A woman living alone in a remote house in woodland feels like she's being watched and that someone may have invaded her home. A man calls around out of the blue to use her phone as his car has broken down. And so ensues a night of psychological sparring with the stranger who seems to …
Continue reading 31 Days of Halloween 2024- Day 24- The Caller (1987)
A couple are going through a divorce in Berlin. But this isn't Kramer vs Kramer. I know this plot summary is basic, to say the least, but a) once you see the film, you'll know why this plot has been reduced to one line, and b) I don't want to ruin any surprises for you. …
Continue reading 31 Days of Halloween 2024- Day 21- Possession (1981)
Newsreader Karen White has been maintaining regular contact with serial killer Eddie Quist, aka Eddie The Mangler. He arranges to meet her, and she agrees, albeit whilst she is monitored by the police so that they can catch him. The experience traumatises her to such an extent that Dr George Waggoner suggests that she goes …
Continue reading 31 Days of Halloween 2024- Day 20- The Howling (1981)
I first heard about Phantasm 2 through my love of Fangoria and Gorezone magazines, which I devoured religiously in the 80's and 90's. The stills from the film were so otherworldly, gory and darkly innovative that I couldn't wait to see the movie. When it was finally released in the UK, the first film wasn't …
Continue reading 31 Days of Halloween 2024- Day 19- Phantasm 2 (1988)
This Italian film was made before the trademark of the better-known Alien film was registered. After the success of Ridley Scott's movie, it was duly released as Alien 2. It may have been cheekily named as if it was a sequel to this film, but it wasn't. Cave explorers find more than they bargained for- …
Continue reading 31 Days of Halloween 2024- Day 17- Alien 2: On Earth (1980)
An American author wants to research Bali's black magic. She meets with a witch who promises to teach her. Mystics In Bali is, apparently, one of the influences of Wes Craven on his movie, A Nightmare on Elm Street. It's also batsh*t crazy! Wanna see a flying head with its spinal column still attached? Wanna …
Continue reading 31 Days of Halloween 2024- Day 16- Mystics in Bali (1981)
Amongst the slew of Stephen King film adaptations that were released in the 80s was the film version of his fantastic 1981 novel, Cujo. Cujo is the St Bernard dog who is bit by a rabid bat whilst he chases a rabbit. Slowly but surely he transforms from a loveable family dog into a slobbering, …
I've always been fascinated by the writing of, and indeed, the legend of playwright Joe Orton. It was so refreshing to discover someone who was, shock horror, a confident homosexual in the 60s rather than some simpering, guilt-ridden closet case. I remember when I arrived in London to study film, a friend told me about …
Continue reading Meathook Cinema Hall of Fame- Prick Up Your Ears (1987)
Ahh, the giddy days of home video. In the early days of this new and very exciting medium, there were loads of videos that featured the gaudiest and lurid cover artwork. One film that had such artwork that I will always remember was The Exterminator. The box depicted a muscled man wearing what looked like …
Continue reading Meathook Cinema Hall of Fame- The Exterminator (1980)
John Carpenter's Halloween had been a huge hit at the box office through the word of mouth of people who had seen it and were knocked out by the experience. In fact, the film was so successful that it became the most profitable independent film of all time, a title it held until it was …
Continue reading Halloween 2 (1981)- A Sequel That Is Better Than It Has Any Right To Be
