Have You Checked the Children?: When a Stranger Calls (1979)

So I was originally going to post this yesterday, but when I saw that the film was rereleased in theaters on October 17, 1980. Even though that isn’t the anniversary of the original day of its release, October 26th, I thought that since it was an anniversary of one of its release and just a day later: I just couldn’t help but post it today. Happy 36th!

So of course growing up in the 2000s, my first interaction with the film When a Stranger Calls was the remake. I have never seen the original film, and since I needed a choice from the ’70s, I thought why not finally check this one out.

So the film starts off with creepy music and just a blank screen with nondescript text. I don’t know about others but when films do this, it actually kind of hypes up the horror/creepiness because you have no real clue what will be coming next.

We have a teenage girl walking down a dark street with her books. She arrives at the house she is to baby-sit that evening and everything seems fine. The parents are ready to go out, possibly staying out a bit later if they decide to go to a movie. The children are asleep upstairs

Now what is interesting is so far the plot of the remake actually mimics this one. I mean they begin a little different with giving her a reason as to no cell phone (as the remake is modern), but the way the parents act and the dialogue is exact.

Good job screenwriters.

With the kids sick, Jill has the house to herself to do whatever she wants. Wow, what a pretty sweet gig.

Alright!

Or is it?

Little does she know what the night will hold.

So Jill is relaxing, sitting on the couch and talking to her friend about Bobby, a guy they both are crazy about. It is weird seeing Carol Kane play a teenager she has such an adult voice. Her friend too. They sound as if they are in their twenties.

She is defintely close to 30

So the phone rings and there is no one on the line.

Phone rings again but this time Jill hears a voice

“Mysterious Stranger: Have you checked the children?”

Jill thinks it is just a prank and doesn’t even bother to look upstairs at the kids. In fact, she hasn’t looked at the kids at all since she came. I know she wasn’t supposed to disturb them as they are sick, but shouldn’t she check to see if they are alright?

The call comes again

“Mysterious Stranger: Have you checked the children?”.

Then she hears a sound in the other room. Creepy music rising.

Jill is a little freaked, and heads down the hall to look around. The kitchen light is off, and nothing is there. She hears something:

Just the ice machine. Whew. And don’t say that it was lame because some ice machines are weird. My old fridge sounded like an alien spaceship landing.

So the phone rings again

“Mysterious Stranger: Have you checked the children?”

This is super creepy to hear again and again. If it were me I would have gone upstairs. Actually truthfully, I never would have been in a situation like this. It was because of films like these my parents always had to have the kids come to our house when I would watch them.

But instead of checking on the kids, Jill goes to pour herself a drink. Bad baby-sitter bad.  Bad idea.

Phone rings again….is it him?

She slowly reaches for phone, and the music starts. No one is on the line this time too. Even creepier.

Jill calls the parents to see if it was maybe them, but they aren’t at the restaurant, they left 40 mins ago.

So she calls the police and gets a Sergeant Sacker. Jill tells him about the phone calls that she’s been receiving every 15 mins; but because there are no threats or obscene language the police don’t think it a big deal, just a friend or random weirdo.

So we get great shots of the house and around Jill. The camera is always in the front or behind but never exactly her height, and mostly far away, as if we are the man watching her.

Creepy…

The phone rings again.

“Mysterious Stranger: Why haven’t you checked the children.”

Jill looks out the window

But outside there is only pitch black darkness.  Now I have never liked my windows open or blinds up. I just don’t like the idea/feeling someone could be watching me. After films like this and real life events of people watching and attacking others, I feel even more that it makes a lot of sense to just keep them closed.

After watching that scene I just creeped myself out, and had to check all my doors and make sure my phone was beside me.

I’m ready for anything

Jill also freaks out and tries to secure the house.

I can’t believe she had the door unlocked the whole time. Then again it is the ’70s.

 So she’s finally going upstairs to check on the children, but then gets another call. WHAT’S UPSTAIRS???? DID HE KILL THE KIDS??? WILL HE KILL HER TOOO??????

She lets the phone just ring and ring this time. Although she does grab a cane, good job. You should carry something just in in case. Kudos for you!!!

