7. 10 to Midnight (1983)
Quite entertaining. It was interesting seeing a serial killer that I wouldn't be surprised if he inspired American Psycho, down to the body and the vanity obsessions. The way he would establish alibis was clever and creepy which helped with the atmosphere. Charles Bronson on the other hand is his usual self, which makes for an entertaining film. The only problem is that although in the end this is most likely a horror film, this character can take you out of that atmosphere. Still, this is fun enough for me to recommend it.
8. The Black Cat (1981)
This enters the usual Fulci territory. Bad dubbing even for Italian films, some very awkward camera and editing choices such as the camera zooming in on someone every time someone else smacked a wall with something, and some of the worst dialogue I've heard in a while that it was at the point where I was laughing most of the time.
However, this was the time where it all worked. I simply think it's because the killer is a black cat. It adds to the absurd nature of the film that everything else clicked into place. Although, I'd recommend The Shadow of the Cat over this because although this has a lot more violence, the Hammer Horror vibe with a killer cat worked much better.
9. A Holy Place (1990)
Viy but replaced the camp factor with sex. That was well made, especially in regards to showing how she uses her sex in a toxic way amongst the townspeople, and also how the priest in training gives in to his desires for her, despite going against the rules of the church. However, the church part of the film isn't nearly as entertaining as in Viy. In fact, hardly anything happens. If they threw in some more factors like her using her body and sex to try to tempt him directly while inside the church it would have made for a more intense experience, especially seeing if the lead would give in or not. But alas, it made for a fun yet underwhelming experience.
Racketboy Month of Horror 16: Weaponization
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PretentiousHipster
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Re: Racketboy Month of Horror 16: Weaponization
@Ack, have you seen The Church? Same idea and rules as Demons 1 and 2 but with a WAY different vibe.
Re: Racketboy Month of Horror 16: Weaponization
Oh yeah, and I enjoyed it. It was supposed to be Demons 3 originally. I preferred it to Demons 2.
Re: Racketboy Month of Horror 16: Weaponization
Ahhhhh....so many good movies. So many more potential things to add to my watchilsts....
Fatal Games <------ Link to more detailed thoughts
Seven athletes from the same school are chosen to compete in the National Olympic trials, and the school couldn't be more pleased. But someone at the school is decidedly not pleased, and proceeds to kill the kids off one by one, using a javelin as their murder weapon of choice.
This one is very cheesy. And it feels very 80s (there's a sports montage and everything!). Plots are introduced that go nowhere, people make questionable decisions, and there's too much focus on relationships between characters that don't amount to anything. But in the end, I kind of liked it. While some of the deaths are mundane, some of them are weirdly creative (or just plain weird) and the film actually tries to be a little arty sometimes. Plus, the ending is wonderfully bizarre and includes the killer chasing down one of the victims while they're fleeing for their life on crutches. So it's not a great slasher, but it's not one I can hate, either. Probably worth at least one watch for slasher fans for that last 20 minutes or so.
Under the Shadow
Set smack-dab in the middle of the Iran-Iraq war, a woman and her young daughter are left to fend for themselves after the woman's husband is drafted to go to the front lines. But after an innocent warning from a superstitious neighbor, the woman and her child start seeing a strange entity roaming around the apartment building, one that seems malevolent and may or may not have eyes for the woman's daughter.
This is great, but it's one of those horror movies that's not really a horror movie. I mean, it IS. There is a monster (a Djinn, most likely) and you see it and it does torment this woman and her child. But like The Babadook, it's a monster movie that's not really about the monster. It's a comment on the war and restrictiveness, the loss of control, and hiding, and anxiety and... well, a lot of things. It's well acted, and moody, and even has a couple good jump scares to it's name, along with decent atmosphere. It is a bit slow at first, starting off more like a drama than your typical horror film. But if you're patient and can appreciate the slow build, I think you'll find it to be worth it.
Bagman
After surviving a run in with a fantastical boogeyman as a child, Patrick returns to his childhood home with his new wife and young son in toe. But not long after he comes home someone keeps trying to break into his house and Patrick is forced to once again face the same demons he managed to escape as a child.
Ugh. This one annoyed me. Mostly because it had such promise.
The Good
The atmosphere is great. Dark. Moody. Very effective. And even the Bagman himself, though simple in concept, turned out to be creepy as hell. He ultimately doesn't do TOO much, since the film is only rated PG-13. So you only get implications of what he does with the kids he snatches without seeing the evil act itself. But watching him stuff a full-fledged human into a bag by folding them into it is still very disturbing.
