Now that the dust has settled from a busy Halloween season, ECHG writer Adam Holtzapfel shares what he watched this year.
by Adam Holtzapfel
This year I decided to do things differently. I usually try to cram as much in to 31 days as I can, but with various trips and events planned I decided to take it easy.
I also noticed a lot of challenges, ie best mustache in horror or watch something from the 70’s on this day. My advice, skip those and make it fun, do your own thing. If the challenges are fun for you then awesome enjoy them.
Let’s get started with what I pregamed on September 30th. For this I chose Black Belly Of The Tarantula, Horror Of Dracula, and Dracula AD 1972.
My thoughts on these were Black Belly is your typical giallo film, nice to look at, but nothing special. Horror Of Dracula was my go to in my younger days, while it didn’t age well it cemented Christopher Lee as the Count. Dracula AD 1972 is corny, but pairing Lee with Caroline Munro is a no brainer.
For day 1 of 31 it was a couple of first time watches. For me it was my first time viewing Coraline. I was impressed with this film and how dark it was, it’ll definitely be a mainstay for me. For my wife it was her first time seeing Frankenweenie, it’s one of Burton’s better films in recent years and anyone who has owned a pet can relate to it.
Day 2 was a Vincent Price triple feature with House On Haunted Hill, The Pit & The Pendulum, and The Raven. While all are regarded as classics, House On Haunted Hill and The Pit & The Pendulum are the strongest of the three. The Corman takes on Edgar Allen Poe seem dated at times, but the visual aspect of them still hold up as being visually stunning to look at.
Day 3 was a one film day and it was the Australian film Hounds Of Love. This is a jarring film that is well shot and well acted. If you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to catch it on Hulu.
Day 4 was Scott Schirmer’s newest feature, The Bad Man. While I usually love Scott’s work, this one fell short for me. The film looked great and had great acting, but it just didn’t grab me like I hoped it would.
Day 5 was various episodes of Hitchcock Presents. This was a nostalgia watch as it was something I’d catch in syndication as a child.
Day 6 was Pumpkinhead. I feel this is an often overlooked and underrated film. What works for it is the story, cast, and FX. For me this is a film to watch a few times a year.
Day 7 featured Hands Of The Ripper, Near Dark, and From Dusk Till Dawn. Hands Of The Ripper is Hammer Films unorthodox take on Jack The Ripper. While the story seems cheesy, it works and the film still holds up. Near Dark is the ultimate 80’s vampire flick. That’s right it’s better than Lost Boys. It carries a great story filled with tension and gore. From Dusk Till Dawn is over the top with unimagined vampires and a great cast to boot.
Day 8 was a double feature starring our eight legged friends, Kingdom Of The Spiders and Arachnophobia. Kingdom Of The Spiders is a snoozefest for me. Starring WIlliam Shatner it pairs well with the second half of this feature, but just isn’t my cup of tea. Arachnophobia has stood the test of time blending comedy with killer spiders works well and the all star cast sell it.
Day 9 was the Italian film Buio Omega aka Beyond The Darkness. This film is a must for any gorehound. This is a lesson of how not to keep your loved one around forever and the toll insanity can take on you.
Day 10 was a double feature from the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. The evening started with one of his lesser talked about films, Rope. This is a film that is perfect at building tension and suspense as well as a story that keeps the viewer guessing. Next was the classic Vertigo, a twisted tale of personal demons and being haunted of a lost love.
