Knock Knock…Who’s There?
Well, we all know the answer to that:
Oh yes, “Johnnie” is there – aka “Ax Jack” – and he is ready to celebrate my “Horror A – Z” series with films with the letters “S – T – U – V”…and we begin with one of cinema’s greatest horror films seen through the lens of one of the world’s greatest Directors of all time:
“Some places are like people: some shine and some don’t.”
The plot of “The Shining” is simple: A man, his son and wife become the winter caretakers of an isolated hotel high in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Six months of quiet desolation, a place for son Danny to explore at will…
Unfortunately, little Danny sees disturbing visions of the hotel’s past – using a telepathic gift known as “The Shining”. Example? How about the twins he sees in the hallway…
And then of course, Danny sees more…as the horrific images continue…and there is no one to confide in…
The father, played with intense glee by Jack Nicholson, is working on a writing project when he slowly slips into insanity as a result of cabin fever – oh, and the advice he gets from former Hotel guests. After being convinced by a waiter’s ghost to “correct” the family, Jack goes completely insane.
To announce “The Shining”, Warner Brothers released a teaser trailer that had just one shot – a wide shot of an elevator in a hotel lobby as credits are shown – but stay until the end and you won’t be disappointed:
Stanley Kubrick, known for his compulsiveness and numerous retakes, got the shot of blood pouring from the elevators in only three takes. That said, the shot took nine days to set up; every time the doors opened and the blood poured out, Kubrick would say, “It doesn’t look like blood.”
Kubrick’s horror film has sparked a series of “conspiracy theories” about hidden messages in the film! See the inside story of an incredible documentary that looks into all of them – trailer and more here:
Now, onto the letter “T” – a film that is easily my favorite zombie film of all time and here’s why:
Oops! I got on the wrong train for sure!
Time to board one of my favorite horror films of all!
“Train to Busan” is an incredible South Korean film, where a Dad just wants to take his daughter home to Busan – but zombies have other ideas!
Click here for the incredible trailer and more about his great great zombie film!
Next up, the letter “U” – and a fun horror film about some of our greatest “urban legends”:
This 1998 horror film rode the wave of late-90s meta-horror popularized by “Scream.” A group a group of college students at a private New England university are targeted by a serial killer executing gruesome murders modeled after popular folklore and urban myths…a classic horror trope.
Here is the trailer:
A cast including some of the biggest names of the 90’s “brat pack” era are in the film…this one is just good Halloween fun – and spawned a number of sequels as well!
Now, time for some classic exploitation cinema from the early 70’s, courtesy of the letter “V”:
“A ballad of the ’60’s said, ‘I left my heart in San Francisco’. Now in the ’70’s it is possible to leave one’s soul there as well.”
How can you NOT love a film that includes that line? Remember, not all films are destined to be Best Picture! Some have a “different” agenda:
“The Virgin Witch” is a low budget slice of cult cinema that mixes eroticism with horror…it was sold as part of a double bill along with a film called “Witchcraft ’70″…here is a look at both films, with trailers:
Thanks for reading my “A – Z of Horror”, which included this classic shocker:
Rosemary was so excited to have a baby – how wa she to know that Satan was the father?
See more here, including why Frank Sinatra dumped Mia Farrow because of the film!
I’ve been spending the month of October focused on “Horror A – Z”, which you can always find by going to my main page and hitting the “movies” category…where you will find this: here’s the “M – N – O” of horror!
I am sharing 26 films this month to celebrate Shocktober, and it all started here:
Carrie sure knows how to “light up” a party!
See who joined her on my first list of Shocktober here:
And here’s another of my entries for the month as well:
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Categories: 70's Cinema, Action Films, Cult Movies, Exploitation films, Film Fight Club, Great Films, Grindhouse, Halloween, Horror films, Movies, Obscure Movies, Pop Culture, Revenge Movies, Sexploitation Movies, Talent/Celebrities
I definitely share your enthusiasm for TRAIN TO BUSAN! I love that movie! And maybe this should be my year to watch some VIRGIN WITCH action!
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The Shining is a great book and an exceptional film. I remember that trailer with the blood. I remember the twins in the elevator and the corridor although those scenes are not in the book.
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I saw ‘Virgin Witch’ on tv the other evening. Ann and Vicki Michelle are sisters, and Vicki went on to a starring role in a long-running tv comedy show here, called ‘Allo Allo.’ A bit different from the movie – it was a spoof on WW2 dramas!
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John, I have mentioned this before, but Jack ruined ‘The Shining’ for me with his characteristic over-acting, which he took to new levels in that film. I really wish he would just act the way he does in ‘Chinatown’, where you can see the nuance, and the talent. He has never heard the expression, ‘Less is more’.
As for ‘Train To Busan’, definitely the best zombie film made so far, no contest! I love that film.
Shared on Twitter. Best wishes, Pete.
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I get that Pete…considering that he did more than 100 takes on many of the scenes, it was what Kubrick wanted I guess!
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Maybe. In which case, Kubrick was wrong. Jack acts so well when he is ‘slow’, as in ‘The Passenger’, and ‘The Last Detail’ for example. He also ruined ‘The Departed’ for me, for the same reason. So Marty should have reigned him in. Just my (unpopular) personal opinion, John.
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