ColonelColinCaine
09-25-2003, 08:09 PM
Let me start by saying one thing:
This movie is THE reason why I'm such a huge horror fan today.
Three years ago I posted a scathing review of SPOOKIES on these very board (http://www.joblo.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30575&highlight=spookies). I pretty much shat upon every aspect of the flick, and urged everyone to stay as far away as possible. The latter part of my statement remains true. Most horror fans should stay away, as this isn't really a very good movie. Let me explain my confused viewpoint.
In 1991 I was five years old, and afraid to watch just about anything that was the least bit scary. I loved Halloween, though, and still do to this day. Kinda weird, huh? Anyways, at this point in time, the USA network didn't suck yet, and every Saturday they showed a shit-load of horror movies, some good, most bad. One Saturday, I was channel-surfing, and came upon this flick.
It was the scene where the kid goes into the mansion and finds a bunch of presents that are apparently for him. Eventually the kid opened a present containing a talking head, and was then chased down, brutally maimed, and buried alive by what I thought was a werewolf, but was in fact a cat/zombie/guy/thing(CZGT). Being a child myself, seeing another child killed in a horror movie was quite traumatic for me. I didn't think it could ever happen. I was shocked and horrified. I was hooked.
For the next hour and a half, I watched what I thought at the time was the most horrifying movie ever. There are images from this film that have stuck with me for my whole life. The CZGT, the man being pulled, screaming, into the earth by supernatural forces, and the army of zombies at the climax all were etched forever into my impressionable five-year-old mind.
I gotta tell you, this flick got me interested in the horror genre. For the longest time, I was in awe of all werewolf movies (even though the creature in SPOOKIES was a cat), mesmerized by zombies, and absolutely terrified to step on anyone's grave, for fear of being pulled into the earth. A few weeks later, USA aired the original WAXWORKS, and I was officially hooked on horror.
But still, SPOOKIES has stuck with me all these years. No wonder then, when I finally found and rented the film three years ago, that I was so utterly disgusted. I was really let down.
A few weeks ago, I decided to give the flick another try, just for old-times-sake. And ya' know what? I didn't hate it. In fact, I kinda liked it. The movie is still horribly-acted, and it does look very cheap, but I was entertained. Good monsters, good zombies, bad story.
It wasn't until this most recent viewing that I realized that this film was the genesis for my love of horror. It's actually quite fitting. The flick contains everything I love about horror: demons, monsters, werewolves, zombies, a creepy haunted mansions, and a bit of gore.
To SPOOKIES. It's not a very good movie, but I wouldn't be the person I am today without it.
Jeez that sounds stupid.:confused:
This movie is THE reason why I'm such a huge horror fan today.
Three years ago I posted a scathing review of SPOOKIES on these very board (http://www.joblo.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30575&highlight=spookies). I pretty much shat upon every aspect of the flick, and urged everyone to stay as far away as possible. The latter part of my statement remains true. Most horror fans should stay away, as this isn't really a very good movie. Let me explain my confused viewpoint.
In 1991 I was five years old, and afraid to watch just about anything that was the least bit scary. I loved Halloween, though, and still do to this day. Kinda weird, huh? Anyways, at this point in time, the USA network didn't suck yet, and every Saturday they showed a shit-load of horror movies, some good, most bad. One Saturday, I was channel-surfing, and came upon this flick.
It was the scene where the kid goes into the mansion and finds a bunch of presents that are apparently for him. Eventually the kid opened a present containing a talking head, and was then chased down, brutally maimed, and buried alive by what I thought was a werewolf, but was in fact a cat/zombie/guy/thing(CZGT). Being a child myself, seeing another child killed in a horror movie was quite traumatic for me. I didn't think it could ever happen. I was shocked and horrified. I was hooked.
For the next hour and a half, I watched what I thought at the time was the most horrifying movie ever. There are images from this film that have stuck with me for my whole life. The CZGT, the man being pulled, screaming, into the earth by supernatural forces, and the army of zombies at the climax all were etched forever into my impressionable five-year-old mind.
I gotta tell you, this flick got me interested in the horror genre. For the longest time, I was in awe of all werewolf movies (even though the creature in SPOOKIES was a cat), mesmerized by zombies, and absolutely terrified to step on anyone's grave, for fear of being pulled into the earth. A few weeks later, USA aired the original WAXWORKS, and I was officially hooked on horror.
But still, SPOOKIES has stuck with me all these years. No wonder then, when I finally found and rented the film three years ago, that I was so utterly disgusted. I was really let down.
A few weeks ago, I decided to give the flick another try, just for old-times-sake. And ya' know what? I didn't hate it. In fact, I kinda liked it. The movie is still horribly-acted, and it does look very cheap, but I was entertained. Good monsters, good zombies, bad story.
It wasn't until this most recent viewing that I realized that this film was the genesis for my love of horror. It's actually quite fitting. The flick contains everything I love about horror: demons, monsters, werewolves, zombies, a creepy haunted mansions, and a bit of gore.
To SPOOKIES. It's not a very good movie, but I wouldn't be the person I am today without it.
Jeez that sounds stupid.:confused: