25 Days of Christmas 2014: Days 24 & 25

Day 24: Last Minute Gifts
Gotta run to the store for those last minute gift ideas, only to realize that the shelves are bare and you're in trouble for not preparing better. Yes, I've been there and I learned from this lesson.

Day 25: See Ya Next Year
Welp, Christmas has come and gone...
Soon a new year will begin and Christmas will be right around the corner, I hope you're ready.

25 Days of Christmas 2014: Days 16-23

Day 16 - Hanukkah Starts
I don't know much about Hanukkah or Chanukah (that should be proof enough) but I wanted to wish my Jewish friends a Happy one!
Day 17 - The Pains Of Christmas
Some folks have a tough time during this part of the year. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Include them in your festivities and let them know that they are in your hearts.
Day 18 - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
One of the classic Christmas shows that regular tv airs that all of the family will get together and watch. Along with...
Day 19 - Frosty The Snowman
And..
Day 20 - A Charlie Brown Christmas
These shows are incredibly awesome and everybody that I know loves them.
Day 21 - Christmas After Dark
Your significant other may look forward to Christmas for that special night with you because of the gift the have gotten for you to wear or vise versa. Either way, jingle those bells!
Day 22 - School's Out
Kids are ready for the break from school and for all the gifts they will get. The magic of Christmas can be seen in their eyes from day 1 and when they get that oh so special gift, it can makes the meanest of Grinches feel great.
Day 23 - Hanukkah Ends
Eight nights of gifts and all I get is one, I feel let down... LoL

25 Days of Christmas 2014: Day 11, 12, 13, 14, & 15

Day 11: Remembering Family

These are times when folks remember those that are no longer with us. If you're down due to missing someone who has passed, just remember that they would want you to enjoy your life and times with family and friends.

Day 12: Decorating The House

Like Clark Griswold, it's time to decorate the house with lights and setup some inflatables in the yard for Christmas! However you decorate all I ask is that you have fun with it.

Day 13: Holiday Parties

Whether it's the office party where Sally gets liquor'd up and sleeps with the new guy or if it's the friends yearly get together to toss back a few and catch up on good times. Just remember to designate a driver cause we wanna celebrate next year's party with you!

Day 14: Office Santa

If your office has a Santa or Secret Santa thing, don't buy toilet paper for the gift unless it's a gag gift. People get offended... or so I was told.
Day 15: Dressing Warmer

Bring out the long johns and the fleece pullovers because the temperature is dropping but the night is heating up, unless you're single. If you're single, get some liquor and you'll get the same feeling minus the hibbidy dibbidy. ;)

25 Days of Christmas 2014: Day 8, 9, & 10

Day 8: Christmas Music

Setting Pandora or iHeart Radio on a Christmas station and hearing a classic song by Johnny Mathis or Bing Crosby will fill you to the brim with the holiday spirit. The fun times shared with friends and family singing some traditional or made up Christmas songs is always a "wonderful time of the year" (Pardon the pun). It's a great feeling when you get together and just have fun singing and enjoying the season.

Day 9: Special Treats

Christmas candy is always sweeter and a bit more festive than other holiday candies. So many to choose from and always oh so good. Usually made from a family member passing the knowledge of how to make the treat while teaching a bit about the story of Christmas.

Day 10: Christmas Movies

Fun movies like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation are a tradition in my home. This along with some unconventional Christmas movies like Die Hard, Silent Night Deadly Night, and more are viewed just to mess with people. I love this time of year!

25 Days of Christmas 2014: Day 5, 6, & 7

Day 5: Stockings Hung With Care

Every year we hang stockings for ourselves and our pets. Filling them with little trinkets that we all can enjoy. Showing that we care by giving a little bit more than expected.

Day 6: Decorations On The Tree

The Christmas Tree is a symbol of hope and remembrance. A vision of the past and an outlook for the future. Lightning the tree is shining a light on the past, present, and future so we can look back, appreciate, and prepare for the good times ahead. Each ornament represents a fond memory of friends and family.

Day 7: Fireplace Memories

The crackling of kindling, the scent of cinnamon apple cider, special treats in the oven, and stories being told by the fireplace are great memories from my past. The family gathering together for special times, sharing stories, and enjoying the time together. To me these are the events and memories that make Christmas so special.

25 Days of Christmas 2014: Day 3 & 4

Day 3: The Joy Of Giving

Giving is a gesture that brings people together in a special, unique way. It's not that you are obligated to give someone a gift, it's that you want to give and share the experience with them. You don't have to give material gifts. You can give of your time, experience, and/or yourself.  Just saying...

Day 4: Being Thankful

It's amazing to me at how different people are during the holiday season. Some do not celebrate the same way that I do, yet are filled to the brim with thankful feelings. Some share in the celebration and are miserable for whatever reason. I try to keep a great outlook but it's difficult at times. I am however, thankful for all the things that are in my life and that I own. Some folks just can't be thankful for anything, even if it saved their lives. Try living a thankful life and positive thoughts will start coming your way. I will try as well.

25 Days of Christmas 2014: Day 1&2

Day 1: Getting Gifts

Every year there is more and more emphasis on getting the perfect gift for all the wonderful folks on your list. Some folks just want gift cards, while others want specific items, and then there are those that give you a budget on what to get them. All in all, the perfect gift is that you took the time to show them that you care by getting them a special item that would make them happy.

