In the Mouth of Madness (1995)

October 23, 2023 / Roger Edwards

The arcane and esoteric works of author H P Lovecraft have often inspired horror directors. Sadly many of the films that have been made in homage to the Cthulhu Mythos have failed to capture its nightmarish mix of madness and mythology. John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness is not directly based on any of Lovecraft's specific works but screenwriter Michael De Luca draws his inspiration from many of this recurring ideas and concepts. He then adds a further homage to British writer Nigel Kneale, adding themes that are prevalent in his Quatermass series. Where others have failed, Carpenter successfully crafts a film that alludes to the baroque and eldritch qualities of the Cthulhu Mythos.

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categories / Movies, Horror, In the Mouth of Madness, John Carpenter, 31 Days of Horror Movies

Legion (1990)

October 22, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Since the late eighties Morgan Creek productions have dabbled with multiple genres whilst pursuing box office success. At times, they have been successful with such populist movies as Young Guns and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. However, for every film that proved financially viable there were often two more that failed to gain an audience. Yet, despite having the business acumen to commission the best writing and directing talent available, co-founders James G. Robinson and Joe Roth have often been at odds with such creative individuals, resulting in many troubled productions. Horror writer and director Clive Barker endured an arduous experience while making Nightbreed, which was based upon his own novella. It was such a negative experience, resulting in a movie that was far from his initial vision, that Barker effectively quit film making. A similar experience befell William Peter Blatty when he was given an opportunity to film a direct sequel to The Exorcist based upon his novel Legion.

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categories / Movies, Legion, The Exorcist III, Horror, 31 Days of Horror Movies

Murders in the Zoo (1933)

October 21, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Murders in the Zoo Theatrical Poster.jpg

Murders in the Zoo was made towards the end of the first, post sound horror boom and just before the rigorous enforcement of The Motion Picture Production Code came into effect in 1934. The latter point is relevant because despite its age and being very much a product of its time, this movie has a grisly streak running through it. Had it entered production a year later I suspect it would have been a lot tamer both visually and thematically. Murders in the Zoo begins and ends with scenes that certainly leave an impact and stay with the viewer. Most casual movie viewers probably consider pre-war cinema to be theatrical in its acting style and somewhat tame, but that is not the case with Murders in the Zoo and many other movies from this time. Until tighter regulation was introduced, there was a brief period between 1928 and 1934 when movies were as violent and lurid (in principle) as contemporary cinema. All the things that are deplored today in certain quarters, where equally decried then.

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categories / Movies, Horror, Murders in the Zoo, 31 Days of Horror Movies

Mimic: The Director's Cut (1997)

October 20, 2023 / Roger Edwards

When I first saw Mimic in 1997, I was impressed by the fact that it offered a different perspective on the monster movie genre and that it seemed to have moments of greater depth than you'd expect from such material. Later on when I became more aware of the works of writer, director Guillermo del Toro, I learned that this movie had had a troubled production and that Miramx had imposed specific requirements upon the final cut of the film. This explained some of the movies inconsistencies and hinted at a far more ambitious artistic endeavour by del Toro. Initially Mimic was conceived as a thirty minute short and part of a three part anthology movie. However it along with the sci-fi film Imposter were both deemed to be of sufficient merit to be developed into feature length productions.

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categories / Movies, Mimic, Horror, Creature Feature, 31 Days of Horror Movies

The Last Man on Earth (1964)

October 19, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Many movies have explored stories based upon a group or individuals attempts to survive the apocalypse, but few have gone the extra mile and pondered the philosophical question of whether it’s actually worth doing? The Last Man on Earth does just that, with Vincent Price starring as Dr Robert Morgan, the only survivor of a mysterious plague that’s turned the rest of humanity into the “undead”, hungry for blood. Each day, Morgan and goes into the city to kill the quasi-vampires (they’re actually more like Romero zombies) while they hide from daylight; every night, they in turn surround his fortified house and try to kill him. Morgan’s life is both sad and dismal, bereft of hope or any consolation. He muses on the point of it all in what is a depressingly eerie film. Based on Richard Matheson’s novel I Am Legend, it’s a far cry from the 2007 version starring Will Smith and in many ways it’s far closer, more accurate adaptation of the book.

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categories / Horror, Movies, The Last Man on Earth, Vincent Price, 31 Days of Horror Movies

Friday the 13th (2009)

October 18, 2023 / Roger Edwards

The original Friday the 13th (1980) movie was a box office success due to a perfect storm of events. Overall the film is cheap, functional and the only real element of note are Tom Savini’s grim prosthetic effects work. But this is the nature of horror cinema. It is a genre that can be produced quickly and cheaply. That is not to say that Friday the 13th is without its merits. It has a grim sense of honesty and there’s even an attempt at a narrative twist at the end. It is very much a product of its time and that is reflected in its subtext and themes. Cinema often ends up mirroring, directly or indirectly, the prevailing socioeconomic trends of the time. So it is logical to suggest that if you wish to successfully reboot such material, you need to recalibrate the premise to suit the needs and expectations of contemporary audiences. However, in the case of this new version of Friday the 13th director Marcus Nispel has opted not to do this. Instead he just gives audiences a distillation of the most basic elements of the franchise, on a higher budget.

