"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.

"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.

"Mum & Dad" (2008)

Sometimes, folks, the British just do it better-- especially when it comes to horror films.  Mum & Dad is a terrific indie movie about a girl who moves to England and finds herself a captive in someone's basement.  Worst of all, they have a sick sense of reality and force her to be a member of their sick, twisted, demented (have I mentioned how scary they are?) "family".  This movie truly frightens me and gives me nightmares-- if you have a weak stomach, you will soon know why.

You can watch this on Netflix instantly or you can buy Mum & Dad from Amazon.  Regardless, check out the trailer:

P.S. This is the first film of director Steven Sheil.  Here's to hoping that he makes more good flicks in the future.

"And Soon the Darkness" (2010)

A new crop of horror films are popping up these days-- those involving young, rich, white American girls running around in bikini tops in foreign countries.  Consequently, one or more of these girls are kidnapped, either for purposes of torture, organ harvesting, or pure ol' sex slavery.  And Soon the Darkness is no exception.  A remake of the 1970's film of the same name, And Soon the Darkness tells the story of two college girls biking throughout rural South America.  When they split up and one of them goes missing, it's up to Amber Heard to solve the mystery and save the day... or at least die trying.

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Grab your popcorn and diet coke, kids-- you can watch And Soon the Darkness via Netflix instantly!  You can also buy it on Amazon... or you can watch the trailer below.....



P.S. In the original version, the two protagonists were British girls stuck in France.  This updated version, however, involves two American girls in Argentina.  I guess France wasn't as intimidating as it was in the 1970's, eh?

"Poison Ivy" (1992)

Although some wouldn't consider Poison Ivy to be a horror film, I would like to politely disagree.  In my humble opinion, when you combine sociopaths, big hair, and Tom Skerritt in a movie, it seems pretty terrifying to me.  I bet lots of you have seen this film, but for those of you who haven't, I'll make it simple: a mysterious, yet beautiful, misfit moves in with her outsider best friend, all Hell breaks lose.  Roseanne's Sara Gilbert plays Sylvie while Drew Barrymore is Ivy.  Talk about a killer cast (that was corny, I know)!  When Ivy gets a taste of the good life (Sylvie's parents are loaded, FYI), she decides to show her true, homicidal, seductive colors.....

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It's your lucky day, Ivy fans-- you can watch Poison Ivy instantly on Netflix!  Also, you can buy it directly from Amazon.  Know what else?  You can check out the following clip, too!



P.S. While Poison Ivy didn't do so great at the box office, it is now a cult favorite.  Several sequels have popped up, including the last one in 2008.

"Twisted Nerve" (1968)

Before a month ago, I had never heard of Twisted Nerve.  Although we see a lot of its influence over horror and film (the whistle song from Kill Bill?  Originally from Twisted Nerve!), it is a relatively unknown British thriller.  I first watched this film because I heard that American Horror Story, my favorite TV show right now, based a lot of the character Tate on Twisted Nerve's main character.  Martin is a rich, sociopathic Mama's boy who, although he happens to be very good looking, wants nothing more in life than to have a free ride.  When his step-father gives him an ultimatum, Martin does what any 20-something would do: he fakes moving away, befriends a sexy librarian (Hayley Mills, of all people!), and soon passes himself off as "Georgie," a mentally challenged man.  While the librarian and her family take him in, the lines become blurred between Martin and Georgie, which prompts the viewers to wonder if Martin is truly faking his other personality....

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Unfortunately, you can't really find Twisted Nerve around-- not even on Netflix!  However, you can buy a copy really cheap from Amazon, which is what I did.  Trust me, I have no regrets on this purchase, ladies and gents.  In the meantime, check out the trailer below:



P.S. The whistling theme from Twisted Nerve was recently popularized by Quentin Tarantino in Kill Bill: Volume I.

P.S.S. Not gonna lie-- this film can be a wee bit offensive due to its views on "mongolism," which is an outdated, offensive term for Down's Syndrome.  The producers even insisted on having a disclaimer at the beginning of the movie stating that there is no known connection between "mongolism" and psychopathology.  Yikes....

"Don't Deliver Us from Evil" (1971)

Don't let the cheesy title fool you, folks-- Don't Deliver Us from Evil is a classic example of French exploitation film at its finest.  While it has a long, eloquent French title that I am too lazy to type, it deals with a, shall we say, basic storyline?  Two 14 year old girls, who happen to be BFF's, attend Catholic boarding school in France.  Being rebellious youth, they dedicate themselves not to God, but to Satan-- they even write to him in their journals! As summer approaches, they attempt to get into all sorts of mischief, particularly regarding sexuality.  However, when one attempt goes too far, they know their innocence is gone forever.

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Not gonna lie-- I own this film and if you want to as well buy it on Amazon.  Unfortunately, it is not even available on Netflix yet-- however, save it to your que!  In the meantime, check out the scene below:



P.S. This film is loosely based on the Parker-Hulme murder in New Zealand around 1954.  Check out Heavenly Creatures for a more accurate portrayal of the crime.

P.S.S. Don't Deliver Us from Evil was actually banned in France for blasphemy.  Beat that, future horror films....

