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The infant is the result of ritualistic insemination by Michael & the maiden, similar to the Rosemary's Baby impregnation. Rather like the ritual scene in Ghoulies, the child is rescued and midwife killed. Hospital massacre follows.
The chamber itself is set in a favorable cavern-like setting bedecked with the Thorn Rune, with cultists' black robes ornamented with blood orange trim. All bear the rune upon the inner wrist.
The ancient Druidic Curse of Thorn signifies sacrificial familicide in order to propagate abundance and prosperity, avoiding drought and disease, enacted during a stellar alignment on Samhain night. Shades of The Lottery. And some motivation from Chick Tracts exploiting Halloween for Satanic Panic propaganda.
Quite possibly the darkest installment in the series, due to the Occult origins of the legend, and explains a lot. [4/5] ∞
Though ethically correct in My estimation, he is institutionalized, wherein one day escapes to haunt Halloweenight. Growing with superhuman size & strength, hair obscuring his visage with darkness, donning the dread mask as the face of Horror.
Regrettably, years of incarceration seems to have warped his mind toward nearly indiscriminate executions. Witnessed upon dispatching an orderly {Danny Trejo}. Yet the little ones remain spared. While Loomis lectures on the morbid deeds of he who exhibits The Devil's Eyes.
In one remarkable scene, wherein Michael acquires his killer accoutrement through a loudmouth truckdriver, brutally bashed even while spouting substanceless blabber, executed by silent death.
Notably included in the cast are Clint Howard {Evilspeak} as Dr. Koplensen, the 3 From Hell 'Cpt. Spaulding' Sid Haig as Chester Chesterfield, Bill Mosely as Zach "Z-Man" Garrett, Sheri Moon Zombie as mother Deborah Myers, Malcolm McDowell as Dr. Loomis, & Brad Dourif as Sheriff Brackett.
Some nudity, sexual situations, great gore mixed with psychological enhancement. I found this gritty version a small bit more believable {prototypal realife circumstances}, with references, aesthetics, and situations which one may be able to relate. [5/5]
KILL COUNT: 23.
Michael's endless lives serve him again as he returns from Hell, resurrecting in the back of an ambulance while being transported to the morgue, courtesy of bovine intervention.
A remarkable psychological element utilized herein is the oneiric juxtaposition of himself as darkling {PTSD "inner child"}, accompanied by ghostly mother standing together with an æthyreal manifestation of the white horse* she gifted him at the asylum.
As well as the killing spree of bullies and deserving obnoxious wastrels, the theme of Michael eliminating all those who leave him continues here. The executions are not without method. Victims are either obstacles, nuisances, or detriments, many times justified.
Loomis develops an attitude problem, glomming the talkshow circuit promoting his over-embellished book The Devil's Eyes without consideration for the privacy of those involved, revealing certain personal information without permission, causing Angel Myers {baby sister} much consternation, to the point of heavy drinking with her promiscuous rocker friends. None other than Weird Al makes an appearance as a guest.
Despite this exploitation, Loomis remains a crucial personage to gain both an understanding, and nominally controlling factors.
One remarkable scene yields a harkening to that evocatively iconic display of primal strength exhibited by THE HULK flipping the car, but Meyers instead. Staged pre-2k, many such Gen X references herein.
Some nubile nudity. Interestingly enough, Michael can actually be heard producing atypical guttural sounds from time to time during killings, while he's usually silent, as in silent death. ∞
KILL COUNT: 22.
No Artist– He`s Fucking Dead 0:13
2 The Moody Blues– Nights In White Satin 4:25
3 No Artist– Halloween Is Coming 0:16
4 10CC– The Things We Do For Love 3:33
5 No Artist– Who`s Lee Marvin ? 0:22
6 Scream (2)– Amerarockers 3:02
7 No Artist– Jam & Jelly 0:16
8 MC5– Kick Out The Jams 2:43
9 No Artist– Ass Good 0:18
10 Rod Stewart– (I Know) I`m Losing You 5:22
11 No Artist– D-E-A-D 0:15
12 Motörhead– The Chase Is Better Than The Catch 4:17
13 No Artist– I`m Angel Myers 0:20
14 John 5– Laurie`s Theme 1:19
15 No Artist– I Want To Party 0:21
16 Captain Clegg And The Night Creatures– Transylvania Terror Train 2:28
17 No Artist– Jack-O-Lanter & A Blonde 0:29
18 Captain Clegg And The Night Creatures– Honky Tonk Halloween 3:05
19 No Artist– Bring Your Baby Back Home 0:13
20 Foghat– I Just Want To Make Love To You 4:20
21 No Artist– Snapped On By Weird Al 0:21
22 Void (12)– Time To Die 1:37
23 No Artist– I Love You, Mommy ! 0:20
24 Nan Vernon– Love Hurts 3:53
25 Tyler Bates– Nurse Killa 2:34
[Note: Glenn Danzig orchestrates a production of the theme {a-la Black Aria}, & the original Nazareth "Love Hurts" features herein as well.]
