The Hole in the Wall (1929)

October Challenge Day 14

What do you get when a psychic, who works for the mob, is suddenly killed in a freak train accident, and then a random young woman, seeking revenge, turns to the group of gangsters for assistance - and they turn her into the new "psychic".

You get:

The Hole in the Wall

A strange and wild ride into the underbelly of crime, spirits, psychics, and dangerous love.

There's a line here, said by a patron, that slayed me. The patron turned to the psychic for assistance, as her stocks were diving, and she wanted divine intervention. Taken back, I shouted to the TV: "Ma'am, It. Is. 1929 - I have bad news for you...."

This is a strange and creepy film that is sure to tickle the hearts of fans who like cinematically significant black and white classics. 

According to IMDB, here are some of the tag lines used to advertise one of the earliest talkies. I would have ran to the theater if I saw these:

"She Saw Too Much in the Realm of Spirits Beyond!" (Print Ad- The Journal and Republican, ((Lowville, NY)) 4 July 1929)

"Hear the Dead Speak!" (Print Ad- The Kyle News, ((Kyle, Texas)) 24 May 1929)

"A beautiful girl turns "spiritualist" for revenge! Her crook pals prey on the wealthy. A child is kidnapped. Terror! Thrills, Tremors!" (Print Ad- Bismarck Tribune, ((Bismarck, ND)) 8/8/29)

Hilariously, I stumbled across this film because I was looking for the 2019 The Hole in the Ground. Read my review here!

Pairs best with dark, stormy nights and whiskey on the rocks. 

I watched this film on the Roku Channel or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this historic gem.

Hack-O-Lantern (1988)

October Challenge Day 13 

This is an absolutely zany movie where you'd totally expect to hear such lines as: "But he killed my boyfriend, Grandpa!!"

This is a Halloween/spooky season must watch - at least once - a MUST. Let's talk about the feral film that is: 

Hack-O-Lantern

It's a slasher film from 1988 so you already kinda know what to expect, but like every slasher film from 1988, you're never fully prepared. 

Naturally, (again, as a slasher from 1988) we have a lot of breasts, butts, puns, odd characters, creeps, and slap-sticks abound, but it's the family dynamics with this one that really took me out. 

TOOK ME OUT

SLAYED ME

This is the story of a grandfather who leads a satanic cult and kills his grandkids' father (.... if they really were his kids....) on Halloween night. 

Years later, the family tries to keep it together but lispy grandpa won't let them. Everyone is dying and Mom can't catch a break.

Hy Pike is monstrously fun in this film - just an absolute lunatic. Brava!

This is my kind of trash, however, so I was fully invested. Well, mostly invested. I had it on while I was trying to find a way to preserve onions in pantyhose - we'll see how well that worked out in a month or so. In short, together, this film and I were just being delightful menaces. 

This film is messy *MESSY*, hilarious, and an absolute great time. Come for the devil masks, stay for the garden tool swashbuckling. Watch with friends just before heading out for a party or haunted house. 

Speaking of haunted houses and since it's the extra spooky day of October 13th - I recently went to a haunted corn maze and had the best time! Nature could not have been more perfect, with the crisp air and natural fog making the entire experience all that much better. 

It's hard to describe the gleeful, deeply freeing feeling of running through rows of corn, in the dark, and people are jumping out to scare you for delight - best I can do is say: I've been looking forward to this all year.

Shout out to Stalker Farms for putting on a great attraction! If you live in the Pacific Northwest, I highly recommend checking it out (and be sure to get the VIP tickets. Those lines to get in were LONG). 

A visual little treat at the end of the attraction

I couldn't believe this exit!

A quiet moment in the corn

Speechless 

I rented this film from Scarecrow Video or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this hot mess.

The Signalman (1976)

October Challenge Day 12

Oh the BBC series A Ghost Story for Christmas, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways....

Let's talk about the STELLAR episode:

The Signalman

This film is an adaptation of Charles Dickens' short story, The Signal-Man, which I am itching to read. 

