Fellowship of Filming(s)

The Ninth Gate (1999)

The Ninth Gate is a 1999 neo-noir horror thriller film directed, produced, and co-written by Roman Polanski. An international co-production between the United States, Portugal, France, and Spain, the film is loosely based upon Arturo Pérez-Reverte’s 1993 novel The Club Dumas. The film stars Johnny Depp as a dealer of rare books who is tasked with authenticating a 17th-century book that, if used correctly, can summon the Devil.
via Wikipedia

First of all – Johnny Depp. Are we good? Okay, moving on.

I would also place this movie into a supernatural subgenre, given that the entirety of the plot is an attempt to summon the Devil himself. But, the events that take place here are all human ambition and control or power, with poor Johnny being the guy that’s manipulated into doing all the dirty work.

It reminds me a little of The Da Vinci Code and Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, for all the exploring and digging around that’s needed to figure things out and bring us to climax of the story.

I’ve watched this movie a few times, and it’s one of those I can put in as background noise and occasionally find myself watching it here and there. It’s very much in that category of – I can always rely on it to do what it needs to do.

My Rating: ★★★★

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Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a 1978 American science-fiction horror film directed by Philip Kaufman, written by W. D. Richter, and starring Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Veronica Cartwright, Jeff Goldblum, and Leonard Nimoy. It is based on the 1955 novel The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney. The novel was previously adapted into the 1956 film of the same name. The plot involves a San Francisco health inspector and his colleague who over the course of a few days discover that humans are being replaced by alien duplicates; each is a perfect biological clone of the person replaced, but devoid of empathy and humanity.
via Wikipedia

I love the slow burn paranoia of this movie. Everything is relatively normal as our cast of characters start their days, but each subsequent day the weirdness grows, persists and gains momentum. It’s also really fun to see younger versions of Donald Sutherland and pre-Jurassic Park Jeff Goldblum.

After reading the wiki article a few times, I can also see how this movie is a kind of commentary on the current culture of America. The idea to conform, to embrace capitalism and materialism, to be a part of the system is the correct way of being.

I enjoyed this movie beforehand, but after reading some of the lore and underlying themes I think I’m putting this movie firmly into my favorites and should plan another watching of it soon.

My Rating: ★★★★

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The Last House on the Left (1972)

The Last House on the Left is a 1972 rape and revenge horror film written and directed by Wes Craven in his directorial debut, and produced by Sean S. Cunningham. The film stars Sandra Peabody, Lucy Grantham, David Hess, Fred J. Lincoln, Jeramie Rain, and Marc Sheffler. Additionally, Martin Kove appears in a supporting role. The plot follows Mari Collingwood (Peabody), a teenager who is abducted, raped, and brutally murdered by a group of violent fugitives led by Krug Stillo (Hess). When her parents discover what happened to her, they seek vengeance against the killers, who have taken shelter at their home.
via Wikipedia

This movie was my first foray into revenge horror, it’s been on my radar for awhile as I have parents who remember seeing this movie in theaters. The first two-thirds of the movie involves the situation where two girls are assaulted and then subsequently murdered. It’s drawn-out savage affair staged to make the audience hate the group of bad guys (though one of them seems to be an actual good person, he just happened to not know how to make things right, and has loyalty to the wrong people).

The last third is what this movie is known for – the parents of one of the girls find out who these people are and what they’ve done to their daughter. There’s not a lot of discussion before the parents decide to take matters in their own hands, and there are some scenes where it looks like they are enjoying themselves a little bit.

I enjoyed it for what it was, but I’m not sure I can say that I like this subgenre just yet.

My Rating: ★★★

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Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)

Hellbound: Hellraiser II is a 1988 supernatural horror film directed by Tony Randel and starring Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence, Kenneth Cranham and Doug Bradley. It is the second film in the Hellraiser franchise, and draws heavily upon its precursor, Hellraiser, which was released a year before with much of the same cast and crew. Laurence reprises her role as Kirsty Cotton, who is admitted into a psychiatric hospital after the events of the first film. There, the head doctor (Cranham) unleashes the Cenobites, a group of sadomasochistic beings from another dimension.
via Wikipedia

In this direct sequel the story from the original novella continues with most of the original cast from the previous Hellraiser movie. I enjoy the continuity that all of that brings to the film (even if the female cenobite is a different actress and still doesn’t have a name).

