To celebrate Halloween I am going to try & watch one horror film or thriller I have never seen before every day for the entire month of October.*

*Chances are I will watch 31 over the course of 31 days but some days I might watch none & other days I might binge & watch 3.

I am kicking things off with WAXWORK. I am assuming it is sort of like a less evil Yankee Candle.

How can you not trust a guy dressed like Willy Wonka?

WAXWORK

I like that the story and structure of WAXWORK make it a sort of anthology of short stories with a great wraparound story tying them all together. It is clever and very well executed.

It is crazy problematic (& possibly some sort of Freudian slip) that included in the horrors that come to life at the WAXWORK are a werewolf, a vampire, a mummy, the Marquis de Sade, a maniac killer and an African warrior?!?!

WAXWORK

Zach Galligan has a great one liner in WAXWORK that is like something Ash would say in ARMY OF DARKNESS.

WAXWORK

WAXWORK

WAXWORK is a very fun and surprisingly gory 80's creature feature that makes great use of its premise with some enjoyable practical effects.

Recommend pairing options for WAXWORK.

BILL & TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE
WEIRD SCIENCE
HOUSE
MANNEQUIN

I didn’t find the creamsicle scented candle I was looking for at WAXWORK but I did get to kill a werewolf and shoot a vampire bat in the face!

For my second film MORTUARY.

After a strong start with a De Palma like slow motion opening the film making has been no where near as dynamic or inspired.

MORTUARY features Christopher George & Lynda Day George both from the crazy Spanish Giallo PIECES, however the high point has been a magnetic performance from a young Bill Paxton.

MORTUARY

MORTUARY

MORTUARY

MORTUARY is a little uneven and takes a while to hit its stride but it finishes strong and sticks the landing. It also has some nice cinematic touches and some great looking use of shadows in the night time sequences.

Who wore it best?

MORTUARY

Recommended pairing options for MORTUARY.

PIECES
PHANTASM
NEAR DARK
SCREAM

Tonight's AEW premier will be part of a historic week for professional wrestling in honor of the show my number 3 film is the WWE production SEE NO EVIL staring pro wrestler and current Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee Kane aka Glenn Jacobs.

For those that don't follow pro wrestling Glenn Jacobs is a hulking giant of a man that was originally introduced as an evil dentist named I Yankem before being repackaged under a mask as a sort of supernatural monster & brother to undead themed wrestler The Undertaker.

SEE NO EVIL

I love that SEE NO EVIL feel likes somebody saw THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE and was like "Leatherface is cool but can he bench 3 bills?"

SEE NO EVIL

I liked SEE NO EVIL way more than I expected. It is ridiculously gruesome in some pretty funny ways and has one of the best post credit sequences in the history of cinema.

Recommended pairings for SEE NO EVIL.

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 3
THE HILLS HAVE EYES (2006)
THE DEVIL'S REJECTS
SESSION 9

After watching a movie from the prestigious WWE films banner you all are probably wondering “What’s next an Ingmar Bergman film?” Well you are right!*

*Seriously, good guess. How did you know?

For my 4th film I brave the HOUR OF THE WOLF.

HOUR OF THE WOLF

Not only is HOUR IF THE WOLF haunting but I found it incredibly sad.

HOUR OF THE WOLF

Recommended pairing options for HOUR OF THE WOLF.

LOST HIGHWAY
MOTHER (2017)
CAT IN THE BRAIN
DONNIE DARKO

For my 5th film I go from the creeping madness of HOUR OF THE WOLF to Dennis Villeneuve’s ENEMY.

ENEMY

ENEMY

ENEMY is a cryptic but rewarding psychological thriller that is beautifully crafted.

ENEMY

Recommended pairing options for ENEMY.

SISTERS
UNDER THE SILVER LAKE
KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS
DOUBLE IMPACT

*ENEMY actually makes a great pairing with HOUR OF THE WOLF.

Death doesn’t take a day off. Up next for my 6th film WEEKEND MURDERS.

I love the bombastic filmatism of WEEKEND MURDERS. It feels like an Agatha Christie mystery directed by Sergio Leone. It is full of dramatic camera zooms and angles with countless extreme close ups and stylized editing.