"The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane" (1976)

Before Jodie Foster was Clarice Starling, she was Rynn in The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane.  Rynn is a 13 year old girl who lives with her father in a tiny cottage.... or so she says.  Every time somebody tries to meet her father, they end up failing or disappearing.... or both.  When the landlady and her seedy son try to get involved, Rynn pulls out all of her homicidal stops.

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Rent The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane from Netflix or simply buy it from Amazon.  Also, feel free to check out the following clip:



P.S. This is unofficially known as Jodie Foster's least favorite movie.  As a 13 year old, she was uncomfortable with a lot of the film's content, including a scene involving a hamster.  She was required to do a nude scene, but her older sister stood in for her since she refused to take off her clothes.  Good for you, Jodie!

"The Dentist" (1996)

As if we all needed any more excuses to avoid the dentist's office.... When Dr. Feinstone, a well-off dentist, discovers that his wife is having an affair with the gardener, he finally snaps.  Between sexually assualting a patient in his dental chair to torturing innocent braces-clad teenagers, he finally enacts his revenge using tools that we unfortunately see once or twice a year.... or more if we don't floss enough (I mean, does anyone ever floss enough?).  The genius of this film is that it employs something we already fear (i.e. dental instruments) and brings them to torture status.... other than that, it's just some plain ol' gory fun, folks.

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If you feel like having a cavity-infested nightmare, The Dentist is available to watch instantly on Netflix.  If you want to have your very own copy, however, you can also buy a copy from Amazon.  In the meantime, who's in the mood for a crappy trailer from the 90's?

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P.S. Think this film is entirely fiction?  Think again! Glennon Engleman was an infamous dentist who also moonlighted as a hitman.  He eventually passed away in 1999 at the age of 71.  Apparently, his real passion was being a sociopath, not a dentist.

"Battle Royale" (2000)

Today's Horror du Jour comes courtesy from Happy and Wrong, my other blog that focuses on life, fashion, and everything else.  It also has a Terror Tuesday section dedicated to horror movies.  Check out my post on Battle Royale, a terrific thriller from Japan that explores the downside of reality TV.  It actually predicted the rise of reality TV before it actually occurred.  Creepy, huh?

If you like fashion, food, and everything else, please follow my other blog, Happy and Wrong.  I get so lonely....

"The Ugly" (1997)

Today's horror movie comes courtesy from Happy and Wrong, my other blog that features Terror Tuesday, a day dedicated to horror movies.  Check out The Ugly, one of my favorite indie flicks from New Zealand, from Happy and Wrong today!


Thanks, everybody!  If you are interested in fashion, saving money, and life in general, please be so kind as to follow my other blog!

"What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" (1962)

The way I see it, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? pretty much sums up what we all suspect about child stars: they are effin' crazy.  Just imagine if Lindsay and Ali Lohan were in the places of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford for a modern-day twist.... Jane Hudson was a famous, revered child starlet a la Shirley Temple, but who was eventually out-shined in adulthood by her very talented older sister, Blanche.  Now, Blanche is partially paralyzed and at Jane's every vengeful whim.  If you are a fan of psychological thrillers opposed to gory bloodbaths, then What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? will be a pleasant surprise.

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While the film isn't available to watch instantly, you can rent it through Netflix's mail delivery service.  If you are a huge fan of old skool Bette Davis thrillers, then you might as well go ahead and buy it from Amazon.  Check out this super intense scene....




P.S. There is a distinct reason why Bette Davis and Joan Crawford have such good chemistry on screen, as far as hatred goes: they truly did hate each other!  Each actress vied for the position of prima donna on the set, and each seemed to go out of her way to anger the other.  Besides physical distress (there was a back strained and stitches required), Bette decided to put a Coca-Cola vending machine on the set, despite the fact that Joan's late husband was the CEO of Pepsi, Coke's rival.

"The Crush" (1993)

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One boring, lonely Friday night, I was flipping through my instant que on Netflix.  While there are thousands of movies on there to choose from, I personally was in the mood for one I didn't have to think too much about-- therefore, The Crush was chosen.  At first, I expected a lame flick starring Cher from Clueless, but, much to my surprise, it was actually a well-done thriller.  Alicia Silverstone plays Darian, a beautiful teenager who happens to suffer from a personality disorder or two.  She has a history of compulsive lying, obsessive tendencies, and homicidal actions.  When a handsome stranger moves into her parents' guest house, she attempts to not only stalk and seduce him, but destroy his entire life, including those he loves, as well.  It is not a traditional horror movie, but I felt compelled to mention it because it delivers thrills, scares, and plenty of 90's-riffic fun.

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The Crush is available to watch instantly on Netflix, or you can go ahead and buy it from Amazon (don't worry, I understand-- I am a Clueless fan myself).  In the meantime, look at the trailer below to see if The Crush is worth your time:

P.S. In the original script, Alicia Silverstone's character was originally named Adrian.  The screenwriter Alan Shapiro was actually stalked by a girl named Adrian and based the story off of this.  When she sued him later, he had to change the name to Darian.