OH, MOTHER MACREE!!! I JUST PRE-ORDERED "ALL THE HAUNTS BE OURS"!

 AND I THOUGHT THE MOST EXCITING RELEASE THIS YEAR WAS GONNA BE THE UPCOMING SHAW BROTHERS BOX SET!!! 

As much as I'm dying to get that (and I pre-ordered it waaaaaaaaaaaaay towards the beginning of this year), the Arrow Video SHAWSCOPE VOLUME ONE has now been knocked down to number two most anticipated release of the year for me.  For I just found out (yeah, I'm a day late and a dollar short on this one because it was apparently announced in August and I missed it) about the breathtaking Severin monster box set "ALL THE HAUNTS BE OURS:  A COMPENDIUM OF FOLK HORROR" blu-ray box set which will be released on December 7th.  I pre-ordered it last night (Halloween as a matter of fact); sadly the "Witch's Bundle" was sold out or I would've gladly pre-ordered THAT for about $220 bucks.  However, I'm fine with the regular box set as it's one of the most exciting releases in a long time!  Take a look at the Severin trailer video beneath this post to be blown away!  19 feature films of the folk horror genre as well as a couple cds and a book plus a bevy of short films as well!  Even though I already own about a half dozen of the films included in this set, I'm still deliriously excited about it!  

The first film is the folk horror documentary I've been dying to see for a long while:  WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED.   The other feature films are

EYES OF FIRE (1983),

LEPTIRICA (1973),

WITCHHAMMER (1970),

VIY (1967),

LAKE OF THE DEAD (1958),

TILBURY (1987),

THE DREAMING (1988),

KADAICHA (1988),

CELIA (1989),

ALISON'S BIRTHDAY (1981),

WILCZYCA (1983),

LOKIS:  A MANUSCRIPT OF PROFESSOR WITTEMBACH (1970),

CLEARCUT (1991),

IL DEMONIO (1963),

DARK WATERS (1993),

A FIELD IN ENGLAND (2012),

ANCHORESS (1993),

PENDA'S FEN (1974), and

ROBIN REDBREAST (1970).  

In addition are the short films:  the animated short THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW (1972) narrated by John Carradine, TRANSFORMATIONS (1972), BACKWOODS (2018), Štićenik (1973), Devičanska Svirka (1973), SATAN EXULTANT (1917), THE QUEEN OF SPADES (1916), THE PORTRAIT (1915), WHITE SPOT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD (1979), THE RABBIT IN AUSTRALIA (1979), THE BALLAD OF CROWFOOT (1968), YOU ARE ON INDIAN LAND (1969), CONSUME (2017), THE PLEDGE (1982) and THE SERMON (2018).  More insanely awesome goodies include Ian Ogilvy (WITCHFINDER GENERAL) and Linda Hayden (BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW) reciting folk poems, Jim Williams' soundtrack cd to the WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED documentary and Linda Hayden reading Arthur Machen's classic folk horror tale "THE WHITE PEOPLE" (which coincidentally I just re-read a couple weeks ago!  Not to mention the 126-page companion book.  I can't wait for Dec. 7th!!!

All The Haunts Be Ours: A Compendium of Folk Horror Official Trailer

ROCKTOBER BLOOD [1984]

 THE FUN HAS JUST BEGUN!  COME BACK, RAINBOW EYES! 

Finally!  The cheezy, zero-budget, home-made horror flick I've been wanting to top off the Countdown to Halloween.  Damn, I thought I was gonna have to rewatch WINTERBEAST!  But here it is:  ROCKTOBER BLOOD!  The DVD I watched was definitely taken from a VHS tape probably on LP speed!  Never mind, though, because this is another of those hoot and a holler horror movies like the aforementioned WINTERBEAST that is just so much fun to watch.  There is just so much 80's vibe going on here that, while watching it, my jeans acid-washed themselves!  Our lead actress Donna Scoggins is either cocooned inside neon-coloured spandex or else she is disrobing.  A lot.  And the camera lingers on her each time.  Now, I know what you're thinking.  But no, this film was directed by a woman:  Beverly Sebastian.  She co-wrote it too.  Well, you can't say she doesn't know her audience.

