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.

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. 

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.

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 House with Laughing Windows (1976)

October Challenge Day 22

Oh this has been on my To Watch list for YEARS! In fact, I have been wanting to see this film for so long, I finally put down a $200 deposit to rent it! Lololololo. Let's check out this Giallo gem:

The House with Laughing Windows 

Putting animals in a coffin as a prank during a funeral

Refrigerator full of snails crawling everywhere

Solving an eel situation in the waters that is never discussed again

A cursed church fresco

Electric cords that start on fire

A mad painter

"Caught on fire, ran off, period."

Paralyzed woman locked away? No problem. She probably has a venereal disease

These are the good things a good Giallo film is made of! And this one blew it out of the water. Bonus! Spooky, scary house!

Here we find a young man who's been summoned to a small Italian village to fix a church fresco.  He starts getting strange phone calls to NOT fix the fresco and when he does it anyway, people start dying, disappearing, or deceiving.

I don't watch a lot of Giallo films and that's on me - there's no excuse for this level of lackadaisical. So expect more. 

This is a spooky one, a cripplingly sinister film in a dingy, forgotten part of a fever dream. Captivating and engaging in every way (make sure your eyes are glued at all times), with a masterpiece of set design: this one is for you, especially, cinephiles. 

I rented this film from Scarecrow Video (Wednesdays are rent one get one free day!) or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's to see where else you can find this absolutely stellar, skin crawling, feature.

Wolfkin (2022)

October Challenge Day 19

Long time readers know I have a loving beef with French horror. So lets check out what this Belgium/Luxembourg film has to say:

Wolfkin

It has a lot to say....

This story opens with two lovers loving in the woods - and then the man gets all up in his feelings and literally runs off. 

10 years later we have a single mother struggling to raise her troubled son. Left with no other options she contacts the father's parents and introduces herself and the grandson they never knew about - and things take a spiral from there.

While this is a werewolf film is also isn't. It is also a raw look into the troubles of a troubled child and the very real hardships a single parent can face even in the best of circumstances.

This is a visually stunning film, complete with a few scenes that nearly crossed some big boundaries. One in particular revolves around the mother remembering her absent lover. Don't worry - you'll know it when you see it!

While I felt the ending was a bit sloppy, it still had solid gore (and heartfelt) elements throughout; best watched alone or with single parent, on a quiet Sunday night away from the elements. 

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 folklore tale.

My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done (2009)

October Challenge Day 16

Why do I have such a crush on Michael Shannon?? The delightful weirdo....

Let's talk about:

My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done

In a way, you know what you're getting yourself into with a David Lynch and Werner Herzog tag team, but mostly you won't - speaking as a huge David Lynch fan.

This is the age old tale of a domineering mother and her unhinged son, and then he murders her with a sword. 

The "fun" begins when Willem Dafoe shows up and tries to talk the son out of the hostage situation he put himself into. 

Wavering between the past and present with odd, chilling, and Lynchian-funny stories, this is a walk into the dark with existential understanding. This is a kindly cruel, film. 

Certainly not a film for everyone but fans of Lynch and Herzog should totally enjoy it.

Best watched in the afternoon, surrounded by plastic pink flamingos, artificial grass, and with a strange, tall drink always in your hand. 

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 absurdist film.

The Woman in Cabin 10 (2025)

October Challenge Day 12

Watch this film like I did - Sunday, early evening, with the rain steady but gentle coming down, you're juggling several pots (literally) on the stove, two cats are at your feet that you keep almost tripping over, and then you accidentally set the smoke alarm off. Let's talk about:

The Woman in Cabin 10

I'm rarely this early for newly released films, but since I finished the latest Monster series with Ed Gein (which I'll get to....), I thought this might be a fun one to dip my toes in.

Here we have the classic story of a woman not being believed. 

A journalist is invited to an exclusive yacht to celebrate philanthropy only to discover she's the target of a murder hit. 

It's campy and delicious and perfect for rotting away to, or in my case, constructively rotting.

