A Nightmare on Elm Street: Worst to First

 In our final grouping series for Halloween 2016, we take a look at the man of your dreams himself and rank the nine films in the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' series. We go from worst to the best of course, so let us begin.

 9) A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

Not only the worst film in the series by far, but also the worst remake during the height of the trend 2010's 'Nightmare on Elm Street' is a complete waste but it's not just a lack of Robert Englund (Though that is a major factor). The film tries too hard to drop in everything from the first four films without explaining their purpose or meaning within this particular film. However, even the fan-service is poorly executed, with the most notable example being the Boiler Room appearing despite no such room existing within the film's universe outside of the nightmare sequence. What else is there to say? Lazy, looks muddy like other Platinum Dunes remakes, the acting is awful, and the ending is laughable. This is the only remake I've seen that doesn't have a divisive opinion with fans, it's just plain bad.


Did You Know?: The film's original theatrical trailer contains several deleted scenes, including an alternate opening involving a pool party attack (a la 'Elm Street 2').

 

 8) Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)

The only reason this one didn't make it to the bottom of this list (and it has been there for many years mind you) is because it at least has something interesting to watch throughout its running time. It's just too bad that most of it lacks more of said interesting scenes and mostly consists of ones like the 'Wil-E-Coyote' scene above. I don't really blame Director Rachel Talaylay here, who is a producer normally but she at least has a lot of knowledge towards the franchise. It's just that by this time, these films had run so completely dry that I do not believe anyone at New Line really knew what to do, similar to 'Freddy Vs. Jason'. And like that movie, they rushed out something just to be done with it and you get the silly, over-the-top, gimmicky mess that is 'Freddy's Dead'. It's pretty easy to skip this one folks.

 Did You Know?: The Angry Video Game Nerd's review of the 'Nightmare' video game references 'Freddy's Dead' when the Nerd fights Freddy with the Power Glove.


7) Freddy vs Jason (2003)

 

 This one just doesn't age well folks, I'm sorry. The film just gets worse with every viewing and it doesn't feel like either a 'Friday' or a 'Nightmare' film but rather a 'Hard Boiled' knockoff that happens to contain horror villains fighting. The characters are some of the worst in the 'Nightmare' series, with Kelly Rowland spouting off some of the most obnoxious (and frankly pretty offensive) dialogue and she doesn't die nearly quick enough. Then you have 'wire-fu' fight scenes, that new age smooth clean look to it that sours many horror films from the early 2000's for me personally, and a lack of any real fighting between the titular characters until the ending. While the fight scenes themselves are not bad, they are too little too late and like I said feel like a Jackie Chan flick. I think this one's not going to go down as well as it should have.

Did You Know?: Not only did the film have almost thirteen screenplay drafts written, it also had four alternate endings to the one seen on film. They were quite indecisive eh?


6) A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)

 

 One of my least viewed sequels on this list, 'The Dream Child' had lots of potential. It's strong in visuals and has a awesome Gothic atmosphere that I wished to see in other films, and Freddy despite his larger list of one-liners is kind of creepy in this one compared to 'The Dream Master'. The film unfortunately stumbles on multiple important factors. The characters in this film are so thinly written and forgettable that I have trouble remembering their names. The film's special effects work is also rather shoddy and looks rushed (in fact the entire production was rushed and the film came out a year after 'Dream Master'). Still, this one is at least worth a viewing as it has enough saving graces to make it worthy of the franchise.

Did You Know?: I mentioned the rushed production but it was worse than it sounds. Director Stephen Hopkins only had four months to shoot and then four more months to edit the finished film together. That is insane, it makes one wonder why New Line was shocked when the film was met poorly in 1989.


5) A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)

 

 This was my personal favorite in the series for many years. I loved the special effects work, the classic Freddy one-liners, and I love the character of Alice and the film is still one of the better films, but it's not without its flaws and I'm here to take off the nostalgia glasses. The film kills off three of the best characters in the franchise within a half hour of this flick, which completely shocked me at the time and frustrates me now. I understand going in a different direction with the story, but the way they went about dealing with the previous heroes was sloppy at best. While I said I did love Robert Englund in this film a lot, this is when he begins to teeter between 'silly' and 'scary' and while I never hated the funny Freddy, with 'Dream Master' it's a notably awkward transition.

