Board 8 > Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings

(+) Yeah! (+)

Outlier
Fortybelowsummer - 120
Jcgamer107 - 104
Karo - 100
Inviso - 90
Evilordexdeath - 89
Seginustemple - 80
Johnbobb - 74
Snake - 71
Bitto - 67
Mythiot - 67
Rockus - 67
Lightning - 52
Plasmabeam - 52

JC haunts up a big boost here closing in on Forty's lead

what is happening

vegas is in shambles

Another pretty surprising result. I was expecting a top 10 for Poltergeist but expectations can probably be thrown out the window at this point

Same here though I can understand some of the criticism put forth here by the lower rankers.

random.org watches and ranks 80s horror movies

Dang three big surprises in a row, two huge ones.

I will say, An American Werewolf in London shows its age. The depiction of the North also is laughable. Though it didnt stop my mum from loving it!

Poltergeist though, thats a shock! That movie is just fun.

Sticking with Christine for now.

Staying on Re-animator

Actually, Im gonna predict Videodrome, since its not on the odds board yet, and none of the stuff thats been obvious and hanging around on the cusp has gone out since Creep Show.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that felt the vibes were off on Poltergeist. I'm also a little surprised to hear that the special effects are good. It was the 11th movie of the gauntlet that I watched and the first I was underwhelmed by the special effects (I gave a pass to Basket Case since that was obviously on a budget). The floating objects in the bedroom was especially egregious, but the blue lights from the Beast wasn't great either.

Let's go with Hellraiser.

I'll go with Phenomena this time

I'm gonna say this is Evil Dead II

Try Dead Zone again

Damn, I did NOT expect people to be as underwhelmed with Poltergeist as I was.

Congrats to Bitto for hitting it big and leaping into 1st place. Props to forty for hitting it small.

VEGAS ODDSBOARD:
+600 Re-Animator (1985)
+700 Fright Night (1985)
+800 Christine (1983)
+1000 Possession (1981)
+1000 Phenomena (1985)
+1200 Gremlins (1984)
+1200 Evil Dead II (1987)
+1500 Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

+200 Any Other Movie (+2000 if guessed correctly)

Current Leaderboard:
1) Bitto $4100 (Poltergeist 2000,Creepshow 650, Tetsuo: The Iron Man 600, Sleepaway Camp 650)
2) Johnbobb $3150 (The Changeling 2000, Friday the 13th 500, Sleepaway Camp 650)
3) Lightning $2500 (The Changeling 200, Creepshow 650, Friday the 13th 500, Sleepaway Camp 650, Basket Case 500)
4) Inviso $2400 (Creepshow 650, Killer Klowns From Outer Space 600, Sleepaway Camp 650, Basket Case 500)
4) Exdeath $2400 (Creepshow 650, Friday the 13th 500, Killer Klowns From Outer Space 600, Sleepaway Camp 650)
5) jcgamer $1200 (An American Werewolf in London 200, Tetsuo: The Iron Man 600, Killer Klowns From Outer Space 600)
6) Seginus $850 (An American Werewolf in London 200, Sleepaway Camp 650)
7) Karo $650 (Sleepaway Camp 650)
7) rockus $650 (Creepshow 650)
8) fortybelow $200 (Poltergeist 200)

The House Won On:

• +1000 Pet Sematary (1989)
• +1000 Prince of Darkness (1987)
• +2000 Childs Play (1988)
• +2000 The Lost Boys (1987)

Again ranking will be later tonight. (Just how weekends are for me!)

17. Phenomena (1985 / 221 points)
Directed by: Dario Argento / Written by: Franco Ferrini, Dario Argento
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/38d3183c.jpg
Why Its Significant - No list of the most influential horror movies ever made is complete without a Dario Argento film. While not his most mainstream offering (though few of his films are), Phenomena is another stunning example of a specific type of slasher film Argento perfected - giallo, complete with his young woman protagonist and beautiful yet disturbing aesthetic mixed with a supernatural element, all prominent hallmarks of Argento filmmaking. Now I will be fully transparent here and say I dont think this film is THAT influential in the grand scheme of things compared to other films on this list, but I still found it worthy of inclusion (other than being an Argento film) for being the main inspiration behind the Clock Tower series of survival horror games, with the original Clock Tower featuring a protagonist named Jennifer and design lifted straight from Jennifer Connellys character, plus a few plot similarities.

The Rankers
Johnbobb - 5
Snake - 8
Karo - 10
Evilordexdeath - 13
Rockus - 14
Seginustemple - 16
Fortybelowsummer - 20
Inviso - 21
Jcgamer107 - 21
Bitto - 22
Lightning - 22
Mythiot - 23
Plasmabeam - 26

Johnbobb - Obviously the Final Girl is a big horror trope, but is there a name for the girl at the beginning that inevitably gets killed off to introduce the movie? The First Girl? Because this is a top tier first girl. I mean, wondering into a stranger's house calling out "Is anybody there? I'm a foreigner and I'm lost!" pretty much just locks down the standard for First Girls. This movie is absolutely ridiculous and just filled with memorable lines.
"With this we can determine the date of death." "Or MURDER."
"My name is Sophie. I'm freench."
Jennifer Connelly is eating baby food, then says it tastes like cat food, and continues eating it. What is happening?
"If I thought about your father, I'd never fall asleep!" fucking DAMN girl
"Do you take something, like - do you understand - drugs?"
"WE WORSHIP YOU. WE WORSHIP YOU." "I love you. I love you all." Why is her hair blowing in the wind when she's inside
Legitimately the bugs swarming the building shot was great.
What is this soundtrack? I mean, I like it, I think, but it's all over the place and almost never matches the tone of the scene

Snake - Enigmatic murders, stylish cinematography, and a focus on suspense. I am very biased here since Clock Tower is one of my favorite game series, and I watched this film after learning where Clock Tower got its inspiration from, and yes it probably made me love it more than I reasonably should. But, but, it still stands out well on its own! This movie is WILD. Dario Argento throws everything at the wall in this gloriously insane giallo. Jennifers telepathic connection to insects, an outcast, ostracized by her peers, lush Swiss landscapes and the opulent boarding school setting juxtaposed with brutal murders and grotesque insect swarms, and a razor-wielding chimpanzee for some reason. Theres technically a Goblin score here that throbs with suspense yet the film also has tons of heavy metal songs with bizarre usages and hell I aint complaining. I dont know, it just all works for me and sometimes I wish more horror movies could be this wild and fun all in one package more often.

