The Horror Of...Halloween Night, Tales of Halloween (2016), In Short

Halloween is finally here! Let's party.

But maybe it's not time for that, or maybe you just need your horror fix to continue. So what will we watch. Something about Halloween, obviously. But what to pick?

So hard to choose. So let's go buffet on this. Let's go anthology film. So...

Tales of Halloween.

The Horror Of...Halloween Night, Community - "Epidemiology"

Halloween special episodes of TV shows have come and gone in waves over the years. And in this Binge Age it's strange to have any holiday themes when the show will likely come out at a different time in the year. But, once, Fall was a big time for TV entertainment. And some producers were determined to have their big October episode.

Not every special has been as memorable as one would like today, with our long pop culture memories. But some specials do stand out. Community, in it's run on NBC, liked to play with it's sitcom and TV world rules. The paintball episodes liked to push their world to breaking points. But Halloween was always interesting. In particular their second season Halloween episode is quite memorable to this day.

The show follows a collection of people looking for second chances in their lives, so find themselves at the small and unimpressive Greendale Community College. Jeff the conman/lawyer, is looking for the easy way out. Britta is a self-styled rebel out to help, but struggling with herself. Shirley is a single mom that dreams of opening her own business as to restore normalcy to her life. Annie is a smart kid that struggled with an addiction that derailed her parent's plans, but freed her to find her own way. Abed is a somewhat disconnected young man who likes to see the world through the lens of TV and movies. Troy lost out on a football scholarship when he got hurt senior year, but it's meant he's been able to reexamine his life and find his other passions. And, then, we have Pierce who is a rich older man who enjoys being among the young people and college life. He also likes to push and provoke people to justify his negative opinions, like too many people on Twitter.

So let's all head to class and crack the books on...

Epidemiology.

The Horror Of...Halloween Night, The Ghoul (1933)

Five days in and we need to be taking Halloween serious. This is Condition: Candy Corn. So let's temporarily up our game with some classic horror. Let's challenge the mind with a film that doesn't try to dazzle us with more than a two colors. No CGI. No rock songs. ..Is this homework? No! It's classic horror!

So make plans for a fun watch on any stormy night. A film deemed the first of Britain's talking horror movies. A film that brought back a son to his homeland after a quarter century, and a booming American career as the looming start of Universal Horror.

 The mysterious and terrible tale of death, live, and estate planning.

 The Ghoul.

The Horror Of...Star Trek: Infestation - Taking A Bite Out Of Trek

This is a bit of a switch for me. I had intended to include other media in the annals of The Horror Of..., but it's taken awhile. So, finally, horror of the four color fright variety!

So much has been done over the decades from crypts, Dracula's reign, to the dread of the comic code, to the resurgence of gory fun. Where is the best and most obvious place to start?

Star Trek, obvious! It is the 50th anniversary. And Trek has had it's horror moments.

The horror.

Ah.

The horror!

Oh!

The horror!!

Eek!

The HORROR!!!

...

...Wait? That is horror? The hell?!

I should be reviewing that. That looks awesome! Shatner versus Dracula. Why is that not this review? And why hasn't Linkara already reviewed this?! (What the hell, man.)


I'm feeling a little dispirited suddenly.

But wait! I must have something fun to review. Something fun and horrible. A mix of Trekness with the Macabre.

Oh what terror we have.

Star Trek: Infestation. Shatner versus Zombies.

"Ugh! Ha ha, 'He's dead, Jim.' I swear if  Bones says that
one more time..."

The Horror Of...iZombie Season 1, In Short

As Halloween approaches the season is an apt time for certain themed shows to return. The zombie shows. Z Nation has started. There's some Walking Dead stuff going on. And iZombie is starting up again!

Now some people complain that we already had a zombie show. Don't care. We have different shows of other genres, so zombies deserve exploration (and not just repetition). And these shows try and go in different directions.

Unfortunately, In The Flesh went off the BBC. It looked at the aftermath of zombies rising, where society was dealing with containing and curing the remaining zombies. It was an interesting drama. And it was it's own thing.

