Shocktober #14 – Nightbreed

Nightbreed

Night Breed
Release Date: 1990
Starring: Craig Sheffer, Anne Bobby, David Cronenberg
Director: Clive Barker
Rated R

It’s all true. God’s an Astronaut. Oz is Over the Rainbow, and Midian is where the monsters live.
-Peloquin

Cliver Barker’s second film, Nightbreed, released after the success of his directorial debut of Hellraiser. His passion for monsters is definitely shown with the people of the city of Midian. This is one of the better monster fest movies of our generation.

The story follows Aaron Boone, played by Craig Sheffer, and his dreams of strange beings that lurk in the cemetary. Boone tries to consult a psychiatrist, Dr. Phillip K. Decker (played by David  “>Cronenberg), about his dreams of the underworld. When he becomes a suspect in multiple mutilation murders he was found by police and they shot him dead. That is until the creatures of Midian resurrect him and recruit him to the inner circle of their kind.

This is a great commentary on how mankind does not easily accept different lifestyles. Not to say that these creatures do exist but multiple lifestyles and cultures have not been received well by most societies. The only thing I found lacking in this movie is not the originality, but the creatures feel repetitive in makeup styles. Other than that, this is a great monster classic that should not be missed. Part 2 of the Clive Barker series…..out.

Shocktober #13 – Midnight Meat Train

Midnight Meat Train

Midnight Meat Train
Release Date: 2009
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Vinnie Jones
Director:Ryûhei Kitamura
Rated R

Midnight Meat Train is going to be part one of my Clive Barker four day extravaganza. This one was a shocker not only because of its completely gritty, no holds barred violence. But it was shocking because it was actually a great film. Unfortunately, Lions Gate thought this movie wouldn’t do well in the theater so they released it straight to DVD. This was unprecedented because I actually had the pleasure of viewing this one on Comcast On-Demand. Nothing I have ever been able to do before. Thanks Lions Gate for crushing my dreams of seeing this one in the theater, but thanks for letting me see this one for free.

Midnight Meat Train is centered on Leon, played by Bradley Cooper, a photographer trying to find his muse in the seedy under belly of New York City. One evening, Leon saves a girl from a gang of rapists that he was able to take pictures of attacking her outside of the subway station. The next morning, this same girl is in the newspaper as missing. When he travels back to the same train station to possibly find some clues. He stumbles upon a mysterious man who looks like a doctor that does house calls. He soon finds out that this “Dr.” is doing very bad things on the subway. Watch as Leon can’t find a good way to wrap his head around knowing who this man is and what he is doing in the subway.

From what I have read at Bloody Disgusting‘s interview with Clive Barker. This is going to start a trilogy of terror with the midnight train. Not only is this a creepy story with its eerie characters, I believe, this is going to be an epic horror story.

Shocktober #12 – Re-Animator

Reanimator Theatrical Poster

Re-Animator
Release Date:1985
Starring: Jeffrey Combs,Bruce Abbott, Barbara Crampton
Director: Stuart Gordon
Rated R

This is yet another Stuart Gordon movie based from the works of H.P. Lovecraft. He made this film before From Beyond that I showcased earlier this month. I could talk about Lovecraft’s work all day, but this is a movie post so I will get to the point.

Re-Animator is about a medical student, Herbert West (played by Jeffrey Combs) and his girlfriend, who take part in experimentation with dead tissue and reanimation. Herbet believes he has found the procedure that ultimately beats death. By the way, did I mention that this all takes place at Miskatonic University?

If you haven’t seen or heard of this one go an find it at your local video store or add it to your netflix. Stuart Gordon and Jeffrey Combs do a great job with this over the top horror comedy. This one is a lot of fun when the good Dr. kill’s his teacher and reanimates his separate dead body parts. It’s definitely a good time to watch this one with a couple beers and some friends.

Shocktober #11 – Saw

Saw Poster

Saw
Release Date:2004
Starring: Carey Elwes,
Director: James Wan, Leigh Whannell
Rated R

Imagine yourself, waking up groggy in a run down dirty bathroom, tied to the wall by chain, with a dead body laying in the floor and someone else in the room with you that you have never met. This film, in my humble opinion, was the film to bring the horror genre back into the mainstream. If you put yourself in the shoes of the captives it is incredibly terrifying. When the movie starts it basically tells of the serial kidnapper Jigsaw. He doesn’t kill his captives but let’s them do the job for him by putting this in situations where it is literally life or death. For some, this is instant rehabilitation for their sins. For most, these situations are their impromptu end of life.

I saw the preview for this when I bought The Punisher on the bonus disc of the DVD. The preview leads you to believe that this is just another  gore fest full of schlock and B-movie acting. Although, when I went to the theater to see this masterpiece, this film took me to a different level of horror. This is truly a mind-bending story of hope and consequence. I suggest when you watch this one to put yourself in the shoes of the characters. Even though the acting is really sub par, I was able to imagine myself as Dr. Gordon or Adam. Jigsaw puts his lab rats in dire straits and they must solve his puzzle in order to free themselves. Just go to Wal-Mart and buy the anthology on DVD for only $20. That’s five movies for the price of one.  Its well worth it…and, oh yes….there will be blood.

