No Hope November - Day 28 - "Creature From Black Lake"

As I try to catch up on No Hope November before it ends, I want to spotlight another extremely obscure movie and genre that I greatly enjoy. After "The Legend of Boggy Creek" proved to be so successful, there was a huge rush of low budget Bigfoot movies that followed, and "Creature From Black Lake" was released in 1976, at the zenith of this. A definite B-movie in all its glory. Set in the swamps of Louisiana and filmed with a grainy look that was common as well as effective for this type of movie at the time, Creature From Black Lake features an outstanding score that sets the tone well. Spooky and suspenseful, this is a well acted film. The gloriously bug eyed Jack Elam turns in a great performance as Trapper Joe, a character that would fit right in on Swamp People. He was born for parts such as this. Basically what happens is two students from Chicago head to the swamp to research Bigfoot for thesis papers they are writing. The locals deny that the Cryptid exists, but the guys continue their research and head deep into the swamp. Enter Trapper Joe, and tons of atmosphere and mosquitoes. Do the guys find Bigfoot? Or does Bigfoot find them? Watch Creature From Black Lake to discover the answers for yourself.

No Hope November - Day 27 - "Slither"

Every once in a while someone makes a movie that is a straight up homage to times past and to certain genres of the past. Many of them fail to deliver on their promise, but on occasion you discover gold. "Slither" is today's No Hope November gold. When you start with a director like James Gunn, the guy that brought us the 2004 remake of Dawn of The Dead, and a little old thing called Guardians of The Galaxy, you may be on to something. Add in a cast including the irrepressible Nathan Fillion, the effervescent Elizabeth Banks, and the erudite Michael Rooker, and it is beginning to look like magic. Slither was released in 2006, but it feels like it could be 1986. An over the top plot mixed with a wacky and talented cast make this a real winner in my eyes. In true 80's honoring the 50's fashion, a meteor crashes and an alien parasite crawls into a dudes brain, slowly mutating him into a ridiculous looking monster. His wife and the local cop try to help him as more and more people begin to transform into zombie like mutants. Filled with great monsters, dark humor, and fun. This movie will not change your life but it will make it better for an hour and a half that you are watching. Slither is much fun and worth your time. Seek it out and pop some popcorn.

No Hope November - Day 26 - "Salem's Lot"

After remarking that I was done doing movies based upon Stephen King books for No Hope November, I decided to go back to the well one more time. "Salem's Lot" was a two part made for TV movie that aired in 1979 on CBS. They stuck the two parts together on this dvd to create a film that lasts for just over 3 hours. Brilliantly directed by Tobe Hooper, Salem's Lot is a story about a writer (David Soul), that returns to his hometown to write a book about a supposed haunted house that sits on a big hill on the edge of town. The writer is named "Ben" and he wants to rent the big old house and stay there while he writes his book. Unfortunately for Ben, a mysterious man named Straker beats him to the punch and buys the house, and also opens an antique store in town. Ben rents a room at a boarding house and begins to settle in to life in the small Maine town, befriending some of the locals and researches for his book. As time goes by people start disappearing and Ben starts to believe it has something to do with the haunted house and the mysterious Mr. Straker. Then the meat of the story really gets going and Salem's Lot develops into a fabulously atmospheric and ever increasingly spooky as a Mo Fo kind of movie. It is creepy and moody. There are vampires that are extremely well done and frightening. These ghouls don't glitter in the sunshine, they are mean and ugly killing machines. Nosferatu style vampires. This is a super movie and anyone that enjoys suspense is sure to get a kick out of it. Well written, well acted and directed, Salem's Lot conveys feelings of fear and dread without any big scenes of blood or gore. A finely crafted story that accomplished everything it set out to do, establishing interesting characters and settings, creating a mood, and scaring the crap out of the viewer. Salem's Lot is a champ.

No Hope November - Day 25 - "Shock Waves"

No Hope November is featuring an amazingly overlooked sub genre of horror, the underwater Nazi zombie. "Shock Waves" is a 1977 film in which a luxury boat is out for a three hour tour, no wait, that's Gilligans Island. Shock Waves is about a boat that crashes onto a reef and the passengers make it to an island that has a big old abandoned hotel on it. Except, it's not abandoned, but rather it is occupied by an old Nazi officer, played brilliantly by Peter Cushing. Come to find out the island is also the home to a leftover experiment from World War 2. Seems that the Nazis were creating undead super soldiers and this is where the last 8 of them are located. These suckers look so cool, they walk around on the ocean floor and do all kinds of crazy stuff. They make for great foes for our bumbling group to deal with. This is a totally odd movie that sounds so ridiculous yet plays out rather interestingly. Not a lot of blood and gore to be found, mainly atmosphere and creepy zombies making sure no one survives their island experience .You must have specific tastes to enjoy this one, and I enjoy it a lot. I feel it is the cream of the crop when it comes to underwater Nazi zombie movies. Check out Shock Waves.

