In the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois, on Halloween night, 1963, a young boy brutally stabs and kills his sister . After being institutionalized for fifteen years, he escapes and returns to Haddonfield, armed with one spooky mask and a large knife. Sam Loomis, his doctor, is on the hunt to find him before he kills again.
What is there left to say about John Carpenter's "Halloween" that hasn't already been said? This was the movie that made me the horror fan I am today, on top of scaring the hell out of my 9 year old self. And it's still one of my all-time favorite movies of any genre. "Halloween" is one of the most famous and influential horror films in history. For what little budget they had, John Carpenter and Debra Hill made an extremely effective, but completely independent and low budget movie that until 1999's "The Blair Witch Project" was the single highest-grossing independent movie of all time- and scared the pants off an entire generation of movie-goers while doing so. Jamie Lee Curtis and John Carpenter became household names and Michael Myers became an icon of terror.
Carpenter's original Michael Myers is so scary because he gives us no back story whatsoever. All we know is some guy in a really creepy mask is stalking babysitters on Halloween night in a midwestern small town. That's it. It's so blatantly simple. And scary. "Halloween" scares us on a psychological level. John Carpenter never really gives us a full, good look at Michael Myers really until the last 20 minutes or so. Like the shark in "JAWS", we hardly ever see him. Only fleetingly, here and there. He's always silently lurking off to the side, or in the shadows. We are forced to use our imaginations while watching "Halloween". John Carpenter expertly strings us along- tensing us up one minute, then allowing us to relax the next. Then taking us off guard, Michael strikes.
"Halloween" instantly takes us back to childhood, and how scary childhood could be. What was that noise outside my window? What was that shadow? We all know what it's like to be home alone. Or the boogeyman in our closet. Just the word "babysitter" alone used to strike terror in the hearts of many children around the world. Somehow, you were never as safe as you were with your parents home. Especially on Halloween night. "Halloween" personifies everything that scares us, then and now, and does exactly what it was meant to do to us- frighten us to death. It's so frightening because we relate to it- it's every small town we all grew up in. From that horrifying opening POV shot to that last, blood-freezing frame, we're mercilessly at the hand of the director- and he knows it. Carpenter's use of light and shadow, color and darkness, plus that unforgettable music combine to make horror history.
It's a bona-fide classic that inspired a million knock-offs and changed horror forever. "Halloween" was no product of Hollywood studios. This was an organic labor of love by a bunch of twenty year olds making a low-budget, independent movie for about $300,000 because they were passionate about it. It was truly fresh and inventive, and there's a reason why it was so successful. John Carpenter and Debra Hill joined creative forces, went against the grain, and came up with a classic horror film that will be remembered forever. And "Halloween" has probably the most famous score ever for a horror film, besides "JAWS". Kudos to "Black Christmas" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" for laying the groundwork, and for John Carpenter, who, inspired by it, created and unleashed a horror masterpiece.
I don't go to the movies often. In fact, the last movie I saw in a theater was "The Mist", if that gives you any idea. Why, you ask? Because the current state of movies SUCK. That's why. Modern movies are abysmal, to say the least. But once in a while, I stumble across a diamond in the rough. Last night, four of us went to a 9:20 showing of "Paranormal Activity 2". Almost every seat was filled, and I must say the movie did what very few movies do anymore. It simply scared the bejesus out of the entire audience. Seriously. Even the males in the audience had no problem letting everybody else know just how scared they were watching. I loved this movie- so much in fact, that I felt a look back at the original "Paranormal Activity" was in order. Now a lot of people hated the first, just as they hated "The Blair Witch Project", "Cloverfield", etc. I'll never understand this. I love these movies- they are a breath of fresh air among the tired remakes and even more tired teenage thrillers. You can keep your "SAW" movies- I'll take me some "Paranormal Activity" anyday.
