I prefer the original even to its sequel, though I love both. 5/5
Bride of Frankenstein (1935, 75mins)
Total Points: 2
A great follow up to a great movie. I do wish they didn't feel the need to tell the audience in the beginning that the point of the first film was to recognize Dr. Frankenstein as the monster rather than his creation. Otherwise, a true classic. 5/5
House of Frankenstein (1944, 71mins)
Total Points: 4 (scene in a cave, wolfman & dracula attack at night)
A scientist escapes from prison and uses Dracula, The Wolfman and Frankensteins monster to carry out his evil plans. It's too bad the Lugosi was unavailable for the film as I feel his presence would have made a difference. Still works for the most part as a mashup of classic characters.
Elvira Mistress of the Dark (1988, 96mins)
Total Points: 5 (elvira bonus, dark in title, hidden passage(
Elvira heads out to a small town to collect some items she was willed by an aunt she didn't know existed. While there, the uptight townspeople do everything they can to make her go away. I watched this one way back in the late 80's when it came to video. As a 6 year old boy I don't know if I could even comprehend fully what I was watching. This is the first time watching it since the early 90's and it surely holds up as a slice of late 80's goodness. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 4/5
Fright Night Part 2 (1988, 104mins)
Total Points: 6 (creature destroyed by sunlight)
I really can't pinpoint what it is about this movie that doesn't work for me. It has many of the elements from the first film, including the two lead cast members, but it just feels like it drags on and on and at no point am I really attached to any of the characters in the way I am with the first film. 2/5
Night of the Creeps (1986, 88mins)
Total Points: 6 (characters willingly go into basement inhabited by brain slugs)
When I was young my town had a handful of video stores. There was only one that had Night of the Creeps. The lady that worked there new I liked horror films and would often recommend titles that many would deem inappropriate for a child of my age. That's how I found Night of the Creeps. I loved it then and I love it now. When that video store closed I wasn't able to find another copy until much later in life when the film found itself revived by the fans who loved it as much as I did. 5/5
Toy Story of Terror (2013, 30mins)
Total Points: 1 (vampire attacks at night [the toys are watching a vampire movie in the opening scene])
I'm probably mimicking my comments from last year as my feelings are still similar. I think the film is a lot of fun and I love that it introduces young ones to classic horror tropes in a way that's easy to digest but I wish it didn't abandon it's horror movie style in the third act. 4/5
It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (1966, 30mins)
Total Points: .5
Not much to say on this. We watch it every year as I have been since childhood thus its steeped in nostalgia. I still really want Linus to meet The Great Pumpkin, I can't help but feel bad for him every time. 5/5
Monsters: Fools Gold (1988-1990)
Total Points: 3 (troll is destroyed by sunlight)
I'm always looking for ATB tv episodes. I used to watch monsters back in the day when I would rent the three episode compilation tapes from my video store. I've always had an appreciation for the series. In this episode three people find a hidden cave in a basement which is filled with gold guarded by a murderous troll. 3.5/5
Monster: Pillow Talk (1988-1990)
Total Points: .5
I took a chance on this episode hoping it might have some bonus points since it was about a monster and a bed. Unfortunately the monster was the bed rather than under it. An author lures women to his home to be sacrificed to his bed in exchange for content for his books. 2.5/5
The Addams Family (1991, 99mins)
Total Points: 4 (Hidden passage, underground cavern)
The most striking thing about The Addams Family to me will always be how well cast it is. I've become a pretty big fan of the show over the last year as I've revisited most of the original episodes. The movie does capture a lot of the deadpan dark humor that really makes the original series work. 4/5
The Mole People (1956, 77mins)
Total Points: 6 (finale in cave)
Wow, it's good this movie is short because it's pretty bad. At least there are some good laughs to be had throughout. 1/5
Trick R Treat (2007, 88mins)
Total Points: 4 (werewolves attack at night, Sam attacks from under the bed)
Trick R Treat is the kind of movie that will still be in viewers Halloween queues in 20 years. It has the same kind of holding power as other classic Halloween themed films, and that's saying something. It's a movie I never grow tired of and always have a blast watching it. 5/5