I went on a week long cruise in June, still think about it - it was an experience - and this one just tickled a little bit of that memory. Luxury boat life is nuts, stupidly decadent and a nice place to remember that we're just short-lived organisms hurtling through space on a rock. 

This film is to be enjoyed with a quiet evening to one's self, eating cheese, truffles or ice cream, curled up in your favorite cozy clothes, without a care in the world. It's not a deep film, it's not even a really *intense* film, it's just fun. Fun murder. 

I can see where this film would be a fun, fast summer read. It's a fun, fast, autumn watch. 

This film is currently only on Nextflix. Or, in time, use the Find It! Watch It! links to see where else you can find this girl's girl thriller. 

The Cremator (1967)

October Challenge Day 8

I really didn't know what I was getting myself into when I checked out this film - it's a doozy! Let's check out the mental hellscape that is:

The Cremator

I picked a strange time in our current political climate to watch a Czech film about a sexual glutenous and financially greedy man slowly loose his mind, in public, with celebration of the Nazi party coming to invade and ruin people's lives. He thinks it's a wonderful thing .... to die, particularly by cremation.

This is a wild film - and wildly aware. A menacing and scathing comedy nightmare about the hungers of power and how it will be your personal downfall, every time.

Filmed like a late night theater performance, told like a man's obituary or read at his funeral, and portrayed with all the art of witty intellectualism, this is a stunning performance and a very frightening portrayal of madness.

Best watched with history buffs, social workers - particularly those who work with domestic violence cases, or alone after reading the news. Pairs with rich meals, carp, or heavily frosted cupcakes. 

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 chilling look into demented minds.

The Unwanted (2014)

October Challenge Day 5

As soon as I saw this was based on the Sheridan Le Fanu's short story Carmilla, I was hooked. I'm a fan of his work and surprisingly haven't read this story yet - so it was a delightful surprise to experience this modern retelling. Let's check out:

The Unwanted

 

Now, this isn't a great remake, but it's honest and raw. A pleasent watch for a cold, dark, rainy night. 

Here we have the tale of a loner looking for her mom - and then stumbles into a relationship with a father and daughter who know more than they're sharing about this stranger's mom....

Very Gothic, very Victorian, very man has the scares because woman have opinions and thoughts of their own. Only recommended for those who are slow burner fans and fans of the story style in which is is based off. 

Heady horror, and a little cheesy at the same time. Bonus, lesbians, which I don't see a lot of in horror films. 

To appreciate this film I think you need to know and appreciate womens' horror in the mundane. Think The Yellow Wallpaper, or any Shirley Jackson novel. 

While vampires are a background for this story, it also begs the question of who is a vampire here... this also might be a love story but that's arguable. 

With a brutal and insane ending, this is a must watch for fans of the obscure. 

I watched this film on Kanopy. Use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this swampy feature.

V.C. Andrews' Dollanganger Saga (2014 - 2015)

IT'S SEPTEMBER 1st, BEBE!

How's everyone's summer been going so far? Me - well, I've been surviving. This abomination of a presidential administration has put me on heart medication, and while I wait for the big beautiful obituary and getting through the stale, rust-colored heat of August, I rediscovered a past love. 

V. C. Andrews!

Oh how I devoured these books starting at around 12 years old. I could not take my eyes off the pages, reading about incest, mental/emotional/physical abuse, rape, racism, child abuse, decadence, wealth, abuse of power, the abuse of poverty, and the family ties bringing it all together to pass along to the next horrified generation. 

I think it's a cathartic right of passage for every teenage girl to read these novels. They prepare you for the very real life horrors of the world, while wrapped up in an overly dramatic blanket that is sopping wet in pulp and circumstance. 

Grimm's tales for the spicy, hissing, angry teen girl. 

I don't know how exactly this series was brought to my attention from Lifteime but as soon as it was, I was sat. I even started at the beginning beginning. Like, The Beginning:

Flowers in the Attic: The Origin (2022)

In the book series it's Garden of Shadows. 

Now, this show had me in a choke hold. I can't explain it. And then I kept going, like a maniac, down the story's time line. 