Here we follow a lonely rail worker, charged with monitoring the trains' signal box as these massive modes of transportation come barreling through a long, dark tunnel.

Something is amiss however, as he keeps seeing visions of a spectre just before a tragedy strikes. Then one day, a man roaming the moors, comes across this spooked signalman and listens to his tale of woe and concern - and you're going to join them, sitting next to the fireplace....

Nearly all A Ghost Story for Christmas episodes frighten me but this one gave me physical chills down the spine. With spectacular atmosphere, and a moody, threatening cadence, this one is truly exceptional. 

These short films are a must watch, particularly for the cold and dark season. So get cozy, gather with your friends and family around the fire, and settle yourself in for a chilling and profound spooky experience.

I watched this film on Shudder, or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this Victorian-era ghost story. Note, several are also available on the Internet Archive and YouTube. 

I absolutely loved this one! Cheers to all, as we settle into mid October.

No One Will Save You (2023)

October Challenge Day 11

Well I loved the SHIT out of this!! Let's talk about the petrifying and stellar story of:

No One Will Save You

First and foremost, this should have had some time in the movie theaters. It's a shame for us all that it didn't.

Secondly, with almost no dialog, this film, most impressively, had my rapt attention!

This is the story of a lonely young woman, socially isolated by some wrong she did in the past, who - one night - wakes up to find a comically typical looking alien in her house. 

Now, although this alien is a 1950s style alien, don't mistake its menace. These things are downright Scary! And I mean, scary scary!!

When it first started to get going, I thought to myself that it feels as if someone saw the Season 2, Episode 15 of the Twilight Zone and got inspired... and then I saw Stephen King essentially said the same thing, according to IMDB Triva, and now I have complicated but honored feels about my noticing the same thing he did.

Back to the story:

The woman and alien battle it out with profound tension (there is profound tension throughout the whole film, by the way) and things get so much more worse for her by morning.

This is a fast-paced, non-stop, thrill ride of very scary proportions. I had no idea where it was going, no idea what to expect, and the aliens managed to get more and more frightening. 

I don't think I watch a lot of alien films but when I do, I am thankful to have found gems.

Now, I would have liked to see more practical effects over the CGI, but the monsters were still pretty well done all the same. 

IMPORTANT: Watch with headphones on - or in a room with a great sound system!

This would make for a great movie watching experience at night, in a fully dark room. Pairs with theater snacks and drinks. Watch with friends and family (recommended, so you can talk about the ending, especially) or alone!

I watched this film  on the Roku Channel (in fact, Roku picked it out for me....) or use the Find It! Watch It! Links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this stellar alien invasion!

Braindead aka Dead Alive (1992)

October Challenge Day 10

The other day I went to Scarecrow Video, as it was rent one get one free day, and browsed through their staff's hand-picked Halloween choices. 

I found three I hadn't seen before and then I saw this film:

Braindead aka Dead Alive

I have seen this gruesome film before and thoroughly enjoyed it! Even added it to my 2018 50 Movies You May Have Missed List!

So I decided to re-watch it and took my selection to the front desk for check out. It was discovered then, that they were actually out of this film and it was a mix-up. 

Now, this was not a problem for me, I had seen the film already anyway and saw others I could check out. Except, the staff alerted me there was one more edition available. 

Okay, fine, I'll check that one out then. A DVD was then pulled from the back of the store.

As they were checking me out, the clerk added "Oh, and there is a $200 deposit for this", pointing to Braindead.

Me: Say what now?

I love my local non-profit video store. I love all the work they did to get me a copy. I said, "Okay".

And that was a first for me! Flushing out $200 to *rent a movie*. There is a first for everything! Apparently I rented a 2001 foreign and out of print edition!

*(Update: I later found that I had watched the German Cut or Blood Edition, of this film.)*

My brother looked at me and said "Don't break it". Such a bro thing to say to his big sister...

But this really is such a boy film. I wish I had better words. It's just so gross, over the top, gnarly, reckless, goofy, grotesquely comical, absolutely hilarious, visually over-the-top, inappropriate, vaudevillian, and did I mention GROSS GROSS GROSS?

