STACK #216 October 2022

MOVIE FEATURE

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October 31 brings that spooky night of the year when jack-o'lanterns decorate front yards, kids in creepy costumes prowl neighbourhoods, and scary movies are screened.Yes, Halloween night is approaching and we’ve got your horror movie marathon sorted with these six shockers. Words Scott Hocking

X (2022)

Sam Raimi’s berserk and bloody cult classic was a rite-of-passage film for teens growing up in the VHS era – and it can be again this Halloween, albeit now in stunning 4K. This low budget horror masterpiece set a new benchmark for screen splatter, turned star Bruce Campbell into a cult icon, and spawned two sequels, a decent remake, and a groovy TV series. THE EVIL DEAD (1981)

HALLOWEEN (2018)

Boogie Nights collides with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in this ’70s-styled indie horror flick from writer-director Ti West. A group of young filmmakers shooting an adult movie in a Texas farmhouse find themselves fighting for their lives after stirring up the dormant desires of their elderly hosts. Starring Mia Goth in a clever dual role, this slow-burn shocker is wonderfully retro and one of the standout horror films of 2022. A prequel, Pearl , was shot at the same time and is currently scheduled for release later this year.

Masked maniac Michael Myers is on the loose again, only this time Jamie Lee Curtis is ready for him. Ignoring prior sequels, director David Gordon Green’s ‘requel’ is a direct continuation of John Carpenter’s 1978 horror classic and has since spawned two sequels of its own – Halloween Kills (2021) and Halloween Ends (2022). The latter hits cinemas October 13, so why not start early at home with the first two and then head off to complete a Halloween trilogy of terror?!

MEN (2022)

While investigating the disappearance of a young girl on a remote Scottish island, a Christian cop (Edward Woodward) is challenged by the pagan beliefs and rituals of the locals, led by the great Christopher Lee. Director Robin Hardy’s hugely influential cult classic is both a masterpiece of British cinema and the granddaddy of folk horror, conjuring a deeply unsettling mood that slowly builds to a killer climax. The Wicker Man was released in three different versions, all of which are included in a beautiful Blu-ray box set from Imprint Films, along with the original soundtrack. A strictly limited edition while stocks last , this is a must-have for horror fans. THE WICKER MAN (1973)

MARTYRS (2008)

Lurking beneath a nondescript title is a moody and disturbing movie that effectively blends gender issues with the tropes of folk horror (a sub-genre dealing in rural folklore, pagan rituals and the occult). Harper (Jessie Buckley) relocates from London to a country manor house to recover following a personal tragedy. During a leisurely stroll in the nearby woods she encounters a sinister naked Writer-director Alex Garland ( Ex Machina ) invests Men with a high creep factor and doesn’t hold back on visceral shocks, including a nasty moment involving a mail slot that can’t be unseen, and some grotesque body horror. stranger, and her tranquil getaway becomes a surreal nightmare…

This French shocker is hardcore horror and definitely not for the faint-hearted. Director Pascal Laugier’s film kicks off with the brutal revenge murder of a seemingly nice family by a deranged young woman, who believes the parents are responsible for atrocities she suffered as a child. What follows is a descent into hell, as the truth behind a sinister conspiracy is revealed. Packing an ingenious plot twist that’s just as disturbing as the extreme violence, this is a cerebral horror film with a brilliantly ambiguous finale that will provoke much discussion and debate.

32 OCTOBER 2022

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