In space no one can hear you scream.

HAPPY ALIEN DAY EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's right, for the first time ever, 4/26 has been claimed as Alien day. As in, 1979 Ridley Scott Alien. That's right horror nerds...we've got a whole new day to celebrate every year.

In case you've lived under a rock for the past what...30 something years? (I don't math). Alien is a terrifying and phenomenal film that changed big budget alien films forever. Directed by Ridley Scott, it stars Sigourney Weaver as possibly the most bad ass final girl EVER, Ripley. Along with an amazing cast like Tom Skerritt, John Hurt and Veronica Cartwright, Alien takes you on a believable and horrifying journey into space. The story was written by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett and was produced through Brandywine Productions. The alien itself was designed by Swiss artist H.R. Giger and with the help of concept artists Ron Cobb and Chris Foss, the film is filled with fascinating and gorgeous costumes and scenery.

Alien was just the start of what is now a massive on-going franchise. BUT today we are just talking about where it all started.

SPOILERS IF YOU'RE AN INSANE PERSON WHO HAS NEVER SEEN THIS MOVIE (seriously...if you've never seen it...what better day than today to go watch it?!)

The story revolves around the spacecraft Nostromo who is returning to Earth with a 7 person crew but after detecting a mysterious transmission from a nearby planetoid, the ship (MOTHER) awakens the crew from their space slumber. The crew lands their ship on the planetoid and sets out to discover where the signal is coming from. What they find is an abandoned alien spacecraft and inside are the remains of a massive alien creature.

Ripley, who is perfect and amazing, realizes the transmission is actually a warning while Kane discovers hundreds of eggs on the spacecraft. While letting curiosity get the better of him, Kane is attacked by a creature that bursts out of the egg and attaches itself to his face (yeyyy face hugger!). The rest of the team carry Kane back to the ship but Ripley, who is so incredibly smart and beautiful, refuses them entry but unfortunately Ash gets past her.

The creature can't be removed from Kane's face but eventually it's like whatever, I'm over this, and lets go and crawls away to die in a corner.

The Nostromo crew take off while Kane awakens, seemingly healthy at this point, and so they all enjoy their last meal before going back into space sleep and continuing back to Earth. But while eating, an alien bursts out of Kane's chest and escapes. People start dying one by one as the crew fights to contain the creature and save the cat (Jones...just go with it).

After the captain, Dallas, is killed, Ripley (precious sunflower) is in charge and discovers that Ash (the science officer) was told to return the alien to the crew's employers, regardless of who dies. Then shit gets REAL, Ripley (goddess of the sun) confronts Ash, who then attacks her, and after getting his head chopped turns out HE'S AN ANDROID!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT?!!!!!!! After interrogating the android they realize THIS WAS THE PLAN ALL ALONG!!!!!!!! Mind blown!...no offense Ash.

Ripley (wonderful tropical fish and all around joy), Lambert, and Parker decide as the remaining members of the crew they shall escape in the shuttle and self-destruct the Nostromo. But alas, the alien stops that plan real quick and so Ripley (all around badass) and her cat set the self-destruct sequence and escape during a terrifying and nail biting scene where the alien is just all up in her business.

Everything is great! Except it's not. As Ripley (perfect snowflake) gets herself settled for a final space sleep she realizes the damn alien is on HER SHUTTLE! So she throws on a spacesuit and using science stuff, forces the alien out of the shuttle. Finally she can get her space sleep and head back home to Earth.

END OF SPOILERS

Boy, what a thrill ride.

What started out as a film titled Memory, then Star Beast, and finally just Alien, this story is one heck of an original idea. And one that many movies to this day try to replicate. And you know what else I love? When the script was pitched to the studio, it was pitched as Jaws in Space which is a movie I can get behind.

Filmed over fourteen weeks, Alien was a triumph of a film. But production time was cut short due to the low budget and pressure from the studio to finish on time. The crew was over 200 and they constructed the three main sets. Les Dilley was the art director. To create the realistic scenes, tones of sand, rock, gravel etc was moved into the studio. The filming was brutal for the actors as they had to wear these massive space suits which had no cooling systems. During heat waves they would often pass out and oxygen tanks were never too far way.