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categories / Horror, Movies, Friday the 13th 2009, 31 Days of Horror Movies

The Tower of London (1939)

October 17, 2023 / Roger Edwards

The Tower of London is an interesting film, in that it is clearly a historical drama but in spite of this, it was marketed as a horror movie. This is mainly due to the presence of Boris Karloff who plays a club footed executioner. Universal studios were keen to focus upon his role and ensured he featured prominently on the theatrical posters, wielding an axe in a menacing fashion. The film does feature several ghoulish scenes set in the dungeons beneath the Tower of London but essentially this is just a competent retelling of Shakespeare’s Richard III. However, rather than adapt the bards prose, this film offers a more of a historically accurate narrative, as Richard of Gloucester claims the throne of England in 1483 by eliminating all other heirs. The movie embellishes the political intrigue by having Richard remove a figurine from a dollhouse resembling the throne room, every time he kills an enemy.

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categories / Movies, The Tower of London, Boris Karloff, Basil Rathbone, 31 Days of Horror Movies, Horror

The Curse of La Llorona (2019)

October 16, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Patricia attacks her and is arrested by the police. Patricia's sons, Carlos and Tomas are then taken to a child-services shelter, where Anna assures them they’ll be safe. However, that night, the boys are attacked by a spectral woman in a white dress and are later found drowned in a river. When Anna is called out to the scene she brings her own children, Chris and Sam, who wait in the car. Patricia, accused of her sons' murders, screams that it is Anna's fault and that they were taken by "La Llorona". Sam leaves the car to hear what his mother is discussing and is grabbed by the wrist by the same woman that attacked Carlos and Tomas. A red mark is left on his arm. The next day Anna interviews Patricia while she’s in custody. She reveals that she has prayed to "La Llorona" for the return of her own children and to take Anna’s instead.

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categories / Movies, Horror, The Curse of La Llorona, The Conjuring Universe, 31 Days of Horror Movies

Prophecy (1979)

October 15, 2023 / Roger Edwards

During the seventies, Hollywood started looking to ongoing societal and political concerns as a source of material for movies. Hence, the energy crisis, terrorism and global pollution quickly found themselves being subsumed into hastily written screenplays, in attempt to be topical, commercially successful and relevant. Prophecy based upon a novel by David Seltzer tackled not only the issue of pollution but also the ongoing disenfranchisement of Native Americans. Paramount studios went so far as hiring an established director of note, John Frankenheimer. In many respects this movie should have been a bigger success with a reasonable budget, robust cast and studio support. Sadly it did not fare well, either critically or at the box office due to obvious flaws in the production. Despite his outstanding body work, (Birdman of Alcatraz, The Manchurian Candidate) Frankenheimer was not the best choice of director for a genre movie such as this and he was also going through a period of alcoholism.

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categories / Movies, Horror, Creature Feature, Prophecy, John Frankenheimer, 31 Days of Horror Movies

Malignant (2021)

October 14, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Madison Lake (Annabelle Wallis) returns home to her husband, Derek Mitchell (Jack Abel), after her pregnancy causes her to be ill at work. During an argument, Derek hits Madison's head against a wall. Madison locks herself in the bedroom to avoid him and falls asleep. She later wakes up to find Derek dead, after having a dream of someone entering their house and violently killing him. The killer, who is still in the house, attacks Madison. The next morning, Madison wakes up in a hospital and is greeted by her sister, Sydney (Maddie Hasson). She is told that her baby didn't survive the attack. After being interviewed by police detective Kekoa Shaw (George Young) and his partner Regina Moss (Michole Briana White), regarding Derek’s death, Madison returns home. As there was no sign of forced entry into the house and Derek was known to be an abusive spouse, the police suspect that Madison is the murderer. Madison continues to experience vivid waking dreams in which a mysterious figure commits murder.

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categories / 31 Days of Horror Movies, Horror, Movies, Malignant

Solomon Kane (2009)

October 13, 2023 / Roger Edwards

I had the pleasure of seeing Solomon Kane at the Empire Leicester Square upon its initial release. I remember at the time how I found it very refreshing to see an independent horror film that treated its underlying material with the respect it deserved. The genre was somewhat in the doldrums at the time, awash with soulless remakes and endless franchise sequels, produced by cynical studios that were ultimately contemptuous of the material they utilised and the fans that watched it. Although not a literal adaptation of the series of short stories by Robert E. Howard, Solomon Kane successfully captured their spirit and broadened their scope to accommodate both the horror and fantasy genres.