Day 2: Wrapping Gifts

I cannot wrap a gift to save my life. So if you get a gift from me and it's wrapped, just know I paid extra for it. The wrapping of gifts keeps the items a secret and the receiver may get flustered by the wrapping it's self. I have put small items in small boxes and wrapped them in kiddie paper with cartoons on them. I have also used gift bags as well as newspaper, just as a goof. The fun is seeing the person opening the gift and the smile of surprise as they see the item that they have wanyed for some time. That gives me goosebumps sometimes.  :)

31 Days of Horror 2014: Day 28 - 31 "Rest In Pieces"

Day 28 - Vamp (1986)
Vamp (1986) was another one of those teenage sex/horror film that was widely popular during the eighties. This is one of the better ones. Not a great movie mind you but it's entertaining and it does the job. Vamp stars Chris Makepeace, Robert Rusler (whats an 80's movie without him?) Gedee Wantanabe, Dee Dee Phiffer , Billy Drago and Grace Jones.

A group of late teens decide to go to the big city and look for some kicks. They find a seedy strip club, inside are a bunch of wigged out patrons, sleazy strippers and a Reinfried like bartender. Robert is fascinated with one of the strippers whilst Chris falls for one of the waitresses. Grace Jones co-stars as the main attraction. Billy Drago makes a guest spot as a crazy vampire who likes to slum it up in a kiddie corner. It doesn't take Chris too long to find out that the club has a dark secret and he tries to find a way out without drawing the attention of the owners. Can Chris and his buddies make it to safety or will they become part of the staff?

An entertaining film that was heavily borrowed in the nineties cult favorite From Dusk 'til Dawn. The similarities are too obvious. Tarantino must have had this movie in mind (along with about six others) when he wrote the script. I would have to recommend this movie for horror fans and lovers of eighties movies. Fun stuff with a lot of tongue in cheek humor!

On The Dean's List Scale:
Vamp (1986) gets
3- Strap me to a chair, this one's a "Shocker"!

Day 29 - Vampire's Kiss (1988)
Okay, so Nicolas Cage eats a real cockroach. So the majority of the people who've seen this film don't understand the plotline. So black comedy is new to a late eighties audience. These points are minimal considering the great lengths to which the filmmakers go to to reveal the downfall of a hideous relationship between two people. A relationship gone so wrong that the male has to commit himself to therapy and conversely...murder.

Imagine a relationship wherein the woman was so soul sucking, so evil in her ways that you now feel as if she has sucked you dry - literally and figuratively - you are left as nothing but (in this case) a shell of a man - a walking corpse, yearning for the life's blood that she has stolen from you through your very own veins!

Cage gives the performance of his career and should have received an Oscar as the twisted, quintessential jilted lover who now desperately tries to recapture the joy of his most passionate and influential relationship by revisiting the empty, vampiretic bar hopping lifestyle where he found her - working his way through subsequent women, then just as unsatisfactorily moving his way through rape, suicidal tendencies and ultimately, murder.

It's tone is unforgiving alternating comedy and tragedy, confusing us as to whether he is really a vampire or just thinks he is. By flipping from his therapeutic sessions to his bitter and pathetic reality we see just how badly his male ego has taken rejection.

Here is a film where the simple plotline of a man being bitten by a vampire and believing he has become one becomes one where we see a man disintegrating before us, sliding into madness because he is forced to face his empty life.

His obsessive attention to detail, penchant for house bugs, absence of reflection in the mirror and avoidance of sunlight all match the prerequisites for vampirism, but his clumsy attempts at finding another woman and to fill the void that is left by a woman put so far onto a pedestal he cannot reach are overshadowed.

This is not a film for the feint of heart but for anyone who has ever been screwed over by a woman they have loved (or imagined they did) this is a welcome little cult revelation that makes them laugh and brood at the same time.

On The Dean's List Scale:
Vampire's Kiss (1988) gets
3- Strap me to a chair, this one's a "Shocker"!

Day 30 - Once Bitten (1985)
This is a pretty bad 80's teen sex comedy with a vampire slant. It ‘s main attraction is an early appearance by Jim Carrey before he became a big star. Unfortunately the filmmakers seem unwilling to take advantage of his comic talents, forcing him to play it straight most of the time… What makes this even worse are the rich opportunities for him to exploit his particular brand of silliness in a movie with this premise… I mean, Jim Carrey turning into a vampire… that has potential., but for the most part, that potential is untapped.

However there are a few places where Carrey is allowed to showcase his comic abilities, and his talent is apparent… Particularly in a VERY ridiculous dance scene that has to rank right up there as one of the silliest (or stupidest) dance scenes I have ever encountered. This sequence is so crazy that I would almost recommend the movie based purely on the dance scene.

The rest of the movie is mostly bland and not so enjoyable… Lauren Hutton is a looker, but her part is pretty weak here. Carrey's two nerdy friends are supposed to provide most of the comic relief, but they aren't very funny. The story moves along very predictably and there is little or no urgency. It's not the kind of movie that makes you want to turn off the TV, but it's pretty forgettable.

Still…. It does have the dance scene, and there is a certain 80's nostalgia factor. It's worth watching if you catch it on TV and you have some time to kill.

On The Dean's List Scale:
Once Bitten (1985) gets
3- Strap me to a chair, this one's a "Shocker"!

Day 31 - Halloween (1978)
John Carpenter's Halloween is quite frankly a horror masterpiece. It tells the immortal story of escaped mental patient Michael Myers, who returns to his hometown on Halloween night to stalk and kill a group of babysitters.

This was the first and without doubt the best in the Halloween franchise. Carpenter shows great restraint in pacing the story very slowly and building likable characters; unusual for a horror picture.

