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Featured Post - Mystery Movie Marathon

I thought I'd kick the new year off with another movie marathon. I thought it was time to check out a few old school mystery flicks. Som...

Monday, September 27, 2021

Featured Post - The 2021 Halloween Marathon

It's that time of year again. When the weather starts to get chilly and the leaves change. I love Fall and everything that comes with it, especially Halloween. As has always been my tradition here the last couple of years at Crappy Movie Reviews I like to do an annual Halloween movie marathon. I try to squeeze in at least one if not several spooky flicks each day of my favorite month. This year will be no different. I plan on revisiting my favorites as well as working in some new movies that may eventually become favorites. 

My previous best was seventy three horror movies in October. I'm hoping to beat that record this year. Since so many of my events including special screenings have been cancelled or didn't survive the pandemic I'm thinking I just might do it. I suppose that is me trying to make lemonade out of the lemons the world has been handing us the last year or so, but you find the positives where you can. 

Do you do something similar? If so I'd love to hear from you. Let me know what you are watching and if there is something you think I should check out. I'm always looking for new stuff to watch this time of the year. I also enjoy talking movies so drop me a note at the email box on the right side of the page. 

If you are interested in what I've done in previous years check out the links below. 

Movie 1 - Night of the Lepus (1972) - Killer bunny rabbits and DeForest Kelly! What isn't to love about that? I thought I kick this marathon off with some cheese and this fit that bill nicely. I just reviewed it this month. You can read that full review here

Movie 2 - Return of the Living Dead part II (1988) - This is my second favorite zombie movie from director Ken Weiderhorn. Don't worry you will see the other one on my list. I know a lot of people don't like this sequel to what is admittedly a better movie. But I enjoy it's tongue in cheek humor. I reviewed it click here for more. 

Movie 3 - The Thing from Another World (1951) - This classic is one of my favorites. I've always tried to watch it every October since the late '70s. Though back then I had to catch it on the local late night hosted horror programs. Check out my full review here

Movie 4 - The Fly (1958) - It isn't October until I have some Vincent Price in my life. This is an excellent performance from him, even if it is just a supporting role. A fantastic movie that deserves to be considered a classic. It always pops up on my list of things to watch this time of the year. 

Movie 5 - The Thing (1982) - This is another must watch favorite of mine. I have watched this every October since I first got my hands on a VHS copy back in the late '80s. A wonderful cast, insanely good special effects work, and the paranoia of an isolated location. Check out my full review here

October 2nd 

Movie 6 - The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) - I thought a couple of Universal flicks would be a good include in my marathon. This is the last of their big franchises to launch some twenty years after Dracula and Frankenstein. Famous for creature design and underwater cinematography this one still holds up well. 

Movie 7 - The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) - I love Frankenstein but if I'm completely honest this is a better movie. Karloff is even better as the monster in this one, and we also get the iconic Elsa Lanchester at the titular Bride. I don't always watch Universal movies this time of the year, but when I do Bride is always at the top of the list. 

October 3rd

Movie 8 - The Fog (1980) - This is a favorite movie that I watch every October. This is also the second John Carpenter flick in the marathon already. Though it won't be the last. This might be my favorite non Haunted House ghost story ever. Check out my full review here

October 4th

Movie 9 - Zombie (1979) - Can't have a horror marathon without some Fulci. Zombie is one of my favorite flicks of his. I love zombie movies and with the exception of Romero's original trilogy this is my favorite. Check out my full review at this link

Movie 10 - Seance (2021) - Time to hit Shudder up for a couple new to me movies. This looks like an interesting flick with a haunted girls school. Not at all what I expected but I'm glad to have watched it. There are some twists that I never saw coming. 

Movie 11 - Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018) - Another new to me flick off of Shudder. Gonjiam has been on my radar for a couple of years now. Normally I'm not a huge fan of found footage, but this looked cool. A haunted asylum was right up my alley. Sadly this one suffers from pacing issues as it gets repetitive. There are some scares but I wasn't thrilled with it overall. 

October 5th

Movie 12 - Here Comes Hell (2019) - This was another movie that I saw on Shudder and decided to watch. This was a fun low budget gem that combined an old school '30s vibe with some Evil Dead like demon possessions and mayhem. Not saying it is Evil Dead good, but it was a fun watch. 

