Let There Be Fright: "(31) Days Later"

Monday, October 12, 2009

"(31) Days Later"

These are the reviews I posted of last year's marathon, entitled "(31) Days Later." I originally posted these on MySpace, which supported active links where ever a web address is typed. You'll have to cut and paste the address from here, using IMDB which has a USEFUL LINK, to the right.

This month I'm using my own impressive movie library to watch 31 horror (comedy horror, maybe some Hitchcock) movies in 31 days. I've always wanted to do this, so keep your shoelaces crossed for me!

1st - The Devil Walks At Midnight - 1971. French with over dub. Bus-load of tourists spend the night in haunted German castle. Apply accordingly. This may be the original "succubus" flick! Or maybe not but, it's visibly from the swinger era so, yo, bras and panties, why not!? Having the convenience of Alamo Drafthouse free midnight movies twice a week, has broadened my appreciation for this sort. If you need some culture, green light on the viewing. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067592/

2nd - Elvira, Mistress of the Dark - 1988. She's from the same troupe that brought us Pee Wee Herman, and it shows. I smell Ed Wood and John Waters. She's hot. She's funny. It's good. Read her bio if you can. It was my first Elvira experience, but it won't be my last. T'Do it. Aye! T'Do it. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095088/

3rd - The Undertaker and His Pals - 1966. Holy shit. I should have guessed when the back read "a cult black-comedy. .", this would be a trial. It's from the 60's so it has that beat-era feel, but nowhere near cool. The ladies are trendy-hot but not enough to carry this piece of shit. Honestly, the closing credits are the best part. Only 63 min. and still unbearable. Only 2 films have I ever wished would just fucking end. Well, now it's 3. You gotta be a pretty die-hard film gee. . . You know what, fuck it. Just skip this one. Click the link if ya want, (cut and paste) but don't ever watch this. Ever. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061140/

4th - Maniac - 1934 (yeah.). This is by a dude who's known for sexploitation movies ("Don't smoke marijuana, or else. .") though, I've never seen any of those. Influence is visible, but really, this one views like an Apocalypse* movie and it was really fun to watch, imagining all my old friends were playing all the roles. Bad accents, horrible cuts, poor lighting, fun dialogue, ridiculous script, great special defects, 51 min. running time, . . sounds terrible right? Exactly! Dude, pure Apoc! There definitely could be an Apoc re-make. It's a keeper! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025465/

(*Apocalypse Productions refers to a production company I used to enjoy, with a bunch of my friends when we we're in our 20's. We made movies and talk shows with our handicams. It was great.)

5th - Parents - 1988. This is a Vestron Pictures release (Ahh. . .80's VHS nostalgia. :) I love Vestron.). Set in atomic-era, Leave-it-to-Beaver suburbia, the sets and props are total eye-candy. Good pacing, fascinating direction, pleasantly disturbing writing, total WTF!? from open to credits, and a Randy Quaid on top! Watch it if you like any of the following combo's: The Adventures of Pete and Pete and DMT, The Shining and Tupper-ware Jello, The Wonder Years and a permanent psychotic episode, David Lynch does My Girl (or anything really), The Virgin Suicides and crack, Serial Mom and uhh. . . 2 Big Slams of Mountain Dew. Enjoy! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098068/

6th - From Dusk Till Dawn - 1996. Anyway, this was a treat to myself. I needed the break. Can't watch too many foreign, sub-genred, era-specific cult pieces without some good ol' trusty lil' numbers. Rodriguez is The Shit. Tarantino fucking owns you (me too, calm down.) and Clooney is my mutha-fucka. We've all seen it. Watch it again. Best line of the movie "They look like psychos? 'zat what they look like? They were vampires. Psychos!, Do not explode!, when sunlight hit's them. I don't care how crazy they are!" Yeee -ah! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116367/

Stay Tuned!

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History

I have a serious VHS library that I continue to grow and nurture. And, where videos are rarely more than 2 dollars nowadays and often times free, I collect them faster than I watch them. So, I created this annual marathon to get some of these lovely films watched. The event has turned out to be something to look forward to and I usually hold out on watching horror movies throughout the year, eagerly waiting for October. Once October hits I’m excited to watch all the movies I’ve saved up all year and I end up watching some amazing films in the most appropriate month. I look forward to it every year and I always have something to do on Halloween.

The first year I attempted the feat was 2007. I’d just moved to Austin and needed cheap entertainment. But, I’d set a few rules about the marathon that year, and along with trying to keep up a blog of reviews of the movies I was watching (back then, it was on my MySpace account), I didn’t make it to 31. On Halloween I had 7 movies to watch, but I had a great time. Some of the reviews from the first year are in the archives, below.

In 2008, I decided to give up on the reviews all together (though, because I’m always jotting something down, there are probably notes on the movies, in a notebook somewhere) and to hold only 1 rule: the movie had to be from my own collection. This made for regular outings to all the local second-hand shops throughout the month. Again, I didn’t reach 31 but I watched some great movies.

In 2009, I had a new apartment, a new tiny bedroom and a new reason to hole up and stay up late and watch scary movies all month long. In an attempt to reach that 31st viewing by Halloween, I ditched the idea of rules all together, meaning I could go to the theater, rent or watch my own videos, so long as they were thematic and within the month of October. I did do a little blogging and those reviews are listed by title, in the archives. Another important part of this year’s marathon is that my boss let me use the theater in the back of the coffeeshop I worked at, to close my marathon on the big screen with a handful of friends. The last movie I watched was the German film Dod sno (“Dead Snow”: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1278340/ )

2010 found me in my own apartment, living with no roommates, for the first time in my life. (I highly recommend this to anyone.) Rap records at 4am, minimal clothing, a self-structured cleaning schedule, and . . . horror movies at anytime, in any condition (especially all October long). It also marked the year that my boss let me go a step farther and host a 12 hour VHS marathon in the back theater, open and free to the public, as part of my own month-long marathon. It was a blast, a lot of people saw some amazing films and at the end I was invited to interview for a documentary called “Rewind This” by some local Austin film-makers. (You can view a trailer and donate to the effort here: http://www.rewindthismovie.com/ ) Alas, I only made it to 23 movies. I did jot some notes, but only ended up making a list to post in my notes on my Facebook account, Which I’ve posted. Anyway, something to reach for next year, no?

2011. Okay. This is the 5th year I’ve run this lovely gauntlet. Let’s get serious. No rules, notes only ticky-tacked in my phone, I’m gonna make it this year. So, despite leaving to Chicago for 4 days in the middle, I hit the ground running (I was able to kick off with a 4-movie Zombie-thon at the coffeeshop, complete with silk-screened fliers done by a friend, on her coffee table), doubled up on many days to give some breathing room, and . . . on Halloween, I watched The Texas Chainsaw Massacre as the sun came up, the 31st movie I watched this year. I made it. 31 movies in 31 days.

2012 finds me ready and willing. Thankful that this lovely month is upon us. While I can nitpick about details over last year, the goal this year is to see if I can post a few words about each film, regularly as I watch. Time will tell. Regardless, this event is now dear to my heart, and I hope you make the most of any of it as well, be it watching along, or just reading the rants and opinions of my ever-increasing palate for scary movies, adding your own 2 cents at will. Thanks for reading and Happy October! Now. . . .

Let there be fright!

Let There Be Fright

Monday, October 12, 2009

"(31) Days Later"

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