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The 1,000 Greatest Horror Films: #801-#900
801. (-35) Hei tai yang 731
Tun Fei Mou
1988 / Hong Kong / 105m / Col / War | IMDb
Jianxin Chen, Hsu Gou, Linjie Hao, Haizhe Jin, Tie Long Jin, Yuanrong Jin, Bolin Li, Pengyu Liu, Xuhui Liu, Zhaohua Mei
"In spite of the relentless death, mutilation and suffering, Men Behind The Sun is actually a very watchable, extremely well-made film. The cinematography is superb with lots of moody, effective lighting, great framing and excellent use of long lenses. The production design is very good – some scenes have thousands of soldiers in uniform. The locations and sets are above what you might expect from a film such as this. The actors all give good performances – especially the 'evil' Japanese top brass. And the special effects vary from very good to gruesomely outstanding. The sum of the parts, in this case, definitely do equal more than the whole. Men Behind The Sun may be 'propaganda' in the eyes of some; completely true in the eyes of others; but to us it is controversial film-making par excellence. The kind of film that will never be made again – a true sick, chunk-blowing classic." – The Chelsea Ripper, Sick-Films
802. (-33) Terrore nello spazio
1965 / Italy / 88m / Col / Science Fiction | IMDb
Barry Sullivan, Norma Bengell, Ángel Aranda, Evi Marandi, Stelio Candelli, Franco Andrei, Fernando Villena, Mario Morales, Ivan Rassimov, Federico Boido
"Planet of the Vampires certainly is schlock and pulp that's been gorgeously rendered by Bava's art house sensibilities. It's perhaps as beautiful as a film can be when it's dealing with reanimated bodies and soul-sucking beings from outer space, but it doesn't come without that signature, underlying Bava weirdness that makes it genuinely effective beyond its goriness. At this point in his career, Bava still couldn't be fussed to move his films along at the breakneck, nightmarish pace of his later work, so Planet of the Vampires is another one of those half-remembered dreams that unfolds in puzzle-like increments that are slowly pieced together." – Brett Gallman, Oh, The Horror
803. (-17) The Cell
Tarsem Singh
2000 / USA / 107m / Col / Psychological | IMDb
Jennifer Lopez, Colton James, Dylan Baker, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Gerry Becker, Musetta Vander, Patrick Bauchau, Vincent D'Onofrio, Vince Vaughn
"The Cell is a clear, classic case of a director's vision invigorating standard material. The film moves at an effectively erratic pace: action in the real world moves fairly swiftly, but once it's in the world of the mind, the pace becomes more languid, befitting the surrealism of dreams. It is in this latter realm that the film really soars. Dream worlds in movies are nothing new–witness the oeuvre of David Lynch or, for a less highfalutin example, the Nightmare on Elm Street series–but the visual ideas put forth by Singh are spectacular and unique; there's an atmosphere of excess that hasn't even been reached in Lynch's famously bizarre work." – Michael Dequina, The Movie Report
804. (-43) Alien³
1992 / USA / 114m / Col / Science Fiction | IMDb
Sigourney Weaver, Charles S. Dutton, Charles Dance, Paul McGann, Brian Glover, Ralph Brown, Danny Webb, Christopher John Fields, Holt McCallany, Lance Henriksen
"Fincher's early exterior landscape of Fury 161 has an apocalyptic gorgeousness that's in tune with the pessimism of his story, which replicates many elements of Alien and Aliens (more the former than the latter) while seeming intent on killing the series off. The much-ballyhooed revelation about Ripley's physical condition struck many in '92 as unforgivably mean but, in retrospect, it plays like the natural evolution of the franchise's running birth-mother-child subtexts, downbeat thematic threads well-suited to Fincher's gloomy, cynical Christ-like conclusion." – Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness
805. (+28) Popcorn
Mark Herrier
1991 / USA / 91m / Col / Slasher | IMDb
Jill Schoelen, Tom Villard, Dee Wallace, Derek Rydall, Malcolm Danare, Elliott Hurst, Ivette Soler, Freddie Simpson, Kelly Jo Minter, Karen Lorre
"Reggae, a Zaza score, a Vincent Price-ish villain with shades of Freddy Krueger, the film is a mish-mash of several different influences and makes for quite a unique film. It may not be the scariest or goriest movie that you could choose to watch during a festive October evening, but wearing it's love of horror films of the past on its sleeve, I can't help but recommend it. It's a lot like mixing a bag of M&Ms into your warm buttery popcorn. Sure, it doesn't completely fit, but somehow makes for a delicious taste uniquely its own." – Wes R., Oh, The Horror
806. (-65) The Werewolf
Fred F. Sears
1956 / USA / 79m / BW / Werewolf | IMDb
Steven Ritch, Don Megowan, Joyce Holden, Eleanore Tanin, Kim Charney, Harry Lauter, Larry J. Blake, Ken Christy, James Gavin, S. John Launer
"The Werewolf is horror noir and why shouldn't it be? It's the 1950s. Lots of front lighting and carefully picked camera angles, showcasing the outdoors beauty against the supernatural, and Sears knows better than to turn this thing over to blatant carnage. The beast kills off-screen, like in the prison cell scene where it offs the doctors. The screams and mashing are happening just below frame, almost inviting us to lean over and look down to see what's happening. Sears leaves the details to our imaginations, playing off the tried-and-true trick of what we don't see scares us most." – Anthony Moretta, Out of the Gutter
807. (-36) Miss Muerte
1966 / Spain / 86m / BW / Science Fiction | IMDb
Estella Blain, Mabel Karr, Howard Vernon, Fernando Montes, Marcelo Arroita-Jáuregui, Cris Huerta, Alberto Bourbón, Lucía Prado, Guy Mairesse
"Many viewers will be coerced into pinching themselves to remember this is a Franco film. Beautifully shot in stunning black-and-white, Franco beautifully composes each shot into a tableau of light and shadow, creating an eerie atmosphere throughout the feature. This is a stunningly beautiful film, filled with luscious outdoor sequences and great suspense setpieces (the capture of Nadia in an abandoned theater is one of Franco's best)… As with many Franco films, jazz is an important element. Not only is the film's soundtrack made up primarily of catchy little jazz ditties and horn-driven melodies, the film's climax is an experimental jazz piece laid onto film: frenetic, wild, and outrageous." – Casey Scott, DVD Drive-In
808. (-26) Devil Doll
Lindsay Shonteff
1964 / UK / 81m / BW / Evil Doll | IMDb
Bryant Haliday, William Sylvester, Yvonne Romain, Sandra Dorne, Nora Nicholson, Alan Gifford, Karel Stepanek, Francis De Wolff
"Devil Doll may not be a work of dazzling brilliance, but it's got enough going for it to earn my commendation nonetheless. I like the fact that the living dummy isn't really the monster here, and I think Bryant Haliday's performance as Vorelli is a minor gem of celluloid villainy. He's so shamelessly slimy, acting as though he hasn't a single give-a-fuck to spare for the possibility that anyone might find him out and oppose him. You get the feeling this arrogant bastard reckons himself so much smarter than everyone else around him that there isn't even a point to pretending not to be evil. It's a great way to get around the potential problem of a script that never once depicts Vorelli as doing anything to cover his tracks outside of engineering an alibi for the hour of Magda's murder; he just goes ahead and does whatever he wants, relying on the seeming impossibility of his deeds to protect him from any negative consequences that might ordinarily follow from them." – Scott Ashlin, 1000 Misspent Hours
809. (+7) Begotten
E. Elias Merhige
1989 / USA / 72m / Col / Experimental | IMDb
Brian Salzberg, Donna Dempsey, Stephen Charles Barry, James Gandia, Daniel Harkins, Michael Phillips, Erik Slavin, Arthur Streeter, Adolfo Vargas, Garfield White
"Few motion pictures have the power to jolt an audience with the fury, imagination, and artistic violence of Begotten, a 1991 tour de force from Elias Merhige currently debuting on home video. This cryptic independent production is a film of eccentric brilliance, skillfully balancing the glorious and the grotesque in an unforgettable work of art. Perhaps the most striking aspect of Begotten is its cinematography. Filmmaker Merhige photographed his work on 16-mm black-and-white reversal film and then rephotographed the footage frame by frame on black-and-white negatives through density filters, a four-year labor that required 10 hours of work for each minute of the 78-minute film. The result is a visual work unlike any other – one that looks like an ancient ritual filmed on the scene thousands of years ago and only recently dusted off for viewing." – Phil Hall, Wired
810. (-64) The Stand
Mick Garris
1994 / USA / 361m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Jamey Sheridan, Ruby Dee, Miguel Ferrer, Corin Nemec, Matt Frewer, Adam Storke, Ray Walston, Rob Lowe
"It doesn't have anything like the usual steady, predictable rhythms of a miniseries-its scenes are of uneven lengths, and sometimes important characters disappear for hours at a time. The unexpected structure of the film-sort of an artful jumble-helps build suspense, because you realize very quickly that this movie doesn't behave like other TV shows; anything can happen at any time. Garris also takes more care with the look of his film than most TV-movie directors-surely this is one of the prettiest scary movies ever made-and some entire scenes unfold without dialogue, a great rarity in television land." – Ken Tucker, Entertainment Weekly
811. (-2) La cabina
Antonio Mercero
1972 / Spain / 35m / Col / Black Comedy | IMDb
José Luis López Vázquez, Agustín González, Goyo Lebrero, Tito García, Carmen Martínez Sierra, Carmen Luján, María Vico, Felipe Martín Puertas, José Montijano, Blaki
"What La cabina manages to capture perfectly is the collective psychological blindness that emerges in totalitarian societies which allows most people to live a 'normal' life. While the crowd surrounding the phone box are initially sympathetic and concerned, once it becomes clear that they are powerless to help they quickly turn their backs in an attempt to ignore – or mock – the obvious elephant in the room, or 'Man in the phone box'. In drawing out his reaction and that of the various characters who stumble across him, Mercero dances between light drama, comedy and Twilight Zone-esqu eeriness with such effortlessness that the impact of the ending is doubly horrific." – Carl Swift, Black Lagoon
812. (-34) La vergine di Norimberga
1963 / Italy / 84m / Col / Gothic | IMDb
Rossana Podestà, Georges Rivière, Christopher Lee, Jim Dolen, Anny Degli Uberti, Luigi Severini, Luciana Milone, Lucile Saint-Simon, Patrick Walton, Consalvo Dell'Arti
"Directed with a knowing hand by Antonio Margheriti, La Vergine di Norimberga is undoubtedly among the filmmaker's finest work. This delirious dreamscape to the Cinema of Sadism is infused with gothic atmosphere and a ubiquitous sense of dread from start to finish. Along with the best works of Mario Bava and Riccardo Freda, La Vergine di Norimberga epitomises and legitimises the stellar reputation of Italy's "Golden Age" of horror output in the 1960s. An under-appreciated classic, it is also a high watermark for genre films concerned with thematising Nazi atrocities." – Christopher Dietrich, KinoEye
813. (+83) The Last House on the Left
Dennis Iliadis
2009 / USA / 110m / Col / Rape and Revenge | IMDb
Garret Dillahunt, Michael Bowen, Josh Coxx, Riki Lindhome, Aaron Paul, Sara Paxton, Monica Potter, Tony Goldwyn, Martha MacIsaac, Spencer Treat Clark
"Craven's original had a grungy no-budget tawdriness – the Benny Hill production values and incongruously bouncy music made it all the more disturbing. This time around, we're braced for what's coming, partly because director Dennis Iliadis escorts us down the altogether safer road of dark, rainy and ominous… The cast bring a level of reality to this that's surprisingly impressive – both Goldwyn and Garret Dillahunt push their roles a couple of notches above protective dad and generic psycho, respectively. Where Iliadis botches things is with two moments of ridiculous excess, involving a garbage disposal and a microwave, which jut out of the scenario like shameless sops to the torture-porn dollar." – Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph
