Horror Challenge (Official, October 2019)

[maxwelldeux]

The Official 2019 Horror Challenge!



Goal.
Watch as many movies as you can that fit into the horror genre. If you are in doubt whether a movie counts or not, just ask.

Rules.
- A feature film (Anything over 40 minutes) counts as one entry
- A total of 60 minutes of short films count as one entry
- For Mini-Series/TV series, the standard 40/60 rule applies.
- Rewatches allowed.

Challenge runs from DUSK 30 September 2019 - SUNRISE 1 November 2019.

iCM Lists.
They Shoot Zombies, Don't They?
Top 500 Horror Movies
IMDb Top 50 Horror

Other Lists.
iCM Forum's Top 250 Favourite Horror Films
TSZDT 1001-2000
TSZDT - Hidden Horrors
Holiday Horror List
CriterionForum Lists Project - Horror
Slant's The 50 Greatest Horror Movies of the 21st Century
1SO's List of Top Horror
iCM Forum's Highest Rated Horror Movies

Doubles with Latin America:
https://trakt.tv/search/movies/?genres= ... y,ve,vg,vi

I'm open to more suggestions

Bonus challenges!
We have four bonus challenges this year from four different hosts. I’ll be tracking everything manually, so if you want to play, please use hashtags to indicate which bonus challenge your film counts for. When posting screenshots, please put them in a spoiler tag to make the thread a bit mor readable. Also, a film may count for multiple bonus challenges, but not for multiple entries within that bonus challenge, unless otherwise indicated.

Bonus challenges #1: Seasons Greetings, by maxwelldeux
As we are just starting off the fall season (in the betterNorthern hemisphere), here is an October-themed scavenger hunt. Watch one film from each of the five categories below to win this bonus challenge. Use #HUNT to play.
1. One German horror film (in honor of Oktoberfest)
2. One film set on Halloween (at least one scene)
3. One film with “fall” or “autumn” or “October” in the title (translations OK)
4. One film set on a farm
5. One film with an ominous pumpkin (screenshot required)

#HUNTShow

Player	German	Halloween	Title	Farm	Pumpkin
albajos	x	x	x	x	x
ChrisReynolds	x	x	x	x	x
Daviddoes	x	x	x	x	x
flavo5000	x	x	x	x	x
frbrown	x	x		x
Gordon_Gekko				x
Kublai Khan		x			x
maxwelldeux	x	x	x	x	x
mightysparks	x	x			x
sol	x	x	x	x	x
vortexsurfer				x
wasabi	x

---

Bonus challenges #2: Welcome to Die!, by albajos
AKA the Sean Bean challenge. Anyone can see someone die once - but five times? See five different horror films where the same actor/actress dies in each. Please name the actor/actress. And as a note, if you want to do the challenge several times, it has to be different performers. Use #DEATH to play.

A summary of every actor who dies in every movies is maybe both on the spoilery side and substantial data overload, so save them until you got 5.

Remember to wish albajos a Happy Birthday on Halloween.

#DEATHShow

Voyeur	Actor/Actress	# of Deaths
albajos	Brad Dourif	5
albajos	Lon Chaney Jr.	5
ChrisReynolds	Bela Lugosi	5
frbrown	Bela Lugosi	5

---

Bonus challenges #3: Torture the Actors, by jeroeno
With gruesome deaths a staple of the horror genre, we should delve deeply into the ways to harm our on-screen actors and actresses. Post a screenshot of each of the five ways to die below and win this bonus challenge. (You may post multiple screenshots from the same film, but they should be from different death scenes.) Use #TORTURE to play.
1. Fatal wound to the eye
2. Fatal wound to the upper torso
3. Fatal wound to the head
4. At least one arm is cut off
5. At least one leg is cut off

#TORTUREShow

Killer	Eye	Upper Torso	Head	Arm	Leg
ChrisReynolds	x	x	x	x	x
frbrown		x	x	x
hurluberlu		x	x
Kublai Khan	x	x	x	x	x
maxwelldeux	x	x	x	x	x
mightysparks	x	x	x	x	x
Mochard		x	x
sol	x	x	x	x	x

---

Bonus challenges #4: A Horrific Game of Bingo, by mightysparks
Who loves those common horror tropes? If you do, you may want to play a round of bingo with us. We’ll use a 4x4 bingo card – the columns are horror subgenres, the rows are horror clichés. See the table below. Use #BINGO and the cell number to play.

