Howdy folks,

I suppose I have no one to blame but myself for the back half of 2013’s sluggardly pace as far as cranking out the flicks goes. There’s no denying that I’ve kept myself busy with various projects, but this has been the case every other year as well. I’ve been writing (much) longer reviews than in the past, which definitely accounts for some of the lack of time spent in front of the other screen. However, now that HIDDEN HORROR is almost out of my hands and on the brink of being in yours (or at least, within your reach – lead a horse to water and all that) and Milwaukee Rep’s production of Noises Off is up and running, I’m hoping to be able to chill out with a few more movies as the year comes to a close.  It's encouraging that I watched as many movies the last week in November as I did the rest of the month. Of course, a very relaxed Thanksgiving with the femalien and Jon Kitley’s Turkey Day had something to do with that....

As always, feel free to leave your two cents worth – we’ll make sure you get some change back.

Enjoy!



HORROR:

Body Bags (1993) d. Carpenter, John / Hooper, Tobe (USA) (1st and 2nd viewings)

***CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW***

Eve of Destruction (1991) d. Gibbons, Duncan (1st viewing)

***CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW***

Night of the Comet (1984) d. Eberhardt, Thom (USA) (2nd and 3rd viewings)  

***CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW***




CIVILIAN:

Animals (2012) d. Forés, Marçal (Spain) (1st viewing)

*** FULL REVIEW COMING SOON***

Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) d. Carpenter, John (USA) (2nd and 3rd viewings)  

***CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW***

Ban the Sadist Videos! (2006) d. Gregory, David (UK) (1st viewing)

Gregory’s exemplary examination of the BBCC Video Nasty crackdown is a two-part documentary which delves deep into the societal and political environment that led to one of the most notorious incidents of censorship in recent memory. Though it’s composed largely of talking heads and close-ups of newspaper headlines, it’s a thrilling look at a dark era not too far in our collective rear-view mirrors, where the small-minded few held sway over the many. Those who forget the past, my friends, are doomed to repeat it. (available from Severin Video on their House on Straw Hill DVD/BR combo)

Knightriders (1981) d. Romero, George A. (2nd and 3rd viewings)

***CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW***

Where the Wild Things Are (2009) d. Jonze, Spike (USA) (1st viewing)

Liked this adaptation of Maurice Sendak's famed children's book a lot. Great blending of physical and practical effects, although it once again confirmed for me the notion that it’s more fun to be a kid than to have one.


2013 Totals to date: 270 films, 215 1st time views, 168 horror, 69 cinema

Howdy folks,

Another long patch of time with not as many flicks, but the Doc’s hands have not been idle, I promise. The journey toward the completion of the new book, HIDDEN HORROR, continues to move inexorably forward, which required much of my focus over the past few weeks. But the good news is that things are shaping up nicely and we should have a lovely new addition to your bookshelf sooner than later. Keep you posted!

That said, it was a pretty good stretch of flicks and we’ve done our best to give them all their moment in the sun. I’m not going to give much ink to Edgar Wright’s The World’s End because, well, frankly you can read up on it elsewhere and I’m not feeling all that inspired about or by it. (Sorry, Simon. Being loud and muggy and obnoxious does not necessarily equal laughs. Hell, I liked you more in the Star Trek sequel that I didn’t really like.)

As always, feel free to leave us your two cents worth – we’ll make sure you get some change back.

Enjoy!


HORROR:

Battery, The (2012) (1st viewing) d. Gardner, Jeremy (USA)

No-budget done right
A zombie flick with real brains
Best since Pontypool

**CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW**

Don't Go to the Reunion (2013) (1st viewing) d. Goltz, Steve (USA)

Cheesehead slasher stuff
Fun clichés but nothing new
Needed better kills

Lords of Salem, The (2012) (2nd viewing) d. Zombie, Rob (USA)

Call it a Witch-Slap
Zombie’s most accomplished film
And still it falls short

**CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW**

World's End, The (2013) (1st viewing) d. Wright, Edgar (UK)

Slow warm up pays off
But still the least of the three
Frost better than Pegg





NOT YET AT SIXES AND SEVENS:

Scanners II: The New Order (1991) (1st viewing) d. Duguay, Christian (Canada)

Goofy sequel time
So-so morality play
Heads blow up real good


Scanners III: The Takeover (1991) (1st viewing) d. Duguay, Christian (Canada)

Saucy Scanner lass
Killing everyone in sight
Lot more fun this time

**CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW**

Psycho II (1983) (4th viewing) d. Franklin, Richard (USA)

Superb follow-up
Norman’s back at Bates Motel
So is Mommy dear

**CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW**

Psycho III (1986) (3rd viewing) d. Perkins, Anthony (USA)

Tony takes the chair
More gore checks in, brains check out
Franchise takes a dive

**CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW**




CIVILIAN:

Butler, The (2013) (1st viewing) d. Daniels, Lee (USA)

Episodic tale
Exam of race in U.S.
Distracting star cast

World's End: The Making of Day of the Dead, The (2013)
(1st viewing) d. Felsher, Michael (USA)

Solid doc of Day
If only George had stopped there
Choppy but worthwhile


**CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW**


2013 Totals to date: 207 films, 183 1st time views, 121 horror, 61 cinema

Howdy folks!

Some days it's good to be the Doc...

Wow, we’re actually caught up again. Amazing what a few quick rounds of Fool’s Views Haikus will do, combined with the fact that I haven’t been turning and burning the flicks the way I have during summer months of yore. Thanks to the good folks at Shout! Factory for providing most of the thrills and chills during the three week period covered herein, although Kitley’s Krypt provided a couple highlights as well. (Razorback, Yor)

Let’s see what kind of mischief we can get up to. As always, feel free to leave your two cents worth – we’ll make sure you get some change back.

Enjoy!


HORROR:

Cockneys vs. Zombies (2012) d. Hoene, Matthias (UK)

‘nother damn zom com
So badly wants to be Shaun
Catchy credits tune

**CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW**

Dark Angel (aka I Come in Peace) (1990) (1st viewing) d. Baxley, Craig R. (USA)

Drug runners from space
Dolph talks tough, busts chops, spins kicks
Fun nostalgia piece

**CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW**

Human Centipede II: Full Sequence, The (2011) (2nd viewing) d. Six, Tom (Netherlands)

Meta gore galore
Even better than the first
Earns its nasty rep

**CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW**

Razorback (1984) (2nd viewing) d. Mulcahy, Russell (Australia)

Titan tusked terror
Mayhem follows in its wake
There goes my TV!

**CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW**

Schizoid (1980) (2nd viewing) d. Paulsen, David (USA)

Psycho targets group
Killer cast but stodgy pace
Kinski in fine form

**CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW**

Tale of Two Sisters, A (2003) (2nd viewing) d. Ji-woon, Kim (Japan)

Evil new stepmom
Has it in for the siblings
Creepy clever class

Truth or Dare (2013) (1st viewing) d. Cameron, Jessica (USA)

Lamebrains seeking fame
YouTube scheme has tables turned
Juvenile hijinks

**FULL REVIEW COMING SOON**

X-Ray (aka Hospital Massacre) (1982) (1st viewing) d. Davidson, Boaz (USA)

Not your routine exam
Zany Babs slasher scores high
What the Doc ordered

**CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW**

Yor: The Hunter from the Future (1983) (1st viewing) d. Margheriti, Antonio (Italy)

Young lad’s fever dream
Babes, dinos, spaceships, mutants
Schlocktastic triumph

**CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW (NOT MINE, BUT SO MUCH FUN)**


2013 Totals to date: 197 films, 176 1st time views, 112 horror, 58 cinema