"Natural Born Killers" (1994)

As many of you know, Savages is coming out on Friday-- hooray!  I love the book (I'm reading it now) but more than anything I adore director Oliver Stone.  While some say that JFK is their favorite Stone film, I happen to disagree-- Natural Born Killers is by far one original, creative thriller.  Two demented, damaged adults (played by Juliette Lewis and Woody Harrelson-- talk about a power couple!) go on a massive killing spree across America.  When you add in a dash of social commentary about the power of the media you get one intelligent, albeit slightly confusing, masterpiece.

What a handsome, homicidal couple....

While you can't watch it instantly anywhere on the net (legally, that is), you can rent it from Netflix or simply purchase it from Amazon-- trust me, this movie is worth it!



P.S. Although Oliver Stone directed Natural Born Killers, Quentin Tarantino was responsible for the story and the first draft of the screenplay.  This was actually the second screenplay he ever wrote (unfortunately the final product is very far removed from his original version)!

P.S.S. During the prison scenes, the movie was filmed in a maximum security prison in Joilet, IL (a few miles from where I live!).  The extras were originally real inmates (there for mainly violent crimes) with rubber weapons-- they were later placed on lock down and had to be replaced.

"Carnival of Souls" (1962)

While recently remade, Carnival of Souls is a spooky film set in the early 1960's.  After emerging as the lone survivor in a terrible car crash, a woman named Mary becomes increasingly disturbed.  When she finally accepts a new job as an organist at a church (scary enough, eh?), she begins to be haunted by a menacing ghost.... (insert creepy ghost noise here)

Oh, the horror!

Carnival of Souls is available to watch instantly on Netflix, Hulu, AND Youtube (it's a pretty old flick).  Therefore, there's no need to buy it-- instead, just watch it for free!  In the meantime, check out this trailer:

P.S. This film didn't get stellar reviews when it first was released, but in the late 1980's it was regarded as a cult classic!  However, the director of the film never worked in the industry again and lead actress Candace Hilligoss was dropped promptly by her agent.

P.S.S. The evil ghoul/man creature that Mary sees throughout the flick is actually director Herk Harvey in makeup.  He actually wore his ghost makeup to interviews later on-- talk about dedication....

"Rec 2" (2010)

In the original Rec (which is a classic, wonderful zombie flick, I might add), viewers witnessed an apartment complex become quarantined by the government and all the people inside of it turned into zombie-like creatures, with one exception-- a journalist who was dragged by her feet in a dingy attic by some unidentified creature.  While I will refrain from commenting too much (and possibly spilling major spoilers), I will say that Rec 2 picks up where its predecessor left out, with a bunch of government agents examining the remains of the apartment complex.  Add in a dash of spirituality and you have yourself a nice, thoughtful sequel.

You can purchase Rec 2 from Amazon or rent it via Netflix-- either way it is an entertaining flick, especially for Rec fans.  In the meantime, get a load of this teaser:

P.S. The lead actress, who was in the original film, actually wore the exact same clothes she did in the first film-- talk about some pit stains, right?

"The Haunting" (1963)

Don't let the original G rating fool you-- The Haunting is a terrifying classic ghost story that is a classic among horror fans.  The film centers around a doctor who is hell-bent on proving that ghosts exist.  Using a stereotypical haunted house (named Hill House-- scary, eh?), he employs the help of various individuals who have had previous experiences with the supernatural.  One young woman, Nell, becomes particularly involved in the experiment and finds herself drawn deeper and deeper into the history of Hill House.

Seriously, spiral staircases are never NOT creepy....

While you can likely find the full-version of The Haunting online for free if you do a little digging, if you have Amazon Prime you can also watch it for free.  You can also purchase The Haunting from Amazon for a few bucks-- not a bad deal for such a great movie....

P.S. This film was adapted from the 1959 novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (a great book if you love ghost stories!).  Also, it was remade in 1999 starring Catherine Zeta-Jones.

P.S.S. Talk about famous fans-- director Martin Scorsese has named The Haunting as his favorite horror film of all time.

"The Lost" (2006)

Today's post comes from Happy and Wrong, my other blog which has a horror section entitled Terror Tuesday.  The Lost is one of my favorite thrillers and is truly a study in those budding sociopaths out there.  Check it out and subscribe to my other blog.... pretty please?

"Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" (1986)

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is a cult classic that explores the depth of psychopathology.  Henry is a bonafide serial killer who, once released from prison, begins to show his new roommate/ex-prison partner Otis the ropes of serial killing.  They go on a crime spree together and Otis quickly loses his grip on any amount of morality he had left.  Meanwhile, Henry meets Otis's sister and begins to change... or does he?

While you can watch this film via Netflix instant, you should really go ahead and buy Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer for your own collection.  It is a thought-provoking, creepy movie that will make you think twice about going into a hotel with a strange man.

P.S. This movie was made with a measly budget of $110,000-- talk about super low-budget!

P.S.S. The character of Henry is actually based on the real-life serial killer Henry Lee Lucas.  He also befriended a man named Otis and became romantically involved with his sister in real life.

"Night of the Demons" (2009)

I have a confession, y'all: I had a ginormous crush on Edward Furlong back in his T2 days.  Unfortunately, his career is leading him down the path of B-level horror flicks-- although, I must admit, Night of the Demons is actually a fun little ride.  A bunch of rowdy teenager/young adults (all of who strangely resemble porn stars) have a wild Halloween party in an old mansion.  Accidentally, they release a slew of evil demons who kill them off one by one in order to take over the world.

You can buy Night of the Demons from Amazon or watch it for free if you have a Netflix subscription.

P.S. This movie is actually a remake of the 1988 film of the same name.  They only difference is that the original flick took place in an abandoned mortuary instead of a cool mansion.

P.S.S. Monica Keena and Edward Furlong actually started dating after being in this movie together.  And yes, I was slightly jealous.... just kidding!