Don't forget the dialogue which has such gems as: "I kick ass for the lord!" (slays me every time). 

This is the story of a New Zealand young man, living with his overbearing mother - a mother who is bit by a monster monkey at the zoo and turned into the living dead.

Absolute. And I mean, Absolute Mayhem proceeds. 

I watched this film first thing on a Saturday morning. May I suggest, perhaps, an evening watch, long after a meal. 

This film is so fun, the body horror and practical effects are exquisite - TOP TIER - and you can't help but find the entire film wildly entertaining. Hell, there's even a love story! Something for everyone!

I rented this film from Scarecrow, or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this cult classic.

Garfield’s Halloween Adventure (1985)

October Challenge Day 9

I went down a Susan Dell and Kelly Loeffler rabbit hole. I don't know what's going on there but I'm scared out of my mind about it. Creepy Shit.

To cleanse the pallet, I needed some nostalgia, something classic, something warm and fuzzy, something like:

Garfield’s Halloween Adventure aka Garfield in Disguise

It has probably been since the '80s (mostly likely '90s) since I last saw this childhood classic and let me tell you - the SECOND it started - I was instantly taken back with core memories and childhood delight.

Something in my bones even remembered the hair trapped in the film - which is still on display, all these decades later. 

Naturally, I remember this story being a lot longer but it's only 24 minutes. 24 sweet, sweet minutes. 

I think I will be incorporating more childhood TV classics into my regular viewing. It was nice to go back, for a change. It was also startling to see how much I still remembered - little things, like movements and sounds. In all, it's a wild experience! Highly recommended. 

I watched this on Paramount+ or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this absolute delight.

PS: Be sure to VOTE this November!

PS: If you're looking for more spooky Garfield (and more serious), make this a double feature night with the wildly disturbing: Garfield: His 9 Lives. This TV movie upset me so much, as a kid. I remember being scared, crying, confused - you name it. I think, overall, I was a bit too young to truly understand this abstract concept. So, watch the Halloween Adventure for the kid in you, watch his 9 Lives for the existential crisis in you.

The Dunwich Horror (1970)

October Challenge Day 8

Well, what in the hell was that? Let's talk about the trippy little nightmare that is:

The Dunwich Horror

Is this tentacle porn? Maybe.

Is this a very 1970s late night film, best suited for shady theaters and sticky seats? Yes.

Did I like it? Maybe.

Did I respect it? Yes.

You know things are about to get raunchy when the Necronomicon is introduced right away!

Here we're at college, and two young women are tasked with taking the doomed book back to the library when a "dashing" man interjects himself and asks to borrow it. Against their better judgement, they let him, and this leads to one of the students riding to his sprawling mansion where, evidently, he has bad intentions for her and all hell breaks loose for everyone - literally. 

Allagories aside, and not to be detoured, the local town folk had this man on their radar for generations and are constantly on his ass, which was mildly amusing. Our young co-ed, however, is enamored and falls for his charms, to her detriment. 

Sex is splattered all over the place with this film, so prepare for the sounds and innuendos. It's fun for a while but also got old quick, so thankfully the film is not too long. That said, I'm just not a fan of H.P. Lovecraft and the stories often wear me out so, there's that.

Solid, standard, and fun for a late night watch - particularly with the presentation of the creature (psychedelic through and through) - it's a film to see at least once.   

Pairs with meals made out of jello. Lots of jello. Lots and Lots of jello. Best watched late at night and with someone who also appreciates the '70s horror aesthetic. 

I watched this film on Tubi or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this classy, sleazy, trippy film. 

Too Late (2015)

October Challenge Day 7

So, what do you think would happen if David Lynch and Quentin Tarantino had a love child... 

Let's talk about the morbid and well made:

Too Late

This film, told in scenes but not sequentially, follows a private investigator who is looking for a missing young woman. Things get messy when both the woman and the investigator get tangled up with some bad people.

