Short Attention Span Review: Halloween (2018)

Short Attention Span Review: Halloween (2018)

Like so many of my fellow fright fans, I have been eagerly awaiting this one.  While it is proving somewhat divisive, I will add my voice to the camp that is heaping praise on this nightmarish follow-up to John Carpenter's original classic.  It is not perfect, and it may not match the power of the first one, which was leaner, meaner, and far more unexpected upon arrival.  However, it is a tremendous addition to the franchise, easily qualifying as the best addition to the Halloween legacy; some may deem that slight praise, but I enjoy most of the movies in this series.  However, if necessary, I will go even further in my recommendation here, for I found this Halloween to be one of the best sequels I have ever encountered.  It is the rare second chapter that adds to the story rather than rehashing it, paving the way for a grand new vision of what transpired after Michael's gruesome homecoming back in 1978.  It does so in a bold manner, ignoring everything that came after the first picture and raising the stakes dramatically, taking the protagonist on a sensational journey through PTSD, determination, and alienation.  And in the end, it puts Laurie and those she holds most dear (even if they don't necessarily share this affection) to the ultimate test.  Throughout this grim odyssey, Jamie Lee Curtis fires on all cylinders, offering up what may just be her definitive performance--and further cementing her place in the hallowed hall of scream queens.  In fact, she may just own the top spot on that list thanks to this riveting showcase. One can only imagine how thrilled she must have been when she received this script, which is built upon a vision of Laurie Strode as a deeply troubled woman who becomes a force to be reckoned with by refusing to to be a victim.  Both the opening and the closing are supreme, with the grand finale standing as one of the better showdowns I have seen in such fare.  There are a few dry spots along the way, but there are also numerous clever set pieces rooted in suspense and terror, and at least one major surprise.  Curtis isn't the only one seeking to elevate this picture, as her co-stars also perform admirably, and Carpenter's updated score is positively massive.  Honestly, this is the finest treat I could have hoped to receive this October, and I encourage horror fans to catch this one in the cinema.  David Gordon Green has done a remarkable job with one of the genre's most chilling entities, and opportunities to take in a horror film of this stature on the big screen should not be missed.

Final Grade: A

Jamie Lee Curtis has never been better, and this Halloween is a worthy follow-up to the John Carpenter original that ignited a legacy of terror.

Powerful Pages: Maynard's House by Herman Raucher (1980)

Powerful Pages: Maynard's House by Herman Raucher (1980)

This book had quite an impact on me in my youth, but it had faded into the fog of memory.  With that in mind, I was eager to revisit it this year during the spooky season, but I did so with some trepidation.  All too often, art that wowed us in our formative years wilts under mature inspection.  I shouldn't have worried.  Herman Raucher's thoroughly unique haunted house tale seems even more significant upon deeper reflection, and I somehow doubt this impression will dwindle going forward.  The author has a gift for detail that shows up everywhere, painting a lovely picture of a foreboding setting, deftly fleshing out the characters, and thoroughly ensnaring the reader in a nuanced plot.  The story centers on a plucky Vietnam vet with a quick tongue and an impulsive need to leap headlong into challenging situations.  He has inherited a fallen comrade's meager home in the harshest recesses of New England.  There, this adrift fellow who desires nothing more than some sense of purpose finds himself in the midst of another war.  In fact, he finds himself fighting several battles on treacherous fronts, with a loss in any of these conflicts spelling certain doom for our stubborn hero.  Beyond the isolation of his new home, Austin Fletcher must contend with a serious case of PTSD*, a harrowing winter, and a desperate search for identity in a world where he can never find sanctuary.  Oh yeah, and the house is haunted by a vengeful witch, and there may or may not be a ferocious bear on the prowl.  Given the protagonist's weakening grasp on reality, much of the novel leaves the reader to determine whether or not the perils at hand are real or imagined.  Lest that sounds too quaint for my fellow horror fans, fear not, for the sense of dread is powerful, and in one of the most riveting passages I have ever encountered, Raucher plunges the reader into a nightmarish depiction of absolute evil guaranteed to unnerve even the hardiest of the hardy.  The ending is perhaps the strongest portion of an impressive work and a delightful read.  Some may find it too mercurial to rank among the best excursions into the macabre that literature has to offer us, but I'm obliged to give Maynard's House my highest recommendation.

*The author conveys the combat veteran's condition with alarming precision and incredible empathy, and this novel was written long before analysis had graduated from a simple understanding of so-called "shell shock" to the more detailed study and acceptance of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder we see today.