Shocktober #10 – Midnight Movie Madness

Plan 9 From Outer Space

Plan 9 From Outer Space
Release Date: 1959
Starring: Bella Lugosi, Vampira, Tor Johnson
Director: Ed Wood
Rated Approved(PG)

I’m a big boy now, Johnny. – Inspector Clay

Titanic, Space Shuttle Challenger, Vietnam, Apollo 13, and New Coke. What do those have to do with this movie, you ask? They all are some of the biggest failures in human history. This movie is easily the worst movie I have ever seen in my life. Why is it on this list? Because it is synonymous with midnight movies and cult status. I recently had the opportunity to view this movie in a full size theater with the audio dubbed by Riff Trax. I remember it being awful but I think the theater experience made it worse.

An alien race needs to save life for the entire universe. All of the eight previous plans did not work. Plan 9 is the ultra intelligent alien plan to raise the dead so that the humans will finally respond to their communications and listen to the aliens. What could possibly go wrong, right? Hilarity ensues when Tor tries to investigate a murder in the cemetery. TOR ACT GOOD! It was like watching the incredible hulk and frankenstien act with a german accent. Not that those two characters are much different, though. We then see them bury Tor in the same cemetery. He then rises from the dead and tries to capture or kill or whatever Ed Wood was trying to convey the humans so that the aliens can communicate with the humans face to face. This one just has to be seen. It’s incredibly hard to understand.

Ed Wood, created, directed, and produced this film all by his lonesome. He should have spread the blame around because this one film is known as thee worst movie ever. It’s actually featured in Seinfeld as the worst movie ever made. Tim Burton made a psuedo documentary about the making of Plan 9 called Ed Wood. This movie is worth noting because Johnny Depp, Bill Murray, and George “The Animal” Steele did such a great performance to showcase this blunder. If you like absolutely shitty classic movies that no one likes, buy it. Otherwise, just rent this or wait for your local theater to have a Fathom Event. I watch it every October since the first time I watched it to get a good laugh.

Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D.

Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D.
Release Date: 1990
Starring: Rick Gianasi, Susan Byun
Director: Micheal Herz, Lloyd Kaufman
Unrated

Remove yourself from my body, you filthy oaf! – Lotus

It’s New York city, theres a big premiere of a new Japanese Kabuki show on broadway. Meanwhile, while the show is being prepared there is a ruthless killer hunting possible descendents of Kabukiman. Harry Griswold, a New York detective that is disrespected daily by his fellow officers, gets the case to investigate the mysterious Kabuki murders. Little does he know, the Kabuki man does exist and during the show that the killer crashes he kills the current Kabuki man. After fighting off the killer and mob members(that come out of nowhere), Detective Griswold inherits the essence of Kabukiman. When danger is near, who will save us from the criminals? KABUUUUKIMAAAN!

 

Absolutely, another hilarious movie. The only difference between this and <em>Plan 9</em>, though, is that this is actually a good movie. Made by Troma studios, Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman made this a classic campy movie. If you can find this one rent it or even buy it. It’s worth several viewings. Harry Griswold does a great job as a plucky detective that can’t catch a break.

Thanks for tuning in for the midnight movie madness! Hope you enjoyed the posts!

 

Trailers:

Plan 9 From Outer Space

Sgt. Kabukiman

Shocktober #9 – Zombi

Zombie 2 Poster

Zombi 2 or Zombie or Dawn of the Dead 2
Release Date: 1979
Starring: Tisa Farrow, Ian McCulloch
Director: Lucio Fulci
No Rating

We are going to eat you!

Zombies, Sharks, and a deserted island. This movie has them all. Yet another unofficial sequel this movie is the sequel to Dawn of the Dead. What it tries to do is start off after Dawn of the Dead in the New York City harbor. There is a boat that has a foul smell coming from and when the smell is investigated a giant obese half decomposed zombie erupts and attacks the investigators. After this scene we are taken to a tropical island where bad voodoo has run rampant. Zombies vs. Sharks! You couldn’t ask for more.

There isn’t much to say about this one. It’s just an all around fun movie to watch especially with your buddies. I found this movie several years ago when I was researching Dawn of the Dead. It has some really brutal death scenes, some extremely effective 70’s style gore and an infamous scene where an actor actually fights a shark. That should make you just see it or buy it or whatever. If you are bored one night check this one out.

Shocktober #8 – Dawn of the Dead

Dawn of the Dead original poster.

Dawn of the Dead
Release Date: 1978
Starring: Ken Foree, David Emge, Scott H. Reiniger, Gaylen Ross
Director: George A. Romero
Rated R

It’s really all over…..isn’t it? – Francine Parker

George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead is a personal favorite of mine. This is an unofficial sequel to Night of the Living Dead. The only reason I believe it’s unofficial is because I don’t think George wanted to make sequels, per se. Although, he does enjoy continuing his stories of the undead. This film is no different.

