100 Days of Horror Day Ninety-Eight - "The Blair Witch 2!"

YES! THE FINAL THREE DAYS ARE HERE!

Can you smell that? (Sorry, i just had lunch). No no, it's the thrill of excitement in the air as we come down to our Final Three movies in the 100 Days challenge!

Let's skip the bullshit and get to doing what we came here to do! Love you guys!

Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows (2000): Directed by Joe Berlinger. Starring Jeffrey Donovan, Kim Director, Erica Leerhson, Tristine Skyler and Steven Barker Turner.

The Skinny: A group of young adults hoping to "experience" the "Blair Witch Project" get far more than they bargained for, as a blackout in the deep woods leads them to murder and witchcraft.

What's Good: The first "Blair Witch" was groundbreaking in its innovation, and really scared the living shit out of people. People were convinced that it was real - that the town of Burkittsville, Maryland, was truly the place where a witch was once prosecuted and banished to the woods, and that a group of filmmakers hundreds of years later got caught up in the haunting. Enter "The Blair Witch 2." It's a good idea - kids trying to recreate the chills of their favorite movie - and it has some true moments that are both terrifying and disconcerting. It also has a great cast that actually gives their all - including Jeffrey Donovan, now of "Burn Notice" fame. The story becomes a sort of "folie a deux" except it's more like FOUR instead of two. The problem, however ...

What's Bad: ... is director Joe Berlinger, a talented DOCUMENTARY filmmaker responsible for the film "Paradise Lost" about a group of goth kids accused and convicted of murder. So he must have seemed a likely choice for a film about weirdos that's supposed to mirror "reality." What a mistake. The man was forced to go back and ADD SCENES literally weeks before the premier; the results of those reshoots equate to the opening scenes in the mental hospital and a few other silly jolting scares throughout. I can't say whether or not it was an improvement, but it's done and we'll say no more. And by that same token, is this a movie ruined by studio meddling? Were the original producers sitting over his shoulder, telling him it wasn't scary any enough? Who knows. Well, Berlinger knows, I guess, but he ain't talkin'. Anyway, the shitty direction robs this movie of what it could have been - a worthy sequel to a top notch film. Instead, it's a bit of a muddled mess, with a few scary scenes and a lot of head scratching moments that have you wondering if you've spent too much money on this fucker.

Why We Like It: I love it. Yes, it's shitty. Yes it's boring in spots. Yes it's a confusing mess right up until the end. I still love it. I owned the soundtrack and I saw it twice in the theaters, without utter expectation for something that would be superior to the original. I was expecting bad - there was no way they could top "The Blair Witch" or even come close to it. And in that frame of mind, it was an enjoyable experience. Now, that doesn't exactly mean I am recommending it to you all - it surely isn't for every taste. You have to have an eye for subtlety and a mind geared towards sociological things, because it's really an experience in and of itself. Because you KNOW - YOU KNOW - that plenty of people did this exact thing, invading the tiny town of Burkittsville (population 171 in the 2000 census), and flooding the woods of Seneca State Park to try and get caught up in the hype. If I were a young dumbass when I saw that movie the first time, I would have likely done the same thing. There is something oddly visceral to this film, something that resembles a college booze party that gets out of control. You get to watch people argue, try and hook up and get wasted. And I enjoy it on that level. Plus, Marilyn Manson's great "Disposable Teens" comes screaming out of the screen at you during the credits - and at the time I was obsessed with Manson, so it was kind of synergistic. It felt right. And it was.

Memorable Stuff: The introduction is great because of the camerawork and the musical selection, and this is actually one of those movies where they actually use the songs on the soundtrack IN the film, so if you know them both well you can pick them out (and yes I enjoy doing that), so I enjoy several of those moments. But my favorite scene in the film is when the kids are in the woods partying their asses off and wake up to a blackout, their film equipment destroyed.

100 Days of Horror Day Ninety-Seven - "Halloween 3!"

"YOU WON'T BELIEVE YOUR EYES!"

Ghoulish greetings my mindless minions! And welcome to the final few days of the 100 Days of Horror challenge! It's been a long, strange trip to say the least and looking at these last few days, it's hard to believe that I have been able to accomplish this task.

True, I missed a few in the last couple days - between my Halloween party setup and recovery, I went four days without a post - but in all, I have diligently posted on an almost daily basis. In fact, I only missed one day in the entire month of August, and that ain't not too bad!

Anyhoo, we're here in the last days and the list grows thin. So thin, we've included the only "third in a series" film on the list, but it's still a pretty good time. So sit back, relapse and check out "Halloween 3: Season of the Witch!" Thanks to you all for following along! I LOVE YOU ALL!