Final Grade: A+

Top 20 Horror Movies - #2) Jaws (1975)

One of the things that I'm doing this month as I celebrate Halloween here in the Land of Way is taking the time to rank my Top 20 Horror Movies and my Top 20 Horror Novels.

Note:
I want to be clear that I'm basing these choices on my own humble opinion.  I'm not trying to rank these movies in accordance with their place in pop culture, but I'm offering up my take on the best horror films that I have ever watched and enjoyed.  There are some familiar candidates that I consider to be great pictures that didn't make the cut because there wasn't room, and there are some films that are widely regarded as great pictures that didn't make the cut because I feel that they are overrated.  There are also a few instances where it was difficult to determine whether or not a movie belonged to the horror genre (I said "no" to Aliens but "yes" to Jaws), and it may also be worth noting that this is largely a modern list (as long as you're okay with my classification of modern as anything after 1960) that only features one lonely creature from the so-called "Classic Monsters" films produced by Universal Studios.

Thus far, the list includes:

#20) The Fly (1986) 
#19) The Howling (1981)
#18) Night of the Living Dead (1968)
#17) Alien (1979) 
#16) Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
#15) Suspiria (1977) 
#14) Phantasm (1979)
#13) Evil Dead 2 (1985)
#12) Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) 
#11) The Descent (2005)
#10) Fright Night (1985)
#9) Halloween (1978)
#8) Return of the Living Dead (1985) 
#7) An American Werewolf in London (1981)
#6) Deep Red (1975)
#5) The Shining (1980) 
#4) Dawn of the Dead (1978)
#3) The Thing (1982)

As we near the end of this list, it's time to break down a pair of exceptional movies based on novels that I hold near and dear to my heart.  First up, we've got my favorite movie of all time.

Top 20 Horror Movies - #2) Jaws (1975)

Steven Spielberg's efforts as a filmmaker have yielded an amazing filmography, but the thrilling motion picture that put him on the map remains his finest offering.  Working from Peter Benchley's stellar novel, Spielberg fashioned a tale of terror that continues to scare moviegoers away from the beach better than 40 years after it gave birth to the summer blockbuster.  At the end of the day, this is a horror movie that nearly matches Benchley's ability to convey the might and fury of a great white shark, driving home the terror that encountering such a creature in its natural environment would generate.  There are some brutal moments in this vibrant shocker, and yet the warmth and drama that propels the film toward a grand finale do make it seem a bit too adventurous for the genre at times.  The three leads take a fabulous script and run wild with it, with Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss both doing a tremendous job while Robert Shaw dominates the screen with one of the richest performances in the history of the cinema.  The score from John Williams is as simple as it is iconic, the effects are far better than the mechanical sharks' place in film history would have you believe, and Spielberg's gifts have never been so evident.  There are big scares, big laughs, and even when things settle down, Jaws is ten times more enchanting than most movies.  This is my favorite movie, and if we were talking about movies in general, I would surely put it atop my list.  Yet I did elect to place it at #2 on my list because I cannot fathom putting anything other than the scariest movie ever made at #1.  Having said that, second place here is no small prize, and I hope I have made my affection for this grand voyage into horror on the high seas evident. 

Jaws has inspired numerous imitations, yet 40 years later it still reigns supreme.

Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss shine only to be blown away by Robert Shaw as Quint.

Short Attention Span Review - Tales of Halloween (2015)

It probably won't surprise anyone to learn that I love horror anthologies almost as much as I love the spooky season, so such a picture with a Halloween theme is clearly appealing to me.  With that in mind, it's fair to say that while I loved Trick r' Treat, I may have liked Tales of Halloween even more.  This clever and entertaining spookshow is comprised of ten stories from ten different directors, and I don't think that any of these tales are misfires.  A few are legitimately creepy, with Dave Parker's "Sweet Tooth" and Axelle Carolyn's "Grimm Grinning Ghost" each delivering serious jolts.  Some are more than a little silly, with Mike Mendez's "Friday the 31st" and Andrew Kasch's "This Means War" feeling a lot like spoofs.  Some are difficult to classify, like Paul Solet's "The Weak and The Wicked," which allows Grace Phipps to summon her inner Clint Eastwood in a nifty horror/western hybrid.  "The Night Billy Raised Hell" is my favorite entry--director Darren Lynn Bousman and screenwriter Clint Sears wisely gave Barry Bostwick the opportunity to have a devilish good time in this wicked laugh riot with a perfect ending.  Neil Marshall's "Bad Seed" closes out the show in style, but I was honestly expecting a bit more from his segment.  All things considered, Tales of Halloween is a terrific flick that was clearly crafted by talented people with a lot of love for both the horror genre and this ghoulish time of year.  Having Adrienne Barbeau narrate the picture as a DJ was a cool nod to her role as Stevie Wayne in The Fog, and she did a terrific job of weaving all these groovy tales together.  In closing, rest assured that anyone who digs this time of year will not view this kooky collection as a trick, but as an awesome treat.