The dialog is exceptional - right off the bat - but I quickly got the impression it was written by a man who likes to hold captive audiences with a somewhat nagging wit, particularly with women. After looking it up, I found it was written and directed by a man (Dennis Hauck) but I know nothing of his character so I'll just stick with the experience of the film.  

The story meanders through the sad, lonely lives, of lost souls and greedy men who make the twisted worlds of Lynch and Tarantino go round. The inspirations are obvious and celebrated with this film, with top tier camera work to boot. 

While this film is really well made and deserves more attention and recognition, it's a hard watch, particularly with the treatment of the women in this story. It's a dismal place for women, here, and that quite likely is on purpose. A well placed camera light glaring into the face of dark places where even the most well meaning of actions end up hurting others because of a man's guilt, shame, and/or greed. Or maybe that's the surly private investigator in *me* talking (shout out: Bergman Investigations circa 2009 - 2014).

This is a thriller/drama, and it's heavy on the drama but I have it listed here as a horror story because this is a nightmare for all the characters involved. Not for everyone, and on the slower side of a burn, this film might also piss you off for many reasons because everyone here is far, far too late.

Best watched alone, pairs with cigarettes and ecstasy. And I mean A LOT of cigarettes and ecstasy.

I watched this film on Kanopy (support your local libraries!) or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this sad but delicate yet exquisite feature.

Spree (2020)

October Challenge Day 6

Oh social media - what has it turned us into? Let's talk about the "dark comedy" that is:

Spree

This story follows a young man who just wants the internet to notice him. Sadly, he goes to extremes to get there. 

While this film is really just making fun of everyone who relies on social media for validation and monetization, with a ride share spin (which was fun), there are a lot of darker issues at play.

For instance, I think this film exposes the exhaustion (and madness making) so many people have about the focus on "likes", "followers", "influencers", and "going live" and/or "going viral". That goes both ways for the viewer and creator. Hell, after the film, I tried to watch some TikToks and got an immediate headache, even nauseous - I needed to literally touch grass and listen to some music for a bit there. 

This is an unserious and lighthearted look at things too, however, where we can all laugh at our profound dumb assess, hunched over a phone. 

So, while psychosis is a very real thing and seeing it in real time on social media is something that happens and we should all pay attention to it - recognize it for what it is - the lengths our young man here goes to capture everything and making dynamic content for his 3 viewers are impressive. You'll chuckle but you'll be a little sad. 

This is an exhausting film and I don't think I'll be catching it again, but it did a great job in capturing our collective crazy. Super shout out to the camera work and its editing with this one too. Very creative and effective!

#Blessings

I watched this film on Shudder or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this difficult to watch for multiple reasons movie.

Room 205 (2007)

October Challenge Day 5

So this Danish film surprised me! Let's talk about:

Room 205

As a grandchild of Danes, I think I mistakingly expected more. But as a Dane, I'm going to enjoy myself regardless.

So, this is ... an interesting film. I can't say it's great. Honestly it was a struggle most of the time for me, but I was trying to make an omelette at the time I started the film, so my attention was distracted and I'm not a good omelette maker. 

Once my omelette was made, however, I realized the ending is pretty unhinged and all over the place. Which is fun! I like a good mess sometimes! [see also omelette]

Here we have the story of a young woman heading to college, doing all the college things (e.g., meeting the mean girls, the douche guy, etc.,) and she starts learning about the ghost of a "...girl who died in room 205". Suddenly something is unleashed and people start dying, paranormal stuff is happening, young love is bubbling, and a battle with glass and mirrors is everywhere (metaphors abound here).

In all, a story about: finding yourself while battling the afterlife!

At the core, however, is a sexual assault that prompted this activity. This film captures a zeitgeist of our times - an Awareness, if you will - that was truly unsettling and spoke volumes, so watch with caution.

This is not a terrible movie, and it's not a great one either, but it's a solid feature for a spooky not "scary" night. Actually, it's a good hygge film for those cold, dark, nights and you're looking for a cozy ghost story.

Pairs with boiling, feral, unfettered rage about campus sexual assault crimes, in particular. 

I rented this film from Scarecrow Video or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this Nordic chiller.