You'd be excused from thinking you walked in halfway through the movie when it starts but you didn't.  Heavy metal singer Billy "Eye" Harper is in the music studio recording some tracks with his sorta girlfriend and backup singer Lynn Starling, his band, producer, recording engineer, etc.  Billy is a bit of an asshole and leaves to have a "quickie" with some wannabe singer. 

The rest of the bunch soon leaves with only Lynn, recording engineer Kevin and his assistant Mary remaining behind.  Lynn goes upstairs to the jacuzzi (first Donna Scoggins nude scene) while Kevin goes to the game room and Mary remains in the recording studio.  Then we see some boots enter the studio; Billy Eye is back.  He slits Kevin's throat, goes upstairs and finds the jazuzzi room door is locked (Curses, foiled again) then goes downstairs and garrots Mary, drags her across the room and Linnea Quigley's her onto a wall coat peg.  Lynn leisurely towels herself off, gets dressed and goes downstairs to find Billy Eye smoking a bowl with his feet up on the mixing desk.  He tells Lynn that Kevin has been "terminated" and Mary is "hanging around in the other room".  What a card!  Billy attacks Lynn and starts to cut her under her right breast when a security guard interrupts the proceedings.  Billy chases security guard. 

Smash cut to onscreen caption of "TWO YEARS LATER" and Lynn Starling has become lead singer of Billy Eye's band (renamed 'Headmistress') and Billy Eye has been executed for 25 murders (which we obviously didn't have a budget to show). We're now at the 'Rocktober Blood Tour Press Party' where the crowd is entertained by the antics of a guy in a robe and Halloween mask; it appears fans call this guy 'Fangface' and I approve.  Later, Fangface is stalking Lynn (who has gotten naked at least two more times) and reveals himself to be Billy Eye. 

Back from the dead to kill some more.  For some reason.  He's not a zombie, really.  He's just kinda . . . . around again.  Even though he's dead.  The state could've done a better job deading him!  He's not supposed to be running around killing people.  I mean, wasn't that what the trial and conviction were for?  I digress.  Billy chases Lynn around with a knife cackling and saying things like:"You know what happens when I get tense, don't you?!  I'm gonna cut your throat and I'm gonna have blood everywhere!"  I TOLD you he was a card, didn't I?  Anyway, Billy continues to stalk Lynn and kills various people along the way; however, he hides the dead bodies so no one believes Lynn's story.  Tray Loren as Billy Eye is actually very good as the crazed killer; he really sells the giggling nutjob.  And, unusually for a heavy metal horror movie, the music is actually decent.  Three actual existing metal bands were hired to provide the songs:  L.A. band Sorcery, Facedown and Eyes.  Believe it or don't, there was actually a soundtrack album and it was re-released in 2015 -- I really wouldn't mind tracking it down.

This is the epitome of the type of movie we used to rent at the local Erol's back in the 1980's.  Yeah, Erol's.  That's where I went before the monolith Blockbuster swallowed every store up.  Erol's was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better.  While I don't remember renting ROCKTOBER BLOOD, it was probably on the shelf at Erol's in 1984.  I'm sorry but I have a lot more time for this sort of movie which may not be skillfully made but is very entertaining.     

DOCTOR WHO: THE DAEMONS [1972]

 "CHAP WITH THE WINGS THERE.  FIVE ROUNDS RAPID!" 

This, one of the most famous quotes by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, can be found in this most Halloweeny of DOCTOR WHO stories.  It's night in the village of Devil's End where, in the midst of a massive thunderstorm, a man and his dog exit the local pub and stumble into something unseen which causes the man to scream!  Cut to the next day when the man has been found dead (don't worry the dog ran off to safety) and where local witch Olive Hawthorne advises that evil forces are at work in the village.  This is due, apparently, to the archaeological expedition on a local barrow that's being carried out (and televised) by a Professor Horner.  A wonderful televised debate between the Prof and the white witch is broadcast. The Doctor and Jo Grant race to Devil's End (oddly, the doctor taking the mystical witchy side of the argument) to try to stop the dig.  Locals have been having "Devil sightings" with the horns and the cloven hoofs and a 30 foot tall Devil.  Also there's been a stone gargoyle running around.  And, as this is the second series of the Jon Pertwee era (where the Doctor is stranded on Earth), the local Vicar conducting Satanic rituals in the village church is The Master!

