HE RAN ALL THE WAY (1951)

The first watch of #Noirvember is John Garfield's final film. He brought his signature intensity to the role of a desperate holdup man on the run from the police. Facing the blacklist by the time the film was released, Garfield died at age 39 the following year.

Do you have a favorite among them?

I have seen the first two and prefer Revenge of the Creature. For some reason Creature from the Black Lagoon has never fully captured my affection.

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (1985)

The ghouls come out on Halloween night! Made-for-TV horror has been a trend for me this month, so it seemed appropriate to end the 2025 #31DayHorrorChallenge with one of the most beloved examples of it.

I enjoyed following what everyone was watching this month.

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES (1983)
#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 30

A demonic carnival arrives in an idyllic American town, and it is up to two boys to thwart the evil being done around them. If you love watching leaves blow around, this is the film for you.

Only one more day left.

EVIL TOONS (1992)
#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 28

1980s-style schlock about four sorority sisters unwittingly unleashing a demonic force in a cursed house. Directed by Fred Olen Ray, Evil Toons emphasizes sexiness more than scares. The haunted house vibes are there, though.

MACABRE (1958)
#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 29

William Castle's noir-tinged horror thriller about a kidnapped child begins with the gimmick of the "fright clock". Dying of fright is probably the last thing that will happen to you. With movie fatigue setting in, I appreciated the 72-minute runtime.

INVITATION TO HELL (1984)
#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 27

Everyone must join! Susan Lucci is the director of the local country club who just might have a connection to the netherworld. I appreciated the weirdness of this made-for-TV film. Directed by Wes Craven with Dean Cundey as DP.

SUMMER OF FEAR (1978)
#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 22

I had a hard time choosing what to watch for this day. Ended up going with this entertaining TV film starring Linda Blair. The cattiness between her and the cousin works with the witchcraft angle of the story.

HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS (2013)
#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 25

The director of the Dead Snow films goes very Hollywood in this fantastical action adaptation of the Grimm fairy tale. While the look of the witches is creative and unsettling, the ending goes more than a little over-the-top.

SALEM'S LOT (1979)
#31DayHorrorChallenge

A first-time viewing on a blu-ray that has spent too long in my watch pile. The TV roots are evident in the style of the film, which I do not mind but could be a challenge for those accustomed to modern pacing. Those windows scenes are still effective.

DRACULA, PRISONER OF FRANKENSTEIN (1972)

#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 23 Film #2

Dr. Frankenstein desires to take over the world, for which he resurrects Dracula to assist him? Jess Franco’s delirious low-budget version of the Universal monster mash films will have you wondering what is going on.

SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN (1970)

#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 23

For a film advertised as starring big-time horror actors, they are not in the film much. Vincent Price's mad scientist does not have much of an impact on the plot until the conclusion. This is more of a deep cut than one to recommend.

SPELLCASTER (1988)
#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 21

Was in the mood for some cheesy 1980s horror, and Spellcaster certainly fits that category. There sometimes is a semblance of a plot, but so much the film is arbitrary events that lead nowhere. The monster effects are good for the budget, however.

THE MEPHISTO WALTZ (1971)

#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 19

With my original idea of The Manitou not working out, I went with this occult thriller from my collection. The Mephisto Waltz was shot in a 1970s television style but with racier content than what you would find on TV at the time.

Other noteworthy details.

Kevin Bacon's death was shot in the same cabin where Brenda is shown sleeping.

Tom Savini was the body going through window. He was also one of the men who had to sit in the frigid October water to flip the canoe over.

The bathroom cabin was created for the film.

Photos

Upper Left: The original sign used in the film.

Lower Left: The pantry door (pantry was created for the film) and the window that Brenda gets thrown through. In the counselor's cabin

Upper Right: A blurry (sorry) image of the counselor's cabin.

Lower Right: Brenda's sleeping area

FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980)
#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 20

This weekend I went on a night tour of the Boy Scout camp (No-Be-Bo-Sco) in New Jersey where the film was shot in 1979. The film was shown in the camp's main lodge afterward. That famous jump scare was filmed in a very shallow part of the lake.

Some creativity in choosing a film is required when a category does not lend itself to many obvious options.

BELOW (2002)
#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 18: Wet Ghosts

Submarine gothic horror? Below is that besides also being a war film and a thriller. The script gets a little too convoluted, but there is a good atmosphere when the horror elements kick in. Questionable historical accuracy of course.

DEMON WITCH CHILD (1975)

#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 17: Killer Kids #2

From the director of the Blind Dead films comes this blast of weirdness. A malevolent witch possesses the body of a teenage girl. Though partly an Exorcist rip-off, this film goes off into much wilder narrative territory.

VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960)

#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 17: Killer Kids

Finally crossed this off of my watch list. It is a very British film. A group of strange blonde-haired children with extraordinary powers are born in a small English village. They do not take kindly to any threats to them.

POISON FOR THE FAIRIES (1986)
#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 16

Believing does not always involve the truth. In this Mexican slow-burn, a little girl convinces a classmate that she possesses the powers of a witch. What begins as an innocent game grows into a more menacing situation.

#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 15: Morgue Mayhem

Paul Naschy is the title character in HUNCHBACK OF THE MORGUE (1973). He is a man abused by the world who lashes out in murderous ways, but the film somehow keeps you sympathetic to him. Expect a lot of melodrama to be mixed into the horror.

THE FRIGHTENERS (1996)
#31DayHorrorChallenge

Dee Wallace's role is small but important in Peter Jackson's Hollywood debut. It is not until the conclusion that Jackson seemed to be allowed to unleash the craziness that got him noticed in the first place. Jeffrey Combs gets very weird.

DEADSTREAM (2022)

Catching up for Day 12 with this tense and humorous Shudder release. Internet-based horror is generally not my thing, yet I did have a good time watching Deadstream. The viewer commentary on the stream was clever.
#31DayHorrorChallenge

DR. JEKYLL AND THE WEREWOLF (1972)
#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 13

It would not be October without a Paul Naschy film. (Category idea!) Here he returns as Waldemar Daninsky to play the werewolf and Mr. Hyde (scenes shot in London) in an unusual horror romp. The disc looks great.

I forgot that Kelli Maroney was in another film featuring a mall. Night of the Comet is due for a re-watch.

CHOPPING MALL (1986)
#31DayHorrorChallenge

A first-time watch after many years of intending to see it, Chopping Mall is an entertaining blast of 1980s style. The action element is almost as prominent as the horror. With malls in decline, the film can inadvertently feel like a documentary.

THE RAVEN (1963)

Back to the #31DayHorrorChallenge with Roger Corman. I think the Poe films are the best ones he ever made. (RED DEATH is the high point.) Though The Raven is not the most horror focused of them, it fits in with the style of the other Poe films. The cast is terrific and very funny.

PHONE (2002)

#31DayHorrorChallenge Day 8

Returning to South Korea with a haunted phone call story that morphs into something completely unexpected by the conclusion. Though not coming together in a logical way, the film did take me on a wild ride. The child actress is genuinely creepy here.