Nov 8th Horror Trivia Screening List

To all those who came here from the event or Storm Crow's FB page, welcome! I am Jay, one half of the horror trivia quizmasters and this is my humble blog.

If you heard a title while at the last event and thought “oh that movie sounds cool, I should check that out”, here's a comprehensive list of all the films that were mentioned. Click on the titles to be redirected to their Imdb listing.

For everyone else, maybe there's one or two here you have yet to catch. Horror Trivia Night happens at Storm Crow Manor in Toronto. If you're in the area, come on down! Register here. If you're not local, we do often stream the event on @ruemorguemag Instagram.

His House (2020)

The Entity (1982)

House on Haunted Hill (1959)

Cobweb (2023)

The Virgin Spring (1960)

Disturbing Behavior (1998)

The Video Dead (1987)

Hell of a Summer (2023)

Don't Go In The House (1979)

Mazes & Monsters (1982)

I Drink Your Blood (1971)

Satanic Panic (2019)

House of the Devil (2009)

Evilspeak (1981)

We Summon the Darkness (2019)

The Devil's Rain (1975)

Angel Heart (1987)

The Babysitter (2017)

Race with the Devil (1975)

Sep 13 Horror Trivia Screening List

To all those who came here from the event or Storm Crow's FB page, welcome! I am Jay, one half of the horror trivia quizmasters and this is my humble blog.

If you heard a title while at the last event and thought “oh that movie sounds cool, I should check that out”, here's a comprehensive list of all the films that were mentioned. Click on the titles to be redirected to their Imdb listing.

For everyone else, maybe there's one or two here you have yet to catch. Horror Trivia Night happen at Storm Crow Manor & Offworld Bar in Toronto. If you're in the area, come on down! Click those links to register your team. If you're not local, we do often stream the event on @ruemorguemag Instagram.

Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)

Cub (2014)

Insidious (2010)

High Tension (2003)

Jennifer's Body (2009)

Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)

Opera (2009)

Two Evil Eyes (1990)

Trauma (1993)

The Stendhal Syndrome (1996)

Mother of Tears (2007)

Undead (2003)

Blood Quantum (2019)

Raw (2016)

Troll 2 (1990)

House of the Dead (2003)

Spookies (1986)

Pieces (1982)

From Hell It Came (1957)

The Horror At Party Beach (1964)

Verotika (2019)

Cutting Class (1989)

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014)

Land of the Dead (2005)

Urban Legend (1998)

Horror Movie Guide: Abbott & Costello Double Bill.

So, here we go with my inaugural post of the Horror Movie Guide Checklist. The first two listings in the book were a pair of Abbott & Costello flicks, the 1948 picture where they Meet Frankenstein and then Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde five years later.

Full disclosure; I was never a Universal monster guy. I started consuming horror movies in 1979 so my Dracula & Wolfman were Jason and Michael. That's not to say I don't like appreciate those old films, I just didn't seek out titles from the silver era until much later in life. As for Abbott & Costello, I was partial to The Three Stooges as a kid so this may have been my first exposure to A&C beyond Who's On First?

I enjoyed both movies and found them very amusing. I tried coming at it from the angle of how mind-blowing it must have been to have all these famous characters on-screen at once, much like Freddy vs. Jason, Alien vs. Predator, and more explosively, the MCU. I wonder, were there detractors upset that, formerly terrifying characters like Dracula and Frankenstein's Monster, were now being played for laughs. Not unlike Freddy in the last eighties.

I thought the difference the tone between the two pictures was interesting. I mean, sure they are goofy overall, but inversely. Frankenstein starts wacky and then gets darker. I sure didn't expect all the baddies to die at the end (except for the Invisible Man/Vincent Price cameo at the outset) and I was certainly shocked to see the female lead get pitched out a window to her doom. I also dug the old school animations, as well. And I'm going to assume that face-changing transition technique was still wowing audiences because they USED IT A LOT. In both movies.

Jekyll and Hyde was grim from the top with a man being killed in the street and then a subsequent brawl at a suffrage rally. Having those women's right activists moonlighting as burlesque dancers was sure a bizarre subplot. Shoehorned musical numbers are always a good way to know you are watching a movie from the fifties.

