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PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:30 am  Post subject: Essential Halloween Movies List
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Buried In The Backyard
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Between nearly vomiting in my mouth at Amazon's "listmania" Best Halloween movies, And crying when I found History channel playing Motel Hell yesterday in what it claimed was a Halloween marathon, I decided I need my own list for must-see movies to properly observe the holiday of blood curdling cries. My criteria for making such a list aren't necessarily the scariest movies, but just the most "seasonally appropriate". Time limited me to 6, but I hope to add more.

Granted, making an essentials "must watch" movies list in celebration of The festival of Samhain is pretty fucking subjective at best, I mean how does one define 'essential' in this case, and then you've got to ask "essential for whom exactly"? So in the interest of cutting a swath through all of the PC red tape determined to subvert my plans for cataloging my own favorite Halloween flicks, I'm exempting myself from crowd tomatoes by stating unequivocally now that this is not any definitive list intended for everyone, and hope peoples leave their own. After all, No one single list can appeal to the lot (Plus I really just need to add some new shit to my own).

1. Halloween (1978) : No surprise here, the king of the slashers doesn't really get any more psychopathically stalker creepy than this tried and true Halloween classic. And it's a sure bet to be airing on virtually every major television station network Halloween night. But really, it's the ideal movie to ensure a way past my gf's lace barrier when she comes looking for escape from Micheal's mayhem.

2. Night of the Living Dead (1968) : In many ways, Romero was hard pressed to top this instant cult classic because of the kismet chemistry of its production, inherent horror quality of its film stock, and conceptual ingenuity. To this day it's still the perfect zombie flick in many regards. No Halloween is really complete without watching this at least once.

3. The Shining (1980) : Fuck me if this isn't the scariest movie I've ever seen since The Changeling (1980), The Exorcist (1973), and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and has remained so to this day with the exception of a few newfangled J-Horror's. I know those that read the book say "nonsense. The movie wasn't half as scary as the book", but when you judge the movie by itself, and accept it's still enough to make you want to shart yourself, that's pretty profound horror.

4. An American Werewolf in London (1981) : Landis broke categorical convention and reset the bar with this now horror classic. You can easily say "before there was House or Dead Alive, there was AAWIL, and get away with it. Landis wasn't a pioneer in merging the comedy and horror genre (to wit - The Abominable Dr. Phibes, The Cars That Ate Paris etc.) , but he was one of the first to do it so seamlessly. This was the first horror I had been truly shocked and scared by that I also laughed at. Rick Baker took special effects to another level in this film, and I suppose the litmus is the the test of time, which this movie lives up to to this day.

5. The Twilight Zone (1959) (series marathon) : I suppose I'm cheating a bit with this one. It's not really a movie after all, but ever since I was running around in A-Team jammies as a rug rat, I can remember them playing these on TV during the month of October, and sneaking into the living room to watch them in the wee hours. Fortunately, thanks to Rod Serling's genius, they're no less creepy today than back then.

6. The Evil Dead (1981) : Apparently this movie was actually a remake of Raimi's actual college project Within The Woods filmed three years prior, and this wasn't technically a "college project" at all, at least, IMDB would have us conclude that, nor was it Raimi's first movie, but I don't think anyone could argue it's the first movie to put both Raimi and Campbell on the map. I remember my friends and I as little kids being scared shitless just from the previews of this movie, and then when we finally watched it we nearly wanted to unwatch it. It was that horrifying, and Raimi's camera work in the series spawned a lot of imitators for good reason.


I realize these all may seem pretty "played out" to some seasoned vets, but I've been careful to limit them to once a year, so they still manage to retain their "watchability". This list needs amending, so if you've got any suggestions please add or subtract as you see fit. In reality, my personal list will probably include a lot deeper and darker flicks this Halloween as well - eg:

À l'intérieur (2007)
[Rec] (2007)
Honogurai mizu no soko kara (2002)


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 3:00 pm  Post subject: Re: Essential Halloween Movies List
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Superb post!

My Halloween tradition is kinda the opposite. My best mate and I throw an all-nighter watching the most low budget, unscary, piss-poor stuff we can rent/download. The explosion of films shot by idiots on mini DV has left us spoilt for choice in the last few years.

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 11:48 am  Post subject: Re: Essential Halloween Movies List
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This Halloween there is a Halloween Horror weekend on one of the Hungarian television channels. :drunk:
Besides those flicks I am going to watch: Hallow's End (probably a time-waster, but still Halloween related) and Night of the Demons 2 (should be fun!).

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 12:11 pm  Post subject: Re: Essential Halloween Movies List
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Videodrome wrote:
5. The Twilight Zone (1959) (series marathon) : I suppose I'm cheating a bit with this one. It's not really a movie after all, but ever since I was running around in A-Team jammies as a rug rat, I can remember them playing these on TV during the month of October, and sneaking into the living room to watch them in the wee hours. Fortunately, thanks to Rod Serling's genius, they're no less creepy today than back then.

Yea that is totaly cheating.

