Phil wishes everyone a Happy Halloween - October 31, 2018

Welcome back horror hounds to Phil's Halloween Horror Watch! So, as some of you may have noticed, I didn't keep up with my blogging this month. Well, I have a very good reason for this. During the last weekend of October, my girlfriend and I moved into our new place! Yes, I was very exited about this! However, what made it so damn frustrating was that AT&T kept on flaking on setting up our Internet service! As a result, there was no way that I could write up my reviews even though I was still watching my movies. Now, to remedy this, I am going to post the rest of the movies that I watched, complete with the film's synopsis. Sit back, relax, and read on!

Day 22: SCALPEL (1976) from Arrow Video. The film's official synopsis: US television staple Robert Lansing (Star Trek, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone) stars as a deranged surgeon in this twisty-turny psychological thriller from Blood Rage director John Grissmer. In the film, Lansing plays Dr. Phillip Reynolds, a man whose daughter Heather (Judith Chapman, As the World Turns, General Hospital) has run away from home a year prior following the suspicious death of her boyfriend. When he happens across a young woman one night, her face beaten beyond recognition, the unhinged Reynolds sees his an opportunity to put his trusty scalpel to use – hatching a plan to “reconstruct” her face in the image of his missing daughter, and so claim her sizeable inheritance.

Day 23: TO HELL AND BACK: THE KANE HODDER STORY (2017) from Dread Central Presents. The film's official synopsis: Featuring interviews and appearances by fellow icons Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger), Cassandra Peterson (Elvira), Bruce Campbell (Ash Vs Evil Dead), Director Adam Green (the Hatchet franchise) and many more, TO HELL AND BACK: THE KANE HODDER STORY is the must-see documentary of the year.

Day 24: HOUSE OF THE DEAD (aka ALIEN ZONE) () from Vinegar Syndrome. The film's official synopsis: Four tales of intrigue and horror await anyone brave enough to enter the HOUSE OF THE DEAD… When a philandering husband accidentally finds himself lost during a rainstorm, he’s taken in by an elderly mortician and is forced to learn the ghastly origins of four freshly arrived corpses: a scornful teacher whose students teach her a fatal lesson, an amateur filmmaker with a deadly muse, two dueling detectives attempting to solve a mysterious murder, and a bitter man whose arrogance costs him everything.

Day 25: THE MUTILATOR (1984) from Arrow Video. The film's official synopsis: When Ed receives a message from his father asking him to go and lock up the family’s beach condo for the winter, it seems like the perfect excuse for an alcohol-fueled few days away with his friends. But no sooner are the teens on the island than they find themselves stalked by a figure with an axe (and a hook, and an outboard motor) to grind.

Day 26: EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL at the San Jose Stage One Theater. The musical's synopsis:

Day 27: THE CHURCH (1981) from Scorpion Releasing. The film's official synopsis: In the middle of a modern city, an ancient evil is about to awaken! An elaborate cathedral that was once the site of a medieval massacre by crusading knights becomes a deadly trap for a group of visitors and staff when a sealed crypt is accidentally reopened. The laws of reality soon collapse as a nightmare takes hold and claims the lives of those within one by one, threatening to unleash a supernatural pestilence upon the world!

Day 28: BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON () from Scream Factory. The film's official synopsis: You know legendary maniacs Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger. Now meet Leslie Vernon, the next great psycho-slasher. Nathan Baesel (Invasion) stars as Vernon, a good-natured killing machine who invites a documentary film crew to follow him as he reminisces with his murder mentor (Scott Wilson, The Walking Dead), evades his psychiatrist/nemesis (Robert Englund, A Nightmare On Elm Street), deconstructs Freudian symbolism, and meticulously plots his upcoming slaughter spree. But when the actual carnage begins, where do you draw the line between voyeuristic thrills, mythic evil, and good old-fashioned slasher movie mayhem?

Day 29: THE SLAYER (2006) from Arrow Video. The film's official synopsis: Two young couples set off to a secluded island for what promises to be a restful retreat. But the peace is short-lived: as a storm batters the island, troubled artist Kay begins to sense that a malevolent presence is here with them, stalking them at every turn. Is she losing her mind, or are her childhood nightmares of a demonic assailant coming to terrifying life?