No Hope November - Day 24 - "Pet Semetary"

The past few days we have been focusing on some rather obscure films, so for today's edition of No Hope November we steer our ship back toward the mainstream. A 1989 gem that is based on a Stephen King book, "Pet Semetary." A family relocates from the big city to a small town in Maine. Their new neighbor, played by Herman Munster, shows them a place out behind their house called Pet Semetary. The dad is later told/warned about the realities of Pet Semetary, but he doesn't believe what he hears. It does make an impression on him however. As the story progresses tragedy strikes and the true nature of the Pet Semetary's power is revealed. This is a powerful chronicling of a snowball rolling downhill straight into madness and despair. As you watch you become increasingly aware of a feeling of dread creeping up on you. You can tell what's going to happen but can't look away as the poop hits the proverbial fan. This is a good movie that makes you feel bad. Seek it out.

No Hope November - Day 23 - "Happy Hell Night"

Quickie No Hope November today. An obscure slasher by any standard, "Happy Hell Night" is a story about a scary looking priest that ritually murders seven frat boys in the 1960's and is locked away. Years later in a prank gone wrong he escapes and heads back to the college to continue his killing spree. Very bloody with a creepy killer carrying out some decent kills, including decapitation, ice picks, crucifixion, and several other fun concepts. Jorja Fox (Sara Sidle from CSI) even gets into the fun with an ice pick to the head. Not one of the top tier of slashers to ever be released, Happy Hell Night is still enjoyable and a worthwhile viewing experience for all of you demented horror sickos out there. Or for anyone interested in a low budget, stiffly acted, derivative film. Who isn't?

No Hope November - Day 22 - "The Video Dead"

No Hope November continues with a movie typical of its time. In 1987 there were so many corny and silly horror movies being released, and "The Video Dead" was one of them. It is not the greatest thing ever, or necessarily even good, but it represents an era and type of film that I have a lot of love for. Light horror with some dark humor. Basic plot is a delivery truck is suppose to deliver a TV set to the Institute for Paranormal Research, but mistakenly take it to a guys house. He plugs it in and finds it only works on one channel and continually plays the same movie over and over, "Zombie Blood Nightmare." A black and white zombie flick. Somehow, zombies escape from the movie and come out of the television and kill the dude. Months later a new family moves into the home and finds the TV in the attic. When the family plugs the TV in more zombie madness and mayhem ensues. The rest of the story is trying to stop the horrors that are happening. It's actually a pretty cool movie and like I said, a real product of its time. As an example, at one point Zoe, the teenage daughter that moved into the house, is asked what she plans to study in college. She responds that she is planning on studying aerobics. It doesn't
get much more 1987 than that. These are the small touches that cause me to feel nostalgic and truly enjoy movies like The Video Dead.

No Hope November - Day 21 - "Evil Dead"

If you know me just a little bit then No Hope November for today will come as no shock. "Evil Dead" is my favorite movie of all time. The story behind the movie is so awesome, the way these college kids went about putting this whole thing together. From the funding to the filming itself it is a great story. As for the film, of course, it is fantastic. The way Sam Raimi came up with camera angles and innovative ways of film making. I don't need to go any further. So many people involved went on to careers in the industry, from Sam Raimi to Rob Tapert, and even the Coen brothers. (And Bruce Campbell). Legendary stuff.

No Hope November - Day 20 - "Bubba Ho-Tep"

This choice for No Hope November is a rather obvious one. "Bubba Ho-Tep" was written and directed by Don Coscarelli, known for his tremendous work on Phantasm. He has a twisted mind that I greatly appreciate. My main man Bruce Campbell stars as a resident of an old folks home and he dresses like Elvis, cape and all, and tells everyone that he is the king. Of course everyone knows he's just a crazy old man (except he really is Elvis!). Elvis has a friend at the home, a black man (Ossie Davis) that believes he is John F. Kennedy. Funny thing is, he really is! You'll have to watch this movie for the details. John F Kennedy is in a wheelchair and Elvis uses a walker, but they can't let that slow them down. There are mysterious deaths happening at the home, and our two intrepid heroes aim to get to the bottom of it. Come to find out there is an Egyptian mummy that wears cowboy boots killing the people. Can Jfk and Elvis save the day? Does this plot sound completely bonkers? Tune in to Bubba Ho-Tep and enrich your life beyond measure.