Flowers in the Attic

Petals on the Wind

If There Be Thorns

Seeds of Yesterday

And I didn't stop there!!

I just jumped right into the Landry series:

Ruby

Pearl in the Mist

All That Glitters

Hidden Jewel

Tarnished Gold

Oh but wait! I didn't stop there!!

On to the Casteel series I went!

Heaven

Dark Angel

Fallen Hearts

Gates of Paradise

Web of Dreams

For good measure I tacked on: My Sweet Audrina 

I have yet to move onto the Culter family but give it time. 

Every single one of these shows captured the pulp of the novels but not quite the experience of reading them as a kid. They are definitely made for the middle-aged woman who read the novels as a teen. Being this exact demographic, I have no complaints. 

The gothic ambiance, the sick and twisted connections, the portrayal of false happiness - it's all there and ravenously debaucherous.  

So this is my recommendation to binge these shows as we enter the spooky season. It just feels right. 

Let it go, folks, just immerse yourself in these worlds far worse then the current one. Or is it...? Oh who cares anymore. 

Every show here pairs with absolutely anything and with anyone. Though I highly recommend watching with a girl dinner and wine. I watched these shows all on the Lifetime channel, where you can also find A Lot of true crime inspired films and dramas for all your made-for-TV true life horror needs.  

Toad Road (2012)

Hello. 

Hello, it's been a minute. Hello from the hellscape that is the U.S. right now under the [belch] trump [belch] administration. 

It was BAD the first time. Now, especially as a Federal Employee, it's a 1000% worse. 

I've been surviving, lately. That's it. That and watching a lot of Snapped episodes. But a TikTok video tuned me on to a film that I don't think I would have otherwise checked out. Let me introduce you to another psychological nightmare:

Toad Road

Here we have the story of young folks getting nose deep into drugs, losing themselves, and the fallout from it all. Oh, bonus, a local legend. 

This film is absolutely not for everyone. Nope. This film is for the Lake Mungo and Requiem for a Dream crowd. 

This one hit me right in the heart because I saw my 20's. I saw my youth and the crowds I hung out with. 

Oh, the days of having a lead singer boyfriend, the days of staying up all night with your friends just to watch the sunrise, the days of absolute debauchery and hilarity. Those were some times...

Most of the folks I shared that life with are dead now. 

Dead. 

As is the lead woman in this film. She died from a drug overdose when this film began to circulate. 

I did not participate in the drug parties but I sipped my PBR and watched it happen. Watching this movie brought me RIGHT BACK to those days, and it gave me all the chills. 

Like Bubble, this film heavily focuses on just watching people. These are not professional actors and it seems as if all the drug use is real. 

Remember: This film is not for everyone. 

Then things get dark, the drugs take hold, the ability to understand reality becomes blurred and lost in madness. And THAT is what makes this a horror film. Sure sure, the kids are talking about the portals down Toad Road, but the nightmares are of their own making and the loss of their identities. 

You might want to take a shower after this film, and know you'll have no answers for the message said here. 

The horror of this film is the a look into the horror of ourselves. 

Pairs with cheep beer or tea. No food. Best watched alone or with a bestie from your wild era. 

If you're currently in your wild era, this film is a warning. 

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 nervous feature. 

I Am Not a Monster: The Lois Riess Murders (2024)

October Challenge Day 27

Well, normally I wait until November until I dive into a TON of true crime documentaries, but I'm all willy nilly this year. Let's check out: 

I'm Not A Monster: The Lois Riess Murders

Gurl. You sure about that?

Also, the tag line is HILARIOUS. Who did that? WHO DID THAT? ... there's something wrong with grandma.... OMG

I remember hearing about this story when it first came out. Wild. A husband is found dead, wife is missing and a suspect in his murder, and then things continue to get f*cking wild. 

Ma'am. You might not see yourself as a monster but there's certainly some monster in there! Seriously. 