But she never checks on the children.

…I just thought of something. What if they are the dead kids and babysitter from the beginning of the remake? Would they do that? Reveal the end of the old in the new? Well I guess it isn’t really a reveal as you should have watched it before the new one.

But still, this is driving me crazy!!!

What happened to the kids!!! Are they alive!!!

Jill calls the police again. She tells him tht he is watching her, but the police don’t really believe her as she didn’t see him and the house is locked up. The police tell her that if he calls again they will try and trace the call. But the problem is that she will have to keep him on the phone for 1 min.

Jill sits waiting, a fireplace poker now in her hands and vigilant. BUT SHE NEVER CHECKED THE CHILDREN!!! They are dead I just know it….!!!!!!

The phone rings…

Nothing and then it is him!

“Jill Johnson: Can you see me.

Mysterious Stranger: Yes.

Jill Johnson: I turned the lights down, I can turn them up if you like.

Mysterious Stranger: No, don’t.

Jill Johnson: You really scared me, if that’s what you wanted. Is that what you wanted?

Mysterious Stranger: No.

Jill Johnson: What do you want?

Mysterious Stranger: Your blood all over me.

AAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I SHOULD HAVE WTCHED THIS DURING THE DAY WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!

This film is super creepy. I need a weapon near me too. In fact this guy is super creepier than the new one because he is calm the whole time as he talks to her.

Phone rings again, but it is the sergeant. They traced the call coming from inside the house. She needs to get out. But where is he? They show scenes of every part of the house she has been in and he isn’t thereeree!!!

Jill starts to open the front door, the door upstairs opens and we see a shadow as he is coming after her!!!!!!!

AAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We then zoom in on a face!!!!!!!!!!! IS IT HIM??????????????? AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It turns out that it is the police detective. This was what the beginning of the remake is based on. So the children are dead, and we see them carried out in black bags. The damage was so horrendous that the coroner was surprised the weapon was the killer’s bare hands. They caught him in time, so the babysitter is fine, but how fine?

But we are only at the 22 min mark?!! What else is coming? So far I think this is the scariest film I have reviewed this year just based on that opening scene alone!

So now it is seven years later, and I have no clue what is coming next? Is he going to track her down and try to kill her? Try to finish the job? Hmmmm…..

So the police detective has quit the force and become a private investigator. He has been asked by the father of the murdered children to hunt down Curt, the killer, as he has recently escaped from the insane asylum he was in.

“Dr. Mandrakis: Man murders two children in cold blood. Jury declares him insane. He is sent to a state institutional facility where the security isn’t perfect and escapes.”

The detective is on the case to hunt dow Curt no matter what. He heads to the institution and goes to speak to his doctor to find more info. Interesting how in a lot of ways this and Halloween are extremely similar.

We are now in a bar and see a man, is he Curt? Man tries to give a light to a lady but she ain’t having it. He’s British, so he must be Curt, and is trying to pick her up but she is not interested at all.

After that first part of the film which was so intense and chilling, this section is really boring.

Why should I care. Its like they made the adrenaline pump so much and now we have this bleh stuff, it just feels bad and boring.

We see a ’70s party, with the PI there. He speaks to a police officer from the force who agrees to help him.

Now you all know how much I don’t like remakes, but I have to admit the 2004 version, while their killer wasn’t as creepy as this guy, really knew how to give you what you wanted.  They kept it focused on what was scary and played it up even more having the girl isolated with the house so far away and no car.

So Curt follows the lady from the bar, to right outside her door. The phone rings and she answers. He gets inside and she is not as freaked out as she should be that the guy she refused followed her home, marched into her apartment, and will not leave. Eventually she kicks him out end scene.

Truth be told I don’t

The PI is still investigating. You know I would find this a lot more interesting if they had flipped the film, had the babysitter attack at the end and the search at the beginning. I guess that’s why they did it that way in the remake.

So the PI tracks Curt down to the lady’ house and wants to talk to her. She doesn’t want to talk to him, but he barges his way in.

Seriously!