To film the famous chestburster scene, now iconic in film history, the cast was not told that along with the fake creature bursting out of a fake torso, there would also be a huge spray of fake blood. The scene was shot in just one take using the fake torso with Hurt's real arms and head coming up from beneath the table. When the creature breaks through the fake chest, so came the big stream of blood scaring the crap out of all the actors. Every reaction you see is honest. Cartwright was so scared she went into hysterics.

For a lot of the film, the now iconic alien was portrayed by Bolaji Badejo wearing a latex costume. He was 6 foot and 10 inches tall. While you never really see the full alien in the film, this was done on purpose by Scott. He felt that by never giving us the full image, it would be more terrifying as it would allow the viewer's imagination to go wild.

The special effects in Alien won them an Academy Award that same year along with various other prestigious awards.

Alien holds up to this day and will continue to hold up for another 30 years. The story, the cast, the effects....it is all perfection. It's no surprise that basically any "top 100 movies ever" list has Alien in there somewhere, and why people like me lose their shit on April 26th and watch the movie over and over.

So why 4/26 you ask? Well, LV-426 was the planetoid where this whole story starts.

Alien is great. Hands down. Go watch it. If you've never seen it, go watch it. If you've seen it 1000 times, go watch it. Just watch Alien.

Stay spooky! (and stay out of the damn air filters!)

Maximum Overdrive - ohhhh boyyyyy

Maximum Overdrive

Maybe tomorrow it will be our world again

I'm delivering a review! Praise be to Oprah, I finally sat down and relaxed enough to watch a horror movie. And since I've been reading more Stephen King than usual, I thought it was time to finally watch King's directorial debut; Maximum Overdrive. And boy was it awful and amazing and a tone of fun to watch.

Let's talk about it!

In 1986 Stephen King wrote and directed this glorious piece of garbage that is based on his short story "Trucks" which was included in his first collection of short stories, Night Shift. It stars a very young Emilio Estevez and the soundtrack was composed by AC/DC, one of King's favorite bands. King was coked out of his damn mind when he directed this movie, but we still love him anyway.

There are many reasons I love this movie, the first being because it's Stephen King, and Stephen King has a great cameo in it right at the beginning, "this machine just called me an asshole." The second being that it has what I love the most about Stephen King, his ability to throw a group of strangers into a bizarre situation and make them lovable. He has such a good grasp on how people act in strange situations and how people come together when times are not so great. And the third thing I love about this movie is that a steam roller kills a kid. It's amazing.

The premise of this hot mess of a movie is that the tail end of a comet passes earth, this causes inanimate objects to come alive and start murdering people. So that carving knife you were using to cut your turkey? Now it's cutting you. Your trusty walkman from which you listen to the greatest hits of the 80's? That thing just exploded your ear drums. Chaos erupts as machines start killing everyone but a few survivors manage to get together at a roadside truck stop in North Carolina. Our lead character Bill Robinson takes control in keeping everyone safe alongside the hitchhiker Brett. Of course, the two quickly fall in love and have sex as big rig trucks circle the truck stop menacingly.

Luckily in the basement for some reason there's a giant stockpile of weapons which the group use to keep themselves safe. The next morning the vehicles use morse code (because why not?) with their horns to demand that the survivors fill up their gas tanks. Because I guess even if you're a machine running on alien energy, you still need gas to keep running? Logic? Another lucky chance for these survivors is an island close by where no vehicles or machines are allowed. No explanation as to why this island exists or what that even means. But the survivors decide to escape, using their grenades and rocket launchers.

As they sail off to safety we are told through the credits that two days later a UFO was destroyed by the Russians and everything was happily ever after.

I mean, good god. This movie was all sorts of ridiculous amazing. I actually had a really fun time watching it. It's just so absurd and dumb that you can't take it seriously, so you just laugh and enjoy the show. The gore is minimal but enough to keep you happy. The characters make no sense and are all sorts of stereotypes but it was the 80's so you gotta give it to them. And the soundtrack is so great!