We're taken down her paths of abuse, mental illness (and there's a lot in that family), her quirkiness, her addiction, and the lengths she took to avoid taking accountability. She's a frustrating one - with plenty of truths in there to account for her behavior. 

She's a murderer. Plain and simple. How she became that way and what she did is a compelling story, however. This is a true horror story, for so many. And a reminder that monsters are in fact real and they come in all forms - be it as a human or the things in life that help create monsters.  

Best watched with a bestie who will help you bury the body. Pairs with apples pies. 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 moderately thrilling documentary. 

Movie List: Rating the films based on Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck

Some years ago I stumbled across the story of serial killers Raymond M Fernandez and Martha J Beck, also known as the Lonely Hearts Killers. Two absolute morons who hunted down lonely women through personal ads, scammed them, and then murdered them.

I didn't realize at the time, when I was watching Alleluia, I was seeing the most recent version of their story. Then some years later I stumbled across the cult classic, The Honeymoon Killers, and that's when I realized ... oh. This is yet another movie about this disgusting couple. 

Completely invested now, I had to watch all the films related to this insane story (admittedly, it makes for good horror drama). So here's my first movie rating list. Hope you enjoy!

At the time of this post, I could only find five films - please let me know if I missed one! 

In order from Worse to Best - I present:

Lonely Hearts (2006)

This was the last of the films I watched, and I am certain I didn't experience burnout - this was just Not Good. That said! If you're into film noir or just hard-talking detectives then you might want to give it at least one look. Now, while I did not like it, I will admit this film has a certain je ne sais quoi.

Certain aspects I particularly didn't care for, however, was just the blatant disregard for Martha's character. Here Beck is portrayed as a seductive femme fatale. Absolutely laughable. I lost it. I simply couldn't take anything serious about that, and maybe this is a little burnout talking. I feel I just know Beck's portrayal a little too well by the time I saw this film... 

Additionally, things just got crowded and confusing with the detective talking over the movie (it was not working here), and the side characters' dramas seemed wildly out of place with their forced complexities (which felt quite dull at the same time).  

With a star-studded cast - really surprised me - this very much Hollywoodized film clearly thought they could get away with whatever mess this was.

Best watched with a crowd. Pairs with whiskey on the rocks and pink cake. Here is where you can find it streaming.

Lonely Heart Bandits (1950)

This film opens with a murder/suicide. Which stopped me in my tracks. Wasn't prepared for that. I need answers.

Here we have a very of-the-era portrayal of a fast talking scumbag. Unlike the rest of the films, this one focuses heavily on Raymond's character, particularly at the beginning of the film. 

This movie has no time to waste, at running under an hour, it dives right into these two scheming heart-breakers politely agreeing to do crime together. Not remotely brutal or disturbing, this is a decent film to cozy up to, for a classic movie night in.

In all, this portrayal of serial killers not very nice people is tame, reserved, and damn near almost quaint. They took a lot of liberties with this one. Recommended for non horror fans.

Best watched nestled under blankets. Pairs with ice tea and comfort food. You can find this film on the Internet Archive, or quite likely YouTube as well. 

Deep Crimson (1996)

This film out of Mexico brings us back to the more traditional tale surrounding the "love" idiots. While, the film is good, quite good, it still wasn't my favorite. It's grimy though, and focuses nicely on the monsters they both are. I found it particularly poignant and well played that the film opens with Martha and her children. 

Her children, by the way, who she just gave away to run away with a man (which Beck actually did). It always struck me how this isn't discussed more in their actual story. In this film we see a complicated and seriously damaged side of her emotions regarding leaving her children in a shelter and just walking away. 

The two main characters are performed with horrifying brilliance and you can feel the desperation and total disconnect from reality, both individually and in-between them. Note, it did take me about a half hour to really get into this film, so be patient. 

Best watched with your partner for a f*cked up movie night. Wear toupees, just for fun. Pairs with diner food and alcohol directly from an unlabeled bottle.  Here is where you can find it streaming. 

Alleluia (2014)

This was my introduction to these serial killers, and my oh my did this one blow me away! I was not okay, for a while, after watching this Belgium film. Not Okay!