He shows her a pic of man blah blah not interested skip, skip skip

The lady is worried, as she thinks Curt might be  following her, and the  PI waits outside. But Curt is already indoors. It turns out he was hiding in her closet. She is making tea and when she goes to the closet Curt is not there.

Okay, this is getting creepy agin. He’s not hiding behind the closet door either. Curt doesn’t kill her though, as he wants her to be his friend. She screams, he flees, the PI chases him but doesn’t catch him. Bleh Skip. Curt goes to bathroom, naked and looks at himself and cries. Whatever. SKIP. Now at the YMCA and the cop is looking for him, Fast forward The two chase, run fight, chase, run, PI lost him again. Curt gives a long soliloquy, boring.

Next scene we are in a nice neighborhood, with cute kids running about. It turns out they are Jill’s kids. The phone rings….is it Curt?

No just her husband Steve on the phone. He’s going to take her out to dinner so Jill needs to get ready and find a baby-sitter. Two kids; one boy and girl just like the ones she lost when sitting.

Jill puts them to sleep and a teenager, Sharon, comes to baby sit. They recreate the scene from the beginning; mom and dad are heading out and the sitter staying. So similar, I mean even the house looks similar just reversed. All say good-bye.

You know I’m surprised the PI never went here. I mean doesn’t he think the guy might go after her again?

So Jill and Steve’s dinner are interrupted by a phone call. Jill goes to answer. OMG it is HIM!!!

“Mysterious Stranger: Have you checked the children?”

He’s back, he’s on the phone. He’s after her kids!!!

The husband calls the baby-sitter and they ask her to check on the kids. The police have been called and they tell them the story. They call the baby-sitter again, but the LINE IS DEAD!!!!!!!!!

They drive home with the police and everything is fine. But is it really? Or is he hiding in the house?

OMG what is going to happen next??? Is he going to kill them???

Steve pulls out gun to protect them while they sleep. Now I would not go to sleep or stay there. They are crazy! I would check into a motel asap.

Back at the police station they are talking about the call. Was it him or just a copycat. The police friend  calls the PI to check it out, and makes sure there is a stakeout.

 Jill can’t sleep and goes downstairs to the kitchen, the lights go out.

Never a good sign.

IT IS HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The PI keeps calling, but just gets the busy signal. Jill checks on the kids again. She sees her son with an ice cream in hand, not even melted. Where did you get it?!!!!!! It wasn’t there earlier. In fact it is the same one SHE had that night. OMG HE WAS IN THE ROOM WITH THE CHILDREN! OMG IS HER HUSBAND DEAD!!!!!!??????

Is he  in the closet??? She approaches it! NOOOOOO Don’t open without a weapon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!

Nothing is there but clothes. The PI only gets dial tone. Hurry the line was CUT!!!

huHURRYRRRRRRRYRYRYRYRRY OVERER THERE AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!

Where is he??? Where???

Jill decides to settle in bed, but can’t go to sleep. She picks up the phone but discovers that it is DEAD just like she will be!!!!!!!!!

Take the gun!!!! Grab it!!!

She hears Curt the killer’s voice, but where is he? Or is it just in her head??? She tries to wake Steven in bed, but its not her husband! It’s Curt!!!!!

AAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He attacks her, but is shot. Who shot him???

The PI. OH No Where is Steven? Is he dead???? No just knocked out in the closet.

OH MY GOSH!!! That was way scarier than I thought it would be. That end image of his eyes over the house, always watching ooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

This was amazingly creepy film. I mean just skip the middle and this is phenomenal. It lingered in my mind and continued to scare me when it was over.

So after the film I checked that question about Carol Kane’s age.  She was 27. I thought so, her voice was waaaaay tooo deep.

So it turned out that this director made the short film The Sitter, which was pretty much the first 20 mins of this film. After Halloween came out in 1978, the director decided to make a full length film based on what The Sitter was about.. So I was right. That middle section was so close to Halloween, because of Halloween.