Oh, and also I have a new favorite quote from this movie. Brett is in the car with this greasy bible salesman who keeps putting his hand on her leg, and Brett goes:

If you don't get your hand off my leg, you're going to be wiping your ass with a hook next time you take a dump.

Amazing.  

I give it a strong 8/10, will watch again, would recommend. It's just a stupid good time.

Stay spooky ya'll! 

"A lot of what we use is CGI"

First of all I want to say thank you! I mostly just do this blog for me to obsess over horror movies because I don't have anyone in my life to talk to about them. But as of Monday I have reached over 5000 views and am averaging pretty impressive numbers each day. Which means people are actually reading this little dumb blog. So thank you! Thank you for putting up with my ramblings and I hope my blog inspires you to watch and support horror in every way!

Now, let's talk about a world where Freddy, Michael, and Chucky are real. A world where slashers are real guys, culturally accepted. What becomes of someone who decides they want to be one of the greats? How do they go about preparing to kill, to train, to seek out victims? Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon explores that idea in a very humorous yet amazing way. It was released in 2006 as a "mockumentary black comedy horror film" directed by Scott Glosserman. The documentary is made by a film crew following an aspiring serial killer named Leslie Vernon.

The crew follow Leslie's workout regime, follow as he tracks his current victims, sets traps, and basically just goes about his serial killer life. This film has some damn great cameos including Scott Wilson (The Walking Dead) who plays Leslie's best friend Eugene. He's a retired pro and has an adorable cookie cutter wife named Jamie who is incredibly supportive of his killing. There's also the librarian, played by Zelda Rubinstein (Poltergeist), and Doc Halloran who is played by the one and only Robert Englund!

Behind the Mask is filled with amazing quotes, showing off how damn charismatic Leslie is, as well as how amusing and amazing this world is. "What's a survivor girl?" "Oh, I'm sorry, it's an industry term." It's also filled with amazing horror references - the car from Evil Dead, Red Rabbit pub from Halloween, three girls playing jump rope from Nightmare on Elm Street, the song from The Shining....just to name a few.

There's also great comedic and absurd moments, one specifically being when Leslie is about to go and attempt his big kill - the documentary crew, Eugene and Jamie gather round Leslie like its' his prom night. They're giving him advice and encouragement and comfort and everyone is so supportive. It's hilarious to think this man is about to go out and kill like six teenagers.

It's all incredibly well done, and there's a bit of a twist ending, although if you're paying attention you can figure it out pretty quick. But it doesn't ruin anything. The movie is SO much fun to watch and a great time for any horror fan.

10/10 - I'm going to aggressively recommend this to everyone

Again, thank you to everyone reading this blog! Seriously, it means the world.

Stay Spooky!

In which I rage watch Cabin Fever

I'm so damn angry about the unnecessary remake of Cabin Fever that I decided to watch the original today which I haven't watched in years. I read an article where the creators of the new Cabin Fever were saying they read the original script and thought it was so good, they didn't want to change a thing....NO SHIT....that's why you don't need to remake it. There's so much good horror out there, so many movies trying to get funding and yet a Cabin Fever with no script changes has been green lit and made?!?!?! WHYYYYYY do you do this to me horror, WHHYYYYYY??

Cabin Fever was first released in 2002 directed by Eli Roth and was a huge success. This was Roth's first film and he co-wrote it as well. In fact, it was such a success that Peter Jackson screened the movie three times during the filming of The Return of the King! He absolutely adored it.

The definition of cabin fever is a claustrophobic reaction that takes place when one person or a group are isolated in a small space. This cabin fever is more like....an isolated group of sexually frustrated adults stuck at a cabin as they all bleed and fall apart from an infectious disease. Or more accurately, a flesh-eating virus. Now because this is an Eli Roth movie there is of course a lot of gore, but not as much as his later films became. Although there are two scenes which cause me to freak out, the first being when Paul is poking the dead, infected body with a stick in the water and proceeds to fall face first into the water into the body. The second is when Marcy is shaving her legs in the bathtub and her skins come off with the razor. SO FUCKING GROSSSSSS. I think of that scene at least once a week when I'm shaving my own legs, no exaggeration. That shit stuck with me.