Karo - A young girl goes to a swiss boarding school plagued by a mysterious killer. She can also control insects for some reason that isnt explained.

I give the movie props for seeming fresh and different, and full to the brim with an air of genuine mystery. Red herrings are everywhere, scenes are set with daring music picks that seem the choices of a madman yet somehow work.

I just wish everyone would talk like real people, rather than speaking with this off putting weirdness that seems like it was generated by an AI algorithm rather than a real human mouth hole. But where the movie truly falls apart is the very end, where it degrades too much into sensationalist shlock - the most egregious of which was everything involving Brukner's son, all of which was unnecessary, exploitative and ableist. Just because someone has a deformed face doesnt mean they should have less humanity than a fucking chimpanzee.

All in all it is original and complex film with a tone of all its own to help it stand out from the pack, yet unfortunately also saddled with deep flaws that prevent it from being fully engaging.

Evilordexdeath - From what I understand having not seen it, Suspiria would've been an auto-include if we were doing 70s horror, and this is kind of the Dario Argento film we get in its place since it's 80s. I was hoping I'd like it more than I did but would end up comparing it to goofy slasher films like Sleepaway Camp more readily than the, let's say, art horror films I was hoping it would resemble. The central idea that the main character can communicate with and control insects is fun, and makes for some of the coolest imagery in the film, but this and the murder mystery plot feel generally unconnected except one instance where main character Jennifer (who, fun fact, was the main inspiration for the main character in the SNES classic Clock Tower, which resembles this movie in a few other ways as well,) uses a corpse fly to try and track down the killer. This is also one of those horror movies where the climax drags on for way too long, where the hero seemingly reaches safety like 5 times only for the antagonist, or some new antagonist that's barely even been alluded to before, to pop up once again and threaten her for like 20 seconds before getting clocked. I'm ranking this above some other similarly weak films mainly for the occasionally amusing bit of eccentricity, most particularly how a major part of the plot is the murderer being tracked down by a vengeful chimpanzee.

Rockus - This might be a little overstuffed and some of the elements come off as kind of silly, the monkey butler especially, but Argentos direction is still assured and somehow it all comes together in the end. A part of me still wishes it was as bold and colorful as Suspiria but theres still a dreamlike quality to a lot of the night sequences that looks great. Its both parts absurd and gruesome and has like three finales packed into the last 20 minutes and theyre all bangers. Also, even with the supernatural ability to talk to and control insects Argento still manages to dedicate a lot of screen time to a bunch of stabbings.

Seginustemple - "Monkey Butler" could be the tagline for this. I don't quite understand it, but boy does it have flavor. Gloomy boarding school, insect powers, random metal song, necrotic fleshpit, mutant pig-boy, it's like Lord of the Flies as a proto-Saw movie. It takes a while to get going but that final act goes nuts. Gold Star to Donald Pleasance as the entomologist for delivering this line: "What is this association between insects and the human soul...is it because of the multifarious mystery of them both?". Yeah man, that's gotta be it, it's the multifarious mystery!

Fortybelowsummer - Starring Jennifer Lord of the Flies Connelly, Phenomena comes to us courtesy of 70s/80s Argento who was dropping giallo classics left and right. While its not, in my opinion, top tier (Deep Red, Opera) its still one of the best examples of the notorious Italian film genre. The main thing I want to touch on is how good the soundtrack is. The music actually feels out of place at times, but its an intentional technique that leaves you feeling unsettled and on edge. Do you expect to hear Motorhead in a somber moment when the corpse of a pivotal character is being wheeled out? Nope, but I find that choice fascinating along with the Judas Priest utilization. Interwoven with more atmospheric and operatic melodies it really lends to the whole jarring experience. Visually, its super interesting as well even if it is more toned down in terms of blasts of color or explicit drawn-out violence. You still get the bright red blood, rolling heads, and weird camera positions not to mention the decidedly un-giallo supernatural fly hordes (that they actually hatched for the movie). Some consider this an Argento effort that shows a decline in quality but its still very good and the last 20 minutes are, wait for itphenomenal.

Inviso - This movie could have been great. On paper, the concept of a serial killer in Europe (Europe being an inherently terrifying region for Americans, if later horror films would prove anything), and then you introduce this girl with strange, psychic powers to control insects, which allow her to investigate the murders like a paranormal Gil Grissom. Thats pretty interesting and unique, and some of the imagery in the film (like when her whole school is bullying her and she just summons a swarm of bees to envelope the school building) is pretty solid. The problem is that the film doesnt know how to pick a fucking lane. You have the serial killer, but youre already stretching the concept by adding the insect control X-Men character to the mix. But then the movie just decides to add more shit for dumb reasons.

Long story short, Jennifer Connolley is sent to a European boarding school, and in her first scene, shes shown driving with this uptight semi-headmistress. And several students from the school get killed while Jennifer has premonitions or visions of the killings. So, she goes to see Donald Pleasance, whos playing an entomologist that is trying to solve the case, and thats perfect because she has bug powers. Also, Pleasance has a chimpanzee helperwhich feels completely out of place given the tone of the film, but its somehow important to the ending. Anyway, Jennifer investigates and finds the house where the murdered used to live, but meanwhile, the murderer kills Pleasance to keep him from getting too close.

