Films 10-8-14 Movies

Normally October is the month that I watch horror films or scary movies. I’ve been on a retro kick lately and watching DVDs of televisions series from the late 70’s and 80’s. Currenly I am watching Dallas. I am now watching season 4. Now that I am older there are things that I am noticing that I never noticed before. One of the reasons I liked Dallas was that I was working for an oil company at the time so I understood what was going on. The reason I began watching Dallas was because of Victoria Principle. From the moment I saw her in Earthquake I was a fan.

Lucy Gallant (DDDD) - Jane Wyman, Charlton Heston, Thelma Ritter and an appearance by Edith Head as herself. It’s the story of a dress designer who didn’t make it in NYC so she arrives in a small town where oil is booming and she makes a killing selling her dresses and turning the local women into socialites. Charlton Heston is the owner of a ranch that falls in love with the woman, but doesn’t like the idea of her working. It’s the classic boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back, tale.
The costumes were designed by Edith Head who makes an appearance in the film as herself. The fashion sequence is classic.

Diamond Head  (DDDD)- Charlton Heston, I’m sure this had to be a controversial film at its time of release like Island in the Sun. Both films deal with race and class. Charlton Heston plays a tycoon in love with an islander, but doesn’t think it is right to marry her. When his sister falls in love with an islander and is about to be married a scandal arises and the fiance’ is killed accidentally or maybe not.


Patch Adams (DDDD) - Robin Williams In memoriam of Robin Williams I decided to watch this film. I was going to do a Robin Williams film fest, but I haven’t made the time. Of course I had recently watched several of his films including Good Morning Vietnam, and Moscow on the Hudson. In Patch Adams, Robin Williams wants to be a doctor that treats patients with humor, love and compassion. Breaking the rule of doctors not getting close to their patients. It’s quite an interesting film. I had it in my collection for some time, but I couldn’t remember watching it. I think perhaps someone gave it to me. Friends are always sending me their movies when they are getting rid of their collections.

Mrs. Evers Boys (DDDD)- Alfre Woodard, Laurance Fishburne, Craig Sheifer and Joe Morton, based on a true story, this film deals with studies of syphilis on black men in a small southern town. It became known as the Tuskgee Experiment which began back in 1932. In stead of telling the men the truth, they tell them the test is for something else as they experiment on not giving all of the men proper treatment. It’s a story of deceit, uncovering the truth and standing by decisions all started by the Government.

The Greatest Show On Earth  1954 (DDD)- Charlton Heston, Jimmy Stewart This is a story about Circus Life. When Ringling Barnum and Bailey Circus joined forces. I remember watching this film with my grandmother some time in the 60’s. There is a love story in the mist of all the pageantry, competition and criminal mischief.

River of No Return 1954 (DDDD) - Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe star in this Western about a saloon singer that meets up with a man searching for gold. I had not seen this film with Marilyn Monroe before.

The Turning Point 1977 (DDD) - I was around 16 when this film first came out. I wasn’t really into films about ballet. At least not paying to see that sort of film at the theatre. The film starred Shirley MacClain and Anne Bancroft as ballet dancers that chose different careers, but envy each other for their choices.





Here is my new rating system. DDDDD highly recommend. DDDD It should be watched. DDD Entertaining DD So, so if you like the stars. D Just out of curiosity watch it.
(I like all movies. Even those that most people don’t like, it makes for great conversation.)


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D's Horror fest continues

As the horror fest begins to wind down, I’ve got quite a few movies to watch if I choose. This is what is on my agenda.

Sunday night-The Rocky Horror Picture Show,(DDDD) I watched the UK version.

Monday night- Rosemary’s Baby, (DDDD) I was 9 years old when I saw this film for the first time. I didn’t really understand what was going on, but there are some visuals that stayed with me. Last year my cousin and I questioned my aunt about why they took us to see certain movies at a certain age. Adults still want to have a life and sometimes kids fall asleep at the movies.

Tuesday night- Night of the Living Dead,(DDDD) This is not just a horror film it makes a political statement. It’s about race, class and who calls the shots.

Wednesday- Halloween (DDDDD) and Halloween II, (DDD) Halloween is the ultimate in horror movies for me. There’s something in the fact that a human being can kill at such a young age and want to continue to do it. It’s not some made up character. Michael Myers could be anyone. The sequel is not as great, but its Jamie Lee Curtis.

