Friday, June 3, 2016

Junesploitation 2016 Day 3: Slashers!

Who will get nailed next?

159 comments:

  1. A Bay of Blood (1971)

    Well that ending was unexpected...

    Slow in parts but overall I liked it. Good kills, especially considering when it was made. Plus this movie actually has a plot and motives (aside from the group of teens that randomly wanders in and gets killed just for the hell of it).

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    1. I love this movie so much. One of my favorite Italian horror movies.

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    2. I'm with you Travis, it's my favorite Bava film just inching out Blood and Black Lace.

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    3. I love the end. This movie is definitely in the upper echelon of Slashers.

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  2. HALLOWEEN 4: THE RETURN OF MICHAEL MYERS (1988)

    This one is pretty damned good, and I'm a fan.
    Dwight Little, y'all.

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  3. Madman (1982)

    1982 is considered by many to be one of the best years in cinema although this film which started off the year would not be an example of that. As a diehard fan of the Friday the 13th series even I can admit the acting in those films is subpar sometimes, in this film it reminds me of the old Nick show Are you Afraid of the Dark?

    This film is a very direct Friday the 13th ripoff with extremely 2 dimensional characters. If there were some interesting kills and a better soundtrack I could give this one a pass but minus some better then usual lighting for this type of film I gotta say I was just bored during this one, if you need that camp counselor slasher itch scratched and you have overdosed on Jason its better to go with The Burning (with F this movie commentary).

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    1. Michael GiammarinoJune 3, 2016 at 8:57 AM

      Aw, man. Bummer. Well, at least we have common ground on Friday the 13th and The Burning. I know it seems that way, but Friday the 13th wasn't actually a factor in the making of the movie. Joe Giannone looked at The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and John Carpenter's Halloween and decided to do something like them, using the Cropsey legend as a model. I love Madman. I love the folk legend of it, I love the theme song. I find Madman Marz pretty damn creepy. I've always been engaged by the Madman Marz legend when it's told around the campfire, and when the warning is ignored.
      I'm a big fan of George Romero's Dawn of the Dead, so I liked seeing Gaylen Ross in another movie. There's a comment Quentin Tarantino made about the movie that I love. He said he knew right from the outset that TP was full of shit: His name is Toilet Paper! I'm probably an easy mark; that always makes me laugh.

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  4. Pieces (1982) (first time viewing)
    I've hit my first great movie of #Junesploitation. I loved this thing. Someone is tearing girls apart on campus with a chainsaw. A cop teams up with a student to track down this killer because the police are short-staffed. This movie starts off crazy and doesn't let up. Some really good kills in here. There are also some scenes that make no sense what-so-ever, but instead of ruining it, they only add to it's bizarre charm. (Like the kung-fu teacher....what the hell was the point of that!) And the very last scene of the movie was another fantastic WTF moment. This one gets a high recommendation from me.

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    1. I am going to have to get my act together and get this for SSM.

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    3. That Kung fu scene is so memorable, They had the King fu guy in the area so they just put him in it, I love watching it with someone for the first time and looking at there reaction to the scene as if I had just drugged them and changed movies without them noticing, I love that look of complete head scratching nonsense, What The? Just happened, the only other film with such amazing memorable moments is Xtro, And Xtro always wins for me

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    4. The kung fu scene was only slightly weirder than the random scene of students talking about how much they love pot and sex on waterbeds.

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    5. Yeah, it did seem like the movie just changed all of sudden. Ironically, the next day for Junesploitation was Kung-Fu, so I just wrote it off as a preview for the next movie. At least the waterbed conversation went full circle with a scene with involving an actual waterbed. This movie was so full of fantastic nonsense moments. I loved every minute of it. This will be a strong contender for favorite viewing of Junesploitation.

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  5. Joe Bego's ALMOST HUMAN (2013, 80 min.) on Netflix Instant for the first time.

    As probably the only person here that has seen Begos' "The Mind's Eye" (my review is still the only one at IMDB... jealous, Chaybee? :-P) I have to say I admire the consistency with this filmmaker's mise-en-scène (#filmsnobsploitation). He's out to do period horror pieces (late 80's for "Almost Human," early 90's for "Mind's Eye") that take themselves and their ripe-for-ridicule premises seriously as they play the slow-burn bloody game. Anyone notice how similar the main plot is to James Gunn's "Slither"? Not crazy about Daniel Radcliffe-lookalike Graham Skipper as "Almost Human's" nebbish hero, but his perpetual incredulity at all the shit going around him (including just about every 80's slasher tool been given a crimson shower) really works in selling how bonkers a couple of years the citizens of this particular Maine mountain town are having.

    "Almost Human" is a Junesploitation all-star. It hits many markers in the calendar well (sci-fi, slasher, zombie, revenge, etc.) and it's only 72 min. long (minus slow-moving credits and underwhelming final shot afterwards). Glad I finally got to see the entire Joe Berg filmography, if only to know Carpenter and Cronenberg are off the tribute check list for the next one... if "Mind's Eye" ever gets released, for crying out loud.

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    1. Still jealous! and can't read your review cause I haven't seen it yet my man.

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  6. Just Before Dawn (1981)

    Wow what a discovery! I'd never heard of this before and saw the you tube trailer up top and thought it looked cool. Luckily enough the full movie is on you tube as well so I was able to watch it. I love summer camp and camping horror movies so this was right up my alley. Really cool little slasher with a typical setup of 5 campers going to check out some land in the woods one of them inherited but theres some people already living there. Its got some creepy moments and does some things I've never seen a horror movie do before. It's cleverly directed where the killer will pop up in the background and will just watch people or you know the killer is around but the campers don't. The ending, God I don't want to spoil it, but something crazy happens with an arm and that's all I'll say. I was so happy to see this and it's a great Junesplotation find. If anyone knows any other summer camp or camping horror movies that are cool let me know.

