Black Sunday (1960)

Black Sunday (1960)

Actors:

Barbara Steele, John Richardson & Andrea Checci

Director:

Mario Bava

Runtime:

87 minutes

Plot:

A vengeful witch and her fiendish servant return from the grave and begin a bloody campaign to possess the body of the witch's look a like descendant.

Trailer:

Review:

This movie came highly recommended by a lot of people. This is a classic atmospheric film that made Barbara Steele a Horror Scarlet. Director Mario Bava's finest work as well as his first credited work launching his career. The original title was "The Mask of Satan." Everything about this movie was incredible from the set designs and wardrobe to the lighting. 

This is a MUST SEE for horror fans and is one of the best made horror films to date.

Jason X (2001)

Jason X (2001)

 

Actors:

Kane Hodder, Lexa Doig, Jeff Geddis

Director:

 James Isaac

Runtime:

 1 hr 31 minutes

Plot:

 Jason Voorhees returns with a new look, a new machete, and his same murderous attitude as he is awakened on a spaceship in the 25th century. 

Review:

Jason meets SciFi?? The government captures Jason and finds out they cannot kill him, so they cryogenically freeze him. A few hundred years later, scientists find his body along with another female and decide let's defrost them, on a ship in outer space.  Jason starts his killing spree. At one point,  Nanites come into play, yes nanites. 

The effects in this are second rate at best and the plot is weak. This is Jason killing in space with no real plot or storyline. And yet this somehow it is still better than Jason takes Manhattan.

Top 10 Friday the 13th Deaths

Top 10 Friday the 13th Deaths

Normally, I would list these in order of what I thought was their order. This time while I can decide that these are the top 10 of the complete franchise, I have great difficulty picking the order.  So I will list the top 9 in no specific order and at the end list my first and second places.

WARNING! (ADULT CONTENT)

Pamela Voorhees- Friday the 13th (1980)

Eddie -  A New Beginning (1985)

Trey - Freddy vs Jason (2003)

Deborah - Jason Goes to Hell  (1993)

Adrienne - Jason X  ( 2001)

Doug - The Final Chapter (1984)

Amanda - Friday the 13th (2009)

Jason Voorhees - The Final Chapter (1984)

2. Jason Voorhees -(Friday the 13th (2009)

 

1. Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger - Freddy vs Jason ( 2003)

 

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter  (1984)

Actors:

Erich Anderson, Judie Aronson, Peter Barton

Director:

Joseph Zito

Runtime:

1hr 31 minutes

Plot:

 After being mortally wounded and taken to the morgue, murderer Jason Voorhees spontaneously revives and embarks on a killing spree as he makes his way back to his home at Camp Crystal Lake.

Trailer:

Review:

 Does Jason Finally meet his match in Little Tommy Jarvis?  This is one of my favorites in the franchise, still a bit campy but a tad step up from the first 3, with a different kind of hero in the end.  Jason is resurrected from his brief stint in the morgue. The gore and blood are turned up for this installment. Special effects are top notch (for its day) done by Tom Savini. The body count reaches a new high and the nudity and sex are on their way up as well. 

If you only see one sequal, The Final Chapter is the one to watch.

Friday the 13th part 2 (1981)

Friday the 13th part 2   (1981)

Actors:

Betsy Palmer, Amy Steel, John Furey

Director:

Steve Miner

Runtime:

1hr 27 minutes

Plot:

 Mrs. Voorhees is dead, and Camp Crystal Lake is shut down, but a camp next to the infamous place is stalked by an unknown assailant. Is it Mrs. Voorhees' son Jason, who did not really drown in the lake some 30 years before? 

Trailer:

Review:

In this film, Jason takes over where Mommy left off, killing everyone that gets in his way. This time it's a camp counselor training center on Crystal Lake. We even get to see the town crazy again. Jason, all grown up, wears a sack over his head, as he has yet to get his mask. And one of the few times in the series you actually see Jason's face.

This is a slasher film through and through that turned Jason into an horror icon.

Friday the 13th (1980)

Friday the 13th (1980)

Actors:

 Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King & Jeannine Taylor

Director:

Sean S. Cunningham

 Runtine:

1 hr 35 minutes

Plot:
A group of camp counselors is stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant while trying to reopen a summer camp which, years before, was the site of a child's drowning. 