That great, spooky opening of the rainy night with lightning flashing and thunder roaring proclaims to me a definite candidate for a Halloween watch and this story ties into that early-70's occult boom which was going strong at the time.  The magnificent Damaris Hayman plays the magnificent Olive Hawthorne who quite matter-of-factly proclaims to the television audience that she is a witch and, nicely, no one seems to have a problem with that.  There's no ostracizing her by the villagers or religious nuts proclaiming her "damned to hell" or a "devil worshiper"; she is simply the village's white witch and is accepted as such in the community.  Gee, isn't it a shame that nowadays she's likely have a lot of problems with that.  Just goes to show you that time may move forward but that doesn't mean we "progress".  I just love Hayman (who sadly left us this year)

and she's obviously the best part of the story; however there are other things to recommend it.  The previously-mentioned early-70's occult boom is in full bloom with the Master donning typical Satanic robes, magic circles and pentagrams with candles blazing in an ancient, stone-walled basement.  The story is credited to Guy Leopold which is a pseudonym for producer Barry Letts and writer Robert Sloman.  Letts wanted to introduce an occult story into DOCTOR WHO but didn't know how to do it in the scientifically-slanted show.  He was influenced by CHARIOTS OF THE GODS into making the Devil-figure into an alien lifeform called Azal who came to Earth eons ago and helped primitive man develop intelligence as something of an experiment.  Besides the CHARIOTS OF THE GODS influence, THE DAEMONS sports quite a few other obvious influences

from Hammer's THE DEVIL RIDES OUT as well as QUATERMASS AND THE PIT to THE STONE TAPE (the set for the church basement REALLY reminded me of the set used in THE STONE TAPE -- I wonder if it actually WAS the same set?!?!).  THE DAEMONS storyline also benefits from the extensive location shooting in the Wiltshire area with the main village exteriors shot at Aldbourne -- a place which looks so representative as our typical idea of a quiet English village that I would up sticks and move there if I could!  Nicholas Courtney is particularly excellent as the Brig in this one; his performance is just lovely with many great quips like his "Five rounds rapid" one.  The ending features another wonderful Brig moment as the baddies have been vanquished and all the villagers (along with The Doctor and Jo) dance around a maypole.  Captain Yates asks the Brigadier if he fancies a dance; the Brig looks sideways at Yates and says "I'd prefer a pint" and both men bound off for the pub.  THE DAEMONS is not anywhere near the best DOCTOR WHO storyline -- not even the best Jon Pertwee story -- but it certainly is entertaining as all hell and a favourite of mine as it introduces some well-needed spookiness into the series while we wait for the heights of the classic Tom Baker/Philip Hinchcliffe years where horror would be given full reign!

THE WITCH IN THE WOODS [1953]

 Written by Stan Lee.  Art by Joe Sinnott.  From MENACE #7 (Sept. 1953).

WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY SAMHAIN!

 

CASPER'S HALLOWEEN SPECIAL [1979]

 IT PROBABLY COMES AS NO SURPRISE THAT, SINCE I WAS KNEE-HIGH TO A GRAVE-ROBBER, MY FAVOURITE GENRE HAS BEEN HORROR. 

When my age was in single digits, I loved anything spooky: from my mother reading me Edgar Allan Poe and August Derleth's "THE LONESOME PLACE" to watching an airing of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925) on PBS or watching DRACULA (1931) on Dr. Shock program and THE NIGHT STALKER with my grandfather.  And despite all of this, I was never a fan of CASPER THE FRIENDLY GHOST.  When the original CASPER cartoons would air on Channel 48 after school, I would usually change the channel.  This may seem odd; however the answer is as simply as why I prefer THE ADDAMS FAMILY to THE MUNSTERS.  Casper was just too damn wholesome and saccharine to be any good.  There's nothing spooky about a goody two shoes ghost who avoids scaring people.  I mean, what's the point, right?  So here we have Casper's 1979 Halloween TV special (subtitled "HE AIN'T SCARY, HE'S OUR BROTHER") and, looking around the interwebs, it looks like most people think it stinks.  So going in, I'm not optimistic.