To start Horrorfest V from the beginning, go to Who You Gonna Call?: Ghostbusters (1984)

For the previous post, go to No Mere Mortal Can Resist the Evil of the Thriller: Thriller (1983)

For more on When a Stranger Calls, go to It’s Coming From Inside the House: When A Stranger Calls (2006)

For more psycho killers, go to The Butcher of Burtonsville High: The Death of the Queen Bee, Bones (2010)

For more films with anonymous phone calls, go to There are Thirteen Chairs at the Table…And That’s Unlucky: Mystery of the 13th Guest (1943)

For more slasher films, go to We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes: Psycho (1960)

Haunted Harmonies of Halloween: Top 5 Songs to Play on Halloween

So this week, I noticed they haven’t been playing very Halloweeny songs on the radio. In fact I am sorely disappointed at the lack of it. There may not be thousands of ones to play, but there are some songs that work. So in the same thread of Nostalgia Critic, and because I am behind in posting, I have decided to list my top 5 songs to play on Halloween.

5) The Time Warp from The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Now this film isn’t for everybody, it is a pretty strange film. Tim Curry stars as a sexual transvestite from transexual Transylvania, although he is actually an alien and a mad scientist, building the perfect man Rocky. He also messes with these two people who stop at his castle to get out of a storm, Janet and Brad.

While the film is strange and loved by only a few, the song is extremely fun. It tells you how to dance, and with its strange ghoulishness, is perfect for Halloween.

4) Somebody’s Watching Me by Rockwell

I love this hit from the ’80s. In this Rockwell is a paranoid guy, who believes someone is watching him and coming after him. Michael Jackson sings backup, making it haunting with his higher voice, and Rockwell deeper more talkative then melodious one.

I have to say this is one of my all time favorite jams, I have the whole thing memorized. And it is great for Halloween, not only with the creepy undertone, but the great reference to Psycho (1960).

For more on Rockwell‘s hit, go to I Always Feel Like Somebody’s Watching Me

3) Thriller by Michael Jackson

I’m actually thinking of reviewing this next year for Horrorfest V. I mean the music video is amazing, and so much work went into it, it is like a mini movie.

So this is my favorite Michael Jackson song and one of his all-time best. We have him transforming into a monster, zombies, Vincent Price’s laugh; just unbelievably amazing. And let’s not forget that killer dance and awesome lyrics!

2) Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr.

Some of you may be wondering, why I haven’t reviewed this film just yet. There is a reason I’ve been saving it, which I will tell you next year. I know, cliffhanger, I’m sorry.

Anyways, I have been listening to this song every year since I was in kindergarten as schools always play it at dances and Halloween parties. No Halloween is complete with this amazing anthem.

From the awesome music that gets you pumped, to the great singing voice; this song has it all.

1) The Monster Mash by The Groovie Ghoulies

I have spent over 20 years listening to this song. Halloween is not complete unless I have heard this at least once in the month of October.

This songs has every classic monster; Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula, Igor, and more all getting together and partying. Words cannot describe how cute and fun I find this song.

To start Horrorfest IV from the beginning, go to You Cannot Conquer It. It Has Conquered You!: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

For the previous post, go to What Are the 39 Steps?: The 39 Steps (1935)

For more music, go to Musical Madness

For more on the Nostalgia Critic, go to Gypsy Justice: Thinner (1998)

I Always Feel Like Somebody’s Watching Me

So this is an old post that I retooled as it had many mistakes. This old post is one of the reasons why I gave this blog the name Jane Austen Runs My Life, because there are certain elements of my life that are similar to Jane Austen concepts. Such as:

Emma and Mr. Elton:

Scenario 1

        Me and Norman

In the story of Emma, Mr. Elton is the village Vicar who is handsome and single. Every girl has her eye on him, except Emma as she does not wish to be married. Elton has his eye on her as he likes her beauty, social status, and money.

Emma tries to set him up with her friend Harriet, never realizing that the whole time Elton liked her. When Elton declares his “love” for her, she rejects him. Thus making him go into ARGS (Angry Rejected Guy Syndrome), find another girl to make her jealous. Of course it doesn’t work on Emma, because she doesn’t like him.

Anyways as you will see later, this is a recurring theme with me. The first of the guys to do this was Norman. Norman fell hard for me, and am still at a loss why. Maybe it was because I was nice to him. Who know? But then and there he decided the two of us were going to go out.