I was surprised to see Boris Karloff show up, considering they got someone else to play the Monster in the previous film. Maybe he was just too old for that shit. I was also aware that Abbott & Costello disappeared for a good chunk of the picture for some reason. I think I was more impressed with the action beats in this one, that rooftop chase was kinda dope, as was unexpected monster outbreak finale.

The HMG definitely gave Frank a sizable edge, but I think they both exist on their own merits.

I find it odd that the other A&C crossovers weren't included in the book. Maybe they wanted to save space? Who knows?

My Top 25 Twilight Zone Episodes (#5-1)

Okay so here we are, these are TZ's top episodes in my book.

5.

Season 5, Episode 3 / First Broadcast Oct 11, 1963

Written by Richard Matheson / Directed by Richard Donner

My favourite of Matheson's contributions, this episode was so iconic, they even decided to re-use it for the 1983 theatrical version, as well as arguably the best segment of The Simpson's Treehouse of Horror. Due to this, a case could be made that this is the most pervasive episode of the Twilight Zone, as much like open water is to Jaws and showers are to Psycho, have you not ever, while on a flight, looked out onto the plane wing to see if there was a gremlin staring back at you?

4.

Season 2, Episode 6 / First Broadcast Nov 11, 1960

Written by Rod Serling / Directed by Douglas Heyes

Yet another episode that it is synonymous with The Twilight Zone that has been parodied and re-appropriated over the years. It still remains one of the greatest twists in television history. Also, watching it again recently, I was able to really appreciate the artistry in filming in such a way to hide everyone's faces for most of the episode.

3.

Season 1, Episode 8 / First Broadcast Nov 20, 1959

Teleplay by Rod Serling / Directed by John Brahm

This episode really freaked me out as a kid and my go-to when I think of the real “gut punch” episodes. I concur with Albert Brooks' when he speaks of that episode during the opening of the 1983 movie. I too have a back-up pair of glasses, especially since my vision is now starting to rival that of Burgess Meredith's. This was the best realization of TZ's popular theme of “be careful what you wish for.”

2.

Season 1, Episode 22 / First Broadcast Mar 4, 1960

Written by Rod Serling / Directed by Ronald Winston

Paranoia and mob mentality was always an oft-used theme in The Twilight Zone, but it was never better utilized than here. It's just as poignant now as it ever was, although we still don't need alien interference to get riled up. I also have a soft spot for this one because it was heavily sampled by Skinny Puppy for their song, Monster Radio Man.

1.

Season 3, Episode 14 / First Broadcast Dec 22, 1961

Teleplay by Rod Serling / Directed by Lamont Johnson

This episode, based on a story by Marvin Petal, may likely be a contentious choice for number one, but it holds great significance for me. I first discovered The Twilight Zone in the eighties while it was in syndication. When I was about twelve or so, I got a TV in my room, but the rule was that if I went to bed at ten, I could watch TV for an hour – which consisted of reruns of Benny Hill and Bizarre – and then it was lights out! However, one time I kept the TV on and this episode came on. I was immediately transfixed and I remember turning the TV real low so I wouldn't get caught because I absolutely had to see the end. And then my mind was blown. I have dabbled in fiction over the years and nothing has inspired me (save maybe Stephen King) more than that story, which I feel is still one of the greatest twists ever.

So that's my list. Hopefully, this inspires you to go back and watch some old Twilight Zone episodes because they really are fantastic. It's also fun to see early appearances of some big stars, which are too large to count in number, but the one where Burt Reynolds (doing his best Brando impression) get punched out by William Shakespeare is certainly a gas.

Anyway, have a good weekend and I'll see you in the fifth dimension.

My Top 25 Twilight Zone Episodes (#15-6)

Welcome back! Let's continue with my countdown of favourite Twilight Zone episodes, starting with an “alien” invasion.

15.

Season 2, Episode 15 / First Broadcast Jan 27, 1961

Written by Richard Matheson / Directed by Douglas Heyes

This was the first episode I watched when CBS started releasing TZ episodes on VHS back in the day. Serling performed this particular switcheroo a few times over the course of the show (the episodes Third From The Sun and the aforementioned Probe 7 come to mind), but it was never better accomplished than here.

