FINAL GIRL explores the slasher flicks of the '70s and '80s...and all the other horror movies I feel like talking about, too. This is life on the EDGE, so beware yon spoilers!

Oct 9, 2013

SHOCKtober: 230-221



These films received one vote each!

230. [REC] 2 -- 2009, Jaume Balaguero & Paco Plaza
229. Santa Claus -- 1959, Rene Cardona
228. Gargoyles -- 1972, Bill L. Norton
227. The Giant Behemoth -- 1959, Douglas Hickox & Eugene Lourie
226. Ghost Ship -- 2002, Steve Beck
225. Sisters -- 1973, Brian De Palma
224. The Town That Dreaded Sundown -- 1976, Charles B. Pierce
223. May -- 2002, Lucky McKee
222. The Witches -- 1990, Nicolas Roeg
221. In My Skin (aka Dans ma peau) -- 2002, Marina de Van

I had no idea that Nicolas Roeg directed The Witches. Mind, I've never seen it, but seeing his name attached surprised me. That's a great story, I know.

I love the Ghost Ship phenomenon, which is that a lot of people like it but they're nearly all completely ashamed to admit it. Usually it's deflected with a "but I only like that opening scene in the ballroom, I swear!" It's okay, guys. Like what you like! You will only be judged a lot because Internet. Look, here's a confession: I'm not nearly as goo-goo over May as most people seem to be. Judge me as you will!

In My Skin should get more love because holy hell, it's as brutal and terrific as any other modern French horror movie.

GUESS WHAT when I looked up The Town That Dreaded Sundown on imdb.com (I couldn't remember the year it was made, okay, I'M SORRY SUE ME), there was an entry for a 2014 version of the film. It's being remade, I had no idea because I don't pay attention to horror news anymore because why should I? But anyway. I also no longer get worked up over the idea of remakes because at this point, everything in the world has already been either improved, marginally improved, or shit all over by a remake. I suppose I simply never expected this little movie to be remade. As long as the death-by-trombone-with-a-knife-attached scene remains, I'm fine with it.


7 comments:

Chris Otto said...

Gargoyles! Uber-creepy made-for-TV movie. Slow-motion gargoyles in Stan Winston suits. Bernie Casey's voice! The early scene where the characters are trapped in a barn that becomes surrounded by gargoyles is about as scary as it gets for a low-budget TV movie.

Nathan West said...

HA! Santa Claus (1959) has some good ol' fashioned nightmare fuel in it. Love that somebody chose that.

Chris Reynolds said...

I was the one who voted for "The Witches". I was taken to see it at the cinema not long after I had turned seven and it terrified me. I thought I'd be able to get through it after the scenes where all the witches reveal themselves, but then the Grand High Witch fried an insubordinate witch with lasers from her eyes and I was so scared that I insisted on leaving the cinema.
Here is the scene in question http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdJ9v2Kz0t8

metalro said...

I'm the one who submitted May. As an adult, it's been pretty hard to scare me but the ending freaked me right out!

dannyboy said...

Rec 2 is awesome! Although I heard the third installment is not really good, there is no denyng that Rec and Rec 2 are two of the best films to come out of the found footage genre.

Ben Manners said...

Remakes Shmeemakes. ....but if they remake The Town That Dreaded Sundown, and rename it "The Town That Dreaded Death By Trombone With A Knife Attached", then I'll be first in line on opening night.

- Ben M

Julie said...

I was TERRIFIED by The Witches. Couldn't fall asleep for weeks. And I was, like, 12 years old! I had read the book and loved it, but the visuals in the movie were somehow ridiculously intense. That belongs on the list for sure!