Halloween Horror Movie Picks: The Sequel / 2021 (The Movies I'm Watching for the Holiday)
THIS IS A LIST OF MOVIES BOTH ANCIENT AND NEW-ISH. Go here if you're looking for a list of just pre-70s films.
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls509752804/
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- DirectorJacques TourneurStarsDana AndrewsPeggy CumminsNiall MacGinnisAmerican professor John Holden arrives in London for a parapsychology conference, only to find himself investigating the mysterious actions of Devil-worshipper Julian Karswell.Excellent way to kick off the Halloween (it's even mentioned twice in the movie) season! This is a crackerjack horror classic with tons of style due to the great direction of Jacques Tourneur (Cat People, 1942). If you never believed in demons before, you will now! Or not, perhaps, but it's a fun ride in any case. Happy (early) Halloween!
- DirectorStuart WalkerStarsHenry HullWarner OlandValerie HobsonAfter botanist Wilfred Glendon travels to Tibet in search of a rare flower, the Mariphasa, he returns to a London haunted by murders that can only be the work of bloodthirsty werewolves.Universal's first attempt at a werewolf movie falls flat, despite the presence of the always enjoyable Warner Oland and Valerie Hobson. Alas, they are both wasted in this soap opera disguised as a monster movie. If you want to tick off the werewolf box without rewatching the The Wolf Man (1941), go for it, but don't expect too much.
- DirectorJacques TourneurStarsSimone SimonTom ConwayKent SmithAn American man marries a Serbian immigrant who fears that she will turn into the cat person of her homeland's fables if they are intimate together.Expertly directed thriller is more noir than horror in its way. Ironically, "Cat People" is probably not a good choice for cat people or other animal lovers, as they don't fare well in the film. It seems a bit overrated to me; it's a matter of style over substance, although it certainly has plenty of the former. Sadly, it portrays cats, particularly black ones, as evil, which, as you may know, leads to the killing of them, especially around Halloween. So a point off for that. I must say that it certainly was absorbing as my ADD didn't kick in until the movie was almost over.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsRyo IshibashiEihi ShiinaTetsu SawakiA widower takes an offer to screen girls at a special audition, arranged for him by a friend to find him a new wife. The one he fancies is not who she appears to be after all.Creepy, slow-moving avant-garde horror film with some disturbing scenes. Comes off as a surreal female revenge fantasy. It's stylishly done, if you like that sort of thing. I don't. Someone raved about this movie years ago, so I thought I'd watch it as part of my Halloween movie binge. Next time, I'll do some research first. Also, not a film if you're an animal lover.
- DirectorJames WanStarsVera FarmigaPatrick WilsonMadison WolfeEd and Lorraine Warren travel to North London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by a supernatural spirit.I think the last one had more plot, maybe, and I wasn't overly impressed with that one. This is mostly a string of ghoulish events linked together, and there's a wisp of a plot so it won't be merely a special effects movie. The one strength is the lead actor from both films. Patrick Wilson plays his character so sincerely amidst the lackluster goings-on that it gives the movie a little lift. This is fans of the possession genre only, or if you need a little Christmas right this very minute!
- DirectorJames WanStarsPatrick WilsonRose ByrneTy SimpkinsA family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.After watching both the Conjuring movies, it appears that what director Wan didn't have there was good scriptwriting. This movie actually has a plot, sympathetic characters, and a genuine creepiness that crops up in the last third of the movie, along with a fun twist. Rose Byrne does a good job driving the first half of the movie, and she's a lot more interesting than Madison Wolfe's character in The Conjuring series. Patrick Wilson plays the husband here and is dependably good. Yes, they're all haunted house/possession flicks, but this one has style and old-fashioned flair.
