13 Nights of Hallowe'en 2010: Night #7 House on Haunted Hill (1999)

We're at around the halfway mark now. Tonight I give you the remake of House on Haunted Hill. A group of people are invited to ahaunted house and offered a lot of money to spend he entire night. I have to tell you I felt severely let down by the original, even thought it had Vincent Price in it. This remake isn't without its flaws, but I still think it is a great remake and it's a movie I like to re-watch. For one thing it is jam packed with nameable actors and actresses. Let's start with Geoffrey Rush as the tongue-in-cheek named Stephen H. Price. Then there's Famke Janssen as his wife. There's a bit part for musician Lisa Loeb and the one and only James Marsters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Taye Diggs is in it as a party invitee along with Ali Larter--from Final Destination 1 and 2, among other things. Then we have la pièce de resistance, Jeffrey Combs, man of horror.

William Malone directed this House on Haunted Hill, as well as fear dot com, and Parasomnia--all three of which have Combs in them, which sure says something to me. Robb White wrote the original House on Haunted Hill and the original Thir13een Ghosts, and The Tingler for William Castle. Dick Beebe wrote the new Haunted Hill screenplay, as well as wrote on Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2. It's quite the collection of horror people that was all made possible by Dark Castle Entertainment. One of my favourite little things in this movie is the basement area with the Honoré Fragonard-style flayed cadaver art. In general it's cool that the house used to be a psychiatric institute, and that is something that gets even more coverage in the sequel--which is available paired with this film in the sales link above. Go now, and enjoy!

Mood: cheery.

Music: Haunted by Evanescence. MP3s

13 Nights of Hallowe'en 2009: Night #3 Waxwork

Tonight I picked out Waxwork for the movie. Note that thesale's link is for the DVD is the edition that also includes the sequel Waxwork II: Lost in Time. I would have suggested the second movie for tonight if not that the original is the better horror movie. That said the second movie is a lot more fun. It's something of a horror comedy in parts and overall a great adventure movie. If you really wanted you could watch both tonight. The first movie though certainly has enough great moments and is a favourite mine even if it is not "the" favourite of the two. Waxwork's director and writer Anthony Hickox also directed the second film, and Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth as well. Anthony is the son of Douglas Hickox director of the Vincent Price classic Theater of Blood.

The two Waxwork films star Zach Galligan who played Billy in both of the Gremlins movies. The first movie also stars Deborah Foreman whom some may remember from the original April Fool's Day. Should you watch the second movie Debrah is replaced by Monika Schnarre who has been on numerous genre television shows. People expecting Waxwork to be a rip-off of House of Wax can rest assured this is hardly the case. It's no spoiler that Waxwork involves a full on supernatural element. The back of the box blurb says it all, waxwork filled scenes of classic horror monsters and villains are missing only one thing, victims. Of course there's more to it than that and even once you get the idea there's tonnes of room to proceed. There are some really great interesting scenes just to prove this.

Mood: solid.

Music: Caught Somewhere In Time by Iron Maiden off of Somewhere In Time.

13 Nights of Halloween: Night #1 The Monster Club

Hello and welcome to the first of the 13 Nights of Halloween! This year I am serving up a healthy dose of thrills, chills, and deep throbbing horror for you. The full list of movies is available at Wraithstop to make life easy for everyone.

My first selection is "The Monster Club" starring Vincent Price and a
whole horrific host of the old school terror celebrities. I first saw this movie as a young lad. It was on TV some afternoon, most likely near to Halloween. It left a permanent indelible mark upon me. It wasn’t my first horror movie; I don't even know what the first would have been. For years and years I wished to see it again but never really did. Once I spotted a hugely expensive VHS copy in some grimy store but it was beyond me to get it then. Finally a few short years ago someone put it out on DVD. It was one of my holy grails of DVD necessity. I waited 20 years or so, I'd guess, to own a copy.

The movie is an anthology of three stories. Each of the stories is tied together by an "over-story" that introduces each piece and forms a cohesive whole out everything. The movie was a 1980 film made in the 60's style. It certainly has its tongue firmly planted in its cheek as well. Grilled cheese lovers unite! This is your movie before our descent into dark stark madness and terrifying shocks. This isn't to say that it doesn't have it moments. I hate to give spoilers or set the mood too much but the first story is particularly stunning and even now in this new century the special effects were still awesome to behold. There is something exceedingly cool on the DVD too. The film's soundtrack is playable on its own.

Mood: relaxed.
Music: Haunted by Evanescence.