	A. Zombies	B. Ghosts/Possession	C. Creatures	D. Slasher
1. Wait - The Killer's NOT Dead?!?	A1	B1	C1	D1
2. Shoddy Police Work	A2	B2	C2	D2
3. Pointless Topless/Shower Scene	A3	B3	C3	D3
4. Hospital/Asylum	A4	B4	C4	D4

#BINGOShow

Jigsaw Impersonator	Bingo Card	# of Bingos
albajos	SpoilerShow A. B. C. D. 1. x x x x 2. x x x x 3. x x x x 4. x x x x	10
ChrisReynolds	SpoilerShow A. B. C. D. 1. x x 2. x x x 3. x x 4. x x x x	3
Daviddoes	SpoilerShow A. B. C. D. 1. x x x x 2. x x x x 3. x x x x 4. x x x x	10
frbrown	SpoilerShow A. B. C. D. 1. x x 2. x x 3. x x 4. x x	2
hurluberlu	SpoilerShow A. B. C. D. 1. x 2. x 3. 4.
maxwelldeux	SpoilerShow A. B. C. D. 1. x x x 2. x x x 3. x x x x 4. x	3
mightysparks	SpoilerShow A. B. C. D. 1. 2. x 3. x x x 4. x
Minkin	SpoilerShow A. B. C. D. 1. x 2. x x 3. x x 4. x
sol	SpoilerShow A. B. C. D. 1. x x x x 2. x x x x 3. x x x x 4. x x x x	10
vortexsurfer	SpoilerShow A. B. C. D. 1. x 2. 3. 4.

---

The Possessed.

Rank	Participant	Count
1	flavo5000	199
2	sebby	154
3	VincentPrice	147
3	Daviddoes	147
5	mightysparks	145
6	medium cool	130
7	psychotronicbeatnik	119
8	albajos	112
9	jdidaco	90
10	peeptoad	61
11	Leopardi	57
12	vortexsurfer	55
13	sol	54
14	Carmel1379	50
15	jeroeno	49
15	1SO	49
15	frbrown	49
18	ororama	47
19	maxwelldeux	42
20	shugs	40
21	cinephage	39
22	klaus78	38
23	RogerTheMovieManiac88	32
24	morrison-dylan-fan	31
25	clemmetarey	27
26	greenhorg	24
27	OldAle1	23
28	ChrisReynolds	22
29	Lonewolf2003	21
29	Gordon_Gekko	21
31	Cippenham	20
32	Kublai Khan	19
32	allisoncm	19
34	72aicm	17
35	ryebass	16
36	Minkin	14
36	Cinepolis	14
38	zzzorf	13
39	India Istanbul	12
40	blueboybob	11
40	mathiasa	11
42	hurluberlu	9
42	te18	9
44	Mochard	8
44	GruesomeTwosome	8
44	RedHawk10	8
44	blocho	8
48	AB537	7
49	fear of 13	6
50	Onderhond	5
50	3eyes	5
50	Knaldskalle	5
53	Obgeoff	4
54	wasabi	3
55	connordenney	2
55	sennaho	2
55	Ritesh	2
55	Coryn	2
59	XxXApathy420XxX	1

[albajos]

Bonus challenges #2: I Want to Watch You Die, by albajos
AKA the Sean Bean challenge.

Aka "Welcome to Die!"

aka aka "You are dead, dead, dead"

SpoilerShow

And as a note. If you want to do the challenge several times, it has to be different performers.

[VincentPrice]

Oh, I'm in.

Hey, any chance we can start this a day or two early? I gotta hankerin' for some Horrorin'....sorry, I won't do that ever again.

As always, mine will be filled with a LOT of rewatches and new stuff and I plan on suffering through both The Children of the Corn and Howling franchises...Might throw in one of the Full Moon ones as well, lookin' at you, Evil Bong..or Killjoy...I'm gonna want to kill myself by the end of these, I swear. Lots of good Horror TV on as well, man I love this time of year.

[1SO]

TSZDT Starting List

404 error

Holiday Horror List

No films listed

I'm open to more suggestions

As someone who's completed TSZDT and seen a whole lot more, allow me to submit

My List of Top Horror

[maxwelldeux]

TSZDT Starting List

404 error

Holiday Horror List

No films listed

I'm open to more suggestions

As someone who's completed TSZDT and seen a whole lot more, allow me to submit

My List of Top Horror

In order, removed the list, fixed the link, and added it to the OP.

[mightysparks]

I’m in, of course. My watchlist is based around DVDTalk’s theme nights: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls095017981/

And another list for OP, it’s a bit outdated (we love you themagician, come back ) but has some interesting stuff: https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/icm+ ... htysparks/

[sol]

Damn, that's a lot to digest. I know you're going to use hashtags to help with tracking, but running four bonus challenges over ~70 participants, that's really quite a lot of work, even if some of the participants don't dig into the bonus challenges.