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    1. Another one added to the list!

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    2. Sounds like a winner... bookmarked for a potential Free Day screening. :-)

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  7. Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982)

    Or was it techniqually Friday the 14th? But it is Friday the 3rd here. But anyway, a good time was had by all. This is an insanely fun movie. And Shelly you are not the worst.

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  8. Bloody April Fools (2013)

    This Spanish production is a reasonably well-made gloss on Friday the 13th, albeit with an ending that trips over its own sense of irony. However, there is a scene midway through that is so bizarre and out of left field that it makes the movie worth watching. I won’t spoil it here, and since the movie is only 67 minutes long, it’s worth seeking out (on Netflix) just for that WTF moment.

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  10. Friday the 13th (1980) - First watch

    Never seen any of this franchise, so excited to break out my new boxset. I liked it, thought it was fun and the kills were inventive and well paced, and it had enough character. Although it was weird how the cook girl, who was my favourite character, is not the main character considering how she is set up. And strip monopoly... and the destruction of an entire bedroom to get to the snake... I thought Mrs Voorhees worked so well though, Betsy Palmer has such an odd presence as a villain, she looks so normal and I loved it. I thought the entire last fifteen minutes were really good and the set up for a franchise was actually pretty enticing.

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  11. Black Christmas (1974)

    What better way to get into the Junesploitation mood than to watch a Christmas movie?

    What's there to say about this movie? Go read Patrick's excellent column from today. Suffice it to say, it's a surprisingly effective horror movie and, me being used to the tropes of slashers, the ending really surprised me. And obviously, John Saxon makes it better.

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  12. Pieces (1982, dir. J. Piquer Simon, on DVD) – First Time Viewing: Credit to F This Movie for putting this on my radar. Just like Kyle Mulford above, I loved it. What a movie! Insanity from start to finish. I don’t want to say anything else, just see it this month. Also it wouldn’t be Junesploitation without my boy Human Cigarette Christopher George! #HCCG4Prez (4 out of 5 Griers)

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    1. I was watching Graduation Day this morning. Guess who's in it? HCCG. I think of that every single time I see him in anything, which is a lot. It never doesn't make me laugh.

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    2. I love it! If there was a Junesploitation Mt. Rushmore his craggy face should probably be on it.

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  13. Blood Rage (1987)

    Holy shit what did I just watch?

    This movie makes absolutely no sense. I love it! Another addition to the list of great movies I would never have seen were it not for F This Movie!

    I was pretty gutted the Blu-ray of Pieces I ordered didn't arrive in time for today, but it's hard to complain when there's Black Christmas and Blood Rage to feast on. I guess I'll save Pieces for a Free Space! day.

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    1. Blood Rage is amazing. Such an underrated bonkers slasher. The mom character is amazing haha

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    2. He says it like five times in the movie! The more he said it, the more I laughed.

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    3. Again, I will have to get my act together for SSM.

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  14. The Prowler (1981)

    Now THAT'S more like it. I'm not sure why I've slept on this one for so long, I've always been aware of it and seen clips in various slasher documentaries, but this is the first time I've ever seen it. As a fan of slashers (particularly slashers of the late 70s to early 80s golden era (era)) it was absolutely worth the wait. Gruesome effects (courtesy of Heather's favorite person Tom Savini), sleazy Joseph Zito direction, and a typically dopey mystery make for a fun time at the grindhouse.

    After a prologue set in the 40s, a mysterious masked killer in soldier's fatigues is picking off college kids in present-day (1981) New Jersey. He often uses a pitchfork which is both ungainly and incongruous for a faceless soldier, but the effects are terrific and the bloodshed is plentiful. The mystery of his identity isn't really a mystery at all, (spoilers ahoy) as Brian Collins said in his Horror Movie A Day review, Farley Granger might as well grab the camera and shout "I'M GOING FISHING!" into it while setting up his alibi. The ridiculousness fits, though, and I already want to watch it again. Good stuff.

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    1. Michael GiammarinoJune 3, 2016 at 11:22 AM

      The Prowler. Hell yes.

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    2. Very nice choice, in the UK this film is called Rosemarys Killer.

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  15. Rites of Spring (2011)
    Despite 1h20 runtime, attempts (and fails) to be a slasher / home invasion / abduction / monster / supernatural / ritual / religious horror.
    Lacked cohesion, plot, acting, second draft attempt, direction.

    I think I'll go watch Pieces now. Thanks team!

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  16. Houseboat Horror (1989 Australia DTV) Dirs. Kendall Flanagan and Ollie Martin

    In many ways Houseboat Horror is a lot of fun and if you are a fan of the genre I’d even recommend it. A group of 20 somethings are going to the woods to shoot a music video on a houseboat. Little do they know that there’s a killer on the loose stalking the group.

    This movie IS essentially Friday the 13th. There’s actually some good kills here and a high enough bodycount with good practical effects in between some boating montages and a bunch of awful music including a music video scene. I was really impressed with the amount of daylight kills and some zoom and slow-mo camera work. The acting is woeful, the clothing is amazing and the killers reveal is about as anticlimactic as it gets but the last shot is priceless.

    This is a great addition to any slasher collection. It has all of the elements and I don’t think there’s another slasher movie on a Houseboat which now I can add to my brain’s Horror sub-genre list!

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    1. Nice! I will add it to the list! Although, the best of that genre would be Ti West's Houseboat of the Devil's Grandpa.

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    2. Did I go to IMDB to see if that existed? Uhhh..no...no I didn't ;)

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    3. I just tried to buy this, it is really expensive to get in the UK, I will keep hunting

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    4. The DVD in the US is crazy too - like 80 - 200 bucks. Geeeeeeez!