Idle Hands (1999, 92mins)
Total Points: 3 (character is pulled under bed and killed)
I saw Idle Hands twice when it came to theaters. I was 16, and the prime demographic for the film. Maybe it's nostalgia, but I still enjoy it and it usually finds its way into my annual October viewing. 4/5
Wrong Turn (2003, 84mins)
Total Points: 3 (scene in cave
It's really odd the movies that spawn long running franchises. Wrong Turn is a fine movie, and I also found part 2 to be pretty enjoyable, but six movies seems excessive for a film like this. 3.5/5
The Funhouse (1981, 96mins)
Total Points: 2
The Funhouse is a weird movie. Tobe Hooper was obviously aware of the slasher movie tropes of the time and seems to put a lot of effort into subverting them. Whether it be the long setup or the non-traditional handling of a final girl it's an odd entry in the slasher boom of the early 80's. Maybe that's why I enjoy it so much. 4/5
Sinister (2012, 110mins)
Total Points: 2
Note to self: If I ever find a box of old 8mm film reels in my house, burn them immediately. Sinister is a really effective movie for me. It's filled with unsettling visuals and a twist that's pretty surprising and unnerving for a major theatrical release. 4/5
Dolls (1987, 77mins)
Total Points: 2
One of my favorite killer doll movies. I wrote about this during last years madness and my opinion most definitely has not, and will not, change. It's a movie that scared me quite a bit as a child yet drew me back in repeatedly. 5/5
Goosebumps: The Barking Ghost (1995-1998, 30mins)
Total Points: 1 (scene in cave)
Only one episode of Goosebumps this week, thankfully. In this one two kids, a boy and a girl, have their bodies taken over the by souls of two others who were trapped inside of dogs, causing our two heroes to now be trapped inside of those dogs. I don't even know. 1/5
Total Points: 57
This is my second year taking part in the film watching competition known as "Halloween Horror Movie Marathon Madness" or simply "The Madness". Throughout the month of October a group of Facebook users sing up and are assigned to groups with one simple goal; watch as many madness eligible films as possible and end the month victorious with the most points. If you are interested be sure to check out the group by visiting https://www.facebook.com/groups/HALLOWEENMADNESS/ Below are the movies I watched during week two of this years madness. Even with no viewing on Sunday I was still able to finish out week two with a better score than last week. It was also a good week to revisit some favorites and discover some new movies, for better or worse, thanks to the always important triple bonus points.
Eloise's Rawther Unusual Halloween (2006, 60mins)
Total Points: 1
My daughter loves Eloise and the Halloween theme means it counts. Enough said. 2/5
Gremlins 2 (1990, 106mins)
Total Points 3 (Attack under darkness bonus)
Gremlins 2 was one of my earliest theater going experiences. I was so obsessed with the first movie there was no way my parents were going to get away with not bringing me to see this. Not as good as the first film but still enjoyable and it's fun to look for all of the cameos of actors from previous Dante films. 4/5
Hotel Transylvania (2012, 91mins)
Total Points 3 (Bat startling bonus)
Slightly better than I remember it, but I'm still not a big fan of this movie. I like the concept but something about it falls a bit flat for me. 2/5
As Above So Below (2014, 93mins)
Total Points 6 (Finale underground)
I was really looking forward to watching this again. I was surprised at just how much I enjoyed it on the first viewing and it completely holds up the second time around. The location is great and I love how the film is almost like Indiana Jones goes to Hell. It's also always refreshing to have a heroine who is not only resourceful but intelligent and highly educated and must use all of those skills in order to escape alive. This one's a real gem I highly recommend checking it out. 5/5
Goosebumps (1995-1998 30mins) I watched another 14 Episodes in week two so again rather than list the date and runtime for each I figured I would save some typing and simply list them all below. My general thoughts on the series are that it's entertaining and I'm glad I can watch it with my daughter but I have no nostalgic tie to the show as I never watched it as a kid. I was 12 when it started so I think I was past the age of interest. I had already stopped reading the books at that point and had certainly moved onto much more adult oriented horror so an anthology program aimed at younger kids wouldn't have really been of interest to me. I have also rated these based on their comparison to each other. A 3/5 for a Goosebumps episode could be much less outside of the series.
