Ending “Shocktober” With A Bang!
My “Horror A – Z” series is wrapping up with 5 great films to celebrate Halloween – from “V – Z”…including one that jumped on this last just two days ago when I finally saw it!
But first, we begin the countdown with the letter “V” and a terrific 1970 film that was part of what became known as the “Karnstein” trilogy!
The legendary British Hammer Studios decided to take a more “adult” approach to horror films in the early 70’s, and this great cult film is the result!
Seductive vampire Carmilla Karnstein and her family target the beautiful and the rich in a remote area of late eighteenth-century Gemany.
Here is the trailer:
The Karnstein Trilogy is a series of vampire films produced by Hammer that were notable at the time for their daring lesbian storylines.
This is a great, atmospheric horror film, and the trilogy continued with “Lust For A Vampire” and “Twin Of Evil.” See them all here!
Now, the film that jumped onto this list – and onto my list of great horror films!
“Weapons”
This came out of nowhere for me: a moody, haunting horror film that gets scarier and scarier as the story unfolds…here is the trailer:
Don’t read anymore than this, and the film’s many surprises shouldn’t be hinted at…the plot is simple: all but one child from the same school class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, and the community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
“Weapons” was directed by Zack Krueger, who made the very scary hit “Barbarian” as well….this is a great thrill ride!
The film stars Josh Brolin, Julia Garner and iconic Actress Amy Madigan, who is unrecognizable!
It’s the perfect Halloween film: it is smart, the tension and horror builds perfectly, and at the end of the film you say “WOW!”
Next up, a terrific film about a group of filmmakers who pick the wrong shooting location:
“X”
Independent Director Ti West was known for films like “The House Of The Devil”, but this one really broke out big…check out the trailer:
A group of X-rated moviemakers decide to go to the country to make their latest film, and they rent a farmhouse without telling the owners their true intentions…this is a great film starring Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson and Brittany Snow, best known from “Pitch Perfect!”
“X” was a surprise hit, and Mia Goth’s character, Pearl” went on to make two followups with West: “Pearl” and “MaXXXine.”
This is a great trilogy!
Now, time to check in with cinema’s most prolific filmmaker!
Japanese Director Takashi Miike has made more than 100 films, including this terrific slice of horror!
Here is the trailer for “Yakuza Apocalypse!” –
Here is the plot of “Yakuza Apocalypse”: In the underground world of the yakuza, no one is more legendary than boss Kamiura. Rumored to be invincible, the truth is he is a vampire-a bloodsucking yakuza vampire boss!
Takashi Miike’s films are among the most imaginative – and craziest – ever made! This film looks like it has a ton of action as well as style, and I can’t wait to see why THIS animal is in the film:
Miike has made so many great films like the horrific “Audition” as well as “As The Gods Will” and “Ichi The Killer!”
See more of his work here:
And finally, there may be no better way to end my “Horror A – Z” countdown than with this wacky slice of horror goodness:
“Zombeavers!”
Yes, there is a new film that captures the fury of mother nature – IF Mother Nature was a Beaver!
The title tells you all you really need to know, but the trailer reinforces the fun they have in store for you!
Here’s the plot: a bunch of kids go to a cabin in the woods and have a big party – and then they all decide to go swimming in the lake outside….
And then zombie-infused Beavers eat them. Got it? Well, of course you do, it’s just the latest in a long line of wacky, bloody “animals eat people” movies…
One of my favorite movie poster of all time is this one:
First, there is no such scene actually in the film, and yes, Sam Elliot stars in it!
It’s all part of the wacky decade of the 70’s, when killer animals ruled the drive-inis!
See more of them here!
That’s it for my “Horror A – Z” list for 2025, but if you want to go back and revisit any of them, here you go:
Here are three more from the list:
If you missed this one, here’s the “M – N – O” of horror!
And before that, I shared my “J – K – L” list, which was very watery:
This is a great moment from a really terrific shocker…see what it is here!
I love revisiting great horror films with terrific characters like Pennywise:
Oh yes, Pennywise is very scary, and I’ve got some haunted houses for you as well – see them all here!
My “D – E – F” list included what is my favorite shocker of all time:
I mean, need I say more?
See all three great horror film on my list here:
It all started with this – one of cinema’s most shocking and unexpected moments:
Surprise!
See what joined “Alien” on my “A – B – C” list here!
If this makes you hungry, here are some wild Halloween snacks for you to make – using a Sea Cucumber!
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Categories: 70's Cinema, Art, British Cinema, Cult Movies, Exploitation films, Extreme Asian Cinema, Film Fight Club, Great Films, Grindhouse, Halloween, Horror films, Independent Cinema, Movies, Obscure Movies, Pop Culture, Revenge Movies
johnrieber 
I didn’t care for Weapons — too many plot contrivances for my taste — but I love Ti West’s trilogy, especially MaXXXine. Mia Goth is my first movie crush in decades. I absolutely adore her!
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We differ on “Weapons”, but perhaps because it is so much better than the Blumhouse garbage that passes fr horror these days…agree totally on the Ti West trilogy!
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Very scary, John.
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These look a little to horror for me, John 😱
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If they look that way then they are for sure Robbie!
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Thank you sincerely for my ‘education’ in the genre . . . and I am not making ‘fun’! But for a scaredy-cat like me – well it is the morning of 1 November here in Australia 🙂 !
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You speak what many others say as well – the horror genre is very specific and most just let it go past and I understand. Cheers!
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perfect way to end with zombeavers and frogs!
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Thanks! They are both goofy fun!
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I saw ‘X’ quite recently, and enjoyed the sleazy horror. ‘The Vampire Lovers’ is a classic that I saw at the cinema and also own on DVD. I am looking forward to seeing ‘Weapons’ if and when it makes it onto mainstream TV.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Yes Pete, both of those are worth the time to watch for sure…”Weapons” just hit streaming here in the US so it should make its way along the cinematic food chain soon…very well done – Josh Brolin grounds it in reality the way George C. Scott did in “The Changeling” and Gregory Peck did for “The Omen”…
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Pete, on more thing. As we were watching “Psycho” will a live symphony playing the music, I realized just how right you are with your sci-fi vs. horror point – I chose “Planet Of The Apes” as my “P” film and is is PURELY sci-fi…I am going to separate these better in the future because it literally didn’t belong on the list!
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Thanks, John. That debate has been ongoing since I started blogging (and probably long before) and I almost always come down on the side of sci-fi if it involves space travel, aliens, or a future time period.
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