814. (-23) Otesánek
2000 / Czech Republic / 132m / Col / Surrealism | IMDb
Veronika Zilková, Jan Hartl, Jaroslava Kretschmerová, Pavel Nový, Kristina Adamcová, Dagmar Stríbrná, Zdenek Kozák, Gustav Vondracek, Arnost Goldflam, Jitka Smutná
"Little Otik is a rich and deeply textured movie that could be understood in many ways. You could view it as Eraserhead re-imagined as a black comedy (who's worse off: Henry, the abandoned single parent of a mutant baby, or Karel, who has a crazed wife to oppose his every attempt to fix the situation?) Although the film is obviously a black satire of "baby fever," Otik and has voracious appetite could also be seen as an indictment of consumerism and consumption, an interpretation that's bolstered by a running joke involving the ruthless commercials Alzbetka's father is constantly watching on the television ("the rest are all poisonous rubbish…" a spokeswoman hypnotically intones during a spot for chocolates). But, at its core Otik is a fairy tale; a fairy tale that becomes self-aware of its own status as folklore when Alzbetka realizes that the mythological events of "Otesánek" are repeating themselves in the real world." – 366 Weird Movies
815. (new) Mirrors
Kiefer Sutherland, Paula Patton, Cameron Boyce, Erica Gluck, Amy Smart, Mary Beth Peil, John Shrapnel, Jason Flemyng, Tim Ahern, Julian Glover
"Some credit for this stylish screamer goes to Sutherland, forming his doughy-handsome features into an emotional punchbag. More credit goes to Nemec, sowing a harvest of dark invention in the vast spaces. Sinister armies of singed mannequins, wild flourishes of art deco, huge cindery pillars, blackened floors and ceilings. Team Nemec actually built the set, then torched it. Then, with no daylight permitted by the story, cinematographer Maxime Alexandre somehow lit it. You cannot beat Hollywood when it sets its mind on honouring an average story with above-average production values." – Nigel Andrews, Financial Times
816. (-31) The Terminator
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton, Paul Winfield, Lance Henriksen, Rick Rossovich, Bess Motta, Earl Boen, Dick Miller, Shawn Schepps
"As an action film, The Terminator remains a surprisingly meditative work, its concentrated visceral bursts not unlike punctuation marks among something more brooding, even prayerful… It's one of the most hopeful films ever made, and its one that we can yet take much from. Knowing what she does of the future, Sarah driving off into the coming storm in the films final shot is a profound acceptance of unimaginable responsibility, but the film argues further that every life is meaningful, even vital, in the final equation. Even on the eve of self-destruction, mankind is still worth saving, and the most complex machine can yet fall to the simplest." – Rob Humanick, Slant Magazine
817. (new) Joshua
George Ratliff
Sam Rockwell, Vera Farmiga, Celia Weston, Dallas Roberts, Michael McKean, Jacob Kogan, Nancy Giles, Linda Larkin, Alex Draper, Stephanie Roth Haberle
"Intelligent and realistic about its subject matter, the running themes, including sibling jealousy, familial dissidence, and parent-child relations, consistently hit a relevant note. Ultimately, it is the knowledge of all the horrific possibilities for what could happen rather than the foresight of what does happen where the film ratchets up and then maintains its entrancing levels of fear and dread. Sleekly photographed by Benoit Debie and brilliantly scored by Nico Muhly—the use of the off-key piano chords are an invaluable atmospheric addition—"Joshua" is a haunting and evocative motion picture that stays with you." – Dustin Putman, The Movie Boy
818. (-38) Lady in a Cage
Walter Grauman
1964 / USA / 94m / Col / Home Invasion | IMDb
Olivia de Havilland, James Caan, Jennifer Billingsley, Rafael Campos, William Swan, Jeff Corey, Ann Sothern
"Usually lumped with the other 'hag horror' films after What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? by virtue of the presence of golden-age screen star Olivia de Havilland, Lady in a Cage is actually an upscale version of marginal movies like The Sadist – realistic accounts of everyday atrocious crimes in the modern world. Tricked up with blatant criticisms of contemporary society, Luther Davis and Walter Grauman's film can't escape an essential sickness: Like its low-grade drive-in competition, it is first and foremost an exercise in sordid exploitation." – Glenn Erickson, DVDTalk
819. (-38) Omnibus: Whistle and I'll Come to You
1968 / USA / 42m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
Michael Hordern, Ambrose Coghill, George Woodbridge, Nora Gordon, Freda Dowie
"To a modern audience, who have come to expect a big twist at the end of their ghost stories and are accustomed to being told loudly through music and editing when it's time to feel scared, the more subtle and uncluttered narrative of Whistle and I'll Come to You may at first glance feel a little primitive. But this simplicity allows Miller and Horden the scope they need to develop the film as a character study, with Dick Bush's immaculately framed camera observing [the protagonist] Parkins with almost microscopic precision… With the pared-down plot and only one major character, [Miller] is able to really get inside Parkins' head, using his lead actor and some striking locations to create an unnerving sense of a disrupted normality in which undefined dangers are stalking us even in daylight." – Slarek, Cine Outsider
820. (+20) When a Stranger Calls Back
Fred Walton
1993 / USA / 94m / Col / Thriller | IMDb
Carol Kane, Charles Durning, Jill Schoelen, Gene Lythgow, Karen Elizabeth Austin, Babs Chula, John B. Destry, Duncan Fraser, Jenn Griffin, Gary Jones
"When a Stranger Calls Back was made for TV, which actually makes it more impressive (seeing as how made for TV horror movies have a history of sucking donkey balls). While the movie itself is slightly better than mediocre, the opening sequence is what makes the film. Julia is a young babysitter who spends a night in a middle class neighborhood. A knock arrives at the front door by a person having car distress. Without ruining the sequence for those that haven't seen the movie, the suspense is built up very slowly (the scene is about 15 minutes in length) until the "coupe de gras" which will delight even the most well-seasoned horror fan. I have heard that the opening sequences for both of the "Stranger" movies are perhaps the most well-directed scenes in the history of horror. I can't completely deny that statement." – Jenn Dlugos, Classic-Horror.com
821. (-42) 20 Million Miles to Earth
Nathan Juran
1957 / USA / 82m / BW / Science Fiction | IMDb
William Hopper, Joan Taylor, Frank Puglia, John Zaremba, Thomas Browne Henry, Tito Vuolo, Jan Arvan, Arthur Space, Bart Braverman
"I don't know of any other artist in Hollywood who has ever dwarfed the rest of the film in such a way as Harryhausen did… the Ymir, the Venusian alien creature, is one of Harryhausen's most interesting creations, not least because you can see elements of some of his more famous monsters in the mannerisms of the creature (I can see the cyclops from The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and the Kraken from Clash of the Titans to name but two). It's these mannerisms and the way in which Harryhausen animates the creature, which makes it more like-like and believable than any of the human actors involved." – Andrew Smith, Popcorn Pictures
822. (+22) The Watcher in the Woods
John Hough
Bette Davis, Lynn-Holly Johnson, Kyle Richards, Carroll Baker, David McCallum, Benedict Taylor, Frances Cuka, Richard Pasco, Ian Bannen, Katharine Levy
"It's curious to observe how Watcher edges towards genuine terror before retreating back into Disney's comfort zone. Some blame studio executive Ron Miller for this inconsistency of tone, his reluctance to allow the film its darker elements resulting in a series of unhappy compromises… It's all too tempting to consider what could have been, or indeed what briefly was, given that the original 1980 cut remains similarly out of reach. Nevertheless, even in its most widely viewed form The Watcher in the Woods is a haunting, unusual film, steeped in a strange magic that's only enhanced by the dense thicket of rumour and myth that surrounds it." – Joseph Stannard, Sight & Sound
823. (-31) Incubus
Leslie Stevens
1966 / USA / 78m / BW / Supernatural | IMDb
William Shatner, Allyson Ames, Eloise Hardt, Robert Fortier, Ann Atmar, Milos Milos
"After the demonic symbol opening titles and, you know, the freaking Esperanto [language the film is shot in], the film's already a little goofy. For a while, it seems like it might not end up goofy. But it's a story about a succubus who wants to condemn a clean soul so she can become a demon—she needs to show off to Satan, who's a giant bat in a fog machine—it'd be hard for Incubus not to be goofy. Stevens's script runs out of ideas fast. His direction doesn't. While he does ignore Atmar a little too often, Stevens is otherwise high energy. It's not always good direction, but Hall shoots most of it well so it at least looks great. And during the bumpier periods, Incubus gets by on the strange factor" – Andrew Wickliffe, The Stop Button
824. (-41) Mother's Day
Charles Kaufman
Nancy Hendrickson, Deborah Luce, Tiana Pierce, Frederick Coffin, Michael McCleery, Beatrice Pons, Robert Collins, Peter Fox, Marsella Davidson, Kevin Lowe
""Mother's Day" is gritty and grimy—a bath may be in order after watching it—but it is not without merit. Whether viewed as a stark horror pic, a wildly offbeat comedy, a female-empowerment saga, or a cutting depiction of consumerist society gone woefully wrong, the film has something to offer all but those with weak stomachs. The socko surprise ending—let's just say it involves Mother's deranged, forest-prowling sister Queenie—is the perfect capper on a relic of the 1980s slasher craze that still, oddly enough, feels awfully relevant." – Dustin Putnam, The Movie Boy
825. (-23) Twisted Nerve
1968 / UK / 112m / Col / Thriller | IMDb
Hayley Mills, Hywel Bennett, Billie Whitelaw, Phyllis Calvert, Barry Foster, Frank Finlay, Salmaan Peerzada, Christian Roberts, Gretchen Franklin, Thorley Walters
""Twisted Nerve" is a Bouting Brothers movie and as such every scene is beautifully crafted from the way a camera slides under the stairs to how the light reflects off of a pair of scissors. It means that "Twisted Nerve" is just as likely to entertain those who like to study movies as it will for those seeking entertainment. What this all boils down to is that "Twisted Nerve" is still a fantastic movie, a fantastic character study with great performances all round, especially from Hywel Bennett who when combined with that whistling theme tune becomes sensationally ominous." – Andy Webb, The Movie Scene
826. (-11) Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
Rachel Talalay
Robert Englund, Lisa Zane, Shon Greenblatt, Lezlie Deane, Ricky Dean Logan, Breckin Meyer, Yaphet Kotto, Tom Arnold, Roseanne Barr, Elinor Donahue
"The Nightmare movies have also, to this point, refused to take themselves too seriously, walking a line between absurd and creepy and placing a toe (or ten) on either side every once in a while. This movie goes whole hog into a tone that bordered on slapstick in more than one scene. Freddy is also back to his old self, quipping with his victims and vogueing as though he is, on some level, aware of the film audience. Even with much more history and backstory than we've gotten so far, this movie manages to stay squarely in the kind of territory that Nightmare does best." – Sophie Day, Bloody Good Horror
827. (+40) Fascination
1979 / France / 80m / Col / Vampire | IMDb
Franca Maï, Brigitte Lahaie, Jean-Marie Lemaire, Fanny Magier, Muriel Montossé, Sophie Noël, Evelyne Thomas, Agnès Bert, Cyril Val, Myriam Watteau