The Hole in the Ground (2019)

October Challenge Day 4

Is it an Irish Changling or is Mom stressed out and tired! A question as old as time.  Let's talk about:

The Hole in the Ground

This is a familiar story trope: single mother is trying to make it but struggles, especially when their kid starts acting strange. I think this resonates so well because it's so real - it's day-to-day for countless people. 

My family included. Mom had her hands full, raising three kids on her own, poverty-ridden. Maybe that's why I absolutely did not have children. Maybe that's why I feel I really understand the messages of these stories.

For this film we're traveling to Ireland, where a single Mom relocates herself and her child to a remote area and strange things begin to happen - something is in the woods....

Then one day her child goes missing - but when found, more strange things begin to happen and Mom no longer trusts her child is actually her child. 

A quiet, slow burn throughout most of the film, the end picks up with a chilling display of the monsters really at work here.

I like this film for the mood and grimey atmosphere - and it actually made me miss my own Mom a bit, with her and the wonderful tales she'd share about elves, imps, and fairies. 

These are NOT the fae you want to mess with, though! Actually, you don't want to mess with any fae.... This is a good watch for those who don't want something too scary but want a little spooky for the spooky season. 

Pairs with a favorite soup, the smells of earth, and a friend or two who wouldn't doubt it if you told them you saw a changling. 

I watched this film on HBO, or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this "old wives' tale" of a film. 

Midnight Vendetta aka Poison (2001)

October Challenge Day 3

This film starts out with a husband pimping out his wife to a business executive, in the hopes of a new position at the office. 

WOW

I could also immediately tell this film was from the early 2000s. I can't explain it but you can also somehow smell it. Or maybe that's because it might be a little porn-y. This might be a soft porn film, folks. I'm not sure what else to call it.

Let's talk about the surprisingly entertaining film that is:

 Midnight Vendetta aka Poison

After the initial shock of the opening scene - which was RUDE - it's just a wild opening scene, the film quickly pivots to an accidental comedy of extreme drama. I was howling.

This troubled couple then argues about the rape, the husband drives off upset after loosing the job he pimped his wife out for, and dies in a wild car crash. And: scene!

What happens next is so wildly funny it's hard to describe, as we're introduced to the family of the woman who "stole" his job. The "Power Hungry" Mom. The "Seventeen Year Old" adventurous daughter. The "Alarmingly Young and Comically Useless" Husband (who I'm pretty sure I saw on a Hallmark movie poster in the film A History of Concrete - which I caught yesterday at a packed theater). And finally "The Maid".

Take a moment to soak these scenes in, people. It will take a minute to adjust your eyes. But then!! Our angry widow weasels her way into the family .... for REVENGE.

Think a more evil and porn-y version of The Hand That Rocks The Cradle~!!

This film is overly dramatic in such a silly way you can't help but love it. It's cheap, it's fun, it's trashy, and alarmingly engaging. Oh, and don't forget the porn scenes (which are just fine for polite society)! I had so much fun by the end that I'm adding it to my favorites list. 

Pairs with family sized frozen dinners and off brand sodas.

I watched this film on Tubi, of course, or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this slutty little adventure. 

Resident Evil (2026)

October Challenge Day 2

My brother called up me recently and asked if I wanted to see the latest Resident Evil film. I wasn't exactly thrilled - it wasn't totally on my radar, and I had lost track of the series after the first film from a lifetime ago (aka 2002). Then he added "It's getting really great reviews". Coming from him, that's a big deal. I said, Okay. Let's go.

Let's talk about:

Resident Evil

I got us balcony tickets at the Cinerama, grabbed some popcorn and drinks, and settled in for an adventure - as I walked in completely blind.  

This film had me roaring with fears and cheers. I was bouncing all over my seat at the jump scares, cackling at the ridiculous, and overall having a great time. I was having so much fun I didn't notice my brother was sitting there .... silent.

By the end of the film I excitedly turned to him and asked, "What did you think? I loved it!"

He turned to me and said, decidedly, "I hated it."

