SHOCKtober: 704-677
You know the drill! Drop and give me a bunch of movies that got one vote each!
704. The Deadly Spawn – 1983, Douglas McKeown
703. The Day of the Triffids – 1963, Steve Sekely and Freddie Francis
702. The Curse of Frankenstein – 1957, Terence Fisher
701. The Conjuring – 2013, James Wan
700. The Conjuring 2 – 2016, James Wan
699. The Conference – 2023, Patrik Eklund
698. The Company of Wolves -- 1984, Neil Jordan
697. The Children – 2008, Tom Shankland
696. The Cell – 2000, Tarsem Singh
695. The Caller – 1987, Arthur Allan Seidelman
694. The Cabinet of Dr Caligari – 1920, Robert Wiene
693. The Burning -- 1981, Tony Maylam
692. The 'Burbs -- 1989, Joe Dante
691. The Brain – 1988, Ed Hunt
690. The Blue Hour (aka Onthakan) – 2015, Anucha Boonyawatana
689. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage – 1970, Dario Argento
688. The Bermuda Depths – 1978, Tsugunobu Kotani
687. The Believers – 1987, John Schlesinger
686. The Bay – 2012, Barry Levinson
685. The Attic – 1980, Gary Graver and George Edwards
684. The Appointment – 1982, Lindsey C. Vickers
683. The Apostle (aka O Apóstolo) – 2012, Fernando Cortizo
682. The Amityville Horror – 2005, Andrew Douglas
681. The Addiction – 1995, Abel Ferrara
680. The Abominable Dr Phibes – 1971, Robert Fruest
679. Texas Chainsaw Massacre – 2022, David Blue Garcia
678. Terror Train -- 1980, Roger Spottiswoode
677. Terrifier 2 – 2022, Damien Leone
- I've never actually seen The Curse of Frankenstein, but Christopher Lee as The Creature is iconic. That Famous Monsters cover in particular is burned into my brain, either because Final Mom (a certified Christopher Lee stan) had it or because it was advertised in another issue we had lying around the house. It cannot be overstated how much growing up with easy access to issues of both Famous Monsters and Fangoria played into making me who I am today. It cannot be overstated! So don't ask me to overstate it.
- I am going to resist the urge to go on a big tear about all the magazines of my yoot, the horror mags and the teen mags with posters and pinups and the music mags and of course Mad Magazine. And extra of course the Lillian Vernon catalogues and Parade Magazine at gramma's house. See? I'm resisting.
- I'm kind of surprised that the Conjuring films don't get a lot of love in the list?
- A reader on Texas Chainsaw Massacre: "I may be utterly alone in this, but I think it's a solid film with good performances. It's not the original, but it's a damn sight better than many reboots. And I liked Mark Burnham's performance as Leatherface. He has an imposing stillness mixed with a volcanic rage. Plus, there is an actual massacre, with a chainsaw."
- You may be alone in the list, reader, but I see you! To my great GREAT surprise, I actually loved Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I thought it was an absolute blast, just a dumb, gory good time. And I honestly dug what it did with Sally Hardesty (until it did her very, very wrong).
- I love The Children! What a mean movie. (I say that with total heart eyes.)
- A reader on The Bermuda Depths: "Another of my 70s crushes was Leigh McCloskey, who stars here with Connie Sellecca and Carl Weathers in a sort of Jaws/Godzilla rip-off. Despite the subject matter, this one had a surprisingly haunting tone and I remember it leaving me feeling sort of melancholy when it ended."
- In some SHOCKtobers past I've sprinkled a couple of special guest Top 20 Faves lists here and there; Well spoiler alert, that isn't happening this year! This is because I was too lazy to do it. However! Fear not, for one enterprising horror blog pal (you guys remember horror blogs?) done went and made a post all about his Top 20: I'm talking about Jay over at The Horror Section. One of his faves is featured in today's list-chunk, so when you're done reading here, why not head over there and check out the rest of his list and what he's got to say about all of it?
- FYI I'm also going to resist the urge to go on a big tear about horror blogs, but let me just say that I love 'em.
