Tag Archives: Slasher

2025 Films, Billy Campbell, Brandy Norwood, Chase Sui Wonders, Freddie Prinze Jr., Horror, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jonah Hauer-King, Madelyn Cline, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sarah Pidgeon, Slasher, Tyriq Withers

I Know What You Did Last Summer-2025

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I Know What You Did Last Summer-2025

Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson

Starring Chase Sui Wonders, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Madelyn Cline

Scott’s Review #1,494

Reviewed October 3, 2025

Grade: B+

The 2025 I Know What You Did Last Summer offering is pure nostalgia for fans of mainstream 1990s horror flicks. Those who love film franchises like Scream (1996-present) and Final Destination (2000-present) will be pretty pleased.

I adored watching the film and traveling back to my youth, although I was startled by the revelation that the young cinema stars of the 1990s are now almost 50 years old.

I only knew that Jennifer Love-Hewitt was returning by way of coming attraction trailers. Still, I had no idea that Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar were also returning, which added to my viewing pleasure.

It felt like catching up with old friends you haven’t seen in nearly thirty years.

While not a sequel to the 1997 original, it feels fresh with its clever ideas, twists and turns, and whodunit sensibilities, adding a refreshing dose of feminism that is timely.

This can undoubtedly be due in large part to being directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, a female director who also co-wrote the screenplay.

Just like in 1997, when five friends inadvertently cause a deadly car accident, they cover up their involvement and make a pact to keep it a secret rather than face the consequences.

A year later, their past comes back to haunt them when one of the friends receives a threatening note, and they realize that someone knows what they did last summer.

As one by one the friends are stalked by a killer, they discover this has happened before, and they turn to two survivors of the legendary Southport Massacre of 1997 for help.

The most fun is the whodunit factor and trying to figure out who is the one donning a fisherman’s cloak and brandishing a hook to slice and dice their victims to ribbons.

Or does Robinson borrow a gimmick from the Scream films and make it two killers?

Of course, the victim of the original summer tragedy shares a link with the killers, and plenty of red herrings are in store, adding to the enjoyment.

The rulebook is slightly bent to allow for even more female empowerment than the original, wisely bringing Love-Hewitt’s Julie James back into the fold.

Now older, wiser, and tougher, and a college professor, she serves as a coach and mentor to Ava Brucks (Chase Sui Wonders), the leader of the new group of friends.

In a cool bit of inclusion, the character of Ava is bisexual, having a passionate bathroom encounter with a rocker chick while also having an ex-boyfriend, Milo (Jonah Hauer-King).

It’s also revealed that Julie and Ray Bronson (played by Prinze Jr.) were once married and have a tumultuous past. This is appealing to viewers familiar with the duo from the original film.

Putting the soap opera trimmings aside, the main highlight of I Know What You Did Last Summer is the accident during the first summer, the chase scenes, and the kill scenes, and the film wisely provides many of these.

When Teddy (Tyriq Withers) and Danica (Madelyn Cline) go to a dark graveyard to snoop for information, it doesn’t bode well for either when the fisherman lurks nearby.

These straightforward yet compelling sequences blend seamlessly with the finale aboard a yacht and later in a bar. The twists and turns, as well as the killer reveal, are well-written and character-themed, building on history and making sense.

I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) successfully takes a stroll down memory lane while providing jumps, scares, and even a few laughs along the way.

2025 Films, Aaron Abrams, Carson MacCormac, Eli Craig, Horror, Katie Douglas, Kevin Durand, Slasher, Will Sasso

Clown in a Cornfield-2025

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Clown in a Cornfield-2025

Director Eli Craig

Starring Katie Douglas, Aaron Abrams

Scott’s Review #1,488

Reviewed August 7, 2025

Grade: B+

Clown in a Cornfield (2025) is a surprisingly satisfying throwback to 1980s slasher horror films but with a modern twist.

The fun vibe creates an entertaining experience that doesn’t take itself too seriously, incorporating comic moments and blending twenty-first-century technology with traditional genre standards.

Additionally, a juicy and surprising same sex romance is revealed in the final stages of the film, when typically the crazed killer whodunit would be the featured main attraction.

The film feels vintage, containing killer clowns, a midwestern cornfield, and eerie townspeople. These one-time clichéd add-ons suddenly feel fresh with a younger audience in mind.

Middle-aged horror buffs can fondly recall 1980s gems like Children of the Corn (1984), which is reminiscent primarily.  There is something particularly unsettling about a rural plains area in the middle of nowhere and menacing figures emerging from a dusty cornfield late at night.

As with most creepy small-town horror films, there is a deadly secret harvesting amid the lonely, quiet nights.

In 1991, two fresh-faced teens sneak off into the nearby cornfield and are killed by the local mascot, Frendo the Clown.

Decades later, teenage Quinn Maybrook (Katie Douglas) and her father, Dr. Glenn Maybrook (Aaron Abrams), begrudgingly arrive in the quiet town of Kettle Springs, Missouri, after Quinn’s mother dies, hoping for a fresh start.

Quinn meets fellow students Cole (Carson MacCormac) and Rust (Vincent Muller), and they uncover a mystery surrounding the once-affluent small town that has fallen on hard times after the treasured Baypen Corn Syrup Factory burned down.

The adults warn Quinn to be wary of the high school cool kids, whom she quickly starts to hang out with. But is it the locals and Sheriff Dunne (Will Sasso) that Quinn and her father should be wary of? What is the symbolism of a haunting Baypen factory music box?

The screenwriters wisely, and fantastically, add a mix of humor to many sequences, which both counterbalance the bloodshed and provide laugh-out-loud, genuinely funny moments.

This mostly comes at the expense of two female supporting characters, Janet and an unnamed friend. After a series of pranks to initiate Quinn into their group, one girl assumes that a decapitated head belonging to her boyfriend is fake.

She giggles and juggles it between both her hands before she shrieks in horror at the realization that the head is real. Later, she trudges through the cornfield, complaining that she feels like she’s in a bad 1980s slasher movie.

The best kill comes when a buff, shirtless high school kid bench presses weights in his garage and is decapitated by Frendo. His head bounces into a laundry hamper, and the lid closes shut with exact precision.

I noticed a potent anti-nationalist message as the antagonists are portrayed as small-town, small-minded simpletons meant to represent the United States, the MAGA movement. They blame the teens for the town’s troubles and for ruining its public image.

In satisfying form, the teenagers make fools of the adults, except for Quinn’s father, who is one of the good guys and subsequently runs for mayor to rid the town of the dolts who currently control it.

The sexual preference of Quinn’s male crush is also a breath of fresh air in a genre that typically doesn’t stray too far from mainstream gender roles.

The 2020 novel of the same name, from which the film was adapted, might be superior, but Clown in a Cornfield (2025) is fun. It also proudly has one twist that I did not see coming, which has nothing to do with the deadly clowns.

#3 Favorite Horror Film, #9 Favorite Film, 1978 Films, Charles Cyphers, Donald Pleasance, Favorite Film of the Year, Horror, Independent, Independent Horror, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Carpenter, Kyle Richards, Michael Meyers, Nancy Loomis, Nancy Stephens, Nick Castle, P. J. Soles, Slasher, Top 10 Films, Top 10 Horror Films, Top 100 Films, Top 20 Horror Films, Top 25 Films, Top 250 Films, Top 40 Horror Films, Top 50 Films

Halloween-1978

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Halloween-1978

Director John Carpenter

Starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence

Top 250 Films #9

Top 40 Horror Films #3

Scott’s Review #114

569090

Reviewed July 16, 2014

Grade: A

 Halloween is an iconic horror film from 1978 that set the tone for the barrage of slasher films to follow throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s.

Today, the film continues to hold up incredibly well, and I am proud to list it as not only one of my favorite horror films (which I watch religiously every Halloween) but also one of my favorite films of all time.

The focus is on style and substance over gore (the film contains little of it), and the score is one of the scariest and most effective in cinematic history.

The premise of the film is simple- a homicidal maniac is on the loose in a sleepy little town named Haddonfield, Illinois, targeting three female babysitters on a crisp Halloween night.

The audience knows that the six-year-old little boy dressed as a clown on a dark Halloween night years ago, who butchered his older sister to death, is the now grown-up culprit.

What we do not know, nor should we, is what his (Michael Meyers’) motivation is.  This confusion only adds to the impact.

Subsequent remakes have added complexities to the character, albeit unnecessarily so; however, in the original, we see a seemingly happy child with stable parents and a good life.

Similar stories have been told throughout film history. But Halloween is simply one of the greatest horror films ever made.

As simple as the story is, the way the film is made makes it a masterpiece. Everything about Halloween is mesmerizing – the lighting is perfect, the ambiance, the brilliant, scary musical score, the battle between good and evil, and the feeling of a chilly Halloween night.

Highly unusual for its time, the point of view of the killer and heavy breathing are prevalent throughout the film, which will startle and scare the viewer. The opening shot is through the eyes of a masked six-year-old kid wearing a clown mask.

The unique technical aspects continue to evolve.

Director John Carpenter had a vision for this film, and thankfully, no studio influence compromised it, as it was an independent film on a shoestring budget.

The Hitchcock influences are evident in the character names, such as Sam Loomis, and in many scenes where someone watches the action or peers around a corner or through a window, making the viewer anxious and nervous.

Set in small-town USA, a frightening element of the film is that it could happen anywhere, and the location is ingenious. There is very little blood, let alone gore. It is needless. It is the creepiness that makes the film brilliant.

The three teenagers are perfectly cast- Jamie Lee Curtis is the serious bookworm, P.J. Soles and Nancy Keyes are the flirtatious bad girls. Still, the chemistry is excellent, and the audience buys them as best friends.

The jump-out-of-your-seat moments are incredibly well-timed, and it is one of the few genuinely scary films.

Forget the horror genre alone- Halloween (1978) is one of the greatest films ever made.

#36 Favorite Film, #8 Favorite Horror Films, 1980 Films, Adrienne King, Betsy Palmer, Horror, Jason Voorhees, Kevin Bacon, Slasher, Steve Miner, Tom Savini, Top 10 Horror Films, Top 100 Films, Top 20 Horror Films, Top 250 Films, Top 40 Horror Films, Top 50 Films

Friday the 13th-1980

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Friday the 13th-1980

Director Sean S. Cunningham

Starring Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King

Top 250 Films #36

Top 40 Horror Films #8

Scott’s Review #115

525111

Reviewed July 17, 2014

Grade: A

Friday the 13th (1980) is one of my favorite films (horror and otherwise) of all time, as I have such fond and scary memories of watching it at too young an age!

My highlight was watching this film alongside the star, Betsy Palmer, herself, in a movie theater in later years.

I can watch this film countless times and never tire of it. Is it high art? Hardly. Is it brilliant filmmaking? Not a chance. However, for whatever reason, this film holds a special place in my heart, and I love it.

The premise involves seven young adults, all squeaky clean and All-American looking, who flock to Camp Crystal Lake for a summer involving counseling, partying, and frolicking around the lake.