14.

Season 3, Episode 8 / First Broadcast Nov 3, 1961

Teleplay by Rod Serling / Directed by James Sheldon

You can gauge whether a Twilight Zone episode really “made” it, if it eventually wound up in an episode of The Simpson's Treehouse of Horror. Serling based this on a 1953 story by Jerome Bixby so it further illustrates that he was aware of his contemporaries. What I found especially unique about this episode was Serling's assertion during the end narration was that the Twilight Zone was an actual place with inhabitants and not just a realm to be visited or passed through.

13.

Season 3, Episode 26 / First Broadcast Mar 26, 1961

Written by Richard Matheson / Directed by Paul Stewart

This was another episode that later found its way into Treehouse of Horror. I find falling out of bed a lot more relatable than kids with godlike powers so that's why I ranked this one a little higher. I also wonder – because I'm too lazy to look it up – if this wasn't one of the first instances of “wormholes” on television.

12.

Season 5, Episode 31 / First Broadcast May 1, 1964

Written by Martin M. Goldsmith / Directed by Robert Butler

In a 1959 Mike Wallace interview, Serling stated that he was “not going to delve into current social problems dramatically” due to being tired of battling sponsors over perceived controversy. We all know he was either fibbing or changed his tune, as the opposite was never more apparent than here. This two-man (Neville Brand & George Takei) bottle episode was so provocative that it was pulled from syndication after its original air date. Something like this episode proves that the Twilight Zone did not fizzle out and was still offering up strong television right up until the end.

11.

Season 1, Episode 21 / First Broadcast Feb 26, 1960

Written by Rod Serling / Directed by John Brahm

This was another terrific one-location piece starring the lovely Vera Miles (1960 was sure a good year for her!). Birthed from an encounter where he thought he saw his double from across an airport terminal, Serling wrote what would become one of TZ's most persistent themes. I really love this episode – as does Jordan Peele, as it apparently inspired Us – and if the final moments weren't so kooky, I might have placed it higher on the list.

10.

Season 3, Episode 24 / First Broadcast Mar 2, 1962

Teleplay by Rod Serling / Directed by Richard L. Bare

Based on a 1950 story by Damon Knight, this is another episode that can identified by its climactic phrase “It's a COOKBOOK!” One of the few episodes to break the fourth wall, and perhaps the inspiration for the eighties TV phenomenon V, this is my favourite episode featuring aliens – ones that appear front-and-center anyway. It also has the unmistakable Richard Kiel in one of his earliest roles.

9.

Season 1, Episode 1 / Oct 2, 1959 (60 years ago, less a day!)

Written by Rod Serling / Directed by Robert Stevens

This was the pilot episode for the Twilight Zone and it beautifully encapsulated what viewers could expect from the series in the future. Serling put forth the fantastical, but also very human elements into his storytelling. It is why his work continues to endure today.

8.

Season 1, Episode 5 / First Broadcast Oct 30, 1959

Written by Rod Serling / Directed by Robert Stevens

Tales of time travel were the Twilight Zone's bread and butter, covering sojourns to and from the age of the dinosaurs (The Odyssey of Flight 33) to pioneer days (100 Yards Over The Rim & The 7 Is Made Up of Phantoms) to far into the future (The Rip Van Wickle Caper). However, this one tops the list of these narratives by being the most personal and thoughtful of the bunch by echoing the sentiment that “you can't go home again”. It also features a young pre-Mayberry Ron Howard in a small role.

7.

Season 1, Episode 34 / First Broadcast Jun 10, 1960

Written by Rod Serling / Directed by Douglas Heyes

This one represents my favourite kind of Twilight Zone episode that skirts the line between horror and suspense. It was the mystery that kept me hooked and the payoff was as satisfying as the build-up. The only time I think I was more mesmerized by an episode was the one that ultimately topped this list.

6.

Season 1, Episode 16 / First Broadcast Jan 22, 1960

Teleplay by Rod Serling / Directed by Alvin Ganzer

Based on a fourties radio play from Lucille Fletcher, but a variation of Ambrose Bierce's 1890 story An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge that I feel is one of the most important pieces of genre fiction that exists – Twilight Zone would later air a 1961 adaptation by Robert Enrico during season five – this was another iconic episode of the show. This device has been used so often since, it's almost shocking when similar scenarios don't end with this revelation.