Consumed by Evil...
Michael resides in an underworld location, recuperating from the last spree, where Corey Cunningham is brought within, who becomes his veritable, albeit temporary 'successor' {more of a means to an end}, sporting a classically cartoonish scarecrow mask. The more he kills, the stronger Michael becomes, to do his own killing. With a reputation of the town psycho due to an accident with a brat when babysitting, in a more or less "coming of age" scenario, Corey goes from nerd to killer within a couple of weeks, gaining a girlfriend 'Allyson' {Lori's grandaughter}, riding a motorcycle, and with a deadly disposition. There's a bit of a disturbing, almost reverse motherly Oedipal complex, while his dad is a congenial supportive parent. Descending into a subterranean dwelling through a tunnel "portal" may also signify Corey acquainting himself with his dark subconscious Shadow, where he and Michael become one. After the satisfaction of punishing the bullies, he goes about ridding the planet of other deserving and rotten organisms, from an insulting loudmouth DJ, to a goldigging bimbo trying to displace his girlfriend's occupational position, and a crazed hobo. Corey clashes with Lori who recognizes Michael within him, but their negative dynamic ends with contention, and Corey's demise. She again confronts Michael with the help of Allyson and a bit of clever subterfuge, accompanied by the entire town, disable him enough for a midnight procession to the local salvage yard. Of course, somehow or another, he'll be back... [Killcount: 11. Rating: 5/5]. 'Evil' has no boundaries... HALLOWEEN IV: The Return of Michael Myers
He acquires a set of coveralls from a mechanic at a gastation, absconds with the towtruck, immolates the place, with Loomis in pursuit, who then has to hitchhike, eventually picked up by a drunken zealot.
Myers eventually possesses the mask in a Halloween store while stalking Jamie. Then plunges the town into darkness upon throwing a technician onto a converter at the electric plant. He tracks her to a house where she's living with a foster family.
Jamie's been having precognitive nightmares of a boogieman in her dreams, making her reticent for anything Halloween. Whereupon being teased by a group of sadistic schoolmates, taunt her about her relations. Finally escaping by being picked up by her mother, decides she wants to trick-or-treat after all, going off to obtain a costume which just so happens to be identical to the one little Michael wore for his 1st kill.
Her older foster sister Rachel has to break a date with her boyfriend {headcrushed} to babysit, who went cheating with the sheriff's daughter. Upon discovering the impropriety, loses track of Jamie.
Loomis informs the sheriff that Michael is on the loose, but when his taskforce is executed by Michael, the only option is a gaggle of dull-witted beergut redneck buffoons, who go about trying to hunt him, shooting one of their own in the process, predictably failing and essentially getting their beerguts split open, strewn about the highway like so much roadkill.
After taking refuge in the school, Loomis, Jamie, and Rachel are stalked therein until desperately departing in the deadneck truck, which Michael had been riding under, but is finally bucked off and struck, then bombarded by the sheriff and remaining mob, landing in a ditch. Jamie goes outo actually touch him, becoming possessed.* |>
Now seemingly safe & sound back at the house, a familiar perspective inside the mask yields bloody screams to complement this Halloween night! To Loomis' utter horror, it starts all over again! ∞
{Killcount: 16}
_____________ H A L L O W E E N {LIII}
2 documentarian reporters visit her in her veritable traphouse rigged with all sorts of ambushes and fortifications, even paying a goodly sum for a minimal interview where nothing really new is divulged. They even went to visit Michæl in the asylum where he's kept in a 6' rectangular space out in the nicely tiled yard.
The bus Michæl was riding in gets wrecked, allowing him to escape, where he just so happens to come upon the journalists at a gastation, killing them both. In one particularly gruesome scene, he throws a handful of freshly torn teeth into the lady's stall, while the man's face and head is summarily smashed bloody against the wall! Of course, the mask used in an attempt to coax him into a reaction is collected, more detailed looking like Shatner, and even more resembling Mark Preston! {The Devil's Rain}
In timely fashion, it's Halloweenight, where he goes about gathering up his favorite weaponry for the final confrontation with his sister. Towards the end, Michæl gazes up like a little boy at his sister while he's engulfed in a carefully orchestrated inferno.
2 notable kills should be mentioned. 1st, a douchie cheeselard is impaled though the jaw on a gate, while another whiney runt is veritably pinned by a blade through the chest on a wall! It should also be noted that he doesn't hurt little ones, but rather entirely ignores them overall.
A questionable 'Dr. Sartain' replaces Dr. Loomis revealing his own deadly obsession with Michæl & Evil, in quite a warped twist. Though that is a nice pen! The pen wielded as a blade!
