September

Halloween 1-4 (1978-1988)

WATCH

Grab the Scream Factory set if you can. The remastering is stellar, and they’re all there.  The original is my favorite.  Very well done.

 

 

 

Friday the 13th (1980-2003)

(all except Jason X and the remake. Those are on the way.)

WATCH

My favorite slasher series from day one.  I hold Jason Goes to Hell the most dear (first one I saw new to VHS), but they’re all entertaining. Part 3 had a KILLER (sorry) soundtrack.

 

 

 

Ghost Ship (2002)

SKIP

It started off OK, but fell flat pretty quick. It was a bit too long, and I simply don’t see the cult fascination with it.

 

 

 

From Beyond (1986)

WATCH

From the makers of Re-Animator, Jeffrey Combs shines again in this weird tale of a creature crossing dimensions and being gross.  Loved it.

 

 

 

They Live (1988)

WATCH

Another Carpenter gem.  Plain and simple.  Reminiscent of The Twilight Zone, it had me hooked from start to finish.  Put on the glasses and watch immediately.

 

 

 

The Thing from Another World (1951)

WATCH

Inspiration for Carpenter’s The Thing, and starring James Arness as the creature.  It’s fun to compare.

 

 

 

The Thing (2011)

WATCH

Pretty well made prequel to Carpenter’s Thing.  They definitely did their homework, right down to the Norwegian camp.  Tip:  Stick around for the credits.

 

 

 

The Thing (1982)

WATCH

Duh.

 

 

 

The Monster (2016)

SKIP

Boring, depressing, I hated the characters, and the monster sucked.  Ella Ballentine’s performance was very good, however.  Still not worth your time, though.

 

 

 

Evil Dead (1981)

WATCH

Sam Raimi’s original classic still holds up.  Come for Bruce under a bookshelf, stay for the old-fangled gore.

 

 

 

TerrorVision (1986)

WATCH?

I’m not sure what I just saw…it was either magnificent, or utter garbage. I don’t know, man…holy shit.

 

 

 

The Fog (1980)

WATCH

Real good, if a bit slow in parts. Carpenter and Curtis is always a good combo, though.

 

 

 

House (1985) & House II: The Second Story (1987)

WATCH

Campy and confident. My kind of movie(s).  Part 1 is definitely the better of the two, with a great performance from William Katt.  Co-starring Bull from Night Court and Norm from Cheers. Sold.

 

 

 

Leviathan (1989)

WATCH

Peter Weller Sci-Fi flick.  I’ve seen it billed as, “Alien underwater”, and it’s not far off from that, really.  This one sneaked by me for 30 years, and was a happy surprise when Amy and I stumbled on it.

 

 

 

Sleepaway Camp (1983)

WATCH

I rented this twice on VHS from Aardvark Video when I was a kid.  Hadn’t watched it since, but always considered it a staple in my personal collection of favorites.  Recently, I picked up the Scream Factory Blu-ray on the cheap, and was happy to discover that the movie still holds up.  Scream Factory does good work.  I remember watching the VHS on an old tube TV, and thinking it was blurry.  The SF edition is just shy of crystal clear, and the sound is fantastic.

 

 

 

Escape from New York (1981)

WATCH

Snake’s a bad ass.  Another great John Carpenter flick with a great score.

 

 

 

Prince of Darkness (1987)

WATCH

I know you’re tired of hearing about John Carpenter.  Well, I’m not, but I’ll give you a break.  Just watch his movies.

 

 

 

The Pyramid (2014)

SKIP

I watched it so you didn’t have to.  You’re welcome…but you owe me.  The monster looks like an mid-90s made-for-TV special, despite being released in 2014.  Just don’t.

 

 

 

Child’s Play (1988)

WATCH

One of the great, off-the-wall slashers.  A vulgar little red-headed doll in overalls chasing people around with a kitchen knife.  Ummm….yep.   Put it on.

 

 

 

Lifeforce (1985)

WATCH

My favorite Tobe Hooper film I’ve seen so far.  Great special effects with a throwback feel.  Also, there’s a whole bunch of nudity.

