Stephen King's brilliant novel about a possessed Plymouth Fury named Christine, a nerdy teenager and how he changes after the car seemingly takes over his life. John Carpenter directs one of King's novels for the first time (he was due to direct Firestarter but lost the gig as The Thing had tanked at the box …
Continue reading John Carpenter Reviewed- Day 9- Christine (1983)
In 1982, American audiences wanted only one alien. He wasn’t the shape-shifting evil alien in John Carpenter’s The Thing; he was the cute alien who wanted to ‘phone home’ in Steven Spielberg’s E.T. A dog who is being shot at by the crew of a helicopter flying overhead is taken in by an American compound …
Continue reading John Carpenter Reviewed- Day 8- The Thing (1982)
It’s 1997 (!) Air Force One has gone down in New York which is now a maximum security prison. But the powers that be have a man who may be able to get the President out in one piece- war hero turned convict, Snake Plissken. There’s plenty to love about Escape From New York, whether …
Continue reading John Carpenter Reviewed- Day 7- Escape From New York (1981)
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 John Carpenter Reviewed- Day 5- The Fog (1980)
‘After moving in a new apartment, Leigh Michaels receives mysterious phone calls and gifts. She approaches the police but unsatisfied with their investigation, she decides to tackle the matter herself.’ I remember watching this on TV and it scaring the crap out of me. On rewatching it, it still had the same effect. This was …
Continue reading John Carpenter Reviewed- Day 4- Someone’s Watching Me! (1978)
I remember the first time I saw Halloween on VHS in the late 80’s here in the UK. It was in pan-and-scan, and hence not the perfect format to watch a film that used the frame so brilliantly. But I’d learn that as the film would be released in widescreen on VHS, then DVD, then …
Continue reading John Carpenter Reviewed- Day 3- Halloween (1978)
A scientist makes the creature into a being that can live on the ground rather than just in water. Which means Ol’ Fish Face starts killing people on land instead. On the surface, this last Universal Classic Monsters film plays like a solid horror movie which is pretty good but not anything to write home …
Continue reading Universal Classic Monsters Reviewed- Day 36- The Creature Walks Among Us (1956)
The duo star as guardians of a mummy during its transportation. However, the mummy is stolen after its owner is murdered. The bumbling leads are left in possession of a pendant which holds the location of hidden treasure. They team up with a treasure hunter to find it. So, what is one of the last …
Ol’ Fish Face is back. He gets captured and turned into an aquarium attraction in South Florida. He falls in love with a female scientist there, escapes and kidnaps her. However, her real life (human) partner is hot on their trail. Let’s get the obvious out of the way first- no, it’s not as good …
Continue reading Universal Classic Monsters Reviewed- Day 34- Revenge of the Creature (1955)
Fossil researchers in the Amazon venture to the Black Lagoon where they, inadvertently, attract the attention of a beast from the deep. The Creature From The Black Lagoon may be one of the later Universal Classic Monsters film but that doesn’t mean it’s one of the weakest. In fact, history has cemented its iconic status. …