The Bad
Good gracious are people in this movie dumb. I mean, people are usually dumb in horror movies, but here it was particularly bad. I mean, I'm not a parent, but I think that if I knew someone (or something) was after my kid I wouldn't leave them alone. Like, AT ALL. But these people don't seem to grasp that concept. Even after they know someone is breaking in to get to the child, they keep leaving him in other rooms. It's not only bizarre, but annoying as hell to watch, because it happens MULTIPLE times. And while I said I liked the look and concept of Bagman, the lore around him is confusing as hell. If he goes after kids, why is he still harassing Patrick? Does that mean he just goes after anyone, or does he just not like people getting away from him? And if that last part is the case, why did he wait so long to go after him again? And then there's the whole thing involving the 'talismans' and how they're supposed to protect you. Except they don't seem to protect everyone equally? So... I'm just confused is all.
Bottom line: It's an interesting idea, with a good cast and good look, but the execution kinda sucked. Blah.
Movie total for the month: 9
Fatal Games <------ Link to more detailed thoughts
Seven athletes from the same school are chosen to compete in the National Olympic trials, and the school couldn't be more pleased. But someone at the school is decidedly not pleased, and proceeds to kill the kids off one by one, using a javelin as their murder weapon of choice.
This one is very cheesy. And it feels very 80s (there's a sports montage and everything!). Plots are introduced that go nowhere, people make questionable decisions, and there's too much focus on relationships between characters that don't amount to anything. But in the end, I kind of liked it. While some of the deaths are mundane, some of them are weirdly creative (or just plain weird) and the film actually tries to be a little arty sometimes. Plus, the ending is wonderfully bizarre and includes the killer chasing down one of the victims while they're fleeing for their life on crutches. So it's not a great slasher, but it's not one I can hate, either. Probably worth at least one watch for slasher fans for that last 20 minutes or so.
Under the Shadow
Set smack-dab in the middle of the Iran-Iraq war, a woman and her young daughter are left to fend for themselves after the woman's husband is drafted to go to the front lines. But after an innocent warning from a superstitious neighbor, the woman and her child start seeing a strange entity roaming around the apartment building, one that seems malevolent and may or may not have eyes for the woman's daughter.
This is great, but it's one of those horror movies that's not really a horror movie. I mean, it IS. There is a monster (a Djinn, most likely) and you see it and it does torment this woman and her child. But like The Babadook, it's a monster movie that's not really about the monster. It's a comment on the war and restrictiveness, the loss of control, and hiding, and anxiety and... well, a lot of things. It's well acted, and moody, and even has a couple good jump scares to it's name, along with decent atmosphere. It is a bit slow at first, starting off more like a drama than your typical horror film. But if you're patient and can appreciate the slow build, I think you'll find it to be worth it.
Bagman
After surviving a run in with a fantastical boogeyman as a child, Patrick returns to his childhood home with his new wife and young son in toe. But not long after he comes home someone keeps trying to break into his house and Patrick is forced to once again face the same demons he managed to escape as a child.
Ugh. This one annoyed me. Mostly because it had such promise.
The Good
The atmosphere is great. Dark. Moody. Very effective. And even the Bagman himself, though simple in concept, turned out to be creepy as hell. He ultimately doesn't do TOO much, since the film is only rated PG-13. So you only get implications of what he does with the kids he snatches without seeing the evil act itself. But watching him stuff a full-fledged human into a bag by folding them into it is still very disturbing.
The Bad
Good gracious are people in this movie dumb. I mean, people are usually dumb in horror movies, but here it was particularly bad. I mean, I'm not a parent, but I think that if I knew someone (or something) was after my kid I wouldn't leave them alone. Like, AT ALL. But these people don't seem to grasp that concept. Even after they know someone is breaking in to get to the child, they keep leaving him in other rooms. It's not only bizarre, but annoying as hell to watch, because it happens MULTIPLE times. And while I said I liked the look and concept of Bagman, the lore around him is confusing as hell. If he goes after kids, why is he still harassing Patrick? Does that mean he just goes after anyone, or does he just not like people getting away from him? And if that last part is the case, why did he wait so long to go after him again? And then there's the whole thing involving the 'talismans' and how they're supposed to protect you. Except they don't seem to protect everyone equally? So... I'm just confused is all.
Bottom line: It's an interesting idea, with a good cast and good look, but the execution kinda sucked. Blah.
Movie total for the month: 9
Last edited by Michi on Thu Oct 09, 2025 1:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Racketboy Month of Horror 16: Weaponization
In some countries, it was released as Demons 3. I honestly can't choose between the Demons duology or The Church since there's such a major tonal shift from the former and latter.
