#horror october

[kaerumi]

YANDERE EVENT FOR OCTOBER-

18+ Minors do NOT interact

Rules for the event

Request at least 1 prompt (of your choice) with a character or multiple.

This will be all nsfw as it will also be a Kinktober event as well.

It can multiple of the same character in the list.

The list will go up all the way to the 31st.

I will NOT do female reader, I’ll do Afab Reader that’s NB/Enby or FtM. And Male or Amab NB readers.

This is a general rule, No Crocodile, Lucci, Doflamingo etc. as I’m not comfortable doing those characters.

[thealmightyemprex]

Halloweenathon 2022 :Prey

For october we shall look at horror/monster/horror adjacent/spooky things in general . For the first film of the Halloweenathon we shall examine the latest in the Predator franchise

This 2022 film follows Naru (Amber Midthunder ) a Comanche woman in 1719 who dreams of being a great hunter who stumbles upon her greatest challange

Predator is a franchise with a lot of possibilities ,and to its credit the series tends to switch it up a lot,with all the films being pretty much self contained .However the settings of the films tend to either be contemporary or futuristic and for many fans ,myself included ,we have wondered "Well we know the Predators have come to Earth before ....Why havent they done a period film with the Predator?" and that is what Prey delivers.....And this movie is awesome

This movie works on a few diffrent levels.As a Predator film ,its just a great concept ,and a good entry film for those who want to get into the franchise .AS a stand alone film it also works , as its a film about survival that happens to also be a monster movie and I love movies like that.Also I have to mention its just great to see a sci fi action horror movie that is apart of a big franchise that has a primarily First Nation cast ,and not just as supporting characters .

Its possible Amber Midthunder as Naru might be my favorite protagonist of the Predator series ,as the movie is ABOUT her and her journey to slay this monster .I also really like this more feral Predator played excellently by Dane DiLiegro,his performance and the design of him are truly frightening .Also I like that both the Predator take a beating throughout the film but he is so relentless he is still scary and that there are some paralells between them ,I just thought that was neat.Dakota Beaver also does a great job as Naru's brother Taabe ,and I really like Narus dog Sarii .The effects both practical and CG are great and the action and gore are top notch (I was going "oh my God""Hoiy shit" and "Whoa!" a LOT )

If I have a problem I wish more of the supporting cast stood out ,particularly one character,who has actually been refrenced in previous installments......And he is just kind of there .But I can forgive that cause the stars of the movie really are Naru and the Predator

Overall if you like Predator I reccomend it or if you want a survival horror film with a sci fi twist ,it works asx a stand alone film.I think it might be my second favorite Predator movie,but if someone said it was their favorite I totally would get that ,it is THAT good

@ariel-seagull-wings @metropolitan-mutant-of-ark @the-blue-fairie @angelixgutz @filmcityworld1 @themousefromfantasyland @amalthea9 @princesssarisa

[365days365movies]

Horror October II: Frankenstein (1931) - Recap: Part Two

Hollywood Legend time!

Born in Surrey, England in 1887, William Henry Pratt was born to two parents with ancestry from the subcontinent of India, leading to him growing up with a darker complexion than that of his compatriots. His great aunt was Anna Leonowens, AKA the woman who inspired The King and I. Yeah, THAT The King and I!

But despite this impressive connection, Pratt didn’t have a great childhood. Bow-legged, with a lisp and a stutter, and already an outside to his peers. And when he was very young, his mother passed away, leading to him being mostly raised by his eight siblings. Like I said, rough time of it. But things got better when Pratt stumbled upon a new profession: acting. And so, in 1911, Pratt moved to Canada and started in on stage performances. While there, he came up with a stage name. Boris Karloff is born.

Karloff transitions into film pretty quickly, and is in silent films for a while, often cast in minority roles due to his unique appearance. But then, in 1931, after dozens of bit parts, he’s found by director James Whale, who wants him to play the Monster in his upcoming adaptation of Frankenstein. Karloff obviously accepts, puts on his four-inch platforms and big-ass costume, and film history is made. Karloff’s a star!

He’s cast as the mummy Imhotep in 1932′s The Mummy, all the while appearing in horror film after horror film. The Mask of Fu Manchi, The Old Dark House, The Raven, The Black Cat, Bride of Frankenstein. He also meets Bela Lugosi, his rival as Hollywood’s big horror film star. We’ll get to Lugosi eventually.

Role after role after role, sometimes returning as the Monster, Karloff’s star is more than cemented. His voice, performance, and image become synonymous with the Monster, and they will NEVER be separated. Dude’s turn as the Monster is one of the most enduring and famous roles in all of film history, and it’s completely pervaded culture across the world. Which is, of course, despite the fact that it’s COMPLETELY inaccurate to the book’s depiction, but whatever.

It’s hard to fully describe how iconic Karloff really was, and remains to this day. But he also did some other stuff to note. He continued to appear in film and television through the 1960s. Got married 6 times, and only had one child. He had a popular children’s radio show throughout the 1950s, where he told riddles and read stories. Dude dressed up as Santa Claus ever Christmas since 1940 to give gifts to disabled kids in Baltimore. He was a strong representative for actor’s rights, and a major member of both the Screen Actors Guild, and the Hollywood Cricket Club. Do...do I love Boris Karloff?

Karloff was a big smoker throughout his life, and it eventually caught up to him, eventually leaving him with only one function lung. In 1969, he died of pneumonia at the age of 81. This birth home was memorialized by an English Heritage blue plaque, and his legacy is never-ending to this day.

And with that, let’s jump back into the movie!

SPOILERS AHEAD!!! Check out Part One here!