And just get a load of this poster! [morbid and disturbing chef's kiss].

So we may have had some solid grit and grime in the Deep Crimson cringe binge festival, but this oversteps all the boundaries. Bloody, chaotic, and just totally maddening, this film focuses heavily on intoxicating and blinding obsession, and how very wrong it can get. 

I have a lot more to say about this grotesque film. You can check out the full review here. 

And here's where you can find it streaming.

The Honeymoon Killers (1970)

This film feels like an infected open wound. It's putrid, depraved, obscene and the raw but calculating filming style just keeps ripping the wound at all corners, leaving you dripping in puss and sick. This is a truly unsettling film. 

That it is portrayed with such brilliance, makes it all the more terrifying!

An intimate look at this couple's dynamics, particularly Martha's unraveling and Ray's manipulation, is a masterpiece to behold. This movie will live rent free in your head and haunt you just to disrupt your day. You've been warned. 

According to IMDB, it is included as one of the top 100 Most Heart-Pounding American Movies (according to the American Film Institute's 2001 list). That tracks! This film also made my 8th Annual 50 Movies You May Have Missed List. 

I don't have much else to say about this masterwork. Check it out, if you dare! Here's where you can find it streaming. 

Stay tuned for more movie lists!

The Day of the Locust (1975)

Somewhere in the back of my brain, I knew this movie was originally a book. I'm not so sure I have the courage to read it though after this viewing experience. Let's check out the classic story:

The Day Of The Locust

Oh god. 

I really had no idea what I was getting into with this one. But based on what little information I did take a peek at, I was pretty confident that I was going to get sucked down some sort of David Lynchian madness, mixed with a healthy dose of emotional chaos, and a hearty meal of existential dread. 

Guess what?

I Was Right!

I'm never fully prepared for these experiences, however. This one is no exception. 

Opening with an eerily familiar Mulholland Drive vibe, where folks are arriving to LA to find their fame, we are greeted with a cast of characters that only rivals the cast of characters I have an uncanny knack to find when I leave my house. This is all to say: very interesting, curiously comedic, and often tragic. 

It's 1930's Hollywood and the hustle for the lime light is real. "Spoiler alert" but to no one's surprise - things don't go well for our little cast of characters...

This entire film is chaos, heartbreak, the celebration and horror of our collective delusions about life/ourselves/our dreams, and rubbernecking consumption of our failures. A real charmer, this film.

I was quite impressed with the tiny little nods to prior LA tragedies, legends, etc. For example, when some of the folks take a tour by the Hollywood sign, the tour guide talks about a woman who jumped to her death from the sign. I knew immediately they were talking about the tragic case of Peg. Entwistle. 

And when they went to a church sermon - as soon as the woman started shouting and preaching from the stage, asking for money - they were in the company of the controversial (and in my opinion, cult leader) Sister Aimee.

Countless other Easter eggs too, no doubt, but I didn't catch all of them. There is A Lot going on in this stylish, memorizing, and fantastically well made film. 

While this film is bleak, odd, morbidly funny, and just downright shocking in many ways, what really gave me chills was realizing what happened to the author of this story. Nathanael West, while not well known at the time, produced profound works observing our absurd life landscapes. Particularly the shadows of tinsel town. Arguably, a poet for piercing social commentary.

So yeah, while the entire film (which doesn't *exactly* have a plot) gave me chills, it's knowing that this author - who was friends with F. Scott Fitzgerald (there's an irony there I can't quite place) - when he got word of Fitzgerald's sudden death, him and his wife raced in their car back to LA from Mexico for his funeral. 

And it's on that trip where both passed away in a car accident. One day after Fitzgerald's death. This news gave me quite a shiver down the spine. 

Okay, to wrap up, if the chaos and horror of the ending of the film mother! gave you all the nightmares then tread carefully with the ending of this film. It's.... something else. It took me all the way to the end of this movie to realize what this film was actually about, though....

