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"They're coming to get you, Barbara, and they dressed so nicely." |
Well, Halloween is upon us and SHOCKTOBER is drawing to a close for the year. If you're on the fence about what to watch tonight, I've made a little list of several of my less-well-known favorites. Watch one tonight, if you can find it, or have your own film fest next year.
Dead and Buried (1981): In a coastal town, mobs of townsfolk are murdering the tourists. Then those dead tourists start appearing around town as if they've lived there all along, which they did, before they died, but ... well, just watch it. It's fun.
Willard (1971): Disturbed young man befriends rats. Rats love the disturbed young man and do his bidding. His bidding involves revenge and murder. You might believe that this movie was remade in 2003 and starred Crispin Glover. It wasn't.
Night of the Living Dead (1968): I know. I know. Not obscure. You've seen it. Well, I'm here to tell you that unless you've seen the NotLD HD version currently streaming on Amazon (free with Prime), you, good sir or madame, have not seen this film, nor have you heard it. The sound and picture are so sharp you might just cut yourself. I actually heard all of the dialogue for the first time.
Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (1972): Bob (Black Christmas, Porky's) Clarke directed this under a thinly-disguised pseudonym from a screenplay that he co-wrote with the film's star Alan Ormsby. While it starts out as a bunch of silly college kids goofing in a graveyard, this ain't no Porky's romp, son. What it is, instead, is a real "wait for it" film. It's worth the wait.
Peeping Tom (1960): If you have the chance to see this film, see this film. Yet another disturbed young man takes his love of film much too far. Don't we all? Guys?
Alice, Sweet Alice (1976): Alice is a quiet 12-year-old living in New Jersey. When her sister is brutally murdered in their church, Alice becomes a suspect. As the bodies pile up, even those who can't believe that Alice is the killer begin to doubt their belief. You should probably avoid this one if you're a practicing Catholic. Just sayin'.
Strange Behavior (1981): This one isn't obscure to you if you had cable television in the Eighties. That said: Young folks are being murdered in a small, midwestern town. Sounds familiar, right? Well, it gets weird. The weird also seems familiar, but it will still surprise you.
Sisters (1972): Brian (Dressed to Kill, Blow Out) DePalma's debut and his most Hitchcockian film. That's all I'm going to give you. See it.
Little Shop of Horrors (1960): Maybe you've seen it. Maybe you have only seen the cute musical version. If you and I ever have a beer together, ask me about this film and I'll tell you how it changed my life. In the meantime, see it. Roger Corman and I will thank you for it.
Have a happy Halloween, and if you're not feeling like a film tonight, why not download a copy of "The Comeback" to your favorite Kindle device or app, curl up under the sheets, and get your fright on? At $2.99 it's a cheap thrill! Click the link below to get started.