Trailer:

 Review:

 This movie sets up the basis for the rest of the series, especially "Freddy vs Jason."

The music is iconic almost everyone knows it or has heard it as one time or another. Most of the kill shots are in the first person camera mode, making sure you don't really know who's killing until toward the end of the movie. The acting isn't bad, but the town crazy might have been a bit over the top. 

Keep in mind that Friday the 13th was a low-budget film. The movie spawned 11 movies including a reboot, which mean Jason's legacy will continue to live in the hearts of horror fans.Paying attention to the details is what I do. that being said, why is there a deadbolt on the inside of the pantry other than giving a character a place to hide?

If you have seen the reboot and not the original, SHAME on you! lol

 

My Bloody Valentine (Original vs Remake)

My Bloody Valentine
Original	Remake
1981	2009
Actors: Paul Kelman, Lori Hallier & Neil Affleck	Actors: Jensen Ankles, Jaime King & Kerr Smith
Director: George Mihalka	Director: Patrick Lussier
Run Time: 1hour 30 minutes	Run Time: 1hour 41 Minutes
Comparison: Both films are mindless slasher movies with buckets of gore and blood. The storylines are very different while both having a miner serial killer in town. The original is and will continue to be a cult classic and one of the best in the sub genre of slasher horror films. While the remake, well is forgotten by the wayside. Not for it's cast but for the film itself. I would recommend the original but if you want to see the true difference watch the remake.

Amityville Horror (Original vs Remake)

Amityville Horror
Original	Remake
1979	2005
Actors: James Brolin, Margot Kidder & Rod Steiger	Actors: Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George & Jesse James
Director: Stuart Rosenburg	Director: Andrew Douglas
Run Time: 1hour 57 minutes	Run Time: 1hour 30 Minutes
Comparison: Both James Brolin and Ryan Reynolds played the lead role well and they both happen to be smokin' hot in their versions. The original was by far more intense than the remake but that doesn't mean that the remake lacked in any way. You cannot compare the special effects in either film to the other, IMO they were both on point and well done. I prefer the original to the remake for its intensity factor alone.

Halloween (Original vs Remake)

Halloween
Original	Remake
1978	2007
Actors: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis & Tony Mason	Actors: Malcolm McDowell, Tyler Mane & Scout Taylor-Compton
Director: John Carpenter	Director: Rob Zombie
Run Time: 1hour 31 minutes	Run Time: 1hour 49 Minutes
Comparison: While both versions are well made in their own right, some will have a favorite. Special effects have come a long way since the 70s and while I personally love practical effects more than cgi, the remakes cgi was impressive. The stoylines between the two are similar in many ways and yet so very different, the remake gives more of a background of Michael growing up in a mental hospital. The cast of both films were impressive and cannot be compared. This is one of those you just have to choose for yourself, it's all a matter of taste. I would recommend both versions.

Fright Night (Original vs Remake)

Fright Night
Original	Remake
1985	2011
Actors: Chris Sarandon, William Ragsdale & Amanda Bearse	Actors: Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell & David Tennant
Director: Tom Holland	Director: Craig Gillespie
Run Time: 1hour 46 minutes	Run Time: 1hour 46 Minutes
Acting: I was not impressed with the acting chops in this version. Lack luster casting.	Acting: With the cast being made up of accomplished actors as it is the acting in this one out ranked the original.
Effects: There wasn't really that many effects to   be honest and the few they had were okay.		Effects: Both practical and cgi effects were used in this and well done at that but nothing you haven't seen before.
Intensity: The intensity was lacking in this version, but a lot of mid 80s horror did.		Intensity: Higher than average intensity but not thru the roof.
Review: Hands down over all the Remake wins special effects, better storyline and casting. Over all the remake was a much better movie than the Orginal.