Just like Elton he did all these “cutesy” things (not really), to try and get me to like him. The funniest thing about this was that he was trying to be really subtle about it, but everyone could see what was going on.

Like Elton he would try and get me anything I needed; drink, napkins, etc. And he always had to be by my side. EVEN when I was sitting with friends.

Let me just squeeze in between you two.

Some may find this adorable, but I didn’t. I didn’t like having him everywhere I went, always popping up, and trying to secure a seat next to me.

The worst of it was when he found out that I knew he liked me. His friend told me, but I told him that Norman was so obvious, of course I knew. Seeing as I knew, Norman decided to up his game. Instead of just hanging around me, he started FOLLOWING ME EVERYWHERE. If I went into the bathroom he would wait outside. If I was talking to friends, he would wait in the corner. Sometimes he would never even talk to me, just be constantly by me.

I’m not one who likes to have people suffocating me like that. And he was EVERYWHERE! I knew he wouldn’t do anything to harm me, let’s face it I could totally take him down, but I still felt like I was in a horror movie.

I always feel like somebody’s watching me

Now Norman wasn’t a psycho. He only followed me when I was out with friends (we had the same group of friends so we ran into each other a lot). But like I said before, it was suffocating. I couldn’t handle it. I knew the only thing I could do was be right out mean to get rid of him. [ I was 16 at the time. Please excuses my horribleness on the account of me being young.]

Now for anyone out there, there is one VERY fast way to get rid of someone who like you.

1.  Embarrass them.

I have used this method many times as it is so easy to do and always works. [Once again, I was young. I’m not that way anymore. It’s funny, as horrible as my ex-boyfriend Michael was in breaking my heart, he really made want to treat guys better. He thought I was the nicest person ever, and made me want to be nice.]

The first thing I did with Norman was wait until he a bunch of friends all around him. (This is crucial as it is not only important to completely crush his ego in front of all his friends but provides witnesses so that he can’t say something happened that didn’t.) [Once again I was young]

Then I asked him sweetly, smiling (it’s a clincher, it relaxes them and they don’t realize what’s to come), if I could talk to him, making sure we stayed in front of his friends. (All their attention was riveted on us. Everyone knew that he liked me and I think they were all waiting to see what I would say.)

Then I told him, (sweet tone gone)

“Norman, you are freaking me out! You need to stop following me around!”

Then I immediately  left the scene of the crime with all his friends sniggering behind me. (Also important! Don’t let them get a word in, be there, be mean, and leave.) [I am cringing as I reread this. I was a horrible person. Horrible! Thank goodness Michael made me want to be nicer. I can’t believe I used to do that. But it is effective if anyone wants to use in the future.]

Some may say it was cruel, and I agree it was, [I really do] but it worked. After that Norman hated me and wouldn’t go near me. He exhibited every bit of the ARGS (Angry Rejected Guy Syndrome), and immediately started paying all his attention to my friend Ruth. He tried to make me jealous, by always sitting with her, talking to her, etc. He wanted to show me he was over me and could “do better”, but I didn’t mind, I got the space I wanted, and peace of mind.

Unfortunately Norman didn’t learn from his episode with me and continued to follow those he liked, causing him to strike out with many, many, many times.

At one point he had a girlfriend, but this behavior which she had originally thought cute, ended up freaking her out too. He ended up moving away, and I don’t what happened to him or what he’s doing with his life now. I hope that as he’s matured and has changed his MO for ladies attention and is doing better in the dating pool.

After all we may like to sing Rockwell’s great hit, but no one wants to live it.

For more on Emma (jeez this has been a real Emma month huh? Guess I just have it on the brain) go to A Real Man

For more of my favorite songs go to It’s the Final Countdown

 

Everyone’s Entitled to One Good Scare: Halloween (1978)

It’s Halloween, everyone’s entitled to one good scare.

Let’s face it, you all knew this was coming. I mean how could I not end Horrorfest without ending on Halloween, literally.