Jennifer, at this point, is in over her head and just wants to go home, so she tries AGAIN to contact her rich movie star dad (or his manager) to get her back to America. This gets relayed to the headmistress, who says Fine, fine, you can go. But your plane isnt leaving until tomorrow, so you can stay in my house. And its at this point that Jennifer realizes Oh shit, this woman is the murderer because of all the bug larva crawling around her house. And she gets captured. In a way, its a very horror clich where you get brought to the house of someone who you think you can trust, and then they turn out to be the killer all alongbut sometimes cliches work for a reason. And all of this would be fine if it was just Jennifer has to outwit and escape her captor. But its not.

Once Pleasance dies, a new character is introduced: Detective Geiger, who I guess was needed after the 75% mark of the film. Hes investigating the murders and finds the house Jennifer found, and he goes to interview the headmistress, because he learns she was raped in an insane asylum fifteen years prior. This is all exposition delivered as the film should be reaching its climax, via a character who doesnt need to be in the movie. His investigation serves no purpose and hes just there to make Jennifers eventual triumph feel even less valid. Seriously, he talks to the headmistress, she captures him, and then when Jennifer tries to escape, this guy is the one who stymies the headmistress efforts. Its not like Jennifer tries to help him, or they even really interact at all (beyond him INTERRUPTING HER WHEN SHES TRYING TO CALL THE POLICE, FOR A CHEAP JUMP SCARE)so why did he need to be in this film?

Anyway, Jennifer discovers the headmistress deformed child is also murdering people, so she runs off and winds up burning him alive after he tries to kill her on a motorboat. In a HILARIOUS scene, the actor dads manager shows up looking for Jennifer, after having been off-screen all film, and he goes to collect her, only to get decapitated in a single shot, because it turns out Geiger failed to finish the job of overpowering a physically weaker woman who he definitely beat the shit out of. And then again, Jennifer doesnt even proactively save herselfbut rather the HELPER MONKEY SHOWS UP and kills the headmistress with a goddamn razor!

This movie goes off the rails SO HARD at the end, and it completely removes all agency from Jennifer as a character (aside from her summoning bees to attack the mutant child when hes trying to kill her) in favor of characters that dont add anything else to the plot. Its BIZARRE. Also bizarre? The random heavy music that plays inappropriately over numerous scenes in the film. Ill give it creditI was never bored, but what the fuck WAS this?

Jcgamer107 - 4/10

Bitto - Rating: C-

It's a fun movie concept. A girl who is a connection with insects uses her connection to figure out a serial killer. She also sleepwalks, which...doesn't really play into the movie at all. It may have isolated her from her schoolmates, but maybe the fact that she can control insects might be a bigger reason for that. The serial killer is...fine, but I have a bit of difficulty understanding the motives here. I can't tell if it's because her son being so deformed caused her to go mad, if she's killing due to influence of the son, or if the son is abused from her, or...yeah. They just really don't give enough time. Also, that scene of Jennifer trying to console the son and she literally takes one look at his face and runs away screaming is wild. That must have been comedic, right? Like, how else are you supposed to read that scene? And it's kinda fucked up!

Lightning - Look at her - the Lady of the Flies!

In the 1970s Dario Argento came to prominence with his giallo films which combined horror with his unique style, bright colours and overpowering sound. Most of these were fairly tight thrillers with minimal plot, but here he goes completely over the top and throws all he can at the wall. Frankly this is an absurd film with murders, a girl who can talk to insects, a helpful chimp, speed metal, a lake catching fire, an ominous boarding school. It is an absolutely bonkers film and yet it works.

There are a lot of flaws here. A young Jennifer Connolly and the great Donald Pleasance give really good performances here, but the rest are not as strong. The dubbing that Argento typically employs for his films can be really grating here. The dialogue is silly and the story makes no sense. There is another bad portrayal of physical differences. It is a film that on paper should not work at all.

Despite that, the film simply goes for it so much you cannot help but enjoy it. You really have to just go with it but it is a lot of fun if you can get on its wavelength. And since it is an Argento film there is some great imagery here, in particular the arms emerging from the darkness was terrifying. There is also Argentos usual use of intense sound, here through the use of metal in key moments including Iron Maiden which gives them a unique twist. That really is the word for this film, unique. There are better movies here but none quite like this.

3/5

Plasmabeam - Not for me. Too slow, and not enough edge to keep me engaged.

Dammit, I talked myself out of Vegas points.

Damn. I'm not all that surprised but I AM disappointed

Yeah, the best thing about Phenomena was that it inspired Clock Tower. The movie itself is kinda meh, I didn't really even like the premise to begin with. Suspiria is miles better when it comes to Argento films.

fortybelowsummer posted...

I was expecting a top 10 for Poltergeist

Same, wtf. I thought it might get a 1st-place vote.

Bet Possession and let it ride

Phenomena is a fucking wild movie to explain to someone out-of-context, but it honestly does not feel that bonkers when watching it.

After watching it, I apparently watched the 83-minute release that cuts out 20 minutes of the movie. Unfortunate. There's a nice website that goes over all the differences with timestamps and I was able to figure out what I missed. Nothing really that much; though, I do like the focus on the Swiss Fohn.

I'll stick with Hellraiser.

I'll say Henry.

I like Poltergeist a lot but it probably works as least as well as a Spielberg thrill ride as it does a horror flick if not better so I guess I understand the criticisms. I remember Gene Siskel panning the movie because he couldn't bear to see kids in danger for so long.

A bit surprised I was one of the lowest for Phenomena, but good. Despite its flaws it was a fun weird movie.

Sticking with Christine next.

Ayy finally called one, time to go back to Fright Night

Seginus hits a cool thousand!

Surprised Phenomena lasted so long--initially I thought it would be our next "Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" and land somewhere in the mid-20s.