Day 30: THE WITCHING SEASON (2015) from Scream Team Releasing. The film's official synopsis: Reminiscent of television shows like ‘Tales from the Darkside’ and ‘Tales from the Crypt’, The Witching Season is a five episode spine-tingling anthology of horror and suspense packed into one disc that delivers original tales of terror that capture the spirit of the Halloween season.

Day 31: TALES OF HALLOWEEN (2015) from Epic Pictures. The film's official synopsis: Named "the best horror anthology since Trick 'r Treat" by Fangoria and "among the best Halloween-themed horror movies ever made" by DailyDead, this critically acclaimed film weaves together ten chilling tales from horror's top directors. Ghosts, ghouls, monsters, and the devil delight in terrorizing unsuspecting residents of a suburban neighborhood on Halloween night.

And folks, there you have it! Another Halloween Horror Watch has come to a scary conclusion! I would like to thank all of you out there for reading my blog and I hope you've enjoyed learning about some of these horror films, cult classics, and modern day indie hits!

Thanks for reading, and Happy Halloween!

Phil's Halloween Horror Watch: HELL NIGHT (1981) from Scream Factory - October 19, 2018

HELL NIGHT Blu-Ray

HELL NIGHT
Starring Linda Blair, Vincent Van Patten, Peter Barton, Kevin Brophy, Jenny Neumann, Suki Goodwin, Jimmy Sturtevant
Screenplay by Randy Feldman (as Randolph Feldman)
Cinematography by Mac Ahlberg
Edited by Anthony DiMarco
Produced by Irwin Yablans, Bruce Cohn Curtis
Directed by Tom DeSimone (as Tom De Simone)
Originally released by Compass International Pictures
Released by Scream Factory

Hello again horror hounds and welcome to Day 19! Wow, the month's almost over already? Time does fly when you're having fun watching horror movies every single day! Speaking of horror movies, today's film is an oldie but a goodie. And the star of the film is none other than the legendary Linda Blair. Her resume includes both horror and cult classics like THE EXORCIST, SAVAGE STREETS and CHAINED HEAT. For today, I had the pleasure of watching a movie that's been long out-of-print. Now thanks to Scream Factory, her horror movie HELL NIGHT is now back and better than ever!

The film's official synopsis: As an initiation rite into Alpha Sigma Rho fraternity, four pledges must spend a night in Garth Manor, twelve years to the day after the previous resident murdered his entire family. Two of the pledges, Marti and Jeff ignore the rumors that the now-deserted mansion is haunted by a crazed killer, until one by one, members of their group mysteriously disappear. Could this be a part of a fraternity prank ... or is a demented former tenant seeking revenge? When this seemingly innocent night turns deadly, these college students will do anything to survive Hell Night.

I loved the opening of the movie. Director Tom DeSimone has a long unedited and uninterrupted shot of a major college party and it pans to the right and captures the spirit of this festive event. I sat there thinking to myself, "Dude, we didn't have college parties like that back in my day! Hey, that looks like a lot of fun! Was this happening back when I was in college? Man, those college girls were hot! Hey, I remember that brand of beer! I wonder if they still make it? Speaking of making, those two college kids are making out big time! Awwww.....I miss college." That's what I was thinking, but I digress.

Original Theatrical Poster (1981)

DeSimone builds up the story slowly, maybe a tad bit to slow for me, but when the scares gets going, the blood starts flowing. The storyline is pretty simple, but the production values look amazing, capturing the Hammer Horror Gothic look. He sets up the scares perfectly, as it builds and builds to one cool and painful looking climax in the third act. Credit also goes to screenwriter Randy Feldman for writing a fun and scary horror movie that looks and sounds authentic, meaning the characters are look and sound like young college students and not what a Hollywood executive thinks what they would look and sound like.

Linda Blair was one of the most beautiful actresses at this time. I had a bog crush on here when I saw her in ROLLER BOOGIE. She's so confident in her acting that you cannot look away from her when she's on the screen. Also appearing in the film is Vincent Van Patten as Seth, who you've seen in ROCK 'N' ROLL HIGH SCHOOL, PAYBACK, and on TV series like Baywatch and The Young and the Restless. Blair's love interest is Jeff is played by Peter Barton, who's titles include FRIDAY THE 13th: THE FINAL CHAPTER and television shows like Burke's Law, Sunset Beach, and The Young and the Restless.