Quote:
3. The Shining (1980) : Fuck me if this isn't the scariest movie I've ever seen since The Changeling (1980), The Exorcist (1973), and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and has remained so to this day with the exception of a few newfangled J-Horror's. I know those that read the book say "nonsense. The movie wasn't half as scary as the book", but when you judge the movie by itself, and accept it's still enough to make you want to shart yourself, that's pretty profound horror.


This film is to cerebral for a movie feast.. Drinking beers and hanging out with your buds watching films, will make this movie just to long and slow imo. I would dump it totaly from the list and save it for a proper watch.

Personally I liked the rest of your choices..

I would mod your list into....

1. American Werewolf in London
The funny nature of this film makes it a good choice for the start of the movie night. It is funny, casual and good for a laugh, yet still totaly gets into the spooky vibe. This is the one you talk a bit though, laugh, crack that case of beer and settle in for the movie night.

2. Return of the Living Dead
I would replace Night of the living dead with this one as 2nd film of the night. NotLD is a great film but one for the movie appreciationist. It IS dated, and by today's standard low on gore. Like the Shinning in your original list it is the kind of film I would watch by itself, or mabey if a marathon doing a GRomaro feast.

Instead I would go with Return of the living Dead It is a good zombie flick, and it has some great thing about it for communal movie night. One... this is film 2 and we are all a lot drunker, talking ... watching having fun. So this film is great for that.. it is still funny, it is a lot more gore, has some great dialogue we can all yell at each other "BRAAAAAIIIINNNNNSSSS" totaly ridiculous gratuitous nudity and silly 80s punk kids... all in all a GREAT flick to watch with your mates when drinking and having a movie marathon party.

3. Re-Animator
Now we are getting a bit more serious. ... kinda. This movie has TONS of gore and is really a great film. This is horror, yet still slightly silly, though much more serious than the 1st 2. All in all a good lead into the end of the night.

4. The Evil Dead

This is where I would put evil dead. Now we are into serious B movie horror film that has some real creepy stuff in it.. Dead by Dawn. We are deep into the night now and slowing down on the drinking, apart form that one guy that comes over and you need an extra case for... you know who I mean. So we are still a bit rowdy but dieing down in the noise wise and stuff.. so we are ready for some serious horror vibes.... I think this is a good one.

5. Halloween Its late, its dark , we are getting tired we are out of drink... now I would put on Halloween to cap off the night.... slow, scary and freaky.. a good one to go out on.. this has the vibe the name and all in all makes a great topper to the night.

BONUS MOVIE

Ok the night is pretty much over.. some of us are now asleep, others are getting very tired. Time to put on the "get the fuck off my couch" movie. This would be a good place for the shinning now I think of it... what you want here is a good film to entertain the die hards, yet have one that is long and drawn out and will put some of the peeps asleep. In fact I am going to add

6. The Shinning

As it is a great choice.. I was going to put Dellamorte Dellamore.. but to many zombie things here already.... then I was going to put "Funny Games (German)" but ended up with the shinning.


So this would be my Movie night picks... I did this list more in mind of a party night of films rather than a serious look at cinema... your choices seamed to be focused on classics... this set give the watchers time to chill and chat and drink wityh a few cvlassics at the end.

<------- EDIT
Looking back at my post this list prob needs more work. Almost every film is a zombie type of thing... would be nice to get some vampires in there and some crazy people... Texus chain saw masacure 2 near end of night or mabey House of 1000 Corpses mabey, not a huge fan of that but stiill a good "wierd freak" film.... and.. Lost Boys for vamps at the start of the night somwhere.. though I would prob go for "From Dusk Till Dawn" for a mid night film spot.

heh you could really go on and on coudn't you.. :)

I think the trick for me in doing a horror film night type thing is to ramp the movies.. have fun/silly/mood setters at the start, then slowly build into serious heavy stuff near the end once everyone is quiet and watching in teh dark. Then end off with a mega classic for those few still awake or put on a dilibrate "slow" film to put the last of them back in their cars...

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 7:57 pm  Post subject: Re: Essential Halloween Movies List
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The Ancient One
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Tonight a friend is coming over. I'm still not sure what to watch, as I only want to watch films I haven't seen before. I'll post tomorrow how it went.

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PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 3:28 am  Post subject: Re: Essential Halloween Movies List
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Buried In The Backyard
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Jynks wrote:
This film is to cerebral for a movie feast.. Drinking beers and hanging out with your buds watching films, will make this movie just to long and slow imo. I would dump it totaly from the list and save it for a proper watch.


Agreed. This movie kinda demands you sit still for the duration, and affects a quiet reaction as well.

Jynks wrote:
2. Return of the Living Dead
I would replace Night of the living dead with this one as 2nd film of the night. NotLD is a great film but one for the movie appreciationist. It IS dated, and by today's standard low on gore. Like the Shinning in your original list it is the kind of film I would watch by itself, or mabey if a marathon doing a GRomaro feast.