They engage in strip poker, smoke pot, and play jokes on each other, but share a good spirit.

Through flashbacks, we learn that two brutal camp counselor killings occurred years ago and the camp has been unsuccessful at reopening since that time due to strange events like bad water.

The residents of the town are convinced that there is a curse involving the lake and warn the teenagers to stay far away, specifically, one loony townsperson named Ralph, who frequently shows up proclaiming messages from god and other rants of doom.

Inevitably, the teens begin to be systematically hacked to bits one by one in creative fashion such as a slit throat, ax to the head, a dagger through the neck, and other good, old-fashioned horror kills.

The film has many standard horror elements- a dark, ominous storm, a mysterious hidden killer lurking in the shadows, giving first-time viewers a suspenseful whodunit.

Could the killer be crazy Ralph, one of the counselors? Or Steve Christie, the man opening the camp?

As each victim is killed one begins to narrow down the remaining suspects to the crimes and at least one red herring comes into play, which leads us to try to figure out the conclusion, which, critically speaking, is an enormous surprise.

The looming killer, whose feet and arms/hands are the only parts shown throughout is successfully ominous. As the killer angrily watches the counselors swim and goof around, one of them gets a sixth sense of being watched and is sure she sees someone in the trees, but quickly shrugs it off.

Another ominous scene involves one counselor setting up an archery game for the kids as another counselor jokingly shoots an arrow nearby.

They both laugh, but the foreshadowing of what is to come is fantastic.

Betsy Palmer and Adrienne King add so much to this film, which would not be nearly as good if not for them.

The conclusion involving a knockdown drag-out, mud fight is my favorite sequence, in addition to the final thirty-minute chase scene around the camp and its vicinity.

The final character hides in closets, storerooms, and bushes, and a cat-and-mouse game climaxes. Great stuff.

The big twist at the end almost rivals, and is very similar to, the shocking ending to the 1976 horror classic Carrie.

The sound effects are spectacular- the distant loons and the creepy sound effects add a ton to making Friday the 13th a classic fright-fest.

The line “kill her mommy, she can’t hide” is undoubtedly permanently etched in horror fan’s minds.

Friday the 13th (1980) has successfully held the test of time and is now a highly regarded classic within the horror genre.

A highly entertaining, mainstream, cut above the rest, and a fun must-see for all horror fans.

#135 Favorite Film, #23 Favorite Horror Film, 1981 Films, Charles Cyphers, Donald Pleasance, Favorite Film of the Year, Horror, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Carpenter, Michael Meyers, Nancy Loomis, Nancy Stephens, Nick Castle, Slasher, Top 250 Films, Top 40 Horror Films

Halloween II-1981

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Halloween II-1981

Director Rick Rosenthal

Starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence

Top 250 Films #135

Top 40 Horror Films #23

Scott’s Review #505

569099

Reviewed October 31, 2016

Grade: A

The follow-up to the surprise 1978 cult classic, independently made Halloween- directed by legend John Carpenter,  Halloween II (1981) was made in 1981.

In real life, it is three years later, but the film, picks up immediately where the original left off in a chronological sense- the infamous night Michael Myers came home to brutalize the town where he killed his sister years earlier.

This is an excellent plot point that makes this film successful as it takes the viewer immediately back to that infamous night.

Halloween II is one of my favorite film sequels.

Despite not directing Halloween II, John Carpenter, along with Debra Hill, both wrote the script so that they are, thankfully, heavily involved in the production, giving it authenticity and familiarity.

So much so that Halloween and Halloween II can be watched back to back- like one long film.

Michael Myers’s path of destruction continues in the sleepy, suburban town of Haddonfield, Illinois. This point looms large in this fantastic sequel and we are treated to a direct transition from original to sequel.

The events switch from babysitter territory to the community hospital as new characters- mostly doctors, nurses, and ambulance people are introduced to the story, Laurie’s friends are sadly deceased.

Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Doctor Loomis (Donald Pleasence) are the main stars of the film and by the climax take center stage.

As a recap- the determined Loomis shot Michael Myers several times as he tumbled off of a balcony to his presumed death. Spectacularly, the original Halloween brilliantly set the stage for a sequel, as Myers survives and disappears into the night-whereabouts unknown.

Now hours later, Laurie is transported to Haddonfield Hospital for treatment.  While there, the hospital staff do their best to protect her but are subsequently offed one by one by the crazed killer, who finds his way into the (conveniently!) deserted hospital.

The great quality of Halloween II is that it is gorier than its predecessor. More characters are sliced and diced in an unceremoniously brutal fashion.

One has her blood drained, another is stabbed in the eye with a syringe. Yet another is repeatedly dunked into scalding water. And then there is the traditional knife in the back.

In contrast to many other slasher films, the supporting cast of characters are quite likable and they are given little backstories of their own- a great touch. Bud- the wise-cracking ambulance driver is dating Nurse Karen. Jimmy, a handsome orderly, takes a shine to Laurie.

Mixed in with the heavy horror are nice comic moments, such as when Nurse Janet ineptly tries to assist the hospital security guard- the bumbling Mr. Garrett, with a walkie-talkie, or when Head Nurse Mrs. Alves scolds the staff for being tardy.

We grow to care for these characters, in their little night-shift family, so that their inevitable demises hit home.

The chilling music- so instrumental to the success of the original- is slightly modernized into more of a keyboard-style sound. This gives a slicker, more commercial appeal.

Not to take away from the brilliance of the original score, but it is nice to hear a change- giving a fresher, more contemporary sound, rather than simply copying the same music.

Admittedly, Halloween II (1981) is not quite on par with Halloween, but that is asking the impossible. Halloween is a masterpiece, but Halloween II holds its own and is more than adequate as a sequel having large shoes to fill.

Thanks to many of the same creators involved, it does not lose its edge or its relevance all these years later.

#161 Favorite Film, #25 Favorite Horror Film, 1996 Films, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Drew Barrymore, Frances Lee McCain, Henry Winkler, Horror, Liev Schreiber, Linda Blair, Matthew Lillard, Neve Campbell, Patrick Lussier, Rose McGowan, Skeet Ulrich, Slasher, Top 250 Films, Top 40 Horror Films, Wes Craven

Scream-1996

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Scream-1996

Director Wes Craven

Starring Drew Barrymore, Neve Campbell, David Arquette

Top 250 Films #161

Top 40 Horror Films #25

Scott’s Review #710

Reviewed January 5, 2018

Grade: A-

Wes Craven’s 1996 film Scream is a piece that greatly assisted in bringing the horror genre back into relevance after a long drought throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s when horror films suffered from both over-saturation and cliche-riddled messes.

Thanks to Scream, creativity and plot twists and turns returned to the forefront of good horror films, and a clever film was birthed.

Fast-forward to 2018, the film does suffer a bit from a dated 1990s look but is still great fun to watch and a treat for all classic horror buffs as the references to classic greats are endless.

The film is sectioned off nicely and gets underway quickly  (in the best sequence of the film) as Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore)  receives a flirtatious phone call while making popcorn, from a man asking her to name her favorite horror film.

The friendly game quickly turns vicious as the caller threatens to kill her boyfriend should she answer a question incorrectly.

In a clever twist (think 1960s Psycho!) Casey and her boyfriend meet deadly fates and the opening credits begin to roll.

Given the huge star, Barrymore was in 1996, this twist was all the more shocking and attention-grabbing.

The remainder of the film centers around Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), a popular California high school student, as she is pursued by an attacker known only as “Ghostface”, who dons a creepy costume and terrorizes victims via phone calls.

The small town, led by police officer Dewey Riley (David Arquette) and bitchy newswoman Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), is determined to unmask the killer and figure out his or her motivations.

Sidney’s boyfriend, Billy (Skeet Ulrich), and other friends are along for the ride as a possible connected sub-plot involving Sidney’s deceased mother is introduced.

A romance between Dewey and Gale is also broached.

Scream is an enormous treat for fans of the horror genre as numerous references (and film clips!) of classics such as 1978’s Halloween abound throughout the film.

Other references to Friday the 13th, Prom Night, and A Nightmare On Elm Street appear during the film.

Writer, Kevin Williamson, a horror enthusiast, must have had a ball writing the screenplay that would become Scream.

In 1996, the mega-success of the film successfully not only jump-started the entire genre but also introduced younger fans of Scream to classics that were perhaps their parent’s generation and got them interested in the films.

Classic horror films are not only referenced during the film but also explained, mostly by the supporting character of Jamie, the nerdy kid who works at the video store and adores horror films.

A sequence in which he explains several “rules” of the horror genre is superlative, creative, and just great fun. He tells the teenagers at a party that anyone who drinks, has sex, or says “I will be right back”, is doomed to suffer a violent fate.

This clever writing makes Scream enormous fun to watch.

The climax of Scream is quite surprising in itself and the “great reveal” of the murderer (s) is also intelligent writing and quite the surprise. Several red herrings are produced along the way, casting suspicion on other characters who may or may not be the killers.

A small gripe of the writing is the motivations of the murderers- when the explanation is given for their killing spree, the reasoning is a bit convoluted and hard to fathom, but this is horror, and suspension of disbelief is always a necessity.

Scream is best remembered for giving the horror genre a good, hard kick in the seat of the pants and shaking all of the elements up a bit while preserving the core ideals of a good slasher film (suspense, a whodunit, and good solid kills).

Scream (1996) was followed by several sequels, some achieving better successes than others. In 2018 the film may not be quite as fresh as it once was, but is still a solid watch and memorable for relaunching a genre.

#207 Favorite Films, #29 Favorite Horror Film, 1982 Films, Favorite Film of the Year, Horror, Jason Voorhees, Slasher, Steve Miner, Top 250 Films, Top 40 Horror Films

Friday the 13th: Part III: 1982

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Friday the 13th: Part III: 1982

Director Steve Miner

Starring Dana Kimmell, Paul Kratka

Top 250 Films #207

Top 40 Horror Films #29

Scott’s Review #743

Reviewed April 17, 2018

Grade: A-

By 1982 the Friday the 13th installments were becoming an almost annual event, which would continue until the late 1980s.

Still popular and fresh at the time (the novelty would soon wear thin), Part III has the distinction of being released in 3-D, a highly novel concept and just perfect for a slasher film, including sharp weapons to shove at the camera at every turn.

Directed once again by Steve Miner, who also directed Part II,  the film charters familiar territory that will certainly please fans of the genre.

The horror gem still feels fresh to me decades after its original release.

The plot originally was intended to copy 1981’s successful Halloween II and capitalize on the return of one central character, Ginny (Amy Steel), and continue her night of terror as she is whisked away to a local hospital following her ordeal at Camp Crystal Lake.

While this plot seems laden with good, gruesome “kill” possibilities (think syringes, scalpels, and other neat medical objects), unfortunately, this was not to be after Steel balked at a return appearance.

Directly following the bloody events the night before, a new batch of teenagers- oblivious to the recent killings- except for tortured Chris (Dana Kimmell), who once was attacked by the crazed killer, travel to Camp Crystal Lake for a weekend of fun and partying.

As Chris teeters between imagining sounds and shadows, traumatized by her past, Jason lurks nearby waiting to pounce on unsuspecting victims. In this installment, Chris is most certainly the “final girl”, a fact that is obvious with the immediate backstory.

The other characters fall in line with traditional slasher stereotypes- the lovelorn couple, the prankster, and a stoner couple. Also, a rival biker gang is thrown in for added drama as they vow revenge on the group following an incident at a convenience store.

A few main differences between Part III and Parts I and II follow:  Part III incorporates fewer “point of view” camera shots from Jason’s perspective, and more from the viewpoint of the victims.

The result is neither better nor worse- just different.

This is the first installment in which Jason dons his trademark hockey mask giving the film a slicker feel, and more identity, than Part II did, where Jason mostly wore a burlap sack.

Cleverly, Jason steals the hockey mask from one of his victims.

Finally, as evidenced by the soundtrack, Part III adds a disco/techno beat to the famous “chi chi chi” sounds, giving the music a distinct 1980s feel that the two preceding installments do not have- those feel more like 1970s films.

Memorable slayings include a knife shoved through a victim’s chest while resting on a hammock, electrocution via a basement fuse box,  and death via a shooting spear gun.

The main draw to the kills and thus the film itself is the clever use of 3-D technology, which makes the audience feel like the center of the action.

What a treat to see the implements used in the killings coming right at me!

Credit must be given to the added diversity Friday the 13th: Part III incorporates. For the first time (a glorified black extra in Part II does not count) minority characters are featured.

Bikers Fox (Hispanic) and Ali (Black) as well as pretty Vera Sanchez are included giving the film more of an inclusive feel- though each of these characters is killed off.

Enjoyable also is the inclusion of a quick recap of Part II, similar to what Part II did with the original so that the climax of the preceding film gives the viewer a good glimpse of how the action left off.

The screenwriters add a few comical characters, admittedly offed rather quickly into the mix.

I would have loved to have seen a bit more junk food-eating Harold and his nagging wife Edna, for example, before they meet their maker.

Hardly high art, Friday the 13th: Part III (1982) is mostly remembered for some cool, innovative technology, a tiny bit of camp that does not overwhelm the straight-forward horror flavor, and for still seeming fresh before the franchise got old, stale, and tired.

Part III, along with I and II, make for a wonderful trio in one of horror’s finest franchises.

#214 Favorite Film, #30 Favorite Horror Film, 1981 Films, Adrienne King, Amy Steel, Betsy Palmer, Horror, Jason Voorhees, Slasher, Steve Miner, Top 250 Films, Top 40 Horror Films

Friday the 13th: Part II: 1981

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Friday the 13th: Part II: 1981

Director Steve Miner

Starring Amy Steel, John Furey

Top 250 Films #214

Top 40 Horror Films #30

Scott’s Review #742

Reviewed April 15, 2018

Grade: A-

Hot on the heels of the surprising success of the low-budget slasher film, Friday the 13th, a sequel to the 1980 film was immediately ordered.

The film was released merely a year later and is nearly as good as its predecessor, but not quite to the level of that horror masterpiece.

Part II (1981) is a well above-average sequel with a fun style all its while wisely keeping facets that made the franchise adored by horror fans everywhere.

Gushing fans must have been chomping at the bit for a follow-up film with an opening sequence that is quite lengthy.

The heroine of the first Friday, Alice Hardy (Adrienne King), takes center stage, eliciting a clever twist that must have shocked fans as she is offed less than fifteen minutes into the film- think the sequence with Drew Barrymore in 1996’s Scream for comparison.

Regardless of the reasons King would not be the star of the film (money demands or a rumored stalker), the fact of the matter is this improves the overall film adding an immediate surprise.

After this compelling opening number, things become much more familiar and predictable as the viewer is enshrined in the antics of young and horny camp counselors rushing to sunny Camp Crystal Lake (or in this installment, a neighboring camp) to set up for the impending arrival of kids.

The young adults are all beautiful, fresh-faced, and ready to be sliced to ribbons or dismembered in some fashion as the case may be.

As any horror aficionado knows, this is a major part of the appeal of slasher films, and Friday the 13th: Part II follows a familiar formula.

Paul (John Furey) and Ginny (Amy Steel) are the lead counselors- a bit more adult and responsible than the others, thus they ignore the authority’s warnings not to re-open the camp since it has only been five years since the original massacres.

As the day turns into evening, Paul teases the group with the story of the legend of Jason and how he survived his drowning only to live in the woods fending for himself and avenging the death of his mother.

Little do they know that the legend is real and Jason is lurking among the trees ready to off the group individually.

Besides Paul and Ginny, the supporting characters include sexy Terry, known to wear skimpy attire, sly Scott, who has designs on Terry, wheelchair-bound Mark, sweet and innocent, Vickie, jokester Ted, and, finally, madly in love, Jeff and Sandra, who are curious about the history of Camp Crystal Lake.

Delightfully, the character of Crazy Ralph (Walt Gorney), the comic relief of the original film, makes a heralded return to warn the youths of impending doom and gloom.

Friday the 13th: Part II mixes pranks and flirtations among many of the characters, but the audience knows full well what’s in store for each of them- save for the honorable “final girl”.

With Ginny receiving this title the others meet their fates in bloody style with interesting kills such as a throat slit by a machete while in a rope trap, a duo impaled with a spear as they engage in sex, and bludgeoning with a kitchen knife.

The final twenty minutes are quite engaging as Ginny must flee from the camp while enduring repeated obstacles preventing her safety such as a run through the woods, tripping and falling, and a failed barricade in a cabin.

A wonderful touch within this sequence is the return of Betsy Palmer (Mrs. Voorhees) in a cameo appearance as Jason sees a vision of his mother. This move successfully creates a tie-in to the original that works quite nicely as coupled with the opening sequence.

The final “jump out of your seat” moment is highly effective as Jason thought to be bested, leaps through a window for one final attack.

Interesting to note is what appear to be identical camera angles through much of the film, as the camera uses the point of view of the killer numerous times to elicit scares, and the viewer serves as the killer- reminiscent of the first film.

Additionally, camera shots of the peaceful, sunny camp and lake during the daytime are used, in contrast to the violence occurring at night.  Even the approaching car the counselor drives (a truck) is shot the same way as we see them arriving at the camp in full anticipation of a fun time.

Friday the 13th: Part II (1981) is a fun follow-up to one of the most celebrated horror films of the slasher genre and is a perfect counterpart to the original.

A viewing tip is to watch both films in sequence on perhaps a late-night horror extravaganza.

Subsequently followed by a slew of not-so-great sequels as the franchise became dated by the late 1980s, Part 2 serves as an excellent follow-up to the original using a similar style that will please fans.

#39 Favorite Horror Film, 1981 Films, Glenn Ford, Horror, J. Lee Thompson, Melissa Sue Anderson, Slasher, Top 40 Horror Films

Happy Birthday to Me-1981

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Happy Birthday to Me-1981

Director J. Lee Thompson

Starring Melissa Sue Anderson, Glenn Ford

Top 40 Horror Films #39

Scott’s Review #621

Reviewed March 4, 2017

Grade: A-

Happy Birthday to Me is a 1981 slasher film that I fondly remember scaring the shit out of me as a little kid-too young to be watching a film of this nature, but sneaking into my parent’s bedroom with my brother to catch it on HBO.

Certain that the film helped shape my passion for the horror genre, I hold a fondness for it- critics be damned. My opinion is that the film is a small treasure in the land of 1980s slasher films, containing a neat whodunit and a grotesque ending.

Melissa Sue Anderson, desiring to break out of her nice television persona thanks to the wholesome Little House on the Prairie, is cast in the lead role.

Happy Birthday to Me also achieves some merit since the film is directed by acclaimed British director, J. Lee Thompson (Cape Fear).

Anderson carries the film quite well in a challenging part and Glenn Ford co-stars as a Doctor.

Virginia Wainwright is a pretty and popular senior at exclusive Crawford Academy- a school for elite, rich kids. She is part of the “Top Ten”, the most popular and richest kids in the school. The ten friends meet nightly at the local pub.

One night, Bernadette, one of the top ten, is murdered by an assailant on her way to meet her friends.

This murder sets the tone as, one by one, the others are subsequently killed off, sending the school and local townspeople into a frenzy of panic.

To thicken the plot, Virginia was involved in a horrible car accident four years earlier, which killed her mother, and caused Virginia to only have sparse memories of the accident.

This piece is key to the film’s mystery.

There are many comparisons I can make to slasher classics that heavily influenced Happy Birthday to Me, but the most prominent must be 1978’s Halloween.

The character of Virginia is very similar to Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), in their somewhat virginal, good girl characters, and both have an almost identical hairstyle!

Also, Happy Birthday to Me successfully uses the killer’s point of view as the camera frequently serves as the perspective of either the killer or somebody lurking around spying on someone else.

The film also just “looks” similar to Halloween.

The whodunit aspect is the most effective of all the qualities of the film. There are a multitude of likely suspects and the film does not shy away from this, purposely casting doubt on several characters- could it be the creepy Alfred, who carries around a pet mouse and creates a fake head of the murdered Bernadette?

Or the suave French student, Etienne, who snoops in Virginia’s bedroom and steals a pair of her panties? Finally, could it be Head Mistress, Mrs. Patterson, a harsh, no-nonsense woman harboring resentment for the snobbish, elitism that exists at her school?

When the killer is finally revealed a measure of pure shock and confusion will undoubtedly transpire- how can this be? But by the time the ultimate finale is played out, all will make sense.

The conclusion does disappoint slightly in the implausibility factor, and the original ending is much more logical and compelling than what was actually in the final cut- rumors have run rampant that the screenplay of the film was rewritten numerous times well into the production- never a good thing.

So, the motivations of the actual killer are quite weak, but the buildup is amazing.

Not to be outdone by the whodunit, the kills themselves are superlative: a shish kabob to the throat, falling gym weights, a scarf caught in the spokes of a bike, and the traditional fireplace poker are done in macabre and fantastic fashion.

We always see the killer’s gloved hands and we are aware that the victim is friendly with the killer, so we continually try and deduce who it could be.

The gruesome “Birthday party” finale is gruesome and gleeful at the same time. Each murder victim is propped up around a dining room table, each with a party hat on and all in various forms of dismemberment or blood-soaked from their murder wounds.

It is a grim and hilarious reveal. The murderer parades out of the kitchen wielding an enormous birthday cake, cheerily singing “Happy Birthday to Me”.

This is one great finale.

Happy Birthday to Me (1981) is a wonderful trip down memory lane and still holds up as a key, perhaps overlooked part of the slasher genre that should be rediscovered by fans and followers everywhere.

#40 Favorite Horror Film, 1977 Films, Brooke Shields, Horror, Slasher, Top 40 Horror Films

Alice, Sweet Alice-1977

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Alice, Sweet Alice-1977

Director Alfred Sole

Starring Paula Sheppard, Linda Miller

Top 40 Horror Films #40

Scott’s Review #1,343

Reviewed February 12, 2023

Grade: A-

Originally titled ‘Communion’ and re-titled and re-released as Alice, Sweet Alice in 1977, the film can proudly tout it as the debut film of star Brooke Shields. Her role, while quite small, is essential to the story.

