I’ve made it a personal goal to watch at least one ‘scary’ movie per day in the month of October–I have to keep it lighter or cheesier on days when Amy is around as she doesn’t do so well with anything gruesome, much in the same way that I feel I should include ‘When Harry Met Sally’ on this list; romantic comedies make my stomach churn. So far, I’m doing really well; and as an added bonus, the movies have helped me keep my Halloween mojo up so that I’m motivated to continue to sew while I watch, when ordinarily, I would’ve become disinterested/lazed off by this point.

October 1st The Brain that Wouldn’t Die (MST3K version) B/W Original movie: 1962, MST3K treatment: 1993 One of the funniest MST3Ks I’ve ever seen, with a line delivered during the car accident scene that will likely carry me for the rest of my life–“Diarrhea was raging inside me like a STORM!” I laughed until I cried.

The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra B/W, 2001 Intended as a send-up of the 50’s B movies, and hits the mark perfectly. The world was disemboweled in terror!

October 2nd Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street B/W, 1936 Obtained for the purchase price of one dollar at Fred Meyer (with two movies AND a monster cartoon!), it’s a swell bargain but just an ok movie. The cannibalism aspect is merely hinted at, and the transfer is poor at best; dialogue is glitchy. You get what you pay for, I suppose.

Sleepy Hollow Color, 1999 I’d slam Johnny Depp like a Halloween pumpkin.

October 3rd Nightmare Before Christmas Color, 1993 One of my all-time favorites.

House of 1000 Corpses Color, 2003 Captain Spaulding is one of the greatest scary clowns ever. In fact, I may have to be Captain Spaulding for Halloween next year! Also, if a ‘fried chicken and museum of oddities + murder ride’ actually existed, I would vacation there every summer.

October 4th Prince of Space b/w, 1959 This movie made me sad to be alive.

Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn color, 1987 This remains one of my favorites if only for the scene where he stomps on the ghoul’s head, an eyeball pops out, and flies into a screaming girl’s open mouth. AMAZING.

October 5th Plan 9 From Outer Space b/w, 1959 This movie has been called ‘The worst movie ever made’, a statement which I happen to wholeheartedly DISAGREE with. It’s far too entertaining to be the worst movie ever made. Besides, everyone knows that The Worst Movie Ever Made is Freddy Got Fingered, that cinematic piece of garbage starring Tom Green. Some friends of mine spent COLLEGE DOLLARS renting it, which are higher value than BIG PERSON DOLLARS because there’s no more of it coming in, and we couldn’t get past the first fifteen minutes. The verdict was that we all hope Tom Green dies in a fire. The Second Worst Movie Ever Made is really anything starring Pauly Shore.

October 6th Ghoulies II color, 1987 I first saw this movie as a wee child, and it terrified me. For years afterward, I would compulsively check the toilets for a toilet monster, sometimes looking two or three times before I would take a seat. This is one of the rare movies where the sequel is far, far more entertaining than the original. In this case, it wouldn’t have been too difficult considering the original, in something I previously considered physically impossible, both sucked AND blew at the same time.

October 7th The Ninth Gate color, 1999 While real men may love the ninth gate, I just thought it was ok. I’m good with the non-ending ending, I’m just not enthralled with how it got there–for 97% of the movie, the main character has one goal, and then in the last 3%, it’s like “hey, also, I want to meet the devil”. Without the driving force throughout the film, or even a larger portion of it, the last bit plays hollow to me.

Young Frankenstein b/w, 1974 Not one of my favorites of Mel Brooks’ efforts. I know, I know, I am alone in that remark. Funny sometimes, but not hilarious. However, the ‘putting on the ritz’ performance makes me laugh every time.

Up for tonight–Ju-on. Supposed to be GRUESOME. I can’t wait!