Released in 1986 starring Rob Lowe, Patrick Swayze, and newcomer Keanu Reeves. An under rated hockey movie. Right up there with Slap Shot, and Mystery, Alaska. Mickey Thomas was the singer for Starship. They’re hits include: We Built This City, and Nothing’s Gonna Stop us Now (from the movie Mannequin). Swayze and Reeves worked together again in “Point Break.” For all you Horror fans, note that the movie playing at the theater Lowe and Gibb meet at was “Slumber Party Massacre.”

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11 months of the year, I feel out of place, constricted, isolated, anti-social. For 11 months I feel like hibernating, closed in, the need to feel safe, asleep.

I tolerate those 11 months knowing damn well my 1 month will come. October is my 1 month. For 1 month I feel safe, warm and calm in my own skin, rested. That passion for life returns. That need to inhale and exhale comes back. The smell, the leaves, the darkness. It’s all mine. It’s my home. The lights, the fire, the smell of pumpkins, the movies, the music, the loving darkness. For 1 month you have to live in my world, hear what I hear, see what I see, and love what I love. For 1 month you are in my house, and are expected to show respect.

…I allow you to have your 11 months. Just let me have my 1 month.

– G.R.E.E.N.B.A.N.K.

An unbelievably scary film. In my top 10 favorites easy. Released in 1990, it really was the movie that ended the fun, slapstick, colorful horror, and pulled you into an unrelenting nightmare. This movie had such a mind fuck reputation that I actually got grounded for going to see this. From the director of Fatal Attraction, starring Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Pena, Danny Aiello, etc. The biggest question even today is “what the hell is this movie about?”

Simple. Well…maybe not. We take a journey through Jacob Singers mind experiencing his final moments before he dies. Going through his sons death, his marriage, his sexual fantasy, and the demons that try to take him. There are few calm moments in this film. Just when you think you have a moment to breathe, you get dragged back into a nightmare. There are so many scary moments, that they all stick out. Elizabeth dancing with a demon, the car full of demons, Jacob’s trip to the hospital, being thrown into the tub, The Vietnam opening, etc.

Even though I love Tim in “Mystic River,” this is my favorite performance. Elizabeth Pena is so sexy and dominates the screen, with her volcanic passion. Just watch how she goes through anger, to panic when she realizes how sick Jacob is. You even have great performances from a young Jason Alexander, Ving Rhames, and Macaulay Culkin. There are few Horror films that are so powerful it can play with your mind, and cause you to fear the world outside your door. This movie was so powerful, it caused you to fear your own mind.

This is what I call a “stand alone” Horror film. A film that doesn’t represent a specific time, year or trend. It lives in it’s own world, and breaks the trendy rules. It stops at nothing to scare the shit out of you.

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John Parr wasn’t a mega star, but if you grew up in the 80’s you’ve heard some of his stuff. Naughty, naughty was already a small radio hit, it just added to the chaos in the unforgettable bar scene in Near Dark. Other songs by John Parr: St. Elmo’s Fire, No More Lonely Nights from The Running Man.

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Poetry…pure, uncut poetry. If I have to, absolutely have to pick a favorite 80’s Horror film. It would have to be Near Dark. It baffles me that even today this is an unknown film. I would’ve thought that after the smoke cleared, that this would have a bigger following. Never got to see this in the theaters. I just sat and waited for VHS release. Finally able to rent it from a VHS maintenance shop, it was the first movie I dubbed. For you streamers out there. That means I took 2 VCR’s, connected them with red, white cables, put the movie in one VCR and a blank in the other. I built a huge collection from doing that.

Cowboy/farmer Caleb hits on gorgeous out of towner Mae. They hit it off, and Mae bites him, which launches him into a darker world. Caleb gets kidnapped by Mae’s nocturnal family. Caleb has 24 hours to kill and prove he belongs in the family.

I’m not a huge fan of vampire films. Most are just a little too romantic, and snobbish. The vampire film that won me over was “Fright Night.” After that this sub genre seemed to improve. Released in 1987 by now Academy Award winning director Katherine Bigelow, this was just a small whisper of a Horror film. Starring 3 actors/actresses from the massive hit “Aliens” a year earlier, I would’ve thought this would’ve been a bigger film. I guess it didn’t help that it was released literally the same weekend as “The Lost Boys.” 2 different films. One took place in Santa Cruz, had a killer soundtrack, and a bunch of young up and comers. Kind of the John Hughes of Horror films. Don’t take it the wrong way, I love The Lost Boys. Near Dark was more grim. Takes place mostly at night, more southern cowboy type characters. Instead of a rocker soundtrack, had an errie, ominous poetic score by Tangerine Dream.

