Start my new job tomorrow morning... and it's going to involve long hours (I believe during the two interviews that were each about an hour and a half  the phrase "50-70 hours per week" for the first three months was thrown around a few times), so I think I may have hit a roadblock in my horror movie marathon. I'll try and squeeze 'em in when I can, but I'm thinking sleep will probably be more up my alley, at least until I get used to the hours.

I'll update when I do finish one, and I'll keep popping in to see what everyone else is watching, see if any of them strike a chord in me for future purchases!

So far this month:

Dracula's Daughter

Next in line after Bela Lugosi's 1931 Dracula in Universal's 'Classic' vampire movies this is quite atmospheric but 'tame' even, in my opinion, by the standards of the day (1936). It's like they wanted to make a sexy female vampire film but wouldn't even show any biting scenes, which just takes off too much of any edge even when they've built up some nice tension occasionally.
5/10

The Vampire Lovers

First in Hammer's 'Karenstein Trilogy' this is one of my favourites this is my preferred area of the 'horror' genre... not actually that horrific, more an excuse for heaving (revealled) bosoms and vampirism as an obvious metaphor for sex and desire. Ingrid Pitt is good as Marcilla/Carmilla but the main attraction for me is the glorious Madeline Smith who, with this film, secured her place on the cover of the recent 'Hammer Glamour' book.
7/10

Lust for a Vampire

Second in the Karnstein Trilogy this troubled production is another fun romp through the dormotories of topless girls and lesbian vampires with Yutte Stendgaard taking over the Mircalla role and amusingly crossing her eyes to indicate when she's having an orgasm.
6/10

Night of the Demon

1957 classic full of great atmosphere and suspenseful plot. I've not seen if in full before now (or if I have it was a long time ago) and thoroughly enjoyed the total experience this time. Suspenseful, clever and with good performances throughout this one is highly recommended.
8/10

Blood on Satan's Claw

The eerie tension builds thoughout as the evil grows in a small 17th Century English village, led by Linda Hayden as a girl called Angel who is marvellously duplicitous and later unhinged as she leads the children of the village into devil worship. However it's let down by an ending that is abrupt and weak (and obvious 'day-for-night' shoot as the stills gallery proves)  IMO and though it's well executed overall it's just not really my 'cup of tea'... I'm sure many horror fans would rate it more highly!
5/10

Count Yorga, Vampire

First timer for me and my feelings are mixed - as a US PG-13 reviewed as being "Energetic, scary and funny" I wasn't expecting some of the more unsettling scenes (especially one which non-animal lovers may find amusing but really rather creeped me out... but I suppose it is a horror film!). It also seemed to vary in tone a little too often between funny, sexy and scary moments; however the end sequences are very well played with the 'hunter' and 'prey' playing a cat and mouse game as they sit and converse (a little like the café scene in Heat in tone) and also there's a nice (if guessable) twist in there.
6/10

100 Years of Horror: The Complete Collection
This frightfully fascinating five-DVD set chronicles the history of movie horror from earliest experimental chillers through the unforgettable "golden age of movie monsters" and on through today's graphic horror films in 26 horrific, half-hour shows. Hosted by Christopher Lee, the screen's legendary King of Horror, the series features appearances by Robert De Niro, Jamie Lee Curtis, Hugh Hefner, Charlton Heston, Kenneth Branagh, Joe Dante, and many more.

Also featured are rare interviews with Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr., Vincent Price, Peter Cushing, and Claude Rains. Included as a special bonus are never-before-seen interviews with the friends and families of the legendary names of horror such as Bela Lugosi, Jr.; Boris Karloff's daughter, Sarah Karloff; Claude Rains' daughter, Jessica Rains, and more.

The collection also includes chilling scenes from such classics as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, The Mummy, The Phantom Of The Opera, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, The Creature From The Black Lagoon, and The Invasion of the Body Snatchers as well as more recent chillers such as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Halloween, Poltergeist and The Haunting. Plus home movies from the sets of horror classics, outtakes, screen tests, previously "lost" films, and other exciting surprises. Easily the most interesting and informative horror chronology ever assembled.

Short Watched:
Phantoms
Lon Chaney, Sr. was the original Phantom of the Opera, but there have been other notable portrayals - and other notable phantoms!

