Thursday, September 29, 2016

Riske Business: 15 Movies I'll Finally Watch This Scary Movie Month

by Adam Riske
Riske bout to put in work.

1. Bad Moon – I’ve been intrigued by this werewolf movie ever since its initial release in the mid-'90s and yet never got around to watching it. With its recent re-discovery (thanks in part to its Scream Factory Blu-Ray release), this year seems about as good a time as any to finally watch it. Plus, it’s very short and therefore perfect for a marathon day at home.

2. The Changeling – This movie popped on my radar thanks to those Bravo “100 Scariest Movie Moments” specials that used to run in the mid-2000s. I’ve owned this one for years and am finally ready to watch it thanks in large part to Neve Campbell. In the Scream Q&A she did at Flashback Weekend, she mentioned that this movie was the one that scared her off of watching virtually all other horror movies.

3. Critters – Oddly enough, I’ve seen Critters 2 (love it) but have never watched the original. I think I’ve been scared it won’t live up to the expectations that I’ve had since the late '80s when I first saw the poster artwork and it blew my mind.
4. The Dead Zone – Bit by bit, I’ve been picking away at the Stephen King adaptations that I’ve never seen. I own a Paramount 4-pack with this movie and also Silver Bullet (seen, like it), Pet Sematary (seen, freaks me out) and Graveyard Shift (not yet seen but won’t get around to it this year). I’m pumped that I’m finally landing on The Dead Zone because from all accounts it’s supposed to be one of the best King movies.

5. Ghosts of Mars – One of the few Carpenter’s I’ve never seen (just got around to watching Vampires on cable) and despite a recent Take Two by my favorite critic, I’ve got to see it for myself.

6. Halloween II – You read that right. I’ve never seen the original sequel to Halloween (1978). I’ve had soooo many opportunities, but, alas, this remains the only Halloween movie in the series that I’ve still not seen. I’m looking forward to it just to see a certain pedestrian explode after being hit by a car.

7. The Haunting – This one’s embarrassing. I’ve seen the Jan De Bont remake of The Haunting but have never watched the classic that drivel was based on. It always feels like homework to me, but I’m sure once I put the DVD in the player it won’t be that way. This is my movie equivalent of all those Cubs fans that have not seen their team win the World Series. I hope this year that changes – for me, not for Cubs fans. Because losing is that team’s identity. #BitterWhiteSoxFan #2005WasALongTimeAgo
8. Invasion of the Body Snatchers – Not the one from the ‘50s, the Donald Sutherland one. Donald Sutherland and the 1970s creep me out enough where I’m not sure I need the horror element to make it worse. This is a reason I’ve still never seen Don’t Look Now (will happen in 2017!). I hear this version is all sorts of good. As long as it’s better than The Invasion, I’ll be happy. I’m not very picky.

9. Jason X – Because Patrick says it’s good and it’s on a double feature DVD with Jason Goes to Hell which I’ve been meaning to re-watch for a long time.

10. Needful Things – Largely for the same reason that I’m going to watch The Dead Zone. Needful Things is part of my MGM Stephen King 4-pack and this is the only one remaining that I have not seen. Even if it’s bad (kind of like how The Dark Half was for me last year), I’m looking forward to it because Stephen King movies are like having a warm blanket wrapped around me. I love them.

11. The Others – I never got around to watching this one because it always felt like poor man/wannabe The Sixth Sense. That and it came out around the same time as Rush Hour 2 and American Pie 2 and a boy can only take so much perfection at once.
12. Psycho II – I’ve been leery of seeing this because I’m afraid it would take away from my enjoyment of Hitchcock’s original BUT I’ve heard so many good things about it in recent years that it’s silly for me not to give it a try. Plus Dennis Franz is in it and that is the tiebreaker of all things.

13. Thirteen Ghosts – The remake. I know it’s supposed to be bad, but it’s on a double disc with the House of Wax remake (which I enjoy) and the completest in me has to see this through. Plus, it’s got Lillard in it and he seems like a cool dude. It’s weird how my 2016 Flashback Weekend experience is forming a lot of my decision making this October. More to come on that.

14. When A Stranger Calls – I’ve always backed off watching this because I keep hearing it is great for the first act or so and then not so good. Well, might as well see what all the fuss is about in that early stretch, right?

15. Wishmaster 2 – Another choice informed by Flashback Weekend. Besides, I owe it to Divoff. He’s like my Doug.

What are some movies you’re finally going to get around to seeing this Scary Movie Month?

37 comments:

  1. I would certainly include The Dead Zone as a top tier Stephen King adaptation. It's not my favorite by any means, but still very much in the conversation.