No Hope November - Day 19 - "They Live"

Another film by John Carpenter for today's No Hope November. From 1988, it's the cult classic "They Live." Written and Directed by carpenter and starring famed wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper. Roddy plays a drifter that blows into town looking for work. He gets a job as a construction worker and befriends Keith David (from The Thing). He starts hanging out at a soup kitchen with homeless people and eventually Roddy starts noticing some odd things happening around him. He comes across a box that contains sunglasses and when he puts the glasses on everything is in black and white. He also sees a lot more weird things, such as subliminal messages on every billboard and sign. Messages stating "obey, conform, consume," and similar mind control propaganda. The biggest surprise is that most of the authority figures, politicians, and cops, are actually skull faced aliens in disguise. Roddy begins a quest to figure out how to stop the alien race that is controlling the world, and trying to get other people to believe him. Mind control, propaganda, and commercialism are a large theme in this flick. Plus, a one of a kind fight scene between Roddy and Keith David that is an absolute classic and lasts for over 5 minutes. Rowdy Roddy Piper is aces in this role just going around talking smack and smacking aliens left and right. Campy, corny, and silly, is there truth hidden in "They Live?" Maybe more than we would care to know. Everyone should she this film at least once in their life. Take this quote from They Live with you wherever you may travel, "I came here to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubblegum." It doesn't get any better.

No Hope November - Day 18 - "The Exorcism of Emily Rose"

No Hope November. "The Exorcism of Emily Rose." A very spooky movie. Emily Rose, played by Jennifer Carpenter of Dexter fame, who is a terrific actress, is a teenager that is demonically possessed...or is she? Tom Wilkinson is the Priest that performs the exorcism, and Laura Linney is the attorney defending the Priest in court. That's right, court. This film is one half The Exorcist and one half courtroom drama. It works better than you might think. Is she possessed? Is she mentally ill? Are you rushing right out to get this movie? The answer to the last question should be yes! Well acted by a great cast. Scary in a give you the chills kind of way. This movie will freak you out! I love it!

No Hope November - Day 17 - "JAWS"

Other than The Little Mermaid, Lion King, and Free Willy, today's pick for No Hope November may be the movie I've seen more times than any other ever made. "Jaws". I read the novel by Peter Benchley way back in the 70's, and loved it. Then we got HBO when it first came
out and what they did then was to repeat movies over and over again for a month. I watched Jaws about 15 times in 2 weeks over summer vacation. It was so amazing. I have seen this movie countless times. The chemistry between Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Scheider, and Robert Shaw was incredible. The suspense so unsettling. The musical score was perfect. Everyone knows the music that signifies there is a giant shark nearby.This movie made an entire generation of people leery of going into the water. It was so effective at what it attempted to do. Just a great movie. "You're gonna need a bigger boat."

No Hope November - Day 16 - "Scooby Doo on Zombie Island"

 The 16th entry for No Hope November is a movie I love and have watched many times. "Scooby Doo on Zombie Island" was released in the fall of 1998 and turned the world of Scooby on its ear. As this film begins we find that the gang is now a little older and are doing their own thing. Daphne has a Paranormal TV show that Fred helps with, Velma owns an occult bookstore, and Shaggy and Scooby are slackers (of course). Fred gets the gang back together to travel to the swamps of Louisiana to investigate what he believes to be a real haunting for Daphne's TV show, rather than a dude in a rubber mask like their mysteries have always turned out to be. Here's where this movie changed things in the Scoobyverse, the place they investigate actually IS haunted. Bam! Game changer. Scooby Doo on Zombie Island has a darker, more mature tone than the previous iterations, yet maintains all of the charm and fun that made Scooby Doo Where Are You so wonderful. This film was very popular and successful and was the beginning of a worthwhile string of movies that has continued to this day. The follow up to Zombie Island was Scooby Doo and The Witch's Ghost, which is equally incredible. If you have never seen this movie you should rectify that immediately! There are ghosts, skeletons, zombies, voodoo, Pirates,were-creatures, and tons of fun for the entire family.