Did You Know?: 'The Dream Master' was at the time the highest grossing entry in the series at the time, earning $49 million at the box office (('Freddy vs. Jason' would beat it at about $82 million years later.))


4) A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)

 

A divisive entry to say the least, 'Freddy's Revenge' has a very strange history behind it. Panned by both critics and fans alike, the film broke all the rules of the previous entry to create some strange new twists with Freddy Kruger and it all went down very poorly. Similar to 'Halloween III', this one would be loathed until many years later, when it began to be appreciated for it retaining the darker horror version of Freddy that has been sorely missed since, and for it's stranger 'subtext' that many people wish to discuss about it. I'm here to give an opinion of the film itself and I think it's OK. As mentioned above, the horror elements are still here which gives it a high rank on this list and like 'Halloween III' I love that it tried to do something different, even if it didn't work out so well. It's easy to skip over 'Freddy's Revenge' as it doesn't connect to any further sequels, but I say it's worth a watch.

Did You Know?: 'Freddy's Revenge' has since become know as the 'Gay' Elm Street film due to its supposed homoerotic subtext and the casting of an openly gay actor in the lead.


3) A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1986)

  











The first film in the series I saw and I remember that moment fondly. I caught it on the Sci-Fi channel when I was about 8 or 9 years old and it was the scene in which Freddy killed Jennifer by turning into a demonic television and I will never forget that moment or that scene ever. 'Dream Warriors' is not just a great 'Elm Street' sequel, it's a great film for many horror fans who could identify themselves with the various characters in the film. I myself once had to be hospitalized and saw myself also drawing my powers to lift myself up. OK, enough with the sappy stuff the bottom line is this movie is relatable, fun, full of awesome special effects, and the best characters I've seen in a horror film like this. The film has a mix of horror, fantasy, action, and drama all in one it is a perfect sequel in every way. 

Did You Know?: Frank Darabont co-wrote the screenplay for this film. He would go on to make 'The Shawshank Redemption', 'The Green Mile', and 'The Walking Dead'.


2) Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)


 







Wes Craven left the series after 'Dream Warriors' but would return to finish off his monster with this entry, which is one of the most interesting and well made sequels. It's a precursor to 'Scream' somewhat in that it uses a 'meta' universe in which Freddy Kruger is in fact a real demonic entity that has been kept at bay with the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' films. However, now that the sequels had ended, the demon has been unleashed and begins to terrorize and kill various folks involved with the series, particularly Heather Langenkamp his onscreen nemesis and her young son Dylan. Seeing Robert Shaye, Robert Englund, and everyone else from the films playing themselves is so bizarre but fascinating at the same time and the idea of Kruger being this real entity was a very unique way to go about it. The film runs a little slow at times and most fans of the previous sequels may not really be able to enjoy 'New Nightmare', but it's cleverness and originality really helps it stand above the rest of the entries.

Did You Know?: During a funeral scene in the film, the original film's cast make cameo appearances as themselves. Johnny Depp was to be in attendance as well but was unable to due to scheduling conflicts. He and Wes Craven still had a great reunion nontheless.    


1) A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

  











And we come full circle, the terrible 2010 version to the masterpiece that quietly took over the country back in November of 1984. The film was released when the slasher film genre was getting quite stale and 'Elm Street' gave it a shot in the arm which would help the genre reach the end of the decade before feeling fatigued. The movie however is much more important than reviving the slasher genre, it's an important film in US filmography period. It's dark fantasy elements, it's relatable characters and the fact that this film appeals to everyone in the most basic way: Everyone has nightmares therefore everyone can understand and find this scenario frightening. Wes Craven brought to the world of horror cinema a human quality that was bled dry after 'Halloween' and his genius as both a filmmaker and a wonderful man will be sorely missed.


This article is dedicated to Mr. Craven (1939-2015) He was a strong inspiration on both my film writing and my childhood imagination. I will miss you Mr. Craven, even if we never met you changed my life more than you will know.

FRIDAY THE 13TH: From Worst To Best!

