As the ions change and the leaves consider when to launch thousands of aimless country car rides to “view the foliage,” the Cinemonster (@ElCinemonster on the Twitters) is posting his directives for another round of Hooptober Horror Moviewatching.
Once again I will be participating in watching an unhealthy slate of horror movies in the name of personal growth, watchpile erosion and general FOMO. I tie this into my Cinema Shame project because I’ll do my best to watch 31+ movies I’ve never seen before. Not all of them will be “Shames” because, let’s be honest here, I’m not feeling any kind of remorse about not having watched The Dark (1979) — but it helps fill one of this year’s criteria and it’s unwatched and on my shelf.
Hooptober / Cinema Shame 31 Days of Horror 2018 Ground Rules
Let’s lay down some quick rules for like-minded lunatics that want to play the home version of the Cinema Shame / Hooptober Challenge for 2018.
Pick 31+ never-before-seen (or unwatched DVD purchases) horror movies — “horror” is broadly defined as anything containing elements of the horror genre. So, for example, I’ve counted the Abbott & Costello monster films in the past because of the classic movie monsters. Watch as many as you can stomach during your “month” of October.
I’m air-quoting “month” because, as I mentioned earlier, I’m borrowing The Cinemonster’s notion that we’re busy goddamn people and 31 days is just not a reasonable duration for busy people to watch 31 horror movies. He’s beginning his “month” on September 15th. I plan to do the same.
I’m going to pluck as many movies as possible from my Watch Pile (any film I already own that hasn’t been watched). I’ve been making a more concerted effort to watch more movies than I buy. The worthy remain. The ones I don’t see myself watching again hit eBay. I’ll note the outcome of each disc in my blurb.
And speaking of blurbs… after each movie, I’ll toss up a mini-review and a 30Hz rating that will correspond to my review on Letterboxd.com. The review may or may not contain any actual insight. The reviews are the part of this project that will leave you a quivering pile of bloody goo. And now for the more specific 2018 Hooptober demonic hurdles, courtesy of The Cinemonster. Here’s the original post on Letterboxd.com.
- 10 Anniversary Films (release years ending in an 8, excluding 2018)
- 6 countries of origin
- 6 decades of release
- 6 films made before 1970
- 6 films from the following directors: Romero, Cronenberg, Clive Barker, Terence Fischer, Sergio Martino, Bill Lustig (mix-and-match, or all one)
- 2 flying things that kill you films
- 1 silent film as a tribute to A Quiet Place
- 1 aquatic menace film as a tribute to The Meg
- 2 films directed by women
- 1 inanimate-object-comes-alive film
- 1 film featuring Barbara Crampton
- 2 Tobe Hooper films (there must ALWAYS be a Hooper film)
- ***Extra Credit: Watch Tales from the Hood and Tales from the Hood 2, which drops Oct. 2***
Clearly one film can satisfy multiple criteria. Viewing and reviewing will begin at 12:01am CST on Sept 15th.
31 Days of Horror 2018 Roster
I plan to call some audibles when spur-of-the-moment cravings strike, but here’s my blueprint for the 31 Days Of Horror 2018 CinemaShame/Hoop-Tober Watch Pile Shame-a-Thon.
Past #31DaysOfHorror Shame-a-thons: 2013 | 2014 | 2015 Part 1 | 2015 Part 2 | 2016 | 2017
*rewatch
The Fall of the House of Usher (1928)*
The Black Doll (1938)
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)*
Dracula (1958)
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)
Blood Bath (1966)
In the Castle of Bloody Desires (1968)
Death Laid an Egg (1968)*
Count Dracula (1970)
She Killed in Ecstacy (1971)
Torso (1973)
Messiah of Evil (1973)*
Hannah, Queen of the Vampires (1973)
Inquisition (1978)
The Bloodstained Shadow (1978)
The Swarm (1978)
The Dark (1979)
The Hearse (1980)
Alligator (1980)
Possession (1981)
Scanners (1981)
Chopping Mall (1986)
Invaders from Mars (1986)
Blood Diner (1987)
Brain Damage (1988)
Maniac Cop (1988)
Deadly Games (1989)
Nightbreed (1990)
Tales from the Hood (1995)*
Deep Rising (1998)
Medousa (1998)
The Mist (2007)
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
Tales from the Hood 2 (2018)
What’s your list? What’s your plan for horror movie watching this year? If you’re keeping a list or participating in the Hooptober challenge, I’ll link you in the header for my posts. Just leave a note with a link in the comments. Together we shall overcome… or we’ll be the loser pumped off in the first act to establish indomitable menace. It’s more comforting to know you’re not doing this alone.