VEGAS ODDSBOARD:
+700 Re-Animator (1985)
+700 Fright Night (1985)
+850 Possession (1981)
+1000 Christine (1983)
+1200 Videodrome (1983)
+1200 Gremlins (1984)
+1500 Evil Dead II (1987)
+1500 Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

+200 Any Other Movie (+2000 if guessed correctly)

Current Leaderboard:
1) Bitto $4100 (Poltergeist 2000,Creepshow 650, Tetsuo: The Iron Man 600, Sleepaway Camp 650)
2) Johnbobb $3150 (The Changeling 2000, Friday the 13th 500, Sleepaway Camp 650)
3) Lightning $2500 (The Changeling 200, Creepshow 650, Friday the 13th 500, Sleepaway Camp 650, Basket Case 500)
4) Inviso $2400 (Creepshow 650, Killer Klowns From Outer Space 600, Sleepaway Camp 650, Basket Case 500)
4) Exdeath $2400 (Creepshow 650, Friday the 13th 500, Killer Klowns From Outer Space 600, Sleepaway Camp 650)
5) Seginus $1850 (Phenomena 1000, An American Werewolf in London 200, Sleepaway Camp 650)
6) jcgamer $1200 (An American Werewolf in London 200, Tetsuo: The Iron Man 600, Killer Klowns From Outer Space 600)
7) Karo $650 (Sleepaway Camp 650)
7) rockus $650 (Creepshow 650)
8) fortybelow $200 (Poltergeist 200)

The House Won On:

• +1000 Pet Sematary (1989)
• +1000 Prince of Darkness (1987)
• +2000 Childs Play (1988)
• +2000 The Lost Boys (1987)

Guessing Henry now.

Will try Christine for next

LinkMarioSamus posted...

I like Poltergeist a lot but it probably works as least as well as a Spielberg thrill ride as it does a horror flick if not better so I guess I understand the criticisms. I remember Gene Siskel panning the movie because he couldn't bear to see kids in danger for so long.

Boy if Siskel thought the kids had it rough in that movie........guess it's good he didn't have to review newer ones like IT, Woman in Black, Hereditary etc.

Sticking with Re-animator

16. Fright Night (1985, 221 points)
Directed / Written by: Tom Holland
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/5/525bf376.jpg
Why Its Significant - Like many classic monster movies of the 80s, Fright Night (along with The Lost Boys) helped revitalize the played out vampire genre. With a teenage angle and a healthy dose of comedy, the film switched up the vampire mythos. Jerry Dandrige, the charismatic vampire, was sophisticated, seductive, and held a dark sense of humor like the vampires before him, but he didnt reside in some stuffy old castle - he was your next door neighbor. This simple but effective twist along with Charley's fight against the vampire is met with skepticism, mirroring the anxieties of teenagers often dismissed by adults. Fright Night was followed by a sequel, remake, sequel to the remake, stage play, documentary film, video game, novelizations, & comic book series.

The Rankers
Evilordexdeath - 5
Jcgamer107 - 6
Inviso - 10
Rockus - 10
Bitto - 13
Mythiot - 13
Johnbobb - 14
Lightning - 16
Snake - 22
Plasmabeam - 25
Karo - 28
Fortybelowsummer - 29
Seginustemple - 30

Evilordexdeath - Ostensibly, this is the story of a guy who gets a new next-door neighbor and instantly realizes that he's a vampire. It feels like an opposite to Christine - in that film the protagonist mentally unravels as everyone around him tries to help. By contrast, one message you could take from this movie is that everyone will let you down - bro's friend becomes a thrall of the vampire, his girlfriend gets seduced by the creature right in front of him, the police think he's a lunatic, and even his mom goes out and invites the vampire over so he can get around the whole clause that vampires can't enter a house uninvited and attack the kid. Everyone will disappoint you, that is, except maybe out of work T.V. actors, because this film is really the story of Peter Vincent, a hammy faux-vampire hunter who the kids enlist to help with the monster, who reveals himself to be a complete coward but then spends the entire film gradually transforming into the character he's used to playing in movies. It's him who kills the vampire's thralls, him who saves the much more static protagonist Charley Brewster, and his character arc that the film centers around - at one point he fails to wield a crucifix against the vampire because "you need faith for it to work," only to manage it successfully in the climax. I was absolutely onboard for every moment of it, and his character made this movie one of the big pleasant surprises of the list.

Jcgamer107 - 7/10

Inviso - This is a really fun concept for a film, particularly one that feels like its a few full-frontal nudity scenes away (cutting, not adding) from being a Disney Channel original movie. You have a kid whos obsessed with this late-night horror anthology show, and then he happens to glance outside and realize that theres a new neighbor next door who sure does have a coffin, and then several women going to his house who are later discovered to be murdered. Why, its almost like theres something about this next door neighbor thats unsavory. But yeah, Charley catches the neighbor about to bite his victim, revealing himself to be a vampire, and suddenly he finds himself in Jerrys (yes, the big bad vampire is named Jerry) crosshairs.

I think the first half of the movie does a decent job of setting the stakes by introducing Charley as this dorky guy who somehow has a girlfriend willing to round home base with him (despite him getting distracted from sex by goings on outside his house). Evil Ed is his douchey loser of afriend? Nah, acquaintance. And then of course theres Jerry. I love how they set him up with Charley going to learn vampire lore, specifically the lore about how vampires cant enter your house without permission, only for a scene later, his mom invites Jerry over for drinks. Jerrys not even subtle about his sinister behavior, and it really works well to sell this guy as a smarmy, dangerous douchebag. Its actually funny to see Fright Night on the 80s list, because Jerry comes across as a total 80s businessman in terms of how he acts throughout this film.

