Thursday Movie Picks: Horror Movie Houses
1) The Others
Nicole Kidman is very good in this and even though it's easy to guess the ending, this film does a good job of being creepy throughout.
2) The Haunting (1999)
I'm pretty positive there is no way this film actually holds up, but I really liked it when I was in middle school. This is a bit of a nostalgic pick to me
3) The Rocky Horror Picture Show
While this isn't a haunted house, it does involve two people stumbling upon a house party that will change their lives forever and it screams "Halloween" to me. I've been a fan of this movie for a few years, but last year was the first time I finally went to a rowdy midnight showing of it at a theater and I had such a great time I'll probably do it again when the pandemic is over.
I have seen all 3! Wowza!! I love The Others but I was a dope for not knowing the ending until the end so it worked for me. The 3 house servants continuing to walk towards the kids really freaked me out. There is my word again...freak....I am easy to get scared. We kinda match with the second one and , although the film started out creepy, it all went to hell soon after and I actually was laughing at the scary dude. I find it one of the worst films I have seen and say to go to the original and watch this film, it is much, much better. Rocky Horror is such a cult classic but when I went to a showing, I didn’t appr I ate a sandwich being thrown at by head. Love that one song which I danced to whenever it came on.
ReplyDeleteWhat I liked about The Others is even if you guessed the ending it was still really satisfying.
DeleteDon't feel bad for laughing at the scary dude. I laughed my ass off at the end of Exorcist: The Beginning because it was so over the top.
That song was probably Time Warp!
Ohhh I forgot about The Others! That was such a good movie. I knew a reveal was coming but I didn't guess it at all. I've never seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show and I think this is the year I need to make that right.
ReplyDeleteYou should! Rocky Horror is so much fun.
DeleteThe Others was SO good. It had such a great twist.
ReplyDeleteIt did!
DeleteI'M JUST A SWEET TRANSVESTITE.... FROM TRANSYL-TRANSYLVANIA...AH-AH-HA...
ReplyDeleteThat is a classic film. I also love The Others. The Haunting was OK though I do remember from an episode of Dinner for Five where Lili Taylor talked about the film and she admitted that it wasn't a good film but she doesn't blame director Jan de Bont for the film. She just said that it's just really hard to make a really scary movie and everyone was out of their element in that film.
Ah that's a bummer Lili Taylor felt that way, but I really do need to re-watch it to remember it better.
DeleteOh man! I really want to watch the Rocky Horror Show! Sounds like an interesting movie! Great list!
ReplyDeleteIt's so much fun, you've got to watch it.
DeleteI need to check out The Others one of these days. I remember being indifferent to The Haunting. Been years since I've seen Rocky Horror...and it's just sitting on my shelf waiting for me to pick it up. Sigh.
ReplyDeletePICK IT UP!!
DeleteI'm back on track....I've seen all three of these this time out!!
ReplyDeleteI am NOT a Kidman fan but The Others is the one time when I truly thought she was good in a film. Not something I return to often but a masterpiece of setting and mood.
This version of The Haunting is crap pure and simple.
The first time I saw Rocky Horror was at one of those midnight showing with people in full regalia and a performing troupe acting out the movie under the screen. It was great fun though I was somewhat soaked by the time it was over. The movie watched without all the hullabaloo is only passable though Tim Curry is always great.
I went with the original Haunting a far, far superior film to the remake plus a comic twist on the old dark house idea and a real oldie that was lost for decades.
The Haunting (1963)-Dr. John Markway (Richard Johnson) is doing research into psychic phenomena. In the service of that study he invites two women-lonely, eccentric Eleanor (Julie Harris) who has experienced supernatural events previously and brash Theodora (Claire Bloom) who is gifted with ESP. On arrival they are joined by the mansion's heir, cynical Luke (Russ Tamblyn) and are immediately overwhelmed by strange sounds and events. Soon Eleanor comes to believe the house is alive and speaking directly to her. Loaded with atmosphere and extremely well-acted.
You’ll Find Out (1940)-Debutante Janis Bellacrest (Helen Parrish) books Kay Kyser and his big band, the Kollege of Musical Knowledge including singer Ginny Simms and cornet playing sidekick Ish Kabibble to play at her 21st birthday party at a remote spooky mansion. Between performances, Kay finds Janis’s guests-quirky Aunt Margo (Alma Kruger), pretentious professor Fenniger (Peter Lorre), creepy Prince Soliano (Bela Lugosi) and irritable Judge Mainwaring (Boris Karloff) on the bizarre side and begins to suspect that Janis is in danger. When a powerful storm blows in and strands everyone overnight events both scary and wacky transpire. Goofy musical comic/thriller is the only onscreen pairing of Lorre, Karloff and Lugosi.
Seven Footprints of Satan (1929)-When mayhem breaks out at her father’s party Eve (Thelma Todd) and her fiancée Jim (Creighton Hale) jump into a limousine and think they are safely away from danger. Shortly afterwards though they find themselves at the house of “Satan” who may or may not be a criminal mastermind, a supernatural fiend, the devil himself, or some combination of all those things. As they make their way through odd rooms they encounter an imp, a dwarf, an ape-like man, a gorilla, Satan’s Mistress and “the Spider”. Finally they are tested with the Seven Footprints which could lead to fabulous wealth and freedom or servitude to Satan…and maybe Death! Originally released in both silent and partial sound versions only the silent one (long thought lost as well) survives.
I love those live showing of Rocky Horror. I went to one last year for the first time, and I would've gone again this year had it not been for the pandemic.
DeleteI haven't seen any of your picks this week, but I probably should check out that version of The Haunting.
The Others is such a great movie. I expected very little going into it, but I love that it really goes for that deeper level of horror--it really wants to do so much more than just gross people out or give them jump scares. It desperately wants to touch on that sort of existential dread at the bottom of things...and it gets there a few times.
ReplyDeleteExactly! It's a great film, and one I should probably rewatch soon.
DeleteOH MY GOD! Why didn't I think of The Rocky Horror Picture Show?! I love that film and fits the theme so well.
ReplyDeleteI know that feeling lol
DeleteNice picks! YES especially to The Haunting - it's so bad it's good. Going to a Rocky Horror Picture Show is forever on my bucket list.
ReplyDeleteYou would love Rocky Horror! You must watch it!
DeleteLove The Others, the empty large house and the sound of the doors being closed and locked.
ReplyDeleteSo creepy!
DeleteI love The Others, I remember it surprising me a lot when I watched it. I was young so I didn't know all the movie twists as well as I do know. The more movies you see, the more predictable they come. :D
ReplyDeleteSame! It's still a good twist, even if you guess it.
Delete