Cabin Fever is super fun movie to watch. Each character is annoying and the perfect horror movie stereotype. You're pretty content to watch them all slowly die. There's a great sub-cast of local town folk who steal the scenes they're in. The cop is my absolute favorite to watch and brings a great comedic wit to each interaction. The story is a bit of warning about unprotected sex and the idiocy of young adults.

It's a great first film from Roth and it was a change in pace during 2002 when it was released compared to the other horror movies coming out at that time. And it still holds up!

Basically, watch the original, support the original, ignore the shot for shot remake, it's not needed. And yeah, I'm throwing my opinion down.

9/10

PANCAKKKKEEEESSSSS!!!!

Stay Spooky!

DAY THIRTY-ONE - Halloween (horror movie challenge - 31 days of horror)

DAY THIRTY-ONE – HALLOWEEN (1978)

The movie that re-invented the slasher genre and cast a very long influential shadow over the horror genre we know and love. Directed and scored by the wonderful and talented John Carpenter, and co-written along with Debra Hill, it tells the terrifying story of a six year old Michael Myers who murders his sister and is then put into a psychiatric hospital. 15 years later he escapes and returns home, stalking through the neighborhood and killing anyone that gets in their way. Michael’s doctor, Sam Loomis is chasing after him, while Laurie Strode is in the middle of it all, fighting for her life and the lives of the small children she is babysitting on Halloween night.

This is the first film in the Halloween franchise which includes 7 films and stars Jamie Lee Curtis in her debut movie role. Halloween is sort of the first time we experience clean cut youth being sexually promiscuous and drinking, only to be killed by the monster, whereas our main girl is pure and innocent and manages to survive. This is copied to this day whether it was on purpose or not.

Filmed on a smaller budget, it’s a well-known fact that Halloween was in fact filmed during the spring in California instead of on Halloween in Haddonfield where it’s set. To save money, they re-used the fake fall leaves, picking them up after every shot and re-scattering them the next day. The iconic Michael Myers mask was in fact a Captain Kirk mask that cost them $1.98 back in the day. They widened the eye holes and spray painted the skin to make it what we know today. Even the costumes weren’t safe from the small budget – most of the cast wore their own clothes and Curtis’ clothes were purchased for less than $100.

In 2007 Rob Zombie re-booted the franchise, while not for everyone, I think he did a great job and gave us a deeper and richer background of who Michael Myers is and why he does what he does.

Carpenter's Halloween is an absolutely stunning film that’s carefully put together. Michael Myers is simultaneously everywhere and nowhere, causing you to be checking behind every door and in every closet. There’s not a lot of gore, but a scary amount of unnerving moments. Michael Myers is impossible to kill and a silent, deadly force ready to haunt your nightmares.

Always a 10/10 and a must-watch for any budding horror fan.

I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!
I watched 31 horror movies in 31 days. I can take it easy for the rest of my life now. I've finally managed to achieve a goal.

So obviously you won't be hearing from me every single day going forward, but I've gained so many new viewers and that's kind of amazing. I will continue to share and update like I always do - horror movie reviews and news!

Stay spooky!

DAY THIRTY - Psycho (horror movie challenge - 31 days of horror)

DAY THIRTY - PSYCHO (1960)

In 1960 a movie came out that changed the way the public viewed horror - that film was Psycho. No longer were your beautiful lead actresses safe, no more were directors listening to the censors. Rules were broken and a director had cemented his place at the top of Hollywood. Psycho set new levels of acceptability for violence and sexuality, and is widely considered to be the first slasher film.