Any film that either challenges, mocks, or showcases Catholicism, especially within the horror genre has instant appeal for me. There is something so warped yet satisfying to me.

Like The Exorcist did in 1973, Alice, Sweet Alice will leave Catholics and the otherwise religious squirming in their seats or scrambling for the ‘stop’ button on their remotes.

Director Alfred Sole, also a well-known production designer was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s films and the 1973 masterpiece, Don’t Look Now. Does it ever show if one looks closely enough?

The story is sometimes muddled and confusing to say nothing of implausible but the overall tone and content are fascinating. The camera angles, production design, musical score, and overall style are exceptional and make the film a major success.

On her First Communion day, Karen (Brooke Shields) is viciously strangled and set afire in church after being stuffed in a wooden chest. Her emotionally unstable and unattractive sister, Alice (Paula Sheppard) is immediately considered a suspect because of her jealousy and her possession of a translucent mask and Karen’s crucifix and veil.

Alice is no saint since she enjoys tormenting Karen and the obese landlord who lives in the apartment below her family.

Aunt Annie (Jane Lowry), a staunch catholic who hates Alice, is later stabbed on an apartment complex stairway by a childlike figure wearing a translucent mask and a yellow rain slicker. Annie insists her attacker was Alice.

In a subplot, the girls’ mother Catherine, played by Linda Miller embarks on a tender romance with her dashing ex-husband, now dating another woman, until he too is brutally murdered.

I was immediately struck smitten by the haunting musical score, a clear homage to Hitchcock’s Psycho from 1960. The shrill violins and the palpable bass are familiar bringing fond memories of that legendary masterpiece.

Instead of a direct copy though, composer Stephen J. Lawrence superbly enhances the effects to meet a more modern style horror film and it works.

Mr. Hitchcock’s fascination with stairways is also mirrored many times and Sole imprints many effective scenes using only shots of feet either walking up or down the stairs.

And, anytime a mask is used in a horror film it’s scary.

In terms of the plot, while the events are compelling, they also don’t make much sense. It would be too predictable and unsatisfying if Alice were the killer (she isn’t) although the terrific final sequence leaves room for a sequel as Alice maniacally studies a bloodied butcher knife.

However, there is a constant theme of hysterical religious judgment, punishment for sins, and sacrificing someone for the greater good. These align perfectly with the many hypocritical aspects of religion at a time when the catholic church was facing much criticism.

Characters like Aunt Annie and the wacky housekeeper, Mrs. Tredoni (Mildred Clinton) are played as over the top but work surprisingly well.

And it’s likely no accident how Sole cast the adorably handsome Rudolph Willrich as the much sought-after Father Tom.

In 1977, Alice, Sweet Alice was quite timely and fits nicely with other 1970s horror films with a religious theme.

Paula Sheppard all but carries the film though the supporting actors are all effective too. Her facial expressions teeter between soft and angelic, and demonic and cagey. It’s an exceptional part of the film.

Alice, Sweet Alice (1977) is an under-appreciated gem that needs to immediately be dusted off and uncovered by rabid horror fans seeking a superior watch.

1981 Films, Billy Hufsey, Christopher George, E. Danny Murphy, E. J. Peaker, Herb Freed, Horror, Linnea Quigley, Michael Pataki, Patch Mackenzie, Slasher, Vanna White

Graduation Day-1981

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Graduation Day-1981

Director Herb Freed

Starring Christopher George, Patch Mackenzie

Scott’s Review #1,482

Reviewed June 7, 2025

Grade: B

Essentially borrowing from Halloween (1978), Friday the 13th (1980), and other slasher films of the genre’s original heyday, Graduation Day (1981) even adopts the gimmicky holiday/big event model (prom night, Mother’s Day, etc.) made popular.

A whodunit mystery, killer point of view camera work, and revenge motive come into play, making the film a standard entry in the slasher catalog.

Released in 1981, the film capitalizes on trends in the horror genre, much like many rock bands did during the grunge movement or the Los Angeles hair metal movement, for comparison.

There are red herring devices and comical, one-dimensional characters thrown in to soften the film. Making Graduation Day a second-tier slasher film, no more and no less.

Still, the film is fun, with the guessing of the killer’s identity being the most successful and compelling aspect. The murderer carefully marking a red X over each victim post murder is delightful.

A small role by aspiring actress Vanna White, who soon became a television game show legend on Wheel of Fortune, makes Graduation Day a fun relic from another time. Her acting isn’t good, so she lucked out with a continuing career in showbiz. The script does her no favors either.

A suburban high school track team is devastated when their star runner, Laura Ramstead, drops dead following a race, having been pressured relentlessly to win by aggressive coach George Michaels (Christopher George).

Months go by, and Laura’s older sister, Anne (Patch Mackenzie), a U.S. Navy Officer, returns home to attend graduation in Laura’s honor.

Conveniently, she leers at one of Laura’s fellow trackmates and has an identical grey tracksuit and black gloves to those of the killer. Later, we see that the coach does as well.

Has Anne returned to town to avenge her sister’s death? Or does the coach blame the other track members for Laura’s death? Is Laura’s devastated boyfriend Kevin (E. Danny Murphy) out for revenge?

Herb Freed, a director I’m not familiar with, co-wrote and co-produced the venture, which is a positive. This means he undoubtedly had more creative freedom to make the project his own.

Many scenes take place along a deserted walking path, reportedly on the way to campus. Intended victims traverse the trail while someone watches them from the sidelines. It’s either the killer or someone else. One character laughably states that she is looking for the auditorium (on a trail?) and can’t find her way.

The editing team deserves praise for the opening sequence, a slow-motion ode to Brian De Palma’s Carrie (1976), no doubt, as Laura crosses the finish line as adoring students and teachers chant her name and words of encouragement.

Later, a cool roller-skating scene is shown amid a performance by the new wave rock band, Felony.

The filler scenes between less critical characters, such as the principal (Michael Pataki) and the ditzy secretary, aptly named Blondie (E.J. Peaker), for example, play well.

What fans watching the film mostly want to see, though, are the kills, which are well done and clever. My favorite is when Tony (Billy Hufsey) is decapitated from behind while taking a leak.

Another track member attempts to pole vault, resulting in death when steel spikes have replaced the pads in the pole vault pit, and he is killed upon impact.

The screenplay is weak, and the killer’s motivations and reasons for the revenge are lightweight. The track members had no intention to or responsibility for Laura’s death, so the conclusion is unsatisfying.

Graduation Day (1981) is an ideal weekend movie, the kind of entertaining, low-budget horror film that will work best for audiences looking to unwind and have fun after a long, busy workweek.

That’s why I watched it, and it’s perfect for fans of the slasher genre who may not have heard of it.

1981 Films, Horror, Kevin Brophy, Linda Blair, Peter Barton, Slasher, Suki Goodwin, Tom DeSimone, Vincent Van Patten

Hell Night-1981

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Hell Night-1981

Starring Linda Blair, Peter Barton, Vincent Van Patten

Director Tom DeSimone

Scott’s Review #1,476

Reviewed April 6, 2025

Grade: B

Hell Night (1981) is a slasher/horror film that provides fun late-night entertainment. A creepy deserted estate where a mass murder event happened amid a night of fraternity hazing offers the appropriate setting for a night of horror.

When four college pledges led by Marti (Linda Blair) are tasked with staying overnight after a costume party as a test of loyalty, what could go wrong?

Director Tom DeSimone knows what ingredients to pepper his film with for the most compelling and effectual result, essentially borrowing from other films. A dark overnight, attempted pranks, ghosts, screams, good-looking young people, and lots of booze and drug paraphernalia.

He incorporates the standard slasher backstory of a years-old event and a vicious killer still on the loose. This gimmick resembles Friday the 13th (1980) or Halloween (1978).

Folklore tells us that Garth Manor is an abandoned mansion once owned by Raymond Garth, who murdered his wife and three deformed children, Morris, Margaret, and Suzanne.

Garth then hanged himself. While he had a fourth deformed child, Andrew, his body was never found, nor was the body of Morris.

Folklore states that Morris and Andrew still lurk within the mansion, hungrily waiting for prey.

This immediately makes the pledges frightened and happy to get through the six-hour overnight alive. It also builds interest for the audience.

What makes Hell Night particularly unique is its subplot involving social classes. Marti is an intelligent girl from a blue-collar/working-class family who is obviously in university because of a scholarship. At the same time, her love interest, Jeff (Peter Barton), comes from an affluent family.

This makes the audience invest in these characters as they bond with each other. We root for them to find some romance before they are potentially chopped to bits by a maniac.

The other central characters are Denise (Suki Goodwin), a promiscuous party girl from England, and Seth (Vincent Van Patten), a surfer from Southern California. These characters are the film’s comic relief and, indeed, the ones that will ‘get it’.

Van Patten is nice to look at as he frequently parades shirtless while Denise often forgets his name.

Other stock characters are Peter, May, and Scott, who are responsible for ensuring the pledges don’t escape from the manor and scaring the wits out of them.

Naturally, the fun for the audience is the knowledge that most of the characters will be unceremoniously offed one by one, except for Marti, the film’s hero.

With pleasure, there is a decapitation, a body strung up on the roof, and a horrid scene where a character is hurled out the window.

Reminiscent of Black Christmas (1974), a film that heavily influenced 1980s slasher films, the police are ineffectual and dizzy, believing the pledges’ pleas for help are only part of a fraternity prank and nothing to investigate.

A macabre and terrific scene in which one of the pledges is arranged at a dining room table with the decaying corpses of the Garth family reminds me of Happy Birthday to Me (1981) or The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974).

Blair is effective as the ‘final girl’ because she’s smart, sensible, and relatable. With a girl-next-door veneer, she is easy to root for to conquer the fiendish killer (s).

I wanted more explanation about the motivations of the killers. Yes, they were assumed to be abused and mistreated, but why kill helpless college kids? I guess they’d kill anyone who entered the estate, but how would they survive and get food?

There’s also no nudity (male or female) or excessive blood, which gives a softer, tamer feel.

Borrowing heavily from other genre films, Hell Night (1981) is a worthy entry in the slasher genre, mostly because it incorporates an intelligent ‘final girl’ and a bit about social class.

2023 Films, Courtney Cox, Dermot Mulroney, Hayden Panettiere, Henry Czerny, Horror, Jack Champion, Jack Quaid, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Jenna Ortega, Liana Liberato, Mason Gooding, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Melissa Barrera, Samara Weaving, Skeet Ulrich, Slasher, Tyler Gillett

Scream VI-2023

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Scream VI-2023

Director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett

Starring Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Courtney Cox

Scott’s Review #1,465

Reviewed February 14, 2025

Grade: B

When I spontaneously decided to watch Scream VI (2023) one cold winter night while traveling for work, I had forgotten which of the franchise’s previous installments I had seen.