Recap: Part Two

Fuck you, Fritz.

Seriously, this asshole immediately decides to antagonize the Monster with his torch, freaking him out nd making him attack IN SELF-DEFENSE. That, in turn, forces Henry and Waldman to knock the Monster out and chain him up in another part of the castle.

And even then, Fritz fucks with him even further, fending off with the fire and whipping him! And wait, the reason he hates fire is because it reminds the Monster of this abuse? Fuck this dude, man! One of these days, the Monster’s gonna sna-oh never mind, Fritz is dead, the Monster killed him. Well, dude kinda brought it on himself.

They try to subdue the Monster again, but now he turns against Henry, strangling him until near unconsciousness. Just then, the Baron shows up, demanding to figure out what the fuck is going on. They find Henry, having made his way out of the whole situation with some well-placed injections, and he stumbles off to greet his father.

At this point, some of the gambit is up. Henry relents, and agrees to calm down just long enough to get married, especially now that the monster is safely confined away. So, the wedding takes place, and we catch up with the rest of the people nearby. A father and his daughter, Little Maria (Marilyn Harris), live in a cottage near a lake. Maria goes to pick flowers by the lake, and is unexpectedly joined by a new friend.

Yeah, Monster’s out of the castle. Whoops. The little girl is nice to him, and he accepts her kindness. She throws flowers into the lake, so that the petals float away. And the Monster also wants to play!

And, uh...Maria can’t swim. Fuck.

The Monster runs, only to find the wedding in town. Elizabeth expresses worry about the future, near and far, but Henry tries to allay her worry. Just then, Victor interrupts to tell them the Monster is approaching. Not just that, but he’s IN THE HOUSE! GASP! They run to find him, only for him to turn up...well...he wants to pay his dues to the bride.

Elizabeth faints, the Monster escapes, and at the same time, Maria’s father enters the village, carrying her body. And I gotta say, it’s a heartbreaking scene. He’s here to get justice for his daughter, as he (correctly) believes the Monster killed her. And a dead child means one thing, and one thing only. 

PITCHFORK AND TORCH TIME BABY

The mob, led by Frankenstein, heads up into the mountains, where the Monster has fled. But eventually, only the good doctor is on his creation’s trail. But the Monster is learning, and lies in wait for his creator. And what’s worse, he’s no longer afraid of fire. Henry’s fucked.

The Monster easily overcomes Henry, and drags him to the abandoned windmill atop the hill nearby. The mob hears Henry’s cries for help, and they follow in literal hot pursuit. Henry wakes up, and the two struggle once more, only for the Monster to throw Henry off the roof of the windmill, almost killing him.

And now, another of the most iconic scenes in film history: the burning of the windmill.

The windmill is caught alight, and the Monster burns. And then...cut to black. Turns out that Henry lived, and is under the care of his new wife and the Baron. The Baron gets some booze from a couple maids, then makes a toast to a grandson and...the movie ends.

...Huh. Abrupt. Like, weirdly abrupt.

I mean, did I love this movie? Yeah, absolutely, genuinely a fantastic film and a timeless classic. But the ending and pacing are...odd. Y’know what, hold on. Let’s break it down.

Cast and Acting: 8/10 

First things first here: Boris Karloff is goddamn fantastic, and I understand exactly why he was thrust into stardom after this film. For having literally NO DIALOGUE, he is far and away the most memorable part of this film. The scene where he holds up his hands and gazes skyward, as if to touch the light itself? Fuckin’ gorgeously acted and shot, and I love Karloff immediately. And for everybody else? They were fine, but...I dunno, hokey, sometimes? Colin Clive is probably the best of the rest, followed closely by Mae Clarke and Edward van Sloan. John Boles definitely, uh...exists? And as much as I love Dwight Frye, his overacting of Fritz is a little much a lot of the time. But WORST of these guys is Frederick Kerr, who’s in a different movie entirely. None of them are actually bad, none of them, but they just pale in comparison to the Monster himself.

Plot and Writing: 7/10: 

Look...I love Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, in case you couldn’t tell. And ALSO in case you couldn’t tell, this movie is NOTHING like the book on which it’s based. Like...almost completely different. Now, to be completely fair, writers Garrett Fort, Francis Edward Faragoh, Robert Florey, John Russell, and John L. Balderston (Yeah. Five writers.) was actually based on a 1927 play by Peggy Webling. She's the one who called Frankenstein Henry instead of Victor; she gave the Monster the name “Frankenstein”, after it’s creator; and she brings in Baron Frankenstein as a comic relief character, amongst a few more major changes. Balderston apparently hated the play, then adapted it to his liking. And those plays became this film. And...yeah, it’s not as good as the book. Sorry! It’s still good, don’t get me wrong! But it removes SO MUCH of the dark pathos of the original story, that it neuters it completely. Most of the characters in this story are DEAD by the end, and yet “Henry Frankenstein” gets a happy fucking ending, WITH HIS LIVING WIFE? IT’S A STORY ABOUT A ZEALOUS CREATOR DESTROYED BY HIS CREATION!!! THAT’S THE ENTIRE GODDAMN POINT OF THE BOOK!!! 

But is it bad? No, not really. It’s just...frustratingly different.

Direction and Cinematography: 10/10

And yet, at the same goddamn time,

James Whale

and cinematographer

Arthur Edeson

 knock it out of the PARK. This movie looks fantastic, and needs to be lauded for its direction and cinematography. Is it a film from 1931? yeah, obviously, but it’s a GREAT film from 1931. Whale wasn’t originally attached to the project, but was brought in by Universal after their original star Bela Lugosi took the fuck off. That’s a whole other topic, I’ll get into it. And he did

spectacular

 on this film, I can’t praise it enough. Angles, camera focus, long shots, panning shots, just so many well-framed scenes, it’s...it’s gorgeous.