 It's time for my favorite horror franchise and while I mostly think of 'Friday the 13th' closer to the summer time, I enjoyed putting together the 'Halloween' list for you and decided to discuss my favorite horror villain. Without any more delay, let's go!

12.) Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)

 By far, this is still the worst film in the entire series and since it's beating a dead horse at this point, let me be quick about it. Despite some impressive work by KNB, the film simply isn't a 'Friday' film and should never have been. The director, Adam Marcus has a strong arrogance about him and to this day he refuses to acknowledge any real fault for this film, which just makes me abhor it all the more.


DID YOU KNOW?: Kane Hodder appears in the opening sans makeup as one of the security guards escorting Jason's remains.


11.) Jason X (2002)

  

 The funny thing is, I may have a small softspot for 'Jason X'. Sure, it's really stupid, in both concept and execution but it has that camp factor that you would see in any ol' SyFy channel original film. It at least has that going for it, which raises slightly above 'JGTH' but don't let that fool you 'Jason X' is a terrible movie and it's a chore to watch, but hey if you can get yourself a MST3K group and a case of beer, I say let it riff.


DID YOU KNOW?: This was to be 'Freddy vs. Jason' however due to conflicts with the studio and a need to make a new film to keep the contract Sean Cunningham rushed out 'Jason X' and even then the film wasn't released until three years after production wrapped.



10.) Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)

 

 A guilty pleasure for this fan, this film lost so much potential due to studio interference, the infamous MPAA edits, and the budget was not high enough to pay for filming in New York City. Even if these issues didn't plague 'Jason Takes Manhattan', it would still have some bizarre concepts and HUGE plotholes (how did a cruise ship on a lake suddenly enter the Atlantic Ocean?). What this film does have though is a great 80's vibe and really well executed atmosphere. The opening song by Metropolis sets the mood so well and seeing all the locations in New York while it plays is excellent. It's just too bad the studio was too cheap to pay for these locations. Such a sad waste, but not the worst film.


DID YOU KNOW?: To promote the movie, Kane Hodder appeared on the Arsenio Hall Show in 1989 in full costume and conducted the interview without speaking a single word and always in character.



9.) Freddy Vs. Jason (2003)

 

 The film that took almost a decade to make ended up becoming a huge success for New Line Cinema, but was the movie everything we had hoped for? Not really, but it's a fun movie to pop in at a Halloween party. It's a little too polished for my tastes, with so much stylized action replacing genuine horror. 'FvJ' is more like an action film fanfiction rather than a true companion to either franchise. It's nowhere near the worst film in either franchise, but I think the charm has long since worn off for me.


DID YOU KNOW?: New Line paid for 18 different screenplays for this film.


8.) Friday The 13th Part 3D (1982)

 Yes, I know it's the first film with the mask and I personally love Richard Brooker as Jason but the film is just a really boring rehash of 'Part 2' with a 3D gimmick attached. I hate 3D films now for attempting to cover up mediocrity what makes people think this one won't make me feel any different? It's not all bad though, the kills though cheap and silly looking are some of my favorite in the series and Chris is one of the more likeable heroines. The problem is that the movie is boring and is so slow when comparing the other entries.


DID YOU KNOW?: This is the first 'Friday' film to tell the location of Crystal Lake: New Jersey.


7.) Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

 

 Kane Hodder and Lar Park Lincoln are the ONLY saving graces here folks. I know this is a big fan favorite, but my question to you is why? The MPAA sucked out any real entertainment out of this entry, about a psychic girl going against Jason and all of the deaths are non-existent so what else is there to enjoy in the film either than the final 20 minutes? Sorry fellows, this film is bad without the lost footage to back it up. But hey, Kane Hodder will always kick ass so that's something and with the upcoming video game we've got an awesome version of Jason to use.


DID YOU KNOW?: Terry Kiser, who plays Dr. Crews here would also play the titular character in the 'Weekend At Bernies' films.



6.) Friday The 13th Part 2 (1981)

 

 'Part 2' unfortunately shares a lot of the same issues as 'Part 3D' and that's in its slow pacing and weak payoffs. Again, the film was heavily censored denying fans of any of the special effects goodness but the characters are also rather interchangeable with others in the later films. What this film does have is hands down the best survivor in the franchise with Ginny, played by the lovely Amy Steel. She's the perfect character in that she's not really a victim, she's smart, resourceful, and can even psych Jason out. She saves this one from being lower on the list.