I had seen Scream (2022) and knew enough to know that it was a sequel to that film containing many familiar characters.

It felt like dining on comfort food, which was the perfect fit. I suspect that’s why others will choose to see this film.

While it is not vital to have seen any or all of the previous chapters, it is helpful because Scream VI contains a hefty dose of historical references and character revisitation. This is a joy for fans craving continuity and past character tie-ins.

More than one character comes back from the dead.

The plot follows a new Ghostface killer who targets the survivors of the Woodsboro murders in New York City. Neve Campbell did not reprise her role as Sidney Prescott due to a pay dispute, making this the only Scream film not to feature her.

I was very impressed with the first and last sequences, as a trio of killers is unmasked in the bloody and wild conclusion. The writing is clever, crisp, and filled with twists and turns.

The mid-section has issues, though.

Fans of the franchise need no explanation, but new viewers should know that the revealed killer or killers always have a motivation based on revenge.

Usually, someone had an affair with someone else, resulting in death or the drive to create a slasher film based on real-life events surrounding the drama.

Other key elements are sinister telephone games, cat-and-mouse puzzles, and knowledge of horror films, which, with a right or wrong answer, could either keep one alive or seal their deadly fate.

The pleasure in watching Scream films is the whodunit, as the killer always wears the Ghostface costume when killing off characters and toying with them first.

Yes, a pattern is followed, but the nods to slasher films of the 1970s and 1980s made the 1996 Scream debut such a masterpiece that the 2023 Scream honors.

Two characters banter about which installment of Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street is the best and why.

Now, over twenty-five years later, Scream has its history to delve into, which it does. Our main character, Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera), is the illegitimate daughter of the original killer, Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich), who makes a cameo.

The killers’ hideout is filled with photos, masks, knives, and other memorabilia from previous films, which is beautifully captured and a pure delight for legacy fans.

As the 1996 film did so well, the incredible opening sequence features a film professor (Samara Weaving) of slasher films receiving a mysterious call and being lured into peril. In a neat twist, the killer is then killed by another Ghostface.

A terrific ladder scene in the middle portion of Scream VI is also superior, as a pleading victim attempts to cross from building to building before Ghostface catches them.

Filmmakers showcase not one but two LGBTQ+ couples (one male and one female) and enough diversity (Asian, black, Hispanic) to be noticed, so it feels pretty inclusive.

Otherwise, the intro and finale are the most notable high points.

The film is bogged down terribly by its over two-hour running time, which made me tune out now and then. The filler is unnecessary and makes the film feel too hefty as it veers off course in redundancy.

Suspension of disbelief is at max capacity, especially during a laughable scene when a character is stabbed on a busy subway, unbeknownst to other subway riders.

Scream VI (2023) is a pleasant vehicle that wins by incorporating more horror history than ever, increased blood and violence, and following a successful pattern that it knows well.

2024 Films, Bobby Cannavale, Elizabeth Debicki, Halsey, Horror, Kevin Bacon, Lily Collins, Mia Goth, Michelle Monaghan, Moses Sumney, Slasher, Sophie Thatcher, Ti West, Toby Huss

MaXXXine-2024

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MaXXXine-2024

Director Ti West

Starring Mia Goth

Scott’s Review 1,463

Reviewed February 4, 2025

Grade: B+

MaXXXine (2024) is a slasher horror film lover’s dream. With its 1980s-style filming, peroxide hairdos, and video cassette recorders (remember them?), it’s a sheer delight for genre fans.

Adding tight-washed blue jeans, a 1985 musical soundtrack, and the sunny setting of Los Angeles, California, you’ve got a throwback 80’s film in the best ways.

It is the third installment in Ti West’s X film series and a direct sequel to X (2022). The first chapter was called Pearl (2022). Although seeing the others before seeing MaXXXine is unnecessary, it is also fun.

West writes, produces, directs, and edits the vehicle, so the project is his creation. His muse, Mia Goth, who has starred in all three films, makes a return appearance and is co-producing.

Rumor has it there may be a fourth.

In the film, Maxine sets out for fame and success in 1980s Hollywood and is targeted by a mysterious killer, who is assumed to be the aptly nicknamed real-life Night Stalker.

But is this a red herring? Maxine’s friends are systematically eliminated, leaving the poor girl and the detectives to wonder if she could be the next target.

Could it be someone from her past? Or is someone jealous of her impending film success?

The film gets off to an intriguing start when a videotape shows a young Maxine dancing for her father, who appears to be coaching her and determinedly telling her never to settle.

Adult Maxine brilliantly auditions for a new horror film called Puritan II despite her only credits being in adult films. She shows she has raw talent and emotion and is unafraid to prance around topless.

She speeds away in her sports car with vanity plates reading ‘MaXXXine’.

We quickly learn that Maxine is not to be messed with. When she is accosted at knifepoint, she channels her inner Aileen Wuornos and pulls a gun on her attacker, makes him strip, puts the gun in his mouth, and forces him to perform fellatio on it before stomping on and crushing his testicles with her boot.

She snickers and walks away.

West wants MaXXXine to be entertaining, and he largely succeeds. It’s a fun film not to be taken seriously, but the female-empowering message impressed me.

The Puritan II’s director, wonderfully played by Elizabeth Debicki (The Crown’s Princess Diana), warns Maxine of the sharks and predators in La La Land, and an early quote by legendary actress Bette Davis states, ‘You’re not a star until you’re viewed as a monster.’

In MaXXXine, one is allowed to be a badass bitch and take no prisoners.

The final act is uneven, with a hokey explanation for the killer’s motivations for wanting Maxine dead amid the palatial Hollywood hills. The showdown is a generic extravaganza where the killer’s circle of henchmen is taken down conveniently to let him and Maxine square off.

Earlier, there are real-life clips of Christian wackos accusing heavy metal artists of devil worship and protesters foolishly carrying around signs objecting to the Puritan II, which is a significant clue to the whodunit.

Bobby Cannavale and Michelle Monaghan play detectives who lack great dialogue and are the film’s comic relief, and Kevin Bacon goes over the top as a private investigator.

However, a delightful cameo by Lily Collins (TV’s Emily in Paris) is a big win.

I suppose one could approach MaXXXine (2024) as dissecting the artificiality of Hollywood or the overindulgence of the 1980s excess (cocaine use is prevalent in the film). Still, I took the film as celebrating 1980s horror magnificently.

And I was a happy participant.

1984 Films, Horror, Linda Hamilton, Peter Horton, Slasher, Stephen King

Children of the Corn-1984

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Children of the Corn-1984

Director Fritz Kiersch

Starring Peter Horton, Linda Hamilton

Scott’s Review #1,385

Reviewed August 2, 2023

Grade: B

I liken the 1980s slasher film genre to the 1980s hard rock, ‘hair metal’ scene. Both contain standard and tried and true elements that are necessary to categorize them as such in said genre.

They both tended to be derided by critics as superfluous and commercially accessible to mass consumption.

I could write an entire dissertation on the subject but my focus will remain on the slasher genre and Children of the Corn, a 1984 release billed as a straightforward slasher film but that has supernatural aspects which set it apart from some contemporaries.

The cover art (pictured above) and promotion conjure up ideas of a knife-wielding maniac wearing overalls, stalking small-town victims in corn fields in middle America USA.

The film is based on a 1977 short story by horror author and brilliant storyteller Stephen King.

Set in the fictitious rural town of Gatlin, Nebraska, the film tells the story of a malevolent entity referred to as “He Who Walks Behind the Rows” which entices the town’s children to ritually murder all the town’s adults. This is under the guise of ensuring a successful corn harvest.

A well-to-do city couple, Burt and Vicky, played by Peter Horton and Linda Hamilton drive cross-country to Seattle to begin a fantastic opportunity. Burt is a physician.

When they accidentally strike a child on a desolate stretch of highway they realize he was already dead and attempt to find help in Gatlin only to become the child resident’s next sacrifice.

Suffice it to say that the premise and the short story are way better than the finished film product though there is just enough to keep one entertained for an hour and a half.

Director, Fritz Kiersch, does a good job of providing a quality atmosphere. The loneliness of Gatlin and the foreboding corn fields where something deadly lurks amid the stalks made me feel uneasy from the get-go.

There is something about an uninhabited town in the middle of nowhere that is innately scary. Kiersch patterns the setting after the brutal Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) though with a much softer touch. The small farmhouses and the streets mirror that film.

I also enjoy the surprising chemistry between Horton and Hamilton. Scenes, where the pair are driving in the car chatting or listening to tunes, are pleasant and do not merely serve as filler to get to some killings.

The yellow early 1980s Buick or Oldsmobile is shown so frequently that it becomes a character itself. For fans of large American cars of yesteryear (me!), the inclusion of the car is a treat.

Finally, the blatant questioning and disparaging of the ridiculousness of organized religion is showcased when Burt (who believes in science) scolds the children for interpreting the Bible to suit their needs.

This may go over the audience’s heads but to me, it resonates and I cheered wildly when the dumb-faced kids realized the idiocy of their beliefs.

The film dissipates towards the end when the supernatural aspects take center stage. Tepid and very lowbrow they quickly take away any moments of peril and shift the momentum to comedy and cheapness. In 1984 this may not have been noticeable but in 2023 the special effects are at a low point.

The attempted sacrifice of Vicky doesn’t feel frightening, especially thinking of a superior film, The Wicker Man (1973) which used the same setup but more effectively.

Children of the Corn (1984) has its moments but by the time the film ends, I wished I had been treated to that knife-wielding, overall wearing maniac over a silly blood ritual in the name of the ‘holy bible’.

2007 Films, Action, Eli Roth, James Parks, Kurt Russell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Michael Parks, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, Rosario Dawson, Rose McGowan, Scott Stewart, Slasher, Thriller

Grindhouse: Death Proof-2007

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Grindhouse: Death Proof-2007

Director Quentin Tarantino

Starring Kurt Russell, Rosario Dawson, Zoe Bell

Scott’s Review #1,344

Reviewed February 13, 2023

Grade: A

It’s tough to go wrong with a Quentin Tarantino film recognizing that one needs to be a Tarantino fan. His films are for specific tastes that indulge in stylized violence, dark humor, and cartoonish characters.

Grindhouse: Death Proof (2007) is an easy victory for the director and incorporates his trademark qualities with beautiful female race car drivers and a sadistic stuntman.

As usual, revenge is the name of the game and results in a satisfying ending. The thrill is in the chase that occurs mainly midway through and plenty of B movie references and old songs are on display.

The experience is a pure pleasure for any cinema lover that appreciates aspects of the film like editing that too often falls beneath the surface. The scratchy film texture and retro title sequence all help to encompass another Tarantino opus.

The film is part of a double feature along with Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror and includes a series of mock exploitive trailers.

Both, specifically Tarantino’s, harken back to when exploitative films were shown in dusty movie houses with grainy video and a stale popcorn stench. The mood was immediately set for me while watching the film which enhanced my enjoyment tremendously.