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  17. The Burning (1981)

    You all know this, but this is a pretty solid slasher. Only thing is, I think it's a bit less fun than some only because the guys in this movie are such pieces of trash. Todd is a good guy, but the rest of them are such slimeballs and are so unbelievably terrible with women that it's quite uncomfortable to watch at times. More so than the murders for me. Stop trying to force girls to like you, you losers. That being said, it has a memorable villian, despite him not really looking like a burn victum, and mostly solid effects. The acting is also above par for a slasher, even though many of them sound like 1920s gangsters for some odd reason. Crazy movie!

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  18. Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1982)

    I refuse to call it Night Warning because that's dumb and Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker is the GREATEST TITLE EVER.

    By far the best movie I've seen this month. I enjoyed the hell out of it. I wasn't quite sure that the cop hated gay people until the 247th time he said it(spoiler alert). I wish I had a mom like Aunt Cheryl. She would pour milk into my mouth when I was trying to breathe. She would also be loving enough to lick off the milk that spilled over to my chest. Dammit, these pants will just not stay on.

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    1. Haha, this was a great read!

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    2. Michael GiammarinoJune 3, 2016 at 12:18 PM

      This one was on my list for today.

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    3. I watched this for SMM month last year, I think. Maybe Junesploitation. Anyway, There's a lot of love for this film but I wasn't as crazy about it as most. I still liked it enough though. It is one of the best titles ever - up there with Twitch of the Death Nerve.

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    4. We could have a whole column on favourite film titles

      Children shouldn't play with dead things
      Chopper chicks from Zombie town

      Xtro! Any chance to mention my favourite film

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    5. Michael GiammarinoJune 3, 2016 at 3:20 PM

      How does a Best of Junesploitation FThisMovieFest sound?

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    6. At the end of the month? Sounds good to me

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    7. Sounds really good. One way or another, we're only 3 days in, and my "to watch" list has doubled.

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    8. Michael GiammarinoJune 3, 2016 at 11:12 PM

      This month might be bad. July might be better. Also, if we do a Best of Junesploitation live tweet festival, unless Patrick and the F! Crew are involved, I wouldn't want to use any of their trademarks without permission.

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    9. Saw this in 35mm late last year. Gloriously off-the-rails bonkers, and maybe the most homophobic exploitation movie I've ever seen that's not named "Sleepaway Camp." I approve of a post-Junesploitation mini-film fest of the best discoveries of the month based on our reviews. Any excuse to get people to watch more "Pieces," "Night Warning," "The Boogey Man," "The Visitor," etc.

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  19. Michael GiammarinoJune 3, 2016 at 12:15 PM

    Graduation Day (1981)
    If there is a second tier to the long list of 80s slasher films, this one belongs on it. But I don't mean that as a slight. Yes, there are better slasher movies, but this one goes for the fences, and I had a very fun time with it. The closest comparison I'd make to it is the original Prom Night. It's got the cheesy dance with a band made up of graduating students. I think the principal/receptionist shtick in this movie is better than it was in Prom Night. Michael Pataki is fantastic as the principal. Graduation Day already gets a pass for its cast: Christopher George, Rocky IV’s Michael Pataki, Linnea Quigley, Vanna White, and Carmen Argenziano. If that last name doesn’t ring a bell, just wait, you should know him when you see him! And the opening of the film is where the opening of the slasher parody Student Bodies comes from. So from that point, I was in, and having seen the parody before seeing the source of the parody never hurt my experience.
    So the star runner on a high school's track team suddenly drops dead, and there begins a series of murders of other members of the track team. Was Laura’s death an accident, or was it murder? Or was she the first in a killer's evil scheme? Is the killer Coach Christopher George? Is it a student? Laura’s sister is on leave from the Navy to find out. (You'd think an ensign in the Navy could fight. And it's actually set up when her stepfather gives her a hard time that she's been trained to take care of herself. Just wait.)
    It gets a little episodic as it goes. And why everyone calls the receptionist Blondie (besides the obvious) I'll never know. But have fun picking out the final girl.
    I wouldn't be surprised to find out the producers of Urban Legend and Urban Legend: Final Cut were big Graduation Day fans.
    Definitely up there with Prom Night for me.

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    1. Great read too, Giammarino! Graduation Day is great. I remember renting this as a kid and watching Happy Birthday to Me right after.

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    2. Were miles apart but we grew up watching the same films

      One of us, One of us, One of us....

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    3. Michael GiammarinoJune 3, 2016 at 3:01 PM

      Thanks, Chaybee! Happy Birthday to Me was a Cinemax watch for me, when I was a wee lad.

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    4. This one is on Amazon Prime if anybody else wants to watch it. I haven't seen it but it's on the list.

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  20. Hollywood’s New Blood (1988) Dir. James Shyman

    Super low budget, terribly generic slasher with almost no gore, acting, script or atmosphere. 77min. runtime was welcome. A group of actors are at an old ranch for an acting retreat, the same ranch was a movie set where a whole family was burned back in the day. The studio shut the set down after that but these dumbasses are having their retreat there.

    The actors are incredibly bad but their hair speaks volumes, literally. The stalkers look like hobos. One of the girls kind-of looks like Lily Rabe. One of our horny, thespians while getting ready to make out with a girl says - “And now for a class in love making, mime style.” Love it. Only for the Slasher completists or people who love watching bad acting and bad dialog- which I do so I liked it :)

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  21. Stage Fright (2014)(first viewing)

    Holy shit, what an absolute delight. Great mix of lighthearted fun and.....insane gorey fun. I haven't been high on many flashers made in the last decade, but this one is something special. A horror movie that loves being a horror movie.

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    1. A horror movie that loves being a horror movie.

      That's actually a great way to describe it and reading what you wrote might have me reassess my opinion. I didn't like it that much at all, but I appreciate hearing thoughts from people that do so it might be worth a second watch. I mean, Allie MacDonald makes it worth watching again anyway.

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    2. I loved that it reveled in tropes of both horror movies and musicals. It didn't ever scare me, but it had this kind of manic energy that I really enjoyed.

