Wednesday 21 August 2024

October Horror Movie Challenge 2024

Cue the song!

Time once more for the thing from the depths of the old IMDb message boards that just refuses to die, like some Jason Voorhees knock-off, The October Horror Movie Challenge.  The rules as always are very simple; across the 31 days of October, watch at least 31 horror movies, and of those at least half, so 16 or more, must be ones you are watching for the first time.  Well, I have a huge stack of titles to see, almost all of which will be first time viewings.  I’ve got a bunch of older classics, some Euro horror rarities, a big stack of video nasties, and more to go through in a semi-randomised order.  

Also, as you can see, I''ll be watching these with some new friends.

This year, as in previous, I will be doing this sponsored for Crisis, helping to raise funds to aid the homeless as winter approaches.  And what's more, your donations will help decide what I watch and review on Letterboxd.  We have quite a few booby prizes this year, so let's take a look.  If we get to my base target of £310 (which should be easy as I have already thrown in a big donation myself this time; been saving up the loose change all year for this), I will tackle something I found in a charity library thing at a local train station…

I got that werewolf in a bundle with the Worst Official Doctor Who Action Figure Ever.  I think quite a few fans already know which one I mean...

There are only two things I know about Monsterwolf; first... it is a wolf!  Second… it has Robert Picardo in.  Yep, if he hit the mark, I will have to drop any other planned disc viewings, watch this first, and write 1000 words on it.  After that, if we get to £400, I will go after something else I found in a charity shop… 

"Well don't tell us straight away, spoilers!"

The Lindsey Lohan thriller I Know Who Killer Me became the stuff of infamy on first release, getting multiple Razzie awards (TBF though, who takes those seriously?) and seriously derailing Lohan's acting career (well, it was one factor there.  But there has been some attempt to reappraise/rehabilitate the film since then, does it really deserve the reputation?  Well, I will have to watch it and declare in 2000 words if it is really that bad if we get to that target.  After that, if we hit £500, it will be time to truly make me suffer…

Sushi is not usually the thing for Trick or Treat, but it can work...

Yep, all six Sharknado films.  (Breaking news; there were six of these!)  In a row.  And I have to write 1000 words on each.  I have made no secret of not being a fan of the "ZOMG, ain't this premise so wacky?" style of modern monster movies, with these being the pinnacle (or nadir) or that trend, so will they win me round?  And we're still not done, because if we get all the way to £600…

Hmm, one of Silver Shamrock's cursed masks, or these movies?  Which will be the more harmful?

Oh yeah, we’re really going there; the trilogy that gave the BBFC major headaches back in the day, The Human Centipede.  I will have to watch and do 2000 words on all three parts of this most notorious trilogy, and find out if there is some good to them, or are they, like the titular creation, just full of crap beginning to end?  I managed to avoid that fate with last year's challenge, will my luck run out this time?

So then, if you wish to help the homeless, to have someone else tackle these titles so you don't have to, or if you just want to hurt me… again, please donate here, every penny will help.  To follow my main progress through the challenge, with thoughts, musings, and rants about everything, be sure to follow my Letterboxd account.  Tell you what, to get things going properly, let's have a pre-October Bonus Round.  Let's say that if I get to that first goal by the 28th of September at the latest, I will take on something else I found in a charity shop; not horror, it's sci-fi, but still pretty damn notorious…

Unlike Shyamalan's big release this year, Trap, this is a star vehicle for someone else's kid...

After Earth; M. Night Shyamalan (just after giving us The Last Airbender) directing an ego trip project for Will Smith (who had just turned down the title role in Django Unchained); what could go wrong?  Well, I will write 2000 words before the end of September to let you know if we get far enough in time.  You can make it happen!  Now I'm really scared...


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