Psychotic stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell) is a professional body double who likes to meet unsuspecting women at bars and take them for deadly drives for fun. He has a specially made car which he calls ‘Death Proof’ but only for the driver and not the passenger.

The first half of the film involves a group of girls out for a good time in a dive bar. Abbie (Rosario Dawson), Pam (Rose McGowan), and others ultimately fall victim to his shenanigans during a dastardly head-on collision exceptionally filmed.

Later, he meets a tough group of female race car drivers led by real-life stuntwoman Zoe Bell who vows to make him pay for causing them trouble. Their hell-bent vengeance just may be what the doctor ordered to cause Mike’s downfall.

Death Proof is often overlooked by fans of Tarantino and it might be because it’s paired with another film. But, it’s not half a movie either and at one hour and fifty-four minutes, it’s got legs. The film flies under the radar for me too but it’s a high-octane mile-minute experience.

One great part of Death Proof is the throwback to cult films of the 1960s and 1970s, especially Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, a 1965 exploitative masterpiece by Russ Meyer.

These girls are no shrinking violets or damsels in distress who need a man to save the day. Quite the contrary. They kick ass and take names, especially in the flawless second half. Out for blood, the girls assuredly put Mike firmly in his place.

Juxtapositioned with the first half which has a dire ending for the group of girls, the second half is more upbeat and satisfactory. The lighting is also different in the two halves. The first takes place well beyond midnight while the second is in the bright afternoon.

Tarantino produces a brilliant piece of feminist progressivism with nasty muscle and female characters not to be messed with. Death Proof (2007) shows badass characters with hints of humor and discussions about men.

The girlie action flick blends perfectly with the 1970s race cars and the sexploitation theme Tarantino is recreating while still making the film feel modern and relevant.

2022 Films, David Corenswet, Horror, Independent, Independent Horror, Mia Goth, Slasher, Ti West

Pearl-2022

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Pearl-2022

Director Ti West

Starring Mia Goth, David Corenswet

Scott’s Review #1,339

Reviewed February 2, 2023

Grade: A-

The follow-up to the superb horror film X (2022) is even better. Ti West directs and co-writes Pearl (2022) with star Mia Goth, who is quickly becoming a household name, especially in horror circles.

The duo creates a macabre and intelligent piece that pays homage to legendary films like The Wizard of Oz (1939) and Mary Poppins (1964) in the most wicked of ways. The film resembles a musical from the golden age of cinema, but it is haunting instead.

A24 is the place to be predominantly in the horror genre, as creativity is embraced and massaged rather than picked apart and recreated by too many cooks in the kitchen.

West and Goth appear to have complete creative control, and it shows in the finished product.

In the second chapter of X, we are introduced to the character Pearl as a young woman living on a farm in rural Texas. Fans recall that Pearl is the old lady in X, but we knew nothing of her backstory until now.

Pearl feels trapped on her family farm. Bored and isolated, she needs more out of life than milking cows, caregiving for her sickly father (Matthew Sunderland), or disagreeing with her rigid mother, Ruth (Tandi Wright).

She lusts for the glamorous life starring in Hollywood pictures, much to her mother’s chagrin. When a church-sponsored audition for dancers needed for a traveling troupe occurs, Pearl sees this as her way out of dodge and anticipates winning the contest. She is joined by her affluent sister-in-law Mitsy (Emma Jenkins-Burro).

The time is 1918, and Pearl’s fiancé is off fighting World War I.

It’s tough to take my eyes off Goth, quickly becoming a modern scream queen turned upside down. She’s not the victim, she’s the villain. With her wide-eyed stare and luscious red lips, she bears a striking resemblance to Dorothy Gale from Kansas.

Her descent into madness is slow yet always bubbling beneath the surface. We quickly get glimpses of her psychosis when she stares down her mother during a disagreement, showing that Pearl doesn’t merely get into a tizzy; she goes full-throttle psycho.

And anyone who has seen X knows that the old lady has some issues.

Initially, there is hope for Pearl, and we take pleasure in her company. She catches the eye of a handsome projectionist played by David Corenswet. Mutually smitten, he makes her forget her fiancé, and they bond over films and aspirations.

But once he visits Pearl’s farm and finds a maggot-covered stuffed pig and hears noises in her house, his interest wanes.  Not to be so easily dismissed, Pearl’s actual mental state is revealed.

West and Goth turn the horror genre upside down when the best and most brutal killings occur during the daytime. Standard horror films often take place at night, so this invention raises the stakes when the cinematography and lighting are as bright.

This adds to the horrific nature of the gruesome bloodletting. Pearl calmly follows her prey down the sunny driveway, holding a pitchfork, intent on killing.

She repeatedly exclaims that nothing will keep her on the farm, but we know that she will.

Returning to the Wizard of Oz comparisons, several references can be found. For starters, Goth resembles Judy Garland, mainly around the eyes. Her outfits, most notably her dresses and hair bow, pay tribute to Dorothy. Her bicycle looks like Miss Gulch’s ride.

Goth also resembles American actress Shelley Duvall, whose most notable role is that of the suffering Wendy Torrance in The Shining (1980). Both actors have a mesmerizing stare as if to say ‘I can go cuckoo at any moment now’.

Too few modern films can be watched and re-watched, but my hunch is that my first viewing of Pearl (2022) will not be my last.

A third film is in the works.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Lead Performance-Mia Goth, Best Cinematography

2023 Films, Allison Williams, Amie Donald, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Comedy, Gerard Johnstone, Horror, Horror-Camp, Horror-Comedy, James Wan, Jenna Davis, Science Fiction, Slasher

M3GAN-2023

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M3GAN-2023

Director Gerard Johnstone

Starring Allison Williams, Violet McGraw

Scott’s Review #1,338

Reviewed January 31, 2023

Grade: B+

M3GAN (2023) is the sleeper hit of the year, quickly becoming a ‘water-cooler’ topic (remember that phrase?) after getting stagnant cinema lovers back into theaters in droves.

Released in the traditionally dismal month of January when studios usually ‘dump’ film releases with little or no bang for their buck M3GAN is already set to spawn a sequel. The possibilities for a different story to correlate with the original are endless.

The poster (see above) and the movie trailer are instantly grabbing. We see a doll-like/robotic little girl with long flowing blonde hair and mesmerizing, sparkling eyes that are cat-like and creepy.

Almost life-like, it doesn’t take a genius to conjure images of the Chucky doll from the Child’s Play franchise (1988-2019). Seemingly lovable but turning sinister, the concepts are more or less the same.

When robotics engineer Gemma (Allison Williams) takes in her orphaned niece, Cady (Violet McGraw), she creates the perfect companion for her, a lifelike doll named M3GAN, who serves as a friend, confidante, and sensible role model.

Cady and M3GAN immediately bond and become inseparable pals.

M3GAN can listen, watch, and learn from other people and objects as they relate to Cady, using advanced Artificial Intelligence to store their idiosyncrasies.

As expected, things soon go awry when M3GAN uses her superior intelligence to destroy anyone whom she perceives as a threat to Cady.

I’m not one to suggest a film tone down the blood and gore in a horror film but in the case of M3GAN, it works to the film’s advantage as proven by tremendous box-office receipts.

Far from kid-friendly, one of the main characters is eight to ten years old which might encourage parents, especially parents who are horror fans, to take their youngsters to see the film. At first, Cady and M3GAN invoke an idealized pre-teen female relationship, and a bully intent on harming Cady gets his comeuppance.

Most of the other characters who suffer dire fates are unlikeable. A boorish neighbor, a vicious dog, Gemma’s obnoxious boss, and his conniving assistant all get their due one way or another at the hands of M3GAN.

She’s not exactly a ‘hero’ but the fun is watching hated characters suffer at her hands. The setup is perfected as each character reveals their obnoxiousness to the rabid audience thirsting for a slashed throat or two.

My point is that parents and kids alike can enjoy this film and simultaneously share a startle and a giggle.

The campy nature of the film is another win since the humor evens out the horror elements. There are enough funny lines, mostly delivered by the supporting players, to evoke laugh-out-loud moments.

The grand finale is inevitably predictable but enjoyable because it’s what the audience can’t wait for. M3GAN, once prim and proper in her little girl dress, shrieks and spits curses at her former friends as her now disfigured face and ravaged hair make her look disheveled and monstrous.

M3GAN’s true colors are revealed and the audience will hoot and holler with delight.

Unlike many films, M3GAN goes right for the jugular in the first scene with a deadly car accident and keeps the fast pace for the entire one hour and forty-two minute running time.

Williams, well-known for starring in Jordan Peele’s 2017 masterpiece Get Out scores another win in the central role. She capably plays a loving yet inexperienced surrogate parent and carries the film, along with M3GAN of course.

Incorporated is a relevant knock on mass consumption of technology gadgets and a robot replacing good parenting. This is more evidence that parents should see M3GAN.

I can’t wait to see what the writers next have in store for the little terror when the sequel drops.

2022 Films, Amandla Stenberg, Chase Sui Wonders, Comedy, Dark Comedy, Horror, Horror-Comedy, Pete Davidson, Slasher

Bodies Bodies Bodies-2022

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Bodies Bodies Bodies-2022

Director-Halina Reijn

Starring-Amandla Sternberg, Maria Bakalova

Scott’s Review #1,321

Reviewed December 11, 2022

Grade: B

Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) is an admirable attempt at merging straight-ahead slasher whodunit with a good dose of dark comedy and camp. It doesn’t always hit the mark but provides entertainment and is thought-provoking.

The film is never boring and will keep the viewer guessing. There is plenty of diversity with a twist at the end which I’m still not sure is satisfying or not.

While watching the film, I wasn’t always sure if the dialogue was being played for laughs (it’s sometimes terrible). I’m still uncertain if the debut director Halina Reijn was poking fun at 1980s-style slasher flicks or paying homage to them.

The inclusion of Saturday Night Live alumni Pete Davidson provides a bit of humor and pushes the film toward comedy territory though his character is more of an asshole than comic relief. It’s other characters who deliver the funny lines.

Having not heard of the film at all, the premise was intriguing and made me flip it on during a long international flight. I needed to pass ninety minutes or so of time.

When a group of rich twenty-somethings plans a dubious hurricane party at a remote family mansion, they drink and use drugs. A party game goes awry.

I knew right away that an incident would occur that would see them knocked off unceremoniously one by one.

A hefty dose of cattiness between both the male and female characters will make the viewer smirk with pleasure. The backstabbing and fake friends angle is as delicious as the offing of several characters.

I love that Sophie (Amandla Sternberg) and Bee (Maria Bakalova), the central characters, are a lesbian couple. Bee is from eastern Europe while Sophie is of mixed race, and Sophie is affluent and Bee working class. So there are many differences to explore making for an insecure relationship.

It’s suggested that they are a new couple, early on in their relationship, and one of the other girls, Jordan (Myha’la Herrold), has previously had relations with Sophie. On top of all that, Sophie is a recovering drug addict.

I’m not sure the myriad of drama elements is all that necessary but it does reinforce the complexities of the characters. At the end of the day what the audience wants to see is violence and dripping blood and I felt a bit cheated in that department.