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    3. Yeah, Minnie D and Musical is what cheapened it and turned me off. I also didn't like the reveal of the killer. But - as I mentioned, I watch so many Horror films I might have been too nitpickey. Thank you, sir. Your one sentence has me thinking about that and others as a whole.

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    4. I really want to see this one, again. I thought it was ok to pretty good. It's definitely worth checking out.

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  22. HALLOWEEN 2 (2009):

    This is the second time I've watched Zombie's HALLOWEEN movies hoping to like them. I want to like Zombie as a filmmaker. I want to like the merry band of freaks he carries from film to film. I just don't think all the griminess is for me.

    All in all, I prefer HALLOWEEN 2 because he's truly doing his own thing. Rather than using the slasher as an invading "other" in a normal world, he's presenting an already-f'd up world and using Michael Myers to take it to its logical conclusion. It doesn't work for me, but it's a thoughtful take on the whole thing.

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    1. Michael GiammarinoJune 3, 2016 at 2:50 PM

      I'm in the same boat as you. I like the Halloween remake in pieces. It's very disjointed, and I kinda blame the studio forcing Rob to ape the original film. But I think his Halloween II is an unheralded grindhouse masterpiece. I could go on and on about how much I love that movie.

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    2. It's pretty gnarly. I really appreciate the way it shoves your nose in it, so to speak.

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    3. It's pretty gnarly. I really appreciate the way it shoves your nose in it, so to speak.

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  23. Death Screams a.k.a House of Death (1982) Dir. David “Ozzie and Harriet’s son” Nelson

    This might be the sweetest Slasher film ever. Teens are being stalked and slashered up at a carnival in a small town. First off, every woman in this is INCREDIBLE. I want a “Ladies of Death Screams” pin-up calendar, pronto. In looking at the cast one of our heroes, Susan Kiger, is known for being the first Playboy Playmate to do hardcore porn (Hot Nasties (1976) before she became a Playmate. Death Screams was her last movie. (she’s now a hairstylist in SoCA, nice...sweet gig.) Okay, chauvinism aside (hey, I never see that word anymore! I guess not as buzzworthy as sexist?) Anyway, I loved this one.

    The carnival/fair is completely legit with Merry-Go-Round, Tilt-a-Whirl, water slides, moon bounce (called the “Funny Fort” - again, so sweet!), Scramblers, a funhouse, ferriswheel, kissing booth, etc… THE WORKS, it’s fantastic. The problem is, it’s short lived. It’s supposed to be teens stalked at a carnival and only one kill happens there! WTF?! Oh well, off to the woods, lake and cemetery we go, of course.

    Everyone is likable for the most part which is rare. It’s basically The Funhouse although not as good looking and very little funhouse. It takes it’s time before the kills happen but I was impressed that the first kill was really emphasized; like they make you feel for this person’s death instead of the typical kind of first kill in this genre (that doesn't play that way throughout though, unfortunately). I thought the acting was pretty good and I liked the small town setting. In addition to the little amount of carnival involved, my other issues are that it loses momentum in the second half and becomes pretty dull, but that’s typical for the genre. I could keep writing forever but I’m struggling as it is to keep to under 50 words (sorry, all). I’m sure I’m overselling it cause it’s just like all the others, even tamer than most, but that’s the genre, you have to find the small things that stick out.

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    1. This is on my list for today, as well. Hopefully, I'll get to it, tonight.

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    2. Awesome. I would love to hear your thoughts.

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    3. Just finished it. I really liked it. You are dead on about the women. Jennifer Chase is unbelievable. Great kills. I don't think you were overselling it. Probably my favorite of the four, today. Today was a good day.

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  24. Do you know therecare Turtles that can do it for 3 days?
    Black Christmas 1974
    If you want a nice review read Patrick's from today or For fun listen to Saturday night sleepovers podcast,

    From me you gonna get rude jokes about drunken Margot kidder who is very funny and kinda cute, and also I was mesmorised by Olivia Husseys sweater in the first half, I know Elric kane has a thing for sweaters but this one in this movie does it for me, it has a particular design that draws you in, The film is still great, AJ Bowen is also a big fan, it has a great tone, a nice sense of dread and a awesome sweater, what more do you need
    This is film one, I'm doing two tonight, I've been saving the next one for a special occasion, tonight I'm gonna spin that new disc

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    1. Oh, you meant the actual sweater, I guess....my bad :)

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    2. Do you remember the hands? You just keep thinking I want to put my hands over the sweaters hands, its does it for me, that and tops with zips down the front, we need more tops with zips, or even better those presstud buttons, there my favourite,
      Damn this thread just got X rated

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    4. Olivia hussey sweater in black Christmas - Google Search
      https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Olivia+hussey+sweater+in+black+Christmas&safe=off&prmd=ivsn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiatavrx4zNAhWqAsAKHdRFDZoQ_AUIBygB&biw=360&bih=512&dpr=4#imgrc=xMlJ4EcH-s8x4M%3A

      Check out this Sweater, is it just me?

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    5. I totally remember, man! Just not that crazy about Hussey. That sweater needs to be on Patrick Bromley.

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    6. I bet it would look good on Mathilda may. :)

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    7. BOOM! - maybe the greatest thing you've ever said.

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    8. I think you're getting obsessed with wool wear now Dennis!
      Perhaps Patrick can add "Sweater Day" into next year's list?

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    9. Mathilda May is *fine* without a sweater.
      Ha Ha, I never noticed the sweater in Black Christmas before! Thanks.