First of all- I don't scare easily. Most horror movies are so formulaic that you immediately know how the shit is going to go down. Sadly, the 70's and 80's are long gone, and I don't think we'll ever see a more rich, creative era when it comes to filmmaking. Not just horror, either. Anyway, "Paranormal Activity" is a prime example of a fresh, creative horror movie that completely blows away the conventional trappings of your standard, audience-pleasing fare. Watching "Paranormal Activity", you honestly have no idea what is going to happen. The film is constantly compared to "The Blair Witch Project", but why is that such a bad thing? Both movies chose to take a different route- scaring us with something we have never been subjected to before, and choosing to slowly build tension, until full-blown terror sets in. Instead of yet another "I Know What You Did Last Summer" or even worse, a re-gurgitated version of a classic movie, we are treated to a frighteningly tense and spooky ghost story. Many people have complained of how "boring" these movies are. I strongly disagree. If you think these movies are "boring", I think maybe you just have no attention span. You might respond more to Rob Zombie's dreadful "Halloween" rip-off instead.
What I loved about "Paranormal Activity" is that the director opted for minimal special effects, lighting, and sounds. Yes, it does start off rather slow. But it's deliberately slow. The director wisely figures that slowly building tension is far more rewarding than just hitting us over the head first thing. One of the major complaints about "Paranormal Activity" is that we never actually see the ghost- just like how in "The Blair Witch Project" we never actually see the witch. Guess what, peeps? It's called an imagination, and I highly suggest investing in one. It's a great thing. It's what we DON'T see that scares us. What we can conjur up with our imaginations is far more scarier than any CGI effect they can come up with, in my humble opinion. But unfortunately, many movie-goers can't seem to use that mass inside their heads called a brain, and must
have everything shown to them because they can't conjure up the images on their own. Movies like this a "Blair Witch" offer us a few inches, then we're left to leave the movie and use our imagination, filling in the blanks. We're forced to think about what we've just experienced, and I sadly think that's what turns many people off. Because they have to think. Apparently, a lot of movie-goers are like infants, needing a bottle full of schlocky CGI effects and big-name stars. Sucks for them, I say. The director wisely does not rely on gore, sex, and effects to get his point across. Suspense and imagination are what makes these movies work.
And then there's the hype. Also just like "Blair Witch", "Paranormal Activity" was so hyped up, and so successful, that a backlash inevitably followed. For some reason, when something makes a huge impact on pop culture and society, people want to turn around and knock it off its pedestal. Maybe it's just me, but I would much rather watch a low-budget, independent film with no money but lots of creativity, instead of the opposite. A huge budget, big stars, and no creativity whatsoever- which applies unfortunately to most scary movies released these days. Less is always more, I think.
Aahhh... the 80's. As many fantastic horror movies came out of that decade, there's something about the year 1981. It was a magical, mythical year in horror, and "Hell Night" is one of my favorites. I love it just as much as "Halloween", "Friday the 13th", or "Prom Night"- and that's a lot of love. It's a total guilty pleasure of mine, a perfect little b-movie. This is exactly the kind of movie we would rent on Friday nights. This, or "Happy Birthday To Me", or "Silent Scream". Plus, Linda Blair is the final girl- I mean- Linda BLAIR in a slasher flick from 1981? YES PLEASE. That was all the information I needed to know instantly that I had to see this movie. I've had a sweet spot for this slasher since I stumbled across it on HBO late one night around 1984. I loved it then, and I just recently watched it, and I'm quite pleased to say I love it just as much today as I did when I first saw it. Most awesome.
Starring Linda Blair, Peter Barton, and a half-naked Vincent Van Patton (son of Dick), "Hell Night" tells the story of four young pledges who of course must pass an initiation. To gain entrance into the Alpha Sigma Rho fraternity, they must spend a full night in Garth Manor. Garth Manor was the sight where 12 years prior to the night, patriarch Raymond Garth murdered his entire family of deaf mute and mentally retarded children. But legend has it that one of the children survived the madness, and now resides in the crumbling mansion. As if all this wasn't disturbing enough, the upperclassmen have rigged the entire mansion up with enough scary sounds and pranks to send Linda and gang screaming into the night... only they're locked into the estate- with no escape until the next morning.