- Piano Lessons Can Be Murder: Total Points .5 - A new kid in town enrolls in piano lessons with a teacher who has a strange obsession with his hands. Better than some of the episodes I watched in week one. 2.5/5
- Return of the Mummy: Total Points 2 (ancient tomb, hidden passage, dropped in a pit)- A boy becomes lost in ancient tomb inhabited by a mummy. Again, one of the better episodes I've seen. 3/5
- You Can't Scare Me: Total Points .5 - Some kids want to scare their classmate by dressing up as mud monsters based on a local legend. Unfortunately for them, the mud monster is real. This literally ends with a girl talking a monster to death, really dumb. 1/5
- Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes: Total Points 1 (Gnomes only attack under darkness) - Gnomes come to life at night and wreak havoc. Would work better had they been appropriately sized lawn gnomes rather than little people in costumes. 1/5
- Attack of the Jack-O-Lanterns: Total Points .5 - Two pumpkin headed creatures force some kids to trick or treat on Halloween. The ending has two of the most ridiculous looking aliens I've ever seen. 1.5/5
- Scarecrow Walks at Midnight: Total Points .5 - Scarecrows terrorize inhabitants of a farm. By far the best episode I've seen. I love a good scarecrow story and this one delivers. 4/5
- Vampire Breath: Total Points 1 (Vampire attacks under darkness) - Two kids discover a vampire living in a hidden room in their basement. The vampire was kind of effective, the episode itself is a bit strange. 2/5
- Don't Wake Mummy: Total Points .5 - Some kids resurrect a mummy in their home. I'm pretty sure the girl in this went on to star in Criminal Minds. The episode deserves some credit for throwing a mummy heart into a garbage disposal. 2.5/5
- The Blob That Ate Everyone: Total Points 1 (monster in basement) - Some kids have a magic typewriter that brings anything they type into the real world. They accidentally turn their friend into a blob creature. The blob monster was kind of cool. 2/5
- A Shocker on Shock Street: Total Points 1 (bat startles character) - Two kids have the opportunity to be the first allowed into shocker studios. Too bad I couldn't get a bonus for characters going on a dark ride. 1/5
- My Best Friend in Invisible: Total Points .5 - A boys life is made more difficult by an invisible kid. How many times can we get a variation on the same twist? .5/5
- One Day at Horrorland Part 1: Total Points .5 - The first part of this one is kind of fun even though this looks like the most thrown together example of an "amusement park" I've ever seen. 2.5/5
- One Day at Horrorland Part 2: Total Points .5 - It all goes down hill when the main characters find out their actually on a hidden camera show for monsters. I don't know how much more I can take of this series. 1/5
- Say Cheese and Die Again: Total Points 1 (bat startles character) - Wow. I hate this episode. The worst thing that can happen to this kid is that he will wake up overweight. I wish he really did explode. .5/5
Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015, 89mins)
Total Points 5 (bat startles character, hidden passage/room, character referred to as "prince of darkness")
More fun than the original though the message seems a bit muddy. It seems that the message for kids to take away would be accepting our differences but in the end little Dennis becomes what everyone wants him to, which defeats the point a bit. 2.5.5
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984, 91mins)
Total Points 6
It's amazing to think that Wes Craven is one of the few major horror directors who managed to impact the genre in three different decades. A Nightmare on Elm Street will always be one of the best in the genre. While the acting is admittedly shaky there's way too much good in this movie to allow that to overshadow it. 5/5
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987, 93mins)
Total Points 6
My favorite of the Nightmare series. It's the one that really saw the potential of this world Craven had created. The concept of altering our dreams opened up the true possibility of the dream world and the characters within it. While part 4 would continue on the idea this one shows it in a way that none of the other films did. 5/5
The Monster Club (1981, 104mins)
Total Points 4 (Secret rooms hidden in the bar wall, vampire attacks at night)
The Monster Club is an anthology film based around different kinds of monsters both traditional and non-traditional. Donald Pleasance is always a welcome addition and he's particularly weird in the second segment but segment three about a village of ghouls who have run out of bodies to feed on was my favorite. 2.5/5
C.H.U.D (1984, 88mins)
Total Points 6 (finale in sewer/subway)
A true classic and childhood favorite of mine. This movie scared the crap out of me as a kid and I kept going back for more. The creature design is great, I love the underground setting and the acting is surprisingly strong. 5/5