Thursday night- Halloween H20 (DDDDD) and Halloween Resurrection, (DDDD) Halloween H20 takes place 20 years later and brings us all the stuff we loved about the first Halloween. Michael is back to kill is sister, his nephew and his friends. Jamie Lee Curtis returns for this one. There are some great moments in this one. There is a slight homage to Psycho as Janet Leigh, Jamie’s real mother appears in the film.

Halloween Resurrection tries to bring reality TV into the horror world. It has its moments. This film stars Bhusta Rhymes, and Tyra Banks.



Here is my new rating system. DDDDD highly recommend. DDDD It should be watched. DDD Entertaining DD So if you like the stars. D Just out of curiosity watch it.
(I like all movies. Even those that most people don’t like, it makes for great conversation.)


Thanks for stopping by and keep an open mind. Become a follower while you are here.

D's October Horror Fest

As my horror fest continues, here is the list of films I’ve seen so far. As most of the films are part of the horror fest each year, I’ll just give a rating to them. Those that’ve seen from a different perspective I may write about.

Parasite - D, this was one of those 3-D films from the 80’s resurgence of the technique from the 60’s. It starred Demi Moore. The film has some relevance now since so many skin eating bacteria are popping up.

Blacula - DDD, I was 11 years old when I saw this film for the first time and it kept me up for nights. When I got older and added it to my collection I didn’t find it as scary, but I still had the same conclusion that black people make some scary vampires.
Last night I watched the film for the 20th time. I saw it from a different perspective. The film isn’t that bad. There are some quirky moments, but it has some interesting dialogue. William Marshall a Shakespearian actor stars as Blacula aka Mamawauldi an African Prince who tries to persuade Dracula to end the slave trade. Dracula becomes infatuated with Mamawauldi’s wife, Luva. When Dracula offers to buy her and Mamawauldi refuses, she is killed and Dracula curses Mamawauldi by turning him into the vampire Blacula. With the resurgence of the afro coming back into style, the fashions don’t see so dated. There aren’t a lot of shots of really wide bell bottomed pants, but there are some dyshekai. If you like vampire films definitely give it a look see. The films also stars Denise Nichols, Vonetta McGee, Thalmus Rasulala and Gordon Pinchant.

Vamp - D, this vampire film stars Chris Makepeace and features Grace Jones like only she can do.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Next Generation - D, Mathew MacCanauhey, Rene Zellwegger star.

The Blob - DD, Stars Steve McQueen it has moments.

Psycho - DDDD this is the Alfred Hitchcock thriller of all time, but I think the birds come rather close. It stars Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates. This is the film that would put Anthony Perkins in a box for the remainder of his career. Although he did some other great rolls, this is the one that is synonymous with his name. The film also stars Janet Leigh, and Vera Miles.

There were three sequels to this film which I also watched. They are each unique. Psycho III was directed by Anthony Perkins, but Psycho IV adds some insight to the entire story which stars Henry Thomas as a young Norman Bates. DDD

The Birds - DDDD this is a chilling film and it shows Alfred Hitchcock’s sense of humor. The film introduces us to Tippi Hedron and stars Susan Pleshette. Of all the times I’ve seen this film, I didn’t realize there is very little music in this film. It plays on our senses of sight and sound. The sounds of the birds chirping and the flutter of their wings.

Mother’s Boys - DD it’s more of a thriller than a horror film. It stars Jamie Lee Curtis as the mother from hell who is used to getting her way. She tries to manipulate her oldest son and her husband. There are some interesting moments in the film. It stars Peter Gallagher and Vanessa Redgrave.

Nightmare on Elm Street- DDD, and part 3 Dream Warriors - DD they both have moments.

Mars Attacks - D, it’s just a fun film sort of an homage to Ed Wood. It’s an all star cast which includes the lovely Pam Grier which is the reason it is a part of my collection. Jack Nicholson plays several roles, there’s Fred Williamson, Michael J. Fox, Sarah Jessica Parker, Pierce Brosnon, Glen Close, Annette Benning and Tom Jones to name a few.

The Shining - DDD, I’ve learned to like this film over the years.

The Fly - DDD, this is the remake of the Vincent Price classic, Jeff Goldblum does a great job bringing new life into the character. He stars along side his ex wife, Geena Davis.

The Fly II - DD, stars Eric Stoltz as the son and Daphne Zuniga. It has moments.

