The Madness: Nature Bites Back The Final Week

Well, it’s the final week of The Madness! Here’s what I managed to watch!

The Films

Werewolf Wednesday
This week, Kweeny posted an audio clip and I had no idea what the movie was, but as soon as I saw Eric Martin express his hatred for the movie, I knew it could only be one movie.
Total Points: 8

Cursed (2005) 1h, 37m
So, Wes Craven, Kevin Williamson and a pretty star studded cast got together and made a bad to mediocre werewolf movie. The two things that stuck out as the worst for me were the transformations and Jessie Eisenberg’s dialogue. The final fight was pretty awful too. I laughed out loud at the werewolf flipping off the siblings.
2/5

The Mandolorian Premier
While not horror, there will be about a million little Mandos this Halloween. I loved the first episode of Season 2.
Total Points: 6

Godzilla – The Millennium Era
Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1999) 1h, 47m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
Once again, the series gets a reboot, ignoring everything except the original film. The 1998 American version had a lot to do with this, as it was widely considered to be a terrible rendition of Godzilla.
3.5/5

Godzilla vs Megaguirus (2000) 1h, 45m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
Godzilla vs something that looks like a mutant mosquito. Not one of my favorites.
2/5

Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghoidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001) 1h, 45m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
Yet another direct sequel to the original, but this is probably one of the best. Godzilla returns, hell bent on destroying Japan, but this time, the Guardian Monsters are here to battle him. Mothra, Ghidorah and Baragon are the good guys this time around, and it takes all of them to stop Godzilla.
4/5

Godzilla against Mechagodzilla (2002) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
Another direct sequel to the original and Mecha is built out of the skeleton of the original Godzilla.
3/5

Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
Mothra is pissed that humanity has desecrated the remains of Godzilla by building Mecha out of the bones of the first Godzilla. Fighting ensues. Mecha ends up flying Godzilla out to the ocean and submerging them both.
4/5

Godzilla – The Reiwa Era
Shin Godzilla (2016) 2h, 0m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
Similar storyline, but enough differences to make this a great entry. The evolution of Godzilla is different, as are his powers. I love the different camera work as well.
4.5/5

Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (2017) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
In this timeline, Godzilla takes over the Earth, forcing Humanity, along with two other Alien races to evacuate the Earth. 10,000 years later, Humans return to Earth in an attempt to recolonize, only to find Godzilla still roaming.
3.5/5

Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle (2018) 1h, 40m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
The story continues with the discovery of MechGodzilla City, an evolution on the original designed to fight Godzilla. Also, we don’t see her, but we are leading up to Mothra as well.
3/5

Godzilla: The Planet Eater (2018) 1h, 30m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
I was pretty impressed how this all came together. I didn’t quite expect some of the developments, but thought Ghidorah looked pretty cool. Nice update to the usual Godzilla story.
3.5/5

Godzilla – The American Films
Godzilla (1998) 2h, 19m
Total Points: 7.5 (ATB: Godzilla)
The marketing blitz when this came out was insane and the excitement for this film was massive. It flopped. Hard. It still made money, but this wasn’t Godzilla. Toho apparently agreed as they scrambled to get Godzilla 2000 ready to go. I don’t hate it though, it’s just not really a Godzilla movie.
3/5

Godzilla (2014) 2h, 3m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
16 years later, American Cinema got another crack at Godzilla. I don’t think it was a homerun, but it was good enough, and set the ground work for a new Godzilla era. One that included Kong. It was a good move.
3.5/5

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) 2h, 12m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
The story continues and the discovery at the end of Kong that there are more monsters expands. We see a lot of Kaiju here, including Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah. There is some amazing cinematography here and this is a fun ride.
4.5/5

The Rest!

It Came from the Desert (2017) 1h, 30m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animal Attack on Humans; (2) Animals attack in large numbers; (3)Animals are oversized; (4)Animals were mutated by meteor and then genetically engineered)
There is some pretty horrendous acting, but I had fun with this one. Giant ants crash a party of motocross racers.
2.5/5

Night Claws (2011) 1h, 23m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Bigfoot)
I guess I didn’t learn my lesson with all the shitty Bigfoot movies last week. This one isn’t good, and so much of it is really dark, making it hard to see.
2/5

Piranha 3D (2010) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animals Attack; (2)Animals Attack in Large Numbers; (3)Animals are oversize (the adult at the end of the movie); also A Force of Nature Accompanies the Event (Earthquake that released the Piranha)
I love this movie. I had a ton of fun seeing it in the theatre when it dropped and love revisiting it often.
4/5

Deep Rising (1998) 1h, 46m
Total Points: 5 (Animal Attack; Animal is Oversize; Cryptid/Tenticles; Weather Event foreshadows the peril)
I love this one too. Treat Williams is awesome in this, and the creature design is outstanding. This needed a sequel in the worst way.
4/5

The Meg (2018) 1h, 53m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
Hollywood cast and budget and a heck of a lot of fun. This one is pretty divisive, but I love it for what it is.
3.5/5

The Sighting (2016) 1h, 38m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Bigfoot)
I actually enjoyed this one! Perhaps my Bigfoot movie tolerance is increasing? This one is part mystery, part Bigfoot movie.
3/5

Zombi 2 (1979) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
One of my all time favorite horror movies and happy to say it fits into our theme this year with the Zombie vs Shark scene. Great zombie movie.
5/5

Empire of the Ants (1977) 1h, 29m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits all 4 of the first bonus elements: (1) Animals Attack; (2) Animals Attack in Large Numbers (3) Animals are Oversized; (4) Animals have been mutated)
Toxic waste mutates ants and ruins the day of a sleezy land developer. I cheered when rapey Larry got it. Movie takes a weird turn when the ants take over the local town.
2.5/5

Boa vs Python (2004) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the First 4 Elements: (1) Animals Attack; (3) Animals are Oversized; (4) Animals have been genetically altered)
This one was pretty awful. The story was weak, and the acting was worse. For anyone with any amount of hunting experience or military training, everyone in this movie was a moron.
1/5

Anaconda (1997) 1h, 29m
Total Points: 5 (Animal Attacks; Animal is Oversized; Takes place in a Jungle (Rain Forest))
I love this cheese fest. Great cast and an insane Jon Voight with an equally insane accent. The wink should garner a bonus point all on its own.
4/5

Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004) 1h, 37m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the First 4 Elements: (1) Animals Attack; (2) Animals Attack in Large Numbers (mating pit at the end); (3) Animals are Oversized; Also, Lost in the Jungle/Rain Forest)
Pretty solid sequel that proves, once again, that humans are the real monsters.

Anaconda 3: Offspring (2008) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the First 4 Elements: (1) Animals Attack; (3) Animals are Oversized; (4) Animals are Genetically Altered)
We’ve moved into SyFy territory. What’s that mean? Cheaper FX budget and David Hasselhoff.
2.5/5

Anacondas: Trail of Blood (2009) 1h, 29m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the First 4 Elements: (1) Animals Attack; (3) Animals are Oversized; (4) Animals are Genetically Altered)
Genetic anaconda hijinks continue. Bad CGI, people die, pseudo science. It’s like a theme for this month.
2/5

Lake Placid (1999) 1h, 22m
Total Points: 5 (Animal Attacks, Animal is Oversize; Filmed in Forest)
Love this movie. The humor works well with the cast, especially Betty White and Oliver Platt.
4/5

Lake Placid 2 (2007) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the First 4 Elements: (1) Animals Attack; (3) Animals are Oversized; (4) Animals are Altered – The meat Sadie is feeding the Crocs is loaded with Growth Hormone)
The baby crocs from the end of Lake Placid are grown, and hungry. Cloris Leachman does an admirable job as Betty White’s sister. The FX are SyFy level and the film suffers from it. The humor is also forced.
2/5

