It has always been my aim to live everyday like Halloween by celebrating individuality and creative freedom within a world of horror. ~ Sharon Needles

Happy Halloween Movies – Part 4

The final installment in my Halloween horror movie reviews. Please remember to check out my Happy Halloween reviews Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

A Haunting in Connecticut (2009) – Had never heard of this one before, it is being shown as part of the AMC horror movie month so I DVR’d it. No build up, this movie is a true horror flick. Highly suspenseful and seriously disturbing. There is something about this film, maybe the way it’s shot, maybe their making use of infrasound, but something is disturbing about this film. The set up, purportedly based on a true story, a family, due to a family member illness have to move into a house closer to the hospital. The house it turns out to be a former mortuary and the strangeness leaps off from there. This one, along with the Exorcist, is at the top of my list so far and so if you’re looking to freak yourself out, give it a watch.

1408 (2007) – John Cusack is cynical writer of paranormal literature. He combs the country visiting and staying in haunted locations and writes books about the horrors of these places although he’s never experienced anything himself. He’s drawn to New York and the Dolphin Hotel to stay in the mysterious and deadly room 1408. The movie is based on a Stephen King short story and shows up on a lot of best horror movie lists, another film I thought I had seen but I guess I just saw the trailers when it came out.

Daybreakers (2009) – Another movie I’ve known about for a long time and thought I’d seen but it turns out I haven’t . Ethan Hawke is a vampire and a blood researcher, the vamps have taken over and the humans are essentially cattle, except for a tiny resistance. Ethan is sympathetic as the blood supply is running out. A fairly formulaic film follows, not particularly scary, nor suspenseful. Technically a horror movie but not a very good one.

Christine (1983) – Another Stephen King classic, I hadn’t seen it in like 15 years, the premise itself is scary as hell. The idea that a car could both come to life and so enthrall someone that they no longer care about anything else, including a smoking hot Alexandra Paul, pre-Baywatch. But all in all it’s just kind of a fun horror movie. So looking for a fun movie yes, looking to be scared no.

The Hills Have Eyes (1977) – In 1977 this was probably fairly horrifying just because it was so damn weird and violent. But it’s basically just a movie about a bunch of people attacked by freaky cannibals in the desert. While I didn’t re-watch the modern remake this month, I seem to remember that film being more suspenseful.

It (2017) – Maybe the most terrifying single character ever created by Stephen King, the original mini-series was pretty terrifying when it first came out. The movie is updated, a little over reliant on jump cut scares but definitely has it’s moments. You can think of it as the Goonies meets Nightmare on Elm street. If you haven’t read the book, probably worth a watch.

Fright Night (1985) – A movie I really love, it’s absolutely nothing more than your basic vampire moves in next door movie. Of course the nerdy kid is the only one who realizes what is going on. But this movie includes an older science fiction icon, Roddy McDowell of Planet of the Apes fame. I loved those movies and as a kid actually got to be him, in full monkey costume at a car show, so he holds a special place for me. This is an absolutely well done and really fun movie, Chris Sarandon plays a great vampire.

Salem’s Lot (1979) – This two part mini-series is one of my all-time favorites. It’s a bit dated now, but it is nearly 50 year’s old and without a doubt there’s a good bit of nostalgia for me in watching it. Another Stephen King gem and one of my favorites of his works. Plus any film that stars half of Starsky and Hutch can be all that bad, absolutely not a fan of the remake.