No Hope November - Day 15 - "Dark Night of The Scarecrow"

1981 TV movie"Dark Night of The Scarecrow" is today's pick for No Hope November. They don't make made for TV flicks like this anymore! Larry Drake plays a mentally challenged man named Bubba that is friends with a little girl. She gets violently attacked by a dog but Bubba saves her. The town postman, played by Charles Durning, thinks Bubba hurt the girl, and he forms a lynch mob to go after him. Bubba hides inside a scarecrow, they find him and kill him. Then they discover that Bubba didn't hurt the girl. Uh oh. Then a spooky scarecrow begins roaming around going after the no good sons of bitches. Very clean, non blood and gore movie. Just old school atmosphere. Enjoy!

No Hope November - Day 14 - "John Carpenter's Vampires"

John Carpenter's "Vampires" is today's choice for No Hope November. Carpenter has made so many stellar movies, I may have more of his work featured before the end of the month.Vampires stars James Woods, in what I feel is his best role ever, as Jack Crow Vampire Slayer. He leads a team of mercenaries that travel around killing vampires for the Vatican. The one he really needs to kill is Valek, played brilliantly by one of my favorite actors, Thomas Ian Griffith. Valek is trying to obtain a relic that will allow all vampires to walk in the daylight. This movie has a serious coolness factor going for it. James Woods swaggers through like a Billy Badass with his leather jacket and shades. Also featuring Daniel Baldwin and Sheryl Lee (Laura Palmer from Twin Peaks). There is tons of violence and blood, extremely moody filming, like a modern day western feel to the whole thing. I cannot recommend this movie any higher. It is cool.

No Hope November - Day 13 - "Silver Bullet"

Feeling hopeful today? Well I'm here to snatch that feeling away from you and leave you in a state of mind called No Hope November. Let's travel to the magical year 1985. From the twisted mind of the magi of the the east coast I bring you "Silver Bullet." Based on a story called Cycle of The Werewolf by Stephen King, Silver Bullet is about a kid in a wheelchair (Corey Haim) who begins noticing things may not be copacetic in his small Maine hometown. As a matter of fact, there just may be a stinkin' werewolf running around town killing folk. The boys no good drunken uncle (with a secret heart of gold), played brilliantly by that no good drunken Gary Busey (with a secret heart of gold), builds him a hot rod wheelchair that rolls down the road about 35 mph. Armed only with his wheelchair and his wits, and with the help of his sister and the aforementioned no good drunken uncle (with a secret heart of gold),can our young hero solve the mystery and save the town of Tarker's Mills from the bloodlust of the evil lycanthrope before it's too late? Watch Silver Bullet and find out! Great movie!

No Hope November - Day 12 - "The Prowler"

Today No Hope November takes us back to that very special place in my heart called obscure early 80's slashers. "The Prowler" is a little known 1981 film about a soldier that retuned from World War 2 to find his girlfriend with another guy and killed them at a school dance. Now, 30 years later, they are holding the dance for the first time since the tragedy. Guess what? Bad news for the dance goers. Outstanding gory effects by Tom Savini and a rather original script for a movie of this type highlight The Prowler. This is a dark slasher with suspense and original kills that I recommend highly.

No Hope November - Day 11 - "Night of The Creeps"

If you want a perfect example of a movie that appeals to horror/sci-fi geeks, look no further than today's entry of No Hope November. "Night of The Creeps" is a 1986 release by Fred Dekker, a hero to the aforementioned movie geeks. Dekker was also responsible for the cult classic "Monster Squad." Night of The Creeps is about an alien that crashed to earth in the 50's and infected a college student. Then in the 80's his cryogenically frozen body is thawed out by pledges to a fraternity and all of a sudden these little alien critters are taking over everyone and pretty much turning them into zombies. Horror legend Tom Atkins plays a police detective in the middle of the mayhem. Atkins is amazing as usual, and the rest of the cast is solid as well. This flick has all of the cliche elements that make 80's era B movies wonderful. A college setting, parties, zombies, campiness, cool creatures, gory effects, and overall ridiculousness. It's just swell. So if you want insight into what makes a horror junkie smile, watch Night of The Creeps and discover for yourself. It's loaded with goodness.