Enjoyed all the inferences here and there, such as the Shamrock Company 'mascots' jack o'lantern, skull, and witch as trick-or-treaters running around. Then the same kind of closet doors from the 1st film used while she's roaming the house trying to locate him. Plus the scene where he tosses her out the window only to disappear when he looks back after being momentarily distracted, just like he did in the 1st. HALLOWEEN H20
Arriving at the school gate, Michael easily veers past a clueless gomer security tard ninja style, constantly using up the phone line with some screeching yenta, stealthily makes his way onto the property. After roaming about for awhile, Michael finds Laurie and begins to pursue her - at one point they are mere inches from eachother's faces, only separated by a window!
While the rest of the student body set off for Yosemite, Laurie's son John, his girlfriend, and a couple of friends remain for a salacious Halloween party in the basement. The skull on the doombox and the plethora of candles are a nice touch. Along with them, left on campus are Laurie, a douchie counselor greaseball she's having 'relations' with, and a rentacop.
Eventually, the gomer is shot, the counselor is gloriously impaled, several obnoxious victims meet their doom, and even after being pinned by a vehicle, [mistakenly] beheaded, Michael seeks the solace of his subterranean chamber for the next killing spree.  Still stalking sister Laurie, Michæl manages to escape again and make his way to the sanitarium where she's housed, and despite her clever traps, plunges to her death into Hell to await him. After which he disappears.
One of the more interesting characters is one of the other residents obsessed with serial killers to the point where he goes about dressed like them, diligently knowing every little fact and trivia about their exploits, including Michæl. He is spared for "giving The Devil His due", as it were. Appreciation goes a long way.
Some pretentious, superficial promoters decide to sponsor a Halloween haunted house internet show wherein participants spend a night at the Meyers House, not knowing Michæl has been living under the house the whole time. Each equipped with bodycams, with footage style reminiscent of The Blair Witch Project.
I found it amusing that nomatter what a ridiculous loudmouth he is, he gets his regardless. To someone who acts like everything's a joke, the statement of realization "this is serious" comes as soberly fearful revelation. Michæl should have finished him off when he had the chance - slit his throat or stab him on top of the head.
So when these victims arrive, the killing starts, picking off clueless sheeple one by one, all of whom happen to be college students.* A Halloween watch party is occurring at the same time, while everyone witnesses the shadowy massacre. There's a wonderful underground labyrinth as well as spaces between the walls, a dungeon-like basement, not to mention the attic, all of where Michael stealthily moves from room to room, picking off victims one by one. Essentially, "cleaning house". He is especially fond of impalements. Evil never dies. It just gets stronger.
_____________ TRICK OR TREAT
{XX A.S. Directed by Charles Martin Smith. Starring Tony Fields, Gene Simmons, Ozzy Osbourne, Marc "Skippy" Price.}
Eddie Weinbauer {Marc "Skippy" Price from Family Ties}, AKA "Ragman", is a High School Metalhead who is picked on by New Wavey-type Jocks until he has enough, and finds an equalizer in his idol Sammi Curr, a recently deceased leather-clad Heavy Metal icon immolated by fire, whose indomitable presence returns through his theretofore unreleased record, whom Eddie uses like a Ouija Board to communicate with eachother from beyond the grave... back-masking "shilgne" comes into play here through his possessed stereo. Channeled through electricity, Curr eventually manifests on Halloween night, when his post-humous previously unreleased malefik musick is to be broadcast from a local station run by a DJ named 'Nuke' {Gene Simmons}, and causing havoc withersoever he appears. Most notably, at the school prom, where in a scene reminiscent of Carrie, the auditorium erupts in flames after he blasts several audience members with energy bolts from his guitar! While incarnate, Curr decides to have some fun with a jock's girlfriend via a reversed cassette recording of his musickal messages, where the viewer is gratified by some delectable nudity. Eddie's bedroom walls are arrayed with posters from the likes of Judas Priest {c. British Steel/Defenders of The Faith}, Iron Maiden {c. The Trooper}, Lizzy Borden {c. Give 'Em The Axe}, Motley Crue {c. Shout At The Devil}, Twisted Sister {c. Under The Blade/Stay Hungry}, and Ozzy Osbourne {c. Diary of A Madman}, with records of Possessed {c. Seven Churches; by far the heaviest and blackest of the bunch}, Impaler {c. Rise of The Mutants}, and Megadeth {c. Killing Is My Business...}. Compared to some of other records released at the time, with the exception of Possessed and that particular Megadeth album, those others are actually rather tame, focusing more on sexuality and in the case of Ozzy Osbourne, horror movie antics, rather than overtly Occult themes - there could have been Venom, Slayer, Celtic Frost, and Mercyful Fate!* Interestingly, the entire soundtrack is comprised of songs by Fastway. Various other knicknacks include action figures, a skull, a bat, a plastic suction spiderweb, and dinosaur-like monsters - surely, all the tell-tale signs of an evil devil-worshipper! All that was missing was a porcelain black cat, although earlier in the film, a cat is spotted dangerously close to the microwave oven! Ozzy Osbourne appears briefly from time to time on the tube as a clean-cut evangelical preacher railing against sexual Heavy Metal lyrics and warrior/whore aesthetics in all of its primal glory. In his own way, seems that Osbourne applies a Shibboleth principle in mocking antagonists by assuming their foolish roles, and it is actually pretty well done, and not too far from the truth of how they behave after all. Of note, Eddie's friend 'Roger', who actually tells it like it is, regarding music executives pushing albums with the whole backward masking gimmick to sell records, and the gullible who took it seriously, with christians only fueling the hellfires of the bands benefitting from it. Shortly prior to his death, Curr had faced the PMRC countering paranoid claims, which resulted in his suspicious demise the next night. This scene was obviously inspired by Dee Snider's and Frank Zappa's actual addresses to the said organization. Overall, the Sammi Curr character is an archetype embodying all of the superstitions and fears of "concerned" {translate: frightened, repressed, bored, ignorant; hypocritically passive-aggressive} christians, who project all of their own sublimated and fictitious notions onto those who refuse to walk lock-step with church sheeple. The DVD is simply packaged, with only chapter selections available. For those who appreciate productions stemming from this musical genre, Trick or Treat just might be that piece of Halloween candy with the razor blade inside.
