Horror Comedy

I usually don't watch a ton of movies...but when I do, I tend to binge-watch a bunch at one time!  That's what happened to me earlier this week.  I made good use out of Netflix account and Roku box and watched several horror films...most of them COMEDY horror!  It all started with The Mansion of Madness...

1. The Mansion of Madness (1973)--This one was NOT on Netflix, but I did find a link to watch the whole film on Youtube if you're interested. I'm just not sure if I would recommend it, lol.  This film was seriously a series of WTF moments for me. I've never dropped acid before, but I assume the imagery of this movie would mimic a bad trip quite nicely.  Basically, its the story of a French mental institution taken over by its patients and a journalist who happens to visit in order to write a story on the place. Directed by Juan Lopez Moctezuma, this movie is loosely based on the Edgar Allan Poe work, The System of Dr. Tarr and Professor Feather.  There's really only one word to describe it: surreal. 

2. Housebound (2014)--Housebound IS available on Netflix streaming, and is one of those little gems of horror comedy.  It's not the greatest movie in the world, but its entertaining, had some spooky moments, and went through so many plot twists and turns that you weren't really sure where you'd end up! A young woman with a criminal past is forced to spend her home confinement sentence at her mother's house.  Immediately, weird things start happening, and its up to the girl to either solve what's going on, or pay the price. First a skeptic, she then faces the harrowing challenge of making others believe her.  There's some suspension of disbelief needed here, as many of her actions would have landed her butt in jail anywhere else, but that just sort of lends to the desperation and frustration factor. Definitely recommend this one! 

3. Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil (2010)--Another movie available on Netflix streaming, Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil has been one that I've been meaning to watch forever...just never got around to it.  I'm glad I finally made the time, because its pretty hilarious.  This twist on a classic slasher flick might have been a tad more gory than I like my horror, but the comedy made it bearable. The two main guys are really quite lovable and you can't help but feel bad for their situation. The only thing that didn't thrill me was that somewhere I read that this was supposed to have taken place in West Virginia and I'm pretty bored with the whole stereotype of West Virginians all being uneducated, murderous hillbillies, lol. Now I just need to watch the sequel!

4. The Ouija Experiment (2011)--This was the only horror movie I watched this week without overtly being classified as a horror comedy...but it was still kinda funny in spots because it was so cheesy. As another Netflix streaming option that I had been meaning to watch for some time, The Ouija Experiment wasn't retched...it just wasn't very good, either.  It's filmed in one of those 'found footage' styles and chronicles a film maker's quest to shoot some spooky footage of a Ouija board experiment for his Youtube channel. The characters were all just dreadful and annoying so I definitely empathized with the ghosts more! Some of the things they said and did literally made me cringe...especially the bits with the 'ouija expert.'  There were definitely some creepy moments and a few jump scares that kept it entertaining, though.  One thing I couldn't figure out, however, was that if this was a found footage type film, why could WE see the ghosts on film, but when the characters played back their own footage, there was nothing there?

5. The 'Burbs (1989)--I wasn't sure whether or not to include The 'Burbs since its really not a horror comedy, but a dark comedy.  In any case, its freaking hilarious!  This was one of my favorite movies growing up, and I was thrilled to find it on Netflix. A band of neighbors, suspicious of a quiet, and somewhat weird family on their cul-de-sac, take it upon themselves to find out what horrors are really going on. It's a comedy of errors with a surprising twist at the end...a movie that really makes you wonder, "how well do you know the people next door?" Oh, and its got Corey Feldman in it as an added bonus!

So that's what I've been watching this week.  What have you watched recently?  Share your hits and misses with us over on Theresa's Haunted History Facebook page, or check out my article, Cinematic Research, about how watching horror films can actually be educational!

13 Spooky Movie Classics

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...but even it can't hold a candle to these spooky classic films!

Here in the tri-state, winter has finally hit!  It's been cold, wet, and even a little snowy at times.  Therefore, leaving the house unless absolutely necessary hasn't been a huge priority for me.  So what have I been doing to fill my time?  Watching scary old movies on Youtube, of course!  Grab some popcorn and a cuddle buddy and enjoy these horrifying examples of classic horror, cherry-picked from among my personal favorites!

1. Carnival of Souls (1962)--Before there was The Others or The Sixth Sense, there was Carnival of Souls.  After a tragic accident, a young woman journeys across the country to settle into her new life, but along the way she's plagued by strange happenings.

2. Suspiria (1977)--A new-comer to a prestigious ballet academy quickly finds out that there is something very sinister going on.  Is a coven of witches responsible for the brutal murder of one of the students?

3. White Zombie (1932)--In order to steal a beautiful, young bride-to-be away from her fiance, a jealous suitor employs a witch doctor to turn her into a zombie.  Unfortunately for him, the plan backfires.

4. The Ghoul (1933)--An Egyptologist returns from the grave to exact revenge on those who plundered his tomb.

5. The Vampire Bat (1933)--When the citizens of a small town start dying of a mysterious blood loss, it is believed that the culprit is a vampire...but is it really a vampire, or something much worse?

6. The Old Dark House (1932)--Five travelers seeking shelter during a terrible storm find themselves at a strange old house with even an even stranger family living inside.  Will they make it through the night alive?

7. House on Haunted Hill (1959)--Guests are challenged to spend the night in a haunted house for a cash award.  Who will take home the prize...and who will die trying?

8. Ghosts of Hanley House (1968)--Another movie where guests are staying the night in a haunted house, and start dying off.

9. Terror in the Haunted House (1958)--When a young bride is taken by her husband to their new home in Florida, she's shocked to see that the home is one that she has never seen in person...but has been having nightmares about.

10. Horror Hotel (1960)--A young student spends her school break researching witchcraft in a small town.  However, she soon finds out that things are not quite what they seem and that witchcraft might still be alive and well here.

11. The Ghost Walks (1934)--Another movie involving stranded motorists trapped in a sinister house, where the widow of a murder victim is 'mourning' the anniversary of her husband's death.

12. Nosferatu (1922)--The classic silent film that sparked a cultural phenomena of vampire movies.  Even after all these years, the Count is one of the creepiest depictions of a leading role vampire you'll EVER see on screen.

13. The Phantom Carriage (1921)--A silent film about a drunkard telling the legend of the Phantom Carriage.  It's New Year's Eve and the legend states that whomever is last to die in a year will be cursed to drive the phantom carriage...who will the unlucky soul be?