No Hope November - Day 10 - "Stigmata"

Today's No Hope November is gonna be short and sweet. "Stigmata" was released in 1999 and no one noticed. They should have. This is the type of movie that has the potential to frighten me. It starts with an investigator from the Vatican going to Brazil to look into a sighting of the Virgin Mary and a statue that has bleeding eyes. Then, in the states, a woman (Patricia Arquette) starts showing signs of Stigmata, randomly bleeding from the places where Jesus was wounded during the crucifixion. The investigating Priest heads to New York to see what's up with this chick, and is extremely surprised at what he discovers. I found this movie to be well done, creepy, and frightening. The religious aspects scared the poop out me. I very much enjoy these types of movies, with the heavy religious overtones. They have a different feel than a normal horror film, if done well. There may be a few more of these that pop up this month, so stay tuned. Stigmata is well worth your time.

No Hope November - Day 9 - "Helter Skelter"

No Hope November. Helter Skelter. When I was a kid my mom had her own ideas about what was appropriate for a kid to read. She basically was of the mind that if you were interested in reading a book, and you were capable of reading it, then read it. Boy did we take advantage of this! Luckily I had a decent reading capability and poured through many books that most 10 year olds weren't reading at the time. Books written by Stephen King, John Saul, VC Andrews, and the like. One ...of the things that I read at an early age that truly affected me was Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi. A brutal telling of the Manson Family murders written by the attorney that prosecuted the case. This book had tales of murder, cults, sex, drugs, ritualistic magic, mind control, courtroom drama, and everything else under the sun. I was totally fascinated and horrified by the book. Then they released a two part TV movie based on the book, and my mind was blown. Steve Railsback portrayed Charles Manson so perfectly, it was amazing. Railsback has had a long and successful career in the horror genre, but nothing that compares, in my eyes, to his performance as Manson. When I met him a few years ago I told him there was no better choice to play Uncle Charlie. I felt uneasy in this tiny little dudes presence. I didn't sleep soundly for weeks after viewing this movie. As with many things from a different time in life, you must look at things within a certain context. In other words, when I watch Helter Skelter now it is still enjoyable, but doesn't mesmerize me as it did when I was a kid. I actually have a totally different perspective and belief about the subject nowadays, but the impact of this book and movie on my life has been significant. And I have my mom and her willingness to let me read whatever the Hell I wanted to thank for that.
Let your kids read. Don't shelter them from scary stuff. Life is scary, get used to it. Expand your mind and think for yourself.

No Hope November - Day 8 - "The Wicker Man"

It's that time boys and girls. Time for day 8 of No Hope November. A few lines of hope and inspiration to help you make it through the day. For this entry we head over the big pond, to the UK. I have a fondness for many diverse styles of movies from various foreign lands, and British movies are no exception. So let's take a quick look at one such movie, a true cult and occult favorite, the 1973 version of "The Wicker Man." This sucker is so bizarre. So esoteric. So freaky. Ed...ward Woodward from The Equalizer plays a staunch Christian detective that is sent to a small island near Scotland to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. The inhabitants of the island are some seriously spooky pagan cult members that practice weird rituals and do some messed up crap. The leader of the island is named Lord Summerisle and is played superbly by the legendary Christopher Lee. He is intense and disturbing and brilliant as usual. As the investigation deepens we are led into a spiraling nightmare of madness. The detective begins to discover that things are not how they seem on the surface. I don't want to spoil too much of this movie, but I will say it is truly odd and bothersome. If you enjoy that British sensibility and feel of things like "The Prisoner," then Wicker Man is something you would enjoy. Strange, spooky, eerie, foreboding. Watching this makes me uneasy and sick to my stomach. What a treat! I hope you enjoy The Wicker Man as much as I do.

No Hope November - Day 7 - "Humanoids From The Deep"

Episode 7 of No Hope November. Let's take a trip to a great time in horror history. The year, 1980. The mastermind, Roger Corman. The movie, "Humanoids From The Deep," also known as "Monster." Set in a small ocean side fishing village where scientists are performing secret experiments in growth hormones and gene splicing with DNA from men and salmon. You read that right, salmon. Now there are super sweet looking sea monsters coming out of the water with two missions on their ...mind. To kill men, and rape women, in order to advance their bizarro creature race. There are so many interesting elements in this film. The little village, the village's annual "Salmon Festival," the amazing monsters, tits and ass, disturbing fishman rape, the ridiculous political incorrectness at every turn, nonsensical science and conspiracy, great atmosphere, and a killer score. It's a veritable smorgasbord of awesomeness. All hail Roger Corman! This is what early 80's horror/sci fi is all about.