So there you have it, folks. Best watched with your most unstable friend. Pairs with alcohol, ice cream, a really fancy charcuterie board.  (preferably with flies buzzing around).

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 film that will absolutely haunt my head for the rest of my days.

The Unknown (1927)

Back in the days when streaming services weren't really a thing and I was getting Netflix in the mail, I used to go the library and rent a ton of films. For a couple of years I was primarily checking out silent films. 

I love silent films. I'm on death's doorstep laughing at some of these silent films (this does not even include Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton works!). One of my favorites is a story about suburb life - in the 1910's!!!! I was on THE FLOOR. DECEASED WITH LAUGHTER. 

Good stuff. 

You know what else is good stuff? Silent Horror Films. Let's check out:

The Unknown

Okay, so this title is not great. In fact, I still don't know what this title is trying to do, but it stars Lon Chaney, Joan Crawford, and is directed by Tod Browning so you know it's going to be f*cking STELLAR.

Here we have the story about some theatrical/circus/side show performers. And one of them is fixated on a woman in the troupe. You all know this won't go well...

The creep performer in question is of course Lon Chaney, and he performs as an arm-less man and I can GUARANTEE YOU, you are not prepared for what he can do with his feet sans hands. No one is ready for this.

NO ONE

I wouldn't be surprised if there were folks on set that weren't okay for several days after working with him. 

Joan Crawford isn't fazed in the slighted, of course. 

This seems to be a film that hides in the corners of silent cinema history. Or maybe I'm surprisingly new, considering my years of silent film study. It's phenomenal. Personally, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and gasped several times. I don't know what it is about spectacular silent films but they take *my breath away*. 

In all, this is a story about a man who becomes fixated on a woman and that woman is not fixated in the same way in return. Oh, did I mention he's a serial killer and the police are after him because he has three thumbs and finger prints were becoming a big thing. 

Wildly ahead of it's time and performed with a precision I can only imagine - this film is excellent. 

If silent films are new to you then I highly recommend taking a deep dive. In fact, as I'm typing this, I just let the silent films continue and I currently have "It" - the original 1927 film - playing in the background.  Fantastic.

Best watched with Wine. Lots of it. 

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 treasure of a feature. 

Buried Alive (1990)

October Challenge Day 30

I'm sending off this year's October Challenge with a real winner! GIVE ME ALL THE MADE-FOR-TV THRILLERS! Let's check out:

Buried Alive

This title doesn't leave much to the imagination but let me tell you - the ending is EVERYTHING.

Here we have the classic tale of a wife who is done being married and looking for more money. Her and her lover concoct a plan that is sure to be a fail safe for the future they want to embark on. 

UH OH

Are you sure, madam? Are You SURE?

Oh my gawd I love this stuff so much!

Well, as you can imagine, the "death" of her husband doesn't go quite as planned and the latter half of this film is a level of revenge that I simply wasn't prepared for. Oh, and don't forget the nightmare of being: BURIED ALIVE.

Cremate me, folks. Or just drop my corpse off at a body farm so I can at least continue contributing to science, but do not bury me!

This story is unhinged in all the ways and every bit of an absolute stellar made-for-TV film. There's something about made-for-TV films that just hits me straight in the heart. Cripples me. I can't look away. This one though stands heads and shoulders above a lot of films I've seen. 

Yes, it has a very Tales From The Crypt feel, and that's perfect. I didn't mind at all. The '90s vibes here are strong and nostalgic, and Jennifer Jason Leigh is phenomenal as usual. I don't have one complaint about this film. Not one [chef's kiss].

I'm just going to have find a copy of this and add it to my video collection. I'd love to watch it again and again. 

I don't know what else to add - just check it out. Best watched in a farm house, be sure there is a dog barking in the background somewhere. Paris with champagne, a fancy meal, and dirt - everywhere.

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 absolute GEM of a movie. I hope everyone has a wonderful Halloween!

The Nanny (1965)

October Challenge Day 29

You know I'll NEVER turn down a Bette Davis film. Particularly scary Bette Davis! Let's take a look at:

The Nanny

Here we have the tale of a loving nanny, waiting for the return of her charge - a 10 year old boy - who's returning from a mental institution because ... well ... something terrible happened when he was 8 years old....