"The story breaks down more or less into a series of surreal erotic episodes, with Rollin lingering over his trademark dreamy lesbian love scenes and plenty of nudity from the gorgeous Lahaie. However, as in Rollin's best films no matter how off-kilter and strange the imagery, the plot proves surprisingly coherent when approached on its own terms as a waking dream. Rollin takes a cultured, elegant approach to sexploitation-horror with the emphasis on the poetic and magical aspects. He milks the dreamlike atmosphere provided by that fantastically evocative, mist-shrouded chateau, for all its worth and conjures other indelible images from close-ups on blood-stained lips to Lahaie's big scythe-wielding moment. Arguably the finest hardcore porn star-turned straight actress, the future novelist/talk show host is mesmerising here." – Andrew Pragasam, The Spinning Image
828. (-32) Misterios de ultratumba
Fernando Méndez
1959 / Mexico / 82m / BW / Supernatural | IMDb
Gastón Santos, Rafael Bertrand, Mapita Cortés, Carlos Ancira, Carolina Barret, Luis Aragón, Beatriz Aguirre, Antonio Raxel, J. Portillo, Abel Salazar
"Mexican director Fernando Méndez crafts astoundingly atmospheric visuals and writer Ramón Obón spins a dizzyingly suspenseful story, both creating an unforgettable film with The Black Pit of Dr. M. The visuals of the long halls of the arcane mental hospital, the dense fog, the Doctor's villa and the dark shadows will strike you first. There are certain shots that are framed to perfection, including one scene that features the starkly back-lit gallows, which rival any of the classic Universal horror films for their gothic mystique. Secondly, you will notice that the story of intrigue builds upon itself and never leaves a dull moment. Not only that, but time is adequately taken to properly develop the characters as the story unfolds. While the gorgeously gothic visuals help grab your attention and establish the dark mood of the film, it's the compounding storyline that keeps building that really sets this masterpiece apart." – Sarah E. Jahier, Fatally Yours' Horror Reviews
829. (+24) The Relic
1997 / USA / 110m / Col / Monster | IMDb
Penelope Ann Miller, Tom Sizemore, Linda Hunt, James Whitmore, Clayton Rohner, Chi Muoi Lo, Thomas Ryan, Robert Lesser, Diane Robin, Lewis Van Bergen
"On paper The Relic probably reads like the kind of movie that would be made for the Syfy channel nowadays, but with a budget rumoured to be around the forty million dollar mark this was far from a B-grade cheapie, and director Peter Hyams used Hollywood's fat cheque books to produce a slick, atmospheric and entertaining creature feature… Some twelve years after it was released The Relic isn't fondly remembered by too many, which is a shame as it is a reasonably smart and well acted movie that doesn't skimp on the essentials like creature action and gore and mixes its straighter faced drama with cheesy monster mayhem and genuinely atmospheric suspense sequences almost perfectly." – Craig Villinger, Digital Retribution
830. (new) Svengali
Archie Mayo
1931 / USA / 81m / BW / Drama | IMDb
John Barrymore, Marian Marsh, Donald Crisp, Bramwell Fletcher, Carmel Myers, Luis Alberni, Lumsden Hare, Paul Porcasi
"[Svengali] may have lost some of the romantic charm of the author's tale, but it compensates for this by Mr. Barrymore's imaginative and forceful portrayal, and also by Archie Mayo's knowledgeful supervision of the camera work. Where it is possible the producers have introduced some mirthful moments, but, as might be presumed, this feature is mostly concerned with Svengali's hypnotic powers… And in these sequences there is Mr. Barrymore's fine performance, which surpasses anything he has done for the screen, including his masterful acting in the motion pictures of Stevenson's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and Clyde Fitch's "Beau Brummell." He is aided in no small way by remarkable photographic wizardry, for during those scenes wherein he hypnotizes Triby, his eyes appear to lose the iris and become a luminous white." – Mordaunt Hall, New York Times
831. (+30) The Mangler
Robert Englund, Ted Levine, Daniel Matmor, Jeremy Crutchley, Vanessa Pike, Demetre Phillips, Lisa Morris, Vera Blacker, Ashley Hayden, Danny Keogh
"Just because The Mangler isn't good doesn't mean it isn't worthwhile… There's so much to recommend, simply due to the sheer watchability of it. Robert Englund's performance is so great. It's so confusing that it makes you question what both he and Hooper were thinking when coming up with this character… When the machine does completely come to life at the end, it's the best, most absurd thing that happens during the entire running time. It feels like the only climax The Mangler could have had. Because it's just ridiculous. But as campy, stupid and bizarre as it is, you're never not entertained." – Nat Brehmer, Wicked Horror
832. (-34) The 'Burbs
1989 / USA / 101m / Col / Black Comedy | IMDb
Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, Rick Ducommun, Corey Feldman, Wendy Schaal, Henry Gibson, Brother Theodore, Courtney Gains, Gale Gordon
"The 'Burbs may look, feel and seem like a simple movie, and the outset of things it is. It relies on out-of-the-box comedy methods like pratfalls and wacky dialogue delivery to help Dana Olsen's well-conceived script, but it succeeds on the most basic level of taking ordinary people and putting them in an extra-ordinary situation. Just like a genre classic like Ghostbusters, The 'Burbs is is laugh-out-loud hilarious because you can see something of yourself and the life around you in this series of very bizarre events." – Luke Owen, Flickering Myth
833. (-28) The Incredible Torture Show
Joel M. Reed
1976 / USA / 84m / Col / Splatter | IMDb
Seamus O'Brien, Luis De Jesus, Viju Krem, Niles McMaster, Alan Dellay, Dan Fauci, Helen Thompson, Ellen Faison, Ernie Pysher, Carol Mara
"A bizarre and irreverent plot which is seemingly just an excuse to exploit every taboo in a movie and take it to its distasteful extreme, [it] has to be seen to be believed. With the usual histrionic characters that are expected in a Troma movie and the excessive lengths that the plot evolves to shock and disgust, this is not a movie to take seriously. Fans of hardcore exploitation movies such as Last House on the Left and I Spit on your Grave may find Bloodsucking Freaks a bit difficult to digest with its campiness and farcical interpretation of the genre but would have to appreciate the depths of distaste that the movie is willing to sink to in order to achieve the desired reaction from the audience. A definite cult classic and a defining moment in Troma history in the guise of a sadistic and torturous voyage into the brainwashing and slavery industry where women are used as dartboards before being fed to their feral sisters." – Pazuzu Iscariot, Horror Extreme
834. (-28) Bat sin fan dim: Yan yuk cha siu bau
Herman Yau
1993 / Hong Kong / 96m / Col / Splatter | IMDb
Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Danny Lee, Emily Kwan, Chun Hung Cheung, Si Man Hui, James Ha Jim-Si, Eric Kei, Joh-Fai Kwong, Dave Lam Jing, King-Kong Lam
"While labeled as one of the most shocking Asian horror films, The Untold Story is surprisingly not as graphically gory as one would expect with such title; the shock and the horror originate not from what's seen, but from what takes place in off-screen. Directors Danny Lee and Herman Yau build up a disturbing atmosphere, very much in tone with the unbalance mind of Wong. Employing a stylish narrative, directors Yau and Lee cleverly orchestrate the grotesque details of the crimes in such a harrowing, powerful way that, no matter that the actual act takes place off-screen, the horrific effect is still felt." – J Luis Rivera, W-Cinema
835. (-38) Juan de los muertos
Alejandro Brugués
2011 / Spain / 92m / Col / Zombie | IMDb
Alexis Díaz de Villegas, Jorge Molina, Andros Perugorría, Andrea Duro, Jazz Vilá, Eliecer Ramírez, Blanca Rosa Blanco, Susana Pous, Antonio Dechent, Eslinda Núñez
"Cuba's first zombie flick gives a twist of rum-soaked lime and shuffle-stepped tango to the social satire of George A Romero's Dawn of the Dead, while also observing the post-modern metacinematic savvy of Edgar Wright's Shaun of the Dead. For when Brugués is not using the revenant deceased as a prism through which to affectionately lampoon half a century of Cuban history, he is either pastiching everything from the shark-on-zombie action of Lucio Fulci's Zombie Flesh Eaters to the priest who likes to 'kick ass for the Lord' in Peter Jackson's Braindead, or having his characters pose such daftly crucial genre questions as why, when it comes to the post-millennial living dead, 'some are fast and some are slow.'" – Anton Bitel, Little White Lies
836. (-18) Eight Legged Freaks
Ellory Elkayem
2002 / USA / 99m / Col / Nature | IMDb
David Arquette, Kari Wuhrer, Scott Terra, Scarlett Johansson, Doug E. Doug, Rick Overton, Leon Rippy, Matt Czuchry, Jay Arlen Jones, Eileen Ryan
"Decidedly goofy, Eight Legged Freaks is a modest horror comedy reminiscent of the campy B-movie creature flicks of yesteryear. Armed with cheesy humor and a tongue-in-cheek story, it offers light-hearted entertainment fit for a sci-fi monster movie marathon… Ultimately, Eight Legged Freaks is too polite to be a classic in its genre. But as horror comedies go, it's breezy fun that recognizes its limitations and revels in its own absurdity. With that rare quality of self-awareness, it puts itself considerably above ill-conceived peers that take themselves too seriously." – Andrew Manning, Radio Free Entertainment
837. (+61) Starry Eyes
Kevin Kolsch & Dennis Widmyer
2014 / USA / 98m / Col / Psychological | IMDb
Alex Essoe, Amanda Fuller, Noah Segan, Fabianne Therese, Shane Coffey, Natalie Castillo, Pat Healy, Nick Simmons, Maria Olsen, Marc Senter
"A savage allegory about the sacrificial, soul-crushing price of fame and recognition in a town notoriously guilty for building up its talent only to tear them down, the perfectly titled "Starry Eyes" spares no one. Shooting on location in Los Angeles… writer-directors Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer paint a despairing but, from certain angles, accurate portrait of Hollywood's grim underbelly. Beyond the sunshine and palm trees is an imminent danger that nears, each callback Sarah receives taking her closer to the part and further from her identity… Soaked in viscera and complemented by composer Jonathan Snipes' phenomenally foreboding old-school, synth-heavy music score, the powerful finished product announces Kolsch and Widmyer as filmmaking forces to watch and remember." – Dustin Putman, TheFrightFile.com
838. (-31) Black Christmas
Glen Morgan
2006 / Canada / 84m / Col / Slasher | IMDb
Katie Cassidy, Michelle Trachtenberg, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lacey Chabert, Kristen Cloke, Andrea Martin, Crystal Lowe, Oliver Hudson, Karin Konoval, Dean Friss
"It's no Scream, but it lives up to its title, a black (comedy) Christmas movie, with halls decked with holly, mistletoe and a Christmas tree full of popped eyeballs. Unlike the recent When a Stranger Calls remake (which also starred [Katie] Cassidy), Black Christmas has the smarts to be playful, with a choice selection of festive slasher gags pushing the envelope of bad taste: a candy cane's sucked into a stabbing weapon and angel-shaped cookie cutters do more than cut cookies. The result's an undemanding multiplex filler – a ho-ho-horror movie that knows it's the season to be jolly." – Jamie Russell, BBC.com
839. (new) Mandy
Panos Cosmatos
2018 / USA / 121m / Col / Action | IMDb
Nicolas Cage, Andrea Riseborough, Linus Roache, Ned Dennehy, Olwen Fouéré, Richard Brake, Bill Duke, Line Pillet, Clément Baronnet, Alexis Julemont
"One could catalog all the awesome things in "Mandy" — the dueling chainsaws, the Cheddar Goblin, the nightmarishly enveloping score by the late Jóhann Jóhannson, Nicolas Cage at his screaming-in-his-tighty-whities best — without quite penetrating the awesomeness of "Mandy." Suffice to say that Panos Cosmatos' metal-to-the-max revenge thriller is more than just the sum of its deranged set pieces, choice as they are: Its slow-drip blend of hardcore pulp and demonic fantasy has a patience and all-consuming conviction that simply cannot be faked. Pulverizing though it may be, "Mandy" isn't an assault; it's an immersion, and one that demands the attention of a big screen." – Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times
840. (-53) Ghostwatch
Lesley Manning
1992 / UK / 91m / Col / Haunted House | IMDb