I saw this movie during my quest to view the Big 3. I saw Nightmare on Elm Street first, which I was very disappointed in. Then I saw Friday the 13th, which wasn’t bad, but not super scary. Needless to say, when I got around to watching Halloween I thought it was going to suck. I had seen one of the many spanned sequels when I was flipping through channels, and that was absolute rot.

I LOVED Halloween though. I thought it was pretty creepy. I mean some parts are a little dumb, like the fact that you can’t kill Michael Myers, because “can’t kill the boogeyman”, but overall it was a very well done film.

The story is of a young boy, Michael Myers, who murders his sister. I hate how they never explain why he murders her. There are “theories”, but John Carpenter really should have given us a reason why Myers became a murderer. What was his stressor? What triggered him to this kind of response? I know you all think why I should care, but it concerns me as I took this quiz, Which Horror Movie Slasher are You?, and got Michael Myers.

Anyways he is sent to a sanitorium, where he is taken care of by Dr. Samuel Loomis. On October 30, Loomis and nurse Marion Chambers are preparing to take him off to be tried at court. Myers gets away and Loomis heads to Myers’ hometown Haddonfield to track him down.

Carpenter really liked Alfred Hitchcock movies, especially the film Psycho. He pays homage to the film throughout this movie; two of them being Dr. Samuel Loomis and Marion Chambers. In Psycho, Marion Crane is played by Janet Leigh, the poor women who ends up not living through her night at the Bates Motel. The man she loves and is hoping to marry soon, is Sam Loomis, played by the Very Handsome John Gavin.

We now are transitioned to the cute ’70s suburban town of Haddonfield. There we are introduced to straight A, good girl, Laurie Strode. Laurie Strode is played by Jamie Lee Curtis, and this was her first film and it really got her career going. The only reason why she got the part was because Carpenter thought it would be awesome to have Janet Leigh’s, the star of Psycho,  daughter be the star of his film. Janet Leigh had been knows as the “Queen of Scream”, a title that her daughter Jamie went on to also earn.

Laurie is planning on baby-sitting that night, watching scary movies, and carving Jack-o-Lanterns. Her two friends Annie and Lynda are much more wild and eagerly hoping to have wild nights with their boyfriends. While Annie’s plans fall through and she is going to be baby-sitting a girl down the street from Laurie, neither are as serious about it as Laurie.

From Laurie, we see that she has a problem connecting to others. She is quiet and reserved. She is also very wistful that she doesn’t have a date to the dance on that Friday, the night after Halloween. Her friends eagerly make plans for Friday, plans that get changed by Myers.

Laurie spends Halloween in a fog, as she keeps seeing someone watching her, but can’t tell if it is in her head or if someone is out there. No one else manages to see him, as just like in the Twilight Zone: Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, he always slips away.

I mean I totally relate to her in this film. When you are out walking around all the time like her, a lot of weirdos come around and you never quite know whether one is a safe weirdo, or one who might possibly do something.

Loomis meets up with the local sheriff, who is also Annie’s father, and the two search for Myers. They spend most of their attention focusing on the Myers’ old house. Neither is aware that Myers has already chosen his victims and is stalking them right now.

Laurie gets to the house and is a good baby-sitter, paying attention to Tommy Doyle. He is pretty much focused on the monster movie marathon. Two of the films he watches that night are The Thing From Another World (my favorite horror movie), and Forbidden Planet (my favorite scifi film). I recognized the scenes from them right away when I was watching it, and started screaming out their names. Carpenter redid The Thing From Another World, titling it The Thing. Kurt Russell stars in it as he was a fan of the original film. I thought the remake sucked! They changed EVERYTHING. But I’ll save that for another post.

Myers’ bloodbath begins! I don’t want to ruin the film for you guys, and say too much more as I think it should be watched. It is really good and has some definitely creepy music, which Carpenter wrote himself. I’m serious that music sends chills down my spines when I hear it. It totally creeps me out.

I will say one thing. I really liked how Laurie’s character fights back. She is pretty tough, and usually women don’t have that role in a horror film. Definitely check this out!

Also Carpenter references another Alfred Hitchcock film, Rear Window, when the boy witnesses something, but Laurie fails to believe him.