- DirectorRoy William NeillStarsBoris KarloffMarian MarshRobert AllenIgnoring an ancient prophecy, evil brother Gregor seeks to maintain his feudal power on his his Tyrolean estate by murdering and impersonating his benevolent younger twin.I'm not sure you can call this a horror movie in the purest sense; it's more a thriller with no supernatural elements. Karloff is superb in a dual role. In fact, he's almost too good as the relentlessly evil twin brother. He helps create a (perhaps apt) dark atmosphere that is unpleasant and makes the film a bleak experience. However, the surprising cast member that "saves the day" is so unexpected that I added a star for creativity. Worth watching to see Karloff at his best, but be aware that it's a dreary journey.
- DirectorSidney HayersStarsPeter WyngardeJanet BlairMargaret JohnstonA woman who may be a witch defends her husband from forces attempting to harm him.45 minutes of great set-up, which is then mostly abandoned for typical early sixties supernatural goings-on. It doesn't always make sense, but at least the story is true to its title.
- DirectorEdgar G. UlmerStarsBoris KarloffBela LugosiDavid MannersAmerican honeymooners in Hungary become trapped in the home of a Satan-worshipping priest when the bride is taken there for medical help following a road accident."Even the phone is dead!" PROS: Great sets and atmosphere, a certain level of creepiness, and the first pairing of Karloff and Lugosi. CONS: Goofy script, campy feel, and the feeling that this would have been awesome if I'd only seen it when I was twelve years old. "It's the red switch."
- DirectorLew LandersStarsBoris KarloffBela LugosiLester MatthewsA brilliant surgeon with a morbid obsession for instruments of torture grows dangerously obsessed with a young socialite whose life he's saved.Tremendous fun, perfect for Halloween night. A different kind of pairing of Lugosi and Karloff, with Bela getting most of the attention. There's a special treat in store for Boris' character, but no spoilers here. Maybe not stylish like "The Black Cat" of 1934, but it's a great tale and includes the coolest elevator ever. The melding of Poe's "The Raven" with a mad scientist story works well and should delight his fans, provided they don't expect a literal portrayal of the work.
- DirectorPatrick BriceStarsKaran SoniMark DuplassDesiree AkhavanA video artist looking for work drives to a remote house in the forest to meet a man claiming to be a serial killer. But after agreeing to spend the day with him, she soon realizes that she made a deadly mistake.Great follow-up, although not so creepy. It is more of a futheration of the lead character, and the interaction between he and what is to, perhaps, be his latest victim. Alas, he claims to be having a mid-kill crisis, and the relationship, if you can call it that, between him and Sara, leads you to believe that things just might turn out all right. I don't know how Duplass manages to make his serial killer so likeable, but it works well with Sara's willingness to be up for just about anything. This is more a character study about two fucked up people, with the ending not being all that important. So, not a Halloween fright-fest, but more of an amiably weird sequel.
- DirectorScott GlossermanStarsNathan BaeselAngela GoethalsZelda RubinsteinThe next great killer and psychopath has given a documentary film crew exclusive access to his life as he plans his reign of terror over the quiet town of Glen Echo.This did make me laugh a few times, and I appreciated its mockumentary-style approach, but it just didn't quite gel. The main twist was telegraphed early on, and the last-third of the movie was totally conventional. I'm not a slasher movie fan, but I've seen enough of the classic ones to get most of the jokes. This is pretty good fun, overall, for fans of the genre; just keep your expectations low and you'll have a reasonably good time.
- DirectorWillard HuyckGloria KatzStarsMichael GreerMarianna HillJoy BangA young woman goes searching for her missing artist father. Her journey takes her to a strange Californian seaside town governed by a mysterious undead cult."They'll take you one-by-one...and no one will hear you SCREAM!!!" Well, this was a bit of fun. Atmospheric, semi-avant-garde seventies zombie flick that also manages to also be campy and weird. There's a great apartment set that has a lot of eerie paintings. I also learned never to go to a movie called "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" if there are zombies about, and try to avoid the Ralph's as well. Nice widescreen print restored (by a YouTuber) available at https://youtu.be/C6GbS82WVrg as of 10/8/21.