Michael Parkinson, Sarah Greene, Mike Smith, Craig Charles, Gillian Bevan, Brid Brennan, Michelle Wesson, Cherise Wesson, Chris Miller, Mike Aiton
"Set up as a live broadcast, in the same manner that so many ghost hunting shows are now, the movie was actually banned from being broadcast again, because of negative reaction from audiences. Like Orson Welles had done with War of the Worlds, director Lesley Manning and writer Stephen Volk did with Ghostwatch. People believed this was happening, and the film was even said to have caused PTSD in children. It's not hard to see why. The film is still incredibly frightening, bolstered by the way the evil ghost, Pipes, randomly appears in very quick shots, and how the presenters in the show played themselves. It feels quite real, and obviously had a tremendous impact." – Will Brownridge, The Film Reel
841. (-24) The Dark Half
Timothy Hutton, Amy Madigan, Michael Rooker, Julie Harris, Robert Joy, Kent Broadhurst, Beth Grant, Rutanya Alda, Tom Mardirosian, Larry John Meyers
"The idea that something real – an absorbed twin, a tumor in the brain – and something fictitious, like a nom de plume, could both be somehow intertwined is a very rare plot-point in cinema, and perhaps the greatest compliment one could give Romero is that, rather than trying to explain it all away or invent a justification through science or medicine, the situation is allowed to be as nuanced and unclear as cinema can be without becoming lazy. If you take away the psychopomps and all other literary flourishes, there is still the story of a man being hunted by something he invented but doesn't understand; if you take away the blood-lust of the revenge-film hierarchy, there's still a man at war with himself, or a physical representation of himself. The Dark Half, for all its flaws, is a movie happy to exist in a limbo where reality and fantasy are conjoined and almost inseparable, and that at least is worthy of admiration." – Adam Balz, Not Coming To a Theater Near You
842. (+124) Frozen
Emma Bell, Shawn Ashmore, Kevin Zegers, Ed Ackerman, Rileah Vanderbilt, Kane Hodder, Adam Johnson, Chris York, Peder Melhuse
"Adam Green's fun 2006 horror film 'Hatchet' revelled in the art of self-aware pastiche, but it is in his second major work that he has found a legitimately great concept out of which to wring more nuanced thrills… If anything, Green suggests here that is likely a much better director than a writer; especially exciting is an overhead shot of the lift as a wolf darts by in the distance. The lean nature of the narrative dictates that the small things count, and as such, Green chooses to focus on them – frostbite scabs, the barely-threaded bolts on the ski-lift, and the frayed steel wires holding them precariously in place – to chilling effect." – Shaun Munro, What Culture
843. (-44) Dark Water
Walter Salles
Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly, Tim Roth, Dougray Scott, Pete Postlethwaite, Camryn Manheim, Ariel Gade, Perla Haney-Jardine, Debra Monk, Linda Emond
"Dark Water is slow-paced yet never boring, sober and serious, but certainly not drab. The settings, New York's dilapidated Roosevelt Island and one startlingly huge apartment complex, are pitch-perfect: gothic, domineering, and quietly unpleasant. While the feather in Dark Water's cap is Ms. Connelly's fragile, sympathetic, mildly disconcerting performance, there's more than enough actors' accolades to go around: John C. Reilly offers a great turn as a sleazy landlord; Pete Postlethwaite is suitably gamey as a mysterious superintendent; Tim Roth plays (perfectly) against type as an oddly endearing lawyer; folks like Dougray Scott and Camryn Mannheim do great work in decidedly smaller roles." – Scott Weinberg, DVDTalk.com
844. (+33) Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare
John Fasano
1987 / Canada / 83m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
Jon Mikl Thor, Jillian Peri, Frank Dietz, David Lane, Teresa Simpson, Adam Fried, Denise Dicandia, Jesse D'Angelo, Rusty Hamilton, Cindy Cirile
"If Cheez Whiz and hairspray are your favorite aerosols, then "Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare" just might be for you. Made in 1987, this stillborn brainchild from Canadian rocker Jon Mikl Thor, who both writes and stars, is a hair-metal slasher that mistakes schlock for shock… Rudimentary puppets, softcore sex and bombastic tunes provide some amusing highlights, but the real reason for seeing "Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare" is the ludicrous final 15 minutes. It's like a 1980s music video adaptation of a 1970s comic book." – Jamie S. Rich, The Oregonian
845. (-41) The Burrowers
J.T. Petty
2008 / USA / 96m / Col / Western | IMDb
Clancy Brown, David Busse, William Mapother, Jocelin Donahue, Alexandra Edmo, Brighid Fleming, Karl Geary, Christopher Hagen, Doug Hutchison, Galen Hutchison
"An atmospheric, slightly loopy mix of western lore and monster movie shocks – best described as The Searchers meets The Thing… Though shot on a measly US$7million budget, The Burrowers recreates the early West and envisions pure evil with an A-grade attention to detail. As a throwback to the great B-movies of years gone by, it echoes the middle America-vs-monster movie Tremors (1990), the astronauts-vs-monster movie Alien (1979) and the lost campers-vs-monster movie Prophecy (1979). Like those films, The Burrowers is a choice example of this paranoid, claustrophobic, tummy-tightening genre." – Simon Foster, Screen-Space
846. (-22) Amityville II: The Possession
1982 / USA / 104m / Col / Haunted House | IMDb
James Olson, Burt Young, Rutanya Alda, Jack Magner, Andrew Prine, Diane Franklin, Moses Gunn, Ted Ross, Erika Katz, Brent Katz
"[Director] Damiani forgoes any authentic connection to the actual DeFeo case and opts for a very loose fictional retelling more suitable for grindhouse theaters. That's not a complaint, but a compliment. Continuity and originality be damned, Amityville II: The Possession is so off the rails crazy that it's fun. Bolstered by great effects and a higher budget, this sequel is not only better than the first film, but it's the best in the series." – Meagan Navarro, Bloody Disgusting
847. (-59) Friday the 13th
Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Amanda Righetti, Travis Van Winkle, Aaron Yoo, Derek Mears, Jonathan Sadowski, Julianna Guill, Ben Feldman, Arlen Escarpeta
"Marcus Nispel's remake… isn't really a remake at all. After dispensing with Mrs. Voorhees before the opening credits, it launches into a brand new slaughterfest that sporadically pays homage to scenes from the first three films but stays truest only to their formula. And yet it works. It is easily the best Friday the 13th ever made, if only by virtue of the fact that it's actually pretty good. How good? That depends what you're looking for. By now, you know whether Friday the 13th is your kind of movie, and if it's not, you've probably stopped reading by now. If it is, be assured that the acting is passable, the effects are impressively convincing, and the suspense is real. It's not a great film, but it is a frightening one, and what more do you need to know?" – Rossiter Drake, San Francisco Examiner
848. (-55) Una lucertola con la pelle di donna
1971 / Italy / 104m / Col / Giallo | IMDb
Florinda Bolkan, Stanley Baker, Jean Sorel, Silvia Monti, Alberto de Mendoza, Penny Brown, Mike Kennedy, Ely Galleani, George Rigaud, Ezio Marano
"By making the film grounded in physical actuality and more lingering, disgusting gore, Fulci and Kuveiller and the rest of the filmmakers were able to make the moments of drug or psychosis-induced fantasy pop that much more, and somehow, having just a little insanity ends up making the whole film feel more deranged than if it always occupied that heightened place. For as long as it works, A Lizard in a Woman's Skin does as good a job of exploring what a mental breakdown might actually consist of as well as any giallo ever did, and given the genre's huge enthusiasm for psychiatry, that's one heck of an achievement." – Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
849. (+3) Body Parts
Eric Red
Jeff Fahey, Lindsay Duncan, Kim Delaney, Zakes Mokae, Brad Dourif, John Walsh, Paul Ben-Victor, Peter Murnik, Nathaniel Moreau, Sarah Campbell
"One of the things about Body Parts that makes it so different from other horror films of the early nineties is its killer action sequences. Of course, there are tense and suspenseful moments in the film, but while other movies toil away in the undercurrent of dread that they work so hard to create, Body Parts leans on the gas with bar fights, car wrecks, and footraces. The whole film culminates in one of the most awesome car chases ever committed to film… Dikker's score won him the 1992 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Saturn Award for Best Music, and the award is well-deserved" – James Jay Edwards, FilmFracture
850. (-2) Tôkyô zankoku keisatsu
Yoshihiro Nishimura
2008 / Japan / 110m / Col / Splatter | IMDb
Eihi Shiina, Itsuji Itao, Yukihide Benny, Jiji Bû, Ikuko Sawada, Cay Izumi, Mame Yamada, Ayano Yamamoto, Akane Akanezawa, Kotoha Hiroyama
"Comic book gore and a plot exploited to provide maximum fighting time, Tokyo Gore Police succeeds in its bid to push the few boundaries it sets for itself to the limit. Namely trying to think of the most ghastly mix of organic and mechanic bodies, then have them destroyed with a bucket load of blood after they've killed a dozen expendable police officers. One for splatter-fest fans, it hits the spot magnificently if you can handle the onslaught. Think The Evil Dead on a rampage through Tokyo and you're getting close." – Mike Barnard, Future Movies
851. (-21) Homicidal
William Castle
Glenn Corbett, Patricia Breslin, Eugenie Leontovich, Alan Bunce, Richard Rust, James Westerfield, Gilbert Green, Joan Marshall
"Despite its obvious flaws, however, Homicidal comes across today as a reasonably enjoyable cult film, primarily because all its ludicrous elements add up to such silly fun. Plus, though the primary plot twist is far too easy to guess, the hidden secret behind this twist comes as a genuine surprise. If you forget that Homicidal was ever meant as a serious rival to Hitchcock's masterpiece, you'll probably get a kick out of its enjoyably campy approach to sibling rivalry, gender, loyalty, and murder." – Film Fanatic
852. (-21) Paranormal Activity 2
2010 / USA / 91m / Col / Found Footage | IMDb
David Bierend, Brian Boland, Molly Ephraim, Katie Featherston, Seth Ginsberg, Sprague Grayden, William Juan Prieto, Jackson Xenia Prieto, Micah Sloat
"Following the series' conceit of presenting edited found footage, "Paranomal Activity 2" consists of house surveillance videos and some interactions caught by camcorder. Much of what's captured on tape and hard drives is mundane, but it's precisely the ordinariness and long takes in these scenes that can make them so unnerving when the supernatural element disrupts the tranquility… It's in this manner that "Paranomal Activity 2" consistently succeeds at constructing jump moments with deliberation during routine home settings. The scares in "Paranomal Activity 2" aren't as frequent or always as well built as the original film's, but those that exist are still pretty effective." – Mark Pfeiffer, Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema
853. (-59) Pitch Black
Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser, Keith David, Lewis Fitz-Gerald, Claudia Black, Rhiana Griffith, John Moore, Simon Burke, Les Chantery
"Weirdly cool, coolly weird, assembled with throwaway flair from cast-off sci-fi-thriller pistons and gears… Pitch Black is so jaunty, so limber, and so visually self-assured that art peeks through where crap has traditionally made its home… Rarely has the unknown looked so grubby and yet so beautiful; rarely have crash landings felt so visceral. Besides, the movie's outlaw aesthetics liberate relatively unknown actors to make the most out of characters sketchier than guests on the Enterprise." – Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
854. (-25) Eaten Alive
Neville Brand, Mel Ferrer, Carolyn Jones, Marilyn Burns, William Finley, Stuart Whitman, Roberta Collins, Kyle Richards, Robert Englund, Crystin Sinclaire