DID YOU KNOW?: During a fight scene the actor playing Jason (Steven Dash) was accidentally sliced down the hand with the machete and went to the hospital, with a prop machete embedded in his chest. He entered the Emergency Room and the staff were horrified only for Dash to explain the situation.


5.) Friday The 13th (2009)

 







By far the best remake in the Platinum Dunes archive, 'Friday The 13th' 2009 is a pretty damn entertaining flick with some fun kills, dark horror vibe, and Jason himself is the best since Ol' Kane Hodder. The film only really suffers from the Platinum Dunes treatment, by which I mean it's overly stylish and you can barely see anything in the darker scenes. And while I love Jared Padelecki in 'Supernatural' he is a distraction here because you don't feel his character, you just see one of the Winchester brothers. And the film is way too damn long man, almost two and a half hours is too much for ANY horror film. What were they thinking there?


 DID YOU KNOW?: The film was to have a direct sequel set during a winter storm. The film has since been revamped and is set to release sometime in 2017.


 4.) Friday The 13th: A New Beginning (1985)

 

 This one I've come to absolutely love. It's bizarre to me that people see a slasher film with the T&A and the gore you see here and then become upset that the killer wasn't the one they wanted. It's a sort of 'Halloween III' thing again, although here it makes little sense to complain. You get some of the funniest and odd cast of victims in any of the other films, with Ethel and Junior standing out and the high body count and fast pace really has me satisfied in the end. I hope someday 'A New Beginning' gets the love it deserves as its like any of the other 'Friday' films but with that Grindhouse touch.



DID YOU KNOW?: First 'Friday' film to refer to Jason by his full name.



3.) Friday The 13th (1980)

 
 










Here comes the guns...Look, the first entry is undeniable in starting a huge boom during the 1980's onward, but it is not even close to being the best film in the franchise. It's very slow and has little to offer beyond the graphic special effects, which were shocking at the time given that films would hold back on such things more often than not. It doesn't work that way anymore and the original film has become more of a memorial to what came after and is no longer the leader of the pack.


DID YOU KNOW?: The late Betsy Palmer (RIP) only agreed to star in the film because her paycheck for doing so would be exactly enough to pay for a new car. She would later come to love the film and all her adoring fans. She will be truly missed.



 2.) Friday The 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1987)

This was my first 'Friday' film and that may seem appropriate as for some strange reason I always see this entry as the 'kid-friendly' version. The gore is slightly comical and less graphic by choice, it's the only film in the series to contain no nudity, the only film in the series to have children actually on the campgrounds during Jason's rampage, and the upbeat rock and roll music and tongue in cheek humor helps make 'Jason Lives' so memorable. If you have a kid who's into the films, I honestly would say this one is the best to start with.


DID YOU KNOW?: Director Tom McGloghlin kept Jason's tombstone in his backyard, which lead to an incident where a meter checker refused to enter the yard after believing a real body was buried there.


 1.) Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
   

This film has class, style, a brilliant and charismatic cast (with future stars all around such as Corey Feldman and Crispin Glover) and overall the film feels like everyone involved had a lot of fun making it and had a final farewell party for Jason Voorhees (before the inevitable rebooting). I love 'The Final Chapter' for its humor, its writing, its kills, and the fact that its just a good movie and not just a good slasher movie.


DID YOU KNOW?: The picture above with Corey Feldman was a genuine reaction from the young actor. Jason actor Ted White felt that he was somewhat of a spoiled brat during the filming and so they filmed the window scene without telling Corey what was going to happen.

'HALLOWEEN' From Worst to Best!

The 'Halloween' films are a mixed bag to say the least, ranging from what I like to call 'A Complete Dumpster Fire' to 'Masterpiece' and so in the spirit of the season, let us take a quick look at the films from the worst to the first starting with...


10). Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

Yes, even with the recent Rob Zombie contributions to the franchise, 'Resurrection' manages to stay right where it belongs on the list and its not hard to understand why for those who've seen it. Even Jamie Lee Curtis herself opted out in the opening of the film to be done with it, unfortunately we are left with the super smart and charismatic crew you see in the picture above...and Tyra Banks...and Busta Rhymes...Why did I watch this one again for this list? Let's just go over the bad quickly: The story is stupid, the cast even more so, and Michael's mask is even off and this was from Rick Rosenthal, who directed 'Halloween II'! How does this happen Rick? You were too ashamed of 'The Birds II' but not this one?! Anyway, I simply don't care for 'Resurrection' and give it a strong pass.


DID YOU KNOW?: The film's ending was reshot three times because test audiences did not like that Busta Rhymes was killed in the previous version...What the hell is wrong with those people?

  

9). Rob Zombie's H2 (2009)

 The image above says it all about this sequel. 'Halloween: H2' was director Rob Zombie's cinematic middle finger to the studio for having him work on the project despite no love or interest was given by Rob and its a middle finger to the audience because this movie sucks. I will give it the credit that it's at least a unique film in the series, with very strong visuals that you see in many of Zombie's films. The problem here is that they somehow to a simple slasher movie premise and turned it into an Acid trip from the gates of Hell and maybe that's what he was going for, but it leaves the film a big mess that left me confused and irritated. Sorry Michael, I'm not a fan of your psychedelic style in this one.


DID YOU KNOW?: This is the first and so far only 'Halloween' film to feature Michael Myers actually speaking and not wearing his mask for the majority of the two hour runtime.



8). Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1996)

 
I have never seen such a divisive entry since 'Season of the Witch' although in the case of the sixth entry, I have to be on the negative side. I am aware of and have seen the "superior" 'Producer's Cut' of the film and for me it makes little difference. This is simply a bad movie, with poor casting, lack of Donald Pleasance, and the revelation that Michael Myers is the pawn of a ancient Celtic cult and that is the reason behind him is complete nonsense and completely ruins the mystique of his character. It's far superior to the previous films above, but the word "overrated" applies here pretty well, with either cut.


DID YOU KNOW?: This was Donald Pleasance's last performance before his passing before the film released. Director Joe Chappelle attempted to show less of him due to finding him 'boring' (so much **** you buddy!) which explains why the film feels choppily edited at times.



7). Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)

 'Halloween 5' is not the worst sequel I have seen, in fact I have fond memories of watching it back to back with part 4 every year on television. However, this film feels cheap, runs at a snail's pace, and overall is just plain tired. Michael himself looks much better than he did in the previous movie but he also looks as if they threw on the costume five seconds before the camera rolled each take. Donald Pleasance does his job well as always here and the big stand out is Danielle Harris as young Jamie returning from her role in the last film as well. The film's major problems stem from the constant continuity errors, HANDS DOWN the most obnoxious teens in any horror series, and that they completely ignore the fact that Jamie murdered her stepmother in the previous film. 'Halloween 5' ages poorly every time I rewatch it. Such a shame...


DID YOU KNOW?: 'Halloween 5' was filmed and released less than a year after the previous film. You can see that level of quality on the screen for yourselves.



6). Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

 
 Again, I used to love this one and would watch it every single year but it's aged as well as milk folks. It's a complete rehash of the original classic, and not just with the slasher formula that has become oh so famous. The film is almost a shot for shot remake of the original: He escapes again, he steals a mask from a store, he stalks a primary target and kills their potential defenders along the way, and Dr. Loomis gives his speeches about Michael being evil incarnate. The strange thing about it is that it somehow feels and looks even cheaper and mediocre than the original film, which only had a budget of roughly $300,000 compared to part 4's $5 million. It's not a bad film though, it's just unnecessary and easy to skip over it.


DID YOU KNOW?: John Carpenter wrote a treatment for this film involving the town of Haddonfield being supernaturally and physically affected by the pure evil of Myers rather than himself. This was rejected for traditional slasher fare, at which point Carpenter left the series permanently and we were left with mediocrity.