Earth vs. the Spider (1958, 73mins)
Total Points 6 (Carlsbad bonus)
A giant spider decides to leave his comfortable cave to feed on the local townsfolk. Not one of the better giant bug movies of the era but I had a good enough time with it. I love how a cave can be blown up with dynamite and collapse on a young couple yet they are able to brush themselves off an walk away unharmed. 2.5/5
The Roost (2005, 80mins)
Total Points 4 (bat startling, basement monster in the wraparound story)
I bought The Roost back when it came out as a blind buy. I was so happy I did because I fell in love with it. Everything about it was so simple yet worked incredibly well. I also really enjoyed the horror host angle West used to introduce the film. 4/5
Halloweentown (1988, 84mins)
Total Points 4 (Antagonist attacks under darkness, hellmouth? [the demon comes from a swirling portal, though it's not explicitly stated what it is he is referred to as a demon and so I am assuming it's a hellmouth])
I know I watched this last year. I don't remember what I gave it though I imagine I was just as underwhelmed then as I am now. I know there's love for this movie out there, it's just not coming from me. 2/5
Bloody Knuckles (2014, 85mins)
Total Points 2
Bloody Knuckles concerns a comic book artist who offends an Asian mafioso causing him to cut off the artists hand. The hand returns to life and along with a homosexual bondage clad man they set out for revenge against the Asian gang members. I really enjoyed Bloody Knuckles. It's the kind of movie that is willing to offend viewers but never pointlessly. Everything pays off in one way or another. The performances are really good as well and the film features a few nasty but well done effects. 4/5
The Hole (2009, 92mins)
Total Points 6 (character enters hellmouth willingly)
This Madness has been filled with Joe Dante films and I've got at least one more lined up before its all over. This was a first time viewing of The Hole and I really liked it. I thought the concept was great and there are some genuinely unnerving and creative visuals. It also feels like a pg-13 movie that was made that way rather than studio forced, similar to what Dante had done in the past with movies like The Burbs or Gremlins 2. This one had been on my radar for a while and I'm glad the triple bonus was there to push me to it. 4/5
The Bat People (1974, 91mins)
Total Points 6 (Carlsbad bonus)
A man is bitten by a bat. He begins to turn into a batman. The batman then proceeds to beat up mannequins and attack trailer park residents. Good times may have been had by all involved, but probably not by those watching. Though I did appreciate the seen where the sheriff gets killed and we can see the bats feeding on him. It also should have been called "bat person" since there were no bat people to be found. 1/5
Invitation to Hell (1984, 96mins)
Total Points 6 (character enters hellmouth willingly)
In 1984, the same year Wes Craven would release A Nightmare on Elm Street, he directed a tv movie about a health club that had a doorway to hell in its basement. Members would join with the cost being their souls. I remember this from when I was a kid. I know I liked it then as it had a body snatcher's or stepford wives vibe that always resonated with me. It doesn't hold up as well today but you gotta love those 80's health club fashions. 2.5/5
Gargoyles (1972, 75mins)
Total Points 6 (Carlsbad bonus)
Another first time watched long time queued movie for this madness. I've heard many talk about Gargoyles and I've always been curious to check it out. Overall I found it pretty enjoyable. The short run time helps it move along at a really good pace and the rubber suited gargoyles are fun. 3.5/5
Ernest Scared Stupid (1991, 91mins)
Total Points 2
Ernest is a yearly watch in my house. My wife may not appreciate it but my daughter does. I think the movie's a blast. It's the right amount of funny and scary for young kids and it's filled with nostalgia for me. I don't care what anyone says, it's a classic to me. 4/5
The Boogens (1981, 95mins)
Total Points 6 (finale in cave)
The Boogens is an odd movie in that it's a perfect example of an effective movie that was probably harmed by its creature design because they are laughable once they are revealed. That, however, shouldn't take away from the rest of the movie because there is a lot to enjoy. 4/5
Roger Williams Park Zoo Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular
Total Points 2 (outside event)
The reason I had no viewing points on Sunday this week is because I was in Providence Rhode Island for their Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular. This is the first time we've been to this event and it's truly amazing. There are thousands of pumpkins along a 45 minute trail with a hundred or so intricately carved pumpkins. My kids were completely in awe as were my wife and I.