Lake Placid 3 (2010) 1h, 36m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the First 4 Elements: (1) Animals Attack; (2) Animals Attack in Large Numbers (Baby Crocs in the opening scene; (3) Animals are Oversized)
More baby crocs to start the movie, and then fast forward 2 years, which seems like a short time for a croc to go from 4 feet to 30 feet, but I’m no zoologist. Slightly more tolerable than part 2.
2.5/5

Lake Placid: The Final Chapter (2012) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the First 4 Elements: (1) Animals Attack; (2) Animals Attack in Large Numbers (Jet Ski scene; (3) Animals are Oversized)
Reba is back, but this time as an EPA agent. A group of poachers sneak into the now fenced in Black Lake to hunt the crocodiles, resulting in a group of high school students following through the open gate. Can the authorities rescue them in time, and just how many damn crocs are in this place?
3/5

Trick ‘r Treat (2007) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Werewolves)
The perfect Halloween homage. I can’t believe this struggled to get distribution.
5/5

The Totals:
Werewolf Wednesday: 8
The Mandolorian Premier: 6
Godzilla: The Millennium Era: 30 (6*5)
Godzilla: The Reiwa Era: 24 (6*4)
Godzilla: The American Films: 19.5 (7.5 + (2*6))
The Rest: 105

Week 4 Total: 192.5

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The Madness: Nature Bites Back Week 3

Week Two kept rolling, and now it’s on to Week 3!

The Films

Bigfoot Binge
The Head Hauntress and Team Sasquatch present 15 movies featuring Bigfoot, Yeti or The Abominable Snowman. This was definitely an exercise in cinematic stamina. I wonder why there were so many low budget bigfoot movies made?
Total Points: 125

Bigfoot (1970) 1h, 24m
A family of Sasquatch kidnap beautiful women, and it’s up to a motley band of misfits to rescue them. The poster is amazing. The movie, is actually better than I thought it would be. You get to see plenty of Sasquatch.
2.5/5

The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972) 1h, 27m
Much of this plays out like a National Geographic special and is quite boring. There are a few moments that are tense, but they are few and far between.
2/5

In Search of Bigfoot (1976) 1h, 15m
A painfully slow moving documentary about a team of scientists looking for Bigfoot.
2/5

The Werewolf and the Yeti (1975) 1h, 34m
Also known as Night of the Howling Beast. Paul Naschy is a genre treasure. This is one of the few Waldemar Daninsky movies I hadn’t seen. The site I found to stream it on was awful as the movie kept hanging up. It made for a very disjointed experience, but make no mistake, this is a crazy fun movie.
3/5

Tanya’s Island (1980) 1h, 20m
Rick Baker, Rob Bottin and Steve Johnson all had a hand in the ape costume and FX in this flick. It’s basically softcore, late night Cinemax type stuff, where the lead walks around naked all the time. It’s got a creepy vibe because the “ape-man” is a more suitable partner than the jack-ass she’s stuck on the island with.
1.5/5

Night of the Demon (1983) 1h, 32m
Another Video Nasty, and it has to be due to the “injury” the biker endures! As far as Bigfoot movies go, this one is pretty good. Of course the FX are poor, but the story line is bananas.
3/5

Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues (1985) 1h, 31m
A vast improvement over the original, this one actually has a significant amount of sasquatch action.
3/5

Cry Wilderness (1987) 1h, 33m
A family friendly approach to Bigfoot. Either these movies are getting to me, or this one was somewhat enjoyable. It’s definitely has an afterschool special vibe to it, but I didn’t hate it.
3/5

Suburban Sasquatch (2004) 1h, 37m
What the actual fuck did I just watch? Does Bigfoot teleport in this?
1/5

Abominable (2006) 1h, 34m
In a sea of pretty awful Bigfoot movies, this felt like an award winner. First, it has a great cast, albeit many are just cameos, including Dee Wallace, Lance Henriksen and Jeffrey Combs. The creature looks pretty great too.
3.5/5

Willow Creek (2013) 1h, 20m
Here’s how I feel like the creative process went for Willow Creek; “Have you guys seen The Blair Witch? I’m gonna do that, but with Bigfoot!”
2.5/5

Exists (2014) 1h, 21m
A mix of found footage and traditional filming, and this one worked for me. I found it pretty freaking scary.
4/5

Frankenthug (2017) 1h, 15m
This was a hell of a lot of fun. It was awesome to see The Son of Celluloid on screen! The intermission was hilarious, and spot on!
4/5

The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot (2018) 1h, 38m
Bigfoot is but a chapter in the life of Calvin Barr. This is a great movie, but don’t go in expecting a ton of action.
4/5

Cherokee Creek (2018) 1h, 58m
Tries a little too hard to be a throwback, with plenty of gratuitous nudity and gore. This is also the second movie where Bigfoot rips a guy’s dick off. He keep that up, he’s going to get a reputation! This would have been much better if it was around 90 minutes. Two hours is just too long for a movie like this.
2.5/5

Werewolf Wednesday
Another Kweeny Todd special! This time, it was a short audio clip. They mentioned “Spoon”, so pretty sure this is Dog Soldiers!
Total Points: 8

Dog Soldiers (2002) 1h, 45m
Perfect mashup of a military movie and werewolves. I’ve loved this from day one!
4/5

The Presidential Debate
I feel like we should’ve gotten much more than 2 points.
Total Points: 2

Godzilla Franchise – The Heisei Era
On to the second, and shorter, era of Godzilla. This one consists of seven movies, one of which I watched for the Flight of Kaiju in Week 1.

The Return of Godzilla (1984) 1h, 43m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
Depending on who you ask, this is either a direct sequel to the original, or a reboot of the series. It ignores all the other films, and kaiju, and has a similar, dark tone to the movie.
4/5

Godzilla vs Biollante (1989) 1h, 45m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
Who thinks it would be a good idea to take Godzilla’s DNA and splice it with anything? That’s how we get Biollante, a giant, pissed off sentient plant.
3/5

Godzilla vs King Ghidorah (1991) 1h, 43m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
Just a ridiculously awesome poster for this movie! This one cranked up the craziness with time travel, aliens and a theory that Godzilla is a mutated dinosaur.
3.5/5

Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II (1993) 1h, 47m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
Even though I own this, I don’t think I had ever watched it. Not sure how that happened! It’s got a good amount of Baby Godzilla (too much in my opinion).
3/5

Godzilla vs SpaceGodzilla (1994) 1h, 47m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
For untold reasons, the movies in this era have a longer run time than most Godzilla movies from Toho. I find that those extra 15-20 minutes really do make a difference and make these seem just a little too long. SpaceGodzilla is an interesting adversary for G and I dig the crystals.
3.5/5

Godzilla vs Destoroyah (1995) 1h, 42m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
The big guy is going nuclear, literally! This one created a lot of buzz because it was advertised as the death of Godzilla. Interesting concept and cool monster design make this a fun one.
3.5/5

The Rest!

Mosquito (1994) 1h, 32m
Total Points: 6 ATB – Hits the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animal Attack on Humans; (2) Animals attack in large numbers; (3)Animal is oversize; (4)Animal was genetically altered by Alien Spaceship)
An alien spaceship crash lands in the woods and mutates mosquitos, which grow in size and start feasting on campers. Gunnar Hansen stars and eventually uses a chainsaw to take on giant mosquitos. The dead people look hilarious. I wonder if they bought them at Party City during Halloween?
3/5

Stung (2015) 1h, 27m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animal Attack on Humans; (2) Animals attack in large numbers; (3)Animals are oversize; (4)Animal was genetically altered)
A dinner party is interrupted by giant mutated wasps. I hate wasps. They are the assholes of the flying insect world. Giant mutated ones are not better. Great cast and a fun movie.
3/5

The Cabin in the Woods (2011) 1h, 35m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Werewolf; Also Angry Molesting Tree and Sasquatch/Wendigo/Yeti are on the betting board!)
Man, I love this movie. So much goodness. Smart, awesome FX and cast. What a great premise and that board is one of the greatest horror Easter Eggs of all time.
5/5