@Michi, I haven't seen Fatal Games but from what I've heard from the video The Horror Geek did, isn't that the one with the problematic twist with the killer?
I think it's on Arrow Player, iirc. Arrow's streaming service is practically STUFFED with horror films. Usually around this time, I'd load up a few titles for offline viewing on my tablet and watch one while doing my laundry. But now, my landlord's letting me use the washer and dryer next to his son's house, so I won't need to leave the house to do laundry anymore.
Also, has anyone heard of In the Grip of Terror? It's the debut film of the recently resurrected Amicus Productions and I recently got my Blu-ray copy from the Kickstarter. Definitely plan on watching it at some point. It looks to be very much in the tradition of old-school Amicus anthologies, even replicating the look and feel.
Here's the trailer... is what I'd like to say but they don't have one.
But in the meantime, I've got the 4K of The Rocky Horror Picture Show preordered from DiabolikDVD that should be mine in time for a Halloween watch. I actually didn't notice it was the UK release until after I placed my order. And since Halloween falls on a Friday this year, it's looking like I'll be off Halloween night. Hopefully this will be the year I get to show my 13-15yo nieces the first musical I've ever truly loved. Possibly in a double bill with Phantom of the Paradise?
Re: Racketboy Month of Horror 16: Weaponization
9. The Poughkeepsie Tapes
Another found footage horror film, this time done in the style of a true crime documentary about a series of tapes found from a raid on a serial killer's house in Poughkeepsie, New York. The film chronicles the content of the tapes and the timeline they represent as a serial killer begins a reign of terror that lasts more than a decade, filming himself stalking, kidnapping, torturing, murdering, and dismembering his victims. The footage is intercut with interviews from law enforcement, FBI investigators and profilers, victims' families, news footage, and so on. None of it is real, but it handles itself just like the vast array of true crime docs that now proliferate television and streaming services.
Basically, a butcher with a flair for the theatrical and a keen mind for evading law enforcement becomes active, swapping MOs, messing with profiles, intentionally planting false evidence, and even flat out giving information to the police ahead of time as he goes through his spree. He kidnaps a young woman and tortures her for a decade as his servant, until when she finally is found, she is entirely unable to function in society. And the film never drops the disguise, even thanking the fictional victims' families in the end for their willingness to be interviewed and identifying a list of the characters who were killed. Intercut throughout are footage directly from the supposed tapes of the various murders, which often grow increasingly bizarre as the killer likes his sense of costumes and artistry, in particular favoring a plague doctor mask.
The only real criticism I have for the film is that the footage from the "tapes" is intentionally distorted and grained, with color fluctuations and such, that at times they made me feel sea sick. I think they overdid it on trying to show their home movie quality, because I found the quality harder to watch than the content. Otherwise though, I was pleasantly surprised with the acting, the way the project was handled, and so forth. This was a really effective movie for me, especially with how popular true crime has become in the 20 years since its release.
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PretentiousHipster
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Re: Racketboy Month of Horror 16: Weaponization
10. Split Second (1992) - Tony Maylam 8/10
An inexplicable tone that actually benefits the film. The tech-noir setting completely makes sense for a jack the ripper sort of plot. However, this is heavy is just overall chaos. The humour is incredibly strange, and it's filled more with that than with actual horror. However, it's one of the better cases of the buddy cop genre with some horror thrown in as a nice bonus.
The buddy cops are at their most different, despite being stereotypes at the same time. The thing that makes this special is that they are both the oddest people on screen. The hardboiled detective saying some of the strangest dialogue every and talking to cops, while the nerd has every hobby imaginable and talks about getting laid all the time. The dynamic alone is one of the best of this. It makes a good buildup towards the horror of it as well, which made for an effective final act that although was intense, it didn't stop being fun.
11. Jack's Back (1988) - Rowdy Herrington 7/10
It's interesting how this was liked by critics back then, but hated by the rest and then forgotten about as time went on. This was a film that kept me on my toes. It has some really baffling twists and turns in this, but they managed to film it competently enough that it made sense in its setting. James Spader also did a fantastic job considering how much breadth was needed for the character.
12. Color Me Blood Red (1965) - Herschell Gordon Lewis 8/10
Baffling to the point of being so entertaining. Many continuity errors and just an overall inexplicable atmosphere here done by all the characters and dialogue. It was just mind melting in the best way possible. I especially loved the blood never drying, or the 2 best friends that just act like they're on every drug simultaneously.
13. The Mad Magician (1954) - John Brahm 8/10
An all around romp, mostly thanks to Vincent Price being himself, and maybe even more over the top than usual. Just the facial expressions he makes in this alone made it this worth watching. It was amusing to see the shots that were obviously made for 3d as well through a historical perspective. I wish I could see how 50s 3d was in a theatrical setting one day.