_________ Acquired this DVD recently when I unexpectedly spotted a copy along with The Gate. Considering that Magister Paradise had mentioned it on Heavy Metal Memories a couple of times, I decided to pick it up. Tales of Halloween
Hosted by the one and only buxom beauty Adrienne Barbeau {Cannonball Run, TZ Teacher's Aide, The Fog}, a town is subject to ten terrifying tales coming under the spell of this veritable Witch. Each one is connected in a wicked web of folly & horror. Plus, everyone seems to be watching Night of The Living Dead, omnipresently in the background on TV. [5/5] Candy Corn
Nominal mentions to the girlfriend of the ratty-whiskered redneck instigator, who almost apathetically called for an end to the throttling, even going so far as the station, yet changed her mind out of fear at the last moment. Welcome to Dr. Death's Sideshow Spookhouse Spectacular! The 'freaks' & misfits have owned their uniqueness, empowered by their very differences, thrive and prosper! Wherein it is bold to state Weird is wonderful. Bizarre is beautiful. When not entertaining the rubes, Dr. Death invokes necromancy from a very Necronomicon-looking tome kept in a super-secret place from the profane, for the purpose of diabolic justice! Behold! It walks! It walks! Jacob is resurrected! Who like a grisly golem, goes about stalking the town mutilating the deserving perpetrators and anyone who gets in his way! Including sheriffs, who can barely stomach the gory spectacles left behind, until eventually becoming them as well.
Revenge accomplished, justice done. On to the next town! [4/5] ∞
Black Pumpkin
This lends to most amusing killing scenes, whereupon several pretentious, annoying, and otherwise obnoxious bimbos & douchebags get slaughtered about the campfire and sinbin.
Eventually a troop of kids decide to make a classignment a youtube movie about the legend, garnering a sizable viewership, becoming aware of some very interesting facts along the way, like the very house in which a girl and her brother live in was the murder house.
This comes to the attention of a local conspiracy-theorist type that's been following the case for decades, whom providence seems to unite everyone together to subsequently combat this 'little monster'; whose calling card is leaving a black-colored pumpkin on the porch, along with a sort of stigmata nosebleed, signifying the next victim. [4/5] ∞
Also an interesting title, considering the close similarity of the name* of a Satanic magazine.
_____________ Halloween Party
2 students seek to stop these unfortunates, seeking the help of a doctor who treated the disease, but by thinking they are setting them free, end up actually letting them loose on the hapless populace. {accessed through the girl's dormroom closet floor hiding a trap door to the subterranean areas where they were imprisoned}. ∞
10/31
I. The Halloween Blizzard of '91: A heavy blizzard traps a family inside for Halloween, here they are visited by 3 gruesome trick or treaters somewhat reminiscent of Lock, Shock, & Barrel, with a 1920's twist. Features a Ouija board session, a buxom beauty in a Queen of Hearts costume, & a dorky "security guard". {Based on an actual weather story by the same name, of a monster blizzard overwhelming the northeast}. II. The Samhain Slasher: The news announces a killer on the loose, escaped from the local insane asylum, making his rounds on Halloween. Like The Nightstalker, finally ingresses into an unsecured home to gain access to a particularly beautiful girl. In the end, an inspired scene of evisceration, victim suspended by entrails, and ignited like a lantern as the house burns down! {bonus Lurch mask} III. Trespassers: To spice up Halloween night, a thrill-seeking girl convinces her rather generic, lackluster date to investigate an urban legend way out in the sticks, about a possessed scarecrow and a gypsy curse placed on the land. A couple of amusing unexpected twists in this one. IV. The Old Hag: A favorite. An amateur production company run by a couple of desperate goofs, employed by the owner of a glorious Victorian mansion to drum up some tourist attention, yet is only a pretext that she may finally be able to get some sleep by feeding the resident vampiric entity. {Reference: "Old Hag Syndrome"; anthropomorphicization of sleep paralysis}.