House on Haunted Hill - D, another remake of a Vincent Price classic, but this one doesn’t work so well. It has an interesting cast, but it just lacks something.

The Movie fest will continue today with the sequel to Blacula, Scream Blacula Scream which stars Pam Grier and William Marshall reprises his role as the true prince of darkness. This film introduces us to Richard Lawson and also stars Don Mitchell, Michael Conrad, Lynn Moody, Janee Michelle and Bernie Hamilton.



Here is my new rating system. DDDDD highly recommend. DDDD It should be watched. DDD Entertaining DD So if you like the stars. D Just out of curiosity watch it.
(I like all movies. Even those that most people don’t like, it makes for great conversation.)


Thanks for stopping by and keep an open mind. Become a follower while you are here.

Happy Halloween

 From New Orleans' City Park, 2010.

     October is usually the month that I watch all of my horror films, but this year I did a Friday the 13th marathon on Friday the 13th and I watched the Scream movies when I thought I was going to go and see Scream 4. I’ve also gotten back into watching TV so that only leaves Friday nights and Saturdays for movies after I’ve taken care of everything thing else. So far I’ve watched Hollow Man, The remake of Last House on the Left, The remake of Friday the 13th, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hell Night and The Exorcist. I’ve only seen the Exorcist three times in my life and when I tried to read the book I could not do it. I always watch Halloween on Halloween night so I look forward to that. This weekend I’m not sure what I’ll watch, but I’ll find something I haven’t seen. I’ve been thinking about Rosemary’s Baby and Night of the Living Dead. Perhaps I’ll do a Candy Man marathon. The movies aren’t that great, but I have a personal connection with Candy Man II since I was on the set for the filming.

I decided to watch Secret Window which is an interesting film. It’s more suspense then horror. Horror films deal with monsters and suspense films deal more with gory killings.
I watched Psycho IV which is the prequel to the Psycho franchise it stars Anthony Perkins, CCH Pounder and Henry Thomas in the role of Norman Bates as a teenager. Although Anthony Perkins made many films, he’ll always be known for his role as Norman Bates.

I’ve watched Dawn of the Dead, The Thing, The original Friday the 13th and Sister, Sister.
I think we all like being scared and we react differently. People talk back to the screen or laugh to deal with their fears. There are a lot of horror films I’ve never seen and I probably won’t see them unless someone has them in their collection. I’ve never seen any of the Saw films or the Paranormal films. I’m not a big fan of remakes, but there are some that really did a good job in giving the story new life.

As I get older films that used to make me jump don’t have that effect anymore. I guess it also has to do with me being able to write my own suspenseful stories.

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Coming up: Shutter Island, I Love You Phillip Morris, Kansas, The Blob, Seven,

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Friday the 13th

I had debated since I saw the first commercial for the first film whether or not it was a remake or a new film. I was planning to see if since it was from the same people behind the remake of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre which I truly enjoyed. As the day got closer I wasn’t sure if it was a remake or a new film and then finally the midday news spot on films opening for the weekend said it was a remake. I’m not sure if they got it right because it did show Jason with a hockey mask and Jason didn’t get the mask until the third installment of the film. After Jason took Manhattan I was fed up with him. There were rumors when that there would be 13 films before Jason would be killed. You tend to lose something after a while.

Last night I had my own marathon of sorts. I watched Friday the 13th followed by Part III which was filmed in 3D and then ending with The final chapter which the ending is my favorite. It’s Corey Feldman looking like a young Jason from a newspaper clipping of an artist rendering of what the last survivor of the first film thought the boy looked like. Crispin Glover is also featured in this one. There were many killings that were similar to the first and third film. The arrow in the eye, a piercing through the neck while someone laid in bed. One day I’ll probably add Part II to my collection since it also had an interesting ending with Amy Steel pretending to be Jason’s mother by donning the old sweater and speaking as if she were channeling Mrs. Voohries.

I think Jason has certainly killed more people that Michael Myers or Freddie Kruger, but it has gone too far. What drugs does he take so that he can endure such pain? Then he was killed and resurrected… Then he took on Freddie Kruger, that was certainly just a way to get some money. LOL.

Some of us love to be scared, but the scariness isn’t what it used to be. It’s more gruesome then chilling. We turn out head instead of jumping or shrieking. They don’t make them liked they used too.

Halloween still remains my all time favorite horror film, with H2O coming in 2nd.



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Time to get back to reality. Rebuilding my life, one step at a time.
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