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categories / Movies, Solomon Kane, Fantasy, 31 Days of Horror Movies, Horror

Phenomena AKA Creepers (1985)

October 12, 2023 / Roger Edwards

For those unfamiliar with the work of Italian director Dario Argento, Phenomena may not necessarily be the best place to start. It is somewhat excessive movie even by the film makers own standards. Yet if approached with the right mind set, then it can be a very rewarding film. Mainstream American cinema often has a clear and linear framework. It is constructed in an established fashion and despite adopting techniques and styles from other countries, is frequently somewhat conservative in its presentation. Italian cinema, especially the work of Argento, focuses very much on visual aesthetics. Framing, the use of colour, editing and atmosphere often take priority over narrative and logic.

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categories / Movies, Horror, Dario Argento, Phenomena, Creepers, 31 Days of Horror Movies

The Beyond (1981)

October 11, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Known in Italy as “E tu vivrai nel terrore! L'aldilà” which literally means “And you will live in terror! The afterlife”, The Beyond is the second entry in the so-called “Gates of Hell” trilogy by director Lucio Fulci. However, all three films are not connected in any way and simply share supernatural themes and graphic violence. Something Lucio Fulci became synonymous with in the latter part of his career. The Beyond is one of the director’s better films, in so far as it has good production values and is set in rural Louisiana. It has a lot of visual flair and a great soundtrack by composer Fabio Frizzi. However, the story is not a traditional linear narrative. Instead, after establishing a basic premise of a hotel built on one of the seven gates of hell and a vengeful dead warlock, The Beyond becomes mainly a series of elaborate and ghoulish set pieces, designed more for visual impact rather than logical sense.

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categories / 31 Days of Horror Movies, Movies, Horror, The Beyond, Lucio Fulci

El Orfanato AKA The Orphanage (2007)

October 10, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Laura García Rodríguez is adopted from an orphanage as a child. 30 years later, adult Laura (Belén Rueda) returns to the now closed orphanage, accompanied by her husband, Dr. Carlos Sánchez Rivera (Fernando Cayo), and their seven-year-old son, Simón (Roger Príncep). They plan to use the orphanage as a facility for disabled children. In the meantime, Simón talks about a boy named Tomás. He draws pictures of his new friend as a child wearing a sack mask. A social worker, Benigna Escobedo (Montserrat Carulla), visits Simón, as he has been adopted by Laura and Carlos. Simón is HIV positive. Angered by Benigna's unscheduled visit, Laura asks her to leave. She later finds Benigna in the orphanage's coal shed, but Benigna gets away. Simón becomes more enamoured with his imaginary friends but becomes angry when he learns from Tomás that Laura is not his birth mother, and he is terminally ill.

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categories / 31 Days of Horror Movies, Movies, Horror, El Orfanato, The Orphanage

The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023)

October 09, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Based on a single chapter, the Captain's Log, from Bram Stoker's classic 1897 novel “Dracula”, The Last Voyage of the Demeter takes place aboard a Russian schooner which is chartered to carry a private cargo of unmarked wooden crates, from Carpathia to London. The film details the strange events that befall the doomed crew as they attempt to survive the ocean voyage, stalked each night by a terrifying presence on board their ship. When it finally founders and wrecks near Whitby Harbour, the ship is found to be derelict. There is no trace of the crew. (IMDb synopsis)

After some research, it becomes clear that this film’s journey from concept to final release has neither been easy or straight forward. Numerous writers have tinkered with the script and multiple directors have been associated with the project over the last decade. The film was completed in 2021 and has been awaiting a cinematic release ever since. Such issues can often lead to a studio losing confidence in a film. However, The Last Voyage of the Demeter is a perfectly serviceable horror adventure, albeit one that owes a lot to Alien. Yet many horror films follow a pattern and explore common themes. Ultimately it comes down to providing a new perspective. The Last Voyage of the Demeter achieves this and offers an entertaining two hours. Is it perfect? No. Is it poorly made, dull and lacking in suspense? No. If you paid a lot to see it at the theatre then you may be a little underwhelmed. But as an evening’s scary home entertainment, it is fine.

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categories / 31 Days of Horror Movies, Movies, Horror, The Last Voyage, of the Demeter

Phantasm (1979)

October 08, 2023 / Roger Edwards

A teenage boy and his friends face off against a mysterious grave robber, known only as the Tall Man, who employs a lethal arsenal of unearthly weapons. (IMDb synopsis) NB. This summary fails to capture the essence of Phantasm and does not do it justice. However, to delineate the plot in greater detail is difficult and counterproductive. Phantasm is not only a film to be watched but one to be experienced.