Strictly adhering to the now fully-established slasher formula, this one's a hoot from start to finish. The entire film has a festive and fun tone, which meshes well with the spooky scenes. Cheesy in parts? You betcha. Not only is this an 80's horror classic, but it's a camp classic as well. It's got a great story, great direction, and great atmosphere.
"Hell Night" is just so darn fun to watch, I absolutely love every minute of it. This is one of those fun scary movies to watch with that certain group of people, even though I was pretty scared watching this on HBO back in 1984. It's definitely one of the more interesting stalk-and-slash films to come out of the 80's. "Hell Night" is certainly no masterpiece, but I can think of hundreds of horror films that are far worse. It's schlocky and silly and doesn't take itself seriously at all, and that's a big part of why I am so fond of it
. Like "Prom Night"- it doesn't have the greatest reputation among horror fans, but I love both of them tremendously. Of course "Halloween" and "Friday the 13th" were going to inspire a gazillion knockoffs, some great, some terrible, and "Hell Night" was one of many released in the early 80's. A rollicking good time to be had, and Vincent Van Patton is some serious eye-candy. A half-naked blond surfer running around a dark, deserted mansion? Sign me up, please.
"The Story In Which You Are About To Read Will Scare The Hell Out Of You"...
It's 100% true. The book, written by Vincent Bugliosi, is the scariest book I have ever read. Hands down the scariest. Some may pass it off as just a crime story, but "Helter Skelter" is a chilling and amazing read that only gets better each time around. There's a reason why "Helter Skelter" is the biggest selling true crime story ever published. Several actually. Bugliosi is such a good writer that you feel as if you are a witness to the horrific crimes committed. That you're actually involved in the brilliant and notorious investigation. You feel like you've survived the entire ordeal. It's in fact so well described that you will never erase the images from your mind, no matter how hard you try. With each reading I find myself becoming obsessed with the entire investigation, the period in history, even pulling out the Beatles "White Album". There's something about the Manson family that just gets under my skin...probably because it's true. It's such a well written book that you truly can't stop reading once you've started. It's the kind of book that can easily spook you late at night. The thought of members of the Manson family sneaking into your house while you're asleep at night and putting a knife up to your throat is nothing short of horrifying.
A made-for-tv movie was produced in 1976, starring Steve Railsback as Charles Manson. Although it was a well-done affair (despite some slightly over-the-top performances), it's still the best presentation of the book so far- even though it doesn't hold a candle to the book's overall creepiness. It became another tv production in 2004 with Jeremy Davies taking on the role of Manson. "Helter Skelter" is one of the most intense and fear-inducing stories I've ever come across- this is far scarier stuff than Freddy or Jason. Nightmarish and fast-paced, it never lets up its relenting sense of dread even for one second. I don't see how a fan of horror could not enjoy this book or movie. This is TRUE horror. If you truly want to be scared to death, start reading "Helter Skelter" late one night by yourself and see what happens. You'll be turning all the lights on before you know it.
George A. Romero shocked the world in 1968 with his ground-breaking and apocalyptic masterpiece of horror, "Night Of the Living Dead". Filmed on a shoestring budget in Pennsylvania, "Night of the Living Dead" shows just what you can do with no money but lots of imagination. The cheap film stock and black and white photography gives it a straight, documentary-like look and feel to it, which only adds to the horror. "Psycho" opened the door in 1960- eight years later, "Night Of the Living Dead" came crashing through, changing the face of horror forever.
A group of strangers find themselves trapped in an abandoned farmhouse as slowly and inexplicably they become surrounded by a horde of flesh-hungry corpses. Tensions arise as they board themselves inside to stay alive. Before long, hundreds of zombies have surrounded the lonely farmhouse, constantly trying to claw their way in. This is pure, nightmarish horror, and it grabs your attention in the opening scene and holds it until that devastatingly bleak ending. The shockingly gory effects (for1968) were groundbreaking, and the extremely low-budget film would become tremendously influential.
