Watchin' Trailerz with Doug (October 7)

In honour of SCARY MOVIE MONTH, I'll be featuring trailers from classic(?) horror movies* throughout October. Sorry fans of new films coming out roughly between December 2011 and March 2012! Furthermore, today is ma burfday, so consider this a GIFT (that's how birthdays work, right? The birthday boy gives strangers/movie nerds who read websites at 2 a.m. in their underwear theoretical, half-formed "gifts"?). You're welcome. Also, DOUGTOBERFEST!

*Note: because many of these trailers were uploaded years ago, the image quality is pretty poor, and the volume is all over the place. Apologies in advance!

Friday the 13th
Release date: May 9, 1980



J.B. already eviscerated (I'm trying to use bigger, spookier words) this movie in his column on Tuesday. Just thought you should see the original trailer, complete with the narrator from Machete counting to the number 13. Because that's how trailers worked in 1980 (read: shittily). Don't shoot the messenger! Or stab an arrow through the messenger's neck from the bottom bunk! Psychic killer!

A Nightmare on Elm Street
Release date: Nov. 16, 1984



Released on VHS right smack-dab in the middle of my formative years as a chronic masturbator cinephile, I remember renting A Nightmare on Elm Street from Video Plus Emporium (RIP) many times. So many memories of sleepovers and "Bloody Mary" and light as a feather stiff as a young, prepubescent boy. ANYWAY ... it's not my favorite 80's horror movie (that would be Creepshow 2 [j/k?]), as I've always had a problem with supernatural killers and fantastical, unavoidable death scenarios (I'm looking at you The Ring and Final Destination). Still, an excellent scary movie by any measure. At least that's what Patrick tells me!

Night of the Living Dead
Release date: Oct. 1, 1968



The trailer for my favorite scary movie ever is both dated and surprisingly effective (and artistic), which, I supposed is a testament to how great the actual movie is. It's also the only movie of the three featured here that was actually released in October. You know -- before Halloween? Weird. It's a pretty ghoulish preview -- and I defer to J.B. here (he "love[s] horror movies more than any other person [he] know[s]," so I can only assume he also knows the marketing history of this specific film) -- but I really can't picture this trailer being shown before a legit film from 1968. It screams drive-ins and B-list, back-alley movie houses (is there such a thing?). "They're coming to get you Barbara!" Who? Why, the dead who live on living flesh, of course! See also: ungodly creatures.

Quick final thought -- follow us on Twitter, and be sure to tag your horror movie updates with #ScaryMovieMonth!