I was dumbfounded, as we agree on most films. He added that he thought the main character was stupid and embarrassing - that nothing was scary, and overall it felt cheep and silly.

I said, "Yes, I agree - that's why I loved it!"

That's when I realized:

My brother is a gamer, and when he played this video game he was scared. It was a fun game for him to play.

I am not a gamer, and I think what I saw and experienced from the film was as if I was a player in the game. See, this young man here, our protagonist, is hapless, bumbling, and just making bad decision after bad decision as he navigates a hellscape of creatures and nightmares - like in a game. The same mistakes and misshapes a player would make. 

The monsters were frightening and fun because the film *felt* like a video game, and should I be playing it, I would shout, holler, and laugh too if a man-beast-thing came rolling up the wall after me on it's 15 legs.

In short, I think my brother was looking for a deeper experience, based on his gaming experience. I didn't know what to expect and still play the original Dr. Mario from time to time, and found it a rock n' roll great time. I would recommend this film on the big screen, however!!

Watch this film with friends if you can, laugh and scream together - it's fun. Pairs with very very very buttery popcorn and your favorite drink. 

I caught this film in the theater but I anticipate it will be streaming soon. Or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this wild ride.

Dead Man (1995)

October Challenge Day 30

Oh the thin veil is opening! The other side is here! Let's talk about:

Dead Man

I haven't seen this in nearly 20 years. I used to watch it all the time, with two of my best buds. 

My pals.

My protectors. 

My two best brothers from another mother. 

And they are both Dead now. 

I wasn't sure what to watch, for the closure of this year's movie review binge, and then I scrolled upon this gem and knew *exactly* what had to be watched. It's been 20 years, after all.

This is the story of a naive young accountant who travels too far West in the American frontier sun, and finds himself shot and an accidental outlaw. 

We follow his wanderings with a Native American guide who ridicules and protects him on his journey to .... death.

This film is so honest, frightening, and funny in a gallows humor way. I laughed out loud and re-watched several scenes my dead friends and I used to say/reenact as daily inside jokes.

Oh how I rolled with laughter, all by myself.

While I could not predict or prepare for their untimely passing, we all roared with vitality and, oddly, prepared for the unprepared-able, instinctively, while alive: we all knew death was coming. As mimicked, to a degree, in this film. 

This movie is made more personal as the three of us traveled - from Montana, South Dakota, and California, to find each other in the wilds of Western Washington - like our Dead Man, here. Who, by the good graces of the Makah people, release this stupid white man into the next world. 

While the Duwamish tribe would play a march larger role in our own lives, rather than the Makah - even as I was watching this film, my Duwamish neighbor, a woman of few words, called me up to give me several bags of apples and pears "....because you leave so many treats for us [building residents]..." - I kinda wanted to cry at the full circle of it all. 

This is not a review of the film. This is a review of my life and how much I appreciate it. 

I hope you also see this film as a beautiful gift of: we a have short time here. 

Happy 13 years of Horror Habit, and the 46 years of adventures that built it. 

I miss you, Law and Chance. Love: Karma. 

See you on the other side when Nobody says so. 

I watched this film on HBO Max or use the Find It! Watch It! Links on Horror Habit's sidebar to see where else you can find this existential diamond in the rough.

Nightmare Weekend (1986)

October Challenge Day 29:

We're winding down the month with a CLASSIC 1980's slasher(?)! Let's check out:

Nightmare Weekend

Tech bruhs, being a menace because s*x is hard since 1986.

I don't even know where to begin with this trash masterpiece.  It was hit, after hit, after hit of complete chaos and absurdity. 

We begin with a limo full of some young women who are transferred to a strange house. Not shady at all. That's about it, for plot. 

From there they decide to stop, have a drink, and dry hump strange men at a pinball bar. 

Limo driver drinks booze from inside a sandwich. 

They arrive at the house and while there are experiments going on - where AI, ChatGPT, Alexa, and zombies are formed.

History, folks!!!

The voice talking from an electronic device is a puppet though, that you can pet. You can physically pet your AI neurosis.  