Howl (2015) 1h, 32m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Werewolf)
Hadn’t watched this since it came out. I really like the creature design. Once again, humans show that they are the biggest monsters in a horror movie.
3.5/5

The Shallows (2016) 1h, 26m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Shark Attack!)
I remember when this first came out and Blake Lively in a bikini was one of the foremost selling points. Regardless of the bikini, this is a damn fine shark movie.
4/5

Arachnoquake (2012) 1h, 26m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animal Attack on Humans; (2) Animals attack in large numbers; (3)Animals are oversize; (4)Animals are mutated)
Giant, firebreathing spiders emerge from the Earth following an Earthquake in The Big Easy. Edward Furlong looks like hell. Amazingly, I’ve seen a lot worse this month. The tour guide must work like hell on that cardio the way he was running in the scuba suit at the end of the movie!
2.5/5

Venomous (2001) 1h, 37m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animal Attack on Humans; (2) Animals attack in large numbers; (4) Animals are chemically/medically altered)
Terrorists blow up a secret government facility that was performing genetic experiments on rattlesnakes. Fast forward a few years, and they’ve bred and multiplied. An earthquake releases them on an unsuspecting town and the military tries to cover it up. Another Fred Olen Ray joint. Treat Williams is a bad ass. Decent enough.
2.5/5

Ghost Shark (2013) 1h, 24m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Shark Attack!)
A Great White that was tortured on a fishing expedition dies in a haunted sea cave and comes back as a vengeful ghost that can attack in any amount of water. That’s Bull from Night Court. Fuck I’m old! Pretty funny premise.
2.5/5

Ghost Shark 2: Urban Jaws (1h, 16m)
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Shark Attack!)
A sequel in name only, this has nothing to do with the first movie, other than it has a ghost shark, sort of. Fuck me, this is bad. Overacting, minimal shark action with much of it inferred. Weird scene with the hooker. Hard pass on this one.
1/5

Night of the Werewolf (1981) 1h, 32m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Werewolf)
Paul Naschy. I love his movies. There is little sense of continuity throughout the series, but there are a lot of fun ones in his filmography.
4/5

The Evil Dead (1981) 1h, 25m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Tree Sexually Assaults a Person)
Absolute classic that put Bruce Campbell and the Raimi’s on the map.
5/5

Snakes on a Plane (2006) 1h, 45m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animal Attack on Humans; (2) Animals attack in large numbers; (4) Animals are chemically/medically altered)
Hollywood wanders into SyFy’s turf and delivers a pretty fun movie, mostly because of Samuel Jackson.
3.5/5

Empire of the Sharks (2017) 1h, 29m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Shark Attack!)
Waterworld meets The Seven Samurai, plus sharks! Solid story. SyFy FX.
2.5/5

Atomic Shark (2016) 1h, 30m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Shark Attack!)
Even amongst its peers, this one is a stinker.
1.5/5

Ice Sharks (2016) 1h, 25m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Shark Attack!)
A group of scientists battle sharks at an Antarctica based research facility. Better acting than a lot of these SyFy gems.
3/5

Bait 3d (2012) 1h, 33m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Shark Attack!)
A freak tsunami traps a group in a flooded grocery store with Great Whites. This is one of the better shark flicks I’ve watched this month.
4/5

The Totals:
Bigfoot Binge: 125
Werewolf Wednesday: 8
Presidential Debate: 2
Godzilla: The Heisei Era: 36 (6*6)
The Rest: 96 (16*6)

Week 3 Total: 267

The Madness: Nature Bites Back Week 2

What a first week! This week, I had 2 goals, watch all 8 Howling movies and to watch as many Godzilla flicks as I could fit it. I nailed The Howling and finished the Showa Era for Godzilla. I also managed a good amount of other movies. I’m loving this year’s theme. There are so many options for movies and maximum points!

Films

Werewolf Wednesday
This week, Kweeny and The Head Hauntress posted a lip synch of a song in a movie. It took a little digging for me to find the movie, but the awesome thing is I was planning on this one already!
Total Points: 8

Wolfcop (2014) 1h, 19m
Man, I love this movie. It’s so “extra” and over the top. I actually wish it were just a bit longer, but the good news is, we got a sequel pretty quickly!

The Madness Watch Party
The Head Hauntress put together a trifecta of Madness movies to watch as a group. Facebook Rooms didn’t cooperate with the chat, so we had an impromptu Riff track on the first movie.
Total Points: 25

Shakma (1990) 1h, 40m
A Genetically Engineered Baboon survives death and comes back for revenge. Face eating ensues.
3/5

Day of the Triffids (1962) 1h, 35m
Deadly intelligent plants land on earth, killing people and feeding on them.
2.5/5

The Reef (2010) 1h, 34m
Why are those Australian sharks so much meaner than regular sharks. Seriously tense movie. Forgot how good this was.
4/5

The Howling Franchise
No bonus points, just watched all 8 of these over a couple days. First time watch for most of them, other than the first of course.

The Howling (1981) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
Can you imagine getting both The Howling and An American Werewolf in London in the same year! If only 5 year old me was into horror flicks at that time! What a time to be alive. Anyway, The Howling is a great flick. I love the werewolf design and the idea of the “pack” living together.
4.5/5

Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf (1985) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
Christopher Lee adds immediate credit and the fact that he brings together Dee Wallace’s brother and a reporter to hunt werewolves is pretty cool. This movie is filled to the brim with weirdness, and I kinda love it. Also, you can’t go wrong with Sybil Danning.
3.5/5

Howling III: The Marsupials (1987) 1h, 34m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
Wow. I don’t know what else to say about this one. The Russian lady makes some crazy noises and faces. The Marsupial baby is one part creepy, one part adorable. I was expecting more from being set in Australia.
2/5

Howling IV: The Original Nightmare (1h, 34m)
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
This was pretty boring for the first 75 minutes, and then people started melting. Yeah, melting. I guess this was more faithful to the original. Joe Dante was wise to go with the script for the first movie.
2.5/5

Howling V: The Rebirth (1989) 1h, 36m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
The fifth installment takes a gothic turn, with strangers being invited to a Hungarian castle, and one of them is a werewolf! This plays out kinda like Clue, without the jokes. I liked this one more than the last couple.
3/5

Howling VI: The Freaks (1991) 1h, 40m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
This is probably the best entry since the first movie. I liked the storyline, the actors and it features a traveling carnival with a freakshow! Tough to beat that.
3.5/5

The Howling: New Moon Rising (1995) 1h, 30m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
This movie has both types of music. Country and Western. For me, that was nauseating. There are also plenty of corny bar jokes throughout. Filled with flashbacks trying to pull the series together.
2.5/5

The Howling: Reborn (2011) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
The Howling takes the teenage angst angle, with a trendy soundtrack, beautiful people and narration by the lead character. The production value was higher than most of the rest of the franchise, but it feels a bit artificial.
3/5

Godzilla Franchise – The Showa Era

Godzilla (1954) 1h, 36m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Godzilla)
Classic! Did you know the big guy is on screen for less than 9 minutes? What an impact he had. As I was looking at different articles and posts about this movie, I learned that Godzilla was almost a giant octopus. Something tells me there wouldn’t have been 30+ movies about a giant octopus!
5/5

Godzilla Raids Again (1955) 1h, 22m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Godzilla)
Godzilla returns, fights Anguirus, destroys Osaka. A formula is born. Not the most exciting Godzilla movie, but still enjoyable.
3/5

King Kong vs Godzilla (1962) 1h, 37m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Godzilla)
Let’s Get Ready to Rumble! Once again, humans piss off the Kaiju, leading to a showdown in Tokyo of epic proportions. This is the first time that Godzilla or King Kong were seen in color, although the blackface used on the Island was cringeworthy.
3.5/5

Mothra vs Godzilla (1964) 1h, 29m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Godzilla)
Although Godzilla appears in other movies where he is not in the title, this is the only time he doesn’t get first billing. I guess his agent wasn’t happy with that! Widely considered one of the best sequels in the series, and I love this one. Interesting that Mothra was dubbed “The Thing” in the American version.
4/5

Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965) 1h, 34m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Godzilla)
Those pesky aliens. Who can trust them? Some solid monster fights with Godzilla, Ghidorah and Rodan.
3/5

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966) 1h, 27m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Godzilla)
Originally intended to be a King Kong movie, which explains why it takes place on a tropical island versus in Japan. He doesn’t get a lot of love, but I dig the big lobster. He makes a return many years later in Final Wars.
3/5

Son of Godzilla (1967) 1h, 26m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Godzilla)
The first one on the list I don’t own. Looks like it is a part of the new Criterion box set, but I found it streaming on Apple TV. This is not one of my favorites. The idea of Baby Godzilla just doesn’t do it for me. Add in weak monsters (Kamacuras – The Mantis and Kumonga – The Spider) and this is a forgettable entry for me.
2/5

Destroy All Monsters (1968) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Godzilla)
11, count them, 11 Monsters! One of my favorites from the Showa Era. Also, Godzilla in NYC is a first. Kaiju going global!
4.5/5

All Monsters Attack (1969) 1h, 9m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Godzilla)
This one is not my favorite. It was geared towards kids, reused most of the Kaiju footage from earlier films and just isn’t that entertaining. Thankfully, it’s the shortest film to date as well.
1.5/5

Godzilla vs Hedorah (1971) 1h, 25m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Godzilla)
Godzilla vs Pollution. Godzilla was originally all about social commentary but this one takes it to the next level, to the point it interferes with the story. I think this may have been better enjoyed while on mind altering drugs.
2/5

Godzilla vs Gigan (1972) 1h, 29m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Godzilla)
This starts a run of some of my favorite Godzilla flicks, and the introduction of some really cool Kaiju. Gigan is the new guy here. Really cool design with the hooks for hands. Add in King Ghidorah and Anguirus and you have a party.
4/5

Godzilla vs Megalon (1973) 1h, 21m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Godzilla)
Origin of Megalon and Jet Jaguar! Gigan is back too, as are Rodan and Anguirus. Lots of fun in this one!
4/5

Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1974) 1h, 24m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Godzilla)
Space Titanium leads to a cyborg Godzilla! For the third movie in a row, we get the debut of a bad ass villian. Mechagodzilla is just awesome. Godzilla arterial spray! It’s like they had Dario Argento consult on this one!
4/5

Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975) 1h, 23m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Godzilla)
A Continuation of the fight with Mechagodzilla. This one felt a bit plodding, perhaps due to the volume of Godzilla movies I’ve watched this week. Still some pretty solid fight scenes though.
3.5/5

The Rest!

Cruel Jaws (1995) 1h, 33m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
After reading the description, I was poised for a train wreck. While this wasn’t great, it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. It does have a ton of borrowed (pirated) footage throughout though.
2.5/5

Curse of the Komodo (2004) 1h, 32m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Hits 3 of the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animal Attack on Humans; (3)Animal is oversize; (4)Animal was medically/genetically altered)
A casino robbery during a storm goes awry and the crooks land on an island being used for illegal experiments on the most deadly reptiles on the planet, the komodo dragon! Oh, they are super-sized and super pissed off too.
3/5

Rats: Night of Terror (1984) 1h, 37m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Hits 3 of the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animal Attack on Humans; (2) Animals attack in large numbers; (4)Animals were exposed to radiation/genetically altered)
You can always count on Bruno Mattei for some pretty grimy movies. Rats delivers on everything you would expect from an Italian master of schlock cinema.
3/5

47 Meters Down (2017) 1h, 29m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
This movie makes me claustrophobic, big time. I think it is that the dialogue through the masks that does it. That, or the giant freaking sharks surrounding the cage. Who does this on vacation?
4/5

47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019) 1h, 30m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
Another well done movie, but it doesn’t capture the same claustrophobia as this first, at least for me. Beautiful cinematography though.
3.5/5

Bad Moon (1996) 1h, 20m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
A very underrated werewolf flick. I love that the dog is so involved in the plot. Werewolf looks great, but the transformation at the end? Not so much.
3.5/5

Mega Shark vs Mecha Shark (2014) 1h, 25m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
A megalodon vs a giant robot shark with a heavy helping of environmental messaging. I’m very much in line with protecting our environment, but not looking forward to that heavy handed messaging in my SyFy schlock.
2/5

Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus (2009) 1h, 30m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
Oh damn, I watched these out of order. Now I won’t have any idea what’s going on. Oh, Hi, Lorenzo Lamas. Sweet Pony Tail. It’s pretty amazing how close these are to classic Kaiju films.
2.5/5

Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus (2010) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
Eurkel and the Cousin of Steven Seagal team up to take on the Meg and a giant prehistoric croc.
2/5

Mega Shark vs Kolossus (2015) 1h, 29m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
A giant Russian robot and yet another Megalodon. Actually had fun with this one, especially when the 2 monsters are referred to as “Surf & Turf”
2.5/5

Waxwork (1988) 1h, 35m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
Love this movie! There is a werewolf sequence and the werewolf returns for the final fight. This flick always has a spot in our yearly Halloween binge.
4/5

Vipers (2008) 1h, 35m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: (ATB – Hits 3 of the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animal Attack on Humans; (2) Animals attack in large numbers; (4) Animals were genetically altered)
Lots of familiar faces led by Corbin Bernsen and Tara Reid. Pretty standard storyline, but cool to watch a different animal on the screen. The FX ranged from watchable to laughable with the snakes, but what do you expect?
2.5/5

Super Shark (2011) 1h, 27m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
From the imagination of Fred Olen Ray, so you know it’s going to be fun! This Meg has evolved and can walk on shore AND fly! Also, giant tank robot!
2/5

Werewolf of London (1935) 1h, 15m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
A botanist gets bitten by a strange creature while in Tibet and returns to London carrying the curse of the Werewolf. This is the first Hollywood Werewolf movie. It failed to leave the same impression as The Wolf Man, but is still a pretty great movie.
3.5/5

She-Wolf of London (1946) 1h, 1m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
They talk all movie about werewolves. The suspect believes she is a werewolf. They talk about the family having “The Curse of the Wolf.” Guess what? She isn’t a werewolf. There are zero werewolves. Solid mystery movie. Not a werewolf movie.
3/5

House of Frankenstein (1944) 1h, 11m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
A mad Doctor and a hunchback, Dracula, The Wolf-Man and Frankenstein’s Monster! At this point, does the plot matter? No, but it is still a pretty good one! I have fond memories of seeing this on TV when I was a kid.
4/5

House of Dracula (1945) 1h, 7m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
Continues the story from House of Frankenstein and just as good. I wish Hollywood could figure out how to rekindle the Monster Universe. The Mummy reboot was terrible.
4/5

Toxic Shark (2017) 1h, 27m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
Chemicals in the water mutate a shark into a poison spewing killing machine.
2/5

Shark Exorcist (2015) 1h, 11m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
A satan worshipping nun summons a demon shark that possesses a young woman.
1.5/5

The Totals:
Werewolf Wednesday: 8
The Madness Watch Party: 25
The Howling Franchise: 48 (6*8)
Godzilla – The Showa Era: 84 (14*6)
The Rest: 114 (19*6)

Week 2 Total: 279

The Madness: Nature Bites Back Week 1

Well, it’s that time of year again! Yes, it’s The Madness! This year is Nature Strikes Back, so animal attacks, Kaiju, Werewolves and Bigfoot are all in play. I’m a part of Team Sasquatch, which seems fitting! There is a binge on sasquatch movies scheduled for Week 3, so I’m prepared for that! It’s going to be a fun year! If you want to check out the entire rules, here’s your link!

Here are the Week One results.