- DirectorRobin HardyStarsEdward WoodwardChristopher LeeDiane CilentoA puritan police sergeant arrives in a Scottish island village in search of a missing girl, who the pagan locals claim never existed.It's all about the apples. And Christopher Lee with seventies hair plus wearing a kilt (when he's not dressed as a woman with long black locks); a Christian copper (Edward 'the right kind of adult' Woodward acting either exasperated or outraged) vs. the island pagans; Britt Eckland singing a traditional-style folk song toplessly; some gross depictions of dead animals and such; ancient rituals with naked girls dancing; an orgy outside a pub while a bawdy song is song inside; the Hand of Glory (not really salacious like you might think); a penchant for animal mask wearing; echoes of Fairport Convention's classic track "Farewell, Farewell" during the procession scene; a lot of other cool traditionally based Celtic music which you can read about at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wicker_Man_(soundtrack); beautiful Scottish location(s) enhanced by good direction and cinematography; and a nice twisty conclusion. It all seemed a bit silly to me, and way too much time was spent with Woodward questioning every single person on the island. Still, some fun was had, and I imagine this movie is beloved by Renaissance Faire folks everywhere!
- DirectorHenry LevinStarsKaren MorleyJim BannonJeff DonnellThe daughter of a strange famiy has returned after a long time to the family estate. She has two investigators checking out the eerie goings-on on the estate's spooky mansion.The last of three "I Love A Mystery" film versions of the radio show. "The Unknown" is very entertaining, and tweaks the dark old house scenario with originality and flair. Not a classic, but just a different approach that involves interesting plotting matched by fine performances led by Karen Morley, who is not "all there" after an incident that occurs early on in the film. While there are no evil spirits as such, there's just enough creepiness to satisfy your Halloween needs. If you want to watch the films in order, the first one, which is actually called "I Love A Mystery," is at https://youtu.be/8PNI6IjsHws. I haven't watched it yet, but fans of the three films seem to like it best.
- DirectorLeigh JaniakStarsKiana MadeiraOlivia Scott WelchBenjamin Flores Jr.A circle of teenage friends accidentally encounter the ancient evil responsible for a series of brutal murders that have plagued their town for over 300 years. Welcome to Shadyside.I think it's perfectly okay to lower your standards a bit for Halloween. There's nothing you haven't seen here before, but it's dumb fun and I'll be watching Part 2.
- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsKirk DouglasJohn CassavetesCarrie SnodgressA former CIA agent uses the talents of a young psychic to help retrieve his telekinetic son from a shadowy secret government agency.It's a horror movie, alright: horrible script, horrible acting, and horrible direction. Perhaps this was an indicator of De Palma's inability to choose good material, something that would haunt him later in his career. It's almost worth it, though, just to watch one of the actors explode!
- DirectorJames WhaleStarsBoris KarloffElsa LanchesterColin CliveMary Shelley reveals the main characters of her novel survived: Baron Henry Frankenstein, goaded by an even madder scientist, builds his monster a mate.The title is a bit of a misnomer; they should have stuck with the early idea to name it "The Return of Frankenstein." I don't think the film deserves its reputation as it plays more of a parody of the first movie. It looks great, alright, but nearly everyone in the cast is directed as crazed or hysterical. There is one great scene in which a blind violinist befriends the Monster which made me think that I'd rather hang with Frankenstein's creation, smoke and drink wine with him, and perhaps discuss Nietzsche, than with anyone else in the cast.
- DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsMia WasikowskaJessica ChastainTom HiddlestonIn the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds - and remembers.Excellent mix of ghost story and suspense thriller, it also looks incredible thanks to Del Toro's usual attention to set design, direction and cinematography. The acting is great throughout, and the whole thing has a gothic supernatural novel meets Hitchcock vibe. Very cool.
