Halloween Movie Mash by Erica Lloyd
Many universally agree that the horror genre grew and peaked in the late 80s early 90s. With cheaper budgets came tighter restrictions, forcing teams to come up with creative ways to make their films as bone chilling as possible. Movies like Pumpkinhead (3.5 Million) and The Night Flier (1 Million) create a thick atmosphere with creative writing and amazing monster design. However, this trend didn’t strictly end. Netflix’s 2017 original movie, The Ritual, is an amazing example of this phenomenon. They were granted a million dollar budget, yet still offered the viewers a haunting monster experience. Never knock a movie with a cheaper budget, the creativity innovation may surprise you.
Beginning with 1988’s Pumpkinhead, the horror flick follows a group of teenagers after the accidental death of Billy Harley. After learning of this devastating death, Harley’s father Ed, seeks revenge by summoning the demon of Pumpkinhead. Despite the film's age, the prosthetic work to create Pumpkinhead is still an amazing work of monster horror. The horrifying prosthetics were done by Stan Winston who also worked on Jurassic Park, Aliens, and the first two Predator films. Stan Winston’s work is always sure to shock and cultivate viewers. With the story's roots cemented in an old poem written by Ed Justin, the film captures a perfect mixture of Southern Gothic and 80s sure to entertain any horror enthusiast.
Continuing on with Stephen King’s other vampire movie, 1997’s The Night Flier. Originally created in 1988, the movie is based on his short story featured in the Prime Evil anthology. The differences between the short story and the movie are very apparent with the movie featuring a new main character. Coming to shelves after his hit vampire movie in 1979, Salem’s Lot, this movie didn't gain too much of a following. The movie is a commentary on the brutality and vicious cycle of the media industry in the late 80s. As a news reporter follows a vampire on a murderous rampage, he gets closer and close to the truth of his own person. With a suffocating atmosphere of grime and blood, and terrifying monster, this movie
Happy Halloween!
Beginning with 1988’s Pumpkinhead, the horror flick follows a group of teenagers after the accidental death of Billy Harley. After learning of this devastating death, Harley’s father Ed, seeks revenge by summoning the demon of Pumpkinhead. Despite the film's age, the prosthetic work to create Pumpkinhead is still an amazing work of monster horror. The horrifying prosthetics were done by Stan Winston who also worked on Jurassic Park, Aliens, and the first two Predator films. Stan Winston’s work is always sure to shock and cultivate viewers. With the story's roots cemented in an old poem written by Ed Justin, the film captures a perfect mixture of Southern Gothic and 80s sure to entertain any horror enthusiast.
Continuing on with Stephen King’s other vampire movie, 1997’s The Night Flier. Originally created in 1988, the movie is based on his short story featured in the Prime Evil anthology. The differences between the short story and the movie are very apparent with the movie featuring a new main character. Coming to shelves after his hit vampire movie in 1979, Salem’s Lot, this movie didn't gain too much of a following. The movie is a commentary on the brutality and vicious cycle of the media industry in the late 80s. As a news reporter follows a vampire on a murderous rampage, he gets closer and close to the truth of his own person. With a suffocating atmosphere of grime and blood, and terrifying monster, this movie
Happy Halloween!