40 Hours of Horror

In the tradition of All Hallow's Eve, I decided to make another horror movie themed post (check out last year's 120 Essential Horror Flicks posts). This years I'm gonna mix up some of the genre's best for 40 straight hours, but over a three day period.


I dare you to try this and keep up, of course you're gonna need to have a couple of free days on your hands.


Wednesday
6pm
The Haunting (1961), 112m - Let's start out with something simple. Mood. If you look outside, it's not quite dark yet. This film is an excellent way to start off the marathon because it's all about mood & tension. Simply put, sometimes what you dont see is often much more frightening. This is the best haunted house movie ever.

8pm
Devil's Backbone (2001), 106m - Another haunted house flick, this one from Spain, but with a different take on the subject. You can see Guillermo Del Toro's touches in this one as it is beautifully shot and equally as eerie.

10pm
The Prophecy (1995), 98m - There's nothing more classic in horror (or religion) than a battle between Heaven and Hell. This is a good one as Christopher Walken plays one of his creepiest roles.

11:45pm
Henry: A Portrait of a Serial Killer(1986), 83min - Now it's time to turn it up a notch. This film is one of the most realistic feeling serial killer movies of all time. Brutal. The movie resonates on your psyche long after the credits run across the screen.

1:15am
VideoDrome (1983), 87min - When you talk David Cronenberg movies, you're talking about the macabre. And this one is about as strange as it gets. James Woods in a great performance.

2:45am
Near Dark (1987), 94min - Action. Romance. Vampires. This film turned the genre upside with it's take on the fanged ones. Bill Paxton and Lance Henriekson have never been better.

4:20am
Oldboy (2003), 120min - Let's end the night on a classic tale of revenge from Korea. One of my favorite movies, this all about one man getting even.


Now you've made it through night one, go get some sleep. Another big day of horror movie watching lays ahead.

Thursday
6pm
Carnival of Souls (1962), 78min - Let's get things started tonight with a classic creepy tale of the surreal. You never think of carnivals the same way after this tripped out nightmare.

7:30pm
Little Shop of Horrors (1960), 70min - A classic performance by Jack Nicholason isn't the only reason to watch this Roger Corman classic. It's a fun ride from the beginning to the end.

9pm
Dawn of the Dead (1978), 126min - What kind of horror marathon wouldn't have a zombie flick. And this one of the best of all time. Plenty of gore and a not so subtle theme run throughout this George Romero gem.

11:05pm
Inside (2007), 83min - Let's turn to France for one of the best horror flicks of the year. If you a pregnant, single mother to be in her third trimester then you've been warned. Sick and twisted with an ending the does right by the tale. No Hollywood gloss here.

12:30am
Toxic Avenger (1985), 87min - One of the best from the land Troma. Campy fun with over the top gore and plenty of boobs. A fun horror movie to watch.

2pm
Deep Red: The Hatchet Murders (1975), 126min - Let's turn to the Italian master of giallo, for our next film. Murder and gore have never been so stylish.

4:05am
Fright Night (1985), 104min - A under rated vampire movie from the 80's. Just the right amount of scares and comedy thrown in with a great performance by Roddy McDowell.


That's the end of night two. One more to go. We get an early start.



Friday
2pm
Phantom of the Opera (1925), 93min - The silent classic is one of the great Lon Chaney's best performances.

3:50pm
Last Man on Earth 1964, 83min - Vincent Price kills vampire mutated humans. The best version of the Richard Matheson tale I Am Legend.

5:15pm
The Eye (2002), 99min - A ghost story from Thailand that puts the US remake to shame. Creepy from the beginning.

7:00pm
Repulsion (1965), 105min - Roman Polanski makes the list with this horrifying tale of women who slowly sleeps into insanity.

8:45pm
Halloween (1978), 91min - Seriously. It's Halloween. How could you not watch this slasher masterpiece.

10:30
Candyman (1992), 99min - This movie still gives me goose bumps. The mood in this one is excellent as it's one of the best Clive Barker stories to be translated to the big screen.

12:15am
30 Days of Night (2007), 113min - A pure slaughterhouse of a vampire film set in Alaska.

2:15am
Dead Alive (1992), 104min - If you want one of the most over the top and possibly goriest movies ever made, then this Peter Jackson movie is for you. People turn into zombies and people die. Simple, right? Pure fun in this one.

4am
The Mist (2007) 126min - Let's close the marathon with a great adaptation from a Stephen King novel. This film is fantastic all around with one of the most impressive endings in a horror movie ever.


Congrats. You've made it through this little sample of horror treats. Hope you had fun with this as I've tried to cover some of every thing.