Sunday, October 18, 2020

2020 Scary Movie Challenge Day 18

117 comments:

  1. Ishirô Honda's GODZILLA (1954, Criterion Blu-ray) for the first time. [Original Japanese version]

    As disturbing, terrifying as sequels are juvenile.

    or

    'We're going to meet Daddy.' Soul-crushingly brutal!

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    1. With less than a decade separating the making of Godzilla from the end of World War II, there is a rawness to the scenes of the attack on Tokyo that always gets to me. Godzilla could easily be substituted with American bombers dropping incendiary bombs. Over a two-day period in March 1945, around 100,000 Japanese civilians in Tokyo were killed in a firestorm created by those bombs.

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    2. No joke, "Godzilla" is the scariest and most disturbing movie I've seen this #SCMM. The entire cast plays it straight and sells they're fleeing for their lives. Even the sudden third act reveal of the equivalent of a mad scientist carries pathos and a sense of sacrifice for the common good. I knew going in this is the serious "Godzilla" movie, but holy shit! That mother telling her children they're about to meet their father? I was balling and shocked... true movie terror. :'(

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  2. Masaki Kobayashi's KWAIDAN (1964, Criterion Blu-ray) for the first time.

    Minimalist sound scarier than ghostly ear pulling.

    or

    "Tales... Darkside: The Movie" stole second ending!

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    1. Kwaidan is among the best anthology films ever made. The Hoichi The Earless segment alone is a masterpiece, but the rest of the film is just as good. I have puzzled about the final segment for a long time, though. I have a book of Lafcadio Hearn's kwaidan, which features Hoichi and Yuki-Onna (Woman of the Snow).

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    2. I'm still digesting it, and look forward to the bonus features for context. Kobayashi's "The Human Condition" is a stone cold masterpiece, and it's interesting to see him switch from his usual political-as-hell work to arthouse horror. "The Woman in the Snow" looks/feels like something Akira Kurosawa was trying to recreate in his "Dreams" feature. :-)

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  3. Kaneto Shindô's ONIBABA (1964, Criterion DVD)

    As if being poor/female isn't horrible enough.

    or

    Steamiest, prettiest B&W arthouse flick I've seen.

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  4. Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's HOUSE (1977, Criterion Blu-ray)

    Pulling off Sam Raimi-like before Sam Raimi!

    or

    If creativity was water, this'd drown us.

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    1. Ohhhh, my favorite Japanese horror movie. Holy shit, the tonal shifts are so fucking absurd.

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  5. Zombieland (2009 - Ruben Fleischer)

    Like runtime and pacing, dislike chauvinistic undertones.

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  6. HARVEST LAKE (2016, Dir. Scott Schirmer)

    It's a Risk getting horny in Church.

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  7. Halloween, dir John Carpenter, 1978

    Babysitter's slaughtered, but kids get movie night.

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  8. Halloween II, dir Rick Rosenthal, 1981

    Murder's exhausting. Michael stops for Baloney sandwich.

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  9. Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)

    Jason quickly tired of elaborate kill staging.

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  10. Detention (2011)

    Very pastiche, Very meta, I like it.

    or

    I s this really great or really stupid?

    or

    A bear time machine? Sure why not.

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  11. Spring (2014)

    So that's my DNA? Don't remember tentacles!

    or

    All this needed to cure harmful workethic.

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  12. Blue My Mind (2017)

    Even "The Lighthouse" mermaid-sex less unpleasant.

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  13. I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)

    Legends say the dog is still shaking.

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  14. Prodigy (2017)

    Mark Jones voice: "make telekinetic psycho smaller!"

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  15. THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS (1967, dir. Roman Polanski)

    Made by Hollywood yet feels completely European.

    Or

    When Roman met Sharon, a well-known story.

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  16. The Hills Have Eyes (1977, dir. Wes Craven)

    Beauty, Beast, Pluto... Craven's a Disney fan?

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  17. THE HOUSES OCTOBER BUILT (2014)

    Do “party motorhomes” exist only in movies?

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  18. The Blob (1988)
    Observes Chekovs rule of motorcycle jumps. . . Blub

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  19. Drive In Massacre (1976, dir. Stu Segall)

    Hate talkers at movies. And sword killers.