Even more unusual is the non-existence of blood and gore, and yet it remains the scariest Halloween to date.

Halloween marked the film debut of Jamie Lee Curtis and a defining point in the late great Donald Pleasence's career. A true classic.

On The Dean's List Scale:
Halloween (1978) gets
5 - Great Scares Take "Shape"!

Happy Halloween!!!

31 Days of Horror 2014: Attack of the 26th and 27th Day!!!

Day 26 - A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)

When the Walsh's move to the Elm Street, the teenager Jesse Walsh (Mark Patton) has a creepy nightmare with a burned man wearing a glove with blades called Freddy Kruger (Robert Englund) that tells him that Jesse has the body and he has the brain. Jesse becomes close to Lisa Webber (Kim Myers), who also has a crush on him, and befriends his school mate Ron Grady (Robert Rusler), who tells him that his house had remained closed for five years since the former dweller Nancy Thompson that went to a mental institution after witnessing the death of her boyfriend on the other side of the street and her mother in the living room. Lisa finds the diary of Nancy hidden in a locker while Jesse is possessed by Freddy Kruger that uses him to kill his victims.

This sequel to the classic "A Nightmare on Elm Street" is underrated in IMDb. The story about possession is more romantic with the love of Lisa for Jesse, has plot holes but is also entertaining, with the use of great special effects. This movie is also the debut of Kim Myers, who has an impressive resemblance with Meryl Streep, in the cinema in a lead role. Again there is an open conclusion to give a sequel to the saga of Freddy Kruger.

On The Dean's List Scale:
A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985) gets
5 - Great Scares Take "Shape"

Day 27 - Ghostbusters (1984)

What's that you say? Ghostbusters, one of the most financially successful and over-hyped comedies of the eighties, underrated? Yes. Precicely because it was so over-hyped and made so much money, there has been a stigma attached to this film identifying it as a childish FX piece, when it is nothing of the sort. Most of the lines people remember("He slimed me," "OK. So? She's a dog," "When someone asks you if you're a god, you say YES!") are not its funniest or wittiest lines, which often are missed on first or even second viewing. I laugh every time I observe a gag or a quip that I somehow missed the other 20 times I viewed a scene; "Egon, this reminds me of the time you tried to drill a hole through your head, remember that?" "That would have worked if you hadn't stopped me", or, to the driver of a van from a loony bin, "Dropping off or picking up?" Brilliant.

Not only is Ghostbusters funny, it manages to include some truly scary scenes. And not just lose-your-popcorn moments like the fridge from Hell, but also scenes of quiet, thoughtful chill, like Egon's retelling of how the possessed apartment building came into being, or Winston recalling the Book of Revelation. Which other film has managed to combine the Marx Brothers with HP Lovecraft?

The special effects hold up well, besides some obvious studio sets and models, but what really creates this film's world is the stunning cinematography. Manhattan, perhaps the pinnacle of Gothic architectural evolution, is brilliantly utilised here to create a sense of menacing grandeur. After watching "Ghostbusters" I couldn't imagine the realm of the Old Gods opening into our world from anywhere else. The soundtrack is great, not the overrated theme (Which was in fact lifted from Huey Lewis' "I Need a New Drug"), but the wonderfully blusey "Cleaning Up the Town," the creepy proto-techno chiller "Magic" and also the wonderful score by the late and much lamented Elmer Bernstein.

On The Dean's List Scale:
Ghostbusters (1984) gets
5 - Great Scares Take "Shape"

31 Days of Horror 2014: Day 25

This, I have to say, was one of the better viral-zombie films I have seen. The plot was highly un-original, but extremely well made. The acting was powerfully preformed, the filming having many "diagonally tilted camera view" scenes, giving off more suspense, without the reliance on the overly used "scary music". Also, the addition of the alternate ending gave a strong closing to the film. This is the kind of movie that you end up feeling physically drained after seeing your first time. It will suck you in until the end, every time. I seriously recommend seeing this if you enjoy zombie films, you will not be disappointed.

On The Dean's List Scale:
28 Days Later (2002) gets
4 - I'm having a ball, am I in "Phantasm"?

31 Days of Horror 2014: Day 24

Friday the 13th. The movie which turned around the horror genre and gave us one of the most unforgettable villains and endings, is, and always will be a horror classic. Friday the 13th doesn't set out to be glossy and glamorous. Friday the 13th sets out to do what it wants to do; and that is, make you sit on the edge of your seat, feel uncomfortable and unnerved, to make you frightened when you go to bed after watching it. Friday the 13th delivers all of the fantastic horror goods. The plot revolves around American teenagers, who are the new counsellors at the apparently jinxed Camp Crystal Lake. These naive, horny youngsters have a one-track mind and break all of the innocent borders which has more depth than you would think. Basically, the message is "Don't have pre-marital sex, or you'll die" just like many of Friday the 13th's predecessors and clones send out as well. Friday the 13th has a variety of characters, all who you could possibly relate to. These characters are then slowly followed and hacked off one by one, in dark, gory, claustrophobic manners, which may leave you frightened in the same way Psycho made showers scary. As the camp counsellors are knocked off one by one, the tension rises higher and higher. Along the journey of carnage, the hugely effective soundtrack really creeps under your skin, highlighting how jumpy and scary the events happening on screen really are. For example when a chase scene occurs, the music may speed up, the tempo rising and jittering, almost moving like the characters on screen are. The acting in Friday the 13th is not bad at all; some of the actors/actresses may be a little amateur, but there is nothing terrible in this picture. The settings are also very effective. The stalkings and slaying in broad daylight and open spaces are a twist in a new direction, showing that not everything has to happen in the dark, in a small isolated house on the top of a hill, so the variation of location makes forests, cabins and even lakes more unappealing to the viewers afterwards, and may leave them creeped out by the aforementioned places. The camera-work is also very effective. The way the camera 'stalks' the victim behind trees and bushes, and the way the camera chases after it's victims as the point of view of the villain is unique and exciting, and adds a more tense and faster chill to the movie. Friday the 13th may play as a clichéd slasher, a story of sex equalling carnage, but it plays so effectively well it is a too important horror movie to simply be dismissed. It collects everything appealing about the 80's horror genre and wraps it up neatly into this fantastic horror package. A classic in it's genre.