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    10. I'm getting sweaty thinking about that sweater. :)

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  25. Michael GiammarinoJune 3, 2016 at 2:42 PM

    Blood Rage (1979)
    Okay, this one's interesting. I found this looking for the other Blood Rage on YouTube. I found this and never thought anything of it. It's shot cheap, mostly in New York, with a very Taxi Driver or Abel Ferrera vibe. The plot concerns a kid (who looks like a teenage Christian Bale, or the kid in Final Destination who dies in his bathroom) who visits the home of a backwoods hooker. The hooker's last visitor was a local cop. They have a personal as well as a business relationship, if you know what I mean and I think you do. She and the cop get into a row and she tells him she has no qualms leaving all of a sudden and just heading to New York to live her life without him giving her grief. Well, he leaves and bumps into this kid. The cop leaves. The kid, faux Christian Bale, is ushered in by the prostitute. He's hesitant about getting to the "point," but she still wants to get paid, and he's not entirely interested in paying her for her time if he's not getting something for his money. So they get into a fight, he shoves her, she busts through a window, and slits her throat on the glass. She chokes to death. He goes to a lot of trouble to clean up the blood on the walls and hides her body and himself in a closet when he hears the cop returning to make amends after the way he stormed out. Thinking she has made good on her threat, the cop leaves. The teen moves the body and hides out in New York, where he starts killing more prostitutes and random women. Months pass, and the cop can't let the incident go. He goes on the lookout for her in New York, and eventually... well... you'll have to watch the rest of the movie to find out. What really blew me away was the ending. No, I'm not about to spoil the ending. But I will tell you this: when the end titles began, I chuckled, because the direction was credited to a Joe Hardwood. But then the cinematography credit came up. There were two cinematographers. One of them was Joao Fernandes, Joe Zito's usual cinematographer. And one of the producers was... Joseph Zito! I think I found Joe Zito's first film, by total accident!

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    1. That's incredible. This sounds completely different than most Slashers. I'm in.

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    2. Michael GiammarinoJune 3, 2016 at 2:52 PM

      I wouldn't even really call it a slasher. The kid just goes on a violent murder spree. And breaks into Travis Bickle narration spontaneously.

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    3. Michael GiammarinoJune 3, 2016 at 2:56 PM

      But... it plays like... well, imagine if Hitchcock made a 42nd Street grindhouse movie.

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    4. I'm in. Put it in the ever bloated watchlist.

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    5. Michael GiammarinoJune 3, 2016 at 3:11 PM

      It may not be the same Blood Rage you're thinking of, Brent. I was looking for the 1987 movie that just got an Arrow release and found this on YouTube, which turned out to be a 1979 release, and possibly Joseph (Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, The Prowler, Missing in Action, Invasion USA) Zito's first film.

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    6. I think you're right, Michael. I think the Blood Rage I heard about (KillerPOV) is from 1987.

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    7. Michael GiammarinoJune 3, 2016 at 4:15 PM

      I did watch the trailer, though. Looks like a blind buy if I ever saw one.

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  26. GRADUATION DAY (1981)
    Routine slasher with little to distinguish itself from the rest. The graduation gimmick is barely touched upon, as the plot is about a killer taking out the track team. The internet wants me to be excited because Vanna White has a small role, but… shrug.

    SUSPECT ZERO (2004)
    Really more of a Se7en-style serial killer thriller than a slasher, but whatever. The premise is that the killer is so sneaky that no one knows there’s a killer at all, or something to that effect. It wants to be David Fincher, but not everyone can be David Fincher.

    GIRLS NITE OUT a.k.a. THE SCAREMAKER (1984)
    Now, this one I liked. Here’s another movie that does the Scream thing way before Scream came along. There are tons of movie references! The killer has a unique look, and the script actually takes time to develop the characters before the ol’ stabby-stabby.

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    1. Michael GiammarinoJune 3, 2016 at 2:59 PM

      Vanna White being in the cast was fascinating before I watched the movie. While I was watching it, the only actors that fascinated me the most were Michael Pataki (Rocky IV), Linnea Quigley (Night of the Demons, Return of the Living Dead) and Carmen Argenziano.

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    2. Agreed that Linnea is terrific, but she's only in the movie for a few minutes. I'm hoping to unearth more of her work for scream queen day.

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    3. Girls Nite Out is one I'm going to check out later this month. I'm definitely more excited to see it, now.

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  27. The Slumber Party Massacre (1982)

    The night innocent high school girls are killed by...some guy.

    Slashers are one of my favorite sub-genres. Not because they're any good but because...actually I can't explain it. I just love them. I was watching the shower scene in this one and thinking "this guy really likes to linger on young girls naked bodies." Then I looked it up and saw it written by a woman and directed by another woman. Then I felt better about watching the next scene where the girls had to change for no reason. I would put this one in the middle to good section of Slashers. There was one kill I actually found unsettling. This one is a great one to check out if you haven't seen it. Especially, if you want to see my uncle kill girls in his favorite jean jacket.

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    1. I liked this one too (and not only for the shower scene). The basketball scene is pretty good! Also, the killer's weapon of choice was pretty unique. You're right, who was that guy?

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    2. ..."Then I looked it up and saw it written by a woman and directed by another woman" Yes! SLM is awesome!

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  28. Don’t Let Him In (2011) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1400515

    A low budget but fairly well-shot British slasher.

    “Ha, Ha” jokes the local Bobby spying the weekenders' fishing rods, “I deduce you’re here to do some fishing?” Looking serious he adds “I should warn you….” pregnant pause, everyone looks worried “….if you catch anything over 50lbs they’ll be a slap-up meal waiting for you in the local pub!”
    Everyone laughs.
    As he leaves he adds “By the way I should also mention there is a somewhat disrespectable local character lurking about. You could call him a serial killer and sexual deviant. The folks ‘round here call him the tree surgeon as he cuts up his victims and hangs their limbs from trees…..byeeeeee!”

    Worrying? No, relax, we’re in Devon and rather than leave immediately the group decide to put the kettle on. Mind you, it’s not as simple as that, they then discover they are out of milk & Hobnobs – I kid you NOT!! This, people, is TRUE British HORROR!