Halloween 3 (1982): Directed by Tommy Lee Wallace. Starring Tom Atkins, Stacy Nelkin and Dan O'Herlihy.

The Skinny: An ancient sect of witches hopes to play the greatest Halloween trick of all time on the unsuspecting children of America by using a blend of magic and technology to pull off the greatest mass human sacrifice ever.

What's Good: If you pick this movie up hoping to see another chapter in the Michael Myers saga, you're in for a surprise. Because this movie has absolutely nothing to do with the premise of the first two films in the franchise that went on for six more films AND a remake. And a sequel to the remake. And that's it. Anyway, the premise here is interesting if poorly executed - the consensus among may reviewers is that, were it not associated with the "Halloween" franchise, it would just be another crappy 80's horror film. Yes, there are some murky spots, but there's also an intriguing idea behind the mess; the idea that a thousand-year-old coven of Irish witches are looking to return to the days when "the hills ran red with the blood of animals and children" with a mass sacrifice. And how do they pull off the slaughter of thousands (if not millions)? With an arcane blend of technology and magic (using pieces of Stonehenge, which they've somehow removed and smuggled into North America) to create a microchip that is attached to Halloween masks. When the kids wear the masks and watch a particular commercial ("Happy, Happy Halloween! Silver Shamrock!") to be broadcast on Halloween as part of a prize giveaway ... hoo boy, does some crazy shit happen!

What's Bad: Well, sadly there is plenty bad. Other than 80s staple actor Tom Atkins and classic Irish actor Dan O'Herilhy, there are no names attached to the film - meaning, the acting is horrible. And as per usual, the movie is shot largely at night, without the benefit of proper lighting, so it's actually difficult to see everything. Not as bad as, say, "Phantasm," but still pretty bad. And there are holes in the script that you could float a battleship through if you think too deeply about it. So don't.

Why We Like It: It's a so-so film, to say the least. But veteran O'Herlihy makes the movie into something a bit above pure trash. His speech towards the end about the roots of Halloween as Samhain and its blood rituals is absolutely chilling. So forget the plot holes, forget the shitty lighting, and just focus on the fun this ridiculous romp can generate if you don't take it too seriously (it helps to understand that original "Halloween" director John Carpenter hoped to make an anthology series out of the title, with each film focusing on a different aspect of the holiday, but never got that idea off the ground).

Memorable Stuff: There are two scenes that stand out for me - and one of them gave me nightmares for weeks. When a family tours the factory where the masks are made, they also get a demonstration of how the magic works. They are put into a test room and their children are given the masks. When teh Silver Shamrock commercial starts to play, the children collapse and snakes and insects start to pour out of the masks as they appear to rot and collapse. And second, O'Herilhy's speech about Halloween's origins and the sacrifices performed by the ancient Celtic clans is well written and impeccably delivered by the classically trained O'Herilhy. Fun stuff if you can sit through it!

100 Days of Horror Day Ninety-Six - "The Wolf Man!"

Well, I have been at this blog for almost 100 days now (since late July, actually), and this occasion marks the first time that I have missed more than one day of the challenge. The fact is, this is the busiest time of year for me, and it is difficult to find an hour to sit down and work this sucker out. In fact, I haven't even had time to watch a few of these films, which really sucks since I packed October with all the best movies in my collection. But I am determined to finish this thing out. There's only a few days left and I think I can manage it if I just work at it.

Yeah. And monkeys might fly out of my butt.

Anyway, let's get excited (if you can, that is) over today's wonderful movie - one which I have already watched a few times this month already. Check out Universal's 1941 classic "The Wolfman," and thanks as usual for your time (and your patience).

The Wolf Man (1941): Directed by George Waggner. Starring Lon Chaney, Jr., Evelyn Ankers, Patrick Knowles, Ralph Bellamy, Claude Rains, Bela Lugosi and Maria Ouspenskaya.

The Skinny: Even a man who is pure in hear and says his prayers by night can become a wolf when the wolfsbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.

What's Good: Maybe the last great movie to come out of Universal's golden age of monster movies, "The Wolf Man" was Lon Chaney, Jr.'s shining moment, shortly before his career dissolved into an alcoholic haze. Although he didn't create the iconic wolf man makeup as his father had for many years (the inimitable Jack Pierce came up with the idea of using a lap dissolve and yak hair), he still managed to make the character his own and gives us access to the torment Larry Talbot feels over his estrangement from his family, and the terrible curse he brings down upon his ancestral town. Add in a solid performance by Claude Rains (does he ever let us down? I think not), and incredibly comic turns from Ralph Bellamy and Patric Knowles and you get a perfect classic chiller for the Halloween season. Hell, for any season.