The Fly (Original vs Remake)

The Fly
Original	Remake
1958	1986
Actors: David Hedison, Vincent Price & Patricia Owens	Actors: Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis & John Getz
Director: Kurt Newmann	Director: David Cronenburg
Run Time: 1hour 34 minutes	Run Time: 1hour 36 Minutes
Acting: For me was not that impressive as a matter of fact it was ordinary for the 50s & 60s.	Acting: Jeff Goldblum shined in this version and played his role like only he could.
Effects: Not that the 50s had the best special effects but even for it's day this film lacked for quality effects.		Effects: In the 80s, special effects were starting to evolve and this film was (imo) very much in the forefront of that evolution.
Review: While both films had the same basic plot, the storylines itself separate these two movies. To me, there is a clear winner between them, the remake.

The Wolf Man (Original vs Remake)

The Wolf man
Original	Remake
1941	2010
Actors: Lon Chaney Jr., Claude Rains & Evelyn Ankers	Actors: Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins & Emily Blunt
Director: George Waggner	Director: Joe Johnston
Run Time: 1hour 10 minutes	Run Time: 1hour 43 Minutes
Acting: This version has a lot of well known actors and it shows.	Acting: This film has an all-star cast and almost guarantees it's success.
The gradual transformation of human to  wolf man in this film was well done (for the 1940s). Atmosphere, lighting and such were the  major effects for this film and done well.		Lighting, sets, plot, storyline & effects were all on point. This film IMO is one of the best made horror films done in the past 10+ years.
Review: Both leading men played Lawrence Talbot in different ways but both played the part extremely well and made the part their own. The reboot kept to the original wolf man makeup look which speaks volumes. Both versions are worth seeing and I would recommend seeing both. In this reviewer's eyes there is no clear winner or looser between these two.

Nightmare on Elm Street (Original vs. Remake)

Nightmare on Elm Street
Original	Remake
1984	2010
Actors: Robert Englund, Johhny Depp & Heather Langenkamp	Actors: Jackie Earl Haley, Rooney Mara & Kyle Gallner
Director: Wes Craven	Director: Samuel Bayer
Run Time: 1hour 31 minutes	Run Time: 1hour 35 Minutes
Acting: IMO there will only be one Freddie (Robert Englund), he made this character an Icon. A few young up-incomers ,like Johnny Depp, made the teenagers real.	Acting: Being honest, I have never cared for Jackie Earl Haley and this film shows you why. Other than that we have some namers and up-incomers that for the most part played their roles well.
Effects: In terms of 1984, this film  accomplished wonders in terms of practical  effects.		Effects: Freddie makeup was jacked up plain and simple. A lot of the effects as the original were done via CGI and it shows in not such a good way.
Intensity: 30+ years later this film can still scare  a first time viewer.		Intensity: Not even intense on today's standards. Lack luster horror.
Review: Hands down over all the Original wins with Robert Englund defining the Freddie role, special effects team accomplishing new effects. When the original is this good it's hard to beat or even come close to replicate its success. I personally have been avoiding watching the remake since it's release and would not recommend anyone wasting their time on the remake.

The Haunting (Original vs. Remake)

The Haunting
Original	Remake
1963	1999
Actors: Julie Harris, Claire Bloom & Richard Johnson	Actors: Liam Neeson, Owen Wilson & Lili Taylor
Director: Robert Wise	Director: Jan de Bont
Run Time: 1hour 54 minutes	Run Time: 1hour 53 Minutes
While you don't actually see any ghosts in this version, all the lighting, sound effects make this a scary film with brilliant camera work.	The special effects on this film had their hands full with this one. The practical and cgi effects were near perfect in this version of the film.
Review: Both Julie Harris and Lili Taylor played the lead female character brilliantly. Casting on all accounts was outstanding. While the original was more so of the book the films were bases on than the remake. The remake is a visual movie while the original was more of a psychological movie. Both are good in their own rights.

          

London Voodoo (2004)

London Voodoo (2004)

Actors:

Doug Cockle, Sara Stewart & Grace Sprott

Director:

Robert Pratton

Runtime:

1 h 39min

Plot:

A young man relocates his family from New York to London. There his wife discovers a new sexuality and power that threatens to tear apart his family.

Trailer:

Review:

An independent British film. While you can see the film makers have talent, it's frustrating to see it compromised by the lack of funding. The ideas of this film you can tell come from Omen and Amityville among others. I've seen it all before and was not told it in a new way as to actually make me like it.