Julia and Kirsty are back as the main antagonists and protagonists, but this time they both have different helpers. An inmate from the psychiatric ward is used by Julia and Dr. Channard to resurrect and summon the Cenobites, but then is befriended by Kirsty who helps her escape the Cenobites dimension.

What follows is a hellish chase through the Labyrinth as Kirsty and Tiffany (her new inmate friend) attempt to escape. They are dogged by Julia and Dr. Channard who attempt to sacrifice them to the Leviathan. As this is only the second film of a current eleven film series, the ending leaves some open plot points to carry on the legacy of the Cenobites.

Usually sequel films leave a lot to be desired, but this one builds pretty well upon the original film without getting lost in the weeds. I rather liked it.

My Rating: ★★★

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Hellraiser (1987)

Hellraiser is a 1987 British supernatural horror film written and directed by Clive Barker in his directorial debut. Based on Barker’s 1986 novella The Hellbound Heart, the film’s plot concerns a mystical puzzle box that summons the Cenobites, a group of extra-dimensional, sadomasochistic beings who cannot differentiate between pain and pleasure. It stars Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence, and Doug Bradley as the leader of the Cenobites, identified in the sequels as “Pinhead”.
via Wikipedia

This is the original that started the entire movie franchise of what is now eleven films as of writing this post. I have a fondness for origin stories in general and this one holds up to that. The fact that it is based on a novella only makes it more endearing for me as I’m also an avid book lover.

There is a bit of supernatural gore and torture to this movie, and while I’m typically of the opinion that most gore is unnecessary, this is a bit of an exception and it’s what the movie series is known for, that and the Cenobites who are involved in the torturing of whoever decides to solve the puzzle box and have their deepest desires come true.

I also quite enjoy the bit of psychological horror that is at play here with the human characters. Frank, who started all the shenanigans by solving the puzzle box is creepy from the get-go. I mean, he goes after his niece, and not just as a sacrifice to the Cenobites.

It’s a freaky origin story that is now a cult classic (even if it isn’t, I still say it is). It pops up on streaming services around October and it’s now an older movie so fairly easy to find online. But, don’t eat while watching it if you have a sensitive stomach.

My Rating: ★★★★

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Even the Wind is Afraid (1968)

Hasta el viento tiene miedo, known in English as Even the Wind is Afraid and The Wind of Fear, is a 1968 (1967 according to the ITESM) Mexican gothic supernatural horror film, written and directed by Carlos Enrique Taboada. It is considered a cult movie in México and has been credited as having revitalized the Mexican horror genre.
via Wikipedia

I enjoyed this vintage Mexican ghost story, it is entirely in Spanish (as it should be), and after watching it with apprehension, now understand how it holds its status as a cult classic.

The setting is a boarding school for girls, and one of them starts having strange dreams accompanied by sleepwalking, and panic attacks during the day. Claudia, the girl in question, tries talking to the school teacher but the principal is having none of it and keeps them all from going home during the winter holidays.

The situation escalates when another girl’s boyfriend breaks in to talk to her, and the source of Claudia’s sleepwalking is finally revealed to the school girls. The end of the movie is a bit of a twist on traditional ghost storylines, after a fashion. I liked how it ended. Worth a watch.

My Rating: ★★★

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The House on Haunted Hill (1999)

House on Haunted Hill is a 1999 American supernatural horror film directed by William Malone and starring Geoffrey Rush, Famke Janssen, Taye Diggs, Ali Larter, Bridgette Wilson, Peter Gallagher, and Chris Kattan. The plot follows a group of strangers who are invited to a party at an abandoned insane asylum, where they are offered $1 million each by an amusement park mogul if they are able to survive the night. Produced by Robert Zemeckis and Joel Silver, it is a remake of the 1959 film of the same title directed by William Castle. The film marked the producing debut of Dark Castle Entertainment, a production company that went on to produce numerous other horror films, including additional remakes.
via Wikipedia

I actually watched this version of House on Haunted Hill before the original, and now that I’ve watched both, both are favorites of mine now for different reasons. I appreciate the asylum backstory for this one, the tragic backstory trope I’ve come to enjoy. It’s another in the line of the haunted house horror genre.