The first, (and in my opinion the best) in a string of zombie movies, "Night Of the Living Dead" came along at the perfect time in America. In 1968, the country was in an uproar over Vietnam and mass race riots were happening all over the place. As they say, art imitates life. "Night Of the Living Dead" is a harrowing and harsh statement of racial attitudes in America at the time- which makes this far more intelligent than just your average gorefest. This is easily one of the Top Ten greatest and most influential horror movies of all time. In 1999, the Library of Congress placed "Night of the Living Dead" on the National Film Registry as a film deemed "historically, culturally, or aesthetically important." George A. Romero has said that Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" partially inspired "NOTLD", and it's easy to see that. Stay away from the dreadful colorized version- the black and white is far more effective. Classic horror!
"They're coming to get you, Barbara..."
"Dawn of the Dead" is George A. Romero's 1979 follow-up to his classic "Night of the Living Dead". Basically the same scenario as the previous, the action has moved from the Pennsylvania countryside as the undead have taken over the land and spread to immense numbers. Bleak and unapologetic, "Dawn" instantly became a worldwide sensation and horror classic. Romero's scathing attacks on mass consumer capitalism have been discussed ad nauseum, but satire aside, "Dawn of the Dead" is essentially a kick-ass monster movie.
The movie opens with an apocalyptic tone, and fifteen minutes into the movie you already know that this probably won't be having a happy ending. While a worldwide zombie apocalypse approaches, the films opens in Philadelphia as the city is besieged by the walking dead. The National Guard has been called in, but there really doesn't seem to be much hope. Soon our four desperate survivors- two military men, a helicopter pilot and a TV reporter, barricade themselves inside a shopping mall, slowly and inevitably attracting hordes of zombies, and gives Romero plenty of satire to work with. You see, the zombies submerge on the mall, because one it was an important place to them... Get it?
Once again filmed almost "documentary style", "Dawn Of the Dead" also manages to come across as almost cartoonish at times. Tom Savini's shocking effects are devastatingly brutal, and this still may be the goriest mainstream film to ever be released in the United States. So much gore, in fact, that it almost becomes monotonous at times. And oddly, most of the violence in this movie is directed at the zombies, not caused by them. Far more intelligent than it's given credit for, this movie is sometimes unfairly known as just a mindless gore-fest, but it's actually far more than that. Romero is one smart dude- this is much more than just a bunch of blood and guts. Sometimes horrific, sometimes absurd- "Dawn Of the Dead" is a truly shocking and influential horror film. A slew of zombie knockoffs followed- some pretty good, most terrible. Go with the Anchor Bay Special Edition DVD of "Dawn of the Dead"- the transfer makes the movie look as if it were filmed yesterday. You gotta love Anchor Bay!
A young boy drowns in the waters off Camp Crystal Lake in the summer of 1957. A year later, two young counselors are brutally murdered at the camp. Fires and some poisoned water soon follow, and the camp closes. Before long, it develops a reputation as having a "death curse". Flashing forward to 1980, we find Steve Christy has put lots of time and money into the camp trying to bring it back to its original glory-, and has hired a bunch of young counselors to help him get it open. Of course, they are unaware that a murderous presence is silently stalking the surrounding woods, watching them...
I love this little slasher. I love everything about it. FRIDAY THE 13TH perfectly captures that "scary tale to be told around a campfire" atmosphere, and scared the living hell out of many youngun's of the early 80's, myself included. I grew up living in the woods and let me tell you- this was some seriously scary shit back in the day. This low-budget and unassuming little chiller captured the imagination of movie-goers in 1980, and became a smash hit and one of the most infamous films of the decade. Second only to THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, FRIDAY THE 13TH opened on 1,127 screens across America on May 9, 1980 and would gross a staggering $39.7 million that summer. The film would actually outgross such high-brow thrillers as THE SHINING and DRESSED TO KILL. And cause many to sleep with the lights on.
