The Car (1977)

 October Challenge Day 16:

I have well over 100 horror films I've noted to have seen but have absolutely no memory of them. This is one, and I have no idea why because it's AMAZING! Curiosity was knocking so I knew I had to watch:

The Car

With opening music that sounds suspiciously like The Shining's opening music, I felt pretty sure I was going to be in for a wild ride. The visuals open with some bicyclists tearing down a desert highway out of nowhere and I was like: 

"OH YEAH! I remember this now!" I watched the whole damn thing again anyway because: awesome.

Premise: a driverless killer car is roaming the desert, mowing people down for no reason whatsoever.

Gawdy and bizarre, this is a horror film for fans of the good, the bad, and the weird. Folks, this one is just so ... weird. The acting is weird, the dialogue is very weird (and very fun), and the premise alone is weird. 

The kill scenes though - the kill scenes are epic. Overall this is a grindhouse worthy feature with cheeky but also serious moments. This film doesn't really know what it is and it doesn't care. Especially the car, it's all: IDGAF.

Best watched while raking your shag carpet. Pairs with horrifying 1970's jello dinner or appetizer recipes and jello shots. 

I watched this film on Netflix or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to locate where else you can find this loveable but strange feature. 

Here Comes Hell (2019)

October Challenge Day 15:  

If you enjoy the spooky house stories from the 1930's and '40's, or the cheesy creature films of the 1950's and 60's, or the Evil Dead movies from the '80s - then do I have a movie for you!

Here Comes Hell

I'm a super fan of all the above movies, so imagine my delight when I saw them all wrapped up into one delightful film! Me when I turned on the film, not knowing what I was instore for, and saw the classic 1940's font and music: 

SQQQEEEEEEEEEE!!!

This film is hilarious - bonkers. It almost felt like I was watching community theater, performed by a fun loving troop. Seriously, it seemed this film was really created with love, laughter, and loads of blood. 

Here we have a group of people meeting at a remote, spooky mansion in what turns out to be the séance to beat all séances. A gore gore bash ensues. 

In what feels like a tribute to the most favorite, inspirational horror films from your youth, this movie takes you on a journey through creative innovation and flat out absurdity. Fun is had by all.

I watched this on Crackle, or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to locate where else you can find this real tickler of a feature.

The Rift (1990)

 October Challenge Day 14: 

This is a film I've heard about many times and I've seen the poster countless times, but I've actually never seen it and knew nothing about:

The Rift

In a word, this film is a "hoot". 

Here we have a tale of submarine-housed deep sea scientists on a mission to find another, lost, team of submarine-housed deep sea scientist. Antics unfold that include a wide range of in team fighting and deep sea creatures so insane they actually caught me off guard. 

Although most of the acting, creatures, and premise very much felt like something from a 1950's creature feature, it was R. Lee Ermey who really won me over. 

Did not go all Gny. Sgt. Hartman in this film, but still awesome

Overall this was a fine film to watch late at night with a few drinks - just sit back and enjoy the silly fun. For example, get a load of these images from the film - it will give you a good idea of what's in store:

I watched this film on Prime, or us the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can catch with wacky feature. 

Deadline (1980)

October Challenge Day 13:

Here's a little bizarre and somewhat surreal film from the '70s that I had never heard of before until yesterday:

Deadline

Folks, this film kicks off with a literal bloodbath. A blood bath so impressive that my first thought was:

"We have a contender for the blood elevators from The Shining!" 

Speaking of The Shining, this movie revolves around a horror author that has the pressure on to finish his latest movie manuscript. The stress levels start to rise while his family falls apart...

As we follow this horror author through his increasingly horrible life, the story is interspersed with little plots and scenes from his writings. Initially confusing I eventually came to appreciate what they were trying to say/do, particularly by the end. 

Although in the film he's heralded as a genius of horror, I gotta say, *some* of his work needs ... well ... work. There I said it. He certainly nailed the macabre though. 

Overall a decent, quirky film with an impressive gut punch ending! Pairs with wine, cigarettes, and bad decisions. Best watched while under pressure. 

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 'maddening' film. 

The Spell (1977)

October Challenge Day 12:

Although I love stellar horror movies - raved and appreciated by the most revered critics, I'm not above loving trash 1970's made-for-TV horror stories. 

I'm talking trash, folks, and I love them. Let me introduce you to one:

The Spell

Here we have a Carrie-esque story about a teenage girl instilling magical revenge on those who cross her. 

It's exhausting that this film's premise suggests people pick on her because of her weight (which is totally normal), but for some odd reason I was able to work through it with the help of the the film's score. The score being an odd mix of '70's soft porn and something that sounds suspiciously like John Denver's "Sunshine on My Shoulders". The music is escalated during high tension moments, making it all the more manically hilarious. 

As someone who survived being a teenage girl (NO SMALL TASK), I totally digged this heroine and would have undoubtedly befriended her. It's dangerous to get into a revenge seeking mind set, but, like Carrie, I was really on her side and people are the worst sometimes. 

Unlike Carrie, the mother here is fighting - fighting hard - for her daughter. Trying to get the world to understand that she is simply different and deserves respect. Let's add on some parapsychologists, sinister twists, and real witchy witchy sh*t - and we have fantastic trashtasic entertainment. 

Pairs with grilled cheese sandwiches and every possible 1970's setting you can think of (I felt those itchy couches the whole time, for example).

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 doozy of a day drinking whopper.