Halloween 2021: Preamble

The wedding went great.

As we head into the second Halloween Horror-Fest Blog-a-Thon were the world is all topsy-turvy I ask myself the question of how to open something as trivial as a six-week long horror movie marathon. Those two weeks were it felt like things were going to get back to normal, when vaccination rates were up (I got mine sometime in April) and infections were down, sure were nice… Before we were faced with how fundamentally selfish and uncritical many people still are and the grim realization that we won’t be out of this for quite a while longer. But you're not here to read about that. Nobody needs another diatribe on life in the time of COVID and how there's still no end in sight to the crisis. We're all stuck in this together. You know what it's like.  

So here's the truth: I am as apprehensive about the future as anyone else right now. But, ya know what? I am excited for Halloween. It does make me happy to see the leaves start to fall from the trees. I’ve been out there, hunting for the elusive Monster Mash cereal. I’ve been hitting craft stores since July, waiting for the inevitable barrage of new autumnal decorations and spooky knickknacks. I’m eagerly awaiting the day that big orange banner goes up outside a local abandoned K-Mart or Best Buy, signaling the arrival of Spirit Halloween. Masks and vaccination cards may be required for any outing now but Halloween escapades are far from canceled. We freaks, as with all things, have found ways to adapt. 

The morbid heart beats anew and, boy, do I have plans for it. Yes, my September/October watchlist is packed to the brim with creepy, spooky, gory titles. As always, I have a couple of specific series I hope to run through. Earlier this year, I purchased the latest Blu-Ray box set of the Friday the 13th movies. I’ve reviewed all those movies before but that was back in the early days of the blog. I am no longer satisfied with those ramblings and deem new ones necessary. Besides, I’ve given Freddy and Michael Myers their time during previous Blog-a-Thons, so I think I owe Jason the same treatment. 

Last Halloween, I reviewed all the Amityville Horror movies and promised that it was merely one of several bafflingly long-running, poorly regarded horror series I hoped to review. This year, because a new one came out back in February, I’ve decided it was time I get around to watching all the “Wrong Turn” sequels. (I reviewed the original back in 2016.) After all, it is the only long-running slasher franchise set entirely within my home state of West Virginia. It was only a matter of time before I had to check them all out. 

If that wasn’t niche enough for you, how about this group of obscurities? In 2001, creature effects legend Stan Winston partnered with Cinemax to produce a series of in-name-only remakes of old A.I.P. monster movies. The so-called Creature Features series was accompanied by highly detailed action figures, which is how I became interested in it. The five movies aired weekly on Cinemax, before being shipped off to DVD, and received mostly terrible reviews. But I’ve long been curious about them and decided it was time to give the movies a look. To add a little more variety to this journey, I’ll also be reviewing the five original A.I.P. movies as well, many of which I’ve never seen before. 

Of course, I’ve got countless other spooky movies on the docket too. As always, I hope to pack these six weeks with as many titles as possible. That includes TV and short films too. I'm continuing my watch through of Shudder’s “Creepshow” series. I’m also going to watch “Godzilla Singular Point,” an anime series that is not that spooky but I have to see because of my devotion to Toho’s kaiju king of the monsters. I also plan to continue my tradition of watching selected episodes from various anthology series. I might give the new “Chucky” TV show a look too. I have so much stuff planned that I’m not entirely sure where I’m going to put all of it! 

Liz's Hallowen Mood Table

This year has also seen a slow return to movie theaters and convention halls. Monster-Mania is back in Baltimore next weekend – with Christopher Lloyd and Joe Bob Briggs, among others, on the guest list – and JD has talked me into going. I'm pretty apprehensive about it but I heard, at their most recent New Jersey event, the show-runners were insisting on a mask mandate and proof of vaccination. Hopefully that'll help make the convention as safe and stress-free as possible. 

And audiences have slowly, cautiously been returning to movie theaters. This has allowed much-delayed, hotly anticipated titles like “The Forever Purge,” “The Night House,” “Candyman,” and “Malignant” to finally be released. We have a number of big titles coming soon as well: “Antlers,” “Last Night in Soho,” horror-bordering superhero rumble “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” and “Halloween Kills,” which is likely to be the horror event of this humble season. There's some intriguing sounding indie productions popping up as well, such as the already-released genre hybrid “Prisoners of the Ghostland,” the Golden Palm-winning “Titane,” Netflix slasher “There's Someone Inside Your House,” and the A24 puzzler “Lamb.” I'm definitely going to be reviewing a few of these during the Six Weeks. 

Without further ado: Witches and werewolves, ghosts and goblins, every creepo and creature join hands. Pray to the dark lords. Chant the names of Samhain and Vertumnus and Coffin Joe and the Great Pumpkin. Of Jacks O’Lantern, Pumpkinhead, and Skellington. Invoke all the old gods. After a year of slumber, they are awake. Soon, you’ll feel the old chill in the air, that shiver down your spine. Howls and moans and ghoulish groans reach your ears but they’re all in joy. The Autumn Country throws open its doors and embraces you with a wreath of orange and brown, of treats sweet and tricks mischievous. It’s time to get spooky in here, baby. The Halloween Horror-Fest Blog-a-Thon lives again!