 The mother is having a breakdown about her son's return. The father isn't having anything to do with anyone's feelings and just yeets out of town. There's the nanny though, she's tried and true and holds everything together, much to the rage of this young man who is just an absolute nightmare of a child. 

Folks. I had to rewind this film so many times because I wasn't paying attention 100% of the time. Don't do this. Sit down, distraction free, and watch this walking, talking, anxiety attack in one shot.

Was I crying by the end? Maybe. You don't know me! 

This is simply a stellar film. Full of raw terror, heartbreak, immense tension, and maddening behavior. I enjoyed this film immensely! I also remembered when I used to babysit and NEVER AGAIN. Never. Again. I babysat some real nightmares of children - always little boys who took great pleasure in tormenting me, locking me out of the house, etc. [sips wine, in my peaceful world, embracing my inner Bette Davis badassery] Never again. 

In any case, this is an excellent film! Don't pass it up. 

Best watched in an aggressively clean room. Pairs with cake, coffee, and cigarettes. Be sure to sit very close and awkwardly in front of the TV.

I rented this film from Scarecrow Video or use the Find It! Watch It! links to see where else you can find this not-at-all-childish chiller.

Rabbit (2017)

October Challenge Day 28

I had to sit with this one for a while. It's ... different. Let's take a look at:

Rabbit

This is a story about a woman who feels her missing twin sister is in danger, needs her, and she knows where to find her.

This is kind of neat - a spooky tale about twins being spooky! And it is neat, and weird, and odd, and wait a minute ... what is going on here? 

This film's atmosphere is mesmerizing! Particularly as we join the wanderings of this young woman's journey through eastern South Australia. And wanderings we go, I got left behind a few times and had to catch up, but overall, it's a neat mind trip into this woman's insistence that she'll find her missing sister. 

Things go off the rails though when she stumbles upon a caravan in the woods.... and she might have just found what she was looking for ....

This film lost me from time-to-time, and my head was tilted quite a ways as the film was coming to its conclusion. This is definitely a film that will take you down [ahem] down rabbit holes. I don't see this film being a good fit for all horror/thriller fans. It's pacing is raw and unnerving, which works great sometimes and sometimes you're just not feeling it. 

Overall, it's not a bad film at all but it has a particular flavor that will please certain palates. Best watched near a camp fire. Pairs with scant resources and flasks with a rabbit's foot hanging from key chains. 

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 might find this burrow of science and madness.

Gummo (1997)

October Challenge Day 25

Why do I do this to myself? Why do I watch these "dramas" - these unnameable horrors about life? Uhhhhhhgggg. Let's check out:

Gummo

Okay, okay - well, this film revolves around a small, impoverished, town that never really recovered after a deadly tornado passed through years ago. 

It just gets more depressing and harrowing from there. 

Here we have the tale of a handful of residents - mostly kids - just trying to make it in life, in a world where the future looks even worse than the past. How do they deal with this bleak future? By making it worse with their destruction, ignorance, and lack of support or direction. Worse still, they accept giving up. There is a *thriving* there....

Folks, there is so much cat killing in this film I almost could't make it. It was the eating spaghetti in a nasty ass tub full of triply nasty ass water that really takes you over the edge by the end, though. This film is so rough you barely notice someone casually getting murdered?? Did I see that right?

In all, through this soul crushing story, there is beauty here. The harsh beauty only some will find as beautiful. It actually reminded me a lot of my rural South Dakota upbringing. The towns there shared an alarming amount of similarities to this one. Even the parties looked the same as some of the one's I attended in high school. Still can't believe some of the floors I used to sleep on ....

This film smells and feels like vomit, mixed with a synthetic berry scent that's radiating from either the refrigerator or bathroom. But it's okay because the dialog is pure poetry to all the senses. 

Enter at your own risk with this nightmarish hellscape.

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 walking, talking nightmare.