Horror Viewings for October 2012

As is the tradition for this blog and me, it's time to talk about all the movies, I've watched so far this month (and I really try to only watch horror movies in Oct). As always, I do it in hopes of helping you pick some good horror flicks to watch in this, THE greatest time of the year! So let's get this started already!

All reviews are out of 4 stars.

Emaunelle and the Last Cannibals- My favorite Joe D'Amato flick and my fav Laura Gemser flick, I revisited this fun mix of softcore erotica and cannibalistic horror after doing a write up for Best-Horror-Movies.com on the best exploitation horror flicks. Lesbians, babes, cannibalism, gore, full frontal female nudity, sex, and hairy bushes, what more do you need? ***1/2

Mark of the Vampire- Todd Browning directs Bela Lugosi as a vampire in this mystery/ horror flick. Great atmosphere and sets, but the ending is fucking AWFUL and a total letdown. It ruins the whole thing. Shame. **








Frankensweenie- This touching, funny, and loving tribute to classic horror is one of Burtonn's very best. I laugh and I cried in this wonderful tale of a little boy whose cute doggie dies, and he resurrects it. The climax kicks major ass. Ranks among the best films of the year, so far! ***1/2

Black Death- From director Christopher (Severance) Smith comes this well acted, especially by Sean Bean, tale of witch-hunting, the bubonic plaque, and paganism. I think this makes for a very fine companion piece to the amazing Witchfinder General.***







Squirm- I been a fan of this one since I was a little kid. This killer worm flick is the best non-giant killer invertebrate flick ever! ***1/2







Frankenstein- The second best horror film of the golden age, this Karloff/ James Whales classic never fails to captivate. And, truth be you need to watch at least one Universal and/ or Hammer film during the Halloween season. ****








Maniac Cop- Since I will be dressed as Matt Cordell, the Maniac Cop himself, for my friend's wedding, I figured I would revisit this fun William Lustig action/ slasher flick. Bruce Campbell and Tom Atkins both add great genre support to tit. While the second film is the superior one, I don't own that one cause it's OOP (out of print), so I did my role research with this one. BTW, the tagline of this one (you can see it on the poster to the left), is a personal favorite of mine.**1/2




Paranormal Activity 4- I'm not sure what possessed (pun intended) me to see this in the movies, as I have only seen the first film. I liked said movie, but admit ably the whole found footage thing is something I'm fucking tired of. But, I think the appeal of Katie Featherston's amazing cleavage called me. I expected nothing, so I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be fun. A new family adopts creepy kid and shit goes bad for them. It's a got fun sense of humor and is actually pretty funny. There are tons of jump scares, some of which work, most of which don't. Still, it's much better than it really has any right to be. Of course, if you hate this series, this one won't change your thoughts or anything. But, with an open mind and no expectations you may like, too. ***

 
The Black Cat- This boundary pushing (for then) pre-Hayes Codes golden age horror flick has Karloff play a Satan worshiper and Lugosi in a rare turn as a hero. It's so fucking good! Both are top form. Karloff is chilling and there is genuine sympathy to be felt for Lugosi. The movie adds Satanic rituals and allusions to necrophilia, as well as a climatic off-screen skin flaying that ranks as one of the best moments in old school horror film history. A masterpiece that is my fav Lugosi flick, my fav non-Frankenstein Karloff, and my fav colab between them. ****

Anyway, I would love to know what horror movies you have been or plan to watch this season. I hope you all have a fun, spooky, and safe time.

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The 10 Best Killer Animal Horror Movies

I was watching Mega-Shark vs. Giant Octopus, on Syfy the other day. The trailer was all over the net, but the movie itself, despite some funny moments and Debbie Gibson, was fish poo. It got me to think how many horribly crappy killer animal horror films there are, especially on Syfy. Almost all of these films are takes on the Jaws mythos, to one point or another. But, there are good ones, and this list is comprised of my favorites. Many of these films hold special places in my heart, as I do love animals (before I ever wanted to get into film, I wanted to be a veterinarian). And, a bunch of them are among the first horror movies, I ever got into.

10. - This wonderful campy, gory, and exploitative film is a masterpiece of so bad so good. A great time to be had, this one is wonderfully silly, with some truly priceless dialogue. From the director of Pieces, no less!

9. - The premise and plot of this one is pretty silly and preposterous. But, it doe shave some great acting from the cast and a truly beautiful score by Ennio Morricone. Charlotte Rampling and Bo Derek make for some easy on the eyes beauties. What is really cool, is that the killer whale, taking revenge for the death of his mate and their unborn child, could be seen in some ways, as the hero, or anti-hero, as it maybe. Basically a revenge film with a killer animal.

8. - When a dog is genetically engineered as the optimal killer, all hell break loose. Great acting from the cast, including Lance Henriksen and Allie Sheedy, an inspired script, and some really wild and cool set-pieces (including the dog going up a tree to eat a cat and the dog raping a female dog) make for a fun and enjoyable sci-fi/ horror flick. As a dog lover I really enjoy the fact that the dog attacks people who deserve it, making him, like Orca, a hero of sorts.

7. - I used to watch this one as a kid, any time it was on TV. And, it still holds up. Sure it starts off slow, but the climax is great and scenes of worms crawling out of faucets, biting people, and being all over people's house is truly nightmarish. Guaranteed to make your skin crawl and stomach churn. From underrated director Jeff Lieberman.

6. - Like so many of the films here, I used to watch this anytime it was on TV. When, an alligator baby is flushed down the toilet, it grows up to be a vicious killer. Featuring rousing and violent alligator attacks highlight, this one is a fun cult classic. You just gotta love it!

5. - This one is so damn good, that Steven Spielberg, himself, declared it his favorite Jaws rip-off, and picked Joe Dante to direct horror/ comedy Gremlins. The exciting and bloody attacks and the over all fun feel of the movie, does indeed make it the best of those movies. The sequel, from James Cameron which has flying piranha (!), is worth seeing, too.

4. - Perhaps the first of the killer animal sub-genre, this one maybe very slow to start, but Hitchcock's masterful tale of our avian friends going psycho (no pun intended) remains one of the very best. Lovely Tippi Hedren and the rest of the cast are great, and once it gets going, this one really rips. The attacks on the school and the gas station, the suspenseful climax, and creepy endings attack is fucking unforgettable.

3. - Loosely inspired by true events, this is one of the scariest movies I seen in this decade, so far. Well directed, suspenseful, nightmarish, and realistic, this movie is, I think, better than The Blair Witch Project (although I do like that movie). The cast is really good and actress Blanchard Ryan is both beautiful, and fully nude! The nihilistic feel of the movie really helps to set apart from the more campy movies on this list. Unarguably the best killer shark movie since Jaws.

2. - My favorite Stephen King book is also my favorite adaption of his work. Nail-biting, intense, and really suspenseful, this one is also highlighted by phenomenal acting from the lovely Dee Wallace Stone. Lewis Teague (who also directed Alligator) crafts a simple but scary film, with some truly jarring attacks, by the rabid dog. A personal favorite.

1. - I guess declaring this one the best killer animal film is a no brainer, but really how can it not be? Frequently ripped-off, this is one of the most influential horror films ever. A perfect film and a favorite of mine since my childhood.

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You have read this article Alligator / Cujo / horror films / Jaws / killer animals / Man's Best Friend / Open Water / Orca: The Killer Whale / Piranha / Slugs / Squirm / The Birds with the title Squirm. You can bookmark this page URL http://thestoryoc.blogspot.com/2009/09/the-10-best-killer-animal-horror-movies.html. Thanks!