Total Points for Week 2: 101
This is my second year taking part in the film watching competition known as "Halloween Horror Movie Marathon Madness" or simply "The Madness". Throughout the month of October a group of Facebook users sing up and are assigned to groups with one simple goal; watch as many madness eligible films as possible and end the month victorious with the most points. If you are interested be sure to check out the group by visiting https://www.facebook.com/groups/HALLOWEENMADNESS/ Below are the movies I watched during week one of this years madness. Week one ended a bit lower than I had hoped, I ended up losing out on an entire Saturday of viewing and the weekends are when I rack up most of my points.
Dracula (1931, 76mins)
Total Points: 4 ( Antagonist attacks under darkness + phantom fog)
I had never actually seen Tod Browning's Dracula all of the way through prior to this viewing. It just never did much for me. I like the first and third acts quite a bit but just find the middle to be a bit lagging even for a movie of such short length. Frankenstein still reigns supreme for me as my favorite of the Universal monster movies. 3/5
The Mummy (1932, 73mins)
Total Points: 4 (ancient tomb + forcibly entombed/buried alive)
I always found The Mummy to be kind of interesting in that I don't really think of it as a movie about a mummy. Sure, there's a mummy that returns to life but besides the opening scene Karloff isn't really in that great mummy makeup from the opening. Regardless, I still find plenty to enjoy in the film and falls right into the middle of the pack for me when ranking the Universal monster movies that I have seen. 3.5/5
R.L. Stine's Monsterville: The Cabinet of Souls (2015, 83mins)
Total Points: 2
I have a five year old daughter who is kind of interested in horror but understandably weary as well and so it's always fun to find content that she's comfortable with. Since she has seen every episode of Goosebumps and some of The Haunting Hour anything that pops up on Netflix with his name is kind of a go to. This tv movie is about a carnival that shows up in a small town around Halloween offering a realistic walk through haunted house attraction. What no one knows is that the guy running the attraction is many years old and has been using it as a way to capture young people and feed off of their life essence. A bit like Something Wicked This Way Comes for the modern Disney crowd. 2/5
The Monster Squad (1987, 82mins)
Total Points 5 (antagonist attacks under darkness [dracula & wolfman] + monster in the closet ["mummy came in my house"] + hidden room or dropped into pit [when Sean pulls the lever on the wall a trap door opens up and drops the boys down to the basement]
There's really not much I can say about this one that I haven't said before. I'm pretty sure I watched this for the last madness and I'm sure I will watch it again next October and probably before that. I love it. It's one of my favorite childhood movies and one of the many films that turned me into the genre fan I am today. 5/5
Goosebumps (1995-1998 30mins) I watched 9 Episodes so rather than list the date and runtime for each I figured I would save some typing and simply list them all below. My general thoughts on the series are that it's entertaining and I'm glad I can watch it with my daughter but I have no nostalgic tie to the show as I never watched it as a kid. I was 12 when it started so I think I was past the age of interest. I had already stopped reading the books at that point and had certainly moved onto much more adult oriented horror so an anthology program aimed at younger kids wouldn't have really been of interest to me. I have also rated these based on their comparison to each other. A 3/5 for a Goosebumps episode could be much less outside of the series.