What's Bad: Nothing. Well, it's a little short, but that's it.

Why We Like It: It's a classic, undeniably. Watching Chaney transform from man to wolf man still works, even after the high-tech effects from films like "The Howling," and the CGI of "Underworld." It was painstakingly accomplished by a 10-hour session whereby Chaney would have makeup applied, sit in a chair, get the shot and repeat, over and over again. The film also uses just about every hard hitting actor in the Universal stable, including the wonderful Maria Ouspenskaya (no I did not have to look that name up - I can spell it from memory) as the gypsy woman who seems to know what is up. Her scenes at Lugosi's grave, muttering a poem about the afterlife, give the film a chilling moment, echoed in the final scenes as she recites the same lines over Talbot's body, dead by his own father's hand. Great, great, great stuff.

Memorable Stuff: Although the above described scenes are great, my favorite scene is when Chaney goes to a fair and is asked to show his hunting prowess with a rifle by shooting targets. After making a few deadeye shots, suddenly a tin wolf pops up. Suddenly shakey and sweating profusely, Talbot misses the shot on purpose, unable to deal with the idea that he himself may become a wolf when the wolfsbane blooms ... and that shit is in full frigging bloom.

100 Days of Horror Day Ninety - "Hellraiser!"

"SEE IT! HEAR IT! AND ACTUALLY FEEL IT!"

Salacious Salutations, my morbid minions! Welcome back to the show that never ends, brought to you by your friends at Starbucks and Snickers!

Keeping the commentary brief today because my mind is spiriling out of control in a million different directions. It's best to focus my tiny little mind on the movie ahead, because it's one that should be on every fan's list. I certainly hope you can all join me tonight as we watch 1987's horribly dated classic, "Hellraiser!" Thanks as usual for playing along!

Hellraiser (1987): Directed by Clive Barker. Starring Andrew Robinson, Claire Higgins, Ashley Laurence and Doug Bradley.

The Skinny: A mysterious box that acts as a doorway to another dimension finds itself in the hands of a man driven to discover it secrets. When he finally solves the puzzle, however, he gets more than he bargained for as the denizens of this dimension are bent on reshaping the flesh.

What's Good: For a sluggish mess of an independent film, "Hellraiser" has a lot going for it - foremost of all, the iconic performance by Doug Bradley as lead Cenobite, Pinhead (unnamed in the original script). In fact, it's clear that the few Hollywood dollars the movie's producers managed to come up with went right into effects, including the makeup effects for all the Cenobites. And thank god for that, because they are all pretty damn cool. But nothing trumps Pinhead, with his hooks and his chains and his killer lines delivered in a manner that is the polar opposite of Freddy Kreuger and his wise-cracking puns.

What's Bad: This is Clive Barker's first attempt behind the camera, and it shows. The film is shot almost entirely on location in an actual house, limiting the angles and forcing many shots from one perspective only. Also the story - while in intruiging idea - takes a backseat to the characterizations in some places, which is a real disservice to the plot. It took the second film to really amp up the story and to bring the Cenobites to the forefront (especially after Claire Higgings said she didn't want to reprise her role as Julia, and Barker was forced to change the story's focus). The movie ia a mess, but it's an interesting, often beautiful mess.

Why We Like It: Why? Gave me nightmares, that's why! Actually I was a lot older by this point and was into horror movies in general, and slasher films specifically. However, even at this early point I was growing tired of Freddy's antics and Jason Vorhees had long since ceased to be a threat. So when this seemingly sophisticated movie came along, with its demons dedicated to order, bringers of pleasure and pain ("demons to some - angels to others"), I was immediately hooked. Bradley is a great find, bringing what he described as a mourning for lost humanity to the character. And there is a smiling strangeness to Pinhead, as if he has just the slightest memory of being human at one point. He's the best.

Memorable Stuff: Aside from every second Pinhead is onscreen? Hm. I'd have to say the scene where Brother Frank is resurrected after his brother's blood drops onto the floor where he was killed by the Cenobites. Accomplished on a shoestring budget and shot utilizing time-lape and reverse photography techniques, it stands as a testament to what you can do even if you don't have a $30 million budget at your disposal and is a great use of practical special effects. Arms shoot up from the floor, a brain reconstitutes from nothing and finally a screaming semi-corpes rises up from the ground. Disgusting. And fun.

100 Days of Horror Day Eighty-Nine - "Frankenstein!"

"WARNING! The action takes place IN THE AUDIENCE! MONSTERS and CREATURES OF THE NIGHT sit down RIGHT NEXT TO YOU! You may feel their EERIE EMBRACE!"