Films
Early Bird Special
The Madness always starts on a Sunday, but this year, The Head Hauntress offered up an early bird double feature starting October 1st! This worked well for me as I had to travel across the country, so watched these on the plane.
Total Points: 15

The Birds (1963) 1h, 59m
Classic Alfred Hitchcock, but not in my top 5 for him. There are a couple surprisingly graphic scenes to be found here.
4/5

An American Werewolf in London (1981) 1h, 37m
One of the greatest werewolf movies of all time coming from a comedic genius! The transformation scene was groundbreaking. I think you could do an entire movie based on the Nazi Demon / Werewolf dream.
5/5

A Flight of Kaiju!
The Head Hauntress and Team #Madness10k curated an International buffet of monster movies that I couldn’t pass up. We have all month to watch these, but I’ll knock them out right away. Fear not! Godzilla and friends will be present throughout the month!
Total Points: 75

The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953) 1h, 20m
Ray Harryhausen. Not much more needs to be said. I love the man’s work.
4/5

Reptilicus (1961) 1h, 32m
If I’ve learned anything from movies, it’s that scientists digging in the Earth rarely ends well. The Monster looks like something I made in grade school though. Loved the slime FX. Top notch!
3/5

Gorgo (1961) 1h, 18m
The storyline is part King Kong, part Godzilla. First time viewing and had fun with it.
3/5

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964) 1h, 33m
Ghidorah is the coolest looking monster in the Zilla-Verse. The “Battle Royale” style Kaiju movies are my favorite, and you get Godzilla, Mothra and Rodan joining here.
4/5

War of the Gargantuas (1966) 1h, 28m
What we have here is a little brotherly misunderstanding! Another first time viewing, even though I had the DVD for years. Interesting, but not something that would be a part of my regular rotation.
2.5/5

Q: The Winged Serpent (1982) 1h, 33m
It’s Larry Cohen, so you know it’s going to be packed with that NYC grime. Great cast, awesome creature and a must watch if you haven’t seen it.
3.5/5

Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth (1992) 1h, 42m
Godzilla, Mothra and Battra. The more Kaiju, the better, which leads to the next film in the Kaiju flight…
3.5/5

Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) 2h, 5m
Godzilla fights everyone. It makes me laugh that Zilla, from the 98 American flick, is shitty CGI. Nice jab.
4/5

Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (1999) 1h, 48m
I am definitely a Gamera rookie. This has a high production values and the monsters are pretty cool, but I struggled to really get into it. I guess my bias leans towards Godzilla.
3/5

The Host (2006) 2h, 0m
The best for last! I loved this when it first came out, and am happy to revisit it for the Madness!
4.5/5

Werewolf Wednesday!
Kweeny and The Head Hauntress presented an audio clip and clues for a special Werewolf movie.
Total Points: 8

Ginger Snaps (2000) 1h, 48m
This is, in my opinion, one of the best horror movies of the 2000’s. Smart, great FX and great cast. Look for the sequels in the rest of this week’s movies.
4.5/5

The Rest!
With the theme and point structure this year, you’ll be sure to see a lot of sharks, werewolves, sasquatch and Godzilla this year! Those Automatic Triple Bonus Points are too tough to pass up!

The Wolf Man (1941) 1h, 10m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
It wouldn’t be October without some Universal classics!
4.5/5

Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943) 1h, 14m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
One of the things I love about the Universal movies are the crossovers. So much fun!
4/5

Jaws (1975) 2h, 4m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
A trend setting and record breaking movie that scared an entire generation off the beaches and out of the ocean. Jaws is a lesson in film making.
5/5

Jaws 2 (1978) 1h, 56m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
Jaws 2 tried to pick up where the original left off, but just didn’t have the same magic, largely due to the lack of Spielberg, Shaw and Dreyfuss. Still a good movie.
4/5

Jaws 3-D (1983) 1h, 39m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
The early 80s brought an onslaught of 3-D movies, filled with camera gimmicks. Jaws was no exception as a Great White invades Sea World.
3/5

Jaws: The Revenge (1987) 1h, 29m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
Bruce gets his revenge by following the family to The Bahamas and eating people. Weird story arc to say the least.
2.5/5

Deep Blue Sea (1999) 1h, 45m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
I’ve always loved this movie. It’s a lot of fun, has a great cast and some really great scenes.
4/5

Deep Blue Sea 2 (2018) 1h, 34m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
Basically the same storyline as the first movie, but without the cast, budget or charm. Oh, baby sharks too. Maybe 19 years was too long to wait for the sequel.
2.5/5

Deep Blue Sea 3 (2020) 1h, 39m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
New locale, new sharks and what looks to be a bigger budget. I dig this one. Big improvement on DBS2. Oddly enough, this got me thinking about getting Scuba certified. Beautiful camera work underwater.
3.5/5

Alligator (1980) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Hits 3 of the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animal Attack on Humans; (3)Animal is oversize; (4)Animal was medically altered)
All time favorite in our house. Forster is the man. Still can’t believe that little kid gets eaten in the pool.
4/5

Alligator II: The Mutation (1991) 1h, 32m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Hits 3 of the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animal Attack on Humans; (3)Animal is oversize; (4)Animal was medically altered)
Basically the same story as the first one without the same cast. It’s ok, but it isn’t on the same level. It does have Dee Wallace, Steve Railsback and Richard Lynch, which is a plus.
3/5

Sharkenstein (2016) 1h, 25m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
It might be a stretch calling this a B-Movie, but what an amazing premise. Nazi mad scientist creates the ultimate killing maching…Sharkenstein!
2/5

Avalanche Sharks (2014) 1h, 22m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
I knew there was a reason I never go skiing. Who can escape…Avalanche Sharks! Higher production values than Sharkenstein, which wasn’t difficult.
3/5

2-Headed Shark Attack (2012) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
Full confession. I love these cheesy ass shark movies, and this franchise is one of my favorites. The first installment has some recognizable faces & names led by Carmen Electra and Brooke Hogan.
3/5

3-Headed Shark Attack (2015) 1h, 29m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
It’s surprising it took 3 years for the sequel. It was probably due to intense contract negotiations with Rob Van Dam! Danny Trejo is also in this, giving it an automatic half point bump.
3/5

5-Headed Shark Attack (2017) 1h, 29m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
I’ve been to Puerto Rico, and didn’t see any sharks, especially not a 4 or 5 Headed one! Models and surfers bite the dust in this one. Is this franchise running its course?
2/5

6-Headed Shark Attack (2018) 1h, 26m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
Ugh. There really isn’t one likeable character in this movie. Honestly, I was cheering for the shark to win. I’ll be surprised if there is another chapter in this franchise.
1.5/5

Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed (2004) 1h, 34m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
Brigitte lands in a rehab clinic, creating a Werewolf meets Girl Interrupted vibe. Who thought it was a good idea to employ young men in an all girl rehab facility?
3.5/5

Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning (2004) 1h, 34m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Werewolf)
Just could not get into this, but I applaud trying something different with the franchise.
3/5

Shark Lake (2015) 1h, 32m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
Dolph Lundgren. Do you need to know more? Pretty run of the mill movie.
2/5

Bats (1999) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Hits 3 of the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animal Attack on Humans; (2) Animals attack in large numbers; (4)Animal was medically altered). I remember when this came out. I was working at Blockbuster and we got a ridiculous number of copies. There were some that never left the store. Decent enough flick. Good cast.
3/5

Sand Sharks (2012) 1h, 26m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
The second Brooke Hogan shark movie this week. This time, the sharks can travel in the sand.
2/5

Piranha (1978) 1h, 34m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Hits 3 of the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animal Attack on Humans; (2) Animals attack in large numbers; (4)Animal was medically altered)
Classic. One of the first to capitalize on the Jaws phenomenon. Love this movie. They called it “Operation Razor Teeth!”
4/5

Ice Spiders (2007) 1h, 30m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Hits 3 of the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animal Attack on Humans; (3)Animals are oversized; (4)Animals were medically/genetically altered
“Sometimes nature strikes back!” This quote from the movie was close to our slogan this month! Actually thought this was pretty solid. Perhaps my taste is suffering from all these movies I am watching!
3/5

Shark Night 3D (2011) 1h, 30m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
Sharks infest a local lake where a group of college students decide to blow of some steam. How could they have gotten there?
3.5/5