That's it for now. Come back tomorrow to see me crack the top five. Can you guess what they are?

My Top 25 Twilight Zone Episodes (#25-16)

Sixty years ago today, Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone first aired on CBS. You don't need me to tell you how important this show was to the genre and pop culture, but it was exceedingly influential to me and my interests. In celebration, I am counting down my favourite twenty-five episodes of the original series that ran five seasons and one-hundred and fifty-six episodes. Let's get to it, shall we?

25.

Season 5, Episode 15 / First Broadcast Jan 3, 1964

Written by Earl Hamner Jr. / Directed by John Brahm

Just cracking the list is this story about guilt from the final season. It was rare that the Twilight Zone mixed its comedic and dramatic undertones together, but it was done successfully here. I am also a sucker for stories featuring vehicles that have minds of their own, something that would later become a staple in horror with films like The Car and Christine.

24.

Season 2, Episode 5 / First Broadcast Nov 4, 1960

Written by Charles Beaumont / Directed by Douglas Heyes

As Keyser Soze once said, “the greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist” and that adage has never been more succinct than within this episode. Utilizing the talents of H.M. Wynant, Robin Hughes and the great John Carradine, the scope of this went far beyond this largely three-man piece.

23.

Season 1, Episode 13 / First Broadcast Jan 1, 1960

Teleplay by Rod Serling / Directed by John Brahm

Based on a story by George Clayton Johnson, this was one of many Twilight Zone tales where people were gifted extraordinary abilities, but still managed to lead themselves into ruin. What I really dug about this episode was the production design. This show's subject matter lent itself to abstract visuals (the episode Perchance To Dream is another example), but they really went above and beyond in this one.

22.

Season 5, Episode 15 / First Broadcast Jan 10. 1964

Written by Rod Serling / Directed by Robert Florey

So many of the Twilight Zone's episodes dwell on the darker shades of humanity – greed, paranoia, fear etc – so I was really struck by this one that dealt with true love. I really bought into the premise, but unfortunately for me, I momentarily forgot that TZ rarely affords us happy endings.

21.

Season 2, Episode 25 / First Broadcast Apr 28, 1961

Written by Rod Serling / Directed by Boris Sagal

Based in part of Anton Chekov's story The Bet, but of course with a more odious spin the likes of which we'd expect from Serling, this tale is perfect for telling around a campfire. This was also one of the few Twilight Zone episodes that featured a double twist.

20.

Season 3, Episode 7 / First Broadast Oct 27, 1961

Written & Directed by Montgomery Pitman

Much like The Silence, this is perhaps the most effective campfire ghost story – hell I've told it a few times myself, swapping out the cowboys for sorority girls – ever told on the Twilight Zone. Culled from a story dating back to the forties, this episode features a stellar cast including Lee Marvin, Lee Van Cleef and TZ regular James Best.

19.

Season 5, Episode 6 / First Broadcast Nov 1, 1963

Written by Charles Beaumont / Directed by Richard C. Sarafian

This episode is a staple. Telly Savalas versus a seemingly sentient and indestructible talking doll. Got it, great. However, it drove home to me that the most dated thing – and I suppose this came as a surprise to no one – about the Twilight Zone are gender relationships. Sure, I suppose there are still women who marry for security today, but I was shocked how many times an episode would introduce an eccentric loser (Pat Hingle in The Incredible World of Horace Ford and Martin Balsam in The New Exhibit come to mind) and then the next scene would reveal they actually had a spouse waiting for them at home.

18.

Season 5, Episode 9 / First Broadcast Nov 29, 1963

Written by Rod Serling / Directed by Ted Post

In his teaser speech at the end of the previous episode, Serling stated “this particular opus has an unpredictable ending that we doubt that even the most seasoned TZ fan will be able to pick up on before it happens on your screen”. And it turns out he was right, in my case anyway. Well played, Mr. Serling.

17.

Season 2, Episode 17 / First Broadcast Feb 10, 1961

Written by Rod Serling / Directed by Jack Smight

Based on a story dating back to 1906 and one of the six Twilight Zone episodes that were shot on video, this is one of those classic episodes that can be encapsulated into a single phrase, “room for one more, honey”.