Dawn of the Dead is centered around four unsuspecting heroes. Two S.W.A.T. team members, a pilot and his girl nicknamed “Flygirl”. They travel together in what they think are only a few surviving members of the human race. Flyboy takes a helicopter with his new friends and takes refuge in the Monroeville, PA mall. After successfully locking the doors and cleaning out the zombies they spend months in this mall just waiting out the apocalypse.

Before its re-rating in the 80’s this film was originally rated NC-17. Although, not including any scenes of sex, but the mere brutality of this zombie apocalyptic universe. I think the reason I enjoy this movie the most is the underlying social commentary and the dynamic shown between all of the characters. Their fight for survival knowing that their destruction is imminent is just displayed so well. This is one to just buy. I enjoy it everytime I watch it and it never gets old.

Shocktober #7 – Return of the Living Dead

Return of the Living Dead poster

Return of the Living Dead
Release Date:
Starring: Clu Gulager, Miguel Nunez, Linea Quigley
Director: Dan O’Bannon
Rated R

“You think this is a fuckin’ costume? This is a way of life!” – Suicide

So many quotes to begin this entry. A movie with character names like Suicide,Trash,Spider, and Scuz, you cannot go wrong. This is the unofficial sequel to Night of the Living Dead written by John Russo. Released around the same time Day of the Dead, Dan O’Bannon and his team turned this would be shock horror film into a comedic romp. It starts out in a warehouse where different odds and ends get sent to for storage. One of the odds are dead bodies. In the basement, holds a secret government experiment locked away. Two plucky warehouse caretakers watch over the facility late at night. When the new kid goes into the basement he mistakenly opens one of the oil cans from the military project unleashing a gas that will animate the dead giving them a hunger for “MORE BRAAAAAINS!!”.

This one is a classic that will forever be in my library. From the quotables, to the hilarious slapstick of the caretakers, this is one zombie movie that needs to be seen. Not only is the movie great but the soundtrack is another great part of it. Featuring music from: The Damned, T.S.O.L, and 45 Grave the music has a punk edge not found in a lot of movies of its time. Although, this is the best of the series, I must let you know about the many sequels spawned from this classic. The second and third iteration of the film isn’t that bad. Return of the Living Dead Part 2 is more reminiscent of an 80’s comedy, but on the other hand Return of the Living Dead Part 3 is much better. The third movie brings to light more information of the deadly(or lively) Trioxin – 5. The two movies after that are just plain schlock.

Shocktober #6 – Let The Right One In

Let The Right One In Original Poster

Let The Right One In
Release Date: 2008
Starring: Lina Leandersson, Kåre Hedebrant
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Rated R

Hopefully, everyone can get a chance to see this one before Hollywood screws up this dramatic vampire story. An American remake is apparently in the works so I’m sure it will blow so be sure to atleast rent is soon.

Let The Right One Inis a wonderfully dramatised coming of age story set in Cold War Sweden. Oskar is a loner, kind of recluse, and bullied in his school. He lives in what looks like projects where people come and go everyday. One evening, when sitting out on the jungle gym outside his home, little Eli, the girl who moved in next door becomes his friend. Over time, Oskar confronts her about why she doesn’t come outside during the day or even goes to school. I won’t spoil anything for you but Eli changes Oskar life forever.

Eli played by Lina Leandersson

I hate when kids are in movies. It almost seems like they can’t stop being annoying in every picture I see. These two kids surprised the hell out of me with their performances. This is not your sister’s Twilight. This portrays vampires like I have never seen before in my life. Amazingly gory. Amazing on Blu-ray. This is such a beautifully shot film and is good for anyone to watch whether you enjoy horror or not I believe people from all over will like this movie.

Buy it here at Amazon.com

Shocktober – Honorable Mention – Trick ‘r Treat

Trick 'r Treat Poster/DVD Art

Trick ‘r Treat
Release Date:2008
Starring: Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Dylan Baker
Director: Michael Dougherty
Rated R

I didn’t think this was ever going to come out. Well, it’s out now, kiddies. On DVD today, this movie is played out much like Creepshow. Except all four of the stories are interwoven instead of conveying a message. It’s about a small town in Ohio that loves the traditions of Halloween. So much so, that trick or treating is taken very, very, very seriously. It starts out with a couple walking home from the Halloween parade. The husband loves Halloween but on the other hand the wife absolutely loathes the holiday. While she takes down the very elaborate yard decorations something attacks her, hangs her body parts from the trees and puts her head on a stake. This first ten minutes hooked me and had me up late at night all the way to the end of film.

My first thought after seeing the trailer was, “This looks like a piece of shit.” When it didn’t come to my local theater and a dvd release looked nowhere in sight I felt like my thoughts were solidified. Last week, I found out it was coming out on DVD and got really excited that this “piece of shit” was going to grace my dvd player. Boy, was I wrong. From the vampires to the murderers to the zombies to the werewolves this flick was nonstop awesome and is definitely a buy and rewatch in my book.