Z Nation with it's more colorful, adventuring, road trip group has a very unique feel on SyFy. It is playing with a range of zombies, weird situation, and now a post nuke environment. It's fun to tune in every week.

Now we have iZombie. It's a show that again takes the zombies in a new direction. And the result is fun, with plenty of blood.

Coming from the creators of Veronica Mars, it makes use of humor in the midst of dark and macabre happenings in Seattle. Zombies are afoot. Crimes need to be solved. A corporation is conspiring. And Liv Moore is in serious need of straightening her life out...or unlife?

Z Nation Reviews Season 2 Episode 1 - The Murphy

At the end of last season tactical nukes were coming down on all of our characters. Ft Collins was screwed, as was the northern outpost Citizen Z was at. It did not look good.

Murphy had snapped and ran, starting the nuke rain. Dr. Kurian fled on foot. So how can anyone hope to escape incoming?

As the season opens everyone in Ft Collins in running. Warren gets their truck going and they try and outrun the missile heading at the facility. Dr. Kurian manages to find a fridge in the area and ducks in. (Someone saw Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.) Murphy seems to have run off early enough to not have to worry about being hit, at least.

In a disaster Kurian can't resist a snack.

Warren is trying to hightail it, but she knows the blast will be coming, so she tries to pull into a tunnel to avoid most of it. Their truck takes a hit and flips over.

"Excellent!"

Z Nation Season 1 Addendum *UPDATED*

"GOD, I HATE THE APOCALYPSE." Don't we all.

Before we get to the opening of Season 2, let's finish up with Season 1. Last time I covered the overarching aspects. But there are some other things worth knowing about the show.

Creeping Up On Halloween With LEGO Minifigs

Oh I do love LEGO. And these days they sell individual minifigures series. The current one that just came out is one with a horror/Halloween vibe. Mad scientist. Zombies. Ghosts. Etc.

Just in time for Halloween. I have begun the quest to acquire them all. Madness will follow.

The Horror Of...Z Nation Season 1, In Short

(An addendum to this post has been posted.)

With the second season of Z Nation getting ready to rampage across our TV's and computers, let's take a look at the first season, and the series in general. A series that has tried to remember that it wants viewers to get some thrills and fun when they watch a show.

So let's pick at the oozing brain of Z Nation, and see what it is all about.

Trailers in Short - Bit Of Horror With Your Coffee Edition

Time for some horror, right? Good. Plenty of horror movies are coming out, in the US and around the world. From Blood Glaciers to Camp Dread to Goal of the Dead to My Fair Zombie. 6 horror trailers to sate you for the day.

...I got to be honest. Maybe it's some of these movie trailers, or maybe it's me. But rewatching and looking at some of them, you can see why you'll likely never fear about some of them again. ...It is me, isn't it. Grump. Grump.

Trailers In Short - Dystopic Battle Jam

In a world where movie voice over guys rule the world...One man has all the answers, and has chewed all the bubblegum. One woman wishes it was Tuesday, so she could take the day off. And one plucky kid better get off the computer before his parents ground him...Looking at you.

Dystopic futures. Grim battlegrounds, war torn cities, and nasty heartless governments...I am talking about the future, right? ...Still, it's always an option for movie makers, as long as some urban center in the world is suffering an economic downturn. And this year we've have a new dented rusted batch...From the crappy future! Edge of Tomorrow. The Purge: Anarchy. Battle of the Damned.


Edge of Tomorrow



I was going to have good things to say about this trailer. The first 80 seconds made me hopeful. (Even with Cruise warning he has important news, and the fleet of planes flying, I was avoiding ANY Scientology jokes.) It starts with a future war. And Tom Cruise is playing a recruit is looping through time, again and again.

That could be interesting. A man out of time. Stuck in a grim war. A horrible loss coming. But this odd loop he's in may hold the answer to ending the conflict. Interesting Science Fiction premise.

Then it starts turning into a action packed "Run! Tom! Run!" movie. It feels duller by the end of the trailer. A tacked on romance to boot. It is such a Tom Cruise movie.


