"Vincent Snavely's Halloween Classics"

" My Favorite Horror Movies Of All Time"

'Repulsion' (NR) (65) ****

Writers: Gerard Brach and Roman Polanski. Adaptation and Dialogue: David Shore
Director: Roman Polanski
Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry, John Fraser, Yvonne Furneaux

"Repulsion" is one of the most claustrophobic and unsettling horror movies of all time. It is a classic, tight and effective masterpiece with a breathtaking Catherine Deneuve. Deneuve is one of the most beautiful actresses on screen and here you can't take your eyes off of her. The movie is flawlessly shot and beautiful to look at even though most of it takes place inside one apartment. Sometimes I think most horror movies should be shot in black and white. Polanski early in his career was a genius and he knew where to place the camera, how to make a movie look beautiful and could create suspense like no other and I think this movie is equal to Hitchcock. Polanski created his own voice and here the dread and suspense is palpable. The movie slowly builds momentum and as the main character's mind starts to unravel and we begin to grow more uncomfortable we feel we can't escape and we can't catch our breath. This is a maddening, beautiful, haunting and terrifying experience built with minimal story, great photography and a very brave performance by Catherine Deneuve.

'Martin' (R) (78) ***1/2

Writer and Director: George Romero
Starring: John Amplas, Tom Savini, Lincoln Maazel, Christine Forest

" Martin" is one of the best vampire movies ever made directed by the horror master George Romero who gave us many good horror movies. This was a very low budget shocker beautifully filmed on Pittsburgh locations and that makes it feel like we are in a real city with real people. The movie is very grainy and spare and very unlike most Hollywood movies of that period. It used effective unknown actors who were mostly local actors including the lead character Martin played well by John Amplas. This is in many ways the same type of plot as the "Twilight" movies and the recent and great "Let the Right One In". It is about a boy with real growing pains who actually thinks he is a vampire. This movie is very effective mostly because it is filmed in real locations without any phony Hollywood tricks. It has great, sick and black humor, interesting characters and very effective and gruesome killings and gore. It is highly original and different and if you are looking for horror that is unique you might find this a real treat. I forgot to mention it is very kinky and sexy so bonus points if you like sexy and kinky stuff.

'The Entity' (R) (81) ****

Writer: Frank DeFelitta based on his novel
Director: Sidney J. Furie
Starring: Barbara Hershey, Ron Silver, George Coe, Alex Rocco

"The Entity" is a nasty and cruel horror movie that is as unsettling as "Repulsion" but even more brutal and horrific. This movie got mostly terrible reviews and I must warn you this is not for everybody and it made me queasy but I couldn't keep my eyes off the screen. Barbara Hershey gives one of the bravest performances by an actress in a role that had to be excruciating to play. She plays a divorced mother who one night while lying in bed asleep she is awoken by an unsettling touch and feeling. As the movie progresses she finds herself being beaten and brutalized by an unknown force. Here is where I must warn you that she is raped repeatedly by this invisible force and it gets worse and worse. Please do not hate me and think that I enjoy a movie about rape and if right now you are saying "Whoa wait a minute!" please relax. This is not an enjoyable movie but it is one of the scariest and most deeply unsettling horror movies ever made. There is a difference between the violence in this than say a "Friday the 13Th" which I find is more cruel to women. What separates this is that Barbara Hershey is so good and the movie does make you feel real pain and empathy. I was emotionally drained by this movie and I cried a few times. This movie does not let up and it doesn't let you off the hook. I am surprised that this didn't turn out to be silly and unintentionally funny as Hershey is thrown around the room by an invisible force. It creates genuine shock and pain and brutality and it might not be your ideal fun horror entertainment but tell me if I am wrong but does horror supposed to make you feel good?

