In honor of the movies and trick-or-treating, here’s a pairing of scary movies with their freaky candy counterparts. How about a NutRageous! candy bar while watching PSYCHO? Or a 3 Musketeers with TRILOGY OF TERROR? And you can guess what little tri-colored treat goes best with CHILDREN OF THE CORN.
PSYCHO(1960; with Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles; directed by Alfred Hitchcock)
“We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven’t you?” –Norman Bates “Yes, and just one time can be enough.” –Marion Crane
This horror film, “the picture you must see from the beginning”, introduced the modern era of horror films. Hitchcock’s PSYCHO has frights, thievery, suspicion, despair, desperation, disease, sadness, foreboding and decay. Unlike many of the contemporary films it set the stage for, it’s not afraid to be subtle and very, very serious. (What few funny spots there are are of the nervous-laughter variety). We’re only a few minutes into the film when we’re greeted with a familiar Hitchcock obsession–mothers–a subject introduced by none other than Alfred’s surrogate, his daughter, Patricia. Later, of course, there are some real issues with nervous Norman Bates’ mom. She looms over her son in the same manner as her sinisterly ornate, gloomy house dominates over the very plain and unassuming, prostrate Bates Motel below.
When you’re not being scared by the showery murder in cabin number one, or creeped-out by Bernard Herrmann’s music, you can have fun noting the various “doubles” and moments of foreshadowing. Such as the painting behind Marion at the real estate office, offering a glimpse of the landscape Marion will soon encounter on her frantic flight from Phoenix. Then there is Norman’s reflection in the dark motel window as he speaks to Marion (“Mother… isn’t herself today”), and the similarity of the names, Norman/Marion. Besides the obvious bird reference in Norman’s taxidermy, there is Marion’s surname, “Crane”, and Norman’s, “Bates”, and also his munching of candy as if he were a bird–a predatory one.
Even if you don’t pass the time like Norman (“My hobby is stuffing things…”), we can think of no better way to conclude 31 Bites and 31 Frights than to suggest you gather friends together to watch perhaps the most outrageous cinematic nut of all, while you, um, stuff yourself–with a NutRageous.
“You know what I think? I think we’re all in our private traps, clamped in them, and none of us can ever climb out. We scratch and claw… but only at the air, only at each other, and for all of it, we never budge an inch.” –Norman Bates
Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.
Like bones in a graveyard, hundreds and hundreds of Halloween movie lists are scattered across the Web, touting the scariest, the best, the goriest, you name it. But long lists can be overwhelming. Here are four must-watch movies to add to your freaky list. File them under “Disturbing,” “Chilling,” “Terrifying,” and “Sort of Stupid.”
IT’S OK TO BE AFRAID OF YOUNG BLONDE TWINS
When people talk about movies that have stayed with them for days and days, I recall THE OTHER (1972). This disturbing, rarely shown classic, stayed with me for not just days, but for years. Because of THE OTHER, I still have a need to avoid blonde twin boys. Never trusted them; never will. And I’m slightly afraid of farms as well.
With direction by Robert Mulligan (he of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, for one), score by Jerry Goldsmith, and star power like Uta Hagen and Diana Muldaur, how can this movie miss? There are no ghosts or demons, but sheer suspense, true to the nail-biting novel by Thomas Tryon by the same name.
YOUR PATHETIC, BANAL LIFE ISN’T SO BAD SECONDS (1966) is unquestionably one of the most chilling films I have ever seen. What were my parents thinking when they took me to see it when I was only 12 years old? I think they were thinking that if it starred Rock Hudson, it must be a happy family film. In reality, it is a decadent, modern twist on making a pact with the devil.
This stylistic thriller, complete with skewed camera angles and distorted images, was directed by John Frankenheimer of MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE fame.
Rock Hudson totally pulls out his acting chops for this one, playing unhappy and down trodden Arthur. He is so beat up by life that he likes the sound of an enticing proposal. From workaday drone to swinging playboy? What could go wrong?
As soon as the drill goes into Hudson’s neck, you know that Arthur should have consider his decision a little more carefully. This film also has one of the best drunk scenes ever recorded (and in reality, Hudson was totally tanked during the filming of it).