The only thing I wish we had to make the movie better is why Michael kills and why he choose those specific people to be his victims. Alas, we may never know.

When your done watching the film, watch this.

Sadly this ends my Horrorfest. There are now 31 Tales of Terror and Woe, which I suggest you read and watch.

I’m so sad that it is over, but it has been a lot of fun. I already can’t wait until next year to do it again.

Have a scaretastic, terrorific, horrifyingly amazing night. Eat candy, watch movies; just have fun. And be safe in anything you do. I just started getting readers and would hate to lose any of them. Happy Halloween! 😀

So this artist José Rodolfo Loaiza Ontiveros did a series of disney mash-ups, my favs being the horror films. To see more go to Disnified Horror.

He’s climbin’ in your windows

Here’s a facebook cover page I made for my facebook as part of my countdown to Halloween.

To start Horrorfest from the beginning, go to I Don’t Belong in the World

For the previous post, go to When the Itsy-Bitsy Spider Is No Longer Itsy-Bitsy

For more on psychopaths, go to I Can Be Your Best Friend or Your Worst Enemy

For more slasher flicks, go to Camp Blood

For more films influenced by Alfred Hitchcock, go to Whatever You Do Don’t Fall Asleep

For more films that have spanned sequels, go to They’re Coming to Get You Barbara

For more on The Twilight Zone, go to Surviving the Worst

Camp Blood: Friday the 13th (1980)

“He neglected to mention that downtown they call this place Camp Blood”

Well last year I decided I was finally going to see the big 3; Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Nightmare on Elm Street. Each of these movies impacted their generation and spanned a multitude of sequels and remakes.

I wish I could post this on Friday the 13th, but unfortunately there is no Friday the 13th this year in October so I will have to settle for the 12th. I know, bleh. 😦

Camp Crystal Lake has been closed ever since a boy drowned. They are going to reopen it this year and all the teenage counselors arrive (except one who dies en route) early and decided to have a little party before their work starts. However, someone doesn’t want the camp to open and is killing the campers off one by one.

So, I actually thought this film wasn’t that bad. I mean I’m not really into slasher flicks, but I thought this was pretty good. I really loved the camera angles they used, as it helped make it look like someone was watching them.

I was pleasantly surprised to see Kevin Bacon in the film as I love Kevin Bacon.

One of the parts I didn’t like was stupid Annie riding around with a strangers; as she was hitchhiking to the camp.

Hey I’m going to be dumb enough to get a ride to the middle of nowhere with a stranger. Nothing will happen to me.

Also all the sex scenes, that was not for me.

The strip-Monopoly idea was kind of dumb too. Who plays that? It almost as dumb as strip chess in Two Weeks Notice.

I was sad when Bill died. I liked Bill.

Well I don’t make out alive. Must have been too much strip monopoly.

The end I think would have been better for me and more creepy  if Scream hadn’t ruined it. Although Mrs. Voorhees was still creepy; in fact she was downright freaky.

Pamela Voorhees: [high voice] Kill her, Mommy! Kill her! Don’t let her get away, Mommy! Don’t let her live!
[normal voice]
Pamela Voorhees: I won’t, Jason. I won’t!

And then when Alice is in the boat and Jason jumps out, that was really unexpected.In fact at this point I jumped out of my seat

Alice: The boy. Is he dead, too?
Tierney: Who?
Alice: The boy. Jason.
Tierney: Jason?
Alice: In the lake, the one – the one who attacked me – the one who pulled me underneath the water.
Tierney: Ma’am, we didn’t find any boy.
Alice: But – then he’s still out there.

The very last scene, when Alice is in the hospital and wakes up screaming she is being killed made me think of the newest When a Stranger Calls when Jill thinks the stranger is after her in the hospital. They must have copied Friday the 13th for that part.

All in all it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t amazing either, a definite fun to watch on a Friday the 13th.

Here’s a cover page I made for my facebook this year as part of my countdown to October.

To read Horrorfest from the beginning, go to I Don’t Belong in the World

To read the previous post, go to A Squashed Mess