All of these are re-watches.
(Alfred Hitchcock, 1963)
The suspense master's timeless tale of what happens when a woman dares to be forward with a man and thus upsets the balance of nature. Traveling far for some good D just isn't worth it! (Not quite, but okay.) Tiddi Hedren plays a party girl socialite who meets a handsome man (Rod Taylor) in a pet store and decides to surprise him upstate at his family's home in Bodega Bay in time for his young sister's birthday. After her arrival, the birds in the town start going crazy, randomly attacking the townsfolk. I had seen this once before when I was quite young and didn't like it, but after seeing bits and pieces over the years on television and with this viewing can safely say I've changed my mind. I forgotten how gruesome it is for the time it was released, all those mangled bodies with eyes poked out! Terrific performances (loved Suzanne Pleschette!) and Hedren looked so stylish in that dress. Too bad she went through hell working with Hitchcock. GRADE: A
ROSEMARY'S BABY
(Roman Polanski, 1968)
Mia Farrow stars a young pregnant woman who begins to suspect her neighbors, doctors, and actor husband (John Cassavetes) are part of a devilish conspiracy involving her unborn child in Polanski's classic slow burn suspense. But, hey, you want a gorgeous New York apartment? You gotta pay somehow. Farrow is absolutely iconic, one of the genre's strongest performances, and I love that her hair stylist got a credit. Equally memorable is Ruth Gordon as her neighbor. She won a much deserved Oscar for her work. If this were released today, it would be one of those A24 horrors accused of being "elevated" and get a D+ on Cinemascore. Between this and The Stepford Wives, Ira Levin really had his finger on the pulse of what terrified modern women at the time. GRADE: A
DAWN OF THE DEAD
(George A. Romero, 1978 - 127 minute US theatrical version)
I may have violated one of my rules. I always consider year of release to be when the film is released theatrically in the U.S. No festivals, no premieres, just the actual release available to audiences. As it turns out, this wasn't released until May 1979. Happy 45th, anyways! 2nd installment of Romero's original Dead trilogy focusing on four survivors of the zombie apocalypse holing up in the offices of a Pennsylvania shopping mall. One of the great satires of the seventies and the horror genre, Romero's exploration of capitalism is just as relevant today as it was 45 years ago. It's not as scary as Night, but it makes that up with still potent makeup effects and great pacing. It doesn't feel 127 minutes, an almost epic length for a zombie picture. And for a horror film, it's all brightly lit - either outside or the sterile fluorescent mall lighting. With the great Ken Foree and Gaylen Ross. (An amusing bit about her: the mall in the 2004 remake has a store named Gaylen Ross, which really does sound like a woman's clothing store.) GRADE: A
THE SERPENT AND THE RAINBOW
(Wes Craven, 1988)
Bill Pullman and his luscious hair star in Craven's exploration of Haitian voodoo where a pharmaceutical company hires an anthropologist to go to the war-torn country and investigate rumors of religious practices that revive the dead. Serpent stands out in Craven's filmography, it's not a teen slasher or about the disintegration of the family unit. In many ways, it's his most straight ahead horror. I first watched this about 20 years ago, but fell asleep and barely remembered any of it. I was eager for another viewing. Though its not among Wes's genre-defining classics, it still has some chilling sequences. Also with Cathy Tyson, Paul Winfield, and Michael Gough. GRADE: B
HOCUS POCUS
(Kenny Ortega, 1993)
I haven't seen the streaming sequel, and I maintain that Disney's decision to put that on its streamer instead of in theaters was one of the most bone-headed decisions of the streaming era. Truthfully, I've never fully loved Hocus Pocus. It's one of the few non-horror Halloween films to become somewhat of a classic even if it just isn't that great. In modern Salem, a trio of witches from 1693 is brought back on Halloween night by a teenage boy. He, along with his sister and another teenager, must try and stop the witches from becoming immortal. The cast is fun, and, in particular, young Thora Birch was a standout. It dawned on me while watching how its been 30 years since Disney putting out something original was considered the norm. Starring Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker. GRADE: B
NEEDFUL THINGS
(Fraser C. Heston, 1993)
In the small Maine town of Castle Rock, a new antique store opens with objects of much desire for the community. So much so that people are willing to murder for them, as the owner (Max von Sydow) turns the town against itself. Entertaining adaptation of Stephen King's novel - all the rage in that era - led by a strong cast, the film works best as a darkly comic horror story. It's not really scary, and the climax is a tad over the top, though the skinned dog definitely left an impression on me at a young age. I watched the theatrical version, but I'd be interested in watching the three hour TV cut someday. That might flesh out some of the smaller characters, and hopefully has less of JT Walsh's annoying character. With Ed Harris, Bonnie Bedelia and the great Amanda Plummer. GRADE: B
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
(Henry Selick, 1993)
Like Hocus Pocus, this film is unavoidable this time of year. Freeform, Disney, Spirit Halloween - they are everywhere. I only ever saw this once the whole way through, when I was about 10. In the reverse of Hocus Pocus, I probably had more respect for it than I did affection. It's a groundbreaker, and at just under 80 minutes an easy watch, still a gorgeous sight to behold. I'm glad there's a film out there that depicts the traumatic horror of switching from Halloween to Christmastime. The film follows Jack Skellington as he attempts to bring Christmas to Halloweentown. Why would he do that? Morally reprehensible character! (I kid.) Voices by Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, and Paul Reubens. GRADE: B+
WRONG TURN
(Rob Schmidt, 2003)
Is this possibly the most successful direct-to-DVD franchise of the new millennium? It spawned 6 follow-ups, including sequels, prequels, and a reboot from 2 years ago. I've reviewed three of those in past horror fests, and now I get to take another look at the original. For such a long running brand, the first film wasn't that successful. In fact, when I saw it in theaters back in May 2003, I was the only person in my showing. It's not a "good" movie, but I'm not sure these films exist on a good-bad scale. The premise is very simple: a group of people with car trouble in the woods of West Virginia are stalked by a clan of inbred cannibals. It's very short, very fast paced, and pretty fun, with ridiculous scenes of people jumping through trees, and an all-timer of a beheading. The backwoods inbred cannibal subgenre of horror is among my favorites. With Eliza Dushku, Desmond Harrington, and Jeremy Sisto. GRADE: B
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