It gets messier from there. I couldn't believe I was watching history in the making.

Only to be enjoyed when you're *ready* to re-experience the joys of a frontal lobe development-free life. Sit back and enjoy the burning world without a flicker happening behind your eyes. Give yourself a break. You deserve it!

Pairs with everything you shouldn't eat or drink. 

I rented this film from Scarecrow Video, or use the Find It! Watch it! Links on Horror Habit's sidebar to see where else you can find this fabulous mind musher!

Beau Is Afraid (2023)

October Challenge Day 28

I read some reviews of this film that stated, essentially, "F*ck Beau, I'm afraid!". Let's talk about:

Beau is Afraid

Oh boy, this one is an odyssey. 

Here we have the life and legend of a timid man who faces his fears ... sort of. 

Poor Beau is a slump of a man. Living in poverty, in an almost comically insane neighborhood, getting ready to fly and visit his extraordinarily wealthy and powerful mother. When running back to get some floss right before his trip turned out to be the worst decision he ever made.

Yes, this is certainly a film about a domineering mother and her suffocating son, there is so much more to say about society, a man's emotional growth, purpose, and the crippling anxiety that ruins everything.

While, this film is serious and intense, there is a giant dick and balls battle that is sure to delight all!

An existential crisis after crisis throughout the long film, the ending wraps up with a sober dose of wildly dark humor and solid dread. Not for everyone - or rather, you have to be ready to appreciate this punch in the gut and the bitter and vengeful pat on the face.

Best watched in a small group, preferably a group studying philosophy, religion, or depression. Pairs with anything served on broken, dingy plates with rusted silverware. The grosser the better.   

I watched this film on HBO Max or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this charmingly sad nightmare. 

The Premonition (1975)

October Challenge Day 27

As someone who has had premonitions before, I thought this might be interesting. Let's take a look at:

The Premonition

Oh holy smokes, I was NOT prepared for this!

Surprisingly haunting and disturbing, this one follows two very deranged people trying to kidnap their(??) child back. 

This film has a Don't Look Now feel. The Changeling air. A psychosis of Carnival of Souls, and so many more classic films.

The birth parents of the child are absolutely terrifying! Some of the scariest! And what in the world do you call this film? A ghost story? A stalking film? An unraveling mind?

I think I was expecting to see some low budget '70s camp. And I was watching some .... until it wasn't low budget camp anymore. I did, however, end up in some sort of TED talk for a short while, which quickly descended into a psychic intervention.

This is a strange, strange film that will stick with me for a long time. 

Madness, cruelty, parapsychology, kidnapping, a women's unwavering INSTINCT: this film is an art house show bundled, incorrectly, as a late night double feature. 

A cult classic for sure - this will live in the hearts of artists, musicians, and fans of the paranormal. Brava.

I rented this film from Scarecrow Video, and the DVD includes three short films that every theater student, film student, or director of either needs to see:

Terminal Point (1969)

Vernal Equinox (1968)

A Rumbling In the Land (1969)

Or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this wild adventure into the spirit, heart, and mind.

Curse of Crom: The Legend of Halloween (2022)

October Challenge Day 26

Unsure of what to watch on my Mother's birthday, who departed this world 9 years ago, I was beyond delighted to stumble across this diamond in my Letterboxd feed. Let's talk about:

Curse of Crom: The Legend of Halloween

A bit of backstory to make a bit more sense of why this film was so impactful to me, on this day, in particular. 

Mom ran a Celtic shop for over 20 years. She said, "Jolie, your blood may be Danish but your spirit is Irish". I grew up with fantastical tales of the fantasy and the supernatural, vengeful spirits and jars in the fridge of what Mom called "Water fairies". She raised us on scary movies and childhood adventures. I grew up watching her witch her way into nature and her divine. She left us too soon, but the spirit lives on. 

So when I saw this story about kids accidentally conjuring up an Irish spirit and banding together to rid the world of it's presence, I was: YEEESSSS. 

I turned this film on so fast. Bonus, it was Perfect for the day. 