Anyway, the movie is fine in that first half, with Charley trying to get ANYONE to listen to him, and his friends just humor him and eventually rope in Peter Vincent, the vampire hunting movie star from Charleys favorite show. But it turns out hes a non-believer and a coward at that, and when he discovers that, oh shit, Peter actually IS a vampire, he just wants to hide out and avoid this situation entirely. Watching Roddy McDowall have to play a reluctant hero instead of the brave, bold, conquering vampire hunter is pretty amazing, and hes the best part of the film as a result.

The final act, with the battle in Jerrys house, is great. Jerrys SO cocky and just toying with Charley and Peter (having kidnapped Charleys girlfriend and turned her into a vampire spawn herself), and we get some great stuff with Peter killing Ed (just generally fucking Ed up with a cross burn to the forehead before the endgame, and then killing him when he turns into a wolf for some reason), and then Peter and Charley teaming up on Jerrys thrall to kill him. But the best part is when Peter tries using a cross and Jerry rebuffs him, saying you have to believe in the cross for it to work, and this comes back later when Peter has Jerrys back against a window with the rising sun, and he truly starts to believe and empower the cross. And then of course we end on the heroes breaking all the windows in Jerrys basement to get him overwhelmed by raw sunlight and save the day.

It's a FUN movie; not the BEST, but I think Jerry plays the sinister villain well, and Peter plays the washed-up phony well. And the concept of facing down your new neighbor when he turns out to be an evil vampire is a fun one, especially when its one of those situations where NO ONE is going to believe you, so it falls on you to save your own ass. Seems to happen a lot when leads in these movies are teens, but I guess that makes sense, with the old children should be seen and not heard mantra.

Rockus - Initially I was thinking the first thirty minutes of this was like a suburban Rear Window, but with vampires. But really its probably more like a teenage version of The Burbs, but with vampires. But after that it gets really good with the first real glimpse of Chris Sarandons true vampire form, the introduction of Roddy McDowalls Peter Vincent as a major character rather than just a B-horror personality on television, and we get ESCALATION. The movie is in its bag with a wolf transformation, a green goopy death, a slimy bat transformation and all of it delivered with some great practical effects and detailed makeup. They just dont make them like this anymore and its a real shame. Vincent even gets to have his own little mini-character arc about regaining some of his faith and, I presume, satisfaction with his career. Great premise, great effects, just a great picture.

Bitto - Rating: C+

I've seen many movies stumble the third act, but rarely the first one. This one does and it really painted my view of this movie in a bad light. The characters were nonsensical, the pacing felt entirely off, the murder plot being so obvious was baffling, and I couldn't tell where this movie was poking fun at silly horror movies or was a silly horror movie. I was ready to have this be in the bottom tier. Once Peter Vincent really comes into the fray, the movie really finds its identity. Vincent is a really fun character and, honestly, the only good acting in the movie. That said, all the other main characters begin to find their identity too. Evil Ed, a complete nothing of a character, actually becomes somewhat compelling after he becomes a vampire and dies to Peter Vincent. The premise and the plot really start to click in, too.

Johnbobb - This was much better than expected! Seriously, the movie opens with its teen protagonist trying to pressure his girlfriend into sex. Not a great way to introduce your hero! But this is honestly a pretty fantastic Rear Window meets Buffy type of movie. It has pretty much everything I'd look for in a vampire movie: seduction, paranoia, intimate violence, heavy religious symbolism, goofy prosthetics... ok, scratch the last one, but I've seen worse!

Lightning - Youre so cool, Brewster!

Fright Night is a bit of an odd one in that while the film was always well received and successful, it is not that talked about in the modern day despite also being subtly one of the most influential horror movies ever made. At its core this is a fun modern vampire story that mostly keeps to classic tropes with some great practical effects, especially when the vampires die. That bat looked bad though. What really makes it work however is that it is one of the first to have characters truly aware of the horror genre and its tropes.

This is one of the first of a number of the meta-horror films that are so common now. You can see its influence perhaps most notably in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, both the movie and more importantly the TV series, which clearly views this as a seminal text. We as audiences are so used to horror tropes, we always complain whenever a character does something stupid like going up those stairs or splitting off from the group, and what Fright Night does is reflect this audience, if people are aware then the characters should be too. This makes it a more effective horror film, it feels like there is more threat when the characters are smart and know what theyre doing.

Even despite the knowing meta aspects the film still does all of the traditional vampire elements well, there is a charming vampire, a fun twist on the idea of a wise old vampire, and a romance you want to see succeed. The vampires are scary and there is some good tension and laughs. It is effective at just about everything it tries even if it is somewhat lacking in narrative depth.

4/5

Snake - Fright Night is a fun blend of horror and comedy that mainly shines with its charismatic performances, though its not a huge favorite of mine or anything. Roddy McDowall steals the show as Peter Vincent, perfectly walking the line between cheesy and charming, delivering some of the movie's most quotable lines like Peter Vincent's not even my real name!", slays me every time. Chris Sarandon is equally captivating as the suave yet menacing Jerry Dandridge of course. William Ragsdale though I must say isnt really that compelling of a protagonist. The plot can be predictable at times, relying on some familiar horror tropes, and the pacing can also feel uneven, with some stretches dragging a bit. Additionally, some of the humor is dated and only really funny to someone familiar with classic horror media (which I am but it doesnt change the point).

Plasmabeam - An all-too-familiar story with all-too-underwhelming comedy.

Karo - So this teenager has a vampire move in next door to him, something he finds out about because the bloodsucker in question fails to take even the most basic steps to safeguard his identity. I mean seriously you just lug your fucking coffin across the yard right out in the open what the hell is wrong with you.

Basically theres all these awful kids who do stupid high school shit and one of them sees all this dracula stuff and nobody will believe him ha ha ha. It's the one joke of the movie that is quickly beaten into the ground.

They enlist the services of a TV actor who plays a famous monster hunter because everyone knows that TV shows are real and a lot of inconsistent vampire lore later the others find out the truth and Bitey McFangerson comes after everyone to keep the news from getting out. The vampire is so intent to silence those who know his secret that he just up and murders a couple of bouncers in full view of hundreds of people. Nobody seems to really notice this or calls in the army or anything.