It’s even a locked room mystery, but involves some side plots with the characters to make it slightly more interesting. If you’ve read through my review of the original the same review applies here, except we don’t have the same pull of the great Vincent Price to fall back on, but this movie still stays with me.

It’s a favorite I enjoy re-watching from time to time, a comfort horror movie like Gothika. It’s one I can watch no matter what time of year or how I’m feeling.

My Rating: ★★★★

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Joy Ride (2001)

Joy Ride (known as Road Kill in the UK and Roadkill in Australia) is a 2001 American thriller film directed by John Dahl and written by Clay Tarver and J. J. Abrams. It stars Steve Zahn, Paul Walker, and Leelee Sobieski. It follows three young people on a road trip who talk to a trucker on their CB radio, then must escape when he turns out to be a psychopathic killer.
via Wikipedia

This is distinct from the 2023 movie of the same name, this is a road trip movie of two friends going to pick up another friend. However, being thrill seeking college boys they decided to have some fun and catfish a nearby trucker on the CB radio.

The trucker does not take the prank well, and what follows is a road rage of epic proportions. The trucker follows them to a hotel, and then finds out that when the two college boys pick up their friend who is a girl, kidnaps her.

I’ll leave the rest for you to watch, but it is a movie bordering on Stephen King levels of unsettling. I’ve re-watched this movie a few times now and I still find elements to enjoy about it.

My Rating: ★★★

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Hatchet (2006)

Hatchet is a 2006 American slasher film written and directed by Adam Green. The film has an ensemble cast, including Joel David Moore, Tamara Feldman, Deon Richmond, Mercedes McNab, Parry Shen, Joleigh Fioreavanti, Joel Murray, Richard Riehle, Patrika Darbo, Joshua Leonard, Tony Todd, Robert Englund, and Kane Hodder. The plot follows a group of tourists on a New Orleans haunted swamp tour, who accidentally get stranded in the wilderness, only to be hunted by a vengeful, supernatural deformed man who kills anyone that enters the swamp.
via Wikipedia

Hatchet could very well be part of the folk horror genre as well as a slasher film. In the back bayous of New Orleans we run into a local tragedy about a father and son, and the rumors that follow their abandoned cabin. What was supposed to be a fun, spoopy swamp tour during Mardi Gras (complete with adult film stars) turns into a massacre in the back of beyond.

I do enjoy the tragic backstory that sets up the plot, it’s one of my favorite horror tropes, and the eventual ending of the film. I’m not a big fan of slasher movies, as they sometimes are there just for the gore and viscera it can produce, but this one seems to use it in a way were the movie isn’t completely centered on the torture of human bodies (though there is plenty of it).

Honestly I quite liked it, and will probably watch it again at some point. There’s also three sequels in this movie series, so they may show up later.

My Rating: ★★★

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Hell House LLC III: Lake of Fire (2019)

Hell House LLC III: Lake of Fire is a 2019 American direct-to-streaming found footage horror film written and directed by Stephen Cognetti and produced by Joe Bandelli. The film serves as a sequel to Hell House LLC (2015) and Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel (2018) and as the third installment of the Hell House LLC film series. It stars Gabriel Chytry, Elizabeth Vermilyea, Sam Kazzi, Theodore Bouloukos and Brian David Tracy.
via Wikipedia

This is the final film in the trilogy, as the next films I haven’t seen yet and from what I’ve read are actually prequels. In this film we get to the bottom of what the Abaddon Hotel really is, and what it’s doing. We get to the bottom of what’s going on in this haunted house.

Essentially, the hotel has found a new owner rather than being torn down, and so it carries on coercing people to enter and mysteriously causing their deaths. The new owner is a billionaire who operates a thriller television series, attracting a new crowd to the now infamous structure.

I will be honest here, that I watched this movie twice since I managed to fall asleep halfway through the first time I tried. It was my fault as I was struggling to find some white noise to fall asleep to. It was not that interesting to me, but it was some rather interesting white noise.