The movie was released to theaters on August 28, 1981 by Compass International Pictures, the same distributor that brought us HALLOWEEN, ROLLER BOOGIE (another Linda Blair Picture), FADE TO BLACK, and BLOOD BEACH (the company would close after this release and return four years later as Trancas International Films, an affiliate of Universal Studios and current copyright holders of the HALLOWEEN franchise). It would gross $2.3 million against its $1.4 million budget, so not too bad but not that great either. It was was released on VHS by Media Home Entertainment in 1982, then later on DVD by Anchor Bay Entertainment in 1999. In January of this year, Scream Factory released the film for the first time on Blu-ray in a Collector's Edition set (with DVD).

The Blu-Ray/DVD Combo comes with these excellent extras: New Interviews With Actors Linda Blair, Peter Barton, Vincent Van Patten, Suki Goodwin, Kevin Brophy, and Jenny Neumann, Audio Commentary With Linda Blair, Tom DeSimone, Irwin Yablans, And Bruce Cohn Curtis, and Original Theatrical Trailer & TV Spots. The following special features are only Blu-ray Disc Exclusive Bonus Features: Interview With Director Tom DeSimone, Interview With Producer Bruce Cohn Curtis, Interview With Writer Randolph Feldman, Anatomy Of The Death Scenes With Tom DeSimone, Randolph Feldman, Make-up Artist Pam Peitzman, Art Director Steven G. Legler, And Special Effects Artist John Eggett, On Location At The Kimberly Crest House With Tom DeSimone, Gothic Design In Hell Night With Steven G. Legler, Original Radio Spot, and Photo Gallery Featuring Rare, Never-before-seen Stills.

HELL NIGHT is a fun and overlooked 80's slasher movie that will please fans of both the genre and Linda Blair! While not quite on par as with the other films of this era, the fact that it's now available in a new 4K scan and completely restored, it means that horror hounds will be able to enjoy the movie all year round! So come out and take trip down to the old Garth Manor, and see if you can survive the night! 4 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

HELL NIGHT is available in a Blu-Ray/DVD Combo from Scream Factory. To purchase a copy, visit their website at www.shoutfactory.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the horror!

Phil's Halloween Horror Watch: SLEEPAWAY CAMP III: TEENAGE WASTELAND (1989) from Scream Factory - October 7, 2018

SLEEPAWAY CAMP III: TEENAGE WASTELAND Blu-Ray

SLEEPAWAY CAMP III: TEENAGE WASTELAND
Starring Pamela Springsteen, Michael J. Pollard, Tracy Griffith, Mark Oliver, Haynes Brooke, Jill Terashita
Written by Fritz Gordon (based on an original idea by Robert Hiltzik)
Cinematography by Bill Mills
Edited by John David Allen
Produced by Stan Wakefield, Michael A. Simpson, Jerry Silva, Robert F. Phillips
Directed by Michael A. Simpson
Originally released by Nelson Entertainment
Released by Scream Factory

Hello again and welcome to Day Seven of Phil's Halloween Horror Watch! Yesterday after watching SLEEPAWAY CAMP II: UNHAPPY CAMPERS (if you haven't read my review of the movie yet, shame on you), I decided to watch the follow-up sequel this morning. Nothing like the smell of the open air, birds singing in the trees, and people screaming as they're being killed off. Man, I love camping! So grab you sleeping bags, start eating your S'mores, and gather around the campfire as I tell you all the tale of SLEEPAWAY CAMP III: TEENAGE WASTELAND!

The film's official synopsis: Welcome to Camp New Horizons, where an autumn retreat brings together a group of obnoxious rich kids and surly city thugs for an "experiment in sharing." Under new inept management, this is the ideal setting for notorious psychopath Angela Baker (Pamela Springsteen, SLEEPAWAY CAMP II: UNHAPPY CAMPERS) to join the camp and do what she does best – eliminating "immoral" teenagers with everything from a knife to a lawnmower. Michael J. Pollard (HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES, BONNIE & CLYDE), Tracy Griffith (FEAR CITY, THE FIRST POWER) and Jill Terashita (NIGHT OF THE DEMONS) co-star in this third installment of the cult series.