DON’T ENTER THE SUBWAY IF YOU HEAR SCREAMING LIKE THIS GOING ON
Filed under “What Are You Watching?” Home Projectionist fan Jonathan Stacy writes:
“If you want a truly terrifying Halloween movie with cult status (particularly in Europe), try POSSESSION (1981) by Polish director Adrezej Zulawski with Isabella Adjani and Sam Neil. It’s a strange hybrid of marital drama, ROSEMARY’S BABY, and early eighties freak out. (And in my opinion, it was a major influence on Lars von Trier and his ability to cull strong performances from women despite dubious feminist interpretations; Gainsbourg in ANTICHRIST is the obvious daughter of this work). Think a mish-mash of KRAMER VS. KRAMERand IT’S ALIVE!
Adjani won best actress at Cannes for this film, the central piece being her miscarriage (from a demon?) in a subway. Frighteningly over the top and horrifyingly real all at the same the same time.”
You’ll want to watch this scene more than a few times:
CURIOUS CASTING COMBINATIONS WORK FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER, LIKE JOAN COLLINS AND A DWARF And like a trainwreck you shouldn’t watch, THE DEVIL WITHIN HER (1975) is custom made for when you’re in the mood for hootin’ and hollerin’ and makin’ wisecracks. The world doesn’t need another cheap imitation of ROSEMARY’S BABY but there’s Joan, a demon dwarf, a devilish baby, and a dastardly wig — plus sex!
Happy Halloween! May the demons be with you.
Gloria Bowman is a writer, storyteller, blogger, movie lover, freelance editor,
and author of the novel, Human Slices.
Access her blog at www.gloriabowman.com; on Twitter @GloriaBow
THE RAVEN(1963; with Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, Jack Nicholson; directed by Roger Corman)
Richard Matheson (TRILOGY OF TERROR, SOMEWHERE IN TIME, DUEL) wrote the script for this loose and goofy adaptation of the famously spooky Poe poem. Vincent Price portrays magician Erasmus Craven. Craven is visited by a raven–a raven that later, thanks to Craven, takes the form of wizard Bedlo, played by Peter Lorre. Bedlo and his son (a very young Jack Nicholson) helps Craven locate Craven’s allegedly deceased wife (Hazel Court), who has now made her nest with Craven’s nemesis, the evil Scarabus (Boris Karloff). A battle royal rages between the two rival sorcerers, all done tongue-in-cheek, Roger Corman style. This was the first time the “triumvirate of terror”–Price, Lorre and Karloff–had appeared together in a movie. The jolly “raven” on your box of Crows will set the mood for this not-so-serious Halloween film. As for “nevermore”, don’t be concerned about your ravenous appetite. Crows are fat free.
Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.
BRIDE OF CHUCKY(1998; with Jennifer Tilly, Brad Dourif; directed by Ronny Yu)
Here’s an example of how it’s often best to leave well enough alone. It applies here in terms of this movie’s story, and the movie itself. A sequel to the mysteriously successful CHILD’S PLAY movies, BRIDE OF CHUCKY features Jennifer Tilly as Tiffany, the former girlfriend of a serial killer who became embodied within an extremely disturbing-looking doll named, of course, Chucky. Tiffany tampers in the doll’s domain when she decides to put Chucky back together again. Chucky shows his gratitude to Tiffany by tossing an electrical device into her bathwater, like James Bond did in the prologue to GOLDFINGER. This causes Tiffany to cast her fate with Chucky as his bride (long story), unlike in GOLDFINGER. The happy couple, for better or (mostly) worse, make their way to New Jersey for a honeymoon from Hell. We suggest you ease your pain by chewing on Chuckles, as you watch, jaw agape, Chucky and company chew the scenery.
Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.
DONOVAN’S BRAIN(1953; with Lew Ayres, Nancy Davis; directed by Felix Feist)
No doubt you’ve encountered bodies without brains in your daily life. Like that lummox who cut in front of you in line. But how about a brain without a body? Can it exist on its own, with a little help from a brainy brain doctor? Lew Ayres plays that specialist with the good intentions of saving the cranium of accident victim Donovan, an industrial tycoon. However, things go awry (you didn’t expect a situation like this to go smoothly, did you?). Ayres, once a peaceful personality (as he famously was in real life) becomes aggressive and cruel, and it’s soon apparent that the disembodied brain is causing the side effects. DONOVAN’S BRAIN is a very good movie–creepy and intelligently written. Maybe not the “most fantastic story your startled eyes have ever beheld!”, as it’s billed, but there is an added layer of interest. Nancy Davis, future First Lady Nancy Reagan, plays Ayres’ wife in the movie. Davis by this time was married to Reagan, his second wife. Reagan’s first wife, Jane Wyman, had left Reagan for a relationship with Ayres, one that did not result in marriage. (Note: When I was little, my friends and I thought that eating Smarties would make us smart. Some would say that I am now living proof that our theory was flawed.)
Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.
ZOTZ!(1962; with Tom Poston, Jim Backus; directed by William Castle)
Everyone knows Dots, the colorful gumdrops introduced in 1945 and sold at finer movie theaters everywhere. Safe to say not everyone knows about ZOTZ!, however. The cigar-chomping director and producer William Castle was coming off a string of fairly big hits, including MR. SARDONICUS, THE TINGLER, 13 GHOSTS, HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL and the underrated, PSYCHO-inspired HOMICIDE, when he apparently was“inspired” by Walt Disney’s 1961 blockbuster, THE ABSENT MINDED PROFESSOR. To say “inspired” is putting it kindly. Perhaps calling this a horror movie is a stretch, too, but ZOTZ! does have a few scary scenes–at least in the family movie sense.
The story involves a professor (Fred MacMurray—er, Tom Poston, that is) and an ancient, magical coin that he’s found. The coin isn’t legal tender, but it nevertheless does have some intriguing uses. Such as allowing the holder to simply point his or her finger at someone and a) cause them pain, b) make them move in slow motion, or c) kill them. It also makes a difference whether you say “Zotz!” or not. Needless to say, these monetary-induced powers must be used judiciously, and preferably by a person who doesn’t hold too many grudges. Poston is a pretty good guy, but naturally other folks wouldn’t mind having this currency for their own sinister desires. Among the usual suspects are the dreaded Russians (this being the early 60s after all). Not only do hijinks ensue, but it’s surprising that Disney didn’t sue as well.
Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.
From the Witch’s Brew to the Devil’s Skin, check out Huffington Post’s compelling directory of Halloween cocktails for this weekend’s spooky movie watching parties. See them all at 21 Creepy Holiday Drinks.
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS(1956; with Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter; directed by Don Siegel)
“You don’t seem like yourself.” That’s an expression most of us have addressed a friend or family member with. Maybe they seem distracted, distant or moody. Most of the time, they eventually will be more like themselves again. But what if your spouse or sibling really wasn’t his or herself? What if some sort of entity had entered their physical beings while they were sleeping, transforming them into a cold, unfeeling sort of person–a person who almost wasn’t human anymore? That’s basically what transpires in this outstanding, classic bit of 50s celluloid paranoia. (Director Don Siegel insists he wasn’t doing a Commie/red scare parable, but judge for yourself). We’re in a middle-class, small community, not unlike those of 1950s TV shows like Father Knows Best, where the townsfolk are warm and friendly. But then the town’s doctor (Kevin McCarthy, perfectly cast) gradually realizes he can’t brush off complaints he’s getting about strange changes in temperaments. There’s something going on, and that something involves pods–squishy, gelatinous, creamy pods, growing in greenhouses, trucking around in trucks, waiting silently for the unsuspecting to nod off, peeling their outer layers and taking over people and their personalities, one at a time. Now, go ahead and enjoy your Cadbury’s Creme Egg bedtime snack. But don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.
CHILDREN OF THE CORN(1984; with Linda Hamilton, Peter Horton; directed by Fritz Kiersch)
Billed as “an adult nightmare”, the stars of this scary and groundbreaking film are the kids. One fine day, the kids decide to put on a show. The show: extermination of the adult population of Gatlin, Nebraska. This event presents the leader of the massacre, Malachai, with the dilemma of “How you gonna keep ’em (visitors) down on the farm after they’ve seen… no adults there. The obvious solution: capture adult visitors as sacrifices. Problem solved. Or is it? A couple on a road trip (Hamilton and Horton) come across a little boy who’s fleeing the creepy cornfields of Gatlin. An entity called “He Who Walks Behind the Rows” is not pleased with the outside interventions and various bad things ensue: broken necks, poisoned minds, storms, fire and brimstone, and said sacrifices among them. Not to mention damage to the tourist trade. “And a child shall lead them…” is the tagline for this movie, which is based on a Stephen King story. Speaking for yours truly, a child can lead me to candy corn, but can’t make me eat it, even under threats from a demon. I’ll take popcorn, thanks very much.
Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.
TRILOGY OF TERROR(1975; with Karen Black; directed by Dan Curtis)
The writings of famed, sci-fi wordsmith Richard Matheson serve as the basis for this made-for-TV movie. Karen Black plays four roles in three, short stories. In part one, Julie, she’s a college literature teacher who gets into a relationship with one of her students, who then, through malicious means, blackmails her. However, Julie, in a typically Mathesonian turn of events, gets the last laugh. In part two, Black portrays two women, the twins Millicent and Therese. This duo resolves their issues by delving into the dark and devilish world of witchcraft.
Then, at last, we come to Amelia, and it’s a doozy. Amelia is the long-suffering daughter of a nagging, possessive mother. She’s also the significant other of an absent anthropologist, for whom she buys a birthday gift. It’s an unusual present: a Zuni doll–a roughly 10-inch tall, primitive warrior with a horribly grotesque face and who, in its tiny hand, carries a very, very pointy spear. Amelia evidently does not read the accompanying instructions, and subsequently becomes unhappy with her purchase–as does the Zuni doll, who, in a series of scenes that will have you jumping out of your skin, makes a determined point of causing Amelia to feel buyer’s remorse. This feisty little fellow plays hard-to-get, and could easily have proven challenging for all three of the real Musketeers. –Julie, Millicent and Therese; –Amelia
Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.
The THRILLER television series (1960 – 1962) is an under-appreciated treasure trove for your Halloween watch list. The expertly crafted episodes feature compelling tales with twists and turns and startling, dark images that can be much more disturbing than big blobs of blood, guts, and over-the-top gore.
Boris Karloff hosted this 67-episode tv series, featuring stories by some of the best writers of the thriller genre, including Robert Bloch of PSYCHO fame. Production quality is top notch from the spot-on, spine-tingling music to the lineup of directors, including Ida Lupino, actress and one of the first female film directors.
These stories scared me when I was young, and they still have staying power. A few of my favorite episodes are “The Grim Reaper,” starring William Shatner, who shows off his best Shanter-esque acting chops in the closing sequence. Invite your friends and ghouls over to hunker down for the “The Grim Reaper” episode, along with “A Wig for Miss Devore, “The Hungry Glass,” and “La Strega.”
They may want to leave the lights on when it’s time for bed.
Gloria Bowman is a writer, storyteller, blogger, movie lover, freelance editor,
and author of the novel, Human Slices.
Access her blog at www.gloriabowman.com; on Twitter @GloriaBow
THE MUMMY(1932; starring Boris Karloff; directed by Karl Freund) THE MUMMY’S HAND(1940; starring Tom Tyler; directed by Christy Cabanne)
Boris Karloff’s follow-up to FRANKENSTEIN answers the unasked question, “What are you like now that you’ve come out of your shell?” The shell in this case is not the candy-coated one of a certain candy, but a very, very old mummy’s case. Within which is THE MUMMY: an equally, very, very old Mr. Imhotep (Karloff) who’d just like to sleep-in. But he’s disturbed not by the paws of a cat but by a group of British explorers. Would you be in a good mood if you were awakened from a comfy nap? No! Would you subsequently wreak havoc upon the person or persons who disturbed you? Who knows?! But you probably wouldn’t be quite as upset as Imhotep. Karloff, when not engaged in a slow pursuit of slow-moving Britishers, disguises himself as a creepy Egyptologist, with an unforgettable stare. But it’s the Mummy you’ll really remember.
Just as there have been umpteen, needless and pointless sequels (Coconut flavor??) to the original (and still the best) M&Ms, the same is true of the Mummy franchise. One particular spinoff to the Karloff classic (although not the worst) is THE MUMMY’S HAND. The bandaged fellow in this variation is encased in more or less the same shell, but the innards are different, and any hopes of having the intrigue of the original quickly unravels. Tom Tyler is just no match for Boris, the musical score is a rehash from SON OF FRANKENSTEIN and the plot: it melts in THE MUMMY’S HAND.
Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.
"The hero of my tale, whom I love with all the power of my soul, whom I have tried to portray in all his beauty, who has been, is, and will be beautiful, is Truth." Leo Tolstoy
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