Final Grade: A

I thought each of these Tales of Halloween had something unique to offer, but seeing
Barry Bostwick have such a blast in "The Night Billy Raised Hell" was the highlight of the show.

Top 20 Horror Novels - #20) Amok by George Fox (from 1980)

Not only am I ranking my Top 20 Horror Movies for you this October, but I'm doing likewise with the scary books that I hold near and dear.  As with the movies that I'm discussing in that Top 20, I'm not attempting to rank these novels based on their place in pop culture, but rather their place in my heart.  Isn't that sweet?  Seriously, there are some fine books that didn't make the cut here because there just wasn't room, and there are definitely some well-regarded books that didn't make the cut because I don't really like them.  That also means there are some personal favorites of mine on this list that you may not have heard of.  If that's the case, I promise that I'll reward your trust with a gnarly tale if you give one of them a spin.  Finally, I may have shortchanged some of the titans in the genre (hey there, Stephen King) as I didn't want to overload this list with titles by the same author, though Uncle Stevie did manage to score three direct hits on my list.

Top 20 Horror Novels - #20) Amok by George Fox (from 1980)

This is one of a few books on this list that straddle the line between thriller and chiller.  In the end, while some may see it as an example of the former, I obviously place it among the latter.  The ending is particularly bloodcurdling, and even if it boasts the plot of a thriller, this novel finds its way into the horror genre by virtue of all the gore and unsettling violence contained on those yellowed pages.  The story concerns an unusually large Japanese soldier armed with a lethal blade and a twisted mind who is still on the hunt in a remote valley in the Phillipines decades after WWII has ended.  Enter Vietnam veteran Michael Braden, whose brother is the latest victim of this virtual killing machine.  Braden returns to the family plantation in the Cagayan Valley that he has been avoiding for most of his life and promptly initiates a manhunt for the renegade soldier.  He is joined on this treacherous undertaking by a handful of men, most of whom are harboring dark secrets.  One of them seeks to make things right--he is the renegade soldier's commanding officer, a man who feared this violent brute so much that he ordered him to remain in the jungle to continue fighting when their orders to return home were issued.  Yet another supposed ally is also troubled by things he did in the war, but he would rather ensure that these sins remain a mystery than attempt to atone for them.  All the while, their prey relentlessly stalks anyone in his path, ruthlessly dismantling any living being that he encounters.  There are a number of themes that Fox explores in this book, but he never sacrifices any momentum along the way.  Amok remains a slick and engrossing ride populated by well-drawn characters that is punctuated by shocking moments of sheer brutality.  I absolutely love this book, and I think it's a great way to kick off this list.

What's the first horror novel that you read?

 October is here, good people, and I'm going to make the most of the spooky season here in the Land of Way.  As an author, I'm always curious about the books that the rest of you enjoy, and with Halloween arriving at the end of the month, I'm wondering how many of us remember the first horror novel that gave us goosebumps.  I would absolutely love it if if my readers were to chime in with their thoughts on the fist scary book that they enjoyed.

I was an avid reader from an early age on.  By the time I was 5, I was trying to write stories of my own.  Even as a youngster, I had a taste for the spooky stuff.  That became a legitimate passion when I read Stephen King's Christine during the summer that followed the third grade.  Honestly, I wouldn't recommend presenting your favorite 8 year-old child with this novel, but reading it was surely a transformative experience for this particular writer.  It firmly illustrated that both the horror genre and reading were things that I wouldn't want to live without.  Prior to reading this book, I enjoyed a good scary story, but after reading Christine I was head over heels for gruesome tales.  The worm had definitely turned in more ways than one, for not only had I become a horror fanatic, but I also no longer wanted to spend my time with smaller books.  Dr. Seuss and Encyclopedia Brown were left in the dust as I started devouring books by King, Farris, and Matheson, among others.

I'm going to post a review of Christine later today, but in the meantime feel free to tell me about the first horror novel you read and how that impacted you.