The Purge: Anarchy

The first teaser came out and I was underwhelmed. The first movie didn't do much. And the new teaser suggested a story about a couple running through a city gone wild...But...There was a flurry of clips near the end that showed a wider view of this Purge world. And you had to wonder.



So this movie is looking more and more complicated, if we're lucky. It might actually be a series of experiences from different perspectives that are drawn together in the narrative. It could actually give an interesting look at this world, and how it really functions. Hunters. Prey. Rich. Not rich. People out for vengeance. People who order take out victims.


You know, in the first teaser, there was a quick clip that looked like some rich people readying to kill a family member. It made me wonder. What if you did a country manor murder mystery in this world. All these rich people lock themselves away, safe from the rabble. Then someone is killed. It wouldn't say much about this world, but it would be an odd play on this concept.


Still, this movie may be a good sequel. Or it may be a poorly made mess. I hope to hear good things.


Battle of the Damned



Dolph Lundgren fights zombies. ...What? Do we need more reason to watch a movie?

Okay. Did I mention the robots? They also fight the zombies.

Dolph. Zombies. Robots. Fighting.

Come on! How do you not rent that at least once?

Sure, he's on a rescue mission in a cut off city. It's borrowing heavily from Escape From New York, but...Dolph, Zombies, and Robots...?

I think nothing more needs to be said.

Trailers in Short - Animals Want To Eat Your Face Edition

Welcome to the world of animals. As a rule, animals are awesome. Tiny bugs building a megalopolis. Whales or Sharks herding prey. Birds navigating vast distances. Dogs giving up their derp face.

And then there are the movies. Forget all that stuff above. Animals. Want. To. Eat. Your. Face.

Big Ass Spiders! Zombeavers! Squirrels!

...And more, of course.

The Horror Of...Cast A Deadly Spell, A Mystery By Night

Ah. Hello, again. Don't mind me. I'm just out enjoying nature, seeking to call the Great Old Ones back to...Oh, you know.

And out, traipsing about where the Byakhee warble, makes one nostalgic. Perhaps for something with a little mystery. And, of course, a proper dose of horrific doom in the works.

So, let's go for something a bit Lovecraftian. Something from the 90's. Something with Fred Ward, Julianne Moore, and David Warner (and a bit of the old Clancy Brown). Yes, let us Cast a Deadly Spell.

The Horror Of...ParaNorman, In Short

I hate to admit it, but I nearly forgot to suggest this movie for Halloween. It's a relatively new movie, but it came and went from the theater faster than I could get to it. So I finally saw it when the disc came out. But it was worth the wait. A 2012 cartoon (and definitely NOT Hotel Transylvania) it gave a family friendly tale, yet dealt with the strain of being a different and ostracized child and facing the dead rising and marching into town. While it has it's dark moments, and it has it's scary moments, it very nicely balances this with humor, camaraderie, and hope. It's the must watch...

ParaNorman

The story centers a young boy named Norman. Like many young kids, he loves a good scary story. Also, he's dealing with issues like every child does.

You know, having to navigate the spirits of the dead on the way to school. Trying to remember all the ghosts names so he can say hello, and not be rude. Have visions of looming doomsdays. You know, the regular stuff.






And it does result in a hard experience. He's shunned at school, by students and teachers. And at home his parents don't know what to make of him. No one else sees what he does, so they think he's got a powerful imagination, or troubled.

Thankfully he has a loyal friend, who is always ready to listen. Neil. He's also bullied at school. But he keeps up a bright demeanor.

But what will he do when he has a vision of a coming doom. A witch will rise. Zombies will walk. And the town will be doomed.

Can Norman save everyone? Will anyone believe him? Is the curse or the witch what people say? How does it all tie to the gifts that Norman has?

To find out, I suggest you check out ParaNorman, and have an entertaining night.

And along the way we are reminded of how unfair and dangerous it is to judge and make assumptions about people.