5). Rob Zombie's Halloween (2007)

 Rob Zombie is a talented filmmaker, but his movies always have the same issues. Dialogue and lack of subtlety are his bane and with the remake of 'Halloween' it's not different. You have nobody to root for in this film even Laurie Strode is obnoxious, crude, and has no charm or innocence to her. You simply do not care when characters are in peril or when their murdered. Loomis is cold and uncaring even with Laurie and he comes off as just another victim of Michael's. The film's prequel scenes of young Michael seemed to draw the most venom however it's when the movie reaches the remake territory that it starts to wear really thin really fast. The film is also way too long for one such as this, at almost 2 and a half hours it just feels like a slog through muck. This is another entry where multiple viewings just causes the film to lose its luster quickly.


DID YOU KNOW?: Danielle Harris, who played Jamie Lloyd in '4' and '5' returns here as Annie Brackett, despite being in her early 30's and playing a teenager.


4). Halloween: H20 (1998)

 
   It's smooth sailing from here on out folks. 'Halloween H20' goes for the 'Scream' vibe that was traditional in the late 90's. Kevin Williamson has his dream come true being hired to write the screenplay here and it really perks up the movie. I admit, it feels more like 'Scream' than the 'Halloween' films, but it's also one of the better films from that era to come out. Jamie Lee Curtis returns with an awesome performance where she gets to pummel the shit out of Michael this time around he's almost the victim. The teen characters are disposable and almost irrelevant to the story this time around. If it weren't for a young Josh Hartnett playing Laurie's son, the rest of the cast are just a body count essentially. The film's final act is where this one shines, with a big showdown that would later be ruined by 'Resurrection' (Thanks assholes). I highly recommend this one, if only for the final scenes.


DID YOU KNOW?: The mask in this film changes multiple times throughout. This is due to behind the scenes arguments about how it should look which results in the multiple designs and even a very poor CGI mask during a kill scene.



3). Halloween II (1981)

   
Something of a Wildcard here, but I do not enjoy this one as much as the final two. The film definitely has the creep vibe down, which was sorely missed in the later sequels. Hospitals are a strangely scary thing for me personally and I know that its really silly to see a completely empty Hospital like in the film, but dammit its creepy. This also has my favorite version of Michael Myers (played by Dick Warlock) who is so brutal and the unstoppable force I think of when I think of Michael. The film however has a lot of issues preventing it from beating out part '3'. Jamie Lee's character (and her hair) doesn't feel genuine this time and she's given little else to do other than cry out and limp around. You also get scenes that produce humor more than fear such as the van crash in which someone mistook a normal kid for Myers and rams him, causing an explosion. That was hilarious though I'm sure it wasn't supposed to be but hey, I may just be messed up.


DID YOU KNOW?: The mask in this film is the same one from the original. It changed so drastically because it was under producer Debra Hill's bed and has rotted somewhat, giving it an even creepier look to it than the previous film.



2). Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

   The 'Black Sheep' of the franchise has since gained quite the following in the years since. The film disappointed many fans when first released due to its risky venture of trailing off from Michael Myers and instead focus on individual stories revolving around the holiday itself. It paid off after many years and finally the fans have come around and shown their appreciation for the film. We've already done a full review here on 'Hills Have Opinions' (which you can see HERE) but the overall gist is check it out.


DID YOU KNOW?: The young boy in the original film is named after this film's director: Tommy Lee Wallace.



1). Halloween (1978)

   

  If you're here and reading this article, I'm assuming you know something about the Horror genre or at least have interest in it. You don't need me to tell you to watch 'Halloween', so just go out and watch it again and again.


DID YOU KNOW?: Jamie Lee Curtis thought she performed so poorly that she was about to be fired when John Carpenter telephoned her to tell her otherwise. She has since become a widely popular actress (True Lies being my favorite role of hers)

  

HALLOWEEN EVERY DAY: Pumpkinhead (1988)

'Pumpkinhead' was directed by Stan Winston, who designed some of the world's most famous movie creatures, including the T-Rex from 'Jurassic Park', the Predator, the Aliens, and The Terminator. Here, he provided both the creature and the film itself and it's a doozy of a film. Lance Henrickson stars as a farmer whose young boy is tragically killed by a gang of biker teenagers. Enraged and seeking harsh vengeance, the man seeks the help of an ancient witch in the woods and unleashes the creature known as 'Pumpkinhead' who will not stop until his vengeance is fulfilled.