Bonus challenges!
We have four bonus challenges this year from four different hosts. I’ll be tracking everything manually, so if you want to play, please use hashtags to indicate which bonus challenge your film counts for. When posting screenshots, please put them in a spoiler tag to make the thread a bit mor readable.

Is that all screenshots - or just screenshots to help win the bonus challenges?

Anyway, this should be a fun month as usual. I'm close to entering the top 100 users on the Zombie Canon, so this month should push me over:



That's 82 away from a Silver - so technically, I *could* get there this month, but I don't think I will. I am mere 8 away from a Bronze on Badmovies.org, so that's probably a more achievable target.

P.S.: Thanks for taking on this mammoth hosting task!

[maxwelldeux]

Damn, that's a lot to digest. I know you're going to use hashtags to help with tracking, but running four bonus challenges over ~70 participants, that's really quite a lot of work, even if some of the participants don't dig into the bonus challenges.

Bonus challenges!
We have four bonus challenges this year from four different hosts. I’ll be tracking everything manually, so if you want to play, please use hashtags to indicate which bonus challenge your film counts for. When posting screenshots, please put them in a spoiler tag to make the thread a bit mor readable.

Is that all screenshots - or just screenshots to help win the bonus challenges?

P.S.: Thanks for taking on this mammoth hosting task!

Well, the trade off is that I can't do the detailed stats I normally do - hopefully the bonus challenges will be fun, though.

On screenshots - I'd say definitely on bonus challenge screenshots, use your judgment otherwise.

[peeptoad]

[3eyes]

I have never ever understood the appeal of the genre, but I'll try to make an appearance.

[te18]

I'll watch a few.

[Knaldskalle]

In. Do gialli count? I don't seem to have a lot of unseen horror lying around, so I probably won't be doing much, but I'll try.

[wasabi]

I'm in! My favorite horror movie season is coming. \(^<>^)/

[maxwelldeux]

In. Do gialli count? I don't seem to have a lot of unseen horror lying around, so I probably won't be doing much, but I'll try.

I won't say all count, but many will. Use your judgment and I'm sure it'll be fine.

[sol]

It's way past sunset over here, so let me draw first blood.



It starts!



1. Happy Death Day (2017) REVISION



Just as much fun upon revision, the red herrings get a little tiresome, but it was really cool rewatching the film knowing who the killer is. Tree's character progression is awesome and the romance works due to the cool dynamic of him falling in love with her again and again for the first time while she is increasingly smitten each time. That said, it is as a slasher that the film succeeds best - and as a laugh-out-loud comedy, as per Groundhog Day.

[mightysparks]

1. Midsommar (2019) 5/10
After a traumatic event, a young woman and her partner travel to Sweden for a mid-summer festival that happens every 90 years. The film starts off strong, building some pretty great tension and dread - even just in a simple long-take phone call - but around the halfway point it becomes obvious the film doesn't really know what it wants to be. It drags on far too long, and all that dread that it was building up slowly turns into boredom. Florence Pugh's performance is great and her character is interesting, her crumbling relationship with the douchebag boyfriend is genuinely sad and frustrating to watch, but none of it seems to have any relevance to the festival, which just seems like a cheap take on The Wicker Man, and the ending almost turns it into a pathetic revenge film. Boyfriend was in the mood for a film and watched this with me, could tell he lost interest about the same time as me and had all the same complaints.

2. Konchû daisensô (1968) 5/10
After a swarm of insects takes down an American fighter plane, scientists and soldiers try to find the reason for the insects' attack. Though this gave the impression it was going to be Godzilla with insects, it ends up being something of a cross between Matango and Phase IV. It takes itself super seriously in its attempts to be an anti-war film, but combined with the terrible acting, bad dubbing and silly effects it comes across as a bit of a joke, and nothing more than a bad low budget film. Phase IV would later do a much better (though still not great) job at turning insects into peace-wanting destroyers. The abrupt ending was also pretty hilarious.

SpoilerShow

1. Midsommar (2019) 5/10
2. Konchû daisensô (1968) 5/10

[sol]

We all go a little mad sometimes...

Going a little mad sometimesShow

1. Happy Death Day (2017) REVISION

2. Happy Death Day 2U (2019)



Arguably superior to the already clever and funny first entry, this horror sequel opens with the boyfriend's roommate from Part One stuck in his own time loop - and things only get more insane and imaginative from there as the film introduces science fiction explanations for everything. Little else can be said without ruining a fresh experience, but this is a lot fun with an even more morbid sense of humour than Part One (multiple suicide attempts).

