It's a Horror to Know You: Wednesday's Child of Deep Red Rum!
1. What is the first film that ever scared you?
The Changeling (1980) was the first. granted it was one of the first I saw, around '81, but it still scares me now. All I have to do is think of the sound of the EVPs saying, "my father, my medal" and I get a little freaked out.
2. What is the last film that scared you?
The 2009 Australian film Lake Mungo got to me in a big way. It raises all sorts of what ifs about fate, psychic abilities, and the horror of being trapped as a ghost on Earth.
3. Name three Horror movies that you believe are underrated.
Curtains, the 1983 Canadian slasher. The relational aggression between the female characters plus the fear of insanity are enough to make this one a scary must see.
Event Horizon from 1997. Everyone I know who has seen this was scared silly by it, even if they saw it as an adult; the trouble is, not that many people saw it!
1989's Beyond Dream's Door. Ignore the low-budget rubber monster, this movie perfectly captures the cyclical, fatalistic feeling of your worst nightmare, the kind that sticks with you long after you wake up.
4. Name three horror movies that you enjoy against your better judgment.
Pieces (1983). What can I say? I love the dance class, the stupid kung-fu fighter, Lynda Day George yelling "Bastaaaaard!" and Jack Taylor as a bitchy red herring.
Ghosthouse AKA La Casa 3 (1988). As with The Changeling, it's the sound effects that get me, every time that clown doll plays that stupid nursery rhyme.
The Dark Power (1987). I can't recommend it to anyone but those who like bad movies because they're bad, but it's in heavy rotation at my house. Plus, there's a hilarious handyman minor character who exemplifies why I love hilarious minor horror characters.
5. Send us to five places on the Internet!
Aloha Mister Hand – This girl is one of the most prolific horror bloggers out there, and she has good taste.
At the Mansion of Madness – I love discovering the best of Italian horror with Giovanni Susina.
Goregirl's Dungeon – This lady watches all the movies, she knows her stuff and she puts so much work into her site with videos of her reviewing in costume as well as her excellent YouTube Channel with soundtracks. I'm sending you to two places with this one blogger!
Wide Weird World of Cult Films – This guy is freakin' hilarious! Yes, he's also my husband, but that doesn't make me biased, it makes me lucky.
Re: Event Horizon. Very underrated. It didn't scare me but it is fantastically creepy and what I imagine H.P. Lovecraft writing science fiction would come up with. Great stuff that should be seen by more and revisited often. Got the blu-ray recently and it looks fantastic.
Nice pick.
I have to back up the Ghosthouse love. What a bizarre movie! I also pray that some day I get to see the Curtains skating scene widescreen.
Thanks for all the cool links Wednesday's child! Including the one to Deep Red Rum-great work!
@unkle lancifer I'm with you there on Curtains. However, there are so many great but little known Canadian films that have yet to make it to DVD, while the world has mostly moved on to blu ray.
I'd really love to see that ice skating scene on my big widescreen TV in the dark. THAT scene makes the film.
I do have curtains on DVD in a cheapie full screen 4-pack just in case but damn I'd love to see it in HD in all its glory. It really deserves the royal treatment and I want plenty of extras too because the story of the making of the movie is equally interesting. I have half a mind to start a petition!
Wednesday's Child here. I forgot to mention that Ghosthouse now has a Rifftrax commentary, and it makes the movie even better.
I would so sign a petition to get Curtains a proper release. The skating scene is awesome, but I like the stalking through the movie props warehouse even better. Canadian slashers of the 80s really were the best.
Also, thanks to Unk for the featured post!
The Changeling – A shining exemplar of the "less is more" approach when telling a scary story. The scene that scared me silly was the little girl's report of a ghostly boy under the floor.
Lake Mungo – I don't even know where to begin (maybe Unk's review?). A must-see for any horror fan.