On The Dean's List Scale:
Friday The 13th (1980) gets
5 - Great Scares Take "Shape"!

31 Days of Horror 2014: Triple Feature

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 21 - Sleepaway Camp (1983)

Robert Hiltzik's "Sleepaway Camp" is one of the most memorable slasher movies ever made.Of course the acting and dialogue are terrible,but writer/director Robert Hiltzik manages to create very creepy atmosphere throughout,the killings are original and gruesome and the ending is very shocking and twisted. Felissa Rose is marvelous as Angela,especially with her creepy stare."Sleepaway Camp" is a little bit different than your standard slasher fare-it's filled with strange and deviant characters,disturbing flashbacks and sexual subtexts. There is only a little bit of gore,still we do get an arrow through the neck,severed head,a bloody stabbing and death by hair curler. Overall,"Sleepaway Camp" is a fast-paced slasher flick with a wonderful central character of Angela.

On The Dean's List Scale:
Sleepaway Camp (1983) gets
3 - Strap me to a chair, this one's a "Shocker"!

Day 22 - Young Frankenstein (1974)

Zany spoof of the Frankenstein films with a superb script from Brooks and off the wall performances from Wilder, Boyle, Leachman and Kahn. Still, the funniest scene in the film belongs to Hackman, in an impressive cameo as the blind man (Bride of Frankenstein) who befriends Boyle's creature by offering him a cigar and...well, you can imagine the results. This was Brooks' best year; he had this and his other classic "Blazing Saddles," rolling together in the motion theatres. Audiences were definately rolling in the aisles and they still do.

On The Dean's List Scale:
Young Frankenstein (1974) gets
5 - Great scares take "Shape"!

Day 23 - Trick 'r Treat (2007)

"Trick 'r Treat" is probably what they intended "Halloween III" to be: A fun little horror movie that takes place at and revolves around Halloween. The episodic structure of the movie and the comic book background are reminiscent of George A. Romero's "Creepshow" and "Tales From The Crypt".

Although there is a certain amount of gore and some nudity this never feels like "hardcore horror", but more like a movie you could enjoy on a rainy afternoon with your kids... and that's a good thing. We've had so many shocking, violence-laden movies lately, that this is a very welcomed return to the more light-hearted, charming horror of our childhood.

"Trick 'r Treat" never strives to be special or meaningful. The episodes aren't especially original or disturbing, but director/screenwriter Michael Dougherty proves that you can breathe life into a horror movie just by taking it seriously, by putting your soul into it. The settings are atmospheric, the cinematography is inspired and beautiful. Some scenes are blatantly stolen from other movies (a scene that involves a little person slicing a grown-ups heel from underneath the bed is taken right out of "Pet Cemetery", then we got the hand with a life of its own, that we've all seen before in "Evil Dead II", the Addams family movies and even "Waxwork II: Lost In Time"). However, these moments seem more like respectful nods to the movies we enjoyed as kids.

"Trick 'r Treat" has got its heart in the right place. It's the perfect movie for Halloween. It's charming and lots of fun. Great to see that there are still people like Dougherty out there who make old fashioned horror movies like this one.

On The Dean's List Scale:
Trick 'r Treat (2007) gets
4 - I'm having a ball, am I in "Phantasm"?

31 Days of Horror 2014: Days 19 & 20 - Double Feature pt.3

Day 19 - Darkness Falls (2003)

I used to think Darkness Falls was a terrible movie. In fact, I used to say it was THE worst mainstream horror movie I had ever seen. I have to admit now that I was probably a little bit too harsh. It is, however, a film that massively disappoints and gets worse the nearer it creeps to its risible climax.

It's all about the Tooth Fairy, a vengeful spirit of a woman who used to give children treats for their lost teeth before she was badly burned in her life and then wrongfully hung by the residents of Darkness Falls many years ago. Many years later, she still gets around albeit wearing a porcelain mask to hide her burnt features and not wishing to be seen. If anyone does see her then they have to die. This fate befalls everyone except a young lad named Kyle who grows up to be a . . . . . young man named Kyle. Kyle is on a ton of medication and carries a bag of flashlights wherever he goes. Where he goes, for this movie, is back to Darkness Falls after a phone call from a childhood sweetheart imploring him to help her little brother, who is experiencing similar "night terrors" to those Kyle was diagnosed as having. The Tooth Fairy wants vengeance. And did I mention that she has to stay in the dark as any light damages her fragile skin/body? No? Well that is, obviously, quite important.

What's so frustrating about this film is that it has a genuinely fantastic opening 10 minutes. Watching it, and being scared in all the right ways, makes you think you're in for a real treat. That is sadly not the case and the longer the film runs the greater the disappointment becomes.