Very much like HALLOWEEN used our childhood fascination and fears of the Boogeyman and trick-or-treating, FRIDAY THE 13TH also played off our childhood fears. We all know the woods can be scary. We all have fears of the dark, of being alone. For many kids, going off to summer camp for the first time can be traumatic. The movie works on all those fears, and I think that's part of its success and longevity. It taps into something primal. What I love about FRIDAY THE 13TH is that it presented the story of Jason Voorhees and his demented mother in a mythical tone already, as legend. I distinctly remember kids whispering hushed tales of Camp Crystal Lake on the playground, as if it all really happened. I remember my older cousins mentioning Mrs. Voorhees as a kid, trying to scare us younger ones in the woods. It worked.
Critics eviscerated FRIDAY THE 13TH- even the Catholic League of Decency placed this film on its list of movies not to see. (Which only made every kid in America want to see it...) Regardless of the critics, I still find it to be one of the strongest slashers to come out of that period. One of the main reasons why is Betsy Palmer. She turns in a bravura and underrated performance as murderous Pamela Voorhees- and adds a dash of respectability to the movie, like Donald Pleasance did in HALLOWEEN. She's actually only on screen maybe 20 minutes tops, but it's an unforgettable 20 minutes at that.Pamela Voorhees is one of cinema's great female villains, and should be celebrated as much. As great as Betsy was, Adrienne King is also quite wonderful as the final girl who barely survives the bloodbath at Camp Crystal Lake- her famed duel with Mrs. Voorhees is almost alone worth watching. Adrienne is the main role of the film, and in my opinion does a beautiful job. Good stuff, kiddos. (The rest of the cast is also quite good- everybody comes off as realistic and likeable. These were real actors- not polished models who only stand there looking good. We identified with these characters- it was us up there on the big screen, creeping around the dark camp trying to stay alive. Kudos to all of them.)
FRIDAY THE 13TH introduced some spectacular effects by Tom Savini, that to this day top most CGI effects in modern movies. Savini's work truly needs to be seen to be believed, it's that good. This film widely known and acclaimed for its deliciously imaginative murder scenes and special effects. And as if Tom Savini wasn't enough to brag about, some of the most recognizable and scary music in any horror movie was introduced to pop culture in 1980 by the great Harry Manfredini. This score terrified audiences and became as iconic as the scores to JAWS or HALLOWEEN- although why this score has never received a proper release is criminal!
FRIDAY THE 13TH was new, hip, and fresh to audiences in 1980. It's cinematic language spoke to us with its dark shadows, incredibly visceral and shocking murder sequences, and iconic musical score. Today, it's a part of our pop culture. Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and many of us who were scared silly by it back in the 80's have now gleefully passed it on to the younger generation. It is now a rite of passage to watch a FRIDAY THE 13TH film. It's truly like sitting around a dark campfire at night, telling your favorite scary story. In a twisted way, it has almost become as American as apple pie and baseball. Pamela and Jason Voorhees are to the 80's what Norman Bates was to the 60's, and Dracula and Frankenstein were to the 30's. I love this slasher, and I like to pretend that only the first four installments exist. It's better that way.
A made-for-tv movie was produced in 1976, starring Steve Railsback as Charles Manson. Although it was a well-done affair (despite some slightly over-the-top performances), it's still the best presentation of the book so far- even though it doesn't hold a candle to the book's overall creepiness. It became another tv production in 2004 with Jeremy Davies taking on the role of Manson. "Helter Skelter" is one of the most intense and fear-inducing stories I've ever come across- this is far scarier stuff than Freddy or Jason. Nightmarish and fast-paced, it never lets up its relenting sense of dread even for one second. I don't see how a fan of horror could not enjoy this book or movie. This is TRUE horror. If you truly want to be scared to death, start reading "Helter Skelter" late one night by yourself and see what happens. You'll be turning all the lights on before you know it. 
