Halloween: H20 (1998)

"A-"

Blacula (1972)

"B+"

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

"A-"

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

"C+"

The Exorcist (1973)

"A"

Red (2010)

**

"B-"

The Losers (2010)

"B-"

The Black Sleep (1956)

"C+"

Halloween II (1981)

**

"B"

The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)

Hammer takes a stab at the werewolf legend and they do a job well done.

I saw "The Curse of the Werewolf" when I was a kid and I was very disappointed. Like every Hammer movie, "The Curse of the Werewolf" is very slow and talky. I still think many Hammer movies are incredibly boring, but it's not the case with "The Curse of the Werewolf".

Oliver Reed plays the werewolf and he does an excellent job. He starts out as a happy go lucky guy who is loved by his parents. Love prevents the curse from taking effect. But when he leaves for work and he doesn't have his family to support him, the werewolf takes over. He was great as the werewolf and it is one of the best werewolf make-ups on film. I love the look of this gray haired werewolf with pointy ears, burly chest, and bloody lips.

There are many supporting characters that are very interesting in this film. From Oliver Reed's mute mother to the beggar that raped her, each and every character was fun to watch. I really enjoyed the first 20 minutes of the movie, which didn't have anything to do with werewolf lure. It was the story of Reed's mute mother and his rapist Dad.

"The Curse of the Werewolf" might be my favorite of the Hammer horrors. Yes, it may be a bit talky and there could have been a bit more werewolf, but it was really quite enjoyable. It's not up there with the classic werewolf movies of Universal like "The Wolf Man", but it is a worthy addition to the werewolf genre.

B I recommend it.

Superman (1978)

There are things that I like about "Superman", but so much of it is extremely boring. The first hour or "origin" of Superman went by so slow, I couldn't believe it. It was so boring!

But then the Superman that we all know and love came on the screen. That's where the movie picks up. Christopher Reeve is excellent as Superman and Clark Kent. He is such a bumbling fool when playing Kent and when that cape is on, you really buy him as the Man of Steel.

So much of the movie is corny though. I love corny, but this is a little too much. The scene of Superman and Lois flying is great, but listening to Lois' thoughts was sickening. Corny at it's finest, I say!

All of the other actors were very good, including Marlon Brando as Superman's father and Margot Kidder as Lois Lane. However, the real stand out performance came from Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor. He was so natural and funny.

Unfortunately, I can't say that I love "Superman". The running time, especially the first hour, really hurt the film. It is an average movie with one of the best movie scores I have ever heard. This is one of John Williams' best and honestly, I prefer listening the soundtrack in my car than watching this movie.

C+

Halloween (1978)

I'm back! At least for this movie...

Going through the archives, I was surprised that I have not watched "Halloween" since this blog had started. I am surprised because "Halloween" is one of my favorite movies of all time and it is the perfect horror film.

Everyone knows the story of "Halloween". A crazed killer is out to kill some teenage babysitters. Simple, right? Well simple works this time thanks to the excellent writing, directing, and cinematography displayed by the "Halloween" crew.

It has everything you could want in a horror movie. It has characters that you like and are sympathetic with. How could anyone not like Jamie Lee Curtis in this film? It has Dr. Loomis (played to perfection by Donald Pleasence), who knows exactly what is going on. All along, he is giving us hints as to what is behind the mask of this crazed killer. Loomis has set out on a journey to prevent a small town from a deadly massacre. And of course, there is the monster, Michael Myers. Myers is horrifying, yet strangely appealing. The mask that Myers wears (which is a William Shatner mask painted white) is so simple, yet so scary. I don't know what it is, but it is the perfect mask for a movie monster.

And of course, the greatest reason for the success of "Halloween" is John Carpenter. Carpenter directed a horror film that redefined the genre and influenced all slasher films that followed. I love the way that he used every inch of the screen. My eyes are constantly roaming over the screen looking for hints as to where Michael Myers is. Even though I have seen the film dozens of times, I always feel that something new is to be found in every shot. Besides Carpenter's amazing directing and writing, he wrote that classic score that sends chills up and down the spines of people young and old. What would the actual holiday of Halloween be without that classic score playing in the background of parties, haunted houses, and Halloween stores?

If you have not seen "Halloween", please do. It is the perfect film and it needs to be seen, especially around this time of year.

Oh yea... I watched this on Blu-ray and it was excellent. Besides sitting in an actual movie theater, this is the best way to view the film.

A+ I recommend it.

Beware! The Blob (1972)

"C-"

Brides of Dracula (1960)

"C"

Case 39 (2010)

**

"C"