First off, I'd like to say the acting in the film is really good for a monster movie and I think this may be my favorite role that Henrickson has played (sorry Bishop fans). Even the teenage victims do their jobs well, and they have character to them rather than being a body count. The creature itself is really impressive as well, though it does look a little too similar to other Stan Winston creatures. Seeing it in action throughout the film, thanks to great lighting and set design really does impress, seeing this tall dark creature entering your house making the noises it makes really will leave you awake at night.

The film's titular creature does unfortunately take away some of the deeper moments however. You begin to lose focus as to why Henrickson's character awoke Pumpkinhead in the first place. These moments with his character feeling the sadness, anger, and just strong emotion at the loss of his only child are forgotten in favor of cheap gore scenes and it is what really holds 'Pumpkinhead' back. However, it's still worth seeing if for the annual Halloween marathon just don't expect a masterpiece or anything, and whatever you do DO NOT see the sequels.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (TV Version)

FOX just played a new interpretation of 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' this evening. How did it do? In a word: So-so. First, I'd like to take the time and mention that this MUST be seen as an adaptation of the stage show rather than the classic 1975 film or you will absolutely hate this version. That being said, some of the flashier updates could have been either left out entirely or been given some more time (such as the special effects). The cast all do their jobs well enough, however some issues have been addressed toward Laverne Cox as Dr. Frank-N-Furter. The main issue is that Ms. Cox is a transgendered woman and the character is a transvestite which causes more confusion than needed on that political subject. It also causes strange plot holes with the lyrics to the iconic songs with references to the character being a male transvestite while in another scene, Frank-N-Furter is referred to as a 'she'. It's more than personal issues, it causes errors in the overall plot.

Some other issues are some of my personal favorites are not as well performed as in previous versions, with Adam Lambert's 'Hot Patootie' being the biggest disappointment of the whole show. The rest of the songs are excellent as always, with the addition of 'Superheros' a song only included in the UK version of the film and rarely in the stage play which was a nice bonus. The addition of punk rock influences don't improve the film's style that much, but I like its inclusion as it gives it some great atmosphere and color to the sets. The only real negative (and really, this is only because its on television) is that this felt more like a small budget stage show rather than a television special and that really bummed me out. For such an important show as 'Rocky Horror' you'd think that it would have a larger budget for props, sets, special effects etc. than it seemingly has.

'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' was really fun while it lasted, but it will never replace the experience one gets from the original film or seeing it in person. I honestly can't recommend this version that highly. Just check out the movie or see if the local community college is performing it and you'll have a better time.

HALLOWEEN EVERY DAY: The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

Sadly, Director Wes Craven has recently passed on but what he left to the world is some of the best films in history and 'The Hills Have Eyes' is definitely one of them. The story concerns a family on summer vacation when they hit a snag and become lost on a desert highway. They soon discover their vehicle sabotaged and their RV being watched from the hills by a mysterious group of monstrous cannibals and the situation soon becomes a game of 'Us or Them' with a brutal and violent conclusion the family won't forget soon.

The film was made on a very small budget, and with this being a horror film I always see this as both a blessing and a curse. The film is very dirty looking, very old, and almost looks as if it were run through motor oil but at the same time, this is the charm of 70's horror and really gives it a vibe all its own. The film does start out slow, but the payoffs are well worth it with two standouts being the RV attack scene and the brutal finale. These two scenes almost make it worthwhile on their own but you also have some good performances here as well, particularly from the mutants themselves who use their acting skills rather than relying on makeup like the remake. Minimal and subtlety win the day here.

'The Hills Have Eyes' is head over heels a superior film to its 2006 remake and well worth the purchase. While I appreciate the remake on its own terms, there is no comparison. The original's lack of resources and cheaper look benefit it so much more than modern technology and special effects. Check them both out by all means, but this is the one to see first.

HALLOWEEN EVERY DAY: Brain Damage (1988)

Time for something different...very different. 'Brain Damage' is directed by Frank Hennenlotter who brings to the horror genre 'unique' movies to say the least. I wanted to review one of his films to show off something more fun and this was the least offensive one I could think of. Don't let that fool you however, 'Brain Damage' is not for the casual horror fan. This movie is bizarre, gory, and full of slimy creepy goodness. It stars a young man, who discovers his elderly neighbors have been keeping a blue alien slug in their apartment. The creature known as 'Elmer' has recently escaped and hopes to recruit the young man into his scheme: injecting him with a alien drug in his brain in exchange for giving him live victims in which to feast on their cerebral matter.