The Horror Of...Night of the Living Dead (1990), In Short

It's Thursday, and it seems like a great time to consider the Living Dead movies. Some of us are heading out tonight to the Rifftrax Live show, where they will be doing the original George Romero, Night of the Living Dead. And it should prove to be hilarious to watch and listen to the commentary on the movie.

This movie has led to many sequels. It also has inspired and been mimicked over the years. Among these have been some very good movies, and some not so grand. Among those worth your time, I think, the 1990 remake should make it into your Halloween plans.

This remakes was the idea of Tom Savini. He's been an active part of the horror genre for decades. He's been working in effects and makeup in numerous movies going back to Dawn of the Dead and earlier (and has won awards). He's also acted in many of them, going back to Dawn of the Dead.

An old friend of George Romero, he wanted to attempt to play with that early movie that inspired him.

While Savini made use of many of the key elements of the original,

he also decided to subvert many. It results in characters taking different paths, and making different choices. The result is a new experience.

Among these changes is in the character of Barbara. Originally, she ends up being a very passive character throughout the movie. But in this, early on she's forced to face the living dead, one on one. And she finds that she does have a stomach for protecting herself, and, maybe, surviving.

The cast is also good. It's leads are Tony Todd, as Ben, and Patricia Tallman, as Barbara. They help make you are for the survival of their characters.

The story still follows the same path. The dead rise. They are killing and eating the living. So Barbara arrives at what seems to be an abandoned farm house. Then Ben arrives.

And soon the two find themselves part of a group fighting the living dead and each other, desperate to live.





The group...

Who lives? Who dies? Who rises again?

You'll have to watch and find out.

The Horror of...Halloween Night, The Midnight Hour, Part 3

Previously in the movie, The Midnight Hour!

The dead rose. Teens were turned. Phil almost got lucky.

And, someone was a very bad boy!

I can haz your femur?

And now the CONCLUSION!

The Horror of...Halloween Night, The Midnight Hour, Part 2

So we now come back to The Midnight Hour. I'm still struggled in an epic life and death battle with Man Flu. So this is later than I wanted.

Luckily, this is the point this movie starts getting to work. We will have to see what we make of it as the horror ramps up, the death toll begins, and our main cast starts slipping to the Dark Side.

Anyway...Last Time On, The Midnight Hour!

The Horror of...Halloween Night, The Midnight Hour, Part 1

Following on last weeks less than horrifying outing, it's time to start feeling the chill and fangs of this autumnal bliss that is Halloween. The leaves are changing, I've seen snow fall in places too close for me to like seeing it, the geese are eyeing the Southern skies, and . The season is on the move.

And so am I. ...I am travelling. I didn't work that into my planning. My apologizes. And I had hoped to complete this piece before now. But, events, people, illness, and access to computers has made that impossible.

BUT. We can at least begin.

So, fiends and monsters, may I present you with, the first part of two, looking at a Halloween Night choice you may remember. (I'll have Part 2 up by Saturday.)

Let us then get to some real Halloween chills.

Spate of kiddie supernatural horror toons.

Went to a theater last week, and noticed a couple of promos for supernatiral horror type films. Animated ones. Geared to kids. Eh. If it's done right, it can enjoyably engage adults and kids alike.

ParaNorman, was one of them. It actually looks like it could be fun overall. A little fun, a little creepy. I think I'm looking forward to seeing it. It involves Norman, an odd horror inclined kid, who can see and speak to dead people all around him. Then one day, he's given a ghostly warning of a undead threat to his town he needs to stop. ...




The other is Hotel Transylvania. This one is not as enamoring. I just saw the image of the vampire hotel owner (It's about a secret hotel for monsters that accidentally has a human guest. Eh,) in the theater promo and just internally growned. He just looks wrong, by which I mean he looks like SO MANY dad characters (He's a dad character.) in this type of animation. And, can't he look a bit...ghoulish, and be a Everyone else works, imagewise, but the vamp, ugh. And I now know he's voiced by Adam Sandler...ugh. Maybe I will be proven to be wrong in my initial reactions.



All this does make me want to go and see Monster House, to see how good it is.

Probably ought to see Coraline, finally, to.