Movie 13 - Prom Night (1980) - Watched three new to me movies so I figured it was about time to watch another old favorite. I know this is a bit light on gore but it is one of my favorite slashers. For more you can check out my full review here

October 6th

Movie 14 - Sharks of the Corn (2021) - Well the title is cool. This movie is way too long, drags most of the way, is filled with mediocre acting and generally was a chore to get thru. That sucks because I'm a big fan of Tim Ritter's older movies and was excited to check it out. 

Movie 15 - My Bloody Valentine (1981) - This is my favorite slasher movie and I always watch it every October. Now with the gore restored it is even better. For more you can click on the link here to read more about it. 

October 7th

Movie 16 - The Prowler (1981) - Excellent kills from Tom Savini coupled with a decent mystery makes The Prowler a must watch for me in October. I know a lot of fans don't dig this one and I don't understand why. It checks all the necessary boxes and is fun. Click here for my full review. 

October 8th

Movie 17 - The Beast Must Die (1974) - This is a movie that I used to watch all the time when it played on my local horror hosted show. The last few years I've revisited it a few times and have enjoyed it. Nothing beast the groovy '70s music and the infamous Werewolf Break. 

October 9th

Movie 18 - Terror Train (1980) - I was psyched that Joe Bob Briggs decided to show this. I love this movie and it is is one of my favorite early slasher flicks. Jamie Lee Curtis is awesome in this. Check out my full review here

Movie 19 - Tales of Terror (1962) - This Roger Corman produced and directed anthology stars the great Vincent Price in three horror stories. Also in the movie are Basil Rathbone and Peter Lorre, who steals the story he is in. These Corman flicks starring Price are awesome and it has been far too long since I watched one of them. 

Movie 20 - Twice Told Tales (1963) - This is another Vincent Price anthology but this time without Roger Corman. The last story is the best of the bunch but they are all melodramatic. That said Price makes them worth watching at least once, but this isn't up to the work he did with Corman. 

Movie 21 - The Gate (1987) - It has been a couple of years since I watched this. At least I think so. This was a frequent rental for me and I've always got a kick out of it. The Gate is a fun movie with decent special effects work. I watched this one at my friend's backyard cinema. 

Movie 22 - House (1985) - This is an all time favorite of mine. The comedy and horror blend together perfectly with the highlight being the killer one-liners from Richard Moll. The creature design is creepy and there are even some good scares. 

October 10th

Movie 23 - The Cat and the Canary (1939) - People don't seem to realize that Bob Hope made a couple spooky movies in his career. This one has an old mansion in the swamps, murder, and George Zucco in a supporting role. All add up to a decent flick. Check out my full review here

Movie 24 - School Spirit (2019) - This is one of those Hulu Into the Dark movies from Blumhouse Television. It is an interesting take on a slasher movie. While it lacks creative kills and gore the movie is quickly paced, has interesting characters, and a weird twist to the final girl that I found disturbing. 

Movie 25 - Hubie Halloween (2020) - I enjoyed the heck out of this last year when it came out. I get that it might not be everyone's cup of tea but the silly humor and Sandler's cast of friends is a blast. Give it a chance if you want some goofy spooky fun. 

October 11th 

Movie 26 - V/H/S/94 (2021) - I knew I was going to check this out as I liked the first couple entries in what I suppose can now be called the V/H/S franchise. This was a decent collection of stories. I was surprised by how much gore we get. Yeah a lot of it is CGI, but the volume makes up for it. That said I can't see revisiting this one like I do the first two. 

October 12th 

Movie 27 - Halloween H20 (1998) - It had been a while since I've watched this one and I needed to watch and review it for the Halloween reviewathon coming later this month. Honestly I like it a heck of a lot more than five and six, but that bar isn't hard to clear. Still it was nice to see Laurie back in the saddle, and there ins't any kung fu. 

Movie 28 - Night of the Demons (1988) - This is another old favorite of mine. I remember renting it quite often. A great movie with fun characters, good monsters, and some decent kills. Check out my full review here for more details on what I think. 

October 13th

Movie 29 - Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957) - I've been watching this one since I was a kid. What used to be just a fun alien movie with silly creatures has aged well as I've gotten older. This is both a parody and a great example of the genre. I highly recommend this one. 