No Hope November - Day 6 - "Don't Be Afraid of The Dark"

No Hope November Day 6 takes us back to the familiar grounds of the 1970's era made for TV movie. "Don't Be Afraid of The Dark" is a slow burning thriller in which a young couple move into a big old house. The woman keeps hearing things and discovers a fireplace that has been closed in. Despite warnings to leave well enough alone, she opens up the old fireplace. Not a good move, as we are introduced to some of the creepiest looking miniature little demonic creatures ever seen on film. Truly frightening, this film has an outstanding slow buildup to a satisfying conclusion. A very well made film, it is hard to believe the number of TV movies from this time period that were done with such high quality. Good stuff. I purchased this Dvd directly from Warner Brothers as part of their Archive Collection.

No Hope November - Day 5 - "The Burning"

No Hope November Day 5 takes us once again to that special time known as the 80's. Today featuring "The Burning." One of my favorite slasher movies of all time, The Burning tells the tale of a summer camp caretaker named Cropsy, who, at the hands of a group of campers, in a prank gone horribly wrong, is severely burned. After several years of a life of pain and torment, Cropsy returns to his old stomping grounds to take revenge on the current batch of campers. One by one he b...rutally maims and kills the unfortunate and unsuspecting teens. This film has amazing kills, many of which are done in broad daylight, which is a cool variation that sets The Burning apart from many similar movies. Jason Alexander (George Costanza) from Seinfeld appears as a camper, as does Leah Ayers, who later starred with Jean Claude Van Damme in Bloodsport. As I said, one of my personal favorite slashers. If you are a fan of the genre, or 80's horror in general, you should give The Burning a look. Maybe it will "spark" your interest.

No Hope November - Day 4 - "Gargoyles"

No Hope November continues with a day four feature that takes us into a category that brought many outstanding movies. The category is 1970's era made for television movies, and the movie is "Gargoyles." Starring Cornel Wilde as an anthropologist that stumbles across a tribe of living Gargoyles in a cave, this flick is totally awesome. With a great cast including Jennifer Salt from Soap as the anthropologists daughter, Scott Glenn, Grayson Hall from Dark Shadows fame, and Ber...nie Casey as the freaky lead Gargoyle.You may remember this film being shown often on Saturday afternoons years ago on cable. It was on all the time. If it has been a while since you have seen it I would recommend checking it out once again. Not actually scary, but there is a definite creepy atmosphere running throughout Gargoyles. The monsters look super weird,with designs by Stan Winston, and I love the flying scenes where they make barely any effort at all to hide the wires that they use for the special effects. Classic 70's stuff. There were so many cool made for TV horror movies during that time. Some genuinely good, scary movies. Maybe more of them will get a mention before No Hope November reaches its conclusion. Enjoy Gargoyles.

No Hope November - Day 3 - "From Beyond"

Day 3 of No Hope November takes us back once more to Lovecraft Land. If it's a movie with HP Lovecraft themes, directed by Stuart Gordon, and featuring Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, and Ken Foree (from Dawn of The Dead for the old schoolers or Kenan's dad from Kenan and Kel for the young whippersnappers), well you can surely count me in. "From Beyond" is a twisted mess of a mind freak, with gore, sex, and bizarre creatures that feed on brains. Not to mention experiments in reaching into a parallel universe and pulling things back to ours.This flick starts out screwed up and then dials the disturbo meter up to 11. Sick, deviant, and bothersome. Doesn't get much better than this.

No Hope November - Day 2 - "Just Before Dawn"

Episode 2 of No Hope November features one of my favorite slasher movies from the early 80's, "Just Before Dawn." The plot is basic slasher. Young dude inherits land out in wilderness. He and his friends go to check it out. They are warned by local sheriff to stay away. They ignore warning and head into the mountains for camping and debauchery. Very bad things begin to happen. The plot is basic but effective. The movie is well acted and worthwhile. An outstanding killer and all the typical elements for a movie of this type. I absolutely love this movie!

No Hope November - Day 1 - "In The Mouth of Madness"

For the month of November 2014 I thought I would undertake a fun little project. Welcome to "No Hope November," where each day will feature a movie from my collection. Look some of these up and check them out. Day 1 is John Carpenter's "In The Mouth of Madness." Based on HP Lovecraft's writings and starring Sam Neill as a Stephen King-like horror writer descending into a nightmare world of madness in which the veil between realities is getting thinner by the minute. Watch this under rated classic, and when you figure out what the hell happened, let me know, cuz I'm still not sure. I am sure it's a great movie though.