    Anyhoo, why worry about an active serial killer?
    It didn’t stop a teacher deciding to take a group of students from the local girls’ school into the woods for an art class the previous day! You know, the woods where bits of calf could be gently blowing in the wind...

    You can chuckle a little at the setup but it will be short-lived.
    This movie is BLEAK.
    A bleak setting, bleak weather and a bleaky, bleak, bleak outcome.
    The acting is patchy and plot predictable but I did enjoy the gloomy English countryside & setting.

    Oh, BTW they did “Let Him In” DOH!

    Personal rating 1/5

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  29. Cards of Death (1986, dir. Will MacMillan)

    SOV, directed by the star of Romero's The Crazies. This was nearly impossible to get for over 25 years, as it was only ever released on the Japanese VHS market, but eventually ended up becoming the inaugural release of Bleeding Skull's home video arm. It really isn't a slasher (we know who the killer is by the time the opening credits are over,) but interestingly, gives off the precocious tang of Torture Porn. Desperate men find themselves joining a masked card game with huge cash prizes, but must put their lives on the line as collateral. The plot follows the son of a missing police captain who's trying to find and rescue his dad from the game. It's one of the better-looking SOV movies I've seen, with lots of neon lighting and punk costumes that suggest MacMillan was very influenced by Cafe Flesh. Also the debut appearance of Dukey Flyswatter! Trailer.

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    1. The Prowler (1981, dir. Joseph Zito)

      A big one crossed off the watchlist for me. Very impressed by the world-building and general atmosphere of it during the first half (how many slashers start with an extended flashback to the late Forties?), but I got freaking bored during the final third. Very confidently put together, but ultimately disappointing. That band at the party was pretty good, though! Trailer.

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    2. My Bloody Valentine (1981, dir. George Mihalka)

      And a huge one crossed off the watchlist. Easily a top five contender for non-Jason Voorhees-related slashers, executing the same type of exemplary world and character-building as The Prowler, but also succumbing to the same single-location-based third-act stagnation that seemed to plague that movie. I guess it's just a thing about the genre that I don't like and had never noticed before. The plot to this one is shockingly similar to The Prowler's, especially since they were released the same year. It was really novel to see young, good-looking Canadians acting tough, and every woman in this thing was gorgeous, especially that likable chubbo Hollis' girlfriend, who was punching way below her weight. Trailer.

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  30. Halloween II (dir. Rob Zombie, 2009)

    "See What Evil Eats!"

    I really liked this one. For sure, some of the fantastic dream stuff was distracting, but I like what he was going for in this. I can't think of another film that takes place 1 year after a slasher, and everyone is emotional wreaks from the experience. Not sure why I like the gritty, grimmer, violent feel of this movie (and all of Zombies movies), but I do.
    A movie with the vision to have 1/4 the running time an actual vision, well that an easy 5 stars.

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  31. Pieces (1982)
    Like several other f-heads, I too treated myself to this weird school slasher. The dialogue and acting mixed with the great kills and wtf moments really sell the movie for me (seriously, what was that ending?). My new favorite parenting tool is definitively yelling at a kid to "Get a bag!"

    Also, I wish more slasher characters showed their emotional anguish by yelling "Bastard... bastard... bastard!"

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    Replies
    1. I can't believe how long the 'bastard scene' goes. It is truly a wonder to behold.

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  32. Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010): Okay so this might be a bit of a cheat but Netflix calls it one and some people seem to think it counts, so here we go! This movie is so great, hilarious and I love it. And love Allison and Dale <3

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    Replies
    1. It absolutely counts! That college punk is a psycho killer. Great choice!

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    2. Ugh. Only some people thinks it counts....(hehe!)

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    3. I don't know that it counts as a Slasher, and yet I think it's a perfectly valid movie to watch on Slasher day.

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  33. Halloween 6: Producer's Cut

    I had a couple of titles I was thinking about watching, but then I remembered I bought this used a couple months ago. Even though I own the theatrical version on DVD, it has been years since I’ve seen it, so I couldn’t tell the difference if I was asked. That being said, there must have been a reason I hadn’t watched it in so long.

    Everything about this movie is misguided. I just finished watching it and there was not a moment I enjoyed. In fact, I think I hated it. I would rather talk about things I like, so I'll just leave it at that.

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  34. Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)

    Because nothing says Junesploitation like a murderous Santa Claus! I actually had fun with this - it knows exactly what it is, and has some decent laughs and kills.

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  35. April Fool's Day (1986 dir. Fred Walton) on my DVR.

    College friends(including "Friday the 13th Part 2" Amy Steel and "Back to the Future" Tom F. Wilson) stay at a friend's isolated mansion that is booby-trapped with various practical jokes. Then the group is picked off one by one by a killer. I won't spoil the twist to a 30 year old movie, but I thought it was "eh" and doesn't encourage much replay value. Those expecting memorable gory set pieces will be disappointed. There are much better 80s slashers to seek out.

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  36. Child's Play 2 (1990, dir. John Lafia)

    Creatively bereft sequel has some elements I find enjoyable: Graeme Revell's superb score, jerkass stepdad Gerrit Graham, some moderately well-crafted set pieces and a couple inspired beats of gallows humor. That being said, man was Brad Dourif not on his A-game with that voice work (ecstatic gravedigging cackle excepted), and the thin premise boils down to a procession of first draft script ideas that didn't make it into the original film.

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  37. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

    Comedic textbook dissection of slasher movies. While I'd call it a bit surface level when it comes to its references and cliches, it's still a lot of fun. Nathan Baesel's great performance really shines through for me. I'd recommend horror fans check it out for a quick funny slasher romp.

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  38. Unhinged (1982)

    Never trust anyone that doesn't own a phone.

    Low budget but pretty effective. Three girls drive off the road and wake up in the care of a woman and her mother. One of them is pretty hurt but there is no phone to call their parents to tell them they are alright. They find their way home and everything works out just fine. Jk, things don't work out.