The acting is okay, the script is fine (with some decent one-liners in there) and the look of the movie is pretty slick (and I must say I really enjoyed the sound design too, some fine spooky noises are thrown in here) but the film's major failing is its inability to stay within the rules it has set for itself. The Tooth Fairy hates light, finds it damaging, and stays in the dark. She is even held at bay by a small hand-held torch. Yet, as things heat up, she is unharmed while pursuing people in the middle of a thunder and lightning storm and even pops up at one point in a lighthouse. The clues are in the words there and things just seem flat when such well-prepped limitations are then broken. Never mind the fact that whenever The Tooth Fairy has a choice of victims, including the boy who has evaded her for so many years, she manages to pick Disposable Extra Number 2 and you may well groan as I did while the bubble of hope you had for this movie first deflates and then bursts. Now I know that horror movies are often unbelievable and/or illogical but I always believe that any film should stay within the rules of the universe it has provided us and this one simply does not do that.

Not the worst mainstream horror of recent years, but only worth seeing for the first half and, especially, those opening 10 minutes.

On The Dean's List Scale:
Darkness Falls (2003) gets
3 - Strap Me To A Chair 'Cause This One's A "Shocker"!

Day 20 - The Purge (2013)

From the producers of Paranormal Activity (as is all horror films these days) The Purge tells the story of a near future were crime is at an all time low and unemployment stands at under 1% of the US population, to compensate for one night a year all crime (including murder) is legal for 12 hours allowing society some kind of release.

The film revolves around the Sandin family who are confronted by a group of college students hunting a man on the night of the Purge who the family had allowed into their home after lockdown. The Purgers (lead by Rhys Wakefield) drastically try to break into the family's home causing James (Ethan Hawke) and Mary (Lena Headey) to protect their children from the invaders in order to survive the night.

The main problem with the film is the premise itself, whilst interesting is filled with flaws and holes that just make the whole idea ridiculous. Such as what happens to the serial killers and career criminals of this world? Do they just control their urges to kill or steal for the other 364 days until the next Purge, as well what if someone has a heart attack on the night of The Purge? Is it just a case of bad luck you chose the wrong night to need medical care?

Despite the flaws of the premise, the film repeatedly ignores the possibilities of the premise, instead of exploring the ideas behind the Purge or the events that occur on the night of the Purge from different perspectives and situations. Instead the film settles for a typical home invasion story that although done well, is nothing we haven't seen done in many other films. The Purge in the end seems to only be the premise of this film to stop the age old question of "Why don't they just call the police?" in home invasion films.

To the films credit it is quite subtle, there's a running theme that the Purge is just an excuse for the upper classes to exterminate the poor, driven by all the attackers wearing prep school blazers and the person they are chasing wearing dog tags around his neck. The film also contains some strong performances, especially from Ethan Hawke (Training Day, Lord of War) and Lena Headey (Dredd, Game of Thrones) who carry the film throughout. The film also has a twist near the end which allows the audience to get inside the heads of the people during this night.

That can't be said for the leader of the Purger's played by Rhys Wakefield (Sanctum, Home and Away) whose performance is slightly cringe worthy, he's trying to be psychotic yet in control of the proceedings but it just comes across as an amateur dramatic version of The Joker. He just never seems like a real threat and just a creepy next door neighbor.

The film also contains some bizarre and just plain weird set pieces, such as the families' son who builds a spy camera on a chard baby doll on the top of a rhino tank from Warhammer 40,000. The thing looks like a demented contraption from Sid's bedroom in Toy Story.

Overall, The Purge is an OK home invasion film, there are moments of suspense and a couple of jump scares are effective. The wasted potential of the premise is the films main downfall which could have lead to a more effective and possible original film then what we got in the end.

On The Dean's List Scale:
The Purge (2013) gets
3 - Strap Me To A Chair 'Cause This One's A "Shocker"!

31 Days of Horror 2014: Day 18

"Silent Night, Deadly Night" is one of the most bizarre movies I've ever seen. For the most part, I really don't like this film. But for some odd reason, I don't hate it. This movie has sort of grown on me a bit. This movie caused a big controversy back in 1984 when it was released (many movie theaters refused to release this and the theaters that did release it were picketed) because of it's portrayal of a killer Santa Claus. I remember hearing on the news that TV stations refused to show commercials of this on TV because they feared that it would frighten young children. That was a wise move because this movie is definitely not for children! I've never seen this movie air on a TV or cable station, and it's been over 15 years since this film was made! But really, what were these filmmakers thinking of when they made this? "Silent Night, Deadly Night" is a movie where just about every murder scene made me cringe. However, some of the murder sequences in the film were strangely fascinating. I don't know why. Another asset is that the movie is never boring. It entertained me, in spite of itself. But it's not up there with my slasher favorites "Halloween", "Friday the 13th", and "Scream". "Silent Night, Deadly Night" has lackluster performances, wooden direction, and an incredibly absurd script. And it features without question the meanest Mother Superior in movie history!

On The Dean's List Scale:
Silent Night Deadly Night (1984) gets
3 - Strap Me To A Chair, 'Cause This One's A "Shocker"!

31 Days of Horror 2014: Day 17

Two orphaned boys, Mike (Michael Baldwin) and Jody (Bill Thornbury) notice some strange things happening at Morningside Mortuary. Bodies are disappearing from coffins; a lady in lavender has sex with men in the graveyard and then stabs them to death; little midgets in brown cloaks (making sounds like lions) are roaming about and there's a flying silver orb with spikes that embeds itself in people's heads! And then there's the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) overseeing it all...Soon Mike, Jody and their friend Reggie (Reggie Bannister) are fighting for their lives...

