Horrorfest: Happy Halloween

I hit 94 movies this year, with 44 being rewatches - both of those my record.

Some things I wanted to watch this year but didn't get to (for various reasons): The Skeleton Key (DVD issues!) for its 20th, The Ninth Gate (DVD issues!), Altered States (will check out the Criterion in November or December), Copycat (DVD issues!), and still haven't seen In A Violent Nature from last year. I had wanted to finally check out Hell House LLC. 

I also will make a promise to myself to finally do the Universal Monster Classics next year. Assuming the world exists. 

Anywho, Happy Halloween 2025!

Last new watch...

EYES WITHOUT A FACE

(Georges Franju, 1960)

In this French chiller take on a fairy tale, a brilliant surgeon goes to extreme lengths after a car accident disfigures his daughter's face. She becomes a recluse forced to wear an eerie mask. The doctor and his assistant fake the daughter's death and attempt to find a beautiful young woman for a "face transplant". The surgery sequence is surprisingly grotesque for the era. It must have shocked the hell out of audiences 65 years ago. Nice move making the mad doctor so calm instead of so outwardly insane. With Pierre Brasseur, Édith Scob, and Alida Valli. GRADE: B+

And last rewatches...

THE CRAZIES

(Breck Eisner, 2010)

I started this year's fest with Pitch Black and am ending it with another Radha Mitchell movie. I settled on this one because this was the film I watched at my first fest for this blog. (Original review here.)  Per that post, I saw the original in 2009. I guess I should give that one a rewatch someday. It's interesting to see how slightly different this plays in a post-COVID world. I enjoyed my viewing but will bump its grade down slightly. Car wash scene still rules, and I'll add Joe Anderson is an underrated actor. GRADE: B+

HALLOWEEN: THE CURSE OF MICHAEL MYERS

(Joe Chappelle, 1995 - Theatrical Cut)

Immediately after this ended I thought to myself I should have watched the Producer's Cut this year and the Theatrical Cut next year. As I explained in my post 11 years ago when I watched the franchise (minus the Zombie remakes), this is a pretty important film in my formation as a horror fan. Watching it on MY 30th anniversary with it might have been more important. I pretty much echo most of my original post except the holes in the last act grew even more noticeable. Still, great fall vibes and despite the mess of a story it at least feels like it had a vision. GRADE: B