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  39. The Mutilator (1984)

    Decent slasher that took a bit of time to get to the good stuff. When it finally does, I was pretty impressed with the effects on some of the kills. That damn "Fall Break" song is gonna be stuck in my head for the next couple of days though.

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  40. Idle Hands (1999) slasher stoner comedy... Which would be nearly forgettable except for Mick and Penub who just plus this puppy. Of course Jessica Alba dressed like a Victoria Secret model is pretty memorable. Devon Sawa's lazy stoner does a marvelous homage to Bruce Campbell when his hand goes bad...after cutting it off well....more wackiness ensues. I usually save it for Halloween but I have sworn off torture porn, so this is one of the few slasher/killer films left in my collection... i would watch it paired with Harold and Kumar go to white castle.

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  41. You're Next (2011)

    A little late to junesploitation but I started it off with a bang.

    I don't know how I haven't seen this before or why I decided to watch it in an airport, but my life is better for it. A truly fun slasher with a heroine badass as badass can be. Funny, smart, and honestly scary.

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  42. Slumber Party Massacre II (1987)

    The younger sister of the survivor girl from part 1, and her band mates as well as their respective boyfriends are partying it up at a condo. Unfortunately, her psychotic delusions begin to become real! Her bandmates and friends are steadily killed off by an evil guitarist/drill enthusiast. Best of all, it's barely over an hour!

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  43. Michael GiammarinoJune 3, 2016 at 10:31 PM

    Fender Bender (2016)
    I'm a big fan of director Mark Pavia's first film, the Stephen King adaptation Night Flier. Fender Bender is Pavia's first film in 19 years -- I have been waiting a long time for the follow up on the promise of Night Flier.
    I can tell you I think it's a good movie. It's a fine enough restart of a career that shouldn't have been put on hold for two decades.
    Fender Bender is about a serial killer who rear-ends drivers with his muscle car, gets the driver's information, stalks the driver, invades their home dressed in leather from head to toe -- wearing a mask with metal grill work for a mouth and round metal eyes, and stabs them to death. The driver sets his sights on an innocent girl who took her parents' car to break up with her boyfriend. He rear-ends her, gets his info, goes to her house and terrorizes her all night. Lucky for him her parents didn't like it that she took their car without asking, so for penance she has to stay home while they go on what was to be a family excursion. What follows is a pretty predictable night of terror.
    Fender Bender is 1/3 Death Proof, 1/3 The Collector, and 1/3 Halloween. Which isn't bad, but is derivative. The ending certainly makes up for it well enough. I'll say this about Pavia's two films -- their endings are not safe. I do recommend Fender Bender -- derivativeness and odd choices notwithstanding. Just watch Hush on Netflix afterwards.

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  44. Curtains (1983)

    Man, what a weird movie. I remember being freaked out by this when I was really young (nice job Mom and Dad). It's about a film producer (an awesomely sleazy John Vernon) who, for reasons that aren't made quite clear, invites six women to a remote Canadian mansion in order to audition them for the same role. Well whadaya know, they start getting picked off by a killer wearing a (pretty creepy) old woman mask. There's actually a lot to like, or at least find interesting. Some of the scenes are very well shot and even quite beautiful, and the ice skating scene is genuinely great. All in all, it doesn't invest enough in the slasher aspect, with very little gore and zero suspense. Worth a look, but definitely won't be hailed as a forgotten classic.

    From the IMDB trivia: "Shannon Tweed was the uncredited breast double for Sandee Currie's close-up topless scene." Oh 80s, don't ever change.

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    Replies
    1. I'm not sure I could ever explain or defend it, but I genuinely love this movie. Be sure to read up on it because it's basically two movies pasted together. Somehow the sum total really works for me.

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    2. I watched the "Making of" featurette (I bought this on Blu Ray at last year's Flashback Weekend on a whim), and after that it definitely made a lot more sense. Half the movie is beautifully shot and even slightly ambitious, and the other half looks like standard exploitation fare, which I'll agree makes the movie unique and interesting. Also, it's the only featurette where the cast and crew basically all agree that the movie is an embarrassment, and seem puzzled that anyone would want to talk with them about it.

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  45. The Prowler (1981)

    Another slasher that's been on my to-watch-list for way too long. This was an interesting entry into the genre. I love that the killers weapon of choice is a pitchfork. Also there's a pretty great head explosion in this!

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    1. Head explosion??? Ok, it's about time for me to pull the lever and watch this thing.

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    2. One of the all-time great head explosions.

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  46. Hush (2016)

    3 for 3 for Mike Flanagan. He's the real deal.

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    Replies
    1. Did you listen to his interview on the Shock Waves podcast?

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    2. Great pick Mike! Some folks thought the killers physical size was not enough to scare a deaf mute living alone. Personally I think the movie dripped in atmosphere and original ambiance/fear. Were you one of the original fan's of Oculus (i was) and what are your thoughts on his tackling of Ouija 2? Sounds like he may have something interesting to say? On a separate note.... hold the door :(. Your the man..man.

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  47. The New York Ripper (1982) - First Viewing.

    First viewing and first Fulci. Not sure if this was the right entry entry Fulci territory, but still an insane and entertaining 90 minutes. Blood, guts, eyeballs, toe fetishes, and ducks. No joke.
    Quack Quack

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  48. Graduation Day (1981, dir. Herb Freed) I'll echo what Michael G. said above in that this is a pretty decent Tier 2 (or maybe even tier 3?) slasher, a category I've come to appreciate more having seen everything Tier 1 has to offer a dozen times apiece. I saw this years ago and wasn't crazy about it, but liked it a whole lot more this time. It has about as much to do with an actual graduation as Friday the 13th does with Friday the 13th, but so what -- I'm guessing "Track Team Killer" just didn't test well as a title. The filmmakers try to do some stuff here, some of it more successful than others, but at least they're trying. Also, is it me or is "Gangster Rock" the LONGEST SONG EVER?