The star of the show here is the special effects, as cheesy and cheap as they may be they are the highlight. Elmer is a funny little puppet that talks with a calm and sophisticated accent, which made me burst out laughing the first time I heard him speak. He's played by an old Midnight Host named Zackerly who was a funny guy in his time. The rest of the cast is really bland unfortunately, with the main character of Brian being very stiff and emotionless. Even scenes where he's experiencing a bad trip it feels like 'acting' rather than authentic character emotion.

While I will refrain from showing any of the gorier scenes in the film, there are some wonderful highlights, including a previously deleted scene involving a hooker that has to be seen to be believed. The film is one of the last to feature that true 'grindhouse' vibe, the dirty feeling you get just popping the film into your video player. It's all sleazy 80's goodness and I love it, but with that being said I hope you take my warning seriously and not going in expecting some of these other films I have featured on here. 'Brain Damage' is full of fun for the hardcore, but little to offer for anyone new or casual. Approach with caution, or you may suffer from permanent 'Brain Damage'.

HALLOWEEN EVERY DAY: Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

'Halloween III' was the so called 'black sheep' of the infamous franchise though it has since gained a much larger following since its original release, especially in the wake of later sequels such as 'Resurrection' and even Rob Zombie's films and I am here to also recommend it for you. This film stands alone in its story, about a doctor and the daughter of his recent patient who has been murdered by a mysterious assailant. They're detective work leads them to a small village run by Conal Cochran who happens to be the owner of the most popular Halloween masks in the world. The conspiracies go deep and down a path of disturbing global domination and its up to the couple to stop it all.

The first thing most people tell me about 'Season of the Witch' every time is A.) The obnoxious TV diddy for the Silver Shamrock commercial and B.) Michael Myers is missing here and these are just two of the excuses I hear as to why this film is bad, which its not even close to terrible in fact this is probably the best sequel in the whole damn thing (Halloween II is still nice though). The whole backstory is this: 'Halloween II' was the last film that would have Michael Myers and if you watch it again, you can see this being the case as he was BURNED ALIVE! I don't care what you say, neither he nor Loomis a regular mortal could survive that.

Michael Myers was DEAD and John Carpenter and Debra Hill wished to move on and use the holiday as a breeding ground for various new stories themed after the title 'Halloween'. The problem is honestly not so much on the audience but rather the studio Universal Pictures. The marketing on the film has little footage from the actual movie and instead has new material to hide the fact that Michael Myers would not be returning and in fact the film is really not a true sequel. Universal bait-and-switched the audience and it really is the reason it failed but now thanks to the home video format people have come to be a bit more warmed up.

So, after all that what do I think of the movie? I enjoy it fine, but its not perfect. I will admit when I was young I was a hater until I grew up and rented the film one day. What I love the most about it is the atmosphere which in all honesty captures the feeling of Halloween more than any of the other sequels. The lighting, the eerie mood during the horror scenes, and even the synth music by John Carpenter works really well and creeps me out. I love John Carpenter as a director because he is so versatile. He can write music, he can write screenplays, he can direct, and he is a film history buff a great filmmaker all around. Tommy Lee Wallace is a very underrated director, and this is possibly his best work. I do love 'Stephen King's IT' and many other films he's worked on over the years, this one never loses its luster.

So what are the negatives? Well, the acting can be a bit over the top, the film's plot is pretty silly, and a lot of things needed to be explained a little better. The best character is the villain who plays the 'mustache twirling' type very well. Oddly enough, I would say this film feels much more like a Sci-Fi flick rather than straight up horror with evil humanoid robots, a mysterious town of overly happy villagers, and Halloween masks melt children's heads...This is a really bizarre movie isn't it?

But It's at least worth a viewing this Halloween. I know it won't appeal to everyone, not by a long shot but it deserves to stand alone from the franchise and have it's day in the sun. Check it out.

By the way, check out the link to the trailer below. This is the creepiest movie trailer I have ever seen.
HERE