[VincentPrice]

The one time of year I wish I lived in an earlier time zone.

[hurluberlu]

1. Saw (James Wan, 2004) 5+ [#TORTURE 3] [#BINGO D2]

#TORTURE 3Show

[albajos]

Use #DEATH to play.

Can you rename it "Welcome to Die!"?

Also, I guess the hashtags can be postponed until they collect 5 movies, unless they see all in one post.

A summary of every actor who dies in every movies is maybe both on the spoilery side and substansial data overload, so save them until you got 5.

[72aicm]

1. The Manitou (1978)
2. The Killer Shrews (1959)

[flavo5000]

I'm am SO ready for this thing! The Bonus Challenges look fun too! Dusk needs to get here faster! I may do a Japanese horror for some synergistic overlap. Since I'm done with TSZDT, I'm not quite as focused on a specific list but I'll probably be looking at the TSZDT 1001-2000 and maybe some others like The Bad Movie Bible and the Nightmare USA book plus just a lot of random movies I have accumulated on DVD/Blu-ray.

[Daviddoes]

I am ready as well, unfortunately I'm working tonight and probably won't be able to start till tomorrow

[maxwelldeux]

Use #DEATH to play.

Can you rename it "Welcome to Die!"?

Also, I guess the hashtags can be postponed until they collect 5 movies, unless they see all in one post.

A summary of every actor who dies in every movies is maybe both on the spoilery side and substansial data overload, so save them until you got 5.

Done.

[VincentPrice]

FINALLY

1. American Horror Story: 1984-"Mr. Jingles"-2019: 8/10

[Carmel1379]

That is not dead which can eternal lie.
And with strange aeons even death may die.


***






#1 The Evil Dead (1981, Sam Raimi) (2nd+ viewing) 9/10 (from 6)
“What the hell was that? Are you trying to kill us?”
“Hey don’t blame me, it’s your steering wheel. The damn thing jerked right out of my hand."
“I don’t understand, I just had this thing in for a tune-up yesterday and they said they’d go over everything”
“Yeah, well you better get it back, since the damned thing don’t work. Only thing that does work is this lousy horn.”

The film never once pretends to side from the perspective of the human characters, we don’t see the world from their point of view. It’s a masterpiece in showing the humans as prey, who are -- since the very beginning -- stalked in their car from behind and around. Invisible forces are rushing in through the forests, eyes are exploiting every vulnerability, emergent bizarrities begin locking in, cornering, and invading their victims now trapped within an occult trap, a magical vortex, Their playground. And the film transports one to the numinous field.

“You mean no one’s seen this place yet?”

Thrill-O-Meter: 4 out of 10 car honks because it’s not "The Ultimate Experience In Grueling Terror" for nothing (although in a sense, out there, maybe Nothing is exactly how).

opening up terrifying vistasShow

#1 The Evil Dead (1981, Sam Raimi) (2nd+ viewing) 9/10 (from 6)
“What the hell was that? Are you trying to kill us?”
“Hey don’t blame me, it’s your steering wheel. The damn thing jerked right out of my hand."
“I don’t understand, I just had this thing in for a tune-up yesterday and they said they’d go over everything”
“Yeah, well you better get it back, since the damned thing don’t work. Only thing that does work is this lousy horn.”

The film never once pretends to side from the perspective of the human characters, we don’t see the world from their point of view. It’s a masterpiece in showing the humans as prey, who are -- since the very beginning -- stalked in their car from behind and around. Invisible forces are rushing in through the forests, eyes are exploiting every vulnerability, emergent bizarrities begin locking in, cornering, and invading their victims now trapped within an occult trap, a magical vortex, Their playground. And the film transports one to the numinous field.

“You mean no one’s seen this place yet?”

Thrill-O-Meter: 4 out of 10 car honks because it’s not "The Ultimate Experience In Grueling Terror" for nothing (although in a sense, out there, maybe Nothing is exactly how).

[mightysparks]

The Evil Dead is the scariest movie ever

[te18]

1. The Devil's Rejects (2005) 9/10 *rewatch
It's been so long since I rewatched this that I'd forgotten how hilarious it was, among all the other superlatives. Rob Zombie, Bill Moseley and the recently deceased Sid Haig all at the peak of their powers.

SpoilerShow

1. The Devil's Rejects (2005) 9/10 *rewatch

[VincentPrice]

2. Jessabelle-2014: 6/10

SpoilerShow

1. American Horror Story: 1984-"Mr. Jingles"-2019: 8/10

[mightysparks]

It's cat and dog theme today on DVDTalk. I'm surprised at how many films there were to choose from. Also, my morning walks are less pleasurable now that I'm just anxious to get back home and get to the horror...