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  49. Hush (2016)

    Decent entry in the slasher horror genre with a solid lead performance by Kate Siegel. I'm not sure this brings anything particularly new or innovative to this type of horror film but it was well made, fast paced and entertaining.

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  50. I've been saving this one for a special occasion!

    Dust Devil. 1992 The directors cut

    In my life if I said Richard Stanley to anyone most people would say who?
    But here I'm good, this is the place, I genuinely think that Richard Stanley is one of the most interesting people on the planet, we need to start getting ready for him again, he is Directing The Colour out of Space with Spectevision, a HP Lovecraft adaptation, he is the right man for the job, I'm sure youve all see The doomed journey? Dust devil has a dreamy feel, you can't tell what's real or not, and it is really well shot with a lot more going on other than just surface, exactly like Richard the man, I can't remember the original I watched on VHS but this cut plays well, it git some great scenes I feel would not of made it past UK censors, its not a film i hear talk about much, its from the 90s but it ain't like most of the other 90s films

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    1. I ordered the Limited Collector's Edition with the Final Cut and extended Work Print after catching the theatrical cut on Netflix. Really looking forward to viewing this one proper.

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    2. Cool, its a under seen film, I really find Richard Stanley the most interesting person, look at all the other stuff going on in the background, you could do a thesis on this movie and not get to the bottom of whats really being said

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    3. When you have someone like Richard Stanley in charge just get out of his way and let him do his thing, anything you try to do to help or control production will do nothing but just sabotage the film, it's really sad hearing him talk about films getting took out of his hands

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  51. YOU'RE NEXT

    I don't need an excuse to watch this movie. It's quickly becoming one of my favorites. So when day three was slashers, I couldn't pass it up.
    Great fresh take on the "home invasion" subgenre. If you haven't seen it, and are interested, just watch it, the less you know, the more fun it is.

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  52. The Voices (2014)

    I'm not sure that this counts as a slasher, but that didn't stop me.
    A surprisingly solid movie with a lot of laughs and really great acting. I liked this one a lot. Weird but awesome ending.

    Stage Fright (2014)

    I still really really really really really like this movie. A lot. See it.

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  53. #HORROR (2015)

    Got about 30 minutes in & just couldn't continue...this one is not for me.

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  54. Most Likely To Die

    High School Reunion is taking place, slaughter follows. Nothing good to see here. Kills are useless/off screen. Plot had potential but turned into a churn of uselessness. Only positive was the mask of the "graduate" killer...fyi they also fucked that up. If you doubt, check it out yourself... i warned you.

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    1. This movie was not good but I agree about the mask. I don't know hot the same guy made Last Shift.

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    2. I didn't know that was the same director. You're absolutely right Last Shift was great but he sure did come off the rails here. My favorite disappointment with MLTD was when they couldn't figure out how to kill someone in a consistent manner with their high school Most Likely statement they abandoned the premise...kind of the point of the movie folks :(

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  55. Never watch Slashers so i went with Friday the 13th, the classic, which i'd surprisingly never seen, i really enjoyed it and the twist ending was fantastic because i always only knew about Jason.

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  56. My Bloody Valentine 3D (2009)

    I'm hometown proud of the original but I was actually pretty impressed with this remake - there's nothing super-special about the story or performances but it's all very competent and Tom Atkins. Possibly the most fun and value-added use of 3D in my entire 3D collection - sometimes it's good Patrick! :P

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  57. Volumes of Blood (2015)

    Very low budget anthology film. was visiting a friend who bought it straight from the producers website. it was lacking in the technical department, dead pixels in the cameras, strange cuts, first time acting. but the people were enthusiastic. Sound was done well.

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  58. Halloween (1978)

    I hadn't watched this for about 15 years. One of the last movies I saw on VHS. Seeing it in HD for the first time... wow, It's such a beautiful looking movie! Nothing looks quite like it.

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  59. Death Screams (1982)

    When Death screams you hear it...in your balls.

    I saw 4 movies for Slashers! and this was my favorite. I saw an extremely shitty version but still really enjoyed it. I actually really liked all 4 of them. The more Slashers! I see, the more I enjoy the genre. It's like pizza. It never gets old. Do I want pizza right now? Fuck yeah, I do. If today was Day 2 of Slashers! I would pack another couple in. I could watch one anytime, anywhere...as long as there's pizza.

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  60. CHildreth of the Corn, because we wanted something a little different. It wasn't as slashy as I wanted, but it was fun. The main character is about the stupidest human being ever depicted this century and that was a hoot.

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  61. FRIDAY THE 13TH:THE FINAL CHAPTER (1984)

    Was already making my through these so it seemed to make sense. Definitely one of the better ones. The slutty double mint twin always puts a smile on my face. It makes me happy to see brothers and sisters working together. Oh and I just love the inclusion of the hippy hippie hitcher just to immediately.. well you know.

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  62. I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

    Okay. I rented this thinking it would be god-awful and the last time I watched it was at a sleepover in middle school. IT WAS SUPER WATCHABLE. I don't know if it was a strange mixture of nostalgia for the actors (minus Ryan Phillippe who is over the top in this), the soundtrack, the sheer '90s-ness of it all, or what. But I never got bored and even felt small waves of appreciation for the plot, which was slightly layered and clever. The film actually took a moment to imagine how certain events would affect different characters differently. Tagline? It's no Scream, but it's not the worst.

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  63. Halloween (2007): Not my bag, but still fascinating. Like most Rob Zombie movies, I felt like I needed to shower afterward. Patrick and Mike recorded did a whole podcast on the movie, so check it out: http://www.fthismovie.net/2010/10/f-this-movie-halloween-2007.html

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