Don’t Look in the Basement (1973)

“To avoid fainting, keep repeating to yourself: ‘It’s only a movie.. it’s only a movie.. it’s only a movie..” I ended my Shocktober introduction with this infamous tagline. I always associated it with We Craven’s 1972 directorial debut, Last House on the Left, but apparently there’s more to the story. When Last House on the Left was released to drive-ins it was packaged as a double-bill with Don’t Look in the Basement, also occasionally titled, “The Forgotten“. Thus, in the laziest marketing move of all time both movies adopted the same tagline. How did I come to choose this obscure little shocker? I mean, I even went out of my way to change today’s planned entry (The Legend of Hell House) to this. I think it was a combination of its shared legacy with Last House on the Left, its premise, and the fact that I’d never heard a single word about it. Maybe that’s how things should have stayed.

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Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972)

Whenever I hear the word “Giallo” I think of three names: Mario Bava, Dario Argento, and Lucio Fulci. Bava made the classiest looking pictures in stark black and white, Argento made the most artistic films with a deeply rich palette and Fulci’s were neither. Fulci’s films were not classy, nor were they colorful, that is unless you count the color red. Lucio Fulci’s reputation is mostly that of a goremeister, if that word has yet to be coined I’m calling it. Fulci’s films often employed incredibly graphic death sequences brimming with nakedness and corn syrup. Zombi 2, aka Zombie, aka Zombie Flesh Eaters, aka Woodoo was Fulci’s 1979 international breakout and the film I most closely associate with the filmmaker. Though I’ll admit Zombi 2 is an entertaining midnight movie, it’s definitely a “leave your brain at the door so zombies can eat it” viewing experience. Zombi 2 was a fairly conventional zombie flick, so I never understood why Fulci was considered so important to the whole Giallo movement. But after Don’t Torture a Duckling I think I get it.

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The Other (1972)

Movies like this are the reason I continue to do Shocktober. Just when you think you’ve scraped the bottom of the horror barrel you find something so good you’re baffled its been hiding away for all these years. The Other is one of the most disturbing movies I’ve ever seen for a Shocktober entry. There are no throwaway, “Gotcha!” moments here. The Other instead goes for that slow burn of uneasiness that when finally extinguished still leaves you shaking in the dark like a frightened child. Who could be responsible for such a hidden horror classic… The director of To Kill a Mockingbird? That’s right. But let’s talk about Robert Mulligan’s “other” classic.

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Frogs (1972)

I don’t know how many times in my life I have walked into a Blockbuster, or a Video Update or a Hollywood Video only to come face-to-face with the VHS cover for Frogs. Did I ever think to look at the back? No. Did I ever read up on it? Heavens no. All I needed was to look at the cover with a frog chomping down on a human hand and I was content. Why did I have to ruin that memory by actually watching the movie? I don’t know but let’s find out.

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Tales From The Crypt (1972)

When I chose my first two films to review for this year’s Shocktober, it was more or less random.  So it’s only by some weird coincidence that I am once again reviewing a movie directed by Freddie Francis, a guy who I had never heard of before sitting down to watch Trog and now Tales From The Crypt.  But I’m kinda glad I was forced to become aware of Francis, since he had a somewhat unique career, as he started out as a cinematographer on films like 1961’s The Innocents and 1960’s Sons And Lovers (for which he won an Oscar), before making the jump to director on horror movies for the British production company Amicus, like The Deadly Bees and Torture Garden (which I can only assume are as good as they sound).  And then after getting sick of being labeled as merely a “genre director”, he made the switch back to working as a cinematographer on prestige pictures like The Elephant Man and Glory (for which he would win another Oscar).  So it’s been interesting to see the contrast in what Francis could bring to the table on a campy trainwreck like Trog, and then also to a more well-made and enjoyable piece of camp like Tales From The Crypt. Continue reading →