Psycho, based on the novel by Robert Bloch, was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starred Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin and Janet Leigh. It tells the story of a secretary who steals money from one of her clients and escapes to a lonely motel off of a main highway. Bates Motel is run by a disturbed young man, Norman Bates, and once the secretary goes missing her sister and boyfriend come looking. But of course, they get more than they bargained more.

Anthony Perkins was typecast after this film but he never regretted playing Norman Bates. Janet Leigh, after starring in this film, received strange, threatening phone calls and letters explaining what they would do to her character. 

Psycho was filmed on a very small budget, Hitchock had a TV show at the time and borrowed the film crew from that show to film Psycho. At first the film received mixed reviews but after outstanding box office returns the film was nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Support Actress and became critically acclaimed. After Hitchock's death in 1980 the studio began producing three sequels, a remake and a TV series. All of them failed.

 

There are so many great things about Psycho and it has a rich, fascinating history which is too much to get into here. Watch Psycho to round out your horror history and enjoy Norman Bates because damn if he isn't the most handsome serial killer - 10/10.

 

Stay Spooky!

DAY ELEVEN - Child's Play (horror movie challenge - 31 days of horror)

What a weekend I've had. For once. Mitch's show on Saturday, Friendsgiving on Sunday - which was a lot of food and a lot of dogs running around in the best way possible. Had to wake up early yesterday morning to watch Curse of Chucky and then make a post about it. Didn't get to watch Child's Play until late at night when we got back from Friendsgiving. Mitch said he'd watch it with me but fell asleep twenty minutes in after making some grumpy comments about how annoying children are. We are one in the same. Finished Child's Play this morning and now it's onto Day 12. For some reason I am so much organized during the week.

Anyway, enough rambling...onto the movie!

DAY ELEVEN - CHILD'S PLAY (1988)

Back to the original ya'll! And what a great trip down memory lane it was. The first time I saw this film was when I was 12. My friend had told me all about Chucky and it sounded terrifying. I finally sat down and watched Child's Play by myself and was scared shitless. That little doll was just popping up all over the place. Of course that was over ten years ago and I've seen it many times since then. Chucky and the Child's Play movies no longer scare me, but have become something like a comforting old friend. It's been a few years since I watched the original though.

Child's Play, written by Don Mancini and directed by Tom Holland, stars Catherine Hicks as the single mom raising her son Andy, played by Alex Vincent. In Chicago there's a voodoo worshiping serial killer named Charles Lee Ray who has escaped from custody, but hero cop Mike Norris (played by the wonderful Chris Sarandon) tracks him down and corners him into a toy store. In a moment of panic, wounded, and about to be arrested, Charles performs a ritual and puts his soul into a Good Guy doll. Lightning strikes, destroying the toy store, and all the evidence.

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The events following are over the period of a few days, the first being Andy's birthday. All he wants is a Good Guy doll, but his single mother can't afford one. Luckily she is told about a peddler in a back alley selling one of these dolls for cheap and she manages to grab it. Andy is thrilled but instantly things start to go wrong. Chucky (Charles Lee Ray's nickname) is going on a rampage, killing those who have wronged him, and making sure he never gets caught. The cops believe it's Andy somehow doing these things and puts him in a hospital. But his mother searches to find the truth, and with the help of the handsome and heroic Detective Norris, manages to eventually kill Chucky by shooting him, chopping off his head, burning him alive, and shooting him some more. Chucky doesn't go down easy ya'll.

This movie was pretty groundbreaking considering. The puppetry was stunning and even watching it over 20 years later, it still holds up. And the idea that your toys can be possessed by serial killer's souls...well that shit will haunt you for years.

Brad Dourif plays an amazing Chucky and truly brings him to life with his unique voice and characteristics. Little Andy never gets annoying, as I find most children in movies to be, and the mom is a bad ass, taking names kicking ass type of woman.

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The movie started a great franchise that never got old. And is filled with great lore and fun facts. Like Charles Lee Ray - his name is based on three different killers; Charles Manson, Lee Harvey Oswald, and James Earl Ray (weirdly enough...I'm watching Selma as I type this). Also, Catherine Hicks who played the mother met the creator of Chucky (and many other great horror things like Freddy's makeup) Kevin Yagher and the two fell in love and are still married to this day.

