Knight at HOME at the Movies
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Halloween Starts NOW!!!
A quartet of creepy recommendations kicks off our month long salute to the best of this year's crop of scary movie DVDs!!!
A quartet of creepy recommendations kicks off our month long salute to the best of this year's crop of scary movie DVDs!!!
It makes perfect sense to kick off our salute to Halloween movies with two based on the
works of horror-meister Stephen King. There is much to like in 1408 in which John
Cusack as a skeptical author of paranormal books meets his match in a really ominous
hotel room. The movie has a terrific build up (and a nicely understated performance from
Samuel L. Jackson for once) and I had plenty of good things to say about it when it was
released last summer. This new two-disc collector's edition from the Weinstein Company
offers the usual behind the scenes featurettes, five deleted scenes, assorted
commentaries and on the second disc a really cool alternate ending that takes the movie
in a completely different direction. This is a great bonus feature for both fans of the film
and the uninitiated. This is sure to be a big seller this Halloween and will be a great one
to watch year after year. Best of all, the movie's short on gore, long on suspense and
chills.
Another great movie based on Stephen King material is Misery, out in a long desired
Collector's Edition from MGM. Rob Reiner's 1990 film made Kathy Bates an overnight
movie star and brought her a raft of prizes (including the Oscar) as the psychopathic
Annie Wilkes, the "Number One Fan" of Paul Sheldon, a Stephen King like writer who has
made gazillions with a gothic romance series of novels. But after an accident in the Rocky
Mountains Paul is lucky to be alive and recovering in the snowbound home of Annie. Or is
he? When Annie reads the latest "Misery" novel and finds out that Paul has killed off his
much loved heroine the cat and mouse games begin. Caan as the trapped, wheelchair
bound Paul who must rely on his wits to outsmart the canny Annie also does a remarkable
job. As do Richard Farnsworth and Frances Sternhagen in nice supporting roles. The disc
includes a lot of new featurettes (with all the principals being interviewed on camera with
the exception of Farnsworth who has passed away) and I was especially pleased to see
one devoted exclusively to the movie's wonderful music score by Marc Shaiman.
Shaiman, who had worked closely with singers like Bette Midler as a pianist and arranger
up to that point, made his debut as a film scorer with the movie. He's gone on to write
many other excellent film scores and the music for some little Broadway show and movie
musical called Hairspray. Misery is a film that never fails to entertain.
20th Century Fox has released a slew of double feature titles under the moniker "Midnite
Movies" that are perfect Halloween fare. Most of these pictures made their impact in the
late 60s, early 70s at the drive-in as part of quadruple bills. I'm particularly pleased to
see 1970's Tales from the Crypt, the first film version based on the famed comic
book series (with Joan Collins, Peter Cushing, etc.) and 1973's Vault of Horror, a sorta
sequel to Tales inasmuch as it follows the omnibus format. There will be a lot of crabbing
about the fact that Vault is being presented in a heavily edited, much less gory version
but I'm not among the complainers. I actually prefer the gore being cut back and the
emphasis on the tricky little stories. Each film is given its own disc and trailers are
included. Fox has also issued one of my favorite horror camp movies, 1976's The Food
of the Gods as part of the series. The movie, in which giant animals and insects (from
rats to mosquitoes) feed on their unsuspecting human "superiors" is a hoot from first to
last. Best is the "what the hell" acting of evangelist turned actor Marjoe. A great,
hilarious waste of time! There are many other titles in this ghoulish but fun Fox series
and they're even more attractive priced at about $10 bucks apiece.
MGM has also released the tasty Vincent Price: Scream Legends Collection. It's a
five disc set that includes no less than SEVEN of Price's 60s and early 70s classics. These
include my two favorite late Price vehicles, The Abominable Dr. Phibes (and its sequel Dr.
Phibes Rises Again) and the campy Theatre of Blood from 1973. In the latter Price plays an
hammy Shakespearean actor who finds extremely creative ways to kill off the critics that
have denied him a long sought for acting prize. Price is ably supported by Diana Rigg
and both sport a variety of disguises and accents. The set includes long desired, new to
DVD title Witchfinder General (aka Conquerer Worm) which finds Price at his nastiest as a
witch hunter in the 17th Century whose cruelty finally goes too far. MGM includes a special
disc with biographical material on Price that is also very informative and entertaining.
