And it’s Halloween week once again. Autumn is in the air and the bleak mood couldn’t be more endearing and inspiring. I love this time of year…ideal for horror; watching it, writing it, living it. Now in between costume parties, taking some tiny tots trick or treating and getting smashed on Halloween night, I am of course gonna be clocking some horror movies, with buds and beers in tow. I do this every year (like many of you do as well, I am sure), so here’s what I picked this year; my 2010 Halloween night horror movie line-up!
THE OPENING FILM: THE FIRST POWER (1990)
PLOT: La Bamba cop (Lou Diamond Phillips) sends killer (Kober) to gas chamber. Killer expires and comes back as a spirit donned with the first power; one of resurrection. Killer goes on to possess various people and make La Bamba’s life a living hell. Lots of zany chases ensue. [sings] “Para bailar La Bamba, para bailar La Bamba!”
WHY: When my first beer of the night cracks open, THE FIRST POWER will possess my TV screen and get the party started. Its a good way to begin! What is it about this movie that has me going back to it all the damn time? The unsettling mood, the insane chases, the dabbling in Satanism, the jaw dropping stunts or is it one of the coolest loonies from the 90’s at play (the mask, the killer Jeff Kober stare, the axe, the ceiling fan)? Its all of it. Granted it is fairly predictable, doesn’t play by its own rules and sports more cop thriller/horror cliches that you can shake a hard on at; but for some reason that only my sock puppets fully grasps; I simply love THE FIRST POWER. “See ya around buddy boy.”
READ MY FIRST POWER REVIEW HERE
GET THE FIRST POWER DVD HERE
THE FOLLOW UP FILM: THE CROW (1994)
PLOT: Rock and roll boyfriend Eric Draven (Lee) and his sweetheart Shelly (Shinas) are savagely murdered by a gang of thugs on Halloween night. A year later on the same night Eric comes back to life through the powers of a crow. Now invincible and with the crow as his guide he finds and murders the scum who ruined his wedding plans and his life. Revenge is a dish best served cold with a lot of bullets.
WHY: THE CROW is another favorite of mine and this will be the first time that I watch it on Halloween. Why I didn’t think of playing that card before is beyond me. The flick is set during the Halloween season, is filled to the brim with striking macabre/gothic imagery, has an astounding score/soundtrack, all kinds of brutality and puts out Brandon Lee doing the doo at his prime. Morever, the flick is sad, moving and even romantic. Its a full bag of treats over here! I actually get goosebumps every time I see this one, the scene with The Crow putting on his makeup set to The Cure’s “BURN” alone is worth the sit down.
READ MY THE CROW REVIEW HERE
GET THE CROW DVD HERE
AFTER THE CROW, I WILL TAKE KIDS OUT TRICK OR TREATING, ONCE DONE, I WILL SCARE THE SHIT OUT OF THEM WITH…
THE “SCARE THE KIDDIES” FLICK: DEAD SILENCE (2007)
PLOT: A suit wearing, ball breaking ventriloquist doll on his doorstep and a tragic event sends wavy mane Jamie (Kwanten) back to his hometown of Raven’s Fall to solve a mystery and battle the peeved off ghost of Mary Shaw and all of her children i.e. dolls that will f*ck you up!
WHY: DEAD SILENCE has enough nods to Bava, Hammer, 80’s horror and old school Italian giallos to please. On top of that, it guns out stylish/creepy visuals, brilliant sound design, tasty gore and scary-ass dolls. PERFECT HALLOWEEN NIGHT FODDER. For the last couple of years, I have been trying to initiate the kids in my life to the wondrous joys of horror, last year I spooked the shit out of them with The Gate, this year I chose to put them through the Dead Silence ringer. I will be betting a handful of candy that they won’t last past the first 20 minutes.
READ MY DEAD SILENCE REVIEW HERE
GET THE DEAD SILENCE DVD HERE
After scaring the kiddies all the way to bedtime for some well earned nightmares, i wil go out with the boys and hit a costume party. When I return, I will finish up my Halloween night with…
THE CLOSING FILM: 100 FEET (2008)
PLOT: Hot MILF Marnie (Famke Janssen) is put under house arrest for the murder of her abusive policeman husband (Michael Pare). Problem is, the ghost of her dead hubby is haunting the house she’s jailed in and he be angry! Till death do us part they say…HE MEANS IT!
WHY: No it’s not because I am in it. I will actually fast forward my scene while squinting. I can’t stand looking/listening at myself in movies. Once my sorry ass out of the way, I will be able to enjoy the film as just that, a film, one that will wind down and bring my Halloween night to a close. ERIC RED’S 100 FEET is an old school, classically shot (loved them long takes), moody and at times brrr inducing badboy. One part The Haunting and one part The Entity, it also flaunts solid performances by Famke Janssen and Bobby Cannavale, an effective ghost who aint playing, Exorcist-ish cinematography, mucho tense scenes and one hell of a visceral/brutal sequence that will send Ed Westwick fans to swoon heaven. Its also set during the Halloween season hence… PERFECT CHOICE!
So that’s it, that’s my movie line up for this Halloween. Please, share your own Halloween horror movie picks with us below!
LETS GET HALLOWEEN STARTED!
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