V. Killing The Dance: A titillating cowgirl-type brunette out in the boonies works her job at the local roller rink, but also has to babysit her little brother, quite a little monster in his own right. Her cletus boyfriend and some friends, along with a few other rollerskaters are targeted by a killer making his way around the rink for a mass slaughter. Just leave the boy and his sister alone. ///scanners/// ∞
I. A Samhain Liturgy: Epic diabolic horror! A couple prepare to go to a Heavy Metal Halloween party. He's a deathbanger {complete with spikes, & a pentagram on leather jacket}, she's a pretty goth-type girl. Her little brother is a little devil, who provides the sacrifice for the night's ceremony. Apparently, unbeknownst to them, a satanic panic cult has gathered in the basement, where a twisted demonoid is unleashed to feed. Fantastic transitions here! II. Dead Lift: An uber/lyft driver picks up a man in a Count Dracula costume, covered in [fake] blood. Turns out he's a real vampire after all, but not the typical variety. Happy ending. The predator and prey both get what they want in the end. More of a psychological thriller, containing a Lovecraftian vibe, and an Invasion of The Body Snatchers influence. III. Overkill: A most amusing episode where serial killers are literally arguing with eachother as to whom shall take the next victim, whose dancing inside a house in a sexy nurse's costume. One reminds one of BTK, the other, Jason. In a surprise turn, I think it went to the beast man after all. If you snooze, you lose! IV. Apache Hatchet Massacre II: A vengeful indian spirit seeks justice for ancient grave desecration, possessing minds & bodies to deliver the executions. Reminiscent of Scalps. The premise itself could work quite well. But unfortunately, the presentation seems rather gratuitous. The characters are lazy, obnoxious, pretentious, and sloppy, which does deliver somewhat of a pleasing sensation to watch them massacred. I suppose the 'indian' {"feather, not dot", sic} used a hatchet because there was no actual tomahawk available. A parody of a parody of slasher films. V. Sister Mary: An 'oppressed' former nun's schizophrenia is awakened wherein she encounters her own traumas {"demons"}, desiring to explore her carnal nature, but because of various unnecessary dogmatic guiltrips, recedes into mental illness. She could very well have been named "Sister Sybil". Includes chopping up a lover's body, hiding it in the basement which inadvertently summons a demon like a sacrifice, who becomes her true lover. ∞ Conclusion
Overall, these anthologies preserve the Hell in Helloween, maintaining horror in a purer form, while relegating humor where it belongs, as an accent to the characters themselves, without interfering with the atmos-fear. The evocative environments, erotica, costuming, and nudity are appreciated, while the acting seems more natural and relaxed, ergo a bit more believable in a reality sense, and gives The Devil His due when needs be. ∞
Bad Candy
Especially poignant for the drunken stepfather attempting to prevent pretty little witchie-poo from celebrating this wickedly wonderful "Hell Hallows Eve". But with a little help from her hellemental fiends, she gets to anyway! A serial killer wearing a devil costume dispatches a rotten organism to Hell; a malcontented codger placing razorblades in brownies suffers accordingly; destructive shenanigans of a bully wherein he becomes the treat for his trick; a ghostory wherein an empathic psychic time travels to when a boy on a Halloween dare was burned alive in a since haunted house; and the blissful killing field of a veritable Abaddon wreaking bloody justice on a group of these deserved sacrifices.
"Bad Candy" could be demon Loki the deadly trickster displaying diabolic justice to those who deserve it, especially trying to ruin Halloweenight. All receiving their own gruesome trick. ∞
Hack O'Lantern
Tommy {The Devil's son} is relatable, living subterranean like a Hellish crypt, weightrains, listens to Metal, wears a nice Pentagram Baphomet medallion, keeps Altar in a private space, Baphomet topped with inversed crucifix. Even has a sexy girlfriend {who resembles Gina Ambrosio of Deathrash Metal band Blasphemic Cruelty} with a pentagram brand on her curvaceous bottom who drives a nice Corvette. His mother attempts to thwart his evolution, but all for naught.
He is to be inaugurated into the Coven and fulfill his destiny on Halloween night, which his grandfather & High Priest has been carefully grooming him for since childhood. The film begins with a completely wholesome, even heartwarming scene of grandpa bringing around the pumpkin harvest, and bestowing toys, like a rubber skeleton and capguns!
