An anomaly from the early 80s, this film is about a flesheating creature hidden under a SoCal beach. Quirky characters, supporting players who you just know are actually inhabitants of the area being depicted and some leads who are well know to fans of cult cinema (John Saxon, Burt Young) help this film immeasurably. This …
Continue reading Day 11- 31 Days of Halloween- Blood Beach (1981)
In the 80s with new horror films like The Evil Dead pushing the boundaries of the genre, television companies thought that older horror films ceased to be scary and so could be shown during the daytime. And so I saw Nosferatu which was made in 1922 one Bank Holiday morning. It couldn’t possibly frighten me, …
Continue reading Day 10- 31 Days of Halloween- Nosferatu (1922)
I first heard of Phantasm when its sequel came out. Barry Norman reviewed it and admitted that he hadn’t even heard of the first film. Neither had I. Fortunately, my sister in law had a friend who had closed down their video business and so gave her a lot of the videos he used to …
Continue reading Day 9- 31 Days of Halloween- Phantasm (1979)
The daughter of a famous plastic surgeon causes a car accident in which his daughter’s face is disfigured. The surgeon has a new theory he's dying to carry out which involves transplanting a face to replace his daughter’s maimed features but this involves donors- willing or not. I first saw this film when I was …
Continue reading Day 8- 31 Days of Halloween- Les Yeux Sans Visage/ Eyes Without a Face (1960)
I remember being traumatised by the Poster for The Fog before I actually saw the film. We had driven past The Odeon in York and I briefly glanced at it. As this was just a glance I thought I saw a woman lying in bed with a ghostly hand reaching out to grab her. I …
Continue reading Day 7- 31 Days of Halloween- The Fog (1980)
Vincent Price’s Dr Phibes avenges the death of his wife by bumping off the culprits with each murder having a biblical connection. Very camp, very funny and very unsettling- this is one of Price’s best just like Witchfinder General and the Poe films he also made with Roger Corman. Check out Phibes’ clockwork band- one …
Continue reading Day 6- 31 Days of Halloween- The Abominable Dr Phibes (1971)
Small town vigilantes wrongly accuse a mentally challenged man of attacking and killing a little girl. It turns out he didn’t attack her but saved her from a neighbour's vicious dog. The vigilantes find this out just after killing the innocent man who is disguised as a scarecrow. Oops. When the local courts offer no …
Continue reading Day 5- 31 Days of Halloween- Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981)
One sign that you’ve made a horror classic- your film spawns a slew of imitators. Sometimes one or two of these imitators are witty, knowing and innovative. Thats what happened here. Jaws made such a splash (pun intended) that there were plenty of rip-offs. Piranha was one such film but was great on its own …
Continue reading Day 4- 31 Days of Halloween- Piranha (1978)
I feel like I've grown up with this film. This was one film that I remember seeing on the shelves of video stores when I was a child but didn't get round to seeing before it mysteriously disappeared. Absence made the heart grown fonder and I knew I must see this forbidden fruit. But when …
Continue reading Day 3- 31 Days of Halloween- The Exorcist (1974)
A class are transported to an island and its then disclosed that they have to kill each other with the last person left standing the winner. Brutal (as you'd expect) but also witty, humane and strangely poignant in places. This film is brilliantly acted, directed with style and is beautiful to look. Murder and deception …
Continue reading Day 2- 31 Days of Halloween- Battle Royale (2000)
Meathook Cinema 