I want to like “Rose Red” but it is just not a very scary or suspenseful movie. I don’t really like any of the characters so that impacts my interest toward this two-night Stephen King television movie. It used to be a regular event for network television to buy one of King’s properties and then create a TV movie. Some were good, others not so good. I think this is one lesser quality King works. A team of ghost hunters head off to a notorious haunted property to see if they can find any evidence of activity. Their search will [More]
This is a moderately interesting tale of a city family happening upon an old country home for sale, deciding to buy it, and taking the plunge headlong into strange occurrences and demonic possession. This movie is of note because of an early directorial turn by Steven Spielberg. He followed up the classic “Duel” (1971), with this effort. “Duel” was definitely better but this movie is distinguished by impressive camera work and unorthodox shooting angles befitting the twisted nature of this tale of possession. Darren McGavin is also onboard, just recently removed from his performance as Kolchak from “The Night Stalker” [More]
I am trying to pinpoint the origins of how this movie was made. What haunted house film had come before that could provide “inspiration” to get this film produced? I have guessed “The Omen” (haunted in a different way) or maybe even “The Legend of Hell House” but I am not sure. “House of Evil” is a mismatch of ghostly manifestations taking place in an abandoned mansion which has been recently purchased by a scientist as the site of a new research facility. A team of fellow scientists and assorted specialists join the professor in his new digs and then [More]
“Burnt Offerings” brings to mind another haunted mansion flick, “The Shining”. BO features a family renting a stately manor and acting as caretakers to the property and the elderly lady supposedly inhabiting an upstairs room. It isn’t long before the heebee-jeebees set in and the wife and husband get unwillingly possessed by some dark forces lingering about the place. The husband has a bad spell and nearly drowns his son in the pool but then returns to some semblance of normality while his wife starts behaving rather oddly. As you can well imagine, no good can come from any of [More]
Here is a seasonal fun item. Rite Aide sells this adjustable party strobe light which also includes spooky sound effects of a haunted house, howling winds, thunder and lightening, creaking doors and general Halloween inspired noise. Buy a couple and have competing audio and video mayhem in your own living room. Michael Myers mask is optional but necessary. Ah. The possibilities!
Here’s some good background chatter to play during your groovy Halloween party or in your haunted playhouse. A veritable assemblage of white and pink noise layers and ambient pads build to a cacophony of dread induced drones. Lovely! Inspired by themes and nightmares explored by H.P. Lovecraft and his multifarious ghastly denizens of the very Deep and Dark.
A lovely, wet weather, stay inside creep fest to indulge in and then pay the price by looking over your shoulder or seeing things out of the corner of your eye when the movie does what it’s supposed to do and scares the Hell (House) out of you. A scientist and his hand picked psychics and sensitives venture to a sprawling estate long rumored to be infested with ghosts. The investigators’ purpose is to gather evidence and finally prove that there is a form of life after death: that ghosts really exist. Heavily atmospheric and unsettling. Good performances from Roddy McDowall and Clive [More]
What a cool concept! A haunted house walk through at Universal Studios in Hollywood of psycho Michael Myers’ various killing grounds. In this scenario, you go toward the hulking Shape and he and other scary figures jump out at you. No nasty slashing or blood spilling is involved. You may soil your shorts but at least you’re doing this in the dark. You may get away with no one seeing it.