The story is pretty thin (and REALLY out of whack at the end), the acting dismal, there's no characterizations or depth and some of the special effects are horrible but...this is STILL a classic horror film. It takes a while to get going (nothing much happens in the first half hour), but when it does there's scarcely a letup. Action leaps into high gear, there's some fairly graphic gore (including the now infamous flying sphere killing), there are plenty of scenes guaranteed to make you jump and the music score is very spooky...right up there with "Halloween". Also some of the special effects are impressive (considering there was no budget). Also Bill Thornbury is an attractive man and there's gratuitous male and female nudity. What's even more surprising is Don Coscarelli wrote, produced, directed AND edited this at the age of 24! He's never matched it since and all the sequels really suck...but this stands alone as a classic. A must-see for all horror fans. Also Scrimm is EXCELLENT (and damn scary) as the Tall Man.

Trivia: This was awarded an X rating FOUR TIMES because of the sphere killing...Coscarelli went all the way to the head of the ratings board who overturned it and gave it an R--a rare occurrence that the ratings board kept in a gore scene!

On The Dean's List Scale:
Phantasm (1979) gets
4 - Am I In "Phantasm"? 'Cause I'm Having A Ball!

31 Days of Horror 2014: Day 16

True, the special effects aren't so special these days. True, the girl with the braces brings tears of laughter rather than terror. But nonetheless, this movie remains a creepy gem from my young days... Everyone misses the point that the real 'star' of the movie is the house! The building is both attractive and sinister - truly gothic in the importance of the setting. Whether the story is true or not, if you want a movie to snuggle on the couch in the dark, eating popcorn, feeling the thrill of a ghost story scare, this is one for you.

On The Dean's List Scale:
The Amityville Horror (1979) gets
5 - Great Scares Take "Shape"

31 Days of Horror 2014: Day 15

World War Z is a zombie outbreak movie that supposedly bases itself on the amazing book of the same name by Max Brooks. What this movie truly is, is a shamefully mediocre attempt to create a movie that appeals to the widest audience possible. Pee established fan base from the book? Check. Star power (this is Brad Pitt)? Check. Focuses on intensity rather than horror and gore to not alienate non zombie fans? Check. Safe, young PG 13 rating? Check. All the makings are here because this is what the big Hollywood studio wanted. Despite the fact this movie doesn't resemble the book at all, it appears that those attached to make this movie tried to make a decent movie such as the visually interesting director Marc Foster who wanted to make a movie with a message which would emulate the tone the book was going for. However, the big studio disliked this and demanded rewrites and re-shooting that damaged the relationship between the director and Brad and results in a quick, intense action movie that lacks the character development and messages it needed to be a truly memorable movie because almost every one of those scenes were cut so much to the point that central characters get barley any lines. While the action scenes are intense and enjoyable on their own and Marc Foster adds style to the lack of substance but its just not enough to save this movie. While it is better than it had any right to be thanks to Marc, it needs more and it lacks in crucial substance. However from the reviews and box office reports it appears Hollywood has succeeded in creating a successful marketable movie that everyone will eat up and it will be too late when we all get the nasty aftertaste.

On The Dean's List Scale:
World War Z (2013) gets
2- Freddy could kill me cause I fell asleep!

31 Days of Horror 2014: Day 14

Let me take a breath... Never have I had such a visceral physical reaction to a film... ever. Not even with Elem Klimov's Come and See. In the last fifteen minutes I was nearly physically paralyzed, and then started shaking, realizing how numb my body was... and I am dead serious. Frank Darabont's adaptation of Stephen King's novella goes heads above a 50s/60s monster movie homage. This is grade "A" chilling, terrifying, unsettling and utterly hopeless cinema in line with the most cynical and depressing classics from the 70s. The Mist itself and the monsters it brings are just the appetizer here. As all good horror should be, this explores the ultimate enemy, ourselves. In short one of the most beautiful, thrilling and terrible times I've had at the movies.

To elaborate, it isn't a pitch perfect film... Some of the CGI at the beginning is weak, and there are a few lines that can't escape the genre, but other than that this is a home run in every department - The performances (especially from Toby Jones and Marcia Gay Harden), the ingenious hand held camera, which is never used as a gimmick. The sound design, the lack of an underscore... This lends to the great atmosphere and tension Darabont builds. I'm sure you can guess by now this isn't schmaltzy, sentimental Darabont here; this is an angry, maniacal man that rears his head and shouts, "Everything is lost!" and then shoots you in the gut. Any fan of Stephen King, The Twilight Zone or Ray Bradbury, will greedily devour this with a great big grin on their face, then feel very sick but so damn happy and then throw up.

On The Dean's List Scale:
The Mist (2007) gets
4 - Am I In "Phantasm", 'Cause I'm Having A Ball!

31 Days of Horror 2014: Day 12 & 13 "Double Feature"

Day 12: House On Haunted Hill (1959)

Forget the awful, senseless remake, the original 'The House On Haunted Hill' is one of the most entertaining and enjoyable chillers of all time. William Castle's over the top camp style is an acquired taste for many, but once you enter into the spirit of things you're in for a wild, fun ride. The legendary Vincent Price is in his element here as the cynical millionaire trapped in a loveless sham of a marriage, and Carol Ohmart, who I have only ever seen in the cult classic 'Spiderbaby', is a knockout as his tough as nails "better half". Their haunted house party guests, led by the much loved character actor Elisha Cook, Jr ('The Maltese Falcon' ,The Killing',etc.etc.), are well cast and amusing, and the whole thing is a hoot! I recommend this movie to all horror fans. It is quite possibly the single most entertaining horror thriller of the 50s. Supremely silly but still scary at the same time. Great stuff!