Ouija Shark (2020) 1h, 11m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
I kinda feel bad riffing on this, because I’m pretty sure it was a high schooler’s film project. This is easily the worst thing I’ve watched this week, bumping Sharkenstein.
1/5

Santa Jaws (2018) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
This feels like an Oscar worthy effort after Ouija Shark. I enjoy this one, and have seen it a couple times. Cool concept.
3/5

The Totals:
Early Bird: 15
Flight of Kaiju: 75
Werewolf Wednesday: 8
The Rest: 162 (27*6)

Week 1 Total: 260

The Saw Experience

The Saw Experience

Saw (2004); Saw II (2005); Saw III (2006); Saw IV (2007); Saw V (2008); Saw VI (2009); Saw 3D (2010); Jigsaw (2017)

Directed by: James Wan (I); Darren Lynn Bousman (II – IV); David Hackl (V); Kevin Greutert (VI & 3D); Peter & Michael Spierig (Jigsaw)

Starring: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell, Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Dina Meyer

As you probably saw a couple of weeks ago, I went through the entirety of the Saw franchise in 3 days for the Annual Madness competition. Instead of writing reviews for each movie, I thought I’d take a swipe at the franchise in one post.

When I first viewed Saw, I was reminded of the gritty films of the 70’s like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, as well as of David Fincher’s work, specifically Seven. It was grim, dark and violent at times, but was also backed with a smart story and an unexpected ending. It’s not nearly as graphic as it’s sequels, but often gets tagged that way. A year later, when Hostel was released, the term Torture Porn was born, used to describe the new generation of violent, graphic horror movies such as the aforementioned Hostel, the Saw franchise, The Devils Rejects and Wolf Creek.

Saw was released Halloween weekend in 2004 and went on to gross more than 100 Million worldwide, which was a smashing success given the 1.2 Million dollar budget. A franchise was instantly born as well as a ground swell of big studio, R-rated horror movies.

I view the first movie as one of the better horror flicks of the decade. The fact that it was responsible for a sub-genre of movies that lasted about a decade lends credence to that as well, even if it is not a sub-genre that I enjoy.

          

The success of Saw led to the studio wanting the next installment to be released one year later, an obvious attempt to recreate the Halloween magic. Leigh Wannell & Darren Lynn Bousman sat down to write the script, and probably start thinking about how many sequels that they can plan for. In my opinion, there wasn’t an obvious direction to take the story so the creative team ramped up the gore and made the traps more intricate. For me, the second and third movies are some of the worst of the franchise. Saw III came out in during the height of the torture porn and the franchise fully embraced its inclusion in the conversation.

At this point, I was seriously reconsidering watching this entire franchise in a short period of time. I did not enjoy Saw II & III. I decided to give the rest of the movies a chance, as I hadn’t seen them before, despite them sitting on my shelf for quite some time!

I was glad I kept going! Saw IV & V were some of my favorites of the entire series with an influx of new characters and a story line that seemed to be thought out for more than one movie. Saw IV was also 15 minutes shorter than its predecessor, which makes a lot of difference in a movie.

Saw VI, and I am feeling some serious Jigsaw fatigue. The story is starting to feel drawn out in an effort to squeeze more box office dollars from fans. Saw VI primarily focuses on an insurance executive that is responsible for finding loop holes in people’s policies. Throughout the entire series, people are chosen for Jigsaw’s games for their transgressions, many of which are trivial. There was a level of satisfaction in seeing someone that ruined peoples lives be held accountable.

With that, we come to the end with The Final Chapter, also known as Saw VII and Saw 3D, which is just what we needed, Jigsaw traps in splattering 3D! Audiences thought as much, as this was one of the worst box office performances of the series. The traps are even more intricate, and the gore amplified. Chester Bennington (Linkin Park) meets a grizzly ending, as do his friends. I’m exhausted after spending 7 movies in Jigsaw’s playhouse.

Wait! There is one more? How is this possible when Saw VII was THE FINAL CHAPTER?!? Once again, Hollywood lies to horror fans as 7 years later, we get Jigsaw. Now, Jigsaw has been dead for quite some time, even before the Final Chapter, so what gives? You’ll have to watch to find out, but just know that there is the usual dearth of traps and body pieces. Honestly, I could have lived without this revisit to the franchise. It didn’t add anything and was forgettable in the overall story line.

So, do I recommend the Saw movies? No, not really. Watch the first one and pretend it stops there.  Not everyone agrees with me, including Hollywood, as there is a 9^th installment in pre-production, with Darren Lynn Bousman set to direct and starring Chris Rock and Samuel L Jackson. We’ll see what sort of reception it gets, and who am I kidding. I will probably see it at some point!

The Madness: Of Kings and Masters Week 4; The Final Week

It’s the final week of the Madness and also one in which I had a fair amount of travel for work as well as the World Series. Sadly, this will be one of my lower point totals for the contest.

Films
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) 1h, 23m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Directed by Tobe Hooper)
Absolute classic! It’s interesting how some people label this as a very gory movie, but in truth, you don’t see a lot on screen.
9/10

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) 1h, 41m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Directed by Tobe Hooper)
12 years later, Tobe Hooper returns to the Saw, but with a very different take. Infused with a lot more dark humor and a truckload more gore. Dennis Hopper and Bill Mosely add to the insanity.
7/10

The Howling (1981) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Directed by Joe Dante)
Love this movie and Dee Wallace is one of the nicest celebrities I’ve met at a convention. Great werewolf design throughout.
8.5/10

Halloween (1978) Edited for Television Version 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
Caught the classic on AMC in my hotel room! This movie doesn’t lose much with the edits, and is a must watch this time of year.
10/10

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers – Edited for TV (1988) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 2 (No Bonus Elements)
Back by popular demand, Michael Myers makes his comeback and Danielle Harris is introduced to fans everywhere. Personally, I would have like to see Halloween continue as an Anthology piece.
7/10

Halloween (2018) 1h, 46m
Total Points: 2 (No Bonus Elements)
I’m a fan of this reboot / direct sequel to Halloween II. JLC is a badass. Another hotel room find thanks to HBO.
8/10

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) 2h, 12m
Total Points: 4 (2 Base Points; +1 for Force of Nature/Weather Event; +1 for Hidden World revealed (Godzilla’s Home))
Man, I really like this movie. Call me a Kaiju homer if you will, but I loved it and can’t wait for Kong vs Godzilla!
8/10

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) 1h, 38m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Produced by John Carpenter)
It’s become cool to like this movie now, but I’ve always been a fan. It’s something we watch every year, even if it meant watching it the day after Halloween when I got home this year.
9/10

Crawl (2019) 1h, 27m
Total Points: 4 (2 Base Points; +1 for Animals Attack; +1 for Force of Nature/Weather Event)
I really wanted to get to this in the theater as I am a huge Aja fan, as well as a Creature Feature fan, but just didn’t make it. I really enjoyed this one, even with high expectations. Also, I am glad we don’t have basements here in Houston.
8/10

Tales of Halloween (2015) 1h, 32m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Featuring multiple Masters of Horror including Mick Garris, Stuart Gordon, Joe Dante and John Landis)
Really fun anthology for the season. It’s not on the same level as Trick ‘r Treat, but still better than most out there. My favorite segment is The Ransom of Rusty Rex. Hilarious!
7/10

Total Points: 48

The Madness: Of Kings & Masters Week 3

Still going strong! This week presents a special challenge and that is to watch 2 franchises; Saw and Hellraiser. It’s a mixed bag with some great movies, but some also really bad sequels. I do have to say that watching 8 Saw movies in 3 days is a bit much for all but the most avid gorehound!