Unfortunately, his sister interrupts the proceedings, who is then remanded to be the night's sacrifice, to be dealt with Tommy's stroke. He ends up running off to a Halloween party where several attendees are killed. Being that Tommy failed, in quite a twist, High Grandevilfather possesses rookie cop younger brother 'Roger' via the 3rd eye, who then becomes High Priest. Concludes with a strong Satanic sentiment.
Great demon mask in line with Belial, featuring tusks, while the executioner wields a deadly pitchfork. Plenty of sex & death, plus a plethora of delightful nudity, libidinous couples, incestuous insinuations, & sex on a fresh grave.
Soundtrack features a hooftapper by DC LeCroix called "The Devil's Son", played during a surreal dream sequence wherein Kali makes an appearance as the band performs, claiming her chosen one. The Mercenaries play at the Halloween party. [5/5] Hocus Pocus
{1693∞1993}
HALLOWEEN 1993: Awakened by a valley dude virgin douchebag who lit the dread black flame candle. The Sanderson sisters draw lifeforce from girls, while boys are kept in cages and/or transformed into various animals. So like Corbis {The Devil's Rain}, the witches go searching all over towne for the stolen book of spells withat evil eye peering. Along the way they come upon a house decorated like Hell, as they meet witheir host dressed like The Devil! Of course, they dutifully pay obeisance to the King of Hell, eventually dancing with him in the evilivingroom, to the chagrin of his intoxicated wife {Laverne!}. Some trick or treaters made off witheir brooms! Curses! They have to make due with a regular housebroom, a mop, and a vacuum cleaner! They also board a bus with a randy driver who takes a particular liking to Sarah, but leave the mortal carriage driver behind when they get to where they wanto go. {Reminded of The Craft inference "We are the weirdoes..." Indeed.} By the by, Winnie's former lover Billy Butcherson is brought back from the grave as a zombie servant. Undead on Walpurgisnacht! Sarah casts a spell upon the town's children to lure them to The House that they may draw their energy before dawn, like vampires, so they remain young & beautiful forever. Perfection achieved. ∞ The Worst Witch
The school is basically like Hogwarts, complete with uniforms. When bullied, little awkward Mildred Hubble's burgeoning latent powers rise to the surface, while the bully gets what she deserves in being transformed into the pig she is, just bringing what's inside out! Then she even goes out of her way to change her back as she's pestering the whole time! She's eventually reprimanded for leaving the premises without permission, but is excused when it's discovered that she captured some wicked witches out on the other side of the mountain, who have been plotting to take over the school, threatening to turn everybody into frogs! However, they themselves are turned into snails by Mildred and brought to the headmistress' office, played by Charlotte Rae {Facts of Life}, who also plays her wicked sister witch! As to the title, seems Mildred Hubble has made some mistakes, but sometimes a "late bloomer" becomes the best of all when they finally bloom. All those qualities of hexcellence just needed more time to develop. This presentation features Fairuza Balk {The Craft, Valmont}, & Tim Curry as The Grand Wizard! He swoops in on Halloween night to join the celebrations, performing an enchanting tune. He makes a wisely poignant observation that [paraphrased] true Witchcraft always lives inside the Witch. ∞
Haunted Halloween
Entering a store likened Walgreen's to the Halloween aisle, the masks manifest into their respective personages, including yeti, werewolf, Dracula, witches, an attendant transformed into a hunchback ogre. As the magic is transmitted through the coils, the atmosphere additionally enlivens ghosts, jack o'lanterns who grow wings, the Headless Horseman, and a giant spider we'll call Avoosal. Even gummibears come to life! Played by Jack Black, RL Stine is characterized herein as the nucleic imaginative progenitor, when his books unleash this favorable reality into existence. With the help of a small group of teens, seeks to return the monsters and phantoms back into the books. For some of us, the likened Halloween theme is a constant. From the hellegant to Gothic decor, fanciful to the stoic, practical to the accentuating. Empowering and reflective, evocative and an æsthetic crystallization. I also noticed a similarity in the cover image to that of My own Halloween Unleashed. Overall, a charming dracling film about the preponderance and eventual total possession of a town by the denizens of Halloween. SO IT IS DONE. [5/5] ∞ Hubieween
While investigating a complaint, discovers his mental case 'friend' is a werewolf, leading him on a chase all over town on several adventures into a Haunted House attraction, a Halloween party, a corn maze, to the drive-in, even to the local radio station, where he meets a very unexpected surprise. Finally, Hubie receives vicarious reciprocation, eventually marries, and becomes the mayor.
Overall, the film is basically Ernest Scared Stupid with 'Hubie Dubois' instead of Ernest P. Worrell. [3/5] Ernest Scared Stupid
"Ernest P. Worrell"* is a slapstick redneck character, a silly rubber-faced, gullible fumbling garbageman with a clumsy awkward streak. Kind of like a retarded Schneider. Invented by comedian Jim Varney.