On The Dean's List Scale:
House On Haunted Hill (1959) gets
4 - Am I In "Phantasm"? 'Cause I'm Havin' A Ball!!

Day 13: Carnival Of Souls (1962)

Not many people know of this film, surprisingly--this is one of the most intelligently constructed and atmospheric horror (for lack of a better term) movies of all time. Whenever I do run across someone else who has seen this film, there is an instantaneous, unspoken understanding in regards to the enduring creepiness of this film.

My first viewing of Carnival Of Souls occurred when I had inexplicably awoke in the middle of the night as a boy and switched on the TV. I had missed the opening minutes, but was powerfully drawn into the story. I sat transfixed until the shock ending, and think I just stared until after the sign off and following screen static. The next day I was not entirely sure I had actually watched this film or dreamed it--nobody else had ever heard of it and I never did catch the title (for some reason, its never shown much). Needless to say I was creeped out for days! Films that can affect one's sensibilities like this are golden! Find it and watch it in the middle of the night--alone.

On The Dean's List Scale:
Carnival Of Souls (1962) gets
5 - Great Scares Take "Shape"!

31 Days of Horror 2014: Day 11

Ah, finally a horror camp classic that deserves to be called a horror camp classic. Re-Animator is one of those fun horror movies that is so over the top that it is just a lot of fun to watch, kind of like the spectacular Evil Dead films, although not quite to that same level of skillful horror/comedy mix. Ironically enough, I think it should be a testament to the quality of the rest of the movie that it is able to work so well despite prominently featuring a soundtrack that is a naked rip-off of the Psycho soundtrack. It's amazing to me that Richard Bond, the music composer, didn't think anyone would notice him plagiarizing one of the most famous movie soundtracks in cinematic history, but luckily everyone else in the production was right on the mark.

Jeffrey Combs delivers a wonderfully crazy performance as Herbert West, the scientist in the movie who is determined that he has discovered a scientific method to beat death, and is desperate to try it out on a human being rather than small animals, on whom he has had remarkable success. He is playing a completely one-dimensional character, a genius scientist whose mental capacity is also tinged with madness, but which is counterbalanced by the fact that he may very well be desperate to try something potentially immoral but which could also potentially revolutionize medicine. Maybe his intentions are good after all, but for the purposes of the film, he just wants to get his hands on some fresh corpses, which is a great premise for a horror film.

The movie operates in its own world, like the Evil Dead films did. It takes place in the horror genre but wants to combine some elements of drama as well, as we have a real scientist who is truly brilliant. He is still in medical school, I believe, but is often smarter than his often-published professors, criticizing their work for being incorrect or even plagiarized. He's very quick to make enemies, I would think his line of work might be easier the less people he had watching him, so it's unfortunate that he was so good at making people not like him. Mere days after he rents out a room from a couple of other students, they find their cat dead in his refrigerator. I hate it when new roommates do that.

There is plenty of gratuitous nudity in the film, and while I appreciate nudity as much as the next guy, I don't like it when it drives a weak film, and that is certainly not the case here. There is a graphic and highly disturbing nude scene three quarters or so through the film that made me literally cringe and turn my head, not because of gore but by the sheer disturbing idea of it, it was awful. But the thing that I loved is that that scene fits in with the rest of this movie so well. It is all about too much gore and too much blood and too much nudity, but also lots of laughs. This is a perfect example of how much fun scary movies can be.

On The Dean's List Scale:
Re-Animator gets
3 - Strap Me To A Chair 'Cause This One's A "Shocker"!

Model: Sarah Claxton / Photographer: Lucinda Costner

31 Days Of Horror 2014: Day 10

This must be one of the greatest movies of all time. I found myself almost in a state of shock during the whole movie. Everything was perfect. The story was great, the filming was pure genius and the effects directly from another dimension.

I don't think any movie after this one have gotten so much out of the available effects of the time as this one. Nowadays they have super computers generating special effects. Sure they look good, but it's no big deal making them. Back in 1926 computers weren't even invented yet, all effects had to be done by hand or in simple editing. And when you take a look at all the thins that have been done in this movie, it's impossible not to get impressed. Huge buildings, explosions, flooding, picture phones (however did he come up with the very idea?), transformation sequences, robots and so on. No movie has ever pulled the limits of special effects as much as this one. Star Wars and Jurassic Park are also known as limit pullers in special effects, but they don't even come close.

Then you have the filming. Everything is perfect. The use of body language is tremendous, the light setting perfect, everything well timed and perfectly captured by the camera. I've never been witness to such a treat in filming other places.

And the story!!! Perfect in every detail. Intriguing, exciting and thrilling with lots of religious undertones and tyranic leaders. No wonder Hitler liked this movie...

All in all. This is one of the most perfect movies of all time, and it deserves anything it can get.

On The Dean's List Scale:
Metropolis gets
3 - Strap Me To A Chair 'Cause This One's A "Shocker"!

31 Days of Horror 2014: Day 9

This movie is not so much about aliens who are hiding among us, but instead it taps into the deeply submerged suspicion held by most of us that we are being manipulated and taken advantage of by the elite of American society, by our leaders, by the rich, etc. Also, we sometimes feel that we are manipulated and programmed (in a subtle way) to respect hierarchical authority ( e.g., the "OBEY" subliminal command from the movie).