Trying to get to this thing early today, seeing as how I've nothing better to do. Unfortunately, I am here at work and not at home, where I could enjoy this movie by myself, in my underwear, with a bowl of salsa and a bag of chips in my lap. I'll just pause to let that image sink in .... and we're done.

I hope everyone can get comfy later in the undergarments of your choice, and consume salty snacks until you retain water as you enjoy an undeniable classic - James Whale's "Frankenstein!"

Frankenstein (1931): Directed by James Whale. Starring Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Mae Clark, Dwight Frye and Edward Van Sloan.

The Skinny: Scientist Henry Frankenstein believes he's found the secrets to life and death - and to test those theories, he will build a man to his design.

What's Good: This is one of the best movies ever to emerge from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Even though many people were familiar with Mary Shelly's original Victorian-era story, the first definitive film version takes a few liberties with her ideas - particularly by removing it from its period settings and essentially making it a more modern tale. Regardless of the changes, the core of the story - a man who dared to play God - remains. And the character of Henry Frankenstein (Victor in the book) is brought to stunning life by the late, great Colin Clive in all his hysterical glory. No one could fill this man's shoes, in my opinion. He is the personification of the Mad Scientist archetype that has been often imitated and never duplicated. His quavering, clipped voice, his icy stare, his aloof, sometimes fey nature - what a performance. He almost - but not quite - steals the show from Boris Karloff as the Monster, who even with no speaking lines manages to convey the emotion and pathos within this abhorrent creation. With just a whimper and an off-handed gesture, Karloff gives the mute creature true life, and with a growl and a clawed hand, he can terrify you to the bone. Take in the shot where we first see the Monster up close as he emerges from the shadows of creation and steps into the light of reason. Whale then juxtaposes a few up-close shots that show off Jack Pierce's iconic makeup. Karloff removed his denture plate to give his cheeks that extra sunken-in look, and it pays off - he is simply monstrous. The film was utterly controversial at the time of its release - the lines about Henry being god and the scene where the monster tosses a little girl into a lake were heavily censored back in the day. But now, every malicious scene is perfectly restored and gives the film a timeless resonance that demonstrates just how much (and how little) we've accomplished as a society since those Halcyon days.

What's Bad: Although "The Bride of Frankenstein" is considered a superior film by many (myself included), the original can't be beat. Watch it on a Saturday afternoon in late October, close to sundown, and you'll understand why. I guess my only complain could be the lack of a score, but that was problematic for many productions at the time. All else is gold.

Why We Like It: I love every single frame of this movie. It stirs something in me that is undefinable - a mythic longing that I can't seem to put my finger on. The iconic images - Death towering over their shoulders as they dig bodies, the burning windmill on the hillside - are so powerful they stay with you after just one viewing. I dare any modern film to top this movie's standards. How many great horror movies have been made in the past 30 years? How many of them have so moving an image that you can't shake it for days after? Not many, I think. And I should know - I've seen a bunch of them. The acting, the sets, the makeup, the rich black and white cinematography by the great Arthur Edelson - it's so goddamn good, it's spooky.

Memorable Stuff: Lots of people point to the creation scene as the movie's finest moments - and with good reason. The state-of-the-art effects, designed by Kenneth Strickfaden, give the scene a neo-noir Art Deco kind of vibe that is difficult to replicate. And Henry's ecstatic breakdown when the creature stirs a finger ("In the name of God! Now I know what it's like to BE God!") is just fucking fantastic. But for me, the final confrontation between Man and his monstrous creation in the burning windmill seals the deal for me. As I said before, the image is powerful.

100 Days of Horror Day Eighty-Eight - "The Thing!"

"WARNING! UNSPEAKABLE HORRORS AND UNIMAGINABLE NIGHTMARES AWAIT YOU! CAN YOUR SOUL STAND IT! WATCH AND SEE!"

Ghoulish greetings on his Terrible Tuesday here at the 100 Days challenge! We're entering the final run here, and the next few days are packed with top-notch frights!

So let us get right into the thick of this sucker, with yet another one of John Carpenter's scarefests - in fact, maybe his scariest yet! Sit back, shut your trap and be terrified by "The Thing!" Thanks as usual for playing along! I love you all!

The Thing (1982): Directed by John Carpenter. Starring Kurt Russell, Keith David, Wilford Brimley, Charles Hallahan, Donald Moffat and Richard Dysart.

The Skinny: Based on the 1951 film "The Thing from Another Planet," this film by John Carpenter follows a group of researchers in the Antarctic as they battle with a strange presence that can assume any likeness and is bent on destruction.