Though the majority of these films have been released in previous DVD editions, this
combines the films together in a nicely packaged boxed set, has the bonus disc as a
great incentive and best of all - the set retails for less than $25!!!
works of horror-meister Stephen King. There is much to like in 1408 in which John
Cusack as a skeptical author of paranormal books meets his match in a really ominous
hotel room. The movie has a terrific build up (and a nicely understated performance from
Samuel L. Jackson for once) and I had plenty of good things to say about it when it was
released last summer. This new two-disc collector's edition from the Weinstein Company
offers the usual behind the scenes featurettes, five deleted scenes, assorted
commentaries and on the second disc a really cool alternate ending that takes the movie
in a completely different direction. This is a great bonus feature for both fans of the film
and the uninitiated. This is sure to be a big seller this Halloween and will be a great one
to watch year after year. Best of all, the movie's short on gore, long on suspense and
chills.
Another great movie based on Stephen King material is Misery, out in a long desired
Collector's Edition from MGM. Rob Reiner's 1990 film made Kathy Bates an overnight
movie star and brought her a raft of prizes (including the Oscar) as the psychopathic
Annie Wilkes, the "Number One Fan" of Paul Sheldon, a Stephen King like writer who has
made gazillions with a gothic romance series of novels. But after an accident in the Rocky
Mountains Paul is lucky to be alive and recovering in the snowbound home of Annie. Or is
he? When Annie reads the latest "Misery" novel and finds out that Paul has killed off his
much loved heroine the cat and mouse games begin. Caan as the trapped, wheelchair
bound Paul who must rely on his wits to outsmart the canny Annie also does a remarkable
job. As do Richard Farnsworth and Frances Sternhagen in nice supporting roles. The disc
includes a lot of new featurettes (with all the principals being interviewed on camera with
the exception of Farnsworth who has passed away) and I was especially pleased to see
one devoted exclusively to the movie's wonderful music score by Marc Shaiman.
Shaiman, who had worked closely with singers like Bette Midler as a pianist and arranger
up to that point, made his debut as a film scorer with the movie. He's gone on to write
many other excellent film scores and the music for some little Broadway show and movie
musical called Hairspray. Misery is a film that never fails to entertain.
20th Century Fox has released a slew of double feature titles under the moniker "Midnite
Movies" that are perfect Halloween fare. Most of these pictures made their impact in the
late 60s, early 70s at the drive-in as part of quadruple bills. I'm particularly pleased to
see 1970's Tales from the Crypt, the first film version based on the famed comic
book series (with Joan Collins, Peter Cushing, etc.) and 1973's Vault of Horror, a sorta
sequel to Tales inasmuch as it follows the omnibus format. There will be a lot of crabbing
about the fact that Vault is being presented in a heavily edited, much less gory version
but I'm not among the complainers. I actually prefer the gore being cut back and the
emphasis on the tricky little stories. Each film is given its own disc and trailers are
included. Fox has also issued one of my favorite horror camp movies, 1976's The Food
of the Gods as part of the series. The movie, in which giant animals and insects (from
rats to mosquitoes) feed on their unsuspecting human "superiors" is a hoot from first to
last. Best is the "what the hell" acting of evangelist turned actor Marjoe. A great,
hilarious waste of time! There are many other titles in this ghoulish but fun Fox series
and they're even more attractive priced at about $10 bucks apiece.
MGM has also released the tasty Vincent Price: Scream Legends Collection. It's a
five disc set that includes no less than SEVEN of Price's 60s and early 70s classics. These
include my two favorite late Price vehicles, The Abominable Dr. Phibes (and its sequel Dr.
Phibes Rises Again) and the campy Theatre of Blood from 1973. In the latter Price plays an
hammy Shakespearean actor who finds extremely creative ways to kill off the critics that
have denied him a long sought for acting prize. Price is ably supported by Diana Rigg
and both sport a variety of disguises and accents. The set includes long desired, new to
DVD title Witchfinder General (aka Conquerer Worm) which finds Price at his nastiest as a
witch hunter in the 17th Century whose cruelty finally goes too far. MGM includes a special
disc with biographical material on Price that is also very informative and entertaining.
Though the majority of these films have been released in previous DVD editions, this
combines the films together in a nicely packaged boxed set, has the bonus disc as a
great incentive and best of all - the set retails for less than $25!!!