Don’t get me wrong, people do die but nobody is shown squealing or running for their life. Because they are playing a game, aptly titled ‘bodies bodies bodies’, the victims pretend to die but then wind up dead.

Besides Bree and Sophie, the other characters are unlikeable. I slowly realized that’s the fun of Bodies Bodies Bodies. Since the characters are whiny, rich, and spoiled rotten, we want them to get their just desserts.

My main criticism of Bodies Bodies Bodies is that it’s not always clear what the intention of the film is which confuses. Is it a message movie, a slasher flick, or an argument over a spoiled and clueless generation?

As the credits rolled I wasn’t even sure who the killer was or why. Turns out, my immediate hunch was right but I second-guessed myself.

In hindsight, I like the ultimate twist but there are so many aspects to Bodies Bodies Bodies. Generation Z hatred, societal clashes, love triangles, and a potential serial killer all rolled into one. That’s a bit much for a ninety-minute affair.

Comparisons to April Fool’s Day (1986) and Scream (1996) come to mind. And, Agatha Christie’s novels where a group of characters flocks to a remote locale for a good whodunit also occur.

As I absorb Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) more and more I realize that Reijn brings a fresh perspective to a sorely oversaturated genre and that’s a good thing.

The film could have been fleshed out more.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Director-Halina Reijn, Best First Screenplay

1988 Films, Danielle Harris, Horror, Michael Meyers, Michael Pataki, Slasher

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Meyers-1988

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Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Meyers-1988

Director Dwight H. Little

Starring Donald Pleasence, Danielle Harris

Scott’s Review #1,312

Reviewed October 27, 2022

Grade: B

Give me a good slasher flick any day and I’m a pretty happy guy.

Especially if it’s one from the Halloween franchise (my favorite series other than Friday the 13th, naturally), and viewed around the demonic holiday is the perfect flavor.

There is so much atmosphere to embrace with pumpkins, masks, and trick-or-treaters nestled seemingly safe in a small town ripe for the picking by a knife-wielding maniac.

By 1988 though, the slasher genre had severely waned and felt quite redundant with watered-down sequels and copycat patterns resulting in a stale crop of films.

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Meyers (1988) is an okay film and a worthy entry to the franchise. It is most notable for fixing what many fans thought was a terrible mistake.

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) omitted maniacal Michael Meyers entirely which made many fans seeth with rage, so Part 4 corrects this miss by adding his name to the title card.

John Carpenter and Debra Hill, the main contributors to the original Halloween (1978) were not involved so executive producer Moustapha Akkad went for a conventional and safe route, creating a standard slice em and dice em affair.

The allegedly comatose Michael Myers (George P. Wilbur) is being transferred from one hospital to another, but he wakes up when the ambulance crew chatter about his surviving niece, Jamie (Danielle Harris).

Out for fresh blood, he slaughters his attendants and sets out to find his one living relative who is being cared for by a kind and resourceful foster sister named Rachel (Ellie Cornell).

Meanwhile, the ever-cautious Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence) remains on the killer’s path intent to destroy the monster once and for all.

The overall tone of Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Meyers is by the numbers providing an offering that would only satisfy fans of the franchise and not dare ruffle any feathers or acquire new fanatics.

Even the premise of Meyers escaping a hospital and targeting a family member is identical to the original film and its sequel. The familiar Haddonfield Hospital and Smith’s Grove Sanitarium return like good friends not seen for years.

There are no points given for originality but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, Haloween III tried to reinvent the wheel and was largely derided for its efforts.

I liked the film and I like Part 4 for different reasons.

Meyers is front and center with his pointy butcher knife and hulking frame, and that’s pleasing and comforting. The mask is a bit paler and his height shorter but it’s the same Michael we all know and love.

Missing is Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, presumed to have died, but the return of Pleasence is a major win as he takes center stage and has more screen time than he has ever had as Loomis. Scarred and looking older and more withered, his determination is even stronger to best Meyers.

In a neat little twist, Michael looks to pass his killing baton to his niece as she attempts to butcher her stepmom, similar to what Michael did to his sister many years earlier.

Borrowing heavily from its predecessors, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Meyers (1988) is satisfying but not revolutionary. There are enough nods to history combined with a new batch of teenagers to mutilate to forge ground and continue the legacy.

2022 Films, Horror, Independent, Independent Horror, Mia Goth, Slasher, Ti West

X-2022

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X-2022

Director-Ti West

Starring Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega

Scott’s Review #1,310

Reviewed October 20, 2022

Grade: B+

Film company A24 has become synonymous with releasing quality independent films, mostly within the horror genre. The newbie distributor, only birthed in 2012, has hit it out of the park on numerous occasions.

Cutting-edge and downright bizarre projects like Ex Machina (2014), Hereditary (2018), and Midsommar (2019) immediately spring to mind.

I’ll see anything that this company releases.

A group of young, aspiring actors set out to make an adult film named The Farmer’s Daughters, in rural Texas. They rent a cabin from an unwitting elderly, reclusive couple. When the old folks catch on to what the actors are doing all hell breaks loose as an unlikely killer begins a murder spree.

At the risk of spoiling the fun X was shot on location in New Zealand which doubles as Texas, USA.

Ah, the magic of movie-making.

The film immediately will draw comparisons to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) in setting alone. Isn’t remote and barren farmland so effective in horror? There is something so creepy and foreboding about the stillness, animals, and miles and miles of emptiness.

Instead of a slaughterhouse or rotting meat, X uses a deadly alligator which comes into play during the final act.

To further add to the similarities of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the time is the late 1970s so the character’s dress and mannerisms are similar. Even one long shot of the elderly couple’s house entryway is almost identical to the one used in that film, and surprise, surprise, the cast drives up in a van.

But X is better than merely a modern film patterned after a cult classic. There is proper tension and a stark 1970s, dirty grindhouse look with gritty camerawork and a grainy texture.

I felt absorbed in the atmosphere and the time capsule rather than watching current people dress in retro clothing.

Very few viewers of X will likely be prudes but there is a fair amount of nudity and sexual behavior- I mean a lot!

Since a porn film is being made this is unsurprising but rests assured there is a hefty helping of tits, asses, and full-frontal nudity.

Perhaps as a response to the typically voyeuristic female-only nudity in most older slasher films, there is plenty of male nudity to balance the scales.

Another improvement to slasher films is the incorporation of character development and diversity. In lesser films, supporting nymphomaniacs like Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow) and Jackson (Scott Mescudi), who is black, would have been written as one-dimensional but not in X.

Bobby-Lynne and Jackson love sex but they also have dreams and aspirations and are kind people, each separately trying to help the elderly couple.

Unsurprisingly, the elderly couple, especially the wife, takes center stage as the plot moves along. Suffice it to say, Pearl (the old lady) longs to be young and sexual again like she was in her prime.

She stalks Maxine (Mia Goth), touches her, and finally sneaks into bed with her hoping to recapture her lost youth.

Things don’t exactly go well.

Goth portrays both Maxine and Pearl.

Motivations of Pearl may be a stretch but there is a creepy fascination that works well throughout X and the film never drags. It’s not every day that a ninety-year-old woman in a blood-soaked house dress wanders about a farm bludgeoning folks to death.

For a raw, independent, and fun foray back to the early days of the slasher genre before it became overly conventional, X is a winner.

A24 has another success on its hands since X (2022) will be followed by both a prequel and a sequel.

2022 Films, Andi Matichak, David Gordon Green, Horror, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Carpenter, Judy Greer, Michael Meyers, Nick Castle, Rohan Campbell, Slasher, Will Patton

Halloween Ends-2022

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Halloween Ends-2022

Director-David Gordon Green

Starring-Jamie Lee Curtis, Andi Matichak, Rohan Campbell

Scott’s Review #1,309

Reviewed October 19, 2022

Grade: B+

As a bit of rewind for newer fans of the series or altogether non-fans, Halloween Ends (2022) is a slasher film that is the sequel to Halloween Kills (2021), and the thirteenth installment in the legendary Halloween franchise.

It is reported to be the final film in the trilogy of sequels that commenced with the 2018 film rebirth, which directly follows the 1978 film and disregards all other entries.

It’s as if nothing more happened after knife-wielding Michael Meyers toppled from a suburban terrace and escaped one Halloween night long ago.

Time will tell if this is indeed the final farewell but the film wraps events up nicely and it feels like a satisfying ending.

Halloween Ends is unconventional and murky in parts that intrigued me more than confused me. But rest assured there is enough mayhem and creative kills to satisfy blood-thirsty audiences- it just takes some patience to get there.

I’m not sure all diehard fans will be satisfied with the film.

There are some twists and turns to maneuver through and some perplexities with a couple of leading characters but I’m careful not to give too much away.

Over forty years since being terrorized while babysitting one Halloween night, Laurie Strode is writing her memoir as she tries to put the trauma of her past behind her. Since she still resides in the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois this will not be easy when the sudden death of a young boy sets off terrifying events.

The opening sequence is compelling despite not even involving Laurie, Michael, or Laurie’s granddaughter, Allyson (Andi Matichak)!

The introduction of male babysitter Corey (Rohan Campbell) breathes fresh life into the complex family tree within the small town and an event causes the young man to become Haddonfield’s new pariah.

Corey is a nice addition as he dates Allyson and becomes involved in the family drama with Michael Meyers becoming a major connection.

I’m keeping this vague so I don’t spoil the fun but the romance between Corey and Allyson works especially during a scene where they romance outside a local radio station one night.

Reminisces of Laura Dern and Kyle MacLachlan’s characters in David Lynch’s masterpiece Blue Velvet (1986) appear amid a hauntingly cerebral musical score that adds an art film look and feel. The young romance is shrouded by oncoming chaos but they cannot stay away from each other.

A fun fact and a nod to strong film history are that John Carpenter, director of the original Halloween, and his son Corey, provide the music in Halloween Ends.

Some of Corey’s and Allyson’s sequences feel poetic and dreamy which is the opposite of what a ‘normal’ Halloween film feels like.

Not to be outdone by poetic filmmaking, the director David Gordon Green makes sure any bullies, sluts, or sexual creatures get their due by being fittingly hacked to bits or suffering crushed skulls to pay for their sins.

One even gets ensnared in barbed wire and then unceremoniously run over.

My favorite kills include a comical tongue removal that ends up making an album skip, and a stabbing and impaling onto a door, a clear reference to Bob’s death in the original.

Inevitably, the film belongs to Laurie and Michael and their showdown is no surprise. I was salivating for this final blood feast from the get-go and it doesn’t disappoint.

Laurie’s kitchen is conveniently stocked with a set of sharp, shiny knives which allows for a healthy dose of crimson-red blood soaking.

I could have used more nods to history. Besides the carbon copy killing of Bob, an old photo, and quick clips of scenes from the original, there isn’t a whole lot.

Bringing the original actors and characters to the fold in Halloween Kills worked well but all little Lindsey Wallace (Kyle Richards) gets to do is serve drinks at the local bar and listen to other characters’ problems.