What's Good: When I was younger (so much younger than today), I saw this film and had to turn it off, it was that frigging scary. It's enough that the claustrophobic setting - an Antarctic research station - is disconcerting, but you add to it the superior effects by Rob Bottin and Stan Winston, in all their horrific best, and you get a movie that a ten-year-old boy probably shouldn't watch alone. John Carpenter keeps the tension high throughout this apocalyptic thriller that has you guessing (by the very nature of the beast) as to what's coming next. And as the crew are picked off one by one, and the list of potential carriers narrows, it's up to Kurt Russell and Keith David to carry much of the film's weighty final third - something the two stars do with ease.

What's Bad: Nothing, really. Seriously. This fucker rocks. The only complaint I could possibly make is that the effects - while dated now - are absolutely the very best the times had to offer. And by that note, that means that they are both graphic and disgusting - heads split open and sprout spidery legs, a dog is partially transformed before being torched, and a man's chest bursts open and bites off another man's hands. Yeah, don't have a big sloppy dinner before you watch this one.

Why We Like It: For all the reasons above and more! When he's good, Carpenter is great and this is probably his finest film. Although "Halloween" was a reasonably scary thriller, it was also an independent film and suffers as such. This was his first big budgetfeature, however, and it's clear that he pumped every spare dollar into the effects. Winston and Bottin crafted some of the goriest effects still out there and Carpenter shows us every disgusting bloody inch. At times it's almost hard to take, but if you can get past the gore, there is a great "Ten Little Indians" sort of vibe here that keeps you guessing - right up to the downbeat ending that would likely be impossible to get Hollywood to agree to if this film were made today.

Memorable Stuff: All of the above special effects transformations are just top drawer. But perhaps the most chilling scene is when the crew returns to the site of the Norwegian crew that is killed prior to the film's events. There, they find a massive crater that is likely the creature's origin. And as they spread out their arms to try and get an idea of the size, it gives us - and them - the first real indication of what we're actually dealing with here. It's a great shot and a shock moment that sets the tone for the rest of this undeniably scary film.

100 days of Horror Day Eighty-Seven - The Omen!"

Yes, I know it's technically tomorrow but I had a lot to do today and I still wanted to get this out there because this is one of my favorite movies and I have to run my mouth about it.

So shut up, sit back and prop open your eyelids with toothpicks against the late hour and enjoy - if you're able - the 70s classic, "The Omen!"

The Omen (1972): Directed by Richard Donner. Starring Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, David Warner, Harvey Stevens and Leo McKern.

The Skinny: When a US Ambassador swaps his stillborn child for an orphaned child, he gets a hell of a lot more than he bargained for - he gets the Antichrist.

What's Good: There's something about horror movies from the 70s that just never ceases to amaze me. They're so moody and dark. Brooding and sullen, like an angry teen. And it was the Golden Age of the Devil as far as cinema was concerned. With "The Exorcist" breaking box office records for horror, suddenly Old Nick was at the top of the list for go-to scares, and "The Omen" is no exception. Take that and add to it the unconscious fear that every parent has - will by child turn out bad? - and you get the perfect recipe for a horror film. And this one actually is horrific - a woman gleefully hangs herself in front of dozens of children, monkeys do insane and attack the car when the family visits the zoo, and in the final ultimate horror, a man decides to kill the only son he ever knew because he believes it to do the right thing. Unlike Abraham of the Old Testament, however, god fails to intercede and stop the sacrifice - it takes a hail of police bullets to stay Gregory Peck's hand in one of his finest onscreen moments.

What's Bad: As is typical with director Richard Donner's movies, "The Omen" is a bit overlong, and there is little to keep your attention in the film's final moments - nothing trumps the scene where David Warner is decapitated by a huge sheet of glass, and that scene kicks off the final sequence of events. Other than that, no complaints - the acting, the score and the script are all fantastic.

Why We Like It: Like many horror films from my childhood, this movie scared me shitless. I had a habit of watching movies I should probably not have watched until I was much older and this is one of them. In fact it had me convinced that I bore the Mark of Satan somewhere on my body and even asked my mother to take a look once. Remarkably she did. Maybe she had similar fears.

Memorable Stuff: Yes, the movie's ending is perhaps the best scene in the film, but about halfway through there is a pivotal scene that is also quite terrifying. Peck and Warner return to the cemetery where his son's real mother - who allegedly died in childbirth - is buried. When they dig ip the grave, however, they make a shocking discovery - the bones of a jackal. Suddenly, a pack of savage dogs descends on the cemetery and attacks the duo. For whatever reason, I was always terrified of being attacked by dogs when I was a youngin', and so this scene gave me nightmares for a month. And it's still mighty scary even today.