Ernest unwittingly, semi-purposefully unleashes a troll from an enchanted tree, initially imprisoned by his puritanical ancestors {played by Varney}. The impressive demonic troll named TRANTOR goes about transforming kids into wooden effigies, preserving them in the tree, to be used as veritable 'soulseeds' infusing pods to form a troll army for revenge. At one point he calls upon "evil demons" to make him invincible, and so grows into a mighty horned monstrosity, not unlike Mumm-Ra and The Quickening, or even Apotheosis.
So Ernest and his unfortunate dog has to muddle through his own amusing stupidity, which he seems to make up with tenacity, and with the help of one of the kids, finally figures out that milk works against the trolls. "Mother's Care", as it were. Eartha Kitt also {unsurprisingly} stars as a Witch, somewhat reminiscent of 'Aughra' {Dark Crystal}.
Additionally, I thought I recognized some of the trolls therein! Turns out the Chiodo Brothers provided the creatures and props. The killer klowns dressed as trolls!
Film ends inappropriately cringy. Thought it ironically appropriate that Ernest resorts to "praying" to the god of the christards, complete with golden light, all to deliver a simple nauseating tip. Ergo, "god cares for drunks and fools", although it rarely goes well for either.
Surprised the whining Satanic Panic squad didn't typically pretentiously 'condemn' the movie because of that empowerment scene! Like some are doing for Hocus Pocus 2. As if anyone really takes them seriously, as they routinely make fools of themselves.
Overall, it was okay, an idyllic/eidolic presentation, evocative of Halloween. [3/5] ∞
_____________ Kenny & Company
It's 4 days 'til Halloween, while Kenny, Doug, and the awkward jinx Sherman are residents in suburbia during this Magical time, playing flag football, skateboarding from place to place on spontaneous adventures {including an always favorite trip to the toystore! - and going for icecream}, attending 5th & 6th grade, as Kenny becomes infatuated with a local girl. Thus given the mating signal, becoming a fast, albeit temporary couple.
He's fortunate to have a couple of cool teachers, and an uncle whose an agent! With quite a few tricks up his sleeve! Including ye olde missing keys for the handcuffs, just like Gacy, the Killer Clown.
While casing local homes for Trick or Treat booty, familiarity with residents, etc., they enter a neighborly haunted house attraction though a garage 'ending' with hellarious results; and retelling the local legend of a reclusive old lady who allegedly sleeps with a shotgun by her bed! Though for some reason the door remains unlocked? When his beloved dog dies, he has a brief conversation with a local senior at a bustop.
During all of this, Kenny has to deal with a loser bully who loots money every time he's spotted, as if paying some sort of toll for merely biking down the street! But he's eventually dealt with appropriately!
The entire environment is graced by autumnal charm & wonder, the decorations everywhere. Even the very air itself assumes that certain enchanted orange glow, bristling with mystery and anticipation for that sweet communion with The Devil. [5/5] ∞
A girl becomes possessed speaking in shilgne backward speech, a clown prop keeps moving around on its own, and a mysterious shadowy figure shows up around corners and in photographs. Well, perform Satanic rituals to open The Gates will draw legions, and many strange things will start happening! Add to that the fear and folklore imbuing the reputation of the place, and a shadowmantic dynamic is created. Tulpas and egregores, rendering the atmosphere conducive for paranormal activity. Given the name, One would think that it is sponsored by xians for propaganda purposes, but it turns out to be just a pretty good Halloween show overall. Good use of lighting and shadows, with suitable acting. [4/5] ∞ C E R E M O N Y
So the angel is imprisoned within a box-like container likened a genie in the bottle, or 'dybbuk box', until just the correct circumstances are achieved again during a summoning ritual, which incorporates a red Pentagram with candles at the points - the "Pandora's Box" itself resembles a trapezoidal container.
So a group are gathered this night to accomplish this conjuration, but none may step within the Circle with the demon, lest they be consumed, for this is how it feeds. Little by little, bit by bit, the demon takes whatever victims it can, driving one girl insane, possessing her as well, by using the metaphor of the serpent as representative of The Devil / "Evil", which enters through her mouth upon which her ocular countenance transforms to the likeness of the demon.
Eventually, she finally manages to escape through a "crack", as it were, of the circle by which the blood of a sacrificial dog resembling Benji, and the fact that not all the candles are lit. So she takes demonic form, which was a bit refreshing from the angelic veils of white image with the golden skullcap thusfar, is entirely red, naked, horny and bald, she lurks about in the darkness of the house until the possessed girl finally comes to her senses, but not after too much inane dialogue transpires.
Another critique, is that I would love to have seen more of The Devil, who should have been given a much more prominent role.
Eventually, as to be expected, the demon is returned to her container and is sealed up for another 1,400 years.
Forrest Ackerman makes brief surprise appearances as an ailing grandfather who imparts sage wisdom. By far, the star of the show.