- Night of the Living Dummy II: Total Points, .5 - It seems that a lot of people really love these Slappy episodes but I don't really get it. I don't think Slappy is all that scary honestly and I've seen other episodes of the series that are much more effective and creepy. I'm guessing a lot of viewers saw this when they were kids and one thing that can pretty effectively scare a young child is a psychotic doll. 1.5/5
- Be Careful What you Wish For: Total Points, .5 - A girl is given wishes by an old woman but with each wish comes a negative consequence. Again, it's just not scary and I don't see how it ever was. 1/5
- Teachers Pet: Total Points 1 (bats fly out and scare characters) - While on a camping excursion two kids realize that some of the woodland creatures may not be so friendly anymore. I enjoyed it more than the other two, so I guess 2/5?
- Deep Trouble Parts 1 & 2: 1 point total for both - A surprisingly fun take on the Dr Moreau story with two kids realizing their uncle has been experimenting on human subjects creating hybrids of animals and humans. I found this one to be pretty enjoyable. There is some fun b-movie-esque makeup and I always enjoy a good Dr Moreau ripoff. 3/5
- Bride of the Living Dummy: .5 Total Points - Slappy is back and he's got a love interest. Again, I don't get the whole slappy thing but the demise of the two dummies was amusing. 2/5
- Haunted House Game: .5 Total Points - Two kids (it's almost always two kids, a boy and a girl) become trapped in an old house after they are transported into a board game they find inside. They are forced to play a real life version of the game if they ever hope to escape. I kind of enjoyed this episode. There were some good makeup effects and I liked the look of the various rooms in the house. 2.5/5
- Night of the Living Dummy III Part 2: .5 Total Points - These really aren't worth the .5 points. If it weren't for my child I wouldn't waste my time. Once again Slappy is back because apparently the first few times weren't enough. 1.5/5
- Welcome to Dead House Parts 1 & 2: 3.5 Total Points (.5 Base Points for Part 1 = .5 base points for part 2 + creatures destroyed by sun ATB) - I don't know if it's because I was pleasantly surprised with the ATB or if it's because this one was actually decent but I enjoyed this episode. A family moves to a town only to discover that the townsfolk have lured them there in hopes of feeding on them. The entire episode culminates into a zombie movie with the creatures breaking into the house as the family desperately tries to keep them out and flee the town. There was some genuinely creepy moments as well as some amusing comedy. This two parter has certainly given me faith that I can find more episodes that I actually enjoy. 3.5/5
Gremlins (1984, 106 mins)
Total Points: 6 (ATB creature destroyed by sunlight)
Similar to Monster Squad in its importance to me as a genre fan. Gremlins is one of the earlier film watching experiences I have at around the age of 4 and I obsessively watched it for years. Dante does what he's always done really well, blends humor and horror together to make for a really unique and entertaining film. I usually watch this one in winter but I couldn't resist the ATB. 5/5
Hellbound: Hellraiser 2 (1988, 97mins)
Total Points:6 (Characters willingly enters hellmouth)
There's a lot to like about Hellraiser 2. I've always really liked the movie from the point the characters enter hell. I think a lot of the stuff before that moment is a bit too much of a rehash of the first one with Julia's return being pretty similar to what we had with Frank. 3.5/5
Monster in the Closet(1987, 90mins)
Total Points: 3 (monster in closet)
I watched this one really hoping that someone was going to go after the titular monster in the closet. Unfortunately they don't and so I sat through this one only to receive one point. While there are some funny moments sprinkled throughout the movie is overall pretty dull. 1/5
House on Haunted Hill (1959, 75mins)
Total Points: 2
The best thing this movie has going for it is Vincent Price. If he weren't in the film I don't know that anyone would look on as fondly as they do. I actually think I liked it less on this viewing than I did the last time I watched it. I really want to like it more than I do. 2/5
Fright Night (1985, 106mins)
Total Points: 6 (creature destroyed by sun)
One of my favorite vampire movies. Roddy McDowell, Chris Sarandon and Stephen Geoffreys are all so entertaining and I've always loved the blend of rear window and vampires. 5/5
Nosferatu (1929, 94mins)
Total Points: 6 (creature destroyed by sun)
Nosferatu is so much better than Dracula. It's still effectively creepy today which is a huge feat for a movie this old.
