Doll Movies

With "Annabelle" coming out today I thought I would bring up some of my favorite "evil doll" movies.

Despite coming from James Wan and  Leigh Whannell this movie just didn't find an audience when it was released.  It's found a following now on video and deservedly so.  

If this doesn't haunt your dreams I don't know what will.

Space cop Brick Bardo (yes really) comes to earth and gets reduced to 13 inches.  Somehow he still finds a way  to fight crime.  This movie came out in the era when Tim Thomerson starred in almost every direct to video movie.  It's goofy fun and Thomerson takes it way more seriously than it deserves.

This is movie that was a staple of video stores in the 80's. This was one of the first movies I rented on my own.   It was a good film and I'm shocked it never got a sequel.  It was certainly a big enough hit.  

Darkroom

“You’re in a house—maybe your own, maybe one you’ve never seen before. Do you feel it? Something evil. You run, but there’s no escape, nowhere to turn. You feel something beckoning you, drawing you into the terror that awaits you in the darkroom!”


Before "Tales From The Darkside" brought anthology horror to television, there was "Darkroom".

The series, hosted by James Coburn, lasted only last seven episodes.  Each episode featured two or three short horror stories, and they some of the scariest I've ever seen. 

The series featured writers and directors with some impressive credentials, such as Robert Bloch (author Psycho) who wrote three episodes and Rick Rosenthal (dir. Halloween II) who directed four.

Sadly the show hasn't gotten a DVD or Blu-Ray release in the United States.  Some episode are available on Youtube, but the quality varies.  

Here's hoping that Scream Factory will get their hands on this.  

Tourist Trap

 For years I had searched for this movie, the only problem was that I didn't know it's name.  I remembered seeing it as kid while I was on vacation with my family.  I was 10 or 11 and I caught it late night while my parents were sleeping.  Years later I looked for it, but I had only vague memories of it and I couldn't remember who was in it.  This summer I was describing to a friend and she managed find the name, for that I thank you Jackie!  In a strange twist of fate I won a copy on Blu-Ray from Dread Central the very next week. 

The plot is a pretty standard, a group of friends gets stranded in the middle of nowhere and wind up in clutches of a killer.  What elevates this above other similar movies is it's atmosphere.  Robert Burns, who was the art director on "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", handled both art direction and the majority of the special effects. He does an amazing job making the film look creepy and disturbing. 

Written and directed by David Schmoeller it was based on his student thesis film.  Schmoeller would later go on to write and direct "The Puppet Master" which spawned a whole franchise. 

Chuck Connors stars as Slausen the owner titular Tourist Trap

I don't want to spoil anymore of the plot, but it takes some interesting turns.  I guess the best way to describe the plot is a mixture of elements from "The Hills Have Eyes"and "Carrie".  This sounds odd, but it really works in the movie. 

Whatever he's selling, I'm not buying. 

Do yourself a favor this Halloween and check this forgotten gem out. 

As Above So Below

Good things rarely happen in tombs. 

I finally caught this film tonight and I was pleasantly surprised.  I'm not sure why it hasn't gotten better reviews, it's a very effective horror movie. 

The movie tells the story of a woman ( Perdita Weeks) who takes a group to the catacombs under Paris in search of the Philosopher's Stone.

Things start to go bad almost immediately, and then get even worse.  I won't spoil anything by saying what it is that they encounter, but it was very different than I expected.

The movie does a great job conveying the claustrophobic feelings of the group. There were a few scenes where you could almost feel the walls closing in on you. 

Some people have complained about the "found footage" angle of it.  I can honestly say this is one film where that didn't bother me.  By outfitting everyone in the group with a camera, we weren't limited to one POV.  Before anyone asks, yes there is a reason that all the footage is edited together. 

Check this movie out, and do it in the theater. This is a film that benefits from being seen with an audience.

Night of the Walking Dead

My friend Perry is organizing a Zombie walk. The walk last year was a great success, and this year looks to be even better.  

It will be held at:

The Boathouse Restaurant

2035 SE Us Highway 19, Crystal River, Florida 34429

 

 

 The fun begins at 4pm at The Boathouse Restaurant in Crystal River. Here you will be able to GRAB something to eat along with join in on some fun Zombie games.
This will be from 4pm to 8pm.
This will be open to ALL ages.
The AFTER party will be held at liquid lagoon next door and will be for 21 and up only.
This will be from 8pm till 2am

Go to the Facebook page for more information. 

https://www.facebook.com/events/275868692619339/?ref=2&ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming&source=1


I hope to see you there!

The Walking Dead Season Five Trailer

Top Ten Aquatic Horror Movies

Aquatic horror movies have always been a favorite of mine.  I find being on water scary personally, mostly because you never know what's out there with you.  You've got sharks, alligators, piranha, squids, octopi,  and other creatures that actively want to eat you.  Then you've got brain eating amoebas floating around just waiting for a chance to melt your brain.

So here's my top ten aquatic horror movies that aren't Jaws.  I left off Jaws because it's classic in it's own right.

10. Creature

If you're Peter Benchley how do you make sharks scarier? You give them arms and legs and have them chase Craig T. Nelson and Kim Cattrall.

9. Beast 

 Another Peter Benchley entry, this one has William Peterson doing battle with a giant squid.  Originally a made for TV mini series, it's been edited down to movie length for some DVD versions.  

8. Ghost Ship

The opening scene alone secured this one a place on the list.  The rest of the movie is good, but that opening scene is what you'll remember.

7. Dagon 

Actually based on "The Shadow over Innsmouth" Dagon begins with a ship wreck.  The survivors find themselves trapped in town where people like the woman above live.  If that isn't enough to make you leave town in a hurry I don't know what will.

6. Alligator 

Based on one of the greatest urban legends of all time, this movie really delivers.  I saw it as a kid and the scene at the children's birthday party really freaked me out.

5. Shark Night 

If you combine I know what you Did Last Summer, Jaws and Saw you get Shark Night.  That is such a ridiculous idea that I had to see it.   This one is fun to watch with a group, but kind of a drag if you watch it alone. 

4.  Deep Rising 

While the creature effects are way to busy, the cast is top notch.  Another fun movie to watch with your friends.  A great game to play is who can do the best imitation of the sound the first mercenary killed makes.

3.Beneath  

A great film that didn't get enough attention when it was released.  The scariest thing in this movie wasn't the fish, it was the people.

2. The Deep Blue Sea 

I went into this movie knowing nothing about it and was blown away.  This film managed to really throw me for a loop with some of the deaths.

1. Leviathan

I liked this movie when I saw it in theaters.  It had a great cast and great effects.  What really made me love this was seeing it again in college.  The Campus Activities Board showed it at the pool.  They had a screen at one end of the pool and you could watch while floating in the pool or sitting beside it.  It was great being in the dark, floating in the water watching this.