16.

Season 3, Episode 10 / First Brodcast Nov 17, 1961

Written by Rod Serling / Directed by Nathan Van Cleave

Before starting into my box set last year, I had seen most of the episodes that appear on this list previously. This one however, was a first time watch and it stuck with me. Not only was the simmering heat perfectly portrayed here – I looked it up and they weren't acting – but Serling once again played the prophet. Except our climate change isn't due to our planet spinning out of orbit, but something much more nefarious, and sadly preventable. Oh, and Serling once again hits us with a double twist.

Check back tomorrow when I continue my list, counting down from #15 to #6.

Meta Museum.

Toronto's Black Museum lecture series returned after a long hiatus with a one-off screening a few weeks ago. Curators Paul Corupe & Andrea Subissati took over The Royal to screen, rather fittingly, the 1959 film Horrors of the Black Museum.

I was really excited to see this film because it has special significance to me. Growing up I learned pretty fast that my mother had - and still has - zero tolerance for onscreen violence. My predilection for horror and all things macabre was fostered solely by my father. Anyhow, the conversation eventually arose between my mother and I about why I liked that stuff and why she didn't. 

I got an earful about the horrible pictures that my Dad had taken my Mom to when they started dating circa 1960. She was scarred by Psycho, but the one movie that seemed to do the most damage was one she couldn't even remember the title of. All she could remember were two harrowing scenes - a bit where a woman went to look through a set of binoculars and spikes shot out into her eyes, and another where a guillotine came down on a lady lying in bed.

My mind played with these delicious images, but this was long before Google, so it was twenty years before I even discovered which movie these scenes appeared in. Even when I did, the film wasn't high on my list of priorities while I was being deluged with new titles each and every day. So, imagine my delight when I saw The Black Museum would be playing its namesake?

This was a fun event. Paul did an introduction where he talked all about the history of curious collections throughout the ages and the creation of the original Black Museum at Scotland Yard. He then movde onto their influence on film and the many horrors that have featured museums and sideshows over the years.

TBM Curator Paul Corupe. Photo courtesy of Brian Baker.

As for the movie, I thought it was a hoot. I was surprised to find that the binoculars bit was the opening scene. My poor mother! She must have been like, “that was awful and I still have a whole movie to sit through!” The movie is obviously tame by today's standards, but I do love the deliberate pace of these British dialogue-driven pictures. All the little quirks had me grinning from ear to ear, like one scene where a kid spends an entire scene eating a banana just left of frame. She then just tosses the peel over her shoulder when she's done. Nothing beats the ending though. In the middle of a carnival as two people have just been violently killed in front of a crowd, the cops say their piece and then, as the camera zooms out, the Ferris wheel starts up again and everyone unceremoniously goes about their business. Classic stuff!

So after the thirty-five years of waiting to see this film, I learned one thing. My Mom must have really liked my Dad.

Horror 101

Recently I read through the newly re-issued tome from Stephen Jay Schneider, 101 Horror Movies You Must See Before You Die.

This was an easily digestible book that gives you a pretty concise rundown of the last hundred years of horror films. Broken down by decade, I was happy to see a fairly even distribution with equal representation given to the silent and silver screen eras. I was pretty impressed by how much info was packed into the two small pages alloted for each title. And with over three dozen contributors, there were also many different voices to be heard, as well.

The classics were naturally plentiful with the good majority of the titles being no-brainers, but it did have its share of deep cuts, including the Man Bites Dog, Viy and Valerie and Her Week of Wonders. This is a solid resource for the casual fan, though the bigger appeal for the more discerning horrorphile may likely be in nitpicking the choices. I must admit I had only had issues with titles that were left off the list, like Sam Raimi's Evil Dead (they opted for Evil Dead II instead) and whether or not Deathdream was a better representation of Bob Clark's career than Black Christmas. I'm also going to assume that The Thing and Alien were carried over to Schneider's Sci-Fi edition of the series.

