Day #1
The Keep
Scott Glen being weird; Jurgen Prochnow and Ian McKellen being intense; Gabriel Byrne being an sturmzatzgruppen-ass
The Hidden
Michael Nouri being intense; Richard Brooks being awkward; Chris Mulkey and William Boyett being cardboard; Kyle McLaughlin being…well…Kyle McLaughlin McLauhglin
THIS is why I love living in the PNW 
*
Day #2
Island of Terror In which we see Ed Judd not being informed this will not lead to an Academy, Carole Gray hugging, well, everyone, and Peter Cushing giggling incessantly and generally not taking himself or anything in this film seriously (which is one of the many reasons why we love him).
Agriculture has run amok on Petrie Island where local inhabitants have cross bred Horta’s with soft-shell tortoises resulting in a bovine apocalypse…that is all…
PS: do not look too closely at the creature’s noodly appendages lest one spies some strings…just sayin’
Day #3
Terrore nello Spazio (Terror In Space versus Melchor’s Planet of the Vampires…?!?)
To be fair - although copious cheese - this is actually a really good SciFi flick.
You can see how it influenced films like Alien (the shape of the alien spacecraft, the size of the anciet alien artefact and body, etc.).
Directed by Mario Bava on a shoestring budget a lot can be forgiven whereas Melchor’s American adaptation (including the ridiculous title that has nothing to do with the film) cannot.
The ambience of the Italian original is solid.
Antonio Rinaldi’s cinematography is very good and Maranuzzi’s soundtrack is outstanding.
I read the short-story by Renato Pestriniero some time ago and it’s worth the read.
Day #4
The House by the Cemetery
There aren’t even words…well, that’s not true, Time Out kinda nailed it when they stated the film was “a hack-work of almost awesome incoherence.”
DEFINITELY a film to watch if there you’re in a MST3K state-of-mind; otherwise, you’ve been warned…
I assume you mean the English dub?
I quite like this one. This reviewer (braineater.com) does a pretty good job of explaining it:
Language-wise yes, but I believe Melchior himself was tasked for the treatment writing from AIP wasn’t he…?
I really liked Braineater’s commentary - content and writing (font not so much ) – so I really appreciate the link.
I should qualify my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves in a MST3K kinda way and I do see what they were trying to do plot-wise.
But DAAAAMN it was clunky and often oncoherent in presentation!
I mean, honestly, some of the best SciFi and horror viewing experiences are from “bad” films!
Thanks for that link…I’m going to check out more of the reviews there.
Oh, I think I understand now. You mean Melchior’s adaptation of the original story to screenplay. I thought you were referring to an alternate version of the film.
Melchior may not deserve blame there, though. Giving Tim Lucas’ All the Colors of the Dark a quick skim, it seems that there were at least three different attempts at a screenplay with each team (or individual) ignoring what was written before. Melchior was in the middle and his efforts were read but allegedly ignored by the final(?) writers Alberto Bevilacqua and Callisto Cosulich.
Thanks was wondering really…elsewhere his stuff is really good…
Day 5 and 6
Day #5
The Stepford Wives
A classic really. Love Katharine Ross and Paula Prentiss (and not just for their outfits ).
Definitely slow burn and ya kinda know what’s coming but what a send up of suburban life!
Day #6
Cat People (1942)
Musuraca’s cinematography and Lewton’s direction make this the classic it is.
So many intense scenes based on - IMO - Lewton aiming for sparse and simple to convey the effect.
There are some great aspects of the 1982 Schrader remake (the cat tree and Bowie’s title track song); but, the original nails it.
Day #7
Dead and Buried
This is a ‘so bad its good’ film…honestly wife and I had so much fun making fun of this film.
Silliness of the film - and James Farentino’s overacting - aside, I was really surprised just how many familiar people were in this movie.
Farentino may have been the star in the film but Robert Englund, Melody Anderson, Jack Albertson, Lisa Blount, Michael Currie, Christopher Allport, Barry Corbin, Michael Pataki, Glen Morshower
Day #8
Isle of the Dead Boris Karloff as General Nikolas “The Watchdog” Pherides
Clunky film but its always a pleasure to watch Karloff in non-montser roles…he’s so compelling: his presence, voice, demeanor…could watch him all day. Val Lewton’s touch is all over this film.
Helene Thimig (as Madame Kyra), Katherine Emery (as Mrs. Mary St. Aubyn) and Ernst Deustch (as Doctor Drossos) were outstanding supporting actors.
Standing out in this film - Karloff aside - is the score by Leigh Harline who took some influence from Rachmaninoff’s Isle of the Dead
Day #9
Dead Space 1991
That is all…
Day # 10 and 11
Recovering from Dead Space and The House by the Cemetery ( ) we opted for a definite win so re-watched IT Chapters One and Two.
There are just so, so many awesomely wonderful things about these two films. Such clear love of horror film making and some wonderful homages (“You gotta be fucking kidding!”).
But whether in your face or lurking in the background Bill Skarsgård is just freaking awesome as Pennywise.
Granted amongst so many amazing scenes the Bob Grey scene is amongst my favs if for no other reason than it highlights just how incredible Skarsgård is (granted so does the audition tape).
Skarsgård in Castle Rock drove this presence and ability home IMO
Day #12 and 13
Day #12
Going with safe again!
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark This is another one of those films where everyone involved clearly loves horror irrespective of it being good, bad and/or ugly!
Day #13
One Cut of the Dead
Okay, so this was one of those finds that always makes me glad I do #31DaysofHorror every year.
This was brilliant: campy, cheesy, tongue-in-cheek and hilarious and clever all at once.
This was So much fun to watch!
It’s like Inception for camera crews
Days #14 and 15
Day #14
Mad God Phil Tippett’s 30 year (!?!) stop motion project.
This is visually stunning! It’s a bit meandering but IMO totally worth watching if for nothing other than the effects and creations, visual ambiance, and occasional homage/easter egg (Ray Harryhausen creatures, etc.) hidden within.
Day #15
In the Mouth of Madness
Such a good film. Carpenter’s films always have those good one liners and In the Mouth of Madness doesn’t disappoint