I honestly think it would have been better if it all turned out to be a hilarious misunderstanding, rather than just being a generic monster flick featuring a bunch of unconvincing performances as a bunch of forgettable characters but that was probably hoping for too much.

It is a mess that doesnt work on any level, and while it is indeed a very dumb movie, it suffers a fate far far worse than being merely stupid - it is boring, and incredibly so. It is less a fright night, and more a shite night.

Fortybelowsummer - First off, I have to ask: why the hell did the kid whos a horror fanatic have to go to his obnoxious friend to tell him how to defeat a vampire? Garlic, holy water, dont invite him into your house? Yeah no shit, Charley, I know you werent necking with young Marcy Darcy during all of those shows. Anyway, maybe its partly having watched Lost Boys just before this, but Fright Night didnt really do it for me. The aforementioned does almost everything better; the main character is more likeable (I actually hate Charley), the sidekicks are more likable, the mom is less annoying, the vampires are cooler and scarier, and its funnier and more exciting to watch. That about covers it, but it wouldnt be fair to judge it just on comparison to another movie alone. On its own it has very little suspense, Dandrige isnt the least bit scary (maybe a little in his final form), and I actively rooted against the whiney, pleading main character (but hes a vaaaaaampire! cant you just hear his stupid voice). I will say the last 20 minutes were pretty good with some killer special effects and makeup that were enough to keep it out of my 30 spot.

Seginustemple - Chris Sarandon makes a charming villain, the sfx are great, but the core idea of a meta vampire/werewolf movie has way more potential than what this delivers. The protagonist is so lame and spends half the movie with a bad case of "I know it sounds crazy but you gotta believe me" just spinning his wheels. I take it his lameness is intentional, hence "you're sooo cooooool Brewster", but in any case the guy doesn't work for me. And then his buddy Evil Ed is just aggressively awful. Every scene with that ham is grating, his delivery is like nails on chalkboard. There's a scene towards the end where he gets gored in wolf form and tries transforming back to human to garner sympathy from Roddy McDowall, and I'm thinking dude, just stay as a wolf because you are way less likable as Evil Ed. Good transformation sequence, though. My favorite bit is Sarandon prowling around a neon nightclub in a Wesley Crusher turtleneck, just basking in the seductive vampire role. I mean, vampires are cool people, are they not?

Outlier
Fortybelowsummer - 136
Karo - 119
Jcgamer107 - 118
Evilordexdeath - 104
Inviso - 100
Seginustemple - 95
Johnbobb - 88
Snake - 86
Mythiot - 76
Bitto - 75
Plasmabeam - 70
Rockus - 70
Lightning - 57

Karo grows bat wings and makes a big flight to the top of the board

What is the tiebreaker?

Fright Night won the tie breaker 186 adjusted against Phenomena's 190 adjusted (determined by removing the highest and lowest rankings for each film)

Evil Ed and Charlies friendship really captures a high school friendship, in that I have no idea why either of them decide to hang out with each other.

Seginus on a hot streak all of a sudden!

VEGAS ODDSBOARD:
+600 Re-Animator (1985)
+800 Possession (1981)
+800 Christine (1983)
+1000 Videodrome (1983)
+1000 Gremlins (1984)
+1250 Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
+1250 Evil Dead II (1987)
+1250 Hellraiser (1987)

+200 Any Other Movie (+2000 if guessed correctly)

Current Leaderboard:
1) Bitto $4100 (Poltergeist 2000,Creepshow 650, Tetsuo: The Iron Man 600, Sleepaway Camp 650)
2) Johnbobb $3150 (The Changeling 2000, Friday the 13th 500, Sleepaway Camp 650)
3) Seginus $2550 (Fright Night 700, Phenomena 1000, An American Werewolf in London 200, Sleepaway Camp 650)
4) Lightning $2500 (The Changeling 200, Creepshow 650, Friday the 13th 500, Sleepaway Camp 650, Basket Case 500)
5) Inviso $2400 (Creepshow 650, Killer Klowns From Outer Space 600, Sleepaway Camp 650, Basket Case 500)
5) Exdeath $2400 (Creepshow 650, Friday the 13th 500, Killer Klowns From Outer Space 600, Sleepaway Camp 650)
6) jcgamer $1200 (An American Werewolf in London 200, Tetsuo: The Iron Man 600, Killer Klowns From Outer Space 600)
7) Karo $650 (Sleepaway Camp 650)
7) rockus $650 (Creepshow 650)
8) fortybelow $200 (Poltergeist 200)

The House Won On:

• +1000 Pet Sematary (1989)
• +1000 Prince of Darkness (1987)
• +2000 Childs Play (1988)
• +2000 The Lost Boys (1987)

I had no idea that Fright Night was that well-liked, to the point where people consider it superior to Child's Play. Chucky is so iconic, whereas the only time I've ever heard anyone refer to Fright Night was Herschel Walker on the campaign trail.

Let's keep it rolling with The Dead Zone

I think it's time for Possession.

Need to get my paltry winnings up, I'll try Dead Zone too

Gonna still try Christine.

Gonna guess Hellraiser.

ok NOW it's Gremlins

15. Christine (1983 / 200 points)
Directed by: John Carpenter / Screenplay by: Bill Phillips
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/8/8961399f.jpg
Why Its Significant - Horror traditionally relies on monsters be they supernatural beings, slashers, or the undead. Christine takes a sharp turn, making the monstrous entity a car. While concepts like this had been tried in the past here and there, like in 1977s The Car or The Twilight Zone episode You Drive, Christine truly solidified the idea and gave it way more pathos than any piece of media really tried to in the past. Christine represents a twisted version of the car as a symbol of freedom & independence, and Arnie's relationship with Christine is undeniably obsessive. He prioritizes the car over everything his friends, family, and even his own safety. Christine is also indicative of one of the most prevalent undercurrents of the 80s - technology turning against us. Christine no doubt started a small wave of killer car movies, something Stephen King (though he actually doesnt enjoy this adaptation of his original book much) enjoys a lot in Maximum Overdrive & Trucks, to even films like Joy Ride, Rubber, or Jeepers Creepers taking some inspiration from it, to the trashiest of trash like Super Hybrid taking all the wrong cues. Christine is in talks for a remake from Bryan Fuller.