"Even though dated, [Eaten Alive] delivers everything you could want from a Video Nasty, and delivers it head on, in your face and makes no excuses. This is a film which only needs the most basic of plots simply to tie together the scenes of carnage. This is a film which relishes, and glorifies its violence and unsavoury characters, and this is a film which demands you take your head out of your ass and just enjoy horror for what it is. [Eaten Alive] is a horror intended to be enjoyed on face value, there is nothing deep or meaningful here, and you certainly will not need to use your brain. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the madness, the insanity, the completely mad ride into the Starlight Hotel, its owner Judd and is beloved pet Croc out back." – Matt Wavish, Horror Cult Films
855. (+42) Under the Shadow
Babak Anvari
2016 / Iran / 84m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi, Bobby Naderi, Arash Marandi, Aram Ghasemy, Soussan Farrokhnia, Ray Haratian, Hamid Djavadan, Behi Djanati Atai, Bijan Daneshmand
"Those cracks in the ceiling are hiding a lot more than dry rot in "Under the Shadow," a satisfyingly tense and atmospheric thriller set in a haunted Tehran apartment during the terrifying final days of the Iran-Iraq War. Slyly merging a familiar but effective genre exercise with a grim allegory of female oppression, Babak Anvari's resourceful writing-directing debut grounds its premise in something at once vaguely political and ineluctably sinister; imagine an Asghar Farhadi remake of "The Babadook" and you're halfway there… In its harrowing final moments, "Under the Shadow" reveals itself as a horror story rooted in the dreams and pathologies that mothers pass down to their daughters, and the defiant gestures it may take for cycles of persecution to be broken." – Justin Chang, Variety
856. (-28) Tras el cristal
Agustí Villaronga
1986 / Spain / 110m / Col / Psychological | IMDb
Günter Meisner, David Sust, Marisa Paredes, Gisèle Echevarría, Imma Colomer, Josuè Guasch, David Cuspinera, Ricardo Carcelero, Alberto Manzano
"Like the film's characters, we find ourselves party to scenarios involving the most extraordinary fetishisation of suffering and death, horrors which invoke a troubling combination of impressions: they are sensual, grotesque, dreamlike, oddly beautiful, almost pornographic, usually painful to witness. But however horrifying the experience, Tras el cristal is bound to make for rewarding viewing. It is profoundly disturbing, potently evocative and easily one of the most lyrical nightmares ever concocted." – Chris Gallant, Kino Eye
857. (-44) Oldeuboi
Chan-wook Park
2003 / South Korea / 120m / Col / Crime | IMDb
Min-sik Choi, Ji-tae Yu, Hye-jeong Kang, Dae-han Ji, Dal-su Oh, Byeong-ok Kim, Seung-Shin Lee, Jin-seo Yoon, Dae-yeon Lee, Kwang-rok Oh
"The violence remains appalling, but it's an essential element in this brutally inspired mystery. The low-tech dentistry, the masticated octopod, they're part of the modern hell in which a Korean businessman finds himself… [Oldboy] tantalizes and tortures you as it lures you into its mysterious vortex. You die from what you see and from what you don't know. And it takes looking beyond the violence to realize the power of Choi's performance… There is a conclusion to all this, an existential punch line that explains everything in a climactic pileup of melodramatic detail. But whatever you make of that, you will surely leave this movie shocked, shaken and surprisingly moved. And definitely stuck on that poor octopus." – Desson Thomson, Washington Post
858. (new) House of Horrors
Jean Yarbrough
1946 / USA / 65m / BW / Thriller | IMDb
Rondo Hatton, Robert Lowery, Virginia Grey, Bill Goodwin, Martin Kosleck, Alan Napier, Howard Freeman, Virginia Christine, Joan Shawlee
"A distinctly minor film, but in a bargain-basement way it toys with some interesting themes: the root causes of victimhood, the nature of power, and the price of outsourcing your dirty work to somebody else… Kosleck doesn't disappoint in this film; as always his soft, accented voice works as a perfect counterpoint to his razor-sharp gaze, which can convey anger or madness — or both. Rondo Hatton doesn't get top billing either, but this movie was designed as a vehicle for him and his peculiar physiognomy. Hatton suffered from a glandular condition called acromegaly, the symptoms of which weren't apparent until he was well into adulthood. The condition gradually altered the shape of his head and distorted his body and facial features, giving him a coarse, brutal appearance." – Michael Popham, The Horror Incorporated Project
859. (-59) The Comedy of Terrors
1963 / USA / 84m / Col / Comedy | IMDb
Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, Joyce Jameson, Joe E. Brown, Beverly Powers, Basil Rathbone, Alan DeWitt, Buddy Mason, Douglas Williams
"Not bawdy or terribly sophisticated, all told, The Comedy of Terrors derives its charm from its talented cast and crew, its oddly-pleasing, familiar period setting and – I don't mean this word in the pejorative sense which has crept in during the decades between us and this film – its camp style. It's light Gothic entertainment through and through, a tale signifying nothing, perhaps, but an opportunity to see some of our best-beloved actors having a damned good time." – Keri O'Shea, Brutal as Hell
860. (-49) Taxidermia
György Pálfi
2006 / Hungary / 91m / Col / Black Comedy | IMDb
Csaba Czene, Gergely Trócsányi, Marc Bischoff, István Gyuricza, Piroska Molnár, Gábor Máté, Géza Hegedüs D., Zoltán Koppány, Erwin Leder, Adél Stanczel
"Striking visuals attempt to match allegory; this is the stuff of Taxidermia. From the onset it's quite clear that Taxidermia isn't interested in being a typical horror film. The film blends elements of comedy, body horror, and political allegory into as unappealing of a package as possible. That is, however, the reason that Taxidermia is so appealing as a film. The images are often visceral to the extreme, repugnant in the way they depict the characters. People who see Taxidermia will probably never be able to look at competitive eating the same way again. Repugnance is the point of Taxidermia, or rather it is the point that is used to get to the root of the political issues that have plagued Hungary for years." – Bill Thompson, Sound on Sight
861. (-2) Hands of the Ripper
Peter Sasdy
1971 / UK / 85m / Col / Slasher | IMDb
Eric Porter, Angharad Rees, Jane Merrow, Keith Bell, Derek Godfrey, Dora Bryan, Marjorie Rhodes, Lynda Baron, Marjie Lawrence, Margaret Rawlings
"While the character development is certainly the main cause for the sinister atmosphere in this tale, the director also must be give props for having a very keen eye for subtlety. Even though this film features much gorier deaths than we expect from Hammer, the gore never seems over-the-top. This is because the director shows just enough so you capture how horrible the crime was, but does not linger on it too much that you actually go "eeeewwwww… gross." He didn't want us to come away from this movie thinking it was a low-grade "hack em up film" Instead he focused our attention on the horror behind Anna's multiple personalities. This is most seen in the end scene, which I will not ruin for anyone. What I can say is that while there was defiantly room to go with the lowest common gore denominator at the movie's climax, he instead showed off some very impressive camera work and emphasized the suspense and tragedy instead." – Jenn Dlugos
862. (+4) Wendigo
2001 / USA / 91m / Col / Monster | IMDb
Patricia Clarkson, Jake Weber, Erik Per Sullivan, John Speredakos, Christopher Wynkoop, Lloyd Oxendine, Brian Delate, Daniel Sherman, Jennifer Wiltsie
"Writer/director Larry Fessenden throws everything including the kitchen sink into the visuals. "Wendigo" is a very good-looking film, even if a brief sequence using handheld cameras early on gets to be a bit tedious. The movie, despite being a slow and laborious character study, still manages to move well. Fessenden proves that he was paying attention in film school when the professors were talking about motifs and themes, and as a result the film's visualization is swarming with secondary and third meanings — that is, if one cares to pick them out. Don't go into "Wendigo" expecting a horror movie. Despite the title, the film is more about man's interaction, and lack thereof, with one another than it is about a mythical beast. The film is never scary, but rather shocking in its nonchalant attitude toward human nature and violence." – Nix, Beyond Hollywood
863. (-17) The Cottage
Paul Andrew Williams
2008 / UK / 92m / Col / Black Comedy | IMDb
Andy Serkis, Reece Shearsmith, Jennifer Ellison, Steven O'Donnell, James Bierman, Cat Meacher, Danny Nussbaum, Logan Wong, Jonathan Chan-Pensley
"The Cottage improves immeasurably following an out-of-left-field plot twist that hits at around the 55-minute mark – as the film, in a manner reminiscent of From Dusk Till Dawn, essentially morphs into a far more entertaining and altogether horrific endeavor than its comparatively sedate opening might've indicated. The degree to which the movie is redeemed by its impossible-to-anticipate third act is consequently quite staggering, as one can't help but derive a fair amount of enjoyment from the downright brutal situation the central characters find themselves embroiled in. The inclusion of an appropriately grisly finale only cements The Cottage's effective late-in-the-game turnaround." – David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
864. (-10) Quarantine
2008 / USA / 89m / Col / Zombie | IMDb
Jennifer Carpenter, Steve Harris, Jay Hernandez, Johnathon Schaech, Columbus Short, Andrew Fiscella, Rade Serbedzija, Greg Germann, Bernard White, Dania Ramirez
"Spotlights constantly flashing into the building's windows from buzzing helicopters, police sirens wailing outside, and blaring bullhorn announcements create an relentless feeling of discomfort. The constant drone nearly irritates. And a lack of light — the electricity is cut to the building — coupled with the hand-held camera's narrow field-of-vision give us an extreme sense of claustrophobia. Despite its lack of originality, the film's script is actually quite tight and plays a huge part in the effectiveness of the film. The writers managed to avoid the oft-traversed pitfalls that slap the viewer back to reality with situations that don't seem real… or with people who don't behave as we'd expect. Here we're totally convinced and find ourselves completely absorbed in the tragic situation at hand. Especially in a post-911 world, it's not unrealistic to think we could find ourselves abandoned by authority. Now more than ever, we realize that every man for himself can be the difference between life and death." – Frank Wilkins, Reel Talk
865. (-38) Bone Tomahawk
2015 / USA / 132m / Col / Western | IMDb
Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, Lili Simmons, Evan Jonigkeit, David Arquette, Fred Melamed, Sid Haig, Maestro Harrell
"There's an elegance to Bone Tomahawk that doesn't let up even when it veers into cult-movie territory. Zahler is a patient director, willing to let scenes unfold, with tension developing organically. He uses music sparingly; the early scenes in town are almost unnaturally quiet, with the moody, minimalist score (credited to Jeff Herriot and Zahler himself) only kicking in once the search party strikes out for the territory. As the men become more and more desperate, the camera comes in closer and closer. But even the final act is devoid of the kind of unhinged stylistic hysteria that can take over films that upend genre. You could even say that's what makes it so disturbing — the director's unflinching eye reveals both character and violence." – Bilge Ebiri, Vulture
866. (-24) Maximum Overdrive
1986 / USA / 98m / Col / Science Fiction | IMDb
Emilio Estevez, Pat Hingle, Laura Harrington, Yeardley Smith, John Short, Ellen McElduff, J.C. Quinn, Christopher Murney, Holter Graham, Frankie Faison
