Planet Terror is one of my favorite movies of all time. There’s some of the most disgusting zombie’s I’ve ever seen, a stripper with a machine gun leg, a guy with a penchant for taking people’s balls, and a scene where a dude wastes zombies off a pocket bike- all to a cool jazzy score that gives it a Cowboy Bebop flavor. This movie is just awesome and that’s why it’s on this list.
I’m not a huge possession fan when it comes to horror, although I do agree with Savior on Our Favorites, Day 2. The Exorcist. but I was actually chilled by Emily Rose. I liked the idea of the movie being accounts of what happened to her, signaling that there in reality was no happy ending (though they tried too damn hard to it give it one in my opinion.) The image of her frozen, contorted body roaring freaked me the hell out. I’d say it makes the list because it was made with love and it was the only possession movie to actually get me. May the gaming gods bring you glory.
House of Wax creeps me out as much today as it did when I was a kid. My mom and I had a strange relationship, but like my dad, she loved horror too. This was one of the few grown up horror movies I got to watch. In a nutshell (oncoming mini “explain it badly” segment approaching) the movie is about a creepy burned guy who kills mostly women, coats them in hot wax, and uses them as sideshow attractions because he had a boner for a Marie Antoinette statue. Yep. Pretty messed up right? Well, the gothic atmosphere and outstanding performance by Vincent Prince got me as a kid and the idea and perverted undertones got me as a adult. Something things never change but get better as time goes on, which is why I included it here. May the gaming gods bring you glory.
The Hills Have Eyes(06) is one of those rare exceptions of a remake surpassing the original. This mutant filled revenge tale is simple, badass, and epic while also being disturbing and creepy. That being said, it was my favorite time ever seeing a movie in theaters. My dad took me to see it opening weekend in theaters to a packed house and everyone was genuinely into it. When the tides turn and the main dude gets his revenge, the audience cheered. There were actual cheers, people applauded, high fives were given and it was so much fun. I always wanted to say I made something that fulfilling and unique. It was a great moment with my dad too, seeing him whistle and throw his fist in glee every time the dog killed someone. The memories and the inspiration it gave me are why it’s on this list. May the gaming gods bring you glory.
Don’t hit the red button. I can’t stress that enough: beware the red button. Cabin in the Woods is probably one of the best WTF horror comedies to date and may possibly be the most clever. The most cliche horror story, a group of college buddies going to a remote cabin in the woods for a weekend becomes something far more sinister behind the scenes. There is a lot to this movie I really don’t want to spoil because it is inspired when it’s all put together and it’s a must watch.
The reason it’s on this list is because of the “Red Button” scene which is legendary but also this was my favorite double feature at a theater. My old writing partner, my dad and I went to see Avengers opening day. Being so pumped after, my partner and I wanted to keep the hype going and see another movie. He wanted to see the Hunger Games and I wanted to see this. We flipped a coin and well, my favorite coin toss ever and why it’s on the list. May the gaming gods bring you glory.
The Strangers did something special and scared the hell out of me not as a kid but a 18 year old adult. I grew up in the suburbs of Scranton- a very quiet unassuming place. We lived in a picturesque house, a house that had a lot of windows downstairs so first seeing this downstairs, at night, imagining people watching you, lurking around your house without you knowing was somehow easy to visualize. I also have some deep seeded paranoia issues, so this movie stayed with me in the dark for years later which is why it’s on this list. May the gaming gods bring you glory.
Aliens started it all for me. Because of this movie, I was terrified of a 8 foot Xenomorph grabbing me in the bathtub to lay eggs in my chest- thanks ma and dad. Seriously though, this is the only real movie I’ve ever seen to perfectly blend tense horror and asskicking action. Also, the Queen Alien reveal is one of my favorites of all time. I had action figures, replayed the levels of Alien Trilogy and even got suckered into the game for which we do not speak ( Aliens: Colonial Marines ). Hell, I even quote this damn movie 20 some years after seeing it. May the gaming gods not lay eggs in your chests.
I’m a comic book and sci-fi nerd so this should be no surprise but I love this messed up tale of a science experiment gone wrong as one of my favorites. The ongoing transformation of Jeff Goldblum into the Fly is deeply disturbing and I can’t recommend this at all to the weak stomached. Scenes stick out to me like him melting the guy’s hand with his bile or the end where the creature put’s the gun to his head or Geena Davis giving birth to the giant maggot. It’s one of the best remakes ever for good reason. May the gaming gods bring you glory.
Savior specifically told me I wasn’t allowed to do all 6 Alien movies for our Halloween special. While I love the series as a whole, there are of course 2 that traverse the boundaries. What can I say about Alien I haven’t already said: legendary creature design, tense atmosphere, some great body horror and a heroine for the ages. The first movie was the last I’d seen of the original 4 and as I kid I didn’t really appreciate it but like a fine wine I found it better with age. May the gaming gods bring you glory.
There are few remakes I ever consider worth watching, let a lone being better than the originals. John Carpenter’s Thing remake is the magic of a simple premise pushed to the Nth degree. I’ve played the Resident Evil series as well as the DeadSpace trilogy, both of which took a lot of inspiration from the Thing in a means of body horror. Images like a human head ripping itself off, growing spider legs out of it’s neck and crawling on it’s own or a body rip itself open full of shark like teeth and tentacles. Besides the amazing bodily horror, there’s is a fantastic sense of paranoia. There is no real telling who the creature is and isn’t, even til the very end. This and tomorrow’s entry were gross out favorites of my dad’s he shared with me as a kid which is why I’m adding it to my list of must sees this Halloween. May the gaming gods bring you glory.
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