WEEKEND MURDERS

WEEKEND MURDERS

WEEKEND MURDERS is a fun and stylish whodunnit.

Recommended pairing options for WEEKEND MURDERS.

CLUE
BAY OF BLOOD

So far my 31 days of unseen horror is off to a good start. There have been a number of films that deal with madness, and others that have featured the occult, werewolves, vampires and a pro wrestler/mayor.

It is not a horror film or thriller but it is full of monsters and the supernatural, up next as a bonus HELLBOY (2019).

HELLBOY (2019)

One thing I like better about HELLBOY (2019) compared to the GDT versions are the monsters are horrific and disgusting in this version. GDT romanticized the monsters in is his version they were more fantastical than scary.

HELLBOY (2019)

The CGI in this is pretty inconsistent. There are effects and creates that look impressive then there are others that are ugly & disappointing. It all feels unfinished like the film makers ran out of money before the effects could be completed.

HELLBOY (2019)

HELLBOY (2019)

I know HELLBOY (2019) was panned on its release & it is a flawed movie with some bad CGI but I thought it was fun.
This might be an unpopular opinion but I enjoyed it more than either of GTD’s films. I am not saying it’s a better movie but I found this version more to my liking.

Recommended pairing options for HELLBOY (2019).

THE PREDATOR
THE MUMMY (2017)

After a brief action horror interlude we return to our regularly scheduled programming with film number 7 the very specifically titled THE LIVING DEAD AT THE MANCHESTER MORGUE.

THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE

THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE

THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE

THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE

THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE is a good entry in a crowded genre. Zombie fans that are unfamiliar with it should check it out.

Recommended pairing options for THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGE.

CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD
SHAUN OF THE DEAD
28 DAYS LATER

Up next a more recent zombie movie. Coming in at number 8 the Korean kingdom is plagued by the undead in the period horror film RAMPANT.

RAMPANT

RAMPANT

RAMPANT is extremely similar to the Netflix Korean period zombie series THE KINGDOM. I wonder if they are based on the same source material. I need to do some research.

RAMPANT has some moments of suspense and plenty of carnage but it is more of a fantasy action film than a horror movie.

RAMPANT

Recommended pairing options for RAMPANT.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN VAMPIRE HUNTER
THE GREAT WALL
BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF
TRAIN TO BUSAN

I am going to keep this run of zombie films going in my quest to watch 31 unseen scary or spooky movies in 31 days. Up next another international entry, this time from Japan.

Quiet on the set! For my 9th film ONE CUT OF THE DEAD.

ONE CUT OF THE DEAD

The film making in ONE CUT OF THE DEAD is really impressive! It is very clever and inventive.

ONE CUT OF THE DEAD

ONE CUT OF THE DEAD was not what I was expecting but I loved it. The film making is great and it is just so much fun.

Recommended pairing options for ONE CUT OF THE DEAD.

WHY DONT YOU PLAY IN HELL?
BE KIND REWIND

After a run of 3 straight zombie films in my 31 days of unseen spooky movies I am shifting gears to another sub genre I enjoy familial horror. There is something truly scary about living with evil & it comes in all forms. It could be grandma, a parent a sibling or your own child.

I watched DOGTOOTH thinking it might be a good example of familial horror, but it isn’t a horror film or thriller. It is more of a shocking & disturbing pitch black satire.

DOGTOOTH

Recommended pairing options for DOGTOOTH.

WE ARE THE FLESH
UNLEASHED
BLAST FROM THE PAST
EX MACHINA

I am more confident my next film is a better example of familial horror.

What’s worse the monsters under your bed or the ones raising you? Up next at number ten, PARENTS.

PARENTS

PARENTS

PARENTS has a colorful & bright artificial sitcom aesthetic that subversively highlights the dark subject matter in a clever way. It also has some surprisingly dynamic film making with some haunting dream sequences & fantastic camera work that would make Argento proud.

Recommended pairing options for PARENTS.