My money is that we haven’t seen the last of Michael Meyers but Halloween Ends (2022) will satisfy those looking for the expected Halloween trimmings with a dash of creative filmmaking.

Other than a couple of missed opportunities, it remains true to its audience.

2022 Films, Adam Brody, Alicia Silverstone, Courtney Cox, Horror, Jack Quaid, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Jenna Ortega, Kyle Gallner, Mason Gooding, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Melissa Barrera, Mikey Madison, Skeet Ulrich, Slasher, Tyler Gillett

Scream-2022

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Scream-2022

Director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett

Starring Melissa Barrera, Neve Campbell, Jack Quaid

Scott’s Review #1,284

Reviewed August 2, 2022

Grade: B+

Scream, the 2022 version, was billed as a ‘relaunch’ of the film series when it was released in the crappy month of January. However, is that so important in a Covid age when hardly anyone goes to movie theaters?

The film is really ‘Scream 5′ because it has continuity from the last installment released in 2011, and harkens back to the 1996 Scream premiere.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the film.

Scream ultimately follows a formula, but a formula that works especially well and will please fans of the series. My expectations were superseded, and wonderful is the inclusion of series stalwarts in roles that are much more than glorified cameos.

On the flip side, the finale is underwhelming and the killers’ (isn’t there always two??) motivations are lame but I found that to be unimportant because the real fun is the whodunit aspect.

Scream is very faithful to that.

Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, California, a new killer dons the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past.

The frightening release date and the first of the series not to be directed by Wes Craven is enough to make any Scream fan bite their nails in worry about how the end product would result.

In addition, there are two screenwriters and two directors which is rarely a good sign for creativity.

But, all’s well that ends well as writers James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick, and directors Matt Bettinelli-Olipin and Tyler Gillett do many things right.

I mentioned the formula before and they wisely use an anniversary as a starting point. Vicious murders commence on poor Woodsboro at just the right time for mayhem to erupt all over again.

For those who have forgotten the titillating and flawless opening sequence of Scream circa 1996 when poor Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) is forced to play a guessing game with an unknown phone caller to avoid death is reintroduced with gusto.

The film immediately begins with a nod to that history.

When teenager Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) answers her landline the audience whoops with joy at the anticipation of what’s to come. She will endure a game of horror film trivia with Ghostface before he (or she) leaps into the kitchen to cut her to bits.

Pleasurably, a new gang of fresh-faced Woodsboro teenagers is then introduced to be plucked off one by one. But, could one or two of them be the killers?

A treat for all fans is the inclusion of Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, and Skeet Ulrich in their original roles, with one having a significant connection to a new character.

This only cements the lifeline of the franchise.

The clever writing was considered unique at the time of its release for featuring characters aware of real-world horror films which openly discussed the clichés that the film attempted to subvert.

In Scream (2022) this is heightened by a discussion of ‘source material’ and ‘requel’ which feels like a horror film progression.

If you’re thinking that Scream 2022 is a carbon copy of Scream 1996 it kind of is but with some modernization. And it works like a charm, feeling like a good visit with an old friend and watching their offspring sprout into young adults.

Scream (2022) takes a lesson from what the recent Halloween film reboot did. A reprisal franchise once aged and tired breathes new life into the series by using its history and legacy characters.

How clever that the characters in Scream even acknowledge this in the story!

I anxiously await the next Scream film rumored to be released in 2023 for more fun.

2009 Films, Horror, Independent, Independent Horror, Slasher

Frayed-2009

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Frayed-2009

Director Rob Portmann, Norbert Caoili

Starring Aaron Blakely, Alena Dashiell, Tony Doupe

Scott’s Review #1,270

Reviewed June 24, 2022

Grade: A

As I began to watch Frayed (2009) the last thing I expected was to be as riveted as I was. I was enthralled, glued to my seat, frightened, and left completely floored by what I had experienced.

In the best of ways possible.

Things didn’t bode well at first since the previews on our rented DVD screamed low-budget and cheesy with sub-standard acting and ridiculously cheap production.

I expected a by-the-numbers, cliche-riddled Halloween (1978) style rip-off. Some thirty years after that film was made, it didn’t exactly scream relevant.

Maybe somebody’s experimental film school project?

I’ll add that with an astounding five credited screenwriters (rarely a good sign) the outcome could have easily been a muddled mess.

Expectations were shot through the ceiling only increasing with pleasure as the film went along. There are a couple of slow pockets here and there but the last fifteen minutes or so spiral Frayed out of control into a fantastic new dimension in twists and turns.

Just when I thought I had things figured out and was satisfied with the surprise twist that wasn’t too hard to figure out, there appeared another twist, and yet another, and finally another twist!

I felt like I had done a series of summer saults and was breath taken by the film and left to ponder, consider, and reconstruct the storyline.

Sheriff Pat Baker (Tony Doupe) has led a life of tragedy. When his young son Kurt brutally murders his mother at sister Sara’s (Alena Dashiell) fifth birthday party the boy is left catatonic in a mental asylum.

Thirteen years later, Kurt escapes during a transfer and wanders the nearby woods dressed as a masked clown, chasing a security guard and stalking Sara and her friends. Baker and the team must capture the escapee before he wreaks more havoc.

But since the killer is his son is Pat too invested?

In ways, Frayed is a classic slasher film and a throwback to the 1980s. Sara and her best friend sneak out of the house to meet their boyfriends for beer and sex in the middle of the woods amid a campfire. Sara and her father and stepmother live in a small, remote town.

What better setting for a crazed killer on the loose with bloodletting on his mind?

These are standard setups for dire events.

But Sara, played well by Alena Dashiell isn’t your typical ‘final girl. She drinks a bit and has sex on her mind while remaining strong and careful.

The opening scene is a doozy.

In a flashback, Kurt’s mother enters his bedroom and scolds him for teasing the birthday girl. She forgets she has a camcorder on and is quickly bashed to death with a baseball bat. The camera viewpoint is from the floor so all we see is the mother’s head repeatedly beaten.

It’s gory and sickening and led to the film being banned in more than one country.

Director, Rob Portmann, who co-wrote the film will not appeal to the faint of heart with this scene though the gore is left to a minimum throughout the rest.

There is so much more to this film than gore.

In retrospect, aspects of Frayed are like a puzzle. Why is the security guard the focus as much as Sara? Why does Pat’s new wife look like his dead wife? Why is a team softball photo constantly shown?

Frayed might warrant a second or third viewing to see how well it holds up.

Surprisingly, the acting is quite good by most of the cast, and made on a small budget. Professionalism is laid out, especially by Blakely and Doupe and all the players give compelling performances and are given rich character development.

It’s a shame that Frayed did not garner more notice because the film is fiendish, terrific, and satisfying. Given it’s 2022 it was made in 2007, and released in 2009 its time may have passed.

Frayed (2009) will please fans who love good old-fashioned slasher flicks and who love a good twist or three or four.

Borrowing from previous films but with an identity as fine as The Sixth Sense (1999) it’s to be remembered in the best of ways.

2007 Films, Adrienne Barbeau, Brad Dourif, Danielle Harris, Danny Trejo, Dee Wallace, Horror, Ken Foree, Leslie Easterbrook, Malcolm McDowell, Michael Meyers, Rob Zombie, Scout Taylor-Compton, Slasher, Sybil Danning, Tyler Mane

Halloween-2007

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Halloween-2007

Director Rob Zombie

Starring Malcolm McDowell, Scout Taylor-Compton, Tyler Mane

Scott’s Review #1,234

Reviewed February 27, 2022

Grade: B

I’ve seen director/musician/entertainer Rob Zombie tear down the house as the headlining second stage act at the metal festival Ozzfest in the 2000s. He’s a striking individual with ferocious energy and a creative persona.

He’s also quite brave to undertake such an undertaking as remaking the legendary slasher film Halloween from 1978.

The results of his 2007 effort simply titled Halloween is a mixed effort but props to him for having the balls to try.

Similar to other horror films he has directed, and his music, there is brutality and rawness mixed with nastiness and a grim outlook. He wisely focuses on the character of Michael Meyers but fulfills too much backstory for my liking.

Part of the appeal of the crazed killer is his mysteriousness.

Michael is played by both Daeg Faerch and Tyler Mane.

The story is a bit of a remake. The new aspect focuses on events that begin on Halloween when ten-year-old Michael inexplicably butchers a school bully, his sister, her boyfriend, and his abusive stepfather. He is sent to a mental hospital for the next fifteen years becoming despondent and fixated on making paper machete masks.

The second part is more familiar territory.

Nearly two decades later he breaks out, intent on returning to the town of Haddonfield, Illinois. He arrives in his hometown on Halloween to hunt down his younger sister, Laurie (Scout Taylor-Compton).

The only thing standing between Michael and a night of bloody carnage is psychologist Dr. Samuel Loomis (Malcolm McDowell).

I stress the point of the nearly impossible task that Zombie faced of remaking or even reviving a film as iconic as John Carpenter’s 1978 masterpiece. Without even pen to paper, there would immediately be those who would mock and trivialize any attempt.

Zombie both wrote and directed the film.

He immediately provides a reason for Michael’s dirty deeds. Close with his mother, played by Zombie’s real-life wife, Sheri Moon Zombie, who does a fantastic job, Deborah is a struggling stripper married to an abusive man. So Michael’s earlier butchery can be somewhat understood by audiences.

My preference is how Michael’s parents were portrayed in the original in their one brief scene. They appear to be an upstanding middle-class couple with a nice house and family. This makes Michael’s psychotic rampage all the more vague and confusing.

A fabulous scene at the mental hospital showcases an ominous moment. It’s Halloween Eve and Doctor Loomis visits the despondent Michael in the outdoor yard. The audience knows he will escape but not when or how things will erupt and who will be slashed, we just know the bloodletting will soon commence.

The rest of the film is standard fare and a letdown compared to the ambitious first half, though there is way more violence and gore than can be imagined. The film feels haunting and brutal with an uncompromising approach by Zombie to kick the killings up ten notches.

It’s like the original Halloween on steroids.

The casting highlights start and stops with the exceptional Malcolm McDowell as the tortured Loomis. The famous actor, forever known as Alex in A Clockwork Orange (1971) carries the film with his expression-filled crystal blue eyes and tremendous acting ability.

Another winning choice is Brad Dourif as Sheriff Lee Brackett. Classic film fans will remember the actor as a mental patient in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in 1975 which he was Oscar-nominated.

Scout Taylor-Compton does a decent job as Laurie Strode but can anyone compare to Jamie Lee Curtis? I snicker at the thought. The rest of the actors portraying the teen friends are okay but not memorable.

Followed by Halloween II in 2009, Halloween (2007) received enough attention at the time to give fans a flurry of excitement but with the later recreation and reprisal by Jamie Lee Curtis and others from the original, the Zombie offerings won’t be remembered well.

It’s dirty, bloody, and raw but never terrifying. Zombie adds story points, some that work and some that don’t but I give the man much respect for dusting off a film as brilliant as Halloween (1978).