In one particularly memorable scene during a dream sequence, the Nazarene is portrayed as a vampire with bared fangs when one of the characters petitions him for mercy from damnation. It is interesting to note that the Nazarene actually does resemble a vampire-leech in the sense of the blood fetishism as a resplendent theme in the nazarene cult - the drinking of blood, consuming of flesh, life after death {immortality}, the propensity of his zombie-like followers to transform everyone they meet into clonish versions of themselves, etc.
This film manages to portray the J/C God and kryst as petty, jealous, mercurial, and selfish, punishing one of their own by abandonment and excommunication, for such a thoughtful, adoring, complimentary desire. The ingratitude of it.
The prosthetics were good, but the film could have used a dose of CGI, to accentuate some of those more dramatic moments.
Overall, in a relative vain of Ghoulies, Ceremony manages to create a "B-movie" flare on a relatively condensed budget, although this series has the wonderful possibility to release an improved part 2 which can bring a new dimension to the plot - one of few films who can boast a superior sequel.
This underground film will be enjoyed by collectors of rare demonic sinematic memorabilia, and FX aficionados. Recommended party fair. ∞
     
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The Man in Black has made all the arrangements. The Film opens to a rite by 
Little Michael is part of the 
In the immediate transition from the 
Misfit kid picked on by obnoxious lessers, stands up for himself, gets justified revenge, derives a taste for blood, inspired by Meyers legend. Essentially FEEDS Michael life force, who takes enough to achieve full potency, dispatches tool, continues killing. Initially gives the impression Corey was to be a possessed successor, Michael transmigrating into a host, but chose a likened vessel instead, for nobody does it better.
10/30-31/88... DMH officials make their way to transfer Michael from Haddonfield hospital to a sanitarium now that he awakened from his decade coma. To the shock of Loomis, who had been monitoring him closely to make sure he remains under control. Predictably, Michael escapes the confines of the ambulance, which plunges into a lake, and makes his way to retrieve his æsthetic, then on to "sacrifice" his sister Laurie's niece Jamie back in Haddonfield, the cursed bloodline.
Now Laurie is working as an instructor at a private Catholic school & boarding house under an assumed name, after previously faking her death. Michæl finds her whereabouts from a file at a retirement home where Loomis resided, absconding with a vehicle {panel truck - there was also another apparently malfunctioned vehicle already there when they arrived, probably a succession as he travels cross-country}, belonging to a lady and her daughter from a rest stop. While indisposed, Michæl enters in and snatches her purse, only taking the keys, sparing their lives, and off he goes on his trek to California to meet his sister.
Premiering at the height of the SRA hysteria, this film capitalizes on it with much of the urban mythology employed, from the claim that Heavy Metal would lead to ruin and corrupt the minds of its fans, to the invocations to The Devil, backward masking, and possession.
ome bully bumpkins decide to organize the yearly Halloween harassment party on a local mute mongoloid named Jacob, finally beating him to death. Thing is, they weren't expecting him to be in the employ of the traveling carnival populated by the usual unusual freaks, who have taken a liking to him for the help.
ased on the urban legend of a boy who gets killed out in canyon area Diablo's Den on Halloween, then returns to wreak revenge as a veritable demon named "Bloody Bobby".
bout the "balloon babies", mutants suffering from a deformative malady, seeking revenge for being neglected, maltreated, haunting the underground of a campus, who are somehow summoned by a Halloween virus game featuring a witch. The aim is to describe your worst fear before the timer runs out, otherwise the player will die by it. Shadowmantic indeed. It is no laughing matter!
Completely awesome, evocative, relatable sinsations. Fantastic ritual ideas. The positioning of The Cornus upon the Chalice, Greeting The Night at dusk, the blackhooded red robes.
Salem, MA. HALLOWEEN 1693 - The 3 Sanderson sister Witches {Winifred, Mary, Sarah / ginger, brunette, blonde} return to their cottage house turned virtual museum to their legend, after a couple centuries, after a fiery return to The Abyss {after they try to absorb peasant boy Thackery Binx's sister Emily's lifeforce, who's turned into an immortal black cat for his troubles.
Once a year in Salem, intellectually compromised deli worker "Hubie" essentially becomes the town Safety monitor for Halloween, even though he has a yellow streak. Yet his simplistic tenacity is acknowledged by his loving mother and would-be girlfriend recognize him, an albeit ersatz "hero", who sets out on his bike seeking to protect the ungrateful populace, in his rather imbecilic way, but has "good" {read: indiscriminately anthropic} intent. Because of his stupefied condition, is taken advantage of by virtually everyone, is universally pranked, and bullied from local kids to the police.
Not too bad of a movie, done in that "realistic" style, likened The Blair Witch Project. Here, lost footage found of some entrepreneurs and actors in a spookshow haunted house attraction, taking over "Hotel Abaddon" where a girl and her mother went missing, and the owner hung himself. There were also alleged Satanic rituals conducted at the then abandoned edifice, in the basement wherein pentagrams and an inverted cross are still present.