Hellraiser/Saw Challenge:
Total Points: 120 points

Saw (2004) 1h, 43m
Wow, 2004. Hard to believe it has been 15 years! This first film is really good. We’ll see how the sequels hold up!
8.5/10

Saw II (2005) 1h, 33m
A group of contestant’s in Jigsaw’s latest game find themselves in a house of horrors. The usual fun and games are planned. The needle pit is not fun to watch, at least for me.
7/10

Saw III (2006) 1h, 48m
The cat is out of the bag on Jigsaw’s partner in crime, and this movie is a little confusing with all the flashbacks. Lots of gnarly torture and gruesome scenes (can you say back alley brain surgery?). This was the height of torture porn in horror movies, of which I am not a huge fan of. Saw III focuses more on the gore and less on the story.
6/10

Saw IV (2007) 1h, 33m
The traps are more elaborate, as is the story line. This was a better watch than the third installment, maybe because it was 15 minutes shorter, or maybe because it was just better. 4 left to go, what can be next?
7/10

Saw V (2008) 1h, 32m
I feel like Saw is one of the few series that gets better as it goes on. I think that IV & V are much better than III. Traps are still very elaborate, gore is still prevalent, but the story is more compelling.
7/10

Saw VI (2009) 1h, 30m
I see the end of the Saw! Just three movies left before turning to a much more cheery franchise in Hellraiser. VI advances the story, but this is starting to drag out.
6.5/10

Saw: The Final Chapter (2010) 1h, 30m
Is that Chester Bennington? It is! I didn’t know he was in this. Kinda sad to see him. The gore seems amped up with some really graphic traps. Can’t believe this is the end of the series!
6.5/10

Jigsaw (2017) 1h, 32m
Wait a minute! The previous movie was called the FINAL Chapter. Just can’t trust Hollywood I guess. Ten years later and Jigsaw is back, this time as a zombie. OK, just kidding, or am I? Hopefully this wraps up the series as I don’t think this revisit was needed.
6.5/10

Overall, I don’t love this series. It’s got a couple bright spots for me in the first chapter and the fifth, but it’s really one big run on sentence of a series. Essentially 12 1/2 hours of gore packed traps with brief intermissions of detective work. Oddly enough, it was often the detective work that pulled me in.

Hellraiser (1987) 1h, 34m
Classic, just classic. Barker nailed it here with a compelling story and also delivered some of the most unique movie monsters of all time, led by Pinhead, played by Doug Bradley.
9/10

Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) 1h, 37m
The sequel is a little faster paced, but still carries the same weight as the first movie. This one isn’t as gritty as much of the time is spent in another dimension, but it still has a fantastic “dirty” feel to it.
8.5/10

Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992) 1h, 37m
You know, this one gets a fair amount of hate, but I still enjoy it. Gone is the gritty vision of Clive Barker, and this entry is much “slicker.” The Cenobites designs are not nearly as good, and Pinhead even jokes about that in the movie.
7/10

Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996) 1h, 25m
Hellraiser in space, telling the story of the creation of the Lament Configuration, as well as its destruction. Interesting take, but ultimately the execution is lacking.
6/10

Hellraiser: Inferno (2000) 1h, 39m
One of the better sequels in the franchise as Craig Sheffer returns to the world of Clive Barker in a gritty, dirty police investigation looking for The Engineer.
7/10

Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002) 1h, 29m
Gotta watch out for mayhem! More sex and less Cenobites than the typical Hellraiser flick, but I think this one is pretty enjoyable. Makes for a great double feature with Inferno. Biggest complaint is the ending.
6.5/10

Hellraiser: Deader (2005) 1h, 28m
It’s a little surprising that it took until the 7th movie to bring a cult spin into the Hellraiser universe. This one also goes back to a grittier feel. Ultimately this was a pretty uninteresting entry.
5.5/10

Hellraiser: Hellworld (2005) 1h, 31m
Hellraiser: The Video Game? I guess that is an interesting idea. It doesn’t play out well on the screen though.
5/10

Films
The Stuff (1985) 1h, 27m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Directed by Larry Cohen)
Are you eating it, or is it eating you? Love this classic, but man the FX are bad.
6.5/10

Rawhead Rex (1986) 1h, 29m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Screenplay by Clive Barker)
Good monster idea, bad monster execution. Maybe a candidate for a remake with some proper FX?
6/10

Total Points: 132

The Madness: Of Kings & Masters Week 2

Here are the Week 2 results. This week, I’ve decided to focus on John Carpenter’s filmography. With Body Bags and The Fog last week, I was able to watch all but one of his feature films. I couldn’t find Elvis streaming anywhere reputable. Week 3 there is a Hellraiser & Saw Marathon challenge that I intend to make a run at, so gearing up for that as well.

Theatre
The Feast
Total Points: 2
We went down to the local theatre to watch a 3 person play. It was really great and played out like an episode of Tales from the Crypt. An artist hears noises from his toilet and discovers an ancient group of monsters that invite them to their “Feast.” He returns home and paints a picture of him at the Feast, incurring their wrath.

Films
Prince of Darkness (1987) 1h, 42m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
One of John Carpenter’s more underrated films. The mood is set early with Carpenter’s gloomy and bass driven soundtrack and the tension ratchets up from the get go.
7.5/10

They Live (1988) 1h, 34m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
One of the best fight scenes in all of filmdom between Piper and Keith David. I was lucky enough to share a few drinks with David at a convention and he said it was the most physical scene he had ever filmed. Somehow, this film is even more poignant today than it was in 1988.
8.5/10

The Thing (1982) 1h, 49m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
In contention for my favorite Carpenter film. Absolute classic and amazing that this bombed in its theatrical release.
9.5/10

Ghosts of Mars (2001) 1h, 38m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
There are parts of me that wants to like this movie. It’s got a solid cast and a cool premise. The script is just terrible though; filled with terrible one-liners and unbelievable scenarios. It plays out like a video game, with levels and encounters, and the villains look like they were designed for a game as well.
6/10

The Ward (2010) 1h, 29m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
An under the radar Carpenter release that I really enjoy. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I liked it.
7/10

Assault of Precinct 13 (1976) 1h, 31m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
Gritty siege flick from earlier in Carpenter’s career. It’s more of an exploitation flick than horror, but here I am, watching it in October!
7.5/10

John Carpenter’s Vampires (1998) 1h, 48m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
I dig the Western flair in this vampire flick. I also like James Woods character, which I have heard many say that didn’t like him.
7/10

Christine (1983) 1h, 50m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
I think it’s time for a sequel with a killer Tesla.
7/10

Escape from New York (1981) 1h, 39m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
Basically 90 minutes of Kurt Russell being cooler than you. Great imagery of a post apocalyptic New York City. I dig this flick a lot.
8/10

Escape from L.A. (1996) 1h, 41m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
Ugh. This script is so bad and don’t get me started on the surfboard scene.
5/10

Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992) 1h, 39m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
One of the few Carpenter movies I had never seen before. As you would expect from Chevy Chase, there is plenty of cheesy humor throughout. It is very much a comedy spun around the Invisible Man story. The FX haven’t held up well, but it was still a fun time.
6.5/10

In the Mouth of Madness (1994) 1h, 35m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
Do you read Sutter Kane? I forgot how good, and how messed up this movie is! Was great to revisit this after many years.
8/10

Village of the Damned (1995) 1h, 38m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
Creepy damn kids. Every time I see a child with stark blonde hair, I think of this movie, and instantly wonder if they are evil. Also, use caution when grilling.
7/10

Dark Star (1974) 1h, 23m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
Wow, this hasn’t aged well. It’s basically about the dangers of being isolated in space for decades as the crew goes bananas. Oh, there is also a beach ball acting like an alien they picked up as a mascot. I’m not positive here, but I think there are drugs involved.
5.5/10

Someone’s Watching Me (1978) 1h, 37m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
Made for TV movie. Growing up in the 80s, I feel like there were dozens of movies like this. This was the first time seeing this one (I think), and it is actually pretty creepy.
6/10

Halloween (1978) 1h, 31m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
Of course this had to be the finale of the Carpenter Marathon! The only movie that I missed was Elvis, and I just couldn’t find a reputable spot to stream that.
10/10

Q: The Winged Serpent (1982) 1h, 33m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Directed by Larry Cohen)
Gritty New York courtesy of Larry Cohen meets a prehistoric stop motion flying creature. Always been a favorite of mine!
8/10

The Midnight Meat Train (2008) 1h, 40m
Total Points:6 (ATB – Produces by Clive Barker)
Vinnie Jones is terrifying. The CGI still bothers me, but less than it used to, probably due to a few repeated viewings.
6.5/10

Total Points: 110

The Madness: Kings & Masters Week 1

Well, it’s that time of year again. Even though I haven’t been curating my blog AT ALL, I’m still a horror nut, so I find myself, once again, a victim of THE MADNESS. If you aren’t aware, The Madness is an annual foray into the depths of the horror genre by a group of demented fans looking to amass as many points as possible. The scoring system varies from year to year, based on the subject matter. This year, we focus on Stephen King, Clive Barker, Mick Garris and other Masters of Horror. If you want to check out the full rules, and follow the Madness, click here. I’ll be posting the films I watched, and the scoring, on a weekly basis. Tis the season!