3. The Uncanny (1977) 4/10
Believing that cats are evil supernatural creatures, an author tells three stories to convince his publisher. The first follows a wealthy old lady who decides to leave her fortune to her cats rather than her nephew, and he plots to destroy her new will. In the second, a recently orphaned girl goes to live with her aunt's family, but her cousin makes her get rid of her cat. The last focuses on an actor who replaces a fake blade with a real one to kill his wife and finds himself tormented by her cat. None of the stories were particularly good, the acting was pretty terrible all around (aside from some of the regulars) and the cats were cute but not really evil enough, all the stories are just tales of revenge on crappy humans.

SpoilerShow

1. Midsommar (2019) 5/10
2. Konchû daisensô (1968) 5/10
3. The Uncanny (1977) 4/10

[sol]

We all go a little mad sometimes...

Going a little mad sometimesShow

1. Happy Death Day (2017) REVISION
2. Happy Death Day 2U (2019)

3. The Mansion of Madness (1973)



This horror film from the director of Alucarda circles around the experimental treatments at an outskirts insane asylum in which the doctors let their patients live out their fantasies under supervision. In the midst of this is a reporter taken on a tour. Some of the vignettes are interesting, but the film feels like more of a collection of bizarre ideas rather than a solid narrative, though the story finds some direction with a twist in the final half-hour.

Unfortunately, I can't claim a bingo for this despite the asylum setting since it isn't really a slasher or supernatural in the least.

[frbrown]

I hope I'm doing this right

1. Der Student von Prag (1913) #HUNT (German horror film)

[mightysparks]

4. Roar (1981) 4/10
A family travels to Africa to meet with their father, but find him absent on business and a house full of lions. With this film appearing on many horror lists, IMDb classifying it as an adventure/thriller, and its poster declaring it a 'ferocious comedy', it doesn't seem like anybody knows what this film is or wants to be. Its production history is far more interesting and entertaining the film, which is quite sloppy and boring. An hour of the film is just lions running rampant around the house and the family trying to get away from them in the most ridiculous ways, then a lion kills someone and the father comes back and is like don't be scared and they're all a happy family with the lions The animals are really cute, but often seem totally confused and the actors always seem to be on edge, not sure what they're supposed to do next (the fact that it was largely improvised is not subtle).

Watched so farShow

1. Midsommar (2019) 5/10
2. Konchû daisensô (1968) 5/10
3. The Uncanny (1977) 4/10
4. Roar (1981) 4/10

[maxwelldeux]

Day 0: The Horror Begins

The Horror Challenge has begun
Already 8 have joined the fun
The Bonus Challenges are mostly dead
But hurluberlu has pulled ahead

#TORTURE 3Show

[maxwelldeux]

I hope I'm doing this right

1. Der Student von Prag (1913) #HUNT (German horror film)

Perfect. Thanks for playing!

[mightysparks]

5. Baxter (1989) 7/10
A bull terrior with murderous thoughts attempts to find the perfect master. Though mean-spirited, this film never gets too dark or disturbing and is a pretty solid black comedy. The dog playing Baxter was perfect, he had a great face and expressive eyes that made it easy to buy him as a sociopath and an innocent cute doggy at the same time. The human actors (and the voice of Baxter) all do fine, especially the boy, but the characters are (most likely on purpose) mundane and the scenes focusing on the dog work much better. It doesn't overstay its welcome, though it does drag a little at times.

Watched so farShow

1. Midsommar (2019) 5/10
2. Konchû daisensô (1968) 5/10
3. The Uncanny (1977) 4/10
4. Roar (1981) 4/10
5. Baxter (1989) 7/10

[Onderhond]

The Evil Dead is the scariest movie ever

Maybe if you're scared of mashed potatoes

[albajos]

[sol]

We all go a little mad sometimes...

Going a little mad sometimesShow

1. Happy Death Day (2017) REVISION
2. Happy Death Day 2U (2019)
3. The Mansion of Madness (1973)

4. Berberian Sound Studio (2012)



This unusual thriller provides a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse of how movie sound effects works while Toby Jones is solid in the lead role, torn between perfectionism, while feeling nervous about whether he is actually going to get paid and what on earth everything is talking in a foreign language that he does not understand. Alas, his insecurities quickly grow repetitive and there is not much to the film beyond his mounting unease.

[peeptoad]

1. La setta (1991) The Sect 7