 

 

 

Chopping Mall (1986)

WATCH

This one’s pretty fun.  A bunch of kids get locked in a mall overnight with killer robots. 80s blood, nudity, and acting just good enough to squeak by.

 

 

 

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

WATCH

Very cool special effects (can you tell I’m a sucker for old-school FX?), a good amount of humor, and cool setting.  That being said, I still don’t think it should be in the COMEDY section on Amazon Prime Video.

 

 

 

John Carpenter Presents: Body Bags (1993)

 

WATCH

Originally presented by Showtime, this three-part horror anthology features stories directed by Carpenter (who also hosts) and Hooper set in the same world as the Halloween series (Haddonfield, IL is referenced in the first story.) I caught this on late one night in ’93 or ’94, and it may have been my first look into the minds of John Carpenter and Tobe Hooper.

 

 

 

Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

WATCH

Might as well.  It’s just what you think it is.

 

 

 

Fright Night (1985)

WATCH

Fun vampire movie.  Makes me long for the days of traditional cable TV and all-night monster movie marathons.  Great cast and setting, plus look at that movie poster!

 

 

 

976-EVIL 1 & 2 (1988 & 1991)

WATCH

IMDB nailed it:  “People who dial 976-EVIL receive supernatural powers and turn into satanic killers.” Yep.  You could probably SKIP part one, although it’s directed by Robert Englund.  Part two is more fun, but if you have to watch One for Two, so be it.

 

 

 

Invaders From Mars (1986)

WATCH

Not the best Hooper flick, but still watchable.  Cheesy acting with some pretty cool sets, and fun aliens.  Keep a sharp eye out for a cameo from Lifeforce.

 

 

 

Phantasm: Remastered (1979/2016)

Not bad. I felt parts were strangely edited and acted, and it had trouble keeping my attention in some spots. However, I was a tad distracted by other technology, so I’m very much to blame, too. It’s most definitely good enough to warrant marathoning the first three or four, which is what I plan to do when I have the opportunity.

 

 

 

Jaws (1975)

WATCH

Giant shark terrorizing a beach community…still holds up.

 

 

 

Night of the Creeps (1985)

WATCH

Goofy and fun, with some decent attempts at one-liners.  Perhaps (at least a bit of) an inspiration for Slither?

 

 

 

Screamers (1995)

 

WATCH

90s futuristic Sci-Fi starring Peter Weller and underground killer robots on another planet.  Do you need more?

 

 

 

The Blob (1988)

WATCH

Entertaining as hell, it’s gory and gross with some decent acting.  It’s also full of action, complete with more than a couple, “OH SHIT!” moments.  Wonderful special effects that blend (then) modern looking visuals with those reminiscent of the 50s.

 

 

 

Wishmaster (1997)

WATCH

Pretty decent late 90s horror movie about an evil genie.  Andrew Divoff is creepy as hell, even if a bit over the top.  Watch for cameos by Kane Hodder, Tony Todd and Ted Raimi.

 

 

 

Hellraiser (1987)

EITHER WAY

So-so.  It was ok, but I don’t understand why it’s a horror movie must, honestly.  I understand that for it’s time, it was weird, creepy and unnerving, so I’m not comparing it to modern shock horror.  I just found it boring.

 

 

 

Haunted Honeymoon (1986)

WATCH

A throwback to old time radio programs, this murder/mystery/comedy is written by and starring the director, the wonderful Gene Wilder.  This gem is an old favorite at The Corner, and definitely holds up.  Wonderful cast, great writing, and awesome setting (huge old mansion.)

 

 

 

The Stuff (1985)

WATCH?

Umm…I don’t know how I feel about it, really.  I think i liked it…at least enough to say it’s worth a watch.  It had a very Blob: Alternate Universe feel, which seemed to work.  Michael Moriarty’s performance was a bit bland, but the special effects were just cheesy enough to keep me going.