Some leftist thinkers might say that human societies are in a way being parasitized by the elite of their societies, and that the elite operate as a parasitic sub-society, living off of the lower classes. America might be said to be operated more in such a fashion (i.e.,
parasitized by the elite) than are the countries of western Europe. Obvious examples of this parasitic behavior are the "golden handshakes" and backscratching exchanged between corporate CEO's and the Boards of Directors of their companies. But it is far more pervasive than just that.

They Live uses the invisible alien elite as a proxy for our suspicions about how we are all being exploited by the elite of our real-life society, and how these elite are subtly programming us to accept this exploitation.

So, the major theme of the movie is not, as another poster correctly pointed out, about being manipulated to be good little consumers in a crassly commercial world. No, it is far more profound than that. Instead, it is more about how the working class Americans in They Live are being exploited by the elite upper crust, who, in the movie, happen to be aliens, but who, in the real world, are a subsociety that use their collective power to exploit the rest of us.

Unfortunately, this movie sometimes has an unintentionally comic air to it. Still, the exploration of that theme is so rare in pop culture, and that theme is so profound, and reaches so far into what American society is, was, and is becoming, that this movie is a Must-See for anyone with an interest in politics and sociology.

On The Dean's List Scale:
They Live gets
3 - Strap Me To A Chair 'Cause This One's A "Shocker"!

Model: Brooke Peterson / Photographer: Tonya Cinnamon

31 Days Of Horror 2014: Day 7 & 8 - Double Feature

Day 7 - American Psycho
'American Psycho' is NOT a slasher movie. It is a depiction, a fantasy if you will, of the life of modern man and his place in society.

Nothing is enough. Money, sex, social stature, there is always someone else who has more and everyone else expect from you to try harder for even more.

This movie is about eliminating competition the easy way. By killing your opponents. By eating your sexual partners. By destroying everyone around you.

'American Psycho' retains the balance between this psychotic state, a chilling thriller and a very funny movie.

The scenes that show Patrick playing music for his guests are absolutely hilarious, as he comments very seriously on records by artists such as Whitney Houston, Phil Collins and Huey Lewis & the News. The funny thing is that he chooses the most commercial or sold out records of these artists, to explain how much better they are compared to their previous, more artistic work. Another message of the state of the receivers of commercial art.

You can analyze 'American Psycho' for hours. It can be perceived both as a deep and a fun movie. Even if you don't like the story, you will love Christian Bale's excellent performance.

Enjoy.
On The Dean's List Scale:
American Psycho Gets
5 - Great Scares Take Shape

Day 8 - Night of the Living Dead
A wave of mass murder sweeps across America as the recently dead return to life to kill and feast on their victims. A group of people board themselves up in an abandoned house to try and hold out against a small army of the undead. This is the classic low-budget horror film that is the model for recent hits such as the Evil Dead and The Blair Witch Project. George Romero stages a national disaster but reduces it to a single house for greater effect. The story focuses on the weaknesses of each of the characters in the house - their cowardice, their greedy, their stupidity etc. This makes the drama inside the house almost as palatable as the danger from outside and makes the characters more believable and important.

The undead are not huge works of special effects, nor are they anything other than lumbering beasts. But the threat they pose is well demonstrated

the film makes them feel unstoppable and relentless and makes their


lingering presence more menacing and less comical than it could have been. The use of an unknown cast also makes it more realistic as none of them have any baggage. Duane Jones is the standout actor as Ben - who is not without flaws himself.

The downbeat, realistic atmosphere to the film gives it a greater sense of tension and continues right through to the very depressing conclusion. An excellent flagship for low budget horrors.

On The Dean's List Scale:
Night of the Living Dead gets
5 - Great Scares Take Shape

31 Days Of Horror 2014: Day 6

I first saw Blade with my girlfriend at the time, her best friend, and my best friend at a local theater. I loved the movie and not because of the whole "I'm with my girlfriend" thing. It was a movie that grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go. However, the girlfriend did let go of me shortly after this "date".

Blade is considered an action movie and not of the horror genre. I disagree with this and did my research on the character as well as the "horror genre". Blade, being half vampire, is the only proof that one would need to justify the "horror" aspect. The old monster movies of Frankenstein and Dracula are also evidence in this argument. "But it's a comic book movie!" True, it is based on a comic book, but have you not seen Dracula in comic books?!?

The fact that Blade is half human/half vampire gives the horror prestige to this film and the following sequels. There isn't a lot of scares in this but, it does have some gore (CGI'd, but still). I recommend this to anyone that is a vampire movie fan as well as horror geeks like myself.

On The Dean's List Scale:
Blade gets
4 - Am I In "Phantasm"? 'Cause I'm Having A Ball!

Model: Brooke Peterson / Photographer: Tonya Cinnamon

31 Days of Horror 2014: Day 5

A pair of teenage girls are headed to a rock concert for one's birthday. While trying to score marijuana in the city, the girls are kidnapped by a gang of psychotic convicts.

I have seen a fair number of movies with unpleasant subject matter and repellent characters, but I have never despised any film as much as this one. I think it may be a perverse testament to its impact that even reminding myself " it's only a movie" doesn't help. I've read all the arguments in its favor and seen a TV interview with Wes Craven talking about the impact of the Vietnam war on his direction, and I still cannot think of one positive thing to say about it.Even the equally vile I Spit On Your Grave wasn't as disturbing as this. For me, there is not one redeeming feature about this movie...zero.

On The Dean's List Scale:
Last House On The Left (1972) gets

4 - Am I In Phantasm? 'Cause I'm Having A Ball!