An inexplicable tone that actually benefits the film. The tech-noir setting completely makes sense for a jack the ripper sort of plot. However, this is heavy is just overall chaos. The humour is incredibly strange, and it's filled more with that than with actual horror. However, it's one of the better cases of the buddy cop genre with some horror thrown in as a nice bonus.
The buddy cops are at their most different, despite being stereotypes at the same time. The thing that makes this special is that they are both the oddest people on screen. The hardboiled detective saying some of the strangest dialogue every and talking to cops, while the nerd has every hobby imaginable and talks about getting laid all the time. The dynamic alone is one of the best of this. It makes a good buildup towards the horror of it as well, which made for an effective final act that although was intense, it didn't stop being fun.
11. Jack's Back (1988) - Rowdy Herrington 7/10
It's interesting how this was liked by critics back then, but hated by the rest and then forgotten about as time went on. This was a film that kept me on my toes. It has some really baffling twists and turns in this, but they managed to film it competently enough that it made sense in its setting. James Spader also did a fantastic job considering how much breadth was needed for the character.
12. Color Me Blood Red (1965) - Herschell Gordon Lewis 8/10
Baffling to the point of being so entertaining. Many continuity errors and just an overall inexplicable atmosphere here done by all the characters and dialogue. It was just mind melting in the best way possible. I especially loved the blood never drying, or the 2 best friends that just act like they're on every drug simultaneously.
13. The Mad Magician (1954) - John Brahm 8/10
An all around romp, mostly thanks to Vincent Price being himself, and maybe even more over the top than usual. Just the facial expressions he makes in this alone made it this worth watching. It was amusing to see the shots that were obviously made for 3d as well through a historical perspective. I wish I could see how 50s 3d was in a theatrical setting one day.
Re: Racketboy Month of Horror 16: Weaponization
Darn right Split Second gets a high score! That movie is great!
Re: Racketboy Month of Horror 16: Weaponization
So I am late to the party... but I have watched two films so far. I guess my theme is "corn" lol.
1. Children of the Corn - this is actually the third time I've watched it. Pretty good and worth coming back to. I have never read the short story so not sure how accurate it is to the tale.
2. Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice - kind of shitty. It had some cool death scenes -
-but the story was pretty boring. Like a bad retelling of the first film with worse acting. Literally do not care about any of the characters.
1. Children of the Corn - this is actually the third time I've watched it. Pretty good and worth coming back to. I have never read the short story so not sure how accurate it is to the tale.
2. Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice - kind of shitty. It had some cool death scenes -
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prfsnl_gmr
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Re: Racketboy Month of Horror 16: Weaponization
Children of the Corn follows the themes of the short story pretty closely, actually. That said, the story is like ten pages; so, the movie fleshes it out a lot, adding characters, plot lines, etc. that aren’t in the original.
……
Great reviews, everyone! The Taking of Deborah Logan and Under the Shadow are both pretty great, and I’m glad you all enjoyed them. I’ll also be looking up Saloum and Split Second based on your recommendations…
I’ve watched a few more too!
First, we watched Viking Wolf (2022). It starts out with Vikings capturing a cursed wolf in France during the Middle Ages and transporting it to the Norwegian woods. (None of the Vikings survived the return voyage, obviously.) It the skips forward 1000 years to a young woman witnessing one of her friends being dragged into the woods by a savage creature during a party. Her friend is killed, but thankfully, she is only bitten…It’s all pretty standard teenage-girl-werewolf-as-symbol-of-sexual-awakening stuff from there in out. Despite some pretty shaky CGI, though, it’s a solid outing, with a good location (i.e., rural Norway). The characters are well-developed and likable, and there’s both shocking violence and a very high body count, making for an effective, if not groundbreaking, creature feature (that borrows very heavily fromAn American Werewolf in London). Recommended.
Later, my wife and I watched Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971). We were both in the mood for more slow-burn, atmospheric horror, and Let’s Scare Jessica to death definitely delivered. In it, a husband and wife (with a history of mental illness) move to a farmhouse in Connecticut, but when they arrive they find it occupied by an alluring redhead who claims to have new squatting there. They quickly become friends and permit her to stay, but things soon take a more haunting and sinister turn. Based on the title, I was expecting something more like The House on Haunted Hill, but I got something more like hippie Carmilla. The movie both met my expectations- it was a hanging atmospheric slow-burn horror film - that also completely surprised me. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. (FUN FACT: I was inspired to watch the movie after perusing some of @michi’s reviews from a few years ago. Thanks, michi!