"Stephen King had big problems with filmmakers, who'd often "ruin" his great books/stories with all the terrible adaptations of his short stories and books coming out, so what does he do? Writes and directs his own, which got hailed as King's worst film ever, though I think "Graveyard Shift" and "Mangler" were the worst ones. I really enjoyed this one however. It's a real stinker if you are expecting good horror and a decent film, but otherwise, if you're looking for a fun, ridiculous, campy b-movie to watch with the friends to crack up at, you're sure to enjoy this one… the pace doesn't move fast and the film runs out of steam in the last half hour, but otherwise, this is a great b-movie that provides a 98 minute laughfest." – Andrew Borntreger, BadMovies.org
867. (-31) Diary of the Dead
Michelle Morgan, Joshua Close, Shawn Roberts, Amy Lalonde, Joe Dinicol, Scott Wentworth, Philip Riccio, Chris Violette, Tatiana Maslany, Todd Schroeder
"Diary may initially struggle to get up to speed as it reprises business from the earlier films, but Romero has lost none of his wild inventiveness. This film has more left-field weirdness and edgy suspense than Land, with unexpected characters (a deaf, dynamite-throwing Amish farmer), grim jokes (the zombie birthday clown who bleeds when his red nose is pulled off) and horror scenes you have never seen before (in a crowded, gloomy warehouse, amid reserves of gasoline, a single, hard-to-find zombie mingles with jittery, well-armed folk). It turns out that despite decades of experiment, there are still spectacular new ways of killing zombies on screen (a slow acid-dissolve of the skull), while presenting state-of-the-art make-up effects vérité-style recalls the impact of the gruesome intestine-gobbling scene in 1968." – Sight and Sound
868. (-17) Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
Dwight H. Little
Donald Pleasence, Ellie Cornell, Danielle Harris, George P. Wilbur, Michael Pataki, Beau Starr, Kathleen Kinmont, Sasha Jenson, Gene Ross, Carmen Filpi
"Director Little manages to evoke some sense of tension every so often, with Loomis' attempts to warn police about Myers re-entering Haddonfield, while Jamie and Rachel become victim to Michael's murderous rampage. Once again under Akkad's presence, Michael becomes another routine masked slasher who has a knack for doling out some painful murders, and "The Return" is changes its narrative mid-way from a stalk and slash to a suspenseful mission involving Rachel's efforts to keep Jamie alive. While it's definitely not the best of the series, it's an entertaining slasher film with a very good final scene that stands out among the other titles in the series." – Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
869. (new) The Day the Earth Stood Still
Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray, Frances Bavier, Lock Martin
"Years prior, The United States had dropped The Bomb on Japan, and the Cold War was deep into widespread paranoia, suspicion, and unease. And so, producer Julian Blaustein sought to create a scenario based on those rampant, fearful emotions through drama's most metaphorical genre: science fiction… Klaatu himself represents a figure of hope and widespread progress, as his assumed name while hiding on Earth is John Carpenter, the initials indicating his Christlike message, and his surname linking to Jesus' pre-savior profession. Messages such as these are easily found in Wise's clear-cut science fiction parable, but that's the point. The film doesn't want audiences to read between the lines; rather it slaps you in the face and awaits your reaction." – Brian Eggert, Deep Focus Review
870. (-13) Lik wong
Ngai Choi Lam
1991 / Hong Kong / 91m / Col / Martial Arts | IMDb
Siu-Wong Fan, Mei Sheng Fan, Ka-Kui Ho, Yukari ôshima, Chi-leung Chan, Tetsurô Tanba, Gloria Yip, Philip Kwok, Bill Lung Biu, Yiu-Sing Cheung
"A martial arts film like no other, with characters' fists not just making full contact with their opponents' bodies, but actually going through them. When one person in 'The Story of Ricky' threatens to turn another 'into mincemeat' or to cut them 'into little pieces', their words are meant all too literally… Based on a popular Japanese manga, and released in 1991, 'The Story of Ricky' has the honour of being the first totally sex-free Hong Kong film to receive a Category 3 rating (equivalent to the 18 certificate here). Apart from 'Ichi the Killer', it is the only live-action film ever to capture the anarchic, excessive, highly stylised violence of manga… a truly visceral film that will leave you feeling battered and bruised, but strangely liberated nonetheless." – Anton Bitel, Movie Gazette
871. (-15) Leprechaun
Warwick Davis, Jennifer Aniston, Ken Olandt, Mark Holton, Robert Hy Gorman, Shay Duffin, John Sanderford, John Voldstad, Pamela Mant, William Newman
"Davis was said to have wanted this role as a bad guy after coming off a career drought, with a lead role in Willow as "the good guy." It's without a doubt, that the Leprechaun franchise would have never even been conceived or enjoyed as much without Davis in the lead role. He carries the movies, and every scene without him is lacking severely because the cast cannot carry the film. I would call Leprechaun an example of pure nineties cheese and also a movie I'm sure Jennifer Anniston would like to erase from her resume… There is some mild gore, Davis owns the role and has a couple of shining moments. This is definitely not a movie I'd show to kids. That little bastard is creepy looking and could haunt a little child's dreams." – Richard Taylor, Severed Cinema
872. (-60) The Crow
Brandon Lee, Rochelle Davis, Ernie Hudson, Michael Wincott, Bai Ling, Sofia Shinas, Anna Levine, David Patrick Kelly, Angel David, Laurence Mason
"One key to the surprising success of "The Crow," a movie adaptation of J. O'Barr's comic book saga of a vengeful spirit in a murderous city, is the way its violence is capable of shocking us. The movie has a wild, shivery impact. It's incandescently brutal and gory-and not just because it's the infamous film whose star, Brandon Lee, died in a shooting accident on the set. The Lee tragedy-effectively disguised in the film, which was completed after his death-simply makes the picture obvious fodder for op-ed pieces about media violence and Hollywood irresponsibility. What's scary about "The Crow" is the story and the style itself: American Gothic, Poe-haunted nightmare, translated to the age of cyberpunk science fiction, revenge movies and outlaw rock 'n' roll, all set in a hideously decaying, crime-ridden urban hell, populated by victims, cops and psychos." – Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
873. (-41) My Bloody Valentine
Patrick Lussier
2009 / USA / 101m / Col / Slasher | IMDb
Jensen Ackles, Jaime King, Kerr Smith, Betsy Rue, Edi Gathegi, Tom Atkins, Kevin Tighe, Megan Boone, Karen Baum, Joy de la Paz
"Most of the three-dimensional effects are precisely what you would expect, with everything from pickaxes to tree limbs to various body parts coming out of the screen. It's undeniably hokey, but also giddily effective, turning what might otherwise be a routine slash-and-hack job into a ridiculously gory theme park ride (the fact that "3-D" is part of the film's official title is a clue as to how important it is to its effectiveness). Director Patrick Lussier plays everything to the hilt, taking additional license with the third dimension to goose the audience with both old-school make-up special effects and digital trickery that, in the movie's first true shock moment, puts an eyeball right in your lap." – James Kendrick, QNetwork
874. (-36) Aftermath
Nacho Cerdà
1994 / Spain / 30m / Col / Splatter | IMDb
Pep Tosar, Jordi Tarrida, Ángel Tarris, Xevi Collellmir
"Aftermath is a deeper look into what disturbs Cerda. It is a clinical look at what happens after death but has not a stitch of spirituality to it, keeping its focus on the physical. It deletes the former question in the mind-body problem, leaving only a defenseless empty shell. Aftermath is a notorious film. Having garnered a reputation as "one of the most vile things to be ever put on film" from festival screenings and bootleg copies, it stands in clear contrast to the other two films. It is intense. It is unflinching. Yet, at its core it is subtle, hauntingly beautiful, and every bit as rich in detail and composition as any other great film has ever been." – DW Bostaph Jr, Dread Central
875. (+10) The Man They Could Not Hang
Nick Grinde
Boris Karloff, Lorna Gray, Robert Wilcox, Roger Pryor, Don Beddoe, Ann Doran, Joe De Stefani, Charles Trowbridge, Byron Foulger, Dick Curtis
"The Man They Could Not Hang is a crime drama with dark horror elements; the only thing keeping it from being a complete murder mystery is the fact that the murderer is not a mystery at all. Truth be told, the movie follows a pretty predictable path. Nevertheless, the screenplay, adapted by Karl Brown… drips with tension and suspense… Although Dr. Savaard is one of Karloff's least sympathetic characters, his performance is both subtle and melodramatic, and the audience still finds itself wanting to root for him, even when he makes the jump from hero to villain for the second half of the movie. It may not have been as big of a hit as some of his other films, but The Man They Could Not Hang helped to transform Boris Karloff from horror icon to legitimate movie star." – James Jay Edwards, FilmFracture
876. (-14) Monkey Shines
1988 / USA / 113m / Col / Nature | IMDb
Jason Beghe, John Pankow, Kate McNeil, Joyce Van Patten, Christine Forrest, Stephen Root, Stanley Tucci, Boo, Janine Turner, William Newman
"Horror fans have seen these things before, but to Romero's credit where many filmmakers would use this story as a launching pad for gory set pieces and offer up a symphony of murder at the monkey's hand, here the emphasis is more on the psychological aspect of things. As Allan breaks down we get inside his head a bit thanks to the genuinely strong performance from Jason Beghe. We don't always like him but the movie is calculating enough to ensure that we do always understand him. This makes the more macabre scenes in which the murders do take place considerably more suspenseful than they would be had they just been simple gore films. As Allan's anger grows and he starts to crack, the film does grow in intensity thanks to the character development that came before it starting to pay off in interesting ways." – Ian Jane, DVDTalk
877. (-51) Marebito
Takashi Shimizu
2004 / Japan / 92m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
Shin'ya Tsukamoto, Tomomi Miyashita, Kazuhiro Nakahara, Miho Ninagawa, Shun Sugata, Masayoshi Haneda, Ayumu Saitô
"It's safe to say that Marebito is a substantial departure from Shimizu's other work, not to mention the work of many of his contemporaries. This is partly due to Chiaki Konaka's eclectic script, which mixes elements of hollow-Earth theory and H.P. Lovecraft, throwing in references to Madame Blavatsky, Werner Herzog, and Kolchak: The Night Stalker along the way. Konaka deliberately avoids explanations and shifts course a few times, leaving the viewer unsure whether what they're seeing is reality or delusion. Shimizu builds upon this foundation by constructing a deeply claustrophobic atmosphere. The use of confined spaces, handheld cameras, and the absence of long shots all contribute to the feeling of confinement and draw the viewer in, something that can make you noticeably uncomfortable during the film's more effective moments." – Jim Harper, Flipside Movie Emporium
878. (+94) The Final Girls
Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, Alexander Ludwig, Nina Dobrev, Alia Shawkat, Thomas Middleditch, Adam DeVine, Angela Trimbur, Chloe Bridges, Tory N. Thompson
""Final Girls" isn't the first movie to show self-aware characters using their knowledge of horror films to plot an escape. Drew Goddard's "Cabin in the Woods" and Wes Craven's "Scream" mined that ground a while back. But give director Todd Strauss-Schulson some serious credit here. "Final Girls" still manages to use a quick wit and a few surprises to keep things interesting for the audience… The most surprising thing about "Final Girls" is how sweet it is. The subplot about Max and her mother leads to a number of tender scenes, and "Final Girls" has a genuine heart in the middle of all of its experimentation and social commentary. None of the characters are especially deep, but almost all of them are easier to cheer for than the cannon fodder of the "Friday the 13th" films." – Josh Terry, Deseret News
879. (-45) Lake Placid