 

 

 

Scream 4 (2011)

WATCH

Pretty fun time, indeed.  I wasn’t sure if I could handle the “meta” at first, but it wasn’t as ridiculous as I’d previously thought.  I think I was just being a smug asshole, honestly.  Once I pulled my head out, and actually watched it, I liked it.

 

 

 

It (2017)

WATCH

Damn good.  “Horror Goonies” is what I kept hearing from everybody.  I can see that, I think.  Bill’s Pennywise was fantastic and creepy, and the kids were phenomenal.  Can’t wait for more.

 

 

 

It (1990)

WATCH

This movie made me, and half of the country, afraid of clowns in the early 90s.  I think I’m moreso afraid of Tim Curry, though, which means he’s good at what he does.  It definitely wasn’t as scary as I remember, but I was 8 or 9 at the time…It was good, still, though, if a bit cheesy.

 

 

 

C. H. U. D.  (1984)

WATCH

A bit slow in parts, but worth your time, ultimately.  Daniel Stern runs a soup kitchen in grungy clothes and curly hair while he fights humanoid mutants in the NYC sewers…aaaaaaand GO!

 

 

 

Cat’s Eye (1985)

 

WATCH

Three part horror anthology by Stephen King.  It’s worth it for the last story.  I suggest you just pick up the King of Horror Collection Blu-ray set, as the mastering is really good.  Plus you walk away with four King classics for a good price.

 

 

 

The Fog (2005)

SKIP

Again, you’re welcome…I watched this for you, and I don’t like Tom Welling, so that should show you how much I love you.  Just watch Carpenter’s original Fog and call it good.  I know, he’s listed as a producer on this stinker, so it should be okay, right?  Nope.  According to IMDB, Carpenter said this about his work as Producer:  “I come in and say hello to everybody. Go home.”   There you go.  Even he didn’t stick around for it.

 

 

 

Hatchet (2006)

WATCH

Old-fangled horror.  Loved it.  I don’t remember seeing a lick of computer graphics anywhere in the film.  I may have missed some, but I don’t think so.  Also, Kane Hodder as Victor Crowley?  Bring on the sequels!

 

 

 

Scream (1996)

WATCH

This was a favorite of mine when it came out, and it held up.  It’s actually a bit more fun now, after I’ve had 21 years to watch enough movies to get all of the references.

 

 

 

Prom Night (1980)

WATCH

Although filmed oddly, and a bit slow at first, it turned out to be pretty decent.  I didn’t think so at first, and had to mull it over for a bit.  Jamie Lee Curtis helped for sure, and they fooled me with the killer’s identity.  I was certain I knew who it was, too.  Well, I was wrong…DEAD WRO-…No.  I’m not going to do that to you.  I really WAS wrong, though.

 

 

 

Scream 2 (1997)

WATCH

Good sequel.  Still fun, and self-aware enough to keep you going…Plus Aunt Jackie from Roseanne is in it.

 

 

 

Prom Night II: Hello Mary Lou (1987)

WATCH IF YOU HAVE TIME

Seriously, don’t stress about it.  It’s okay, but there’s no Jamie Lee, and there are more than a few laughable moments.  Good soundtrack, and very supernatural, though…The chalkboard scene was cool, but the wooden horse was just plain weird.

 

 

 

Prom Night (2008)

SKIP THE TEEN DRAMA

WATCH THE IDRIS ELBA SCENES

If possible, that is.  If it’s too much work, just skip the whole damn thing and watch a proper thriller.  Elba’s scenes are effective, but don’t go looking for the 1980 Prom Night story arc…you won’t find it (or anything even close to it), other than people getting slashed up at prom.  Hell, they even tell you in the opening scene who the killer is.  No mystery.

 

 

 

The Gate (1987)

WATCH

This is about the only movie I can tolerate Stephen Dorff in.  A bunch of little demons surface from a weird hole in Dorff’s backyard.  No wonder he started E-Smoking.

 

Aaaaaand that’s a wrap for September’s movie selections.  Check out October’s here.