The Rankers
Bitto - 4
Rockus - 8
Inviso - 9
Johnbobb - 9
Plasmabeam - 9
Mythiot - 10
Seginustemple - 14
Evilordexdeath - 18
Karo - 18
Snake - 21
Fortybelowsummer - 26
Lightning - 26
Jcgamer107 - 28

Bitto - Rating: B+

Decent plot, amazing execution. The characters all feel real good in this, including Christine. I really love the characterization of Christine through 50s songs played on the radio. Arnie is especially fun to watch, because it really did feel like his life was being controlled and his decision to buy Christine is the one time Arnie acted for himself. Of course, it really transforms Arnie to the point where he's just unrecognizable. I love that scene where they're toasting and Arnie says "Cheers to all the shitters in the world dying!" and Dennis is just "Dude...how about toasting to friendship?" and Arnie is like "...Oh, yeah, friendship." The slasher-esque scenes with Christine really make the most of the fact that the villain is a car. And...I dunno, I just really was enthralled the whole time. Just a fun watch from beginning to end that was also strangely moving.

Rockus - Its that timeless story of boy falls in love with car, car falls in love with boy, cars demonic spirit permeates into boys psyche to infect him with its own toxic aura. You know, that old chestnut. Maybe its that these classic cars are just inherently cinematic but Ill be damned if this isnt one of the best shot horror films of the decade, maybe even in general. That shot of the car on fire stalking that guy like its Jason, perfection. The practical effects like that reverse footage shot of the car repairing itself, brilliant. Is just so much fun. Its kind of campy, kind of self-aware. Its a genuine classic, maybe a little underappreciated.

Inviso - Its weird to talk about this movie, because the human element in the form of Arnie as a kind of main character islacking. Were introduced to this nerdy little dweeb early on, and hes both a weirdo AND a bullying victim, and I get that were supposed to take his side because hes your standard nerd archetype who needs to get more self-confidence. And thats finebut I feel like once he gets his hands on Christine, he goes from nerdy loser to aggressive douchebag far too quickly to showcase the corruption Christine brings into his life. Plusthe human characters who wind up fighting Christine in the end feel like theyre far too detached from the plot to justify them being the heroes, BECAUSE Arnie is such a dickhead.

With all that being said though, the star of this fucking movie is Christine. From the first moment she appears on-screen in the assembly line, slamming her hood on a guy thats manhandling her, and then somehow murdering a guy off-screen for smoking inside her, shes fucking GREAT. Its almost funny; I watched this immediately after Sleepaway Camp, and going from Angelas creepy, dead-eyed stare to Christine just sitting there, menacingly, with the same kind of ice-cold frozen stareits great. The movie does an amazing job of somehow managing to anthropomorphize a vehicle to feel like a human serial killer. Halfway through the movie, I was just picturing this psychotic girlfriend protecting her man, rather than an animate car. Hell, that scene where Christine repairs herself in front of Arnie, complete with seductive musicit really sells Christine as like, seducing Arnie to the dark side. SHES his girl, not Leigh. Christine is the character that makes this movie and she sells this movie, and if John Carpenter hadnt nailed her characterization, this would not rank this high.

Johnbobb - This decade gave us Freddy, Jason, Predator, Beetlejuice, Chucky, Jack Torrance, The Thing... but the real horror icon? Christine all the way. The immortal self-repairing car that pretty cleverly capitalizes on the tendency of some people (men in particular) to personify their cars to a point bordering on obsession. I mean, just looking at the other teens boys on this list, how many of them had posters of cars just like Christine taped to their walls? Christine manages to have more personality than most horror movie serial killers without even having a face.

Plasmabeam - One of the rare early King books that I havent read. This adaptation was pretty solid, and I particularly loved the nerd/jock buddy duo. Really enjoyed seeing the nerd develop into a menace.

Seginustemple - Solid fun, I was hoping it would dig into the Ship of Theseus element of the car a little more. Love the opening w/ the Bad to the Bone needle drop, indicating the car is evil right off the assembly line. Then 20-30 years on this kid buys the car and starts fixing it up with scrap parts from a junkyard, to the point where the owner makes a crack about rebuilding the entire car with parts from his yard. So I end up wondering is it just an evil chassis, or is it the idea of 'Christine', the naming of the car that imbues it with a spirit? Besides that I enjoy the Rockwellesque Americana vibe and I find the basic story of a kid buying his first car and letting it dominate his personality very relatable - I bet most people knew a guy like that in high school.

Evilordexdeath - Believe it or not I wasn't really looking forward to seeing the adaptation of the Stephen King book about the yandere car. This movie turned out to be a lot less awful than it probably has any right to be, I suppose thanks to John Carpenter's solid direction. The trick is that it mostly doesn't focus on the sublimely idiotic premise. It really spends a lot of its runtime building up the characters and their relationships with one another and the core story is more about the mental degeneration of the main character than it is about the car. I'm not going to pretend it's a masterpiece of psychological horror or anything but I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't totally unbearable.

Karo - A nerdy young man becomes the owner of a sentient yandere automobile named Christine and predictably a lot of people end up as roadkill.

The concept is kinda cool I guess, its like herbie the love bug turned into a murderous psychopath, and it is fun to cheer on as many bullies and assholes get their just desserts (though quite sadly Arnie's obnoxious parents are spared).