Motel Hell (1980)

Motel Hell (1980)

Actors:

Rory Calhoun, Nancy Parsons  & Nina Axelord

Director:

Kevin Conner

Run time:

1h 41 min

Plot:

Vincent Smith (Rory Calhoun) and his sister Ida (Nancy Parsons) run a rural hotel, but they earn most of their cash operating a food stand that specializes in world-famous sausages. After years of success, however, the duo's upstanding brother, Sheriff Bruce (Paul Linke), eventually discovers the grotesque details of his siblings' booming business: Vincent and Ida are actually plumping up their hotel patrons, killing and dismembering them and then grinding them into frankfurters. 

Trailer:

Review:

A good old fashioned 80s cult classic horror.  This is a comedy as well, you'll laugh with this one. One person described this as "Texas Chainsaw" meets "The Beverly Hillbillies". It has  been underrated by critics but any horror fan will like if not love this film. I'm not saying it doesn't have it's faults but you overlook them.

Highly recommend watching.

The Mummy (1932)

The Mummy (1932)

Actors:

Boris Karloff, Zita Johann & David Manners

Director:

Karl Freund

Run time:

73 minutes

Plot:

During a British Museum-sponsored archaeological expedition to Egypt led by Sir Joseph Whemple, the recently discovered mummy of a high priest, Im-ho-tep, comes to life and walks away into the desert night. Ten years later a new expedition led by Sir Joseph's son, Frank Whemple, find the tomb of Princess Anck-es-en-Amon, Im-ho-tep's long lost love. In order to revive her completely, Im-ho-tep requires Helen Grosvenor to die so he can revive her and make her a living mummy like himself. 

Trailer:

Review:

This is a classic for a reason and still to this day  is the best mummy picture of all (IMO). Everything about this is at top performance even for this day in age. This movie is all atmosphere. The detail of focusing on Karloff's eyes and the way he pulled off the threatening character carry this film. To me this is the best of the classic horror genre.

If you have not seen The Mummy you must!

The Ape Man (1943)

The Ape Man (1943)

Actors:

Bela Lugosi, Henry Hall & Wallace Ford

Director:

William Beaudine

Run time:

64 minutes

Plot:

Conducting weird scientific experiments, crazed Dr. James Brewster, aided by his colleague Dr. Randall, has managed to transform himself into a hairy, stooped-over ape-man. Desperately seeking a cure, Brewster believes only an injection of recently-drawn human spinal fluid will prove effective. With Randall refusing to help him, it falls to Brewster and his captive gorilla to find appropriate donors. 

Trailer:

Review:

One of the rarer viewed Lugosi films. This is not one of his best films by far. Plot and stoyline (for lack of a better word) sucked. The only real effects are glued hair to Lugosi. Not worth the 64 minutes to watch.

King of the Zombies (1941)

King of the Zombies (1941)

Actors:

Dick Purcell, Joan Woodbury & Mantan Moreland

Director:

Jean Yarbrough

Run time:

67 minutes

Plot:

 On a spooky island, three stranded travelers find an evil doctor working with foreign spies and in control of zombies. 

Trailer:

Review:

For warning: zombie movies from this era are not flesh eating, they are more of the voodoo variety zombies. That being said, this movie should be more popular than it is as far as classic horror is concerned. Everything in this works well: acting, lighting and plot. This moved onto my must see classic horror list.

Frankenstein meets the Wolf Man (1943)

Frankenstein meets the Wolf Man (1943)

Actors:

Bella Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr. & Ilona Massey

Director:

Roy William Neill

Run time:

74 minutes

Plot:

Grave robbers open the grave of the Wolf man and awake him. He doesn't like the idea of being immortal and killing people when the moon is full, so he tries to find Dr. Frankenstein, in the hopes that the Dr. can cure him, but Frankenstein is dead and only his Monster is alive and this one wants to live, not to die like the Wolf man. 

Trailer:

Review:

A sequel to "The Ghost of Frankenstein" and "The Wolf Man", Universal's first clash of the monster films also considered to be the last great universal horror of it's time. You get the best of both Lon Chaney Jr. and Bela Lugosi in this film. The studio didn't hold back on special effects or makeup with this one. I loved the storyline in this MUST see classic.