After filming wrapped on SLEEPAWAY CAMP II: UNHAPPY CAMPERS, director Michael A. Simpson and his crew had only one weekend off before they had to start filming this movie! Believe it or not, they shot both films in just six weeks! What I really loved about the movie was that all the killings took place in the daytime. As a result, you could really see all the practical special effects and they weren't hidden in the shadows of the night. Of course, this didn't please the MPAA, who forced the filmmakers to heavily edited out the gore and bloodshed. This watered down the payoffs and disappointed fans who later learn about what was happening behind the scenes. But the film is still beautifully shot, the cast and crew were amazing, and it looked everyone was having making the movie! Like the last movie, there's a certain level of energy and comradery that can be seen thought the two films, and you can still see it 30 years later.

Original In-Store Promotional Poster (1989)

What I love about the movie was the moving performance of its lead actress Pamela Springsteen. She gives Angela a healthy dose of dark humor like in the last sequel, but here, she really does shine bright. There's one particular scene in the film that really movies me. It's a nice crane shot panning from the sky and moves over the exterior of the mess hall building and we see Angela dragging a big trash bag. She enters through the kitchen as she makes her way into the dining area. She stops and reminisces about being the counselor there, winning the counselor of the month, and receiving a blue ribbon and leads her friends into the song, "I'm a Happy Camper." She looks happy for a moment, then her expression turns to sadness and depression. I found myself totally relating to her. I'm 45 years old, and when I watch this film, and this scene, I find myself drifting back to the past, to when I was a teenager and watching this movie. I remember the house my family and I were living in, I remember being a freshman in high school, the season, the smell from outside, I remember it all. Springsteen really shows off her range as an actress in this scene, and to this day still moves me.

Like the previous installment, the film received a limited theatrical release on August 4, 1989 before being released on VHS by Nelson Entertainment in December that same year. In 2002, Anchor Bay Entertainment released the film on DVD as a stand alone and as part of their SLEEPAWAY CAMP SURVIVAL KIT Boxset. Then on June 9, 2015, Scream Factory (an imprint of Shout! Factory) released a Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Collector's Edition of the movie.

Special features on the discs include Audio Commentary with Director Michael A. Simpson and Writer Fritz Gordon, "A Tale of Two Sequels" – Part Two featuring new interviews with director Michael A. Simpson, cinematographer Bill Mills, actors Mark Oliver and Kim Wall and more, Behind-The-Scenes Footage With Commentary By Michael A. Simpson, Home Video Promotional Trailer, Still Gallery, and (drumroll please) a Workprint Of The Longer Cut Of The Film (From VHS) and Deleted Scenes Featuring Additional Gore Footage Taken From The Workprint! For hardcore fans, this is the closest we'll to what the final film would've look like!

SLEEPAWAY CAMP III: TEENAGE WASTELAND is one of the last great horror film sequels of the 1980's!! The movie is also my favorite of the entire series! To see blood and gore in broad daylight was extraordinary and something we've never really seen before, making the movie stand out amongst the rest of pack! Nearly 30 years later, it has achieved the title of cult classic and so richly deserves it!! This Halloween, take a trip to Camp New Horizons and see what Angela Baker is all about!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

SLEEPAWAY CAMP III: TEENAGE WASTELAND is available in a Blu-Ray/DVD Combo from Scream Factory. To purchase a copy, visit their website at www.shoutfactory.com. To learn more about the history of the SLEEPAWAY CAMP franchise, visit the film's official website at www.sleepawaycampmovies.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the horror! 

Phil's Halloween Horror Watch: SLEEPAWAY CAMP II: UNHAPPY CAMPERS (1988) from Scream Factory - October 6, 2018

SLEEPAWAY CAMP II: UNHAPPY CAMPERS Blu-Ray

SLEEPAWAY CAMP II: UNHAPPY CAMPERS
Starring Pamela Springsteen, Renée Estevez, Tony Higgins, Brian Patrick Clarke, Walter Gotell, Valerie Hartman
Written by Fritz Gordon (based on an original idea by Robert Hiltzik)
Cinematography by Bill Mills
Edited by John David Allen
Produced by Stan Wakefield, Michael A. Simpson, Jerry Silva, Robert F. Phillips
Directed by Michael A. Simpson
Originally released by Nelson Entertainment
Released by Scream Factory

Welcome back to another installment of Phil's Halloween Horror Watch! For Day Six, I decided to go back to youthful days and revisit a personal favorite of mine. A film that I hold near and dear to me. And it was a sequel to one of the most infamous slasher flicks of all time! A sequel that I didn't see coming, but I loved the hell out of it! So for today kids, we're gonna take a trip back to 1988, and visit Camp Roaring Hills to watch SLEEPAWAY CAMP II: UNHAPPY CAMPERS!