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  20. Friday the 13 Part VI (1986)

    At least it wasn't dog piss, right?

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  21. THE HOUSES OCTOBER BUILT 2 (2017)

    Extreme haunts looking less extreme, more overdesigned.

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  22. 30 Days of Night (2007) Dir. David Slade

    All my clever reviews are 8 words.

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  23. MISERY (1990):

    A star-making performance from Scott Caan’s dad.

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  24. Tales from the Crypt (1972) director Freddie Francis

    Lay some papers down, lady! Oh, nevermind...

    Also

    "See Saw?" "Couldn't have, we are blind"

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  25. Friday the 13th VI: Jason Lives(1986) When lightning strikes THIS place twice.....Fuuuuck.

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  26. Dark Shadows (2012)

    Not horror. Not comedy. What is this?

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  27. The Curse of the Fly (1963)

    Teleportation mutations: following in the family footsteps.

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  28. Big Ass Spider! (2013)

    The spider's ass is not so big.

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  29. Cat's Eye (1985)

    Makes me regret being a dog person.

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  30. Tales From The Hood 2(2018)
    David Keith earns every single sweaty penny

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  31. Krampus (2015)

    Christmas came early for me. A classic.

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  32. Viy (1967 dir. Konstantin Yershov and Georgi Kropachyov)

    Russian folk tale. Fucking bonkers final act.

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  33. Hell Fest

    Hell to some, but heaven for lawsuits

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  34. Vamp (1986)

    Coming to the stage...the mystery girl!

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  35. The Wolf Man (1941)

    Town with werewolf poem surprised by werewolf.

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  36. Warlock (1989)

    Peak 90s Fox Sunday afternoon movie vibes.

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  37. The BLOB (1958 or 1988)

    ... it's what happens when Jell-O goes bad...

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  38. Silence of the Lambs (1991)

    Silencio de las corderas... Silencio! Silencio! Silencio....

    Or

    Demi was genius. Fight me Wallace Shawn.

    (Jokes though I love Wallace Shawn and he’d kick my butt.)

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  40. THE PERFECTION (2018):

    Invariably leads to some weird porn searches.

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  41. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

    Adding the banana was a true indecency.

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  42. The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)

    Who'd you suppose the bells toll for?

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  43. Friday the 13th Part 5: A New Beginning

    Demon is the series best character ever.

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  44. Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives (1986)

    I'd say Sheriff Garris was half effective.

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  45. DARLING (2016)

    Wednesday Addams’ life took some interesting turns.

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  46. Feardotcom (2002)

    Someone please turn on a goddamn light!

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  47. Dead Heat(1988) Roger, Doug too dead for this shit

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  48. The Vault of Horror (1973) director Roy Ward Baker

    "Vault"? I thought Brits called them "Lifts"

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  49. Gate 2 (1990)

    Demon Moe looks like douchey Night King.

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  50. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

    Eddie would be insufferable on film Twitter.

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  51. The Mortuary Collection (2019)

    Uneven, but quite liked the babysitter segment.

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  52. The Fog (1980)

    Not enough movies have mustachioed Hal Holbrook

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  53. Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)

    Top dollar toot of the Jason franchise

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  54. BLOODY BALLET (2018)

    Pretty good, but Susperia’s still prima ballerina.

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  55. A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984):

    Only now realizing I love the score.

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  56. Archons (2018, dir. Nick Szostakiwskyj)

    Rockers get native...[growl]... natives get rockers.

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  57. House of the Devil (2009)

    Nasty 80's pizza is historically accurate pizza.

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  58. And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973)

    Routine story, but fun murderous severed hand.

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  59. The Changeling (1980)

    Definitely enjoyed it more on this viewing.

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  60. Halloween III: Season of the Witch, dir Tommy Lee Wallace, 1982

    Originally, snake masks tested on Umpa Lumpas

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  61. Terror in the Aisles (1984)

    When do Donald and Nancy make out?

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  62. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, dir Dwight H. Little (He's Patricks Boy), 1988

    Thumb in forehead is just Myers' handshake

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  63. A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY’S REVENGE (1985):

    Can you really even call it “subtext”?

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  64. The Omen (1976) Dir. Richard Donner

    That elevator is NOT approved by OSHA.