Child's Play is just a great, classic 80's horror film that holds up to this day. I'd recommend it to any new horror fan, and I recommend any veteran horror fans to re-watch it often. I absolutely adore this franchise and Chucky is a great villain you love to be scared of.
10/10

Alright, tonight I'm watching a newer film I haven't seen before and then tomorrow it's back to work and back on schedule. Hoping next weekend the grocery store near me will finally have pumpkins so I can get some carving done!!

Stay spooky!

DAY SIX - The Monster Squad (horror movie challenge - 31 days of horror)

Sofia is back! And we indulged in a little cult classic called The Monster Squad.

DAY SIX - THE MONSTER SQUAD (1987)

Wolfman’s got nards!

The Horror Squad is an 80’s horror comedy directed by Fred Dekker who also gave us the wonderful Night of the Creeps. It’s more of a kids movie and I only wish I had watched this when I was young because it would’ve given me life.

I started out with a bit of bad luck because I’m blind as a bat and can’t afford new glasses so when the prologue started scrolling across the screen in red writing on a black background – I was fucked. So I was a little confused on how the monsters actually arrived in modern day, but that’s my bad.

The Monster Squad is a group of young boys and a little girl who love the Universal Monsters like Dracula and the creature from the black lagoon. Their club leader Sean is the shit. He wears a “Stephen King Rules” t-shirt and is now my hero and also I need to make that shirt. Then his little sister, Phoebe, who they won’t actually let in the tree house club, but who is a total bad ass and not only befriends Frankenstein’s monster but saves the whole day. There’s also Patrick and Eugene and “fat kid” whose real name is Horace, but everyone calls him Fat Kid which is so awful I almost cried. And then finally there’s Rudy – the cool junior high kid who wears a leather jacket, smokes cigarettes and drinks beer?!?!?!?! What kind of lack of parenting nonsense.

The monsters are brought into present day because Dracula is searching for an amulet that will allow evil to take over. Once the kids realize what’s happening, they’re the only ones who can save the day!

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The movie was super cute, the monster makeup was classic and the humor was on point. I loved all the kids so much and thought they did a great job of carrying the film. Of course, the adults were pretty great too. What with “scary German guy” helping them read Van Helsing’s journal, and sharing with them he “has some experience with monsters” and revealing his concentration camp number tattoo. Sean’s Dad is a detective and he and his partner have a very great and humorous dynamic.

Oh yeah, also this movie comes with its own classic 80’s rap song:

It just seemed like a love letter to those classic Universal monsters and the kids that grew up loving them. It was respectful and funny and probably a little scary for a very young audience. I really loved it and will definitely watch it again. 8/10.

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SOFIA'S REVIEW:

Well hello there! Quick intro, my name is Sofia, and I am a 16-year-old budding horror enthusiast. My lovely friend Charlotte asked me to join her on her 31 day challenge, and I undoubtedly agreed, despite the fact that I am a total wimp. Since I am an aspiring writer, you could imagine my excitement when she asked me to co-write on her blog for this wonderful spooky month. You can find me on my personal blog, www.memoirsofanerdgirl.wordpress.com , and join me on my adventure of my life! Now, onto the review!

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I really enjoyed this movie! The band of misfit kids that played our main characters gave off a Goonies vibe, which of course, is freaking amazing. Also, they have Rudy, a junior high schooler who is clearly the bomb.com. What would he be, 14? Super greaser, complete with white t shirt, black leather jacket and sunglasses, gelled black hair, and the notorious cigarette dangling from his fingertips. Which, by the way, was lit by striking a match off his shoe. And he rides a bike everywhere. *swoon*

I loved the old timey representation of classic monsters, including a zombie, werewolf, Frankenstein's monster and Dracula himself.

At one point, the 'annoying little sister' actually says "come on guys don't be chicken shits" and I died. She was the one brave enough to approach and make friends with Frankenstein's monster. All the power to you, small child!