The film's official synopsis: Welcome to Camp Rolling Hills! Meet your camp counselor, Angela Baker! She's the kind of counselor who enjoys camp songs, nature walks, board games and… murder! Five years after the horrific slaughter at Camp Arawak, Angela (Pamela Springsteen, FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH) has created a new position for herself as a counselor at Camp Rolling Hills. Angela is about to teach "bad campers" a brutal lesson in survival when they are sliced, stabbed, drilled… and much worse. Renée Estevez (HEATHERS, INTRUDER) and Walter Gotell (THE SPY WHO LOVED ME) co-star in this outrageous sequel to the original cult classic.

Director Michael A. Simpson had the daunting task up of making a follow-up to one of the most notorious horror films from this era. Not only that, but he had to make both this movie and the other sequel back to back! What he accomplished was simply amazing! Simpson had to fight tooth and nail to make the films he wanted to make, which included some outstanding kills, that unfortunately, were trimmed down because of the MPAA (Booooooo!!!) He shot some gory death scenes, especially in the third film. But what he captured on film is now part of horror film history! Truth be told, I love the sequels more than the original film. And yes, if that makes me an asshole, then so be it! But there's a lot of energy and cleverness in this movie. For example, the characters Charlie and Emilio (played by Jason Ehrlich and Justin Nowell respectively) are the real life names of Renee Estevez brothers, Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez. Also, the other characters are named after actors associated with the 80's Brat Pack like Molly (Molly Ringwald), Ally (Ally Sheedy), TC (Tom Cruise), Rob (Rob Lowe), Demi (Demi Moore),  and so forth. This was a very smart idea from screenwriter Fritz Gordon. These two men would repeat this in the next installment.

Original In-Store Promotional Poster (1988)

As for the out lead actress, if her last name looks familiar, well it should! Pamela Springsteen is indeed the younger sister to the man himself: "The Boss" Bruce Springsteen! Now original Angela Baker actress Felissa Rose was asked to return but she was getting ready to attend college. Springsteen would return for the sequel, but then left acting to become a well-known photographer. Renée Estevez would go on to appear in a number of movies like HEATHERS, INTRUDER, SINGLE WHITE FEMALE, and another personal favorite of mine GOOD GIRLS DON'T. She also had a recurring character named Nancy on the hit TV show The West Wing, appearing alongside her father Martin Sheen.

The movie received a limited theatrical release on August 26, 1988. But it found a wider audience when it was released on VHS by Nelson Entertainment just two months later. In 2002, Anchor Bay Entertainment released the film on DVD and as part of their SLEEPAWAY CAMP SURVIVAL KIT Boxset. On June 9, 2015, Scream Factory (an imprint of Shout! Factory) released a Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Collector's Edition of the movie.

Special features on the discs include Audio Commentary with Director Michael A. Simpson and Writer Fritz Gordon, "A Tale of Two Sequels" – Part One featuring new interviews with director Michael A. Simpson, cinematographer Bill Mills, editor John David Allen and more, "Abandoned: The Filming Locations of SLEEPAWAY CAMP II & III"– A tour of the shooting locales Behind The Scenes Footage with commentary by Michael A. Simpson, Home Video Promotional Trailer, and a Still Gallery.

SLEEPAWAY CAMP II: UNHAPPY CAMPERS is one of the best horror film sequels of all time!! Fans of the original movie should definitely see this one!! And don't listen to those naysayers who think the movie isn't good! It's one of the best direct video released of all time! And 30 years after its original release, the movie still holds up and will take you back to those simpler days of renting movies at your local mom&pop video stores!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

SLEEPAWAY CAMP II: UNHAPPY CAMPERS is available in a Blu-Ray/DVD Combo from Scream Factory. To purchase a copy, visit their website at www.shoutfactory.com. To learn more about the history of the SLEEPAWAY CAMP franchise, visit the film's official website at www.sleepawaycampmovies.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the horror!