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    1. The Haunting, The Changling and The Others are also all A+ if you like ghost stories.

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    2. I agree - I think The Others is a pretty classy ghost story especially given the time it was released. I would watch The Innocents (1961) as well for frame of reference.

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    3. I didn't realize until John's comment that there are a lot of ghost stories on this list.

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    4. Indeed. And I feel like The Others is probably underrated. I like it.

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  2. I'll try to finally get around to seeing The Exorcist sequels, The Lost Boys, Carnival of Souls, Sinister and the longer American cut of The Shining. Those are the ones that have been on my watchlist for years.

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    1. "longer American cut of The Shining" - Huh?! Was The Shining Cut outside of the US? Am I just forgetting?

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    2. The European cut is about 30 minutes shorter, and is the version Kubrick himself preferred.

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    3. Not quite 30 minutes, but 23. Here's what was cut.

      Also, I said Kubrick preferred the shorter cut, but there seems to be contention about that.

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  3. That is some list of films for scary movie month, as far as the invasion of thr body snatchers I would rank this alongside the thing. And yes you are right to be worried

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  4. There's a lot of stuff on this list I'm really excited for you to see. There's also Thir13en Ghosts!

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    1. I'm so excited! I'm so excited! I'm so (sobs) (sobs) SCARED!

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  5. i'm not a horror afficionado, but i freakin love Jason X. too bad it's only available on blu-ray in the now OOP boxset of the series

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  6. Let me tell you, if you don't like something that you find out at the end of Psycho II, go watch the third one. Whether or not you like it as much, the reveal at the end of that one should help put you at ease.

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    1. Let me tell you, if you don't like Psycho II I don't understand how your brain works.

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  7. I think you are really going to like Bad Moon as a horror fan and a fan of some 90's aesthetics (what else could explain Wishmaster?). I just discovered it too thanks to the new Blu Ray which is awesome.

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    1. Thanks Matt but if you're here to throw Wish Shade you've come to the wrong place :-)

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    2. Haha not at all. I totally get it. Remember you're talking to one of the Ghosts of Mars defenders...

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  8. College life is keeping me crazy busy these days but I'm hoping to have time for a few things this October. I want to get to the 70s Invasion of the Body Snatchers as well. Also Rob Zombie's Halloween films, High Tension, Carnage Park, Nightmare on Elm Street 4 (actually never seen it), Exorcist III, Return of the Living Dead, and Wrong Turn 1 & 2. We'll see how much I can handle!

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    1. Jealous about the college thing. Cherish it!

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    2. haha I will. Just joined a frat just like Mr. Riske.

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    3. No, it's not allowed on my campus. So far it's just a great time.

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    4. Good :-) Hazing's never worth it.

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  9. That is some list of films for scary movie month, as far as the invasion of thr body snatchers I would rank this alongside the thing. And yes you are right to be worried

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  10. It's sequels, sequels, sequels for me this year. Halloween, Friday the 13th, Psycho, Saw, etc. Probably Wishmaster because I'm a Riske-taker. I want to break my Troma cherry, as well.

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  11. I will finally watch the original Wicker Man this October. I will hopefully check of some other 'new to me' classics.

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  12. I'm gonna be chipping away at that 80's slasher list I mentioned a while back until I slash my wrists from redundancy.

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  13. My goal this Scary Movie Month is to see Mirrors before Patrick does. :)Though it doesn't appear to be an experience I will enjoy.

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  14. Great list - I've only seen a couple of those myself. Let me know when you're watching Changeling - I'll watch it with you - curious about that since your Neve story too!

    With the recent release of It, Salem's Lot and Cat's Eye on blu-ray and Scream Factory's re-release of Carrie I'm also planning on Stephen King being one of my themes. I had a little Cronenberg Criterion binge - so I'm going to catch up on Canada's Master of Horror (I've never seen The Brood, Scanners or Naked Lunch) and then my franchise for the month is Final Destination. If possible some new stuff mixed in - I watched 24 movies last month so hoping to beat that record!

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    1. I'm free on Friday, October 7th at 9pm CST. Want to watch The Changeling then? No live tweeting :-)

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  15. I'm going all in on 1978. Here are a few:
    Blue Sunshine
    Eraserhead
    Martin
    The Legacy
    The Manitou
    The Bloodstained Shadow
    Damned in Venice
    The Creeper
    Vampire Hookers
    Terror

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    1. Man, you think you've seen a few movies and then someone writes a list that you've seen freakin none of. That Top 3 in particular I really want to watch.

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  16. I haven't seen most of these movies either...I have work to do!

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