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  65. Da Sweet Blood of Jesus
    2014, dir. Spike Lee
    ‘Ganja & Hess’ - presented by Pottery Barn

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  66. Dream Demon
    1988, dir. Harley Cokeliss
    Would-be Peter Jackson B-side without gratuitous splatter

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  67. The Wind
    1986, dir. Nico Mastorakis
    Wings has BigElricKane™ vibes in this one

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  68. Beyond the Door
    1974, dir. Ovidio G. Assonitis & Robert Barrett
    Porn parody of the Exorcist without porn

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  69. Green Room
    2015, dir. Jeremy Saulnier
    Quite cathartic to see skinheads get theirs

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  70. Last House on the Left
    1972, dir. Wes Craven
    Only because I love Patrick and Heather

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  71. Beetlejuice (1988)

    Doubt this bio-exorcist is licensed and bonded.

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  72. Halloween II (1981) director Rick Rosenthal

    Subtitle: Your Sister Wears a Hair Loaf

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  73. A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: DREAM WARRIORS (1987):

    Can’t say the title without singing it.

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  74. Nightcrawler (2014)

    American entrepreneurial success story is horror story.

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  75. A Quiet Place

    Revisited this in Dolby Atmos. Sounds incredible!

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  76. Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971)

    Guess we'd all squeeze the boobs first.

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  77. Love and Monsters (2020)

    Not for me. Good for little kids.

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  78. Krampus (2015, dir. Michael Dougherty)

    So where’s Dougherty’s rabid Easter Bunny movie?

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  79. Friday the 13th: Part 3

    Too many scenes of guys on toilets.

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  80. Hubie Halloween (2020)

    Heartfelt, Hubie haunts us with his humor.

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  81. The Ghost Galleon (1974)

    Eyeless, undead, semi-aquatic, religious knights go sailing.

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  82. HELL FEST (2018)

    Ready for sequel announcement. Any day now…

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  83. Ghost in the Machine (1993)

    Lawnmower Man and Shocker bred this spam.

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  84. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

    That is a pretty cool clown costume.

    or

    Mask made famous by murderer big seller.

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  85. Prince Of Darkness (1987)

    Was John Carpenter's 80's better than anyone's?

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  86. The Mummy (1932, dir. Karl Freund)

    Someone give David Manners a cold shower.

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  87. Ready or Not (2019)

    Not so ready as it is overwrought

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  88. Out of the Dark(1995)

    Chow does Leon. Ditches mob brings ghost.

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  89. Out of the Dark(1995)

    My favorite find of October. Insanely fun!

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  90. Little Monsters (2019)

    Uber Chad Josh Gad cucks all dads.

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  91. Mandy (2018)

    More Cage rage than one could gage.

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  92. Dawn of the Dead (2004)

    That baby wants her ribs back dude.

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  93. The Sentinel (1977)

    Still beats living in a basement apartment!

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  94. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)

    Jane Austen is yawning in her grave!

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  95. Hotel Transylvania (2012)

    Sandler is factoring into SMM a lot.

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  96. Scary Movie (2000)

    None of the humor has dated poorly

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  97. HOUSEBOUND (2014)

    Looks like Eugene has life figured out.

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  98. TALES FROM THE HOOD 3 (2020)

    Not what you would call ... holy shit!

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  99. The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960)

    Clean shaven equals good. Beard equals bad.

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  100. Amityvile 1992: It’s About Time (1992)

    New 90s’ nazi clock not so nice.

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  101. Verotika (2019 w/ F This Movie commentary)

    ...tell children not to bath in blood.

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  102. Summer of 84 (2018)

    Like Stranger Things with more throat slashing.

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  103. 13 Ghosts (’60, William Castle)

    A Ghost Viewer’d make this more fun.

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  104. Cabin in the Woods (2011)

    Mermen and Zombies and Kevin's oh my!

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  105. Killer Party (1986)

    Not exactly top drawer, but still fun.

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  106. Circle (Hann/Miscione, 2015)

    Humans make strong case for alien takeover

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  107. Brainscan (1994)

    Finally, a movie that explores Amazon's beginning.

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  108. They're Watching (2016)

    This fall HGTV presents Witch Old House.

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