This one will always be my favorite of the series, despite all its liabilities...maybe they were a help? Indeed, Betsy was awesome in this.

Did You watch F13-F13:PART6 in one sitting? Although I don't think much of the sequels, You brought up some interesting observations that may change how I see them.

MOONSHINE COUNTY EXPRESS (1977). Decent drive-in fare of three lovely daughters (one being Maureen McCormick of THE BRADY BUNCH) of an assassinated Moonshiner taking over the family business and getting even and ahead over the corrupt town that did the deed. Good cast includes Claudia Jennings (who made her bones in many movies like these), William Conrad (looking a lot like Civil War General Ambrose Burnside) and John Saxon playing a Southern Good Ol' Boy, even with his "Noo Yawk" accent front and center. ***

"Kill her, mommy. Kill her." Great stuff.

I started last friday the 13th with Never Hike Alone and then went through the series at a rate of like one per day. I also threw a few fan films into the mix.

Glad to be of service. ::cool::

NIGHT OF THE COMET (1984). A passing comet has deleterious effects on Earth including the Los Angeles area where the action takes place. A couple of weapon savvy Valley Girls (who can't resist shopping as a cure-all after the disaster) and a trucker make the best of things while unknowingly being observed by not so noble scientists. Some good laughs and engaging story, despite the low budget. ***

Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) ★★½

Looking back, this had the potential to be one of the better entries in the*series.

The Jason vs Carrie finale was great stuff. Kane shows his talent as a stunt man. If the MPAA had not butchered the kills, this film could have gotten a lot of delayed praise.*

Sure, together with Trent from the remake, Melissa and Bad News Cruz complete the top 3 douchebags in this franchise, but a more satisfactory kill would have made that worthwile. At least Maddy was likable, David had a bit of a Marty from cabin in the woods-vibe and, in my opinion, Robin is one of the prettiest girls in the*franchise.

Now you just end up with a half ruined film that could have been. And the übersilly ending with the resurrected father does not help either. Woulda coulda*shoulda.

Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) ★★½

How can the Friday the 13th franchise offer both the most honesty and the biggest rip off in one and the same*film?

Honest because it's the most self aware so far. Delving into the silliness deeper and more willing than the previous installments ever did. And the rip off? Instead of "taking Manhattan", Jason strolls past Times Square and then teleports to Canada. And most New Yorkers are too aloof and uninterested to*notice.

This is the first one where you don't watch for the story. The Jason resurrection scene is as Troma as one hopes and the kills are over the top and cartoonish with the boxer decapitation as the topper. Also funny how the kills have poetic justice: the cokehead gets killed with a mirror shard, the junkie gets pierced with his own needle, the abusive swimming teacher gets drowned, the guitar playing girl, well ...*

Even Kane Hodder kicking Ken Kirzinger's ass is a nice touch in*retrospect.

And then there's the passage on Times Square and the rock star reception Kane Hodder got. Makes a part of me wish we had crowdfunding back*then.

And what better way to finish this*than:

- Look, you don't understand. There is a maniac trying to kill us.
- Welcome to New*York.

THE STEPFORD WIVES (1975). A family leaves NYC for the quieter and safer village of Stepford CT. Everyone is friendly enough, but the wives seem a little..."out there" and their ultra-focusing on household/matrimonial duties seem very strange to quite liberated new residents Katherine Ross and Paula Prentiss (very good here). Quite campy throughout, but an edge of creepiness forms when the truth of the town is being found out, especially towards the end...quite an image.
Also with Tina Louise (GILLIGAN'S ISLAND-she's pretty good also) and a very young Dee Wallace as "Nettie". ***

The Last House on the Left (1972) ★★★★½

For a movie with this reputation, it was kind of odd to see the end credits. Seeing all that sweetness and merriment, knowing what had happened just*before.

But make no mistake about it. This is a classic in the horror genre. A very intense and scary film, built on atmosphere, terror and torture. Not with your typical horror monsters, but with man itself at its cruelest and most*depraved.

Krug Stillo is one of the classic horror villains. A man so detached and callous he can watch his son commit suicide without batting an eye. Or rape a young woman, only seconds after carving his name in her chest. Props to David Hess for that*performance.

As a viewer, you are in terror, feeling for Mari and Phyllis. Or their parents, the moment they see the hanger and put the pieces together. Prompting a piece of revenge that was later echoed in I spit on your*grave.

Not without their troubles, though. Krug first toys with the father, showing off the brute strength that allows him to get away with his cruel acts. And when they finally get them, you as a viewer feel that this revenge will probably come a high*price.

A horror classic, but no cozy popcorn flick. At*all.

WHEN A STRANGER CALLS (1979)>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SPOILERS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>


The first 20 minutes of WASC are incredibly suspenseful, even if the surprise factor is gone and the final 15 minutes are good as well. The biggest problem is how to fill out the rest of the story and focusing everything on Duncan just takes the wind out of the films sails. He really isn't interesting enough for Us to care what happens to him. The story may have worked better in an Anthology film, maybe about Urban Legends , which the plot line certainly is. **1/2

City of the Living Dead (1980) ★★★★

Fulci vs Argento, the Kirk vs Picard of horror*nerds.

Later some day, I'll knock out a proper review and give this film its*due.

For now, I'll just content myself in reveling in its unique esthetic and its amazing*gore.

Cat In The Brain
 

This is a feature length Italian giallo horror film with Lucio Fulci portraying himself having a breakdown with the boundaries of what he films and directs vs. what is actually real. He begins to imagine things happening when something similar but different is actually happening, and eventually sees a shrink for it, the gets hypnotized, only to have the problem get worse. He then believes to be killing people while under a trance. There are lots of twists and turns in this film, maybe even more than in "The Night Evelyn Came Out Of The Grave." This is also one of Fulci's better and more intense films. Fans of his stuff and the Italian giallo horror sub-genre should not be disappointed with this one. ::danger::