The Beyond (1983, 87mins)
Total Points: 6 (characters enter hellmouth ATB)
The Beyond is possibly my favorite Fulci film though I really love City of the Living Dead and Zombie. The locations are great, the effects are grisly and the score is outstanding. It's one I revisit often. 5/5
Near Dark (1987, 94mins)
Total Points: 6 (creatures destroyed by sun)
Near Dark, a modern take on a vampire film mixed with elements of a classic western and featuring an amazing cast. It's even got Tangerine Dream handling the score. What's not to love? 5/5
The Strangeness (1985, 90mins)
Total Points:6 (finale in cave)
I put this one on based solely on the description. A group of miners head down into an old mine with hopes of finding gold but instead become trapped inside with a giant stop motion monster that devours them one by one. A surprisingly fun low budget movie with special effects ranging from pretty good to laughably silly. 2.5/5
Girl vs Monster (2012, 89mins)
Total Points: 4 (Hidden passage, monster under bed)
Girl vs Monster is another movie produce by Disney for television. It's a ripoff of Ghostbusters where a girl finds out her parents are monster hunters after she accidentally lets them all out of a containment unit in the basement. Nothing really special here, I dislike how Disney feels the need to force multiple moments into their movies in the obvious hopes of creating another Disney music star. Really nothing special. 1.5/5
Elvira's Movie Macabre: Beast from Haunted Cave
Total Points: 4 (elvira bonus, cave)
A giant spider thing chases some thieves around some snowy mountains while Elvira attempts to run her show after firing most of her staff. I've been a fan of Elvira since I was a child so this Elvira bonus is right up my alley. Definitely looking forward to watching many more during this madness. Just hoping I can find some ATB's in there.
Tales from the Crypt (1989, 30mins) I watched several Tales from the Crypt episodes so far so as I did with Goosebumps I'll just list them out below. Unlike Goosebumps, I grew up watching Tales from the Crypt and it was one of my earlier exposures to horror. While not every episode is great there are more good ones than bad ones with some being absolutely perfect.
- Surprise Party, Total Points 1 (secret passage [opening credits]}) - a man inherits a house from his father that is inhabited with some angry spirits. A typical entry in the series but it's always fun to see Jake Busey pop up in something. 2/5
- Comes the Dawn, Total Points 2 (secret passage in credits, extended period of darkness, attack at night): Two men travel to Alaska to hunt grizzly bears but end up facing off against a horde of vampires during the two months of Alaskan darkness. Hadn't seen this one before but I enjoyed it. 3/5
- Dig that Cat He's Real Gone, Total Points 1.5 (secret passage, buried alive) - A homeless man is given nine lives when a doctor implants a gland from a cats brain into his own. The twist is so great in this one, especially as the main characters come to the realization that he has made an awful error in his math.
- Staired in Horror, Total Points 1 (secret passage) - A man on the run hides out in the house of an old woman who has a very strange curse. There are some interesting ideas in this one but nothing I would return to anytime soon. 2/5
- People who live in Brass Hearses, Total Points 1 (secret passage) - Two brothers devise a plan to rob a warehouse but things go south quickly when one of them screws up the plan. I honestly did not see the twist coming in this. I think the episode itself is a bit disjointed but there's some really funny moments and it stars Bill Paxton and Brad Dourif which is a plus. 2.5/5
- House of Horror, Total Points 1 (secret passage) - I remember this episode from when I was younger. Wil Wheaton, Jason London and Keith Coogan are terrorized by pledge master Kevin Dillon. For a final challenge they must enter a haunted house but most of them don't leave alive. While you'll see the twist coming pretty early it's always satisfying to see an asshole get what's coming to him. 3.5/5
Total Points for Week One: 88.5
This is my second year taking part in the film watching competition known as "Halloween Horror Movie Marathon Madness" or simply "The Madness". Throughout the month of October a group of Facebook users sing up and are assigned to groups with one simple goal; watch as many madness eligible films as possible and end the month victorious with the most points. If you are interested be sure to check out the group by visiting https://www.facebook.com/groups/HALLOWEENMADNESS/ Below are the movies I watched during week four of this years madness. Since week four is the final week of the competition and falls in with Halloween I watched a handful of films that I watch annually around Halloween giving up some bonus point opportunities but still a good week overall.