October 14th

Movie 30 - The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972) - I love these '70s Bigfoot documentaries. This one is probably my favorite. I know they are cheesy, but they always make me feel like I'm sitting in a drive-in eating popcorn. Check out my full review here

October 15th

Movie 31 - The Legend of Hell House (1973) - This is one of my favorite haunted house movies. I love Roddy McDowall in this and we get a lot of twists and turns from the excellent story from Richard Matheson. My full review can be read here

Movie 32 - 10/31 Part 2 (2019) - This is another anthology from some of the best independent horror filmmakers going. I really enjoyed it. There is some decent gore, creature effects, and twists that only seem to show up on these indy projects. Check it out and support in independent horror!

October 16th 

Movie 33 - Chompy and the Girls (2021) - This was one of my co-hosts picks for this weeks Bloodbaths and Boomsticks podcast. It is an odd independent movie about a dude with a giant mouth walking around swallowing little girls whole. Only the girls are all the same and there is some other monster shenanigans going on. Interesting flick. 

Movie 34 - The Body Snatcher (1945) - This was another pick for the next Bloodbaths and Boomsticks podcast. Tim picked this classic starring Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. It is a great movie with a spooky atmosphere that I recommend you check out. 

Movie 35 - Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021) - If you figured out with my inclusion of Hubie Halloween in the marathon I like to mix in some silly stuff. This was a good time and a nice throwback to the old Muppet movies. 

October 17th

Movie 36 - Day of the Dead (1985) - Had to work a Romero classic zombie flick into the mix. This is my second favorite of them. Great special effects work, over the top acting, and some amazing lines from Joe Pilato. You can check out my full review from an earlier marathon here

October 18th 

Movie 37 - Halloween: Resurrection (2002) - I watched this because I'm covering them for the site this October. I really didn't want to watch this but I do what I must. This is every bit as slow and boring as I remember it being. I'll have more when I do the review. 

Movie 38 - Sharkenstein (2016) - I watched this because we are reviewing it for the Shitty Shark Show. It certainly is Shitty so I guess that fits. This movie is far too ambitious for the budget. It also gets very boring as the pacing is off in spots. I don't recommend this one my friends. 

October 19th

Movie 39 - Slumber Party Massacre (2021) - Just to be clear that this isn't the classic '80s Roger Corman flick but is instead the remake that SYFY channel released this month. There are some fun Easter Eggs for the fans but the movie goes out of it's way to switch things around. I'll have more in my full review that should be popping up on the site this month. Bottom line for me is I didn't care for it. 

Movie 40 - Grave Intentions (2021) - This is a collection of short films with a wrap around tying them together. They are a mixed bag with one feeling like a film school project trying to be art for arts sake and another body horror that was a kick in the ass! Overall worth a watch. 

October 20th

Movie 41 - Terror from the Year 5000 (1958) - This is a new to me movie about a scientist that is able to send and receive things from the future. Unfortunately they end up bringing back a radioactive monster lady. I will eventually getting around to posting a review for this one. 

Movie 42 - The Cabin in the Woods (2011) - I can't believe that this movie is ten years old! I saw it in the theater and have loved it ever since. A clever take on the old formula of kids get stupid, go into the woods, and do stupid stuff. Check out my full review here

October 21st

Movie 43 - It! Terror from Beyond Space (1958) - I love this movie and try to watch it every year. An alien sneaks aboard a returning rocket ship from Mars and crawls around the duct work killing the crew. Sound a bit familiar? This one is a blast. For more check out my review here

October 22nd

Movie 44 - Shockwaves (1977) - Peter Cushing, John Carradine, and an island full of Nazi zombies! Seriously guys this is one of my favorite movies. Not incredibly gory but it has a perfect drive-in movie pedigree that makes me smile. If you haven't checked this one out before do so. Check out my full review here

Movie 45 - Cooties (2014) - This is one of the funniest new zombie movies I've seen. There is a great cast including Dwight from the office and a Hobbit. But the best part are the zombie kids and the tainted chicken nuggets that turn them. My full review can be found here

October 23rd

Movie 46 - The Evil Dead (1981) - This is one of my favorite movies to watch in October. Normally I wait until closer to Halloween but this year a friend of mine, Eric, did a double feature in his backyard and this was the first movie. So I watched it earlier than usual. Check out my full review from a couple of years ago here

Movie 47 - Evil Dead II (1987) - What goes better with Evil Dead then the sequel? This is another great movie that ramps up the silliness while keeping the scares intact. Last year I got to see the pair in a drive-in and while this isn't as cool as that I still had a blast watching with friends. My full review is here

October 24th

Movie 48 - The Black Scorpion (1957) - This is one of my favorite giant bug movies. Not as well known by casual fans like say Them or The Deadly Mantis this one has all you could ask for. A great cast headed up by Richard Denning of Creature from the Black Lagoon fame and a cool stop motion monster. Check out my full review here

October 25th

Movie 49 - Prince of Darkness (1987) - This is a creepy movie from the master of such things John Carpenter. Filled with familiar faces this one has grown on me over the years. It still hasn't cracked my top three, but Carpenter made some amazing movies. Check out my full review here

Movie 50 - Critters (1986) - One of the better monster movies from the '80s this has a wonderful cast, cool monsters, and some very funny moments. I try to watch it every couple of years and was about due so I thought the Halloween Movie Marathon is a perfect spot. 