My Thoughts:
This short (24min) not only covers the Phantoms... I guess there wasn't enough to talk about for the entire time or maybe this a type of phantom... but it also includes the Invisible Man movies. But it seems to me at least that it should be two different things. Either way it showed me a few old movies I would like to check out. At the same time showed me a couple I plan on staying away from.

My Rating: 3.5/5


Count:
Movie Count: 47
TV Ep. Count: 17
Other Count: 3

Title: Poltergeist
Year: 1982
Director: Tobe Hooper
Rating: PG
Length: 114 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1, Pan & Scan 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, French: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish


Stars:
Craig T. Nelson
JoBeth Williams
Beatrice Straight
Dominique Dunne
Oliver Robins
Heather O'Rourke

Plot:
"They're here." And they seem almost whimsical at first, playing stack-the-chair games in the kitchen of the Freelings' suburban home. Then things turn darker. A storm erupts, a tree attacks, little Carol Anne Freeling is whisked into a spectral void. And as her family confronts a chain reaction of horrors and fights to bring the youngster back, something else is here too: a new benchmark in Hollywood ghost stories.

Producers Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall and director Tobe Hooper head the elite scream team of this spooktacular whose nerve-jangling effects include floating phantasms, the fiercest monster ever to pop out of a closet and an entire house collapsing into nothingness. Welcome to Home Sweet Haunted Home.

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:
I haven't watched this one is quite some time. While the movie does have a bit of a slow start... it definitely makes up for it with a great story. The haunting starts pretty mild... moving things around and such much to the enjoyment and entertainment of the mother. But before you know it things takes a turn for the worse. It has been so long since I watched this one that I forgot how good it is. I enjoyed every minute of watching this one again. If by any chance you have not seen this movie before... I highly recommend it.

My Rating: 4.5/5


Count:
Movie Count: 49
TV Ep. Count: 17
Other Count: 3

Title: Poltergeist III
Year: 1988
Director: Gary Sherman
Rating: PG-13
Length: 97 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, French: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Mono
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish


Stars:
Tom Skerritt
Nancy Allen
Heather O'Rourke
Zelda Rubinstein
Lara Flynn Boyle
Kip Wentz

Plot:
They're back...again! And they're still looking for Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke) in this riveting and climactic finale to the Poltergeist trilogy. Sent by her parents to live in a Chicago high rise with her aunt (Nancy Allen), uncle (Tom Skerritt) and cousin (Lara Flynn Boyle), Carol Anne must face demons more frightening than ever before, as they move from invading homes to taking over an entire skyscraper! "Ingenious and cleverly executed" (Los Angeles Times) special effects highlight this haunting chiller that takes terror to new heights!

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:
While not as good as the first one... I still enjoyed this one. I would say it is about on par with part 2. Maybe even a little better. Though it is a shame what happened to Heather O'Rourke... what was it shortly after or during making this movie. Passing at such a young age. Still only a child. I keep going back and forth whether I like the new setting of the apartment building. But over all I think it works.

My Rating: 3.5/5


Count:
Movie Count: 51
TV Ep. Count: 17
Other Count: 3

I just realized... I just made it to the half way point of my goal for movies!!!    

Quoting Addicted2DVD:

Quote:
Quoting FilmAlba:

Quote:
From Dusk Till Dawn Trilogy? Thought about given that a spin?

As much as I love vampires... I am sure I will get to them! 

Aye just bating round ideas and congrats on your halfway mark

Tales from the Darkside: The First Season
Tales from the Darkside, the uniquely terrifying, frighteningly popular horror anthology series, is back. Packed with haunting stories that at first light appear to be about normal situations, these tales are gradually twisted until they become something sinister, shocking and totally unsettling.

Revealing the dark underworld of our everyday existence, Tales from the Darkside includes stories penned by masters of horror, with unforgettable performances by some of Hollywood's finest stars.

Dark, scary and with a bizarre sense of justice, all 24 episodes of Tales from the Darkside's spine-tingling first season will capture your imagination...and never let it go.

Episode Watched:
Trick or Treat
Some unusual late-night visitors darken a miser's doorway after he dares his neighbors to send their children into his haunted house.

My Thoughts:
The Halloween episode of the first season of this series also just happens to be the pilot episode. I really enjoyed it. Trick or Treat has a cute story... with a fun ending.

My Rating: 4/5


Count:
Movie Count: 51
TV Ep. Count: 19
Other Count: 3