SOCIETY
SPELLBOUND
NATURAL BORN KILLERS
HEREDITARY

Up next at number 11 another dose of familial horror with GOODNIGHT MOMMY.

GOODNIGHT MOMMY

GOODNIGHT MOMMY

There were parts of GOODNIGHT MOMMY that were so tortuous I found them hard to sit through but it is a well crafted creepy & tense slow burn that builds to a disturbing & violent climax.

GOODNIGHT MOMMY

Recommended pairing options for GOODNIGHT MOMMY.

DEAD RINGERS
FACE/OFF

After the brutal torture of GOODNIGHT MOMMY I could use a change of pace.

Some one is hunting high price call girls. Up next at number 12 and in honor of the passing of Robert Forster (RIP) I investigate THE BANKER.

THE BANKER

THE BANKER

The titular Banker hunts his victims with an awesome crossbow with a laser scope. The is an amazing part where he blows up a car with a flaming explosive arrow like he was Rambo.

THE BANKER is great fun. It elevates what would be a derivative by the numbers thriller with some enjoyably ridiculous touches. The killer feels like a villain from an episode of WALKER TEXAS RANGER.

Forster is great in THE BANKER, he has a charming deadpan wit and some funny one liners.

THE BANKER

Recommended pairing options for THE BANKER.

AMERICAN PSYCHO
HARD TARGET
10 TILL MIDNIGHT
FEAR CITY

Up next at number 13 I party like there is no tomorrow with HAPPY DEATH DAY.

Who wore it best?

FOUR FLYS ON GREY VELVET/
HAPPY DEATH DAY

HAPPY DEATH DAY

HAPPY DEATH DAY is a fun twist on the slasher genre.

HAPPY DEATH DAY

Recommended pairing options for HAPPY DEATH DAY.

THE FINAL GIRLS
GROUNDHOG DAY

After having so much fun reliving the same day over & over with HAPPY DEATH DAY I am back for more punishment with film number 14, HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U.

HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U

I love the big swing HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U takes with it’s premise and how it continues the GROUNDHOG DAY style story from the first installment.

HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U

HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U is more of sci-fi film than a slasher, but it is great fun.

Recommended pairing options for HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U.

REAL SCIENCE
SPIDER-MAN INTO THE SPIDERVERSE

With the body count piling up from my 31 days of unseen horror and suspense films I turn to religion for comfort. Pray that I survive movie number 15, THE CHURCH.

THE CHURCH

THE CHURCH

THE CHURCH is a great example of how Italian exploitation cinema predicted how modern blockbusters would be made, it feels like they came up with some spectacular set pieces and sequences then wrote the script after the fact linking them together.

THE CHURCH

Recommended pairing options for THE CHURCH.

DEMONS
THE BEYOND
INFERNO
GHOSTBUSTERS

*I know GHOSTBUSTERS seems like an odd choice but they would go great together. They are both about ancient architecture that is a portal to unimaginable evil that could bring about the end of the world.

Up next at number 16 I take a stroll through THE FOREST OF LOVE with Sono Sion.

#sidebyside

DEEP RED / THE FOREST OF LOVE

THE FOREST OF LOVE

Recommended pairing options for THE FOREST OF LOVE.

MAN BITES DOG
FARGO

THE FOREST OF LOVE was so gruesome, crazy and unpredictable I am not sure I liked it but I can’t stop thinking about it. Maybe I am just traumatized from the experience.

Watching all these horror movies has me rattled I might never be the same. Up next I turn to a master of the genre to help me understand what I am going through, coming in at number 17 Argento’s TRAUMA.

TRAUMA

TRAUMA

TRAUMA

TRAUMA is not as colorful or flashy as some of Argento’s best films but it’s still features dynamic camera work and some stylish but brutal kills. I am surprised it is not brought up more, I think I might prefer it to OPERA.

Recommended pairing options for TRAUMA.

RAISING CAIN*
THE STENDHAL SYNDROME
8 HEADS IN A DUFFEL BAG

*check out the re-edited version released on Blu if possible. Both are good, but the recut better reflects De Palma’s original vision. I prefer it.