October 26th

Movie 51 - Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) - I got to see this in the theater when it was first released and years later at a special midnight screening. I love this movie. It is the right balance of comedy and Alien invasion movie. Check out my full review here. As an added bit of fun here is the write up I did when we went to the midnight screening. 

Movie 52Tremors (1990) - I think that this has become my favorite monster movie. I love the characters, the sequels, and the creatures. I always have to watch this during the Halloween season. Check out my review here

October 27th

Movie 53 - Night of the Living Dead (1968) - It isn't Halloween until I watch Night of the Living Dead. Being public domain this was on just about every channel when I was a kid growing up. Then again there were only four or five channels! What else can I say about this classic? Click here for my review. 

Movie 54 - The Return of the Living Dead (1985) - I wasn't done with the zombie movies and decided to pop this bad boy in the old DVD player. This is one of the best non-Romero zombie flicks going. You can check out my review from a couple of years ago here

October 28th 

Movie 55 - Scout's Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015) - This is a more recent addition to my annual October movie viewing. This is an entertaining, funny, and suitably gory flick that brings plenty of zombie mayhem to the screen. You can check out my full review here

October 29th 

Movie 56 - The Tingler (1959) - This is my second favorite William Castle flick behind only House on Haunted Hill. Like that movie this one is cheesy but benefits greatly from Vincent Price's performance. Check out my full review here

Movie 57 - Waxwork (1988) - This was a frequent rental back in the day for me. I love the assortment of monsters and David Warner is excellent. Plus you know... Deborah Foreman! My full review can be found here

Movie 58 - Waxwork II: Lost in Time (1992) - This one picks up at the end of the first movie and continues the waxwork shenanigans, though Sarah gets accused of killing her stepfather when the hand from the end of the first movie follows her home. Decent followup but not as fun as the first one. 

October 30th

Movie 59 - Halloween (2018) - I held off watching this movie until it was nearly time for it to leave the theaters and even then I went only because I was already there to see something else and there was a showing starting right after I got out of the other movie. I was blown away by how great this movie is. I love the original and have to say that this is the sequel that is closest to that one. Check out my full review here

October 31st 

Movie 60 - Halloween Kills (2021) - I wanted to watch this on Halloween since I loved the 2018 movie so much. I have to say it was worth the wait. While not as fun as the previous installment I dug the call backs to characters from the 1978 movie as well as them filling in some blanks. Check out my full review here

Movie 61 - Dawn of the Dead (1978) - This is my all time favorite movie and George Romero is my favorite director. This is the gold standard of zombie movies. I could go on but if you need more convincing check out my review here

Movie 62 - Fright Night (1985) - You can't have enough Roddy McDowall on Halloween. This is one of my favorite vampire movies. Great cast, iconic vampires, and very quotable lines. You can check out my full review here

Movie 63 - Army of Darkness (1992) - I know that this is a silly movie and that a lot of Evil Dead fans don't like it. But damn it I loved this one and it was the first of the series that I got to see in the theater. This is a fun movie that I haven't watched in a while. Check out my full review here

Movie 64 - Halloween (1978) - Of course this is how I normally end my Halloween movie marathon. This is one of the best horror movies ever made and is a must watch. If you need any more convincing then check out my review here


Wrap Up - So I didn't beat my old record of seventy-three movies in October. But I did pretty good with sixty-four. I revisited some old favorites that I always watch this time of the year like Dawn of the Dead, Halloween, and The Evil Dead. I also mixed in some that I haven't seen in a while like Waxwork, House, and The Beast Must Die. I also caught some new flicks that I enjoyed like Seance and Here Comes Hell. This spookiest time of the year calls for variety and I succeeded at that. I hope that you all had a great October and for you normies out there I'll see you next October. For you horror nerds like me... well see you tomorrow. 


© Copyright 2021 John Shatzer

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