'Blow Out' (R) (81) ****

Writer and Director Brian Depalma
Starring: John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow, Dennis Franz, Peter Boyden, John Aquino, John McMartin

I love Brian Depalma and a lot of critics hate him and thinks he rips off Hitchcock or they find him gaudy and cheap and hate "Scarface". Well I think he is an amazing director and like I said about my blog I am not a critic, I am a moviegoer and he always entertains me. He started out creating mostly horror movies and I have liked all of them including one of my all time favorites "Carrie". "Blow Out" is more of a suspense thriller mixed with a slasher film. It even parodies the slasher movie genre and has a good deal of humor and I think it is a small masterpiece. The movie has a great story that mixes political intrigue, a classic evil bad guy, blood, scares and laughs. It might also contain one of the best performances by John Travolta of his career. This came right after his explosion in "Grease" and "Saturday Night Fever" and it showed Travolta wanted to do more than the Hollywood fluff and he took a great risk on this movie. Depalma creates a classic film noir look, creates great characters and suspense and those that think he rips off Hitchcock will see that this is one of his most signature films and very much his own. It also has an early performance by John Lithgow that is amazing. He plays the killer in this movie and he is delightfully evil, nasty and scary. This movie pretty much put him on the map for his career and he is outstanding. Nancy Allen also gives a sweet performance and I loved her naivety and sweetness and there is great comic support by Dennis Franz. I actually grew to care about these characters and I felt the movie's plot never went wrong for one second. I also think this has one of the best scores of any movie of that period. This is a very entertaining suspense film that I think is a minor masterpiece.

'John Carpenter's The Thing' (R) (82) ****

Writer: Bill Lancaster
Director: John Carpenter
Starring: Kurt Russell, Keith David, Wilford Brimley, Richard Dysart, Richard Mazur, T.K. Carter, Donald Moffat, David Clennon

"John Carpenter's The Thing" remake is one of the best gory movies ever made. After Carpenter's masterpiece "Halloween" this is his best horror film. I even find it more effective than the original "The Thing" This has blood, guts, great special effects for it's time and a haunting ending that is perfect for a horror movie. Kurt Russell is to me one of the most under rated actors ever. He is very good here as the straight man to all the craziness that unfolds before him and what a supporting cast of the best Hollywood veterans the movie has! It is simply wall to wall gore but I found the movie very scary and terrifying also. I laughed a lot and had a great time and got very sick also. I suggest you don't eat a lot of candy during this especially gummy worms. I love the ending to this movie because there is no cheap scare or phony trick at the end and no hope. It knows it is not a deep and powerful movie and that is what makes it even better and more powerful. It simply wants to gross you out and make you jump and boy does it ever succeed!

That is just the tip of the pile of intestines for I have other suggestions also so feel free to comment and agree or disagree with me and please have a terrifying, scary and horrible Halloween!

My Other Picks:

Psycho (60) **** Enough said
Rosemary's Baby (68) **** Another Polanski horror masterpiece which is in my top 5
Carrie (R) (76) **** One of the best endings and a Oscar caliber performance by Sissy Spacek
The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane (PG) (76) **** Jodie Foster. Hitchcock would be proud!
Halloween (R) (78) **** My favorite horror movie
Prom Night (R) (80) *** Another Jamie Lee Curtis horror fest that was actually good. A guilty pleasure.
Terror Train (R) (81) *** More Jamie Lee Curtis and another unique guilty pleasure. Yes Curtis starred in a few of these.
Scanners (R) (81) *** Exploding heads and early vintage David Cronenberg.
The Funhouse (R) *** (81) Directed by Tobe Hooper. Check this sleeper out because not may people have seen this. A carnival of horror. Also of course the original "Texas Chainsaw Masscare" also by Hooper.
Creepshow (R) (82) *** So bad it is good. Pure 80's cheese!
Poltergeist (PG) (82) ***1/2 Rumor is Steven Spielberg took over directing duties from Tobe Hooper because he wanted a more family touch.
The Reanimator (R) (85) ***1/2 One of the funniest and goriest movies ever made and really sick. "The Thing" is a walk through Disney World compared to this. Also check out Stuart Gordon's wonderfully campy "From Beyond" from 86.

Also Mommie Dearest (PG) (81) Enough said.

Comment on any suggestions you have for your favorite Horror movies.