Production and Art Design: 10/10

And not just in terms of the camera, but also in terms of the sets and production design. Again, is it a 1931 film? Absolutely, But it looks great! Even Frankenstein’s Monster, despite how markedly different he is from the books, looks great here, and the look is iconic to this day. Well-produced, well-designed, and with a budget of only $4,303,661.09 in 2021 money. Which, for a massive studio-funded film, is CHEAP. Great looking movie, is what I’m saying.

Music and Editing: 8/10

That applies to the music, too. Bernhard Kaun’s score is sweeping and wonderful throughout the film. But, uh...the editing isn’t great. Not really talking about the sound editing, since the film was made in 1931. But the actual film editing by Clarence Kolster and Maurice Pivar is...comething to be desired sometimes. And yeah, this is about the pacing issues. Because that ending was SO GODDAMN ABRUPT, it genuinely hurts me. It’s a 71 minute film, and it’s not exactly meant to be protracted longer than that, but it’s got some poor pacing in there that could’ve been fixed by sharper editing, I think. Again, definitely not bad...just not perfect.

86% is a great score, but it fells...I don’t know, wrong?

This movie has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average weighted score of...86.7%? Huh. I guess I’m not alone, then. This film is a classic, and it’s VERY good. And if you haven’t seen it, DEFINITELY watch it. Very fitting for this time of year. But it definitely isn’t perfect.

However...I still loved this movie, and Imma watch it every year. Yeah, really! it’s just that good! In fact, I know that I have a lot of movies on my watchlist for this month, but...well, dammit, I’m really feeling the Universal Monster movies. And so, I think I know EXACTLY what’s coming next. But first, I’m gonna get a drink. Feeling parched for whatever reason.

Next: Dracula (1931); dir. Tod Browning

[ariel-seagull-wings]

Top 06 Moments That Scared Me As A Child

@superkingofpriderock @amalthea9 @metropolitan-mutant-of-ark @professorlehnsherr-almashy @lioness--hart @gravedangerahead @lord-antihero @princesssarisa @draculashaxanbride

While i wasn't necessarily a horror kid, i still was exposed to one and other horror movie and, specially, some horror elements in movies and shows that weren't marketed as being in the horror genre. And i tought: why should i suffer alone when i could drag someone in my torments? So here are some six scary media memories from my childood:

06. Apearance of the Devil in 'A Dog's Will'

In this movie, there is the important moment where a good chunk of the characters die and have their souls judged in the afterlife. The first character to appear is the Devil himself, who at first acts calm, charming, and has not that bad of an appearance. But them one of the souls insults him, and he throws away all the politeness in favour of assuming his grotesque appearance and voice, and thries to make the characters flie straight into hell, without the trial. Cut to three year old me crying and screaming in terror at my mother's shoulders. Nowadays 'A Dog's Will' is one of my favorite movies.

05. Historietas Assombradas para Crianças mal Criadas (Haunted Short Stories for Misbehaved Children)

Seven year old me is with her grandpa watching some random kids programing at a sunday, when this appears: a stop motion mixed with 2-D animation short about a grandma telling her granddaughter three scary stories from brazilian folklore to make the girl sleep. Each story more "sweet" than the other: the snake Boitata eating the eyes of a papa pig in front of baby pig, a boy called Ananias who is so evil his hearth literary goes out of him and he becomes the Dry Corpse, and the boogeyman called Jupipari who appears trough the window to blow a sleep powder over kids's eyes if they don't want to sleep and whistle at night. If all that scary glory wasn't enough, at the end my grandpa sayed that he would call Jupipari if i didn't sleeped at night. Thanks grandpa, i had even more trouble to sleep days after that. The link goes to the english subbed version of the short.

04. E Se... (What If) in the 'Cocorico' show

Hey, a wholesome kids show about a boy and his farm friends! Now here is a random music number about a baby pig alone with a grotesque straw monster.

03. Não é Sonho, Não é Nada (Its Not Dream, It is Nothing) in 'Lendas Brasileiras' (Brazilian Legends)

Song about a group of kids and their dog being persecuted by a ghost bride in the woods, known as the woman in white. The voice of Zé Ramalho is a guarantee of making creepy things even more creepy (i mean, back in the 80s he also made a theme song about a werewolf for the telenovela Roque Santeiro)

02. The Crone Version of the Evil Queen in 'Disney's Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs'

The ingredients for the transformation potion, her facial expressions, the fort wall breaking (seriously, why is she looking at me?), the performance of her brazilian voice actress, all those ingredients gaved me some nightmares as a kid.

But still not so much as this moment:

01. The Night on Bald Mountain Segment in 'Fantasia'

Night on Bald Mountain Fantasia 1949 1080p

Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky and Ave Maria by Franz Schubert. At midnight the devil Chernabog awakes and summons evil spirits

Here is a Disney villain that never gets a moment of defeat, but instead just goes to sleep when the morning bells ring, so that he can go back to torture the souls of the dead at night. Nightmares because of that scene made dificult for me to sleep without my mom and grandparents for a long while. I wasn't able to finish Fantasia or listen to the Night on Bald Mountain Music by Mussorgski until i was 17 (wich was just a few years ago). That's how the terror conveyed by the scene impacted me, and that's why it has to be my number one scariest childhood memory.

[365days365movies]

Horror October III: Dracula (1931)

Remember the party at Villa Diodati?