On Halloween, Casper decides that he's going to go out trick or treating without a costume and hopefully convincing people that he's just a boy in a ghost costume.  OK, that premise is actually pretty good.  Casper meets up with a group of orphanage kids trick-or-treating.  At first the kids think Casper is indeed a boy in a costume; however, once they realize Casper is an actual ghost they really don't care and accept him.  Also a pretty good plot point.  This way, we avoid the done-to-death scenario of Casper scaring everyone whose path he crosses.  Of course, we have a trio of naughty spooks (including ghosts named Harry Scary & Screech and Winifred the Witch) who want to foil Casper's plans, ruin the kids' trick-or-treating and scare everybody.  Now, those familiar with Casper might ask at this point:  "Who are THESE mugs?!?!  Where are the Ghostly Trio or Spooky or Wendy???"  Yeah, I thought the same thing.  There's only Casper here.  It's like Hanna-Barbera paid for licensing Casper but NONE of his supporting cast.  And let's face it:  stick-in-the-mud Casper is nowhere near as fun or interesting as his supporting cast.  So what we have here is a Halloween special without anything we haven't seen before and things come across pretty flat.  The animation is rather threadbare but not unwatchacble.  And that's probably the best way to describe CASPER'S HALLOWEEN SPECIAL is that it IS rather tired and threadbare but still watchable if you've got 25 minutes.  But it's not really a perennial Halloween rewatch.      

BLADES [1989]

 "OH NO!  NOT AGAIN!" 

This is one I went into totally blind without knowing anything other than I once saw it included in a three-fer pack of Troma movies along with BLOOD HOOK.  And since I knew nothing ahead of time, I'm going to say a lot here that's been said a million times already.  But give me a break!  It's my first time watching BLADES.  Immediately the film starts like it's a slasher version of CADDYSHACK; however very quickly you twig to the concept of the film as two young lovers go off into the tall grass for some smoochee-smooz.  Coming at them is a POV shot of something plowing through the tall grass to music that sounds deliberately like it's meant to evoke John Williams' JAWS theme.  And it is.  What we have here (and this is NO spoiler) is a remake of JAWS which substitutes a killer lawnmower for a great white shark!  Yes, you heard me (those of you who didn't already know this).  And despite having the Troma logo on the front of the movie, things are played completely stone-faced straight.  And THAT'S what makes it so great.  And funny.  I hesitate to use the word "witty" when referring to a killer lawnmower movie but it really is quite good!  I was shocked how good this is!  And there's not a single tongue in a single cheek; it's all played completely straight.  The structure of BLADES even follows most of the same plot structure as JAWS; even replicating many well-known scenes.  

Robert North and his patented confused expression

Leading man Robert North plays Roy Kent (Roy Scheider easter egg) as the new golf pro who becomes embroiled in the series of murders by lawnmower) and he is absolutely priceless.  I think he has the same confused expression in almost every scene!  Jeremy Whalen plays Deke Slade:  a groundskeeper who is falsely arrested for the killings because he has a lawnmower.  Um, kinda comes with the job, I think.  Deke is our Quint surrogate of the film.  When Roy and his fellow golf pro Kelly (Victoria Scott) go to check out Deke's lawnmower for evidence, the lawnmower is hanging up just like the tiger shark that's erroneously thought to be the killer shark in JAWS.  Roy and Kelly empty out the lawnmower bag (in the same way as the contents of the tiger shark's stomach) and items fall out including grass, leaves, golf balls and a Playboy magazine.  Nope, no body parts or blood in there.  We've got the wrong lawnmower, folks!  Roy also tries to convince the owner of the golf course to postpone the big pro golf tournament just as Roy Scheider tries to convince the mayor to close the beaches.  Nah, this golf tournament must go on; it's the event of the year AND it's gonna be televised!  Roy gets slapped and told off by the widow of a victim of the killer lawnmower (just like the mother in JAWS tells of Roy Scheider).  "I just wanted you to know!"  The JAWS structure works so well and the references to the Spielberg film are just wonderful.  I had SUCH a great time with this movie!  This is seriously one of the biggest happy surprises of any movie I saw this year!  Oh and don't miss the post-credits sequence; it's also hilarious! 

Oh yeah, about that quote up there?  When the killer lawnmower finally attacks the pro golf tournament, a guy watching the match on TV at a bar says:  "Oh no!  Not again!".  I mean, c'mon.  That's just the icing on the cake!  Priceless!

A HALLOWEEN FROLIC