This book was originally released in 2009, so it was little shocking that only a pair of titles were added to this updated edition – Let The Right One In and It Follows. At first I was like, there have only been two must-see titles released in since 2007?? (The Orphanage was the final title in the first edition). The sad reality is that there have been a ton of really good films over the last decade, but very few that transcend and define the genre. You also have to take into account that to put those two titles on the list, they would have had to take two titles off. I wonder which two got bumped?

101 Horror Movies You Must See Before You Die is a decent compendium of the best of the best. It's a to-do list for those who want to get their feet bloody and a conversation starter for the more hardcore fans out there.

Trailer Tuesdays: The Bad Seed

Today's trailer is for a film that I saw for the first time just last week (courtesy of Richelle Charkot's killer screening series Retropath at the Royal) Mervyn's LeRoy's The Bad Seed from 1956.

I enjoyed this movie a lot. Its origins as a play made for a very contained story that relied on dialogue and character, two things I appreciate very much. I always assumed declarations like “when you see it we will appreciate your not divulging its startling climax” were things that films of this era just said arbitrarily. But no, this film means it.

After the movie seemed like it ended twice, I thought little Rhoda was gonna go all Halloween II, but nope! Instead, the movie hits you with one of the biggest WTF endings I've seen in quite a while.

Chills & Drills.

This past weekend, The Big Smoke's embarrassment of genre riches continued with two fantastic events. Last Friday saw the beginning of a new film series at The Royal called Retropath. Curated by film journalist Richelle Charkot, the programme seeks to showcase the wild and quirky horror films from the fifties and sixties. For the inaugural screening, Charkot decided upon Bill Castle's 1959 picture The Tingler.

I obviously know Castle's films by reputation, but have seen very few of them, so this seemed like a perfect opportunity for which to get better acquainted. I really enjoyed this movie. It was built around a gimmick to be sure, (sadly there were no seat shockers at our screening) but I thought the story was legitimately interesting. The idea of a creature that lives in us all that feeds and grows on our fear and can only be killed by the release of tension through screaming is delightfully unique. It's so well visualized that I didn't even care I could see the wires when The Tingler finally shimmied its way onscreen. Castle even managed to throw in a plot twist most likely derived from his love of Hitchcock.

Martha (Judith Evelyn) gets scared to death - literally!

As a filmmaker and showman, Castle was way ahead of his time. He knew how to manipulate his audience. I love the whole conversation Vincent Price – fully invested as always as his character Dr. Chapin – has with the rep theatre owner (Philip Coolidge) about how silent films might not be as flashy as the sound and colour of the present day, but people still come out. Castle's era was the first that had to deal with television and his way of thinking is still adopted by studios today, as they continue to trot out gimmicks like Real 3D and D-Box to keep people in the seats.

Saturday brought about a special screening put on by Drunken Cinema. Teaming with The MUFF Society, they showed Amy Holden Jones' feminist slasher The Slumber Party Massacre.

I've talked before about DC founder Serena Whitney's drinking game nights, and the rules were out in full force this night. The slasher flicks are always the most dangerous drinking games because the same stuff always happens. I've said this before, but you really don't realize how many fake scares there are in these things until you have to drink every time one happens.

Choose your fate.

The crowd (a packed house!) was really into it this time, I'd say even more so than last November's screening of Friday the 13th Part 3D. I had to laugh when the audience spontaneously broke out into applause when Jackie (Andree Honore) started eating pizza off the dead delivery guy. The movie itself is still as solid and entertaining as it ever was, but I've talked about it before. I still always hope Brinke Stevens will somehow escape this time...

LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU!

As you can see, it was a great two-fer. And the hits keep on coming, as I'll be checking out the new restoration of Philip Ridley's The Reflecting Skin this coming Tuesday. Not bad at all.

Trailer Tuesdays: “X” The Man With The X-Ray Eyes

After a small hiatus, The Laser Blast Film Society podcast is back on track. Last weekend was all about celebrating genre icon Roger Corman, and thus...

In addition to X, we also watched Attack of the Crab Monsters and Rock All Night. Here below, is the episode.

For past episodes, including the Canadiana double bill of The Brain & Rituals from a few months ago, check the Pod-O-Matic page by clicking here.