Alongside Byron and the Shelleys, Byron’s personal physician and friend also attended the party. This would be the oft-forgotten John William Polidori, who contributed to the night’s scary-story telling by adapting a short and abandoned story fragment of Byron’s. He took the main character and a few elements of the unfinished tale, and turned it into his own story. He named it “The Vampyre”, and this story became the first modern vampire story. 

The concept of the vampire is, of course, an old one. Dating back to the Dark Ages and up until the 1700s, vampires were demonic emissaries that drank the blood of the unforgiving. However, Polidori took the old vampire myth and turned it into something...different. Dark, gothic, mysterious, sophisticated, handsome...seductive...hot? Yeah, Polidori took the classical vampire and turned it into...well...

But we’ve got a while before getting to Anne Rice, of course. In fact, after Polidori’s romantic vampire tale, a number of others hopped in on the act. Varney the Vampire was a penny dreadful that became fairly popular, and gave the vampire sharp fangs to pierce the necks of the seduced.  James Planché and Charles Nodier made plays, which Queen Victoria called trashy (which means she probably secretly LOVED it). Irish author Sheridan le Fanu decided to bring the LGBT community in and make the first lesbian vampire in 1872′s Carmilla.

And then, in 1897, after a bunch more vampire fiction came into the forefront, one more author stepped up to the plate, bringing in all of the new tropes introduced to the concept and folding them in. His name was Abraham Stoker.

Stoker was born in Ireland in 1847, and lived a pretty typical life. He was a theatre critic that worked for Sheridan le Fanu (see above), and eventually became friends and business partners with actor Henry Irving. He managed the Lyceum in London, a legendary theatre to this day, and embroiled himself in British high society pretty quickly.

All the while, Stoker wrote a few stories, mostly for fun and as a hobby. Then, in 1890, he visited a small British town called Whitby. This little seaside fossil-laden town was the inspiration for many an author back in the day, but Stoker got a particular set of ideas from it. He poured those ideas into the setting for his new story, a piece of vampire fiction about a charismatic count with devious supernatural powers, and an insatiable thirst for the blood of the living.

Boom. An immediate smash hit.

Dracula was considered...how to put this? Ah, yes, FUCKING TERRIFYING. It was well-received as a scary story, and definitely shook up the European market severely. Sure, not everybody loved it, but it did well, and quickly became the template for all vampire tales after it. The seemingly infinite powers, the seductive and charismatic nature, the sophisticated grace balanced with demonic barbarism, it ALL got folded into Dracula, and he became the vampire.

And think about how HUGE that is! Your seminal work becomes a cultural consolidation of an entire GENRE of work, and becomes more iconic than anything that came before it! I know this is Tumblr, but I’m willing to bet that some of you had never heard of Carmilla, the lesbian vampire story that didn’t paint homosexuality in an antagonistic light, WHICH IS A HUGE GODDAMN DEAL! That is how all-encompassing Dracula truly was and IS.

And yet...I’ve never read it.

Yeah, I love Frankenstein, but I’ve never read Dracula. I’ll get around to it, I promise! It’s a classic for a reason. But because of that, I have no dogs in this adaptation fight. I’m just excited to see this movie! Been a LONG time coming, so I’m super down to check this bad boy OUT! And with that...

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Recap

On Walurgisnacht (April 30), a group of travelers ride a carriage through the mountains of Hungary, where a man is waiting for them. This man is looking to go to Borgo Pass, to meet the carriage of Count Dracula, a man whose name literally causes everyone to cross themselves in fear. Immediately, the man is warned of Dracula and his wives. The mountain people believe them to be vampires, with the ability to transform into wolves and bats, and the tendency to drink blood after rising from the coffins in which they sleep. You know, real vampire shit.

The man, R. M. Renfield (Dwight Frye), is not deterred, as he’s a solicitor who’s attempting to see the Count on a business visit. He heads up the mountain as the sun sets. And that, of course, is when the vampires awaken for their nightly reverie.

This is Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi), and he definitely knows how to make an entrance. As he and the wives wake up, Renfield is headed towards the mansion, under the purview of an eerie coach sent by the good Count. As they drive onwards, a bat is seen guiding the carriage to the castle. And once Renfield arrives, the coach disappears, there’s armadillos every where, and the place is a fuckin’ SHITHOLE.

A wolf howls in the background, and that’s Dracula’s cue to say one of the most iconic lines in horror cinema.

Fuck yeah, man. Iconic.

The Count effortlessly passes through some cobwebs like a goddamn ghost, and Renfield struggles to do the same as a RIDICULOUSLY fake spider crawls up the wall. They sit down to have dinner, and Renfield reveals that the plans are set for the Count to lease a house in England. They leave the next day, but not before Dracula grabs a, uh...bite. Sorry. Couldn’t resist.

See, Renfield cuts his finger on a paper clip (HOW, by the fucking way, HOW), and Dracula has to stifle his bloodlust for a hot sec. But, once dinner’s over, and Renfield is escorted to his room, Dracula turns into a bat and hypnotizes Renfield to open the window. He crouches over to drink his blood, and we cut to black.

The next time we see Renfield, he’s managed to get Dracula and his coffin on a ship to England. He’s FUCKED up at this point, yearning for “little lives with blood in them”, which Dracula’s apparently promised to him. He’s quite insane, is what I’m saying. When they get to England through a terrible storm, the crew is all dead, and only the body of the captain is found, tied to the wheel. The last person alive is Renfield, laughing like a maniac to those who discover him. Fuckin’ eerie, man.

Once Drac gets to England, he kills a woman by draining her of blood, and heads to the theatre! Renfield, meanwhile, is immediately thrown into an insane asylum. Dracula hypnotizes a woman to deliver a message, then forget what she’s said afterwards. The Count then introduces himself to a group in one of the booths.