After watching the Argento Directed TRAUMA & THE CHURCH which he produced I follow it up with another of his productions. Next at number 18 WAX MASK.

The part where the gloved giallo villain dressed all in black* (in the middle of the day) paddles a little boy eating cotton candy in rowboat around was unintentionally hilarious.

WAX MASK

WAX MASK is advertised as a project Argento developed with Fulci for him to direct but Lucio passed before the project started shooting so Dario turned to regular collaborator and special effects artist Sergio Stivaletti to direct.

I wonder what Fulci’s version of WAX MASK would look like. Stivaletti does a nice job with the effects but the film lacks atmosphere and could have used Lucio’s skilled touch for creating dread and suspense.

WAX MASK

this bit ripping off THE TERMINATOR was delightful.

Recommended pairing options for WAX MASK.

WAXWORK
OPERA

I thought the WAX MASK was going to be some sort of facial skin treatment designed to clean out your pores, boy was I wrong. It was just more dead people & with the bodies piling up I need some place to store them. Time for a stop at the MAUSOLEUM.

MAUSOLEUM

MAUSOLEUM

MAUSOLEUM

This painting from MAUSOLEUM is amazing.

MAUSOLEUM is a wacky & horny good time.

Recommended pairing options for MAUSOLEUM.

EVIL DEAD 2
PROM NIGHT II HELLO MARY LOU
THE EXORCIST
DEMON WIND

After starting my journey to watch 31 unseen horror films for the month of October with WAXWORK & MORTUARY & more recently watching WAX MASK & MAUSOLEUM it feels like I am going crazy, trapped in a HAPPY DEATH like loop of horror films giving me an extreme case of deja vu.

Watching all these spooky movies has me suffering from DELIRIUM.

DELIRIUM

You know a movie is going to be sleazy when it opens with nude centerfold pictures during the open credits.

DELIRIUM

There is a kill in DELIRIUM that involves a pitch fork and swimming pool that feels very influenced by THE PROWLER.

DELIRIUM

DELIRIUM is so 80's it features a suspenseful sequence set in a brightly lit department store with an aggressive electric guitar soundtrack.

DELIRIUM

DELIRIUM feels like a giallo made for the Playboy channel with an MTV aesthetic. Most of it is pure sleaze but there are some odd but enjoyable ambitiously artistic flourishes.

Recommended pairing options for DELIRIUM.

THE WASHING MACHINE
PLAYBOY VIDEO CENTERFOLD

During my quest to watch 31 horror films in October I have encountered countless killers & maniacs, demons, creepy twins, a pro wrestling mayor, a werewolf, vampires and visited 2 wax museums. Next I look at add to the list with a couple horror anthologies. In at 21 BODY BAGS.

It’s hard not to watch the second story from BODY BAGS about Stacey Keach struggling to come to terms with going bald without thinking of Trump.

BODY BAGS

There is an impressive amount of fun cameos by horror icons in this.

BODY BAGS

Instead of making my usual pairing recommendations for BODY BAGS I am hoping my next film another horror anthology will fit the bill. Up at number 22 TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE THE MOVIE.

I am pleasantly surprised to have inadvertently stumbled into a Debbie Harry horror anthology double bill with BODY BAGS & TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE THE MOVIE.

TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE THE MOVIE

TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE THE MOVIE does go great with BODY BAGS, throw in VIDEODROME and you have one hell of a Debbie Harry horror triple feature.

Up next I continue my ascension to madness with number 23 THE LIFT.

THE LIFT

I love the idea of an evil killer elevator. It is my kind of absurd.

THE LIFT

I love that THE LIFT takes a serious approach to a ridiculous premise.

Recommended pairing options for THE LIFT.

PLUSE
THE TERMINATOR

Technology is dangerous but so is Mother Nature. Up next at number 24 CRAWL.

There is a scene early in CRAWL where the main character descends into the basement of their old family home that features shots & an aesthetic that are homages to the scene were Ash first enters the basement in EVIL DEAD 2. It’s a nice nod to Rami who is a producer on this one.

Like some sort of unholy zombie this thread is back from the dead to lumber on.