- DirectorChristopher SmithStarsMelissa GeorgeJoshua McIvorJack TaylorFive friends set sail and their yacht is overturned by a strange and sudden storm. A mysterious ship arrives to rescue them, and what happens next cannot be explained.Pretty water. So many dead Sallys. Half-hearted attempt to to make it all stop. Water sprinklers are creepy? Yacht-hog Day? Where's Tommy? Poor Heather - so little screen time, and I liked her. What's with the birds; this ain't Hitchcock. Maybe if you stop up all the plotholes, the boat won't sink. Yeah, yeah, Sisyphus, I get it. // "Here's one for mother." - Frank Zappa. - "Tommy can you hear me?" -The Who // Somehow I still kind of enjoyed it. Nicely directed but maybe Smith should leave the writing to someone else.
- DirectorJames WanStarsPatrick WilsonRose ByrneBarbara HersheyThe Lamberts believe that they have defeated the spirits that have haunted their family, but they soon discover that evil is not beaten so easily.Picks up where Insidious leaves off, and gets the tone right. In fact, it feels like the second episode of a mini-series for the first hour or so. There's a lot of plot explanation continuance, and it can be a bit confusing at times, but Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne work well together and the supporting characters are all here to support the continuity. It runs a little too long, and depends on those eye-rolling horror movie tropes in the last twenty minutes, but this is mostly a worthy successor and recommended if you liked the first one.
- DirectorMinh Duc NguyenStarsLong NguyenThien NguyenIsabelle DuA lonely janitor hires a struggling actress to reenact ten favorite memories of his dead wife.Low-budget indy set in Garden Grove, CA with dialogue in Vietnamese and English. Creepy premise oddly has a sweetness about it for the first hour, and then it gets genuinely disturbing (but in a good horror-ish way). The ending is not so different than most movies of this type, with a bit of a twist and some horror troping. It gets points for being a little offbeat, and loses some for the non-acting of the marginally necessary roommate character. Better than "Audition," but, then again, I didn't like that one!
- DirectorTed GeogheganStarsAndrew SensenigBarbara CramptonLarry FessendenIn the cold, wintery fields of New England, a lonely old house wakes up every thirty years - and demands a sacrifice.This is why I watch some classic pre-70s films; it's to get a break from movies like this one. Nothing happens for the first 13 minutes, by the way; I should have turned it off then. There is, however, an interesting middle section with some humor, cool indy music, a Dodge Dart Lite appearance, and the introduction of Monte Markham, still acting after all these years. Alas, there is also the token black guy trope. (sigh) Then, you know, dead son, possessed house, psychic friend, eerie townspeople, blah blah blah. I guess it is supposed to be a homage to all that stuff, but it just comes off as, well, all that stuff. So, the band that does the music is obscure, they're called Wooden Indian and sound influenced by The Shins. You can listen to the opening song to the movie here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmpbvl4nBeM
- DirectorLeigh JaniakStarsSadie SinkEmily RuddRyan SimpkinsShadyside, 1978. School's out for summer and the activities at Camp Nightwing are about to begin. But when another Shadysider is possessed with the urge to kill, the fun in the sun becomes a gruesome fight for survival.This is no Fear Street - Part One. Seems like a weird thing to say, but the first one had some humor, and the characters were more interesting. This version is a typical camper-slash-slasher movie that retains the "witch" legend. The humor is largely gone, but the seventies soundtrack is well chosen, and you can play Spot-The-Bowie-References to keep you awake, if only for a short while. This story is being told backwards, and I fear (Fier) that this was because they realized the "last one" was the best, so they just reversed the order. Part 3 will determine if I am correct about that. Oh yeah, there's lots of modern teenage melodrama iffin' you like that kinda thing.
- DirectorGunther von FritschRobert WiseStarsSimone SimonKent SmithJane RandolphThe young, friendless daughter of Oliver and Alice Reed befriends her father's dead first wife and an aging, reclusive actress.Sure to be a disappointment for fans of the original "Cat People" film, as it is about something that can be equally fraught with peril...childhood!! This is a psychological ghost story/thriller that revisits the original movie's characters in a different light. The child in this movie shares a troubled childhood with Irena, but not one of legend. It's more about the reality of being the kid that is lonely and rejected by his or her peers. Perhaps it is a movie that only introverts can appreciate. I found it well done and poignant. However, if you're looking for an old fashioned horror movie, this is not it.