This is the booth of Dr. Seward (Herbert Bunston), the owner of the sanitarium that Renfield is in. Also there is his daughter Mina Seward (Helen Chandler), her fiancée John Harker (David Manners), and family friend Lucy Weston (Frances Dade). Dracula makes his moves on the family, especially on Mina Harker. Lucy seems somewhat charmed by him, a fact that Mina makes fun of her for later that night.

As Lucy heads off to sleep, she sees a bat in the window, and quickly falls asleep. And, of course, this ain’t no normal bat.

Jesus, now much blood does this dude need?

Time passes, and deaths keep popping up all over London, Lucy’s included. And every time, they appear to be drained of blood with two puncture marks in their necks! Weird! This question is broached by Professor Abraham van Helsing (Edward van Sloan), who immediately believes that this is in fact a vampire. He endeavors to scientifically prove and analyze this phenomenon, starting with Mr. Renfield.

Renfield is attempting to catch and eat spiders, and is eventually guided in to speak with van Helsing and Dr. Seward. As their interview happens, a wolf howls, which Renfield seems to believe is meant for him. Abraham catches onto it, and shows wolfsbane to Renfield, causing him to react violently, and to threaten Mina in the process. For Dracula will come for her as well.

Sure enough, that night, Dracula visits Mina, much to the sadness of Renfield for whatever reason. But this time, he doesn’t kill her. No, Mina is left alive to reount a terrifying vision of mist enveloping her in the night, manifesting a face and red eyes. And when she woke up, it felt like the life was drained from her. While John tries to tell her it’s only a dream, van Helsing is curious, and interviews her about this so-called dream. And it’s revealed that Mina has two bite marks on her neck, which she was trying to hide.

Just then, Dracula arrives to visit the Seward home. Van Helsing, realizing what the fuck is up, does his best to separate the two. Mina is sent upstairs, and van Helsing sees the Count’s reflection (or lack thereof) in the mirror. When he confronts Dracula about this, he smacks it out of his hands. Cat’s out of the bag, now. Drac knows that van Helsing knows, who knows that Drac knows, y’know? After this, we get the basic lore rules about vampires from van Helsing, which he tells Seward and Harker.

Just then, Renfield shows up, and tells them to listen to van Helsing. Just then, Mina goes outside, greeted by the Count himself. A scream is heard outside, and the men (ans Renfield) rush outside to fetch the now unconscious Mina. But soon after, a new series of attacks occurs, caused by a “woman in white”. Van Helsing and Mina seem to think that this is Lucy, risen from the dead.

Van Helsing promises to save Lucy’s soul, and Mina asks him to do the same for her. John doesn’t get it, but...dude, she’s a fuckin’ vampire. Come on. Drac’s a thirsty boy, and he’s got his eyes on Mina.

Night strikes again, and Dracula’s on the prowl. Seward, Harker, and van Helsing decide to leave Mina with van Helsing, so that she may be saved from the vampire’s curse. But Renfield shows up, as does the good Count himself. He confirms that he’s turned Mina into a vampire, like himself. The two archenemies make themselves known to each other, and they promise war on each other.

Van Helsing promises to find with coffin and box of Earth, and Dracula attempts to hypnotize him, but to no avail. Van Helsing’s strong will fends him off mentally, and when the vampire attacks him, he wields another signature weapon: a cross.

Meanwhile, John goes to check on Mina, who’s somehow feeling better than ever! She yearns to step out into the night, and invites John to sit with her, away from the scent of that horrible wolfsbane. She also talks to a bat, asks John to get van Helsing’s crucifix away from him, and also tries to hypnotize him. Yeah, no, totally fuckin’ normal, she is.

And yet, after ALL OF THAT SHIT, John STILL DOESN’T FUCKING GET IT. Jesus, dude is fuckin’ dense as shit.

Van Helsing steps in and manages to stop Mina from doing something particuarly bad to Jon, and she recoils from him and van Helsing’s crucifix. The night goes on, and the group watches over Mina. Not well enough, though, since the Count IMMEDIATELY hypnotizes someone to open the window, and then grabs her and takes her back to the place he’s renting.

Renfield follows them, once again pledging his loyalty. However, he’s accidentally led van Helsing and Harker to their location, angering Dracula. Renfield swears he didn’t purposely betray him, and begs for his life. But Dracula kills him anyway, then absconds with Mina to their coffins.

But van Helsing and Harker quickly find Dracula, and the Professor tells Harker to find something that will help drive the stake through his heart. However, Mina is not in her coffin, and Harker goes to find her. van Helsing kills Dracula off-screen with a stake through the heart. Mina is, apparently, freed from the curse, and is no longer a vampire. And...that’s it.

Seriously, Universal, what the hell is going on?

I mean, OK, once is bad enough with Frankenstein, but TWICE? Are all of their monster movies like this? I have...I have questions, that’s for sure. But OK, whatever, let’s rate this bad boy...in a separate post. This one got a little long.

See you there!

[365days365movies]

Horror October III: Dracula (1931) - Review

By the way, this isn’t the first film adaptation of Dracula.

The first is actually a 1921 Hungarian silent film called Dracula’s Death (Drakula halála), which is considered somewhat lost today. The second adaptation, and the far more famous one, is F. W. Murnau’s 1922 silent classic Nosferatu, seen above. This is a loose but accurate adaptation, starring no characters from the original film. However, it’s still well-regarded...and I also haven’t seen this one. I AM WORKING ON IT

Anyway, Dracula has been adapted countless times in film and stage adaptations, and the character is truly timeless. Of course, Bela Lugosi’s version of the vampire count reigns supreme to this day, but the character’s been played by Christopher Plummer and Gary Oldman, he’s fought both Batman and the Avengers, and he’s the second most adapted character in film to this day.

