DVDFuture's short list of 13 mostly obscure horror films worth checking out this Halloween season!
Halloween Horror Highlights!
Halloween Highlights:
Here’s a short list of 13 mostly obscure horror films worth checking out this Halloween season!
The Children (on Blu-ray and DVD)
"The Children" is a surprisingly tense, slow-brewing horror film that plays on current trends (rabid flu-like infections) and refreshes old clichéd conventions (killer children). This is, without a doubt, the finest direct-to-video title I've ever seen! It gives me hope that perhaps one day, DTV titles will be taken seriously by producers, filmmakers and audiences.
CLICK HERE TO READ MY FULL REVIEW of the film over at IGN.
Long Weekend (on DVD only)
This is what M. Night Shyamalan's "The Happening" wanted to be and wasn't -- a crazy, haunting, cerebral scary movie about a dysfunctional couple who must face off against an angry Mother Nature. Riddled with social commentary and some genuine thrills and chills, "Long Weekend" is a cult gem worth digging for.
The Hills Run Red (on DVD only)
With the wayward torture genre slowly, but surely, starting to die off – paving the way for slashers to regain their lost stride, "The Hills Run Red" is a lively reinvention of the genre. The film, in a way, is similar to Wes Craven's "Scream" in that it cleverly pokes fun at the conventions and cliches of the genre. Here, our heroes get perfect cell phone reception out in the woods. One character comes prepared – stocked with flares, camping gear and a gun. Our villain doesn't just check a room and trample off to the next. And our heroes make decisions that seem less boneheaded. These are just a few of clever nods to the torture genre in this solid, gory good time.
CLICK HERE TO READ MY FULL REVIEW of the film over at IGN.
Murder Party (on DVD only)
Easily one the best horror, and funniest, horror films of 2007, "Murder Party" is good, silly fun that not only plays to horror fans, but mocks quite heavily, the conventions of shock horror pictures. A genuine hoot that's destined for cult status.
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (on Blu-ray and DVD)
While "Dexter" is probably the better of the two serial killer examinations, "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" stills holds quite a bit of chilling value. Without a narration driving the character, Henry becomes a terrifying ghost – a man we will never likely understand. We could peel back the layers all we want, but Henry's behavior, and his actions, will make very little sense. And because of this, the film will continue to shock and surprise fans and newcomers for decades to come.
CLICK HERE TO READ MY FULL REVIEW of the film over at IGN.
Midnight Movie (on Blu-ray and DVD)
"Midnight Movie" is a clever, inventive, self-aware slasher that doesn’t play the comedy too on-the-nose, like "Scream" did. This film plays for scares, and it succeeds admirably. If only all straight-to-video pictures could share in this film’s unfettered quality.
CLICK HERE TO READ MY FULL REVIEW of the film.
Freddy Vs. Jason (on Blu-ray and DVD)
Forget the terrible remake of "Friday the 13th" and watch this film again, particularly if you need a Freddy or Jason fix. The film is pretty embarasing in spots (Monica Keena is terrible), but the kills are fun and there's plenty of gore to keep gorehounds happy. Sure, it's not what we wanted, but it's the best film we've seen from either franchise in order a decade now. Hopefully the "Nightmare on Elm Street" remake will be better.
Wrong Turn 3 (on Blu-ray and DVD)
Tragically, this "Wrong Turn" is a bit of a misfire. Instead of indulging in the sillier, more self-aware tone of the second film (the "Evil Dead II" of this series, if you will), director O'Brien and crew seek a more serious pace and tone which simply doesn't work well to the film's limited budget. While not as fun, or star-studded, as the previous entry, "Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead" is a passable, if boring, third chapter in this DTV franchise that should please franchise fans.
CLICK HERE TO READ MY FULL REVIEW of the film over at IGN.
The Gate: Monstrous Edition
"The Gate" is a surprisingly inventive little movie, with fun twists and turns at every corner and more than a few genuinely shocking jump scares. The film rides the line between R and PG-13, heavily seasoning the horror elements with brief bursts of graphic violence. The film is also layered with fiendish movie monsters, including demons (both big and small), zombies and gooey, bug-filled fake parents. It's a shame that so many have forgotten just how fresh and creative "The Gate" really was. The film is hardly a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, but it's easily one of the best PG-13 scare flicks ever made and a classic in its own way.
CLICK HERE TO READ MY FULL REVIEW of the film over at IGN.
Splinter (on Blu-ray and DVD)
Sharply (no pun intended) directed by Toby Wilkins, based on a script from Ian Shorr and Kai Barry, "Splinter" is a revitalization of the horror genre. It plays on so many levels, working into so many different subgenres, that it never runs out of steam. There are a few dumb genre trappings that surface from time-to-time, but the film packs a serious punch, delivering solid chills, loads of gore and tension that tightly builds throughout.
CLICK HERE TO READ MY FULL REVIEW of the film.
The Prowler (on DVD only)
One of makeup effects artist Tom Savini's finest efforts, this little-known slasher, from "Friday the 13th Part 4" director Joseph Zito packs a gory wallop -- and an inventive World War II-themed villain. Sadly, like "The Burning" (another film well worth checking out), "The Prowler" never quite took off in the way "Friday the 13th," "Halloween" and "Nightmare on Elm Street" did.
Night of the Creeps (on Blu-ray and DVD)
At the end of the day, "Night of the Creeps" is a strangely uneven story, but it’s bound tightly by brilliant ideas and fun gags (there are dozens of hilarious in-jokes) that prove immensely entertaining. Gore effects are terrific and minor effects (like the slug creatures themselves) are very realistic. The characters are a lot of fun and the performers are clearly having a great time. If you’ve never discovered "Night of the Creeps," now is the time. You’re bound to fall in love with this quirky B-movie.
h2>CLICK HERE TO READ MY FULL REVIEW of the film.
The Haunting of Winchester House in 3-D (on Blu-ray and DVD)
Asylum provides a Halloween chill for horror fans with this retread of movies like "The Haunting in Connecticut" or "The Others." Just in time to capitalize on the ghost-craze brought on "Paranormal Activity," this ghostly thriller is one of The Asylum's better mockbuster entries, though it's still a far cry from flawless. Unfortunately, like the others, it's also a bit dry and dull. The 3-D gags work somewhat, but I was impressed. Still, there's a little someone for everyone here, particularly if you're up for a good bad movie.
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----R. L. Shaffer