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Awesome 80's music montage of them preparing for monster fighting. It gave me life. The father, a cop, gets a chilling call from a supposedly dead man turned werewolf saying "they're gonna kill your son", which the cop takes seriously. There's a scene where everyone is going to investigate the spooky house and our chubby goonie look-alike friend is going "maybe we don’t have to be the monster squad. Maybe we can be the nature squad, stay at home, look at rocks" and I have decided this is an accurate representation of mine and Charlotte's relationship. I am the chubby frightened friend, it's true.

Dracula has an amazing end where he bombs the kid’s tree house, and as he walks away and it explodes behind him, he super creepily goes "meeting adjourned" and it is just awesome.

This movie is full of amazing one liners, it made my horror soul happy. Overall, this movie gets a 9/10. Not hella scary, due to its age (1987), but just super enjoyable.

See you back here for Day Seven!
Starting on day 7 is the theme of "new movies" aka movies that have recently come out that I haven't seen. They may be terrible, they may be amazing. We'll find out!
Stay Spooky!

DAY FIVE - The Last Broadcast (horror movie challenge - 31 days of horror)

Sofia’s not joining me for this movie as she’s having computer troubles, so you’re stuck with me alone. Hopefully we'll see her again soon!

DAY FIVE - THE LAST BROADCAST (1998)

What did I just watch? I’m just…I…what? The movie ended and I had to google the ending because I had no idea what had happened. Turns out the ending went right over my head, but I feel like I’m probably not the only one who experienced it that way. Everything happens so damn quickly in the last ten minutes.

The Last Broadcast is sort of found footage, sort of mockumentary, horror movie. For the first half of the film it plays out like a Dateline episode, and then goes into more of a Blair Witch type film, and then that ending happens. So I thoroughly enjoyed most of the movie, I love a good Dateline episode and I was hooked on this format.

The film is narrated by a guy who’s is investigating the deaths of the two hosts of a cable TV Show, Fact or Fiction, and their sound guy. The police “solved” the crime and arrested the fourth member of the team, a “psychic” who is quite eccentric. But our narrator doesn’t believe all is as it seems.

The footage used is a mix of news clips, newspaper clippings, interviews with the police and members of the show. Then there is the footage from the night in question. Our two hosts; Steven and Locus are taking their show on the road to investigate the Jersey Devil. They bring along a sound guy, Rein, and a psychic named Jim. They live broadcast their investigation but in the morning, only one of them comes out of those woods alive. That man is Jim.

The narrator starts out making us believe it was Jim who did indeed murder those men brutally in the woods, but then switches to another possible murderer, maybe it was Steven, whose body was never found. But then after the narrator receives a box with a mysterious destroyed tape inside, and seeks the help of a woman who starts to retrieve the broken data, he leads you to believe that perhaps it was the Jersey Devil after all.

But then that damn ending happens. So disappointing. I almost wish they had just stuck with the jersey devil killing them all because honestly the movie was so great up to that point I would’ve believed it. Instead it feels like the filmmakers panicked completely and just tried to be shocking. But there’s a difference between having a twist ending that you could’ve figured out if you paid attention to the subtle clues along the way, and an ending that no one could have predicted and makes no sense…but is “SHOCKING”.

Let’s talk about how the film was made – it was one of the first of this style of film we are now so used to. And it is believed that this is the first feature-length to be filmed on “consumer-level digital equipment”. It came a year before the Blair Witch Project. It’s hard to find a lot about this movie. It was made in the 90’s and is VERY outdated. But it’s quaint for an old fogie like me who remembers the dial up sounds of internet, and IRC, and lugging computer screens around instead of a tablet. But I can see how someone a lot younger watching this movie would find it completely ridiculous.

The big thing for Fact or Fiction is that they are doing the first ever live internet and cable broadcast and you’re just like, that’s cute. The narrator talks about the internet like it’s this new magical world to be explored, which really back then it was.