There is a bizarre, dreamlike quality to Phantasm. After watching it for the first time, you may not remember the specifics of the story, but certain scenes will linger in the memory, in the same way you may recollect snatches of a nightmare following a disturbed night’s sleep. Like so many independent films, made on small budgets by aspiring professionals, it is filled with creativity and innovative ideas that more than make up for its modest production values. Phantasm revels in its surreal imagery and grotesque set pieces and avoids the trappings of a traditional linear and logical narrative. It is a horror film that eschews the genre conventions of the time, in the same way that Dark Star (1974) flew in the face of traditional science fiction films. Although now part of a curious franchise, this original works perfectly well as a standalone film and has developed a substantial cult following among both film fans and high-profile film makers.

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categories / 31 Days of Horror Movies, Movies, Horror, Phantasm

Maniac Cop (1988)

October 07, 2023 / Roger Edwards

In New York City, a waitress is attacked by muggers on her way home. When she seeks help from an officer on the beat, he breaks her neck. When the same officer (Robert Z’dar) commits further murders, Lieutenant McCrae (Tom Atkins) is assigned to investigate. He is told by his superiors to suppress eyewitness accounts that the killer is wearing a police uniform. However, he passes this information to a journalist, in an attempt to protect civilians. Ellen Forrest (Victoria Catlin), suspects that her husband Jack (Bruce Campbell) may be the “Maniac Cop”, as the press are calling him, and follows him to a motel, only to discover he is having an affair with fellow officer Theresa Mallory (Laurene Landon). Ellen is subsequently murder by the killer and Jack is arrested under suspicion of murder. McCrae believes Jack has been framed and speaks to Mallory, who can provide Jack with an alibi. Mallory is then attacked by the Maniac Cop while working undercover as a prostitute. McCrae and Mallory fight off the killer, who escapes mysteriously unharmed, despite being shot several times.

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categories / 31 Days of Horror Movies, Movies, Horror, Maniac Cop

The Sentinel (1977)

October 06, 2023 / Roger Edwards

During the seventies, the success of several disaster movies indirectly started a trend for all-star casts. Then when the horror genre became a bankable commodity once again and Hollywood started pouring money into such productions, the casting of famous actors both old and new continued. Hence Michael Winner’s 1977 adaptation of The Sentinel, based upon the book by Jeffrey Konvitz, features multiple stars from forties and fifties Hollywood. Their presence adds some gravitas to the production but like so many of the director’s other films, there is an unseemly and somewhat unpleasant quality to The Sentinel. Perhaps a different director could have brought the various elements of the story together more successfully. Winner creates both atmosphere and shocks, but it is all a little too knowing. He also commits a cardinal sin at the film’s climax. Casting disabled actors for shock value as the denizens of hell.

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categories / 31 Days of Horror Movies, Movies, Horror, The Sentinel, Michael Winner

The Keep (1983)

October 05, 2023 / Roger Edwards

Michael Mann’s The Keep (1983) is a cinematic “curate’s egg” that often leaves viewers with mixed feelings. In visual terms, this supernatural horror film with science fiction overtones, is both striking and innovative. The sound design and soundtrack by Tangerine Dream are compelling but at the expense of the dialogue, which is often muffled and difficult to hear. Narratively, it is confusing and rushed. The editing further compounds this. The novel by F. Paul Wilson, upon which it is based, blends elements of gothic horror and classic vampire themes and juxtaposes them with the horror of World War II and the evils of the Schutzstaffel (SS). Mann has removed the traditional cinematic trappings associated with the “undead” and instead presents us with a stylised, science fantasy story in which the antagonist is a supernatural entity that feeds on evil. However, due to The Keep having a troubled production and last-minute re-editing, much of the film’s dramatic and narrative substance has been lost along the way. What remains is intriguing but flawed.

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categories / 31 Days of Horror Movies, Movies, Horror, The Keep, Michael Mann

The Uninvited (1944)

October 04, 2023 / Roger Edwards

In 1937, while on holiday in Cornwall, London music critic and composer Roderick "Rick" Fitzgerald (Ray Milland) and his sister Pamela (Ruth Hussey) discover Windward House, an abandoned clifftop home. They decide to see if they can buy it from its current owner Commander Beech (Donald Crisp). He willingly settles for an unusually low price of £1,200. Rick and Pamela meet Beech's 20-year-old granddaughter Stella Meredith (Gail Russell), who lives with her grandfather after her parents death. Stella is strongly attached to the house, and its sale upsets her. Although Stella’s mother, Mary Meredith, fell to her death from the cliffs outside Windward House seventeen years earlier, Stella reflects fondly on her time there as a child. Commander Beech forbids Stella from going to Windward House, but Rick and Pamela feel sorry for Stella and indulge her visits. However, shortly after moving in Pamela and then Rick become aware of drafts on the staircase, cold spots in the studio room and ghostly weeping in the night.

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categories / 31 Days of Horror Movies, Movies, Horror, The Uninvited

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