31 Days of Halloween- Day 30- Night of the Living Dead (1968)

A mysterious radiation thought to have been brought back to Earth after a space probe to Venus is bringing the dead back to life to feast on the living. A young woman named Barbara is visiting her dead father's grave with her brother Johnny when... This film has so much of a great reputation amongst …

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31 Days of Halloween- Day 29- The Amityville Horror Part 2- The Possession (1982)

I love a sequel that not only ups the ante regarding the original film but decides to be as extreme as possible and really 'go for it'. In this film theres a new family who move into Amityville. You know that any family that includes Burt Young and Rutanya Alda as members is going to …

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31 Days of Halloween- Day 28- The Legacy (1978)

Katharine Ross plays a woman going to London with her partner (played by Sam Elliott at his homoerotic best) for a job interview. Whilst riding on a motorbike in the countryside surrounding London they are almost crashed into by a Rolls Royce. The owner apologises and, as their bike has been damaged, they are put …

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31 Days of Halloween- Day 26- The Gorgon (1964)

A Hammer film that looks to Greek mythology for the basis of it's plot with the mythical creature known as The Gorgon (a woman with snakes for hair and the ability to turn anyone who looks her in the eye to stone) being adapted and shone through the Hammer Films' prism. This film features the …

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31 Days of Halloween- Day 25- Bug (1975)

An earthquake uproots cockroach-like bugs that can set fire to things and, more importantly for a horror film, also to animals and humans. But never fear, a biology professor played by Bradford Dillman is on the case. This great little 70's B movie is directed by Jeannot Szwarc (who would go on to make the …

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31 Days of Halloween- Day 24- Maniac (1980)

William Lustig's depraved classic was massively controversial when first released. It garnered the ultimate accolades for an exploitation film- it was HATED by Siskel and Ebert (Gene Siskel said he made it to the shotgun murder then had to leave the preview screening as he couldn't stomach anymore!) and it was picketed by feminist groups. …

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31 Days of Halloween- Day 23- The House on Haunted Hill (1959)

An eccentric millionaire invites five strangers to a haunted house with each receiving $10,000 if they last the night. This is a William Castle film so you know it's going to be genius. And it doesn't disappoint. I love the house with it's sliding doors, acid bath and shadow play. Vincent Price in the lead …

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31 Days of Halloween- Day 13- Martin (1978)

Martin is by filmmaker George A Romero and was his favourite film from his oeuvre. Martin is a young man who we see travelling by train to Braddock in Pittsburgh to live with his elderly cousin, Tata Cuda who seems convinced that Martin is the latest in a long line of vampires ('the family curse'). …

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31 Days of Halloween- Day 5- Day of the Triffids (1963)

I remember so well the 1981 BBC1 adaptation of Day of the Triffids. It may now be dated but, by Christ, it gave me plenty of sleepless nights as a 6 year old boy. Years later I discovered the work of author John Wyndham who is now one of my favourite writers. Day of the …

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31 Days of Halloween- Day 4- Burnt Offerings (1976)

A family rent a huge house for the summer from it's brother and sister owners who have one condition for the rental- that their elderly mother stays in the house and they provide her with meals. Things then start to go crazy for the new inhabitants and it's almost as if the house is alive …

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