The filmmakers play our Fact or Fiction hosts – Stefan Avalos and Lance Weiler and do an impeccable job of acting. In fact everyone in this film is just flawless. It’s really what makes the whole thing so believable. Apparently they also shot this film for $900???? Amazing.

I was never taken out of the film. In a weird way the whole thing felt completely believable. I watch so many paranormal documentaries and shows, so much Dateline, that this just felt like another one of those. Excluding the ending of course. I give this movie a 6/10 - purely for the ending. I would still recommend it to people, but I think going into this movie knowing nothing is the best way to watch it and enjoy it.

See you back here tomorrow for DAY SIX! (I’ve almost made it a whole week woohoo!)

Stay Spooky!

Something old, something new part 2

For this installment of 'Something Old, Something New' I went with Suburban Gothic (2015) and The Bad Seed (1956).

Let's talk about it!!

Suburban Gothic (2015)

This film was wonderful. Directed by Richard Bates Jr. and starring a great cast including Matthew Gray Gubler and Kat Dennings. There's also a great array of guest stars including my idols Jen and Sylvia Soska, and the legendary John Waters.
The main character Raymond is forced to move back home after being unable to find a job with his new degree. His parents are hilariously awful. The father is aggressive, racist, and clueless. The mother lives in her own dream world where she's in love with the gardener.
We watch as Raymond rediscovers old characters from his school including Becca who he takes a shining with and some bullies that continue to try and bully him.

Raymond is unique - strange sense of style, quick dry wit, and a history of being able to see the paranormal until he was diagnosed with a blood pressure disorder and is forced to take pills. But now that he's back in town, the eccentric doctor won't prescribe him any refills.
While the gardener is working on the garden he discovers a wooden box with a body inside. This intrigues Raymond who is now starting to see spooky stuff happening around the house after being unable to see ghosts for years. He realizes he needs to find the now missing dead body and with the help of Becca fumbles through the whole process.

The movie is weird. It's as eccentric as its' characters. But I loved it! It was a quick watch and a fun ride with lots of laughs and enough weirdness to make me feel at home. My only complaint were the scares were completely lacking, it was more of a Beetlejuice than a Housebound. I would definitely recommend it but only to those with specific weirder tastes.

I can't wait to watch it again, mostly because this film is very close to my real life.

9/10

The Bad Seed (1956)

THIS MOVIE WAS FUCKING FANTASTIC. Seriously gobsmacked at the talent in this film. It centers around little psychopath Rhoda and her unknowing mother Christine.
I actually don't want to share too much about this movie because I went in cold turkey and was hooked from the first minute. I would recommend the same.
The acting by the little girl is astounding. I believe this actress was nominated for an Oscar for this role and well deserved because this girl was terrifying, played by Patty McCormack. The mother, played by Nancy Kelly, also does a fantastic job as her character slowly starts to unravel.
There is not a single moment of violence in this film, yet there is SO much. It's all just left to the imagination.
AND THAT ENDING
WHAT
THE
FUCK

Also there's a drunken mother character who cracks me the fuck up and if I could drink alcohol I would probably be a lot like her. Just wandering into people's houses uninvited, announcing"I'm drunk" and then trying to sleep on their couch.
It's also based on a book which I will now hunt down and read.

All in all it was an extremely well acted, enjoyable film. My only complaint is it ran quite long and did feel it in some parts.

9/10

So there we have it. Round two of 'Something Old, Something New'. I love doing this mini challenge because it's just so fascinating to watch how far we've come in the horror genre, but also how little progress we've made sometimes.

This weekend I plan on putting up my Halloween decorations!!!! The agreement was the 15th but I think the 12th is close enough. It's basically already the 15th at that point. I'm also working hard on my history of horror presentation for work (learning powerpoint whyyyyy???).

Today I also panicked because I realized October is really close and I haven't started on my October movie challenge yet. So now I'm digging through my itunes wishlist and the notes on my phone to compile 31 movies and making some sort of sense/theme to them.

Have a good rest of this short work week and stay spooky!!