I always use to call it the Blade Runner of Horror. Slow build up, takes you into a darker world, and has that center piece that launches the last half of the film into chaos. First half of Near Dark focuses on Caleb dealing with the new changes he’s going through. The sickness, the hunger, the animalistic need to kill. When he still can’t get the job done, the nocturnal crew gives him one more chance to kill. They take him to a biker bar, where they slaughter everyone in the place. One of the best scenes and best performances in Horror history. Bill Paxton owns the room, and enjoys his job a little too much. Lance Henriksen embraces his leader ship role by standing guard by the entrance.

Already having a family chemistry from Aliens, Lance, Bill and Jeanette Goldstein just play off each other like they grew up together. After the bar scene it just moves like a bullet, and doesn’t stop.

A brilliant movie with brilliant performances. If you haven’t seen it, turn off your fucking “Twilight” movie and pop this in. I wish Lionsgate never changed the cover art at an attempt to attract the Twilight crowd. They should’ve used the bloody Paxton poster. After all, that was the poster that made me want to see it back when I was 12.

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I honestly couldn’t tell you how I ran into this one when I was a kid. I can’t even tell you if I liked it or not. Chances are, I saw the cover art at the local video store, and took a chance. The memorable thing about this movie was the beginning. It starts off with a girl getting chased by zombies, then becomes a music video. Pulls away and shows a couple watching the video at the drive-in.

Like the band “Lion” White Sister was more known in the horror community than the mainstream. A year earlier they contributed to the Fright Night soundtrack with the song “Save Me Tonight.” The Loverboy of horror metal. April is just a fun 80’s hard rock song that I find myself blasting on a sunny Saturday.

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This song brings back so many memories. A great Summer. Please read “Summer to Remember” blog entry for details. Pretty funny story. This was the MTV Nightmare. Funny though…None of these songs were hits, and none of these songs were on MTV. Didn’t stop me from picking up the album at Tower and playing it to death. Divinyls is an ignored band. Been contributing to soundtracks since Sixteen Candles. Didn’t get a hit until “I Touch Myself” in the early 90’s. Other great songs include “Boys in Town, and Pleasure and Pain.” also check out they’re US Festival 1983 performance (link below). Scene the song appeared in: When Kristen picks up Alice and Rick for school. 2:49 into clip.

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Sorry guys…I’m dropping the ball this week. Haven’t been feeling too good this week, and I’m having a hard time keeping my strength up to write constantly. So bare with me…I’m doing my best.

I have no problem saying that Pumpkinhead is awesome. I remember seeing this in theaters back in 88. I was already psyched about it. Lance Henriksen, and Stan Winston directing. I was all in. An 80’s twist to an old fashioned monster movie. This movie was the launch pad that motivated me to go backwards and watch the old school Horror films. To take a step back from the 80’s and appreciate the roots.

This was probably the first Scream Factory blu ray I bought. This movie doesn’t get enough credit when it comes to the writing and the depth in the characters. These aren’t cardboard cut outs. They’re conflicted, in pain, and making bad choices based off they’re emotions. Only Lance can show a beautiful father and son relationship in a short time by simply telling a story about his grandmother. He’s also the only actor, that can give you the most hateful look, and you know you’re in trouble. Then to go from hate to unbearable pain and sadness in the same scene. An actor’s actor.

Even the teenagers. Usually I can care less about them and I’m just waiting to see what the killer does to them. They’re usually by the numbers. The wild kids in this one all have they’re own personality and they’re own way of handling it. From a manic turn to God type, to stepping up and taking charge, to being a threat to the others, realizing his mistakes and trying to make it right.

As well as Lance, there are other familiar faces in this. Carpenter alumni George “Buck” Flowers, I believe Lance’s father in the beginning was in Robocop, Jeff East (who played teenage Clark Kent in 78 Superman), to a really young Amy Farafowler (is that the right spelling?) from Big Bang Theory.

Pumpkinhead is a really good example that 80’s Horror wasn’t all blood and guts. That it was a decade of fun. Not taking it too seriously, and just rocking the campfire, flashlight under your face basics. That’s what I love about Horror the most. Is that no matter how much money and effects go into it, it will always have this campfire vibe. Always.

Scream Factory never disappoints. Sound and picture are top notch. I highly recommend watching this with surround sound. It brings out all the little noises and accents you didn’t know was there. Tons of extras. Lengthy retrospective Making of, Stan Winston tribute, even an interview with a figure creator showing how he made the Pumpkinhead figure. It will take you a couple of days to get through it all.

As a kid, I never would’ve thought in a million years that I would own these movies the way they’re released today. Remastered, full of extras, amazing art work. It’s one of those simple pleasures that make me smile.

– G.R.E.E.N.B.A.N.K.

Kind of reaching the last half of the rocking 80’s horror soundtrack. There’s really not much of a soundtrack with the Blob. Great score. But wasn’t really trying to cash in on the 80’s metal trend. Saves this song for the end credits. Til this day I’m still a sucker for these songs. It’s those songs that has me letting the credits roll.

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Really sets a dark mood for this specific kill scene. Goth girl Violet alone in her room doing the robot. This should be cheesy, but the song really makes it work.

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