Horror of Dracula (#7)

The next title I watched on Time Out Best 100 List was Hammer Films 1958 staple Dracula aka Horror of Dracula. I know it may seem odd that I'd never seen this movie, but, when it comes to Hammer, I've always gravitated to the more female-centric titles in their catalogue. Shocking, I know...

This adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic story sees Jonathan Harker (John Van Eyssen) and Dr. Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) battling the evil Count Dracula (Christopher Lee). 

Watching Dracula was a pleasurable experience, but I can't help but feel this is one of the more dated entries on the list. Having said that though, there was plenty of stuff to love. Director Terence Fisher puts his workman-like stamp, that served him so well throughout the fifties and sixties, on the proceedings by beautifully transporting us back to the end of the nineteenth century. Not surprisingly, Cushing is the shit in this film. Much like his performance in Fisher's creature feature Island of Terror eight years later, Cushing  takes charge of the situation and does what needs to be done. 

Peter Cushing as Dr. Van Helsing in Horror of Dracula.

If I had one gripe about the film, it was how little Dracula was actually in it. Lee comes in at the beginning and, after dispatching Harker, steels away for a good chunk of the film. Apart from briefly ravishing a few damsels in distress, we don't see Dracula again until his final confrontation with Van Helsing and his compatriot, Arthur (Michael Gough). I know this was the first in a long line of Dracula films featuring Lee, but considering he is the title character, I figured he'd have more screen time. 

John Van Eyssen (left) as Jonathan Harker & Christopher Lee as Count Dracula.

Hammer Films are a huge part of the horror canon and have inspired countless filmmakers, so I cannot contest the inclusion of Horror of Dracula on the Time Out list. Though I may not value Hammer as highly as some, I fully recognize their artistic importance.

Night of the Demon (#8)

Viewing the next entry on the Time Out Best 100 List, Jacques Tourneur's 1957 film Night of the Demon, turned out to be quite the adventure. It began with a trip to the video store (yes, they still exist) that netted me a copy of a Z-grade eighties flick about a killer Bigfoot which shared the same moniker. I knew almost nothing of Tourneur's film, but the moment this other one flashed onscreen, I knew there had been some egregious error made. So, after a humble exchange, I finally got my hands on the right demon.

While attempting to expose shady cult leader Julian Carswell (Niall MacGinnis), psychologist Dr. John Holden (Dana Andrews) becomes the target of a powerful demon curse. Always the skeptic, Holden dismisses the idea until some inexplicable events begin to convince him otherwise. Aided by the niece of a former victim of the curse, Holden races against time to stop Carswell's evil deeds once and for all.

Night of the Demon is a perfect example of great storytelling. It is a straightforward, dialogue driven and expertly executed tale. The strength of this film is the rivalry between Holden and Carswell. There is a real battle of wits between these two which culminates in a final confrontation on a train car which I absolutely loved. These kinds of exchanges are so rare in film these days and really exemplifies how filmmaking has changed over the last fifty years. It seems nowadays that studios feel there needs to be a grand gesture every ten minutes to keep the audience interested, when they should be concentrating on enthralling us for the nine-minutes and fifty-nine seconds previous and thus making time irrelevant.

MacGinnis (left) & Andrews as Julian Carswell and  Dr. John Holden in Night of the Demon.

Much to my surprise, I almost immediately noticed that this film was the template that director Sam Raimi used for his 2009 horror flick Drag Me To Hell. If you replace the loan officer and gypsy characters with a psychologist and cult leader, you basically have the same story. Even both climaxes take place at a train station. In tone and aesthetic, these two are obviously polar opposites, but I can't believe this comparison wasn't made more often upon Drag Me To Hell's release. This isn't a condemnation you understand, as this type of thing is common practice these days, just an observation.

However, as good as Night of the Demon is, I have to admit being a little disappointed with the actual Demon. It looked rather rudimentary, but it was somewhat offset by the cool-looking smoky visual effect that signalled its appearance. I did a little reading and found out that the creature was later added in against Tourneur's wishes by producer Hal E. Chester. I'm afraid have to side with Tourneur on this one.

The Demon cometh.

There is no question that Night of the Demon should be on the list. All the cornerstones of a great horror story are present and accounted for here. It has solid performances and a sense of dread and immediacy brought on by concise storytelling, rather than bells and whistles.