Unfortunately most of the human characters are dull high school stereotypes who leave almost no impact other than being speedbumps for Christine to roll over, and that's kinda all the movie is. A few months later and all I will remember about this film was that there was a killer car, and it will get deservedly filed under forgettable mediocrity.

Snake - I hate that I have to disparage another Carpenter film so soon after saying hes my favorite director, but Christine is unfortunately just another weaker one in his canon. The concept of a killer car is inherently campy. Carpenter walks a tightrope between genuinely unsettling and unintentionally funny but often stumbles and falls into the realm of the latter. Im always one for dissecting themes in films, especially horror, but any serious point I can make is really undermined by its own concept. However, Christine does offer moments of visual flair and Carpenter's signature style can be glimpsed throughout. The director's knack for crafting atmospheric scenes and his skillful use of lighting and sound design occasionally shine through, providing brief respites from the film's more ludicrous elements. Ultimately though, I just dont really find the story all that compelling.

Fortybelowsummer - Christine is one of Stephen Kings most iconic characters and shes fun to watch especially if you have a penchant for cool old cars. The first time she repairs herself is visually impressive and the fiery chase down of the main bully is epic (how old was that guy anyway, seriously). John Carpenters mastery of the directorial craft is evident, and its shot and editedwell (Im not good at describing the technicalities). Keith Gordon gives a really good performance, transforming from a friendly, nerdy Arnie to a more sinister leather vest wearing, Baywatch babe groping psycho as he falls more and more under Christines influence. What is that influence, anyway? In the book, iirc, its more implied that the last owners spirit is the corrupting force, and he even sacrificed his daughter to the car. Here, we see that Christine is evil right off the assembly line. Its kind of annoying not knowing why this sentient car is killing people, but you just go with it I guess. Anyway, the problem is, and Stephen King has said this himself, is that the movie is kind of boring. Christine, while cool, isnt really all that scary and I personally could have used some more gore, particularly with the first bully that gets cut in half. On the whole, its a fun watch, just not overly exciting or memorable.

Lightning - You better watch what you say about my car. Shes real sensitive.

Based on the Stephen King novel and directed by John Carpenter, Christine represents one of the most iconic examples of the object comes alive and kills you subgenre. Everybody knows what you mean when you say Christine, the same way everybody knows what you mean when you say Cujo or Pennywise. Of course while the idea is iconic, the question of if it is still good remains and I found the answer to be a resounding meh.

While I generally try to avoid comparisons to the source material, especially with Stephen King adaptations in the 1980s, it really needs to be emphasised just how much this one has been slimmed down. The novel ultimately is a ghost story and Christine is possessed by the spirit of a gangster who is trying to take over Arnie, which explains why he spends time slowly turning into a greaser. Here Christine is just a car that comes alive, so it loses that aspect of the expanded lore, making everything seem simpler and frankly less interesting. Arnies slow transformation into a greaser too, along with the 1950s aesthetics make a lot less sense without that aspect. The characters themselves are also heavily reduced, here basically being cyphers to be chased by a car. While John Carpenters style is great when its showing a flaming car chasing someone down an empty road, it struggles with the high school aspects and all the Americana this story is commenting on. The soundtrack also doesnt quite work for the same reason.

With that said, its still a somewhat entertaining film with some good setpieces. Whenever Christines engines are running, its exciting. It it not quite scary, but does manage to be thrilling at a few moments, and as is so often the case with the films on this list the practical effects are great. Overall while this film is nothing to write home about it is still worth a watch.

3/5

Jcgamer107 - 2/10

booooo

I've never read the book, but based on your description of the plot Lightning...that sounds TERRIBLE compared to what we got. Christine as the spirit of some asshole gangster is nowhere near as interesting as the thought of just a psychotic girlfriend in car form.

Lighting surges back into 2nd place as we enter the top half.

VEGAS ODDSBOARD:
+600 Re-Animator (1985)
+750 Possession (1981)
+1000 Videodrome (1983)
+1000 Gremlins (1984)
+1250 The Dead Zone (1983)
+1250 Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
+1250 Hellraiser (1987)
+1500 Evil Dead II (1987)

+200 Any Other Movie (+2000 if guessed correctly)

Current Leaderboard:
1) Bitto $4100 (Poltergeist 2000,Creepshow 650, Tetsuo: The Iron Man 600, Sleepaway Camp 650)
2) Lightning $3300 (Christine 800 The Changeling 200, Creepshow 650, Friday the 13th 500, Sleepaway Camp 650, Basket Case 500)
3) Johnbobb $3150 (The Changeling 2000, Friday the 13th 500, Sleepaway Camp 650)
4) Seginus $2550 (Fright Night 700, Phenomena 1000, An American Werewolf in London 200, Sleepaway Camp 650)
5) Inviso $2400 (Creepshow 650, Killer Klowns From Outer Space 600, Sleepaway Camp 650, Basket Case 500)
5) Exdeath $2400 (Creepshow 650, Friday the 13th 500, Killer Klowns From Outer Space 600, Sleepaway Camp 650)
6) jcgamer $1200 (An American Werewolf in London 200, Tetsuo: The Iron Man 600, Killer Klowns From Outer Space 600)
7) Karo $650 (Sleepaway Camp 650)
7) rockus $650 (Creepshow 650)
8) fortybelow $200 (Poltergeist 200)

The House Won On:

• +1000 Pet Sematary (1989)
• +1000 Prince of Darkness (1987)
• +2000 Childs Play (1988)
• +2000 The Lost Boys (1987)

Should have known Dead Zone would outlast Christine but wasn't really sure.
All attempts at logic have failed so I will roll a D8 for what's on the oddsboard and pick...

Videodrome for next

Man, what. I figured I'd be the top Christine ranker, but way too low.

Since we hate fun, guessing Evil Dead II