Round One

The first week of October is in the books, and here is a rundown of what I've watched.

Oct. 1: The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh (2012)

        I enjoy tales of haunted houses and things that go bump in the night, so naturally, I thought I'd start with this film, directed by founder of Rue Morgue, Rodrigo Gudiño. In short, a man comes home to claim his estranged mother's estate and right off the bat, you know she was into something...strange. The man is an arts dealer, and the house is filled with eccentric and occult ephemera, which he wants to gather and sell himself. But, his mother's death and memories of his own childhood start spooking him, Something about the house doesn't quite seem right. Toss in a weird religious cult, creepy twins (played by the always creepy Julian Richings), bizarre footage on old VHS tapes, and someone or something lurking just outside and you've got a nightmare for this guy. Slow and atmospheric, this film really takes its time getting to the scary stuff, but I think the payoff is worth it.

Oct. 2: Vampire Circus (1972)

   
          Ah, this gem from Hammer studios is one I remember seeing as a young Woodrow on Monster Movie Matinee back in the 80's. A count is luring beautiful young women and children to his castle on the outskirts of town. The townspeople find out, storm castle, and kill the count. A tale as old as time. But not before he places a curse on them. "Your children will die to bring me back to life". Ominous. The woman who was helping the count is sent down a gauntlet and left to perish with him. Or is she? 15 years later, a circus rolls into the town, now under quarantine due to the outbreak of plague. Ah, good old plague. The circus, billed as "The Night Circus" only performs at night because guess what?? VAMPIRES!  This is a fun one, the vampires have come to enact the curse and bring their head honcho back to life. The townspeople take forever to catch on. One vampire turns into a panther and is a hit with the ladies. A set of twin vampires attack from a mirror. There are acrobats, a mischievous clown, and a quiet strongman. It has all the trademarks you expect from Hammer, with twice the body count. 

Oct. 3: Godzilla: King of Monsters (2019)

         I love Godzilla. Always have, and probably always will. But, I retain a childhood memory of the guy. I didn't see the last film, and I felt like Godzilla 2000 was an abomination. However, this one was fun in the way Pacific Rim is fun. It's all about the monsters. The humans? Ho hum. Seriously, the story line was weak and not remotely interesting. Godzilla. YES! Ghidorah shooting lightning from his wings? YES! Rodan? YES! That Mothra reveal? HELL YES! Gimme more monsters. I want the next movie (they hint at Skull Island which means King Kong) to be ALL monsters. No pesky humans. Add Gamera and the giant lobster and I will buy a ticket.
       
Oct. 4: April Fool's Day (1986)

          Another gem from my youth, I was happy to rewatch this with the Dr. I am always envious of a first time watcher of this film because its so fun and has such a great twist. The less I say about this one, the better. If you've never seen it, I urge you to treat yourself. I will warn you to avoid the 2008 movie with the same name.

Oct. 5: The Innocents (1961)

         This eerie, supernatural gothic thriller was a delight on a cold and gray Sunday. Deborah Kerr plays a governess hired to look after 2 precocious and seemingly- well, I'll say clairvoyant but I'm not sure if that's exactly right- children. Secluded far outside London at a sprawling old estate, Ms. Giddins (Kerr) begins to suspect something isn't quite right with the children, and she begins to head towards hysteria while trying to figure out just what's going on. An adaptation of Henry James' The Turn of the Screw, adapted for the screen by Truman Capote, and directed by Jack Clayton, this is one for fans of the supernatural and classics alike.