Bill Pullman, Bridget Fonda, Oliver Platt, Brendan Gleeson, Betty White, David Lewis, Tim Dixon, Natassia Malthe, Mariska Hargitay, Meredith Salenger
""Lake Placid" is smart enough to acknowledge that the monsters are usually the most interesting characters in monster movies, but – even better – it's also smart enough to ensure that the people here are worthy of the monster. An usually witty creature feature, "Lake Placid" was a box-office flop: It was released when theatrical monster movies were out of fashion, and at a moment when old-school practical special effects were augmented but not yet replaced by computer-generated imagery. Thank goodness: It's the obviously real physicality of the fake crocodile (created by Stan Winston's studio) that gives this movie its heft, while the clever script by David E. Kelley – yes, the creator of "Doogie Howser" and "Ally McBeal" – gives it its bite." – John Beifuss, Commercial Appeal
880. (new) The Devil Bat
Bela Lugosi, Suzanne Kaaren, Dave O'Brien, Guy Usher, Yolande Donlan, Donald Kerr, Edmund Mortimer, Gene O'Donnell, Alan Baldwin, John Ellis
"Poor Bela [Lugosi] really never got the love he deserved in Hollywood, and his infamous career crash was in full tilt boogie when he made this fun little nonsense-fest, and yet he still gives it his all. Overacting and hamming it up like the legend he truly was. Any film with Lugosi playing a mad scientist is always worth a watch. The film itself is, of course, a ridiculously plotted mess, that deals with a vengeful, bitter-ass scientist, an electrically enlarged pissed off bat that screams like a little girl, and a fragrance that's more dangerous to your health than your fathers 'Old Spice'. At just over an hour, it's a quick watch and is a ton of fun for all the Bela fan's out there." – Kyle Scott, The Horror Hotel
881. (-23) Die Schlangengrube und das Pendel
Harald Reinl
1967 / Germany / 80m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
Lex Barker, Karin Dor, Christopher Lee, Carl Lange, Christiane Rücker, Vladimir Medar, Dieter Eppler
"Based tenuously on Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Pit and the Pendulum," German director Harald Reinl's 1967 gothic outing (which is also known as The Castle of the Walking Dead and Blood of the Virgins) is a fun and shivering ride into the macabre. Reinl has spent much of his entire career dealing with spooks and chills, and wastes no time getting the mood lathered on quickly with the execution of Regula at the beginning of the film… From there, after setting up his main protagonists and the shadow of dread that Regula has cast over the countryside, he truly gets things moving with the adventure through the haunted forest as he dishes out gobs of thick fog, arms and legs growing out of trees, and plenty of corpses hanging from the limbs." – Ryan Midnight, Inside Pulse
882. (new) The Hole
Nick Hamm
2001 / UK / 102m / Col / Psychological | IMDb
Thora Birch, Desmond Harrington, Daniel Brocklebank, Laurence Fox, Keira Knightley, Embeth Davidtz, Steven Waddington, Emma Griffiths Malin, Jemma Powell
"Pitched somewhere between The Blair Witch Project and The Famous Five, The Hole offers enough moments of duplicity, character degeneration and, of course, shock twists, to suggest it really wants to be the next Shallow Grave. And indeed, it boasts striking similarities – for example, the way in which it places its dislikeable protagonists in an extraordinary situation – but ultimately it lacks the necessary cleverness to really succeed… it is an effective enough chiller which prompts plenty of post-credits contemplation, and has far more imagination in a single reel than most recent British thrillers have had in their entire running time." – Caroline Westbrook, Empire Magazine
883. (-34) Necronomicon
Christophe Gans & Shûsuke Kaneko & Brian Yuzna
1993 / USA / 96m / Col / Anthology | IMDb
Jeffrey Combs, Tony Azito, Juan Fernández, Brian Yuzna, Bruce Payne, Belinda Bauer, Richard Lynch, Maria Ford, Peter Jasienski, Denice D. Lewis
"Anthologies must be difficult to create because there aren't a lot of great ones out there. Necronomicon is a rare anthology that delivers the scares, gore, and Lovecraftian shenanigans in near-flawless fashion. It's quite the accomplishment and one that I'm surprised isn't placed on a similar pedestal as Re-animator and From Beyond. Brian Yuzna and Christophe Gans are such a perfect duo here with Shûsuke Kaneko completing the triad… In Necronomicon, the team have elevated the effectiveness of Lovecraft due to the fact that the short stories are given a chance to be just that; short." – Matthew Caldwell, The Dark Spectrum
884. (+41) Madman
Joe Giannone
Gaylen Ross, Tony Fish, Harriet Bass, Seth Jones, Jan Claire, Alexander Murphy Jr., Tom Candela, Carl Fredericks, Michael Sullivan, Paul Ehlers
"Writer/Director Joe Giannone fashions a palpable atmosphere from the very first frame, and the dark recesses of the forest have perhaps never been as imposing as here. It's impossible to avoid feeling the chills once Madman Marz begins stalking his prey, and our first full glimpse of him – cloaked in silhouette while watching from the trees – is nothing short of startling. Madman makes the viewer feel its presence, creating a wonderfully uneasy movie going experience. And while atmosphere is an important part of any good slasher film's success, it doesn't work without the right villain to get the heart pumping. From his inhuman appearance to his unabashed brutality with an axe (or a truck hood), Madman Marz is easily among the most imposing slashers to ever grace the screen and actor Paul Ehlers plays him without a twinge of sympathy." – Matt Serafini, Dread Central
885. (-20) Poltergeist II: The Other Side
Brian Gibson
JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Heather O'Rourke, Oliver Robins, Zelda Rubinstein, Will Sampson, Julian Beck, Geraldine Fitzgerald, John P. Whitecloud, Noble Craig
"If I'm being as objective as possible, I know that the movie just doesn't measure up to the truly classic first film. There's no doubt about that… But this doesn't matter. Poltergeist II is fun, not just the usual, so-bad-it's-good variety of horror film fun — though it is that, occasionally — but actual fun. You can't help but enjoy how ridiculously far out it's willing to go while still remaining completely straight-faced. What other film features a tequila worm monster, killer braces, a levitating chainsaw, and the wackiest failed doomsday prophet this side of Harold Camping?" – Casey Broadwater, Blu-ray.com
886. (-41) Zibahkhana
2007 / Pakistan / 77m / Col / Slasher | IMDb
Kunwar Ali Roshan, Rooshanie Ejaz, Rubya Chaudhry, Haider Raza, Osman Khalid Butt, Rehan, Najma Malik, Sultan Billa, Salim Meraj, Razia Malik
""Hell's Ground" is being touted as 'Pakistan's first gore' movie, and while it certainly offers more blood and guts than the original "Saw," it is still relatively tame by Herschel Gordon Lewis standards or the recent American remake. It is surprisingly effective, with the cultural perspective adding spice to the mix (the well to do teens speak English, for example, until adrenaline reduces them to their native tongue; Baby's mother is ostensibly seeking a wife for her son). In addition to the "Saw" like shot compositions, Khan uses plenty of visual and aural Lollywood references and even a few animated asides. The acting is above average for the genre, with Baby a unique treat." – Laura Clifford, Reeling Reviews
887. (-11) Cosa avete fatto a Solange?
Massimo Dallamano
Fabio Testi, Cristina Galbó, Karin Baal, Joachim Fuchsberger, Günther Stoll, Claudia Butenuth, Camille Keaton, Maria Monti, Giancarlo Badessi, Pilar Castel
"The film is full of little ironies, and it is able to alight on moments that seem inconsequential because of an incredibly patient and careful method of storytelling. The precise narrative is complimented by the beautiful and meticulous widescreen cinematography of Aristide Massaccesi; rarely has the frame been used to such excellent effect in a gialli. Another touch of pure class is the score by Ennio Morricone which is one of his most memorable. What Have You Done to Solange? is an unforgettable and poignant film, it is a quietly devastating examination of lost innocence." – Shaun Anderson, The Celluloid Highway
888. (-118) Fanatic
Silvio Narizzano
Tallulah Bankhead, Stefanie Powers, Peter Vaughan, Maurice Kaufmann, Yootha Joyce, Donald Sutherland, Gwendolyn Watts, Robert Dorning, Philip Gilbert
"This excellent little horror-thriller was directed by Silvio Narizzano who did a spectacular job at capturing all the little nuances of Bankhead's performance as well as those around her as she delved into madness. The film would start out on a cheery note but would soon become incredibly moody, atmospheric and packed with as much tension and suspense Narizzano and writer Richard Matheson could muster. As Bankhead's character lost herself, the anxiety and the uneasiness increased and topped with the horror of her actions, everyone involved from those in production to the actors themselves, made it impossible to turn away from the screen for fear of missing a single minute of it." – Geoff Rosengren, The Telltale Mind
889. (-9) Mr. Sardonicus
1961 / USA / 89m / Col / Gothic | IMDb
Ronald Lewis, Audrey Dalton, Guy Rolfe, Oskar Homolka, Vladimir Sokoloff, Erika Peters, Lorna Hanson
"While there is plenty of lurid subject matter throughout Mr. Sardonicus, the film would be nothing without its sinister gothic atmosphere, something that makes the film a perfect fit for a chilly October evening. There are castles hidden by twisted trees, graveyards nestled inside dead gardens, heavy shadows cast over the characters, and thick sheets of fog that hang heavy in the air and coil around like ghostly specters. Castle's finishing touch is the rotten corpse that leers out from its open grave, a visual jolt that hits the viewer like a strong cup of coffee. There is no doubt that the people over at Hammer Studios were most likely smiling over what Castle achieved here. This atmosphere gives Mr. Sardonicus plenty of personality and on its own, it is enough to give the viewer goosebumps, but the make-up effects really make this picture a macabre affair." – Steve Habrat, Anti-Film School
890. (+5) Mientras duermes
2011 / Spain / 102m / Col / Thriller | IMDb
Luis Tosar, Marta Etura, Alberto San Juan, Petra Martínez, Iris Almeida, Carlos Lasarte, Amparo Fernández, Roger Morilla, Pep Tosar, Margarita Rosed
"As the film's character based plot wraps its well scripted hands around the viewer's neck, the same noose closes in on César, as he dodges and uses his false smiles and quick thinking to avoid detection. Both eerily realistic and uncomfortable, the viewer can never be sure whether what they are watching borders on the absurd. But the movie loses all pretension that is found in more Americanised horrors, and avoids the temptation of over-scoring itself in an attempt to add drama, and instead lets the looks and silence in-between them to create the tension. This ensures a well rounded but by no means flat film, that will leave you squirming in, and on of the edge of, your seat." – Ross Shapland, Shapstik on Screen
891. (-48) Black Death
2010 / UK / 102m / Col / Historical Drama | IMDb
Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, John Lynch, Tim McInnerny, Kimberley Nixon, Andy Nyman, David Warner, Johnny Harris, Emun Elliott, Tygo Gernandt
"As it turns out, no one is without sin in "Black Death," a grungy, cynical little number from the British director Christopher Smith that slams Christians against pagans with little love for either… With old-fashioned style and old-school effects — you can feel the weight of the broadswords and the crunchy resistance of every hacked head — "Black Death" takes Dark Ages drama to the limits of moral ambivalence. Here, excessive piety and rampant paganism are equally malevolent forces, the film's baleful view of human nature mirrored in Sebastian Edschmid's swampy photography. As is emphasized in a nicely consistent coda, the Lord's side and the right side are not necessarily one and the same." – Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times
892. (-1) 10 Cloverfield Lane
Dan Trachtenberg
2016 / USA / 103m / Col / Thriller | IMDb
