Delivering in a way unparalleled by any other streaming service, Shudder continued its Halloween Hotline this week, with another hour window where fans could call and get personalized recommendations.
We’ve called the last two weeks and got some awesome movie picks, so we thought it would be fun to do it again and here we are. This week we asked Shudder curator Sam Zimmerman for recommendations based on decades, the 70’s to 2000’s!
70’s – Theater of Blood (1973)
Directed by Douglas Hickox, Screenplay by Anthony Greville-Bell, Idea by Stanley Mann and John Kohn.
This week offered another entry into the recently added Vincent Price collection on Shudder, and Theater of Blood didn’t disappoint either.
Price plays a delusional Shakespearian actor who’s quite upset at bad reviews from critics and decides to do something about it.
The result is a bizarrely fun movie where we get to see Price in a variety of different costumes and makeup (sometimes he’s almost unrecognizable), and reciting long Shakespearian monologues as he’s exacting his revenge on those that have wronged him.
It’s campy at times, but Vincent Price was clearly having a blast when filming this, so it makes it all the more fun!
80’s – Dead and Buried (1981)
Directed by Gary Sherman, Screenplay by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett, Screen Story by Jeff Millar and Alex Stern, Based on a novel by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Part murder mystery, part 80’s slasher, Dead and Buried wears the Video Nasty badge of honor, as was doled out by the British censors several decades ago.
It’s not quite as memorable or lasting as the likes of Halloween, Friday the 13th, or My Bloody Valentine, but it has a cool whodunit tone, paired with some fun kills, and a really creepy town. If you’re looking a fun archetype representation of an 80’s slasher, this is great pick!
90’s – Amityville 1992: It’s About Time (1992)
Directed by Tony Randel, Screenplay by Christopher DeFaria and Antonio Toro, Based on a novel by John G. Jones
The Amityville franchise is plagued with countless awful sequels that have absolutely nothing to do with the original story. And while It’s About Time has virtually no connection other than name and one small visual reference, it’s actually pretty creative and interesting.
A grandfather clock which apparently sat in the original Amityville house makes it to a new home in California, where it wreaks havoc on a family via animal attacks and strange apparitions.
The entire third act feels like a trippy fever dream of surrealism. What it lacks it plot or continuity with the previous movies, it more than makes up for in tone and the overall experience.
2000’s and Beyond – Mon Mon Mon Monsters (2017)
Written and Directed by Giddens Ko
Whenever dumb teenagers and horror are blended, they’re getting picked off one by one in a slasher film. This horror/comedy from China takes a different, and quite refreshing approach.
A group of obnoxious teenage boys come across what can best be described as a zombie (the fast moving kind), and manage to capture it. Rather than take it to the authorities or attempt to do something about it, they just sort of screw around and have fun.
Until of course more show up and now they must band together and take on this supernatural threat. A lot of horror movies are criticized for the unrealistic and dumb decisions that the characters make.
However, in this movie their stupidity and recklessness seems pretty in line with high school aged boys. Plus, it boasts some legitimately impressive creature effects that seem mostly practical.
Theater of Blood, Dead and Buried, Amityville 1992: It’s About Time, and Mon Mon Mon Monsters are all streaming on Shudder!
We’ll be back next with another set of awesome recommendations from Shudder curator himself, Sam Zimmerman. Until then, stay scared and enjoy your October!
For more reviews, rankings, lists, and other fun horror content, follow Halloween Year-Round on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!
Halloween Year-Round 