Alarmingly mature and with wit that had me laughing out loud, this is a smart, sweet, and shocking film. 

Here we have a small band of high school seniors just hanging out and trying to get ready for the world ahead. Everybody has their sh*t together too, which was refreshing, and our main girl is running around doing food deliveries. One delivery too much without a tip sent her over the edge, however, and she unintentionally unleashes a demon when she accidentally kicks over a pumpkin.

Smashing pumpkins aside, I feel this film was created with real love for the horror/childhood adventures of the '80s and '90s epoch. 

The creature/ghost in this film is, uh, really good! Like. Uh, I wasn't expecting it but I really shouldn't be surprised - based on the quality of the rest of the film. 

So, while this may have hit me in the feels, personally, I stand by my being impressed with this little wonder representing a new generation of the joy of childhood triumph in adventure, fears, and building friendships. 

This is prefect for your too smart for their own good teenagers, particularly if they are showing interest in horror or any creative outlet. 

Hat's off to Curse of Crom: The Legend of Halloween! I think I might make it a yearly tradition to watch in the spooky season. Just because. Just because. 

I watched this film on the Roku Channel or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this adult childhood classic. Happy Birthday, Mom! You did a good job!

The Human Monster aka The Dark Eyes of London (1939)

October Challenge Day 25

Oh, well ... it was interesting! Let's talk about:

The Human Monster aka The Dark Eyes of London

Now, I typically appreciate a good ol' black and white classic, particularly from the '30s and '40s. And this one is no exception - it checked off all the boxes!

Bumbling

Femme Fatale(ish)

Hard knock detective(s)

Sinister people hiding in the shadows

A "happy" ending - usually with the threat of marriage

This is the tale of a corrupt insurance agent and the bodies he's making money off of. But wait! He's also experimenting on people? He's also a "Physician"? But wait there is still more! Heavy on the focus of a homeless shelter full of blind men. 

While being a little all over the place, I was impressed with how they wove all these characters and situations together - and was especially impressed with the dedication to blindness. I couldn't quite figure if I was insulted or educated. The folks in this homeless shelter are paraded as skilled laborers .... but also used as a buffer for heinous activities. In all, it was an interesting take. 

So while illegal events are surrounding these insurance scams, Scotland Yard calls in the AMERICANS to come help. Lololololololololololo. The comic relief has arrived. 

Now, I have plans later today - excited to say I'm going to the Concrete, WA Ghost Walk! I had so much fun last year I'm gonna do it again! So I watched this as a chill, delightful Saturday afternoon entertainer before the drive to this little town in the woods. I think it would also do well as a late, rainy night watch. 

Best watched alone while working on projects. Pairs with ice cream or soup. 

I watched this on Tubi or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this odd ball charmer. 

The Children (1980)

October Challenge Day 24

I think it's kinda funny that this movie came out in the same decade as announcements on TV asked "It's 10 o'clock, do you know where your children are?" Let's talk about:

The Children

Here we have the classic tale of nuclear waste.

And this waste escaped RIGHT into a school bus full of children! These kids then turn into radioactive beings, going around hugging people to death.

To say this film is a hoot is an understatement. 

Naturally, we have the small town sheriff going around trying to solve the weirdness, and primarily driving around at night looking for these kids. These kids, by the way, who hug people to the point of disintegrating them on the spot! The transitions and practical effects are a sight to behold!

We have pregnant moms who are smoking and drinking, half naked moms just sitting around outside in their underwear, moms drinking next to the pool with their boy toys, police playing shoot out with these wandering kids, a Jaws theme song (??) playing when the kids are slowly walking towards their prey, and so much more.

While this is all fun and games, there is one scene that involves a dog that actually shook me up a bit. I think an "Eeegads!" or "My god!" would be an appropriate response. 

This film pretty much screams "f*ck them kids", and it's wildly entertaining for it. 

[Note, I took a brief break while watching this film and ran into my pregnant neighbor]

Best watched with your child-free friends or frankly, the friends with kids who just need a break. Pairs with beer and your favorite trash food.  

I watched this film on Prime, or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this uncut gem.