And with that...what’d I think of Universal’s version? Well...

Review

Cast and Acting: 9/10

Once again, first things first: Bela Lugosi absolutely rules in this movie. His turn as the charismatic Count is great, and his turn on the role is extremely iconic for a reason. But unlike in Frankenstein, I don’t really think there are any slouches here! Dwight Frye as Renfield is genuinely my other favorite character in this movie, and Edward Van Sloan’s Van Helsing is a powerful foe to the good Count. And Helen Chandler! WhoO! Sure, she’s a little over-dramatic at times, but she REALLY uses the seductive angle of the vampire to full effect as she’s beginning to turn. She’s very effective! If anyone was a weak point, it’s David Manners and Herbert Bunston, both of whom are...OK. They’re the straight men of the piece, and they’re fine in their roles. Seriously, compared to Frankenstein, these are some strong-ass performances all around.

Plot and Writing: 9/10

Unlike Frankenstein, I don’t have a dog in this fight, adaptation-wise. And so, I’m measuring the writing and plot on their own merits. And honestly...kudos to Garrett Fort for this adaptation, because I think he did rather well! The movie seemed streamlined in plot, and it made sense all throughout. There are two major issues I had with it, though. One, the ending, of course. We’ll get to that with pacing, but this was a REALLY abrupt and unsatisfying ending for me. And two, honestly, the comic relief characters. Yeah, I didn’t mention them much, but the guard and nurse really took me out of the whole deal. Really didn’t need to be thrown in there, in my opinion. Other than that, though, it’s entirely solid.

Direction and Cinematography: 9/10

Tod Browning did really well with this movie...but I don’t know if I can say he did better than Whaley, honestly. Cinematographer Karl Freund I think matched up, but Browning didn’t make as much of an impact on me as Whaley did with Frankenstein. I dunno, it just didn’t affect me as much. Still great, but not as memorable for me. Close-up shots and lighting were still great, though. Speaking of...

Production and Art Design: 10/10

Production and art design DEFINITELY match up to Frankenstein, if not surpassing it. To really pull off Dracula, dude and his surroundings have to be grand and bold. And they certainly pulled that off, from his original home in Romania, to the surroundings and trappings of England. This movie looks gothic and dark, and that’s the perfect look for this story.

Music and Editing: 8/10

Well...this movie HAS no music. Yeah, outside of Swan Lake in the opening titles and the opera scene, there’s no music in this film. So, OK, what about the editing by Milton Carruth and Maurice Pivar? It’s great, but noticeable in some instances where it shouldn’t be. Still good, but not perfect.

90% definitely works for me. Love this movie.

This is yet another annual tradition established for me! Loving these Universal monster movies, and I want to keep watching them...possibly past October. Yeah, uh...we’ll see. Might actually continue this past October, because I can (and I want to). If anyone has objections, let me know. Anyway, what’s next? Feeling some more movie monsters, honestly. We’ve got vampires and Frankenstein’s Monster, so logically...

Next: The Wolf Man (1941); dir. Tod Browning

[365days365movies]

Horror October IV: The Wolf Man (1941) - Review

Have I mentioned how I started watching horror movies?

I watched Animal Planet almost exclusively as a kid. Hell, I still watch some shows (love The Zoo, lemme tell ya), but this was back in the Golden Age of Animal Planet, the early 2000s. Emergency Vets, Animal Cops, The Most eXtreme (OH MY GOD THE MOST EXTREME THAT WAS MY SHIT); and let’s NEVER forget The Crocodile Hunter and The Jeff Corwin Experience. God, those were the days.

But they’d also occasionally have non-animal related content, usually related to the Discovery Channel networks. One of these programs came around Halloween-time, and it was a countdown of wild horror movie moments hosted by Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. And I was, like 13, and Elvira was...I mean, it’s Elvira. I was a dumb hormonal teenager, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME

Anyway, in said countdown was a clip of a remarkable transformation. I think it was near the top, maybe even number one of the list. And that was a scene from the 1981 John Landis horror comedy An American Werewolf in London. A few years earlier, I’d accidentally picked up the film in a library and watched it, not realizing that...well, if you haven’t seen it, there’s a LOT of blood in that movie, and child me hadn’t been ready. But now, teenage 365 was ready to see this scene from that movie. And lemme tell ya...I was all in.

If you haven’t seen the transformation scene from An American Werewolf in London, you should. Even if you don’t watch the entire film (and it’s good, so feel free to do so), that scene is astonishing. Because of that, werewolves stuck with me throughout y adolescence, until I finally watched the film in my later teens. And, yeah, I loved it. The film started my minor foray into horror, and that eventually started my foray into film appreciation in general!

But that’s not the only reason werewolves have a special place in my heart. In case you couldn’t tell from that last post, wolves have a special place in my heart as well. Some of you older folks may remember a craze in the ‘90s where you could adopt wild animals. You can do that now with the WWF (please go here to do so), but the craze back then was adopting wolves. And lemme tell ya, I had a wolf poster in my room for years, with a picture of the wolf I had “adopted”.

I also read a lot of wolf-based fiction as a kid. I always loved The Jungle Book, and do to this day. Jean Craighead George’s Julie and the Wolves was one of my favorite books, as were its two sequels. And I remember that one of the things I most wanted to see as a kid was a real, live wolf. And even though I actually ended up studying birds primarily, wolves have always been special to me. And so, with that said...

What about The Wolf Man? I did like the movie...but...