Films:
Wrinkles the Clown (2019) 1h, 15m
Total Points: 12 (Opening Weekend Challenge)
I knew nothing of Wrinkles prior to watching this, and honestly, I wasn’t sure if I was watching a Documentary or Mockumentary for a while. Solid watch and short enough to keep my interest.
7/10

IT: Chapter Two (2019) 2h, 49m
Total Points: 9 (ATB – Featuring Stephen King)
Slower, and not as creepy as Chapter One, but I still enjoyed it. I’ve always felt that the ending to the It saga was lacking, whether it was the book or the original made for TV version, so wasn’t surprised that the ending here was also a little silly.
7/10

Creepshow (1982) 2h
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Written By & Featuring Stephen King)
Love this classic! I think I have to side with the majority and mark Father’s Day as my favorite.
8/10

Nightbreed: The Director’s Cut (1990) 2h, 25m
Total Points: 7.5 (ATB – Directed by Clive Barker)
Travel to Midian, where the monsters live and Clive Barker’s imagination runs rampant. I actually think the DC is a little clunky compared to the theatrical release, but am happy to have my hands on the Scream Factory box set.
8/10

Piranha (1978) 1h, 34m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Directed by Joe Dante)
Jaws created a rush of animal attack movies, and this may be one of the best. This also spawned a sequel, as well as a 3D remake and sequel.
7.5/10

Innocent Blood (1992) 1h, 52m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Directed by John Landis)
This one tends to fly under the radar, which is a bit surprising as there are some pretty notable actors in it. Marie, a vampire, craves Italian one night, leading to mobsters gaining the powers of the Undead, and she has to help clean it up.
7/10

Sleepwalkers (1992) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Directed by Mick Garris)
Shapeshifters, cats and incest. Weird movie. Cameos by several Masters of Horror, including Stephen King, Clive Barker, John Landis and Joe Dante.
5/10

The Funhouse (1981) 1h, 36m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Directed by Tobe Hooper)
Classic flick! I actually didn’t love this the first time I watched it, but it certainly has grown on me over the years.
7.5/10

Creepshow 2 (1987) 1h, 32m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Written by & Featuring Stephen King)
Gorier than the first, but just as good. The Raft is a story and segment that has stuck with me over the years.
8.5/10

Phantasm (1979) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Directed by Don Coscarelli)
Boyyyyyyy! Essential October viewing. Phantasm is a weird and scary tale.
7.5/10

Phantasm II (1988) 1h, 37m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Directed by Don Coscarelli)
Reggie and Mike are on the trail of the Tall Man. This bizarre series continues to get stranger, and I love it!
7/10

Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Directed by Don Coscarelli)
I was also in the military, but sure didn’t learn to use nunchakus there! The craziness continues….
6.5/10

Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998) 1h, 30m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Directed by Don Coscarelli)
Interdimensional travel is one thing, but why not throw in some time travel to spice things up! I knew deep down that Angus Scrimm was a nice guy!
7/10

Phantasm: Ravager (2016) 1h, 25m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Written by Don Coscarelli)
Was it all in Reggie’s head?!? Nah! I sure do miss Angus. I wish I liked the final chapter more.
6/10

Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990) 1h, 33m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – When Animals Attack (Cat – Cat From Hell segment)
Quite a bit of star power to be found in this anthology! Some good stories within, and this is inspiring me to watch some killer cat movies!
7.5/10

Re-Animator: Director’s Cut (1985) 1h, 26m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Directed by Stuart Gordon)
Such a fantastic homage to Frankenstein. Jeffrey Combs is an absolute force of nature as Herbert West as well! Essential viewing, and not just during October.
9/10

Cat’e Eye (1985) 1h, 34m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Written by Stephen King)
Not my favorite anthology. I dig the first segment with James Woods giving up smoking, but the next couple are pretty week.
5.5/10

Lord of Illusions (1995) 1h, 49m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Written & Directed by Clive Barker)
Clive Barker’s imagination is a weird, dark place and I love that he shares that through his art. I feel like they should have made an episode of Quantum Leap based on the movie though.
7.5/10

Joker (2019) 2h, 2m
Total Points: 3 (Scissors used for murder)
Well, this was the only non-ATB movie of week one for me as I didn’t get to it opening weekend, but it sure was worth it. This is a very heavy, but very good movie. It does remind me of Taxi Driver, especially the aesthetics.
9/10

The Fog (1980) 1h, 29m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Directed by John Carpenter)
I think I am going to make this the start of a John Carpenter marathon for week 2. Amazing atmosphere, Tom Atkins and Jamie Lee Curtis. What more can you ask for?
8/10

Total Points: 127.5

A Vinegar Syndrome Drive-In Double Feature : Deathrow Gameshow & Hobgoblins

Deathrow Gameshow (1986)

Directed By: Mark Pirro

Starring: John McCafferty, Robyn Blythe, Darwyn Carson, Beano

Synopsis: A sleazy gameshow host is dodging death threats after he executed a mob boss and his hit (or miss) gameshow, Live or Die.

Thoughts: Lowbrow in the best of ways, Deathrow Gameshow will have you groaning and shaking your head throughout. It’s jam packed with horrible jokes (Slow Children, for instance), dodgy FX (If you can call them FX) and over the top acting by John McCafferty and Beano, the world class hitman.

Deathrow Gameshow is either your jam, or it isn’t. I don’t see people having an opinion in the middle of the road here. It’s not a “good” movie by any stretch of the imagination, but man does it bring back memories of scanning VHS covers at the video store. The gore is pretty much non-exisitent, with all those scenes but away, so without the couple of topless shots, this is pretty much a PG-13 movie.

Hobgoblins (1988)

Directed By: Rick Sloane

Starring: Tom Bartlett, Paige Sullivan, Steven Boggs, Kelley Palmer, Billy Frank

Synopsis: A pack of mind altering hobgoblins escape their prison on a movie lot to wreak havoc. Can Kevin, the new security guard, stop them before they kill too many people?

Thoughts: Once a movie is featured by Mystery Science Theatre, it’s pretty much cemented as one of the best worst movies of all time. Hobgoblins seeks to cash in on the small statured monster movies like Gremlins, Critters and Ghoulies, and tries it with the smallest budget imaginable.

The creatures have a pretty decent concept, but they are poorly made and there is absolutely zero articulation with them. They are props that are thrown at victims and zoomed in on once in a while.

Like the FX, the acting is pretty atrocious. I haven’t had an opportunity to watch the MST3K episode, but after sitting through the movie, I think I need to see it. Much like the first half of this double feature, Hobgoblins is far from a good movie, but it sure is fun. I think it would make a great companion to Ghoulies or Critters in a movie marathon.

A Word About Vinegar Syndrome:

I was blown away by the quality of both of these releases. The care and attention is second to none, including much bigger releases. They are doing amazing work for the film industry, preserving movies that most companies will not touch and making them available for the masses. Support them, or risk losing the opportunity to see movies like this forever.