John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher Jr., Douglas M. Griffin, Suzanne Cryer, Bradley Cooper, Sumalee Montano, Frank Mottek
"Long before 10 Cloverfield Lane gets to the issue of whether or not there are monsters above ground, it's evident that Howard is monster enough below it: a figure of frustrated, resentful masculinity (he alleges, offhand, that his ex-wife turned his daughter against him) finally crowned with the authority he feels has long been denied him. While the original Cloverfield deliberately positioned its cast of twentysomethings to be dwarfed by a largescale disaster, 10 Cloverfield Lane is rewardingly claustrophobic, keeping its focus tight on the characters and their cramped space while whatever disasters there are loom outside the bunker." – Allison Willmore, Buzzfeed News
893. (new) World War Z
2013 / USA / 116m / Col / Zombie | IMDb
Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, James Badge Dale, Ludi Boeken, Matthew Fox, Fana Mokoena, David Morse, Elyes Gabel, Peter Capaldi
"Gone are the slowly stumbling zombies of earlier generations, replaced by a frantic horde who dive, tackle and bite like a snarling biblical horde of rats, a mass of bodies that wail and gnash teeth, thrashing insatiably in search of human flesh. And although plenty are slaughtered by Pitt and company, the gory details are spared, Foster wisely playing this as thriller rather than splatter. With all the action, there's little time for character development or heart, but Pitt holds his own as an hero with a mission to save the world. And given what he goes through, it's just as well he's more indestructible than the average zombie." – Simon Weaving, Screenwize
894. (-25) Swamp Thing
Louis Jourdan, Adrienne Barbeau, Ray Wise, David Hess, Nicholas Worth, Don Knight, Al Ruban, Dick Durock, Ben Bates, Nannette Brown
"This is one of those movies like "Infra-Man" or "Invasion of the Bee Girls": an off-the-wall, eccentric, peculiar movie fueled by the demented obsessions of its makers. "Swamp Thing" first saw the light of day, so to speak, as a hero in a celebrated series of DC Comics… [Wes Craven] betrays a certain gentleness and poetry along with the gore; in fact, this movie is a lot less violent than many others in the same genre. Craven's inspiration seems to come from James Whale's classic "Bride of Frankenstein" (1935), and he pays tribute in scenes where his swamp monster sniffs a flower, admires a young girl's beauty from afar, and looks sadly at a photograph in a locket." – Roger Ebert, RogerEbert.com
895. (+51) The Girl Next Door
Gregory Wilson
2007 / USA / 91m / Col / Crime | IMDb
William Atherton, Blythe Auffarth, Blanche Baker, Kevin Chamberlin, Dean Faulkenberry, Gabrielle Howarth, Benjamin Ross Kaplan, Spenser Leigh, Daniel Manche, Mark Margolis
"Daniel Farrands and Philip Nutman's screenplay sticks close to Ketchum's novel, which was inspired by the notorious 1965 torture-murder of Indiana teenager Sylvia Likens. Neither Ketchum nor the filmmakers take an exploitative approach to the material; their focus is the way the youngsters' petty cruelty erupts into murderous sadism through exposure to Ruth, whose homey manner conceals a sociopath's warped worldview. Baker is chilling as Ruth and young actress Auffarth gives a strong performance as the brutalized Meg, which only makes the film's unsettling subject matter more difficult to watch." – Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide
896. (-21) ParaNorman
Chris Butler & Sam Fell
Kodi Smit-McPhee, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, Elaine Stritch, Bernard Hill, Jodelle Ferland
""ParaNorman" creeps and crawls out of the mind of writer/co-director Chris Butler, a storyboard artist who honed his skills on Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride" and Henry Selick's "Coraline." It's no wonder, then, that when Butler receives free rein to tell his own story, he comes up with a spooky, creature-infested campfire story laced with valuable lessons about teamwork, responsibility, courage and the celebration of our inner outcast… After a creaky start, "ParaNorman" comes to life once the dead rise. Zombies stomp, trees throw dagger branches, purple-faced clouds loom, and this roller-coaster ride through an expertly crafted house of terrors culminates with an unfortunately busy finale" – Sean O'Connell, Washington Post
897. (-42) Sam gang 2
Fruit Chan & Takashi Miike & Chan-wook Park
2004 / Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea / 118m / Col / Anthology | IMDb
Bai Ling, Pauline Lau, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Meme Tian, Miriam Yeung Chin Wah, Sum-Yeung Wong, Kam-Mui Fung, Wai-Man Wu, Chak-Man Ho, Miki Yeung
"These short films collectively are an ambitious, well-conceived, beautifully presented example of what can be achieved when a director is allowed to present a completely original concept around a common theme, without censorship or meddling studio hands to muck things up. While most if not every frame presented shows an original and new spin on the term "horror", these films present an elegance that surpasses one singular, often cheaply-perceived genre. Each director has his strength: for Fruit Chan, a strong narrative and a coherent and intriguing plotline; for Chan-Wook Park , a macabre new version of the classic guts and gore mystery; and for Takashi Miike, it's a surprisingly sympathetic, subtle, and thoughtful philosophical work that is as heavy on the eyes as it is on the viewer's emotions." – Tyler Robbins, Snowblood Apple
898. (-38) The Man Who Changed His Mind
1936 / UK / 66m / BW / Science Fiction | IMDb
Boris Karloff, John Loder, Anna Lee, Frank Cellier, Donald Calthrop, Cecil Parker, Lyn Harding
""The Man Who Changed His Mind" is perhaps one of the most intense horror films from the 1930s that I've come across. From the first time Boris Karloff's chain-smoking mad scientist crosses paths with Anna Lee's brilliant and independent-minded surgeon, you know things are going to end badly for more than one of the film's characters. But even with that knowledge, you're not going to guess how badly and for whom until the story is all but done unfolding. Even after nearly 75 years, this is a horror film that countless modern-day filmmakers need to study and emulate' their films would be far better for it." – Steve Miller, Shades of Gray
899. (-58) Red White & Blue
Simon Rumley
Amanda Fuller, Marc Senter, Jon Michael Davis, Nick Holden, Patrick Crovo, Mary Mathews, Noah Taylor, Julian Haddad, Ernest James, Jenny Gravenstein
"Restraint pays dividends for British writer/director Simon Rumley in this devastating and demanding revenge tragedy set in Austin, Texas. A low-budget tale of broken lives and misguided retribution, Rumley's slow-burner is driven by superbly nuanced performances, with Amanda Fuller's emotionally scarred nymphomaniac gradually forming a relationship with a mysterious Iraq War veteran… When the brutality finally explodes, Rumley continues to focus on reactions rather than action, the harrowing events hitting harder by being kept predominantly off-screen." – Sloan Freer, Radio Times
900. (-63) Happy Birthday to Me
1981 / Canada / 111m / Col / Slasher | IMDb
Melissa Sue Anderson, Glenn Ford, Lawrence Dane, Sharon Acker, Frances Hyland, Tracey E. Bregman, Jack Blum, Matt Craven, Lenore Zann, David Eisner
"One of the strongest entries in the 80s splatter canon, Happy Birthday to Me is both quite simplistic and unusually sophisticated for a slasher. On the one hand, it's clearly driven by the petulant, juvenile pangs of youth and will resonate with anyone who was ever jilted on their birthday by a group of friends (hopefully it doesn't resonate too much because things will get awkward and bloody in a hurry). But on the other hand, this one sets itself apart from its contemporaries by spinning one hell of a yarn around this concept, as it's lined with enough twists and turns that would even make giallo masters blush. In many ways, Happy Birthday to Me is a perfect stopgap between that genre and the standard issue American body count flick; it really can't be claimed as either, which makes it all the more intriguing." – Brett Gallman, Oh, The Horror


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Elementor Vs Duda
Elementor's cloud service is a great option for WordPress websites. The website's database is always current and it backs-up automatically every 24 hours. In addition, the cloud website comes with a 20GB storage space and 100GB bandwidth. It is hosted on Google Cloud Platform, which offers top security for websites. Users can use Elementor Cloud to run a single or multiple websites. To sign up, visit the Elementor site.
The Elementor Cloud platform is managed from the Elementor website. The dashboard is essentially an extension of the existing platform and includes websites, subscriptions, and support. Popular plug-ins such as W3 total cache or Oxygen Builder will not work with the cloud. If you're having trouble using one of these plug-ins, you can always delete them from the dashboard and move on to another. You can also use the Elementor Cloud support forums to find help.
The Elementor Cloud service is free for the first two years, but users will have to pay a one-time fee to access the premium features. Elementor PRO is included in the premium version, which also has expert support. There's a free trial, and after the trial period, users can upgrade to the paid version for a discounted price. Although the exact price of Elementor Cloud is not yet known, it is expected to cost at least $49 per year. There are some limitations.
The pricing for the Elementor Cloud plan is slightly higher than for a standard cloud plan. The annual cost is $99 and includes support and backups. The free version allows users to access their website anytime. The Elementor Cloud service is a great option for people who want to run a small business, a creative, or a personal blog. It's also a great option for those who don't want their website to be slow.
The cost of Elementor Cloud is still unknown, but the service includes all the features of the Elementor Pro plugin. Subscriptions are a great solution for small and medium-sized companies. A subscription for the premium version includes all the benefits of Elementor Cloud. It also includes hosting and WordPress installation. This is a complete solution to creating a website. This is a great option for those who want to use multiple plugins.
Both beginners and professionals will find the Elementor Cloud to be a great choice. The platform offers a simple dashboard that allows you to manage subscriptions, websites, and support. There's a free trial of the service, but it isn't guaranteed. The premium plan includes a 21-day free trial. This is a huge deal considering the price. Premium subscriptions will cost $49/year. Although pricing has not yet been announced, it is expected to exceed $50 per year for a full-year subscription.
The cost of Elementor Cloud is not yet announced, but it's estimated to cost $49 per year. It's available through the Elementor website, and users can manage their subscriptions through the account panel. It includes the elemental pro bundle and elemental pro, which is essential for business websites. This package is also affordable and will simplify ongoing maintenance. Elementor Cloud has many benefits, but its main drawback is its focus on business websites.
The Elementor Cloud service is not free. Its cost is still unknown. The service is only available to professionals and does not come with a free trial. It's possible to use a trial of Elementor Cloud, but there are no restrictions. There are no hidden fees. All features and benefits are available to you. A demo can be downloaded from the Elementor website. The dashboard includes all of the essential features of the platform.
Elementor Cloud's cost is still unknown. The service is hosted on Google Cloud Platform and uses the Content Delivery Network provided by Cloudfare. It is reliable, secure, and scalable. It is the preferred choice of millions of customers. Websites are protected against malicious activities and DDoS attacks with the help of the cloud. Cloudflare offers SSL certificates for free, and Elementor is backed-up every 24 hours.
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