Maybe you should read the Review below. If you want to, check out the previous two posts (Part I | Part II), which contain a recap of the film!

Review

Cast and Acting: 7/10

So, uh, hear me out. Compared to Lugosi and Karloff, Lon Chaney, Jr. is...worse. He’s worse than them, I’m sorry. I’m sorry! I liked him fine enough, yeah, but he’s nowhere near as charming. And for most of the movie, whenever he appeared, I thought two things. It was either: “Man, when is this dude gonna turn into the Wolf Man?”; or it was: “How in the hell am I supposed to believe that Claude Rains is this dude’s dad?” Because, yeah, what the fuck? In fact, with the exception of Rains, what the hell was with the casting in this movie? It takes place in Wales, and I had to look that up to be certain. And yet, Rains is the only person who really TRIES to do a British accent (mostly because he’s British). Evelyn Ankers, also British, tries for a hot second until basically giving up. Otherwise, she’s fine. So is everybody else, even Chaney. He’s just not the standout performance for me. And who was? Well, Rains was fantastic, as was Bela Lugosi for the five seconds he was on screen. But surprisingly...

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Maria Ouspenskaya? Really? But she’s got a bit part, and she’s barely in the movie! And what about Chaney’s performance as the Wolf Man? Wasn’t that great? Well, yeah, actually, Chaney did great in make-up, and I really enjoyed it when the Wolf Man was on screen. That was cool. But in terms of characters that have a line, and that make an impact in the film, for whatever reason, Maria’s performance as the Romani Maleva really brought me into the movie! She exudes the atmosphere necessary for the film to feel the way it does. Other than acting as the deus ex-position of the film, she’s also got this haunted air about her that she REALLY puts to good effect! Yeah, for whatever reason, Maria Ouspenskaya is actually my hold-out performance! It’s her in first, then Chaney (as the Wolf Man) in second, and Claude Rains in third. I know, I’m surprised too!

Plot and Writing: 7/10

This is maybe the most generic plot you could have for a werewolf movie. And, uh..it works. Seriously, it works! If it ain’t broke, right? The writing isn’t perfect, but Curt Siodmak still did a pretty good job with it. Sure, there are a few plot holes and dropped ideas now and then. We bring up Larry’s dead brother and never do anything with it, for example. Also, why was Bela clearly a wolf, but Larry was a Wolf Man? And for a town that knows about werewolves, how does nobody from the town actually believe in them? So, yeah, not perfect. Still quite engaging, though, and not badly written by any means. Not bad, Curt, not bad at all. Also, I didn’t mention this, but hearing the slur word for Romani so many times eventually offended ME, a black guy. I know it was the 1940s, but...goddamn, man, they said it a LOT.

Directing and Cinematography: 8/10

Honestly, I dug Robert Waggner’s direction and Joseph Valentine’s cinematography! Especially when Chaney’s being shot through the transformation. I can’t claim that this film is groundbreaking, or even particularly exemplary, BUT...doesn’t mean it’s bad! Like I said, I enjoyed it, and I don’t have any issues with it! Moving on, since I don’t have much to say for this one.

Production and Art Design: 10/10

Does the Wolf Man look like a dude in a lot of makeup? Absolutely he does. However...GODDAMN DO I LOVE HIM. I’m serious, Chaney does FANTASTIC with acting through the makeup, which is partially on his acting skill. However, the makeup itself is still great-looking to me. Clearly artificial, but still somehow convincing! It works with the performance to make the human-animal hybrid that the film was meant to feature.

And let’s not forget the sets! Set mostly within the forest for these scenes, it brings us into a realm of folklore and mystery, steeped in fog and drenched in blood. It works. Goddamn it, it works! Maybe it’s not the best ever, but shit...it enveloped me really well. I think all of these films have done that, even if I know they’re shot on the Universal Studios set. What can I say? I love me a good classic!

Music and Editing: 8/10

Music by Hans Salter, Frank Skinner, and Charles Previn is good. Editing by Ted Kent is also good, and the abrupt ending actually really works this time for me. And, uh...yup. Sure are pretty good. I, uh...I actually just don’t have much to say? They’re both good, but nothing really stuck out to me. Plus, while the Wolf Man’s climactic leitmotif is nice, it’s also not particularly identifiable. Call me spoiled by villainous leitmotifs in film, but it’s all pretty standard for the time period. It’s good. That’s, uh...that’s what I gots.

It’s an 80%, and I feel bad. Because, again...

...I really do like this movie! However...it may not make it to my annual traditions. Yeah, sorry, I like it, and I’ll gladly watch it again, but...it’s not my favorite of the Universal Monster movies, sadly. And honestly...I think that’s fitting. Because this one’s a good Universal Monster Movie to stop on. 

Not for the month, mind you, but for these kind of films. Time to move past the monsters, and onto something else. It’s funny actually, because I’ve covered almost all of the cereal monsters! You know what I mean, right? Fruit Brute, Franken Berry, Count Chocula, those guys?

Yeah, those guys! Didn’t do Fruity Yummy Mummy, but that one was discontinued anyway. But yeah, I’ve done all of the three big ones! Chocla, Franken Berry, and Boo...oh. OH. OOOOOOOOOOOOOO...

Next: Poltergeist (1982), dir. Tobe Hooper

[365days365movies]

Horror October IV: The Wolf Man (1941) - Recap: Part Two

By the way, I love actual wolves, just to be clear.

In that first part, I was talking about man’s historical perception of wolves, so I put them in a necessarily negative light. But, uh, wolves fuggin’ rule, guys. Don’t know if you’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting a wolf, but I have. And I love them a lot. Now, would I want to meet one in the wild with all of its friends? Um...no. I enjoy living. But they’re extremely important for the environment, and they’re still in desperate need of conservation and of a better rap.