Instead I would go with Return of the living Dead It is a good zombie flick, and it has some great thing about it for communal movie night. One... this is film 2 and we are all a lot drunker, talking ... watching having fun. So this film is great for that.. it is still funny, it is a lot more gore, has some great dialogue we can all yell at each other "BRAAAAAIIIINNNNNSSSS" totaly ridiculous gratuitous nudity and silly 80s punk kids... all in all a GREAT flick to watch with your mates when drinking and having a movie marathon party.


Fun movie. Classic too. That was scream queen Linnea Quigley wasn't it? Her gratuity is always welcome in my living room. :beerchug:

Jynks wrote:
3. Re-Animator
Now we are getting a bit more serious. ... kinda. This movie has TONS of gore and is really a great film. This is horror, yet still slightly silly, though much more serious than the 1st 2. All in all a good lead into the end of the night.


Agreed. Both 1 and 2 (Bride of) are completely Halloween appropriate. Jeffrey Combs oozes Halloween like no one since Vincent Price.

Jynks wrote:
<------- EDIT
Looking back at my post this list prob needs more work. Almost every film is a zombie type of thing... would be nice to get some vampires in there and some crazy people... Texus chain saw masacure 2 near end of night or mabey House of 1000 Corpses mabey, not a huge fan of that but stiill a good "wierd freak" film.... and.. Lost Boys for vamps at the start of the night somwhere.. though I would prob go for "From Dusk Till Dawn" for a mid night film spot.

heh you could really go on and on coudn't you.. :)


You could, and Fright Night seems appropriately "vamped out" for Halloween without the emotional drain of a Near Dark, while Planet Terror comes to mind, when thinking zombie flicks that haven't worn out their welcome.

Jynks wrote:
I think the trick for me in doing a horror film night type thing is to ramp the movies.. have fun/silly/mood setters at the start, then slowly build into serious heavy stuff near the end once everyone is quiet and watching in teh dark. Then end off with a mega classic for those few still awake or put on a dilibrate "slow" film to put the last of them back in their cars...


You show a good DJ instinct that way, where I probably would have clumsily slogged through something like The Omen first, effectively turning everyone off to movies for the night lol. I was actually surprised no one mentioned Poltergeist, or one of the Fridays, I was on the fence about those myself. They're not "campy", they're pretty Halloween appropriate, and they're not as "cerebral" as you suggested, as The Shining, The Exorcist, or The Omen.

What's funny is I've ended up only watching a few from my own list, and have so far been getting more scared from playing Fallout 3 than anything else. I'm guessing that all changes when I put in [Rec].

Happy pumpkin smashing, kids.


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PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 4:30 pm  Post subject: Re: Essential Halloween Movies List
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OK, it went as follows: my friend didn't know very much about horror, so I picked all the movies.

We started with
My Little Eye - several people had recommended this film to me and on the cover it says it had received a prize for "best European fantastic film", so I thought this might be good. It's about five young people (students or something like that) who go in a house for a certain period of time in order to win a million. The atmosphere is pretty OK, althougn after half an hour or so, it crumbles. Then a weaker part of the movie starts, which makes it boring and predictable. The ending was cool, although I could see several things coming (not all). Overall, it is an OK movie, nothing really special. I thought it could have been much better, by omitting some very illogical things, such as: they receive food very scarcely, but they never complain about hunger. There is no heating in the house, yet they sleep with very few clothes on. Furthermore, some aspects of this film could have been deepened.

Nightmare Concert aka A Cat In The Brain - my friend had never seen an Italian horror, so she was amazed by this one. We had a very good time watching all the superfluous gore in this film and we regularly lost track of the storyline, as it is quite confusing. I liked it for its gore, not for the storyline. I have seen better Fulci films, but this one is still quite enjoyable.

Dagon - my friend wanted to see a movie with more tension/atmosphere than the previous ones, so I chose Dagon. I think this movie is great, except for the final scenes, which are a bit overdone. The storyline is good, the best of all the movies we had seen so far. The atmosphere is kind of eerie when they first enter the village. There are some typical Gordon scenes in it, and since I'm a fan of his work, I enjoyed them thoroughly. I recommend this one to everyone, it's not a masterpiece like Re-Animator or From Beyond, but it is still a very good film by Gordon.

My friend had to do work and study the next day, so she went home. After she had left, I watched one more flick.

Zombiez - modern blacksploitation it seems. A bit like Soorority Sister Slaughter, which was also very, very low budget and had an all black cast, this one has a superthin storyline, cheesy sfx (zombies on fire actually walk around in smoke only, without any flames visible) and gives the viewer an ultimate feeling of dullness. I recommend anyone to watch this film only in circumstances comparable to mine last night: when you have already seen several movies and it is late. Otherwise avoid it, as it is crap.

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PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 6:07 pm  Post subject: Re: Essential Halloween Movies List
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How do you have so much time to watch movies? Teachers have more holidays than other employees, I guess. :mrgreen:

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PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 6:37 pm  Post subject: Re: Essential Halloween Movies List
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That's right, but last week I didn't have a holiday. Just a Friday night. We started at 20.30, she left at 1.45 and I finished at 3.30. I think anyone could do that, apart from people who work on Saturdays.

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