We had another full moon a few nights ago, which meant it was time for another werewolf movie! This one, Bloodthirsty (2020) is about a young singer working on her sophomore album. She is approached by a mysterious producer with a sordid past, who helps her achieve new artistic highs by convincing her to stop taking her medications. Perhaps her hallucinations of becoming an animal aren’t hallucinations after all?! Unlike most young woman werewolf movies, this one isn’t about a sexual awakening. Rather it’s about how much people will sacrifice for their art and how much they’re willing to change for a shot at success. Despite the novel theme, though, and despite a pretty sweet transformation (and a lead actress who really looks the part with wide set eyes and peaked ears), the movie is kind of boring. The acting is hit or miss (the lead’s girlfriend is really bad), and the low budget shows through a lot. (The producer’s mansion is decorated like a particularly tacky bed and breakfast, and the egregious interior design decisions were the scariest thing about the movie.) Accordingly, I really can’t recommend that one.
PRFSNL_GMR’S SPOOKY HORROR MOVIES LIST: ORIGINS
The Beast Must Die -
The Wolf of Snow Hollow -
Wolf-Man -
In the Tall Grass -
Werewolf by Night -
Werewolf of London -
Horror in the High Desert -
The Cursed -
Presence -
The Blackening -
The Devil’s Rejects -
The Perfection -
The First Omen -
Viking Wolf -
Let’s Scare Jessica to Death -
Bloodthirsty -
……
Great reviews, everyone! The Taking of Deborah Logan and Under the Shadow are both pretty great, and I’m glad you all enjoyed them. I’ll also be looking up Saloum and Split Second based on your recommendations…
I’ve watched a few more too!
First, we watched Viking Wolf (2022). It starts out with Vikings capturing a cursed wolf in France during the Middle Ages and transporting it to the Norwegian woods. (None of the Vikings survived the return voyage, obviously.) It the skips forward 1000 years to a young woman witnessing one of her friends being dragged into the woods by a savage creature during a party. Her friend is killed, but thankfully, she is only bitten…It’s all pretty standard teenage-girl-werewolf-as-symbol-of-sexual-awakening stuff from there in out. Despite some pretty shaky CGI, though, it’s a solid outing, with a good location (i.e., rural Norway). The characters are well-developed and likable, and there’s both shocking violence and a very high body count, making for an effective, if not groundbreaking, creature feature (that borrows very heavily fromAn American Werewolf in London). Recommended.
Later, my wife and I watched Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971). We were both in the mood for more slow-burn, atmospheric horror, and Let’s Scare Jessica to death definitely delivered. In it, a husband and wife (with a history of mental illness) move to a farmhouse in Connecticut, but when they arrive they find it occupied by an alluring redhead who claims to have new squatting there. They quickly become friends and permit her to stay, but things soon take a more haunting and sinister turn. Based on the title, I was expecting something more like The House on Haunted Hill, but I got something more like hippie Carmilla. The movie both met my expectations- it was a hanging atmospheric slow-burn horror film - that also completely surprised me. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. (FUN FACT: I was inspired to watch the movie after perusing some of @michi’s reviews from a few years ago. Thanks, michi!
We had another full moon a few nights ago, which meant it was time for another werewolf movie! This one, Bloodthirsty (2020) is about a young singer working on her sophomore album. She is approached by a mysterious producer with a sordid past, who helps her achieve new artistic highs by convincing her to stop taking her medications. Perhaps her hallucinations of becoming an animal aren’t hallucinations after all?! Unlike most young woman werewolf movies, this one isn’t about a sexual awakening. Rather it’s about how much people will sacrifice for their art and how much they’re willing to change for a shot at success. Despite the novel theme, though, and despite a pretty sweet transformation (and a lead actress who really looks the part with wide set eyes and peaked ears), the movie is kind of boring. The acting is hit or miss (the lead’s girlfriend is really bad), and the low budget shows through a lot. (The producer’s mansion is decorated like a particularly tacky bed and breakfast, and the egregious interior design decisions were the scariest thing about the movie.) Accordingly, I really can’t recommend that one.
PRFSNL_GMR’S SPOOKY HORROR MOVIES LIST: ORIGINS
The Beast Must Die -
The Wolf of Snow Hollow -
Wolf-Man -
In the Tall Grass -
Werewolf by Night -
Werewolf of London -
Horror in the High Desert -
The Cursed -
Presence -
The Blackening -
The Devil’s Rejects -
The Perfection -
The First Omen -
Viking Wolf -
Let’s Scare Jessica to Death -
Bloodthirsty -