The reputation that wolves have been assigned in folklore is overwhelmingly negative, and that damaged their real-world numbers as well. While they were competitors for some of the same resources that we gathered in droves, and while they did attack humans relatively frequently in Europe, that wasn’t enough cause for what happened to them.

Frequent hunting and habitat destruction led to the extirpation of the gray wolf in most of Central Europe, and essentially all of Western Europe. The North American populations suffered a similar fate, with their populations suffering from the expansion of agriculture, and with the depletion of prey species like the American bison. Eventually, we’d almost completely extirpated them from the contiguous United States, with hold out populations in national parks and smaller refuges. 

But since the 1970s, conservation efforts worldwide have allowed populations to be on the rebound. They’re being reintroduced in the United States, their populations are spreading back into central Europe, and conservation centers and captive breeding programs in zoos have allowed a robust population that can be (and has been) used to supplement the genetics of wild populations of the species. Plus, even the wolf’s reputation culturally has made a turnaround!

For a while, wolves in media have had some positive representation. Even the Romans had Romulus and Remus, while Rudyard Kipling brought in a pack of Indian wolves (Canis lupus pallipes) to raise Mowgli. The social nature of the wolves has long been associated with our societies, so a kinship has popped up over the centuries. 

Reinterpretation has even changed some of the negative depictions of wolves into, at the very least, neutral depictions. One of my favorite orchestral compositions is Peter and the Wolf, by Sergei Prokofiev. Does that make me a basic classical bitch? Yeah, it doesn, but do I care? No, I don’t because it fucking SLAPS. Anyway, in the (EXCELLENT) 2006 stop motion animated film set to the  composition, the wolf is painted in a purely neutral light. How does it end? WATCH IT. Seriously, watch this excellent short film RIGHT HERE. It’s stellar.

And that positive reinterpretation isn’t limited to wolves, surprisingly. Werewolves have also been getting a positive rap in recent films! Far be it from me to praise the Twilight franchise, but...I mean, yeah, werewolves are in it, and they aren’t bloodthirsty monsters. I mean, yeah, Jacob literally falls in love WITH A FUCKING BABY, and that’s goddamn disgusting, but whatever. But if I’m gonna praise positive representation of werewolves, well, fuck Twilight, frankly.

Wolfwalkers, based on the actual legend of the Werewolves of Ossory, is genuinely one of my favorite movies from 2020. I only watched it this year for the first time, but I’m 100% watching it again. It’s gorgeous, it’s touching, it’s a Cartoon Saloon movie, and it’s a look at a real and classical version of the werewolf. If you haven’t seen this movie, you absolutely need to watch it. And if you HAVE seen it, and want to know my full thoughts, check out my recap and review on it (Part One | Part Two | Review)!

Anyway, enough about that. Just wanted to inject a little positivity into talking about wolves (and werewolves). I genuinely love wolves, and I refuse to be a part of promoting negative stereotypes about them or any other animals. Except grey squirrels. They’re absolute DICKS.

YEAH YOU FUCKIN’ MOOCH STOPEATINGMYBIRDSEED

...Check out Part One if you want to!

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Recap: Part Two

So, Larry’s a werewolf now. He immediately kills a gravedigger, like you do, and howls to let people know they’re fucked. The police realize that it’s a wolf that’s killed them, and Larry wakes up the next morning not understanding what’s happened. He asks his seven-years-older father what this whole werewolf thing is about, despite the fact that Maleva JUST TOLD HIM that shit.

Larry’s clearly a little freaked about a few things, and he doesn’t hide it well. They go to church, where Jenny’s mom and the local gossip mill spread rumors about the wolf, and about Larry. However, he’s unable to enter the church fully, and leaves prematurely. Colonel Montford, with a print from the wolf, decides to send the print to Scotland Yard, proving once and for all that this town composed of 99% AMERICAN PEOPLE is SOMEHOW IN THE UK. Guys...come ON.

The cops decide to set traps, as Larry insists that it’s a WEREwolf they’re hunting. The doctor thinks he’s nuts, and nobody pays attention. And sure enough, he gets caught in a bear trap. He’s found by Maleva, who says a prayer over him that dispels the werewolf curse temporarily. He’s freed from the trap, and he escapes through the wood, telling the nearby cops that he’s also hunting for the wolf.

Larry’s now certain that he’s a werewolf, but instead of taking the fuck off FOREVER, he immediately goes to Gwen to tell her that she’s leaving forever. He sees a pentagram on her hand, meaning that she will be his next victim, just as Bela saw it on Jenny’s hand. He takes off, then runs to his father, who obviously believes none of this shit. He believes that Maleva’s filled his head with nonsense, and is driving him mad. However, in order to prevent his son from going to the cops, he ties him to a chair, for his own good, and so he can see that nothing will happen.

Sir John heads out to join in the hunt, where he is met by Maleva. He tries to tell her off, only to hurry back to the stand when he hears gunshots, worried that the werewolf is in fact his poor son. And indeed, Larry’s escaped the hunters, now in the form of a werewolf. Unfortunately, Gwen’s ALSO in the woods looking for him, and Larry quickly finds her.

The Wolf Man attacks Gwen, but Sir John catches up, beating him to death with Larry’s silver cane. And as the werewolf dies, Maleva catches up and says the prayer that dulls the curse, causing him to turn back into human Larry. Gwen lives in the end, and Larry lies dead at Sir John’s hands. And with that...you guessed it.

These sudden endings, man. See you in the Review!