October Horror Movie Challenge 2022 - Fundraising Begins

 Yep, it’s that time again; cue the music!

Another Spoopy Season approaches, so it’s time for me once again to prepare to face that thing from the IMDB message boards that just will not die, The October Horror Movie Challenge. The rules as always are simple; 31 Days in October, at least 31 Horror and/or Monster Movies, at least half (so 16 or more) must be ones you’re seeing for the first time, NO EXCUSES!!! I'll be going for a many as possible, raising money as always for those fine folks at Crisis, and you can donate to it here.

As always, I’ve prepared a big selection, with a lot of weird and wonderful titles to try out, including a whole lot of Boris Karloff, one of the lesser known Universal horror franchises, and a directorspective on arthouse saucy vampire fare Jean Rollin.  At the cinema, we have the last of these new Halloween movies coming out, a few things at the London Film Festival, and hopefully a few other bits and bobs.  It’s a random draw, I don’t know yet what order I’ll be tackling these in, or how many I get through, but it’s going to be a tonne of fun trying for as many as possible.

To me "New York Ripper" sounds like a very long pizza-induced fart.

Now, as before, I have a few titles I’m setting aside for if the funding hits particular goals.  For all of these, I will not only have to watch them but do a full 1000-minimum word write-up for each.  First up, if we go over a third of my goal, so getting to at least £104, I’ll be watching Lucio Fulci’s The New York Ripper, a slasher from the director of Zombie Flesh Eaters.  This actually managed to avoid becoming a video nasty back in the day… although only because the BBFC took one look at it, went “NO!” and deported the rolls of celluloid they were sent (Not an exaggeration!).  I think like my Cannibal Holocaust review, I’ll have a nice cup of tea and an Eccles cake on standby for afterward.

No, this one doesn't have a haunted Zoom call.

Next, if we get to two-thirds of the way, so at least £207, I’ll be checking out The Host; no, not the good Bong Joon-Ho monster movie, the one that’s apparently trying to make a romance story out of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.  This one’s a bit more tangentially horror related, but since I did Twilight a few years ago, and I found this one in a charity shop, might as well complete the Stephanie Meyer filmography.  Will the mind behind Gattaca be enough to elevate the material?  Donate and let’s find out.

Will this lurk on my shelf for another year?  Please donate so it doesn't have to!

Finally, an old menace lurks at the slot for if we hit my full target of £310.  Yes, I still have that copy of Lesbian Vampire Killers left over from last year!  Will it be James Corden’s time to haunt my Halloween?  Will it be a better match-up with him and a Doctor (in this case Paul McGann) than his Doctor Who episodes?  Do you want me to suffer?  You decide, just by throwing in a few pennies.

So, in a few weeks the spookiness begins, please give generously, and follow on here and on my Letterboxd page for coverage of all the films I'm watching.