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.