Horrorfest 2022 Presents: Aenigma (1988, Lucio Fulci)

The really weirdly titled Aenigma was Lucio Fulci once again trying to craft something different than his other movies, although this one was a bit too campy for me at times. It was sort of channeling Carrie, although I was also reminded of Phenomena as well, and those are better movies than this one. Still if you want to see a Fulci movie about a coma patient who gets revenge for the prank pulled on her, this is the movie for you. Lara Lambert is great and sinister looking as Eva, the instrument of Milijana Zirojevic’s Kathy, and Ulli Reinthaler is good as Jenny, who I think you were supposed to root for even though she was involved in the prank. Jared Martin is the doctor who is treating Kathy, yet still fails to make any connection between her and the strange deaths. I can’t tell if that is the plot requiring him to be that oblivious, or if it’s just him being blinded by the two ladies who are in love with him. I’ll go with both here. Both is good.

The snails death is actually pretty nasty even for a Fulci movie, and is probably one of the most memorable from a master of memorable disgusting and gruesome moments. There is also several other decent kills, and the last act is suspenseful enough, particularly since Eva literally becomes an unstoppable killing machine. Does the movie offer tangible answers to what happened, why any of this was possible, and if it could happen again? Hah ha, no, of course not. That’s the Italian horror movie way, and I’m fine with it. Also the end credits shot is very The Shining, in a way, and that’s how I like it.

Horrorfest 2020 Presents: Doctor Sleep (2019, Mike Flanagan)

Oh how I wished I had seen Doctor Sleep in theaters when theaters were still a thing. The run time probably was a reason I didn’t go, plus it was released too late for horror movie season-November is usually when I move on to Oscar flicks. Still I found the theatrical cut on Blu-ray at my local library, and I loved it a lot. This is how you do a long overdue followup to a classic movie: pay homage, yet offer a new, mostly fresh story that builds on the previous efforts.

The cast sure helps a lot, too: Ewan McGregor was an excellent choice to play a grown up, still haunted Danny, who manages to overcome the lingering demons of his past. Does the creepy old lady and the eerie bartender show up? You betcha. Kyliegh Curran is another prime example of how child actors are no longer a hindrance to movies anymore, playing Abra, who also has the “Shine.” I loved Rebecca Ferguson as Rose the Hat, simply because she disappeared into her role and reminded me of an evil cat mixed with a shark. Also quality character actor Cliff Curtis pops up as Billy, a man who helps Danny-he never gets enough credit these days.

I did like how they smartly re-casted some of the characters from the original, who pop up. Particularly Carl Lumbly, who does a great job channeling Dick Hallorann from the 1980 flick. Oh and Zahn McClarnon was properly menacing as one of the members of the group that is after Abra. I liked how you only got hints and glimpses at them, so that they remained freaky and not overexposed. Too much detail sometimes ruins things.

I wonder if the director’s cut changes some things or adds more to the movie. I will have to get my hands on that copy. For now I am very satisfied with Doctor Sleep, and I actually prefer it over The Shining, which I also love of course. Doctor Sleep covers tragedy and trauma, offering hope that one can overcome the demons of the past. Also grateful the bear suit scene didn’t make a comeback haha. Oh hey the elevator is still full of blood…

Horrorfest 2017 Presents: Mother! (Darren Aronofsky)

There are many other horror films that Mother reminds me of, Black Swan and The Shining being two of them. Darren Aronofsky has engaged in psychological matters before, and he goes even further with his latest. Metaphorically, this is a trip into the outrageous, and I refuse to go looking for online answers. Its more satisfying to figure out what a movie is trying to say, even if you end up being wrong.

Also its nice to see Jennifer Lawrence being a part of a non blockbuster film again. I remember discovering her in Winter’s Bone, and she once again displays a naturalistic charisma that makes Veronica one of her best performances. Javier Bardem rivals her, embodying Him as a sort of wonderful grizzly bear of a man. The two are perfectly matched up together, and the struggles that result between them are both captivating, and later on, insane. My patience was rewarded with a last act which I cannot further elaborate on.

Oh and there is a cameo from the last person you would expect to be in this madhouse of a film. I love that Domhnall Gleeson is bent on being in every movie he can possibly appear in, plus Michelle Pfeiffer and Ed Harris might as well be an older version of the main duo. I saw this in an empty theater, and was enthralled by almost every moment. This might be Aronofsky’s masterwork, a film that cares only about what he is trying to accomplish. No wonder audiences hated Mother!

Horrorfest 2017 Presents: The Black Torment (1964, Robert Hartford -Davis )

Made during the height of Hammer Studios The Black Torment feels like a lost film from them, and it has some of the grace notes of Hammer films. One thing I enjoy about the 1960s is the number of period horror films, many of them well done and entertaining. The Black Torment has ghosts, a sword fight, class issues and some good creepy scenes. The main cast is full of people I did not recognize, yet I felt that added a degree of intrigue to the movie, since I would not be able to guess what happened next.

One of the film’s highlights is Sir Richard Fordyke (John Turner) riding after a ghost! Who then manages to chase after him, in eerie and suspenseful fashion. The movie’s gothic horror aspects are its strongest features, and overcome some weak melodrama early on in the film. Heather Sears as Lady Elizabeth is excellently cast as Richard’s wife, and she more than holds her own in the film.

Plus there is a staircase scene that reminded me of The Shining, which makes me wonder if Stanley Kubrick got the inspiration for one of his film’s most infamous moments from The Black Torment. Every Horrorfest I uncover a hidden old gem, and I eagerly recommend this film to everyone looking for solid entertainment.

Halloween Playlist

Look this is based only off the music I have on my iTunes, but its still a decent playlist. Not one I would go with overall if I could make a truly great one, however:

1. Wolf Like Me, TV On The Radio. From: Return To Cookie Mountain

2. Psycho Killer, Talking Heads. From: Sand In The Vaseline

3. The Skin Of The Night, M83. From: Saturdays=Youth

4. The Omen, Jerry Goldsmith. From: Classic Horror Films

5. Psycho, Bernard Herrmann. From: Classic Horror Films

6. Scream, Marco Beltrami. From: Classic Horror Films

7. Halloween, John Carpenter. From: Classic Horror Films

8. The Exorcist, London Bells. From: Classic Horror Films

9. Poltergeist, Jerry Goldsmith. From: Classic Horror Films

10. Friday the 13th (Part 3 score), Harry Manfredini. From: Classic Horror Films

11. Dracula, Various Artists. From: Classic Horror Films

12. Nightmare On Elm Street, Charles Bernstein. From: Classic Horror Films

13. The Prince of Darkness, John Carpenter. From: Classic Horror Films

14. The Silence of the Lambs, Howard Shore. From: Classic Horror Films

15. The Shining, Wendy Carlos & Rachel Elkind. From: Classic Horror Films

16. Little House of Savages, The Walkmen. From: Bows + Arrows

17. Bad Moon Rising, Creedence Clearwater Revival. From: Chronicle, Vol. 1

18. Hush (Live), Deep Purple. From: Deep Purple Icon

19. Screaming Skull, Sonic Youth. From: Experimental Jet Set, Trash And No Star

20. Shopping For Blood, Franz Ferdinand. From: Franz Ferdinand (Special Edition)

21. Pet Sematary [Single Version], The Ramones. From: Greatest Hits

Overall Length: 21 Songs, 1 hour 16 minutes 36 seconds running time, 390.4 MB.