 HALLOWEEN
1978 / d. John Carpenter
  
John Carpenter's late seventies romp in unadulterated terror was a trailblazer, establishing a template for the next decade of slasher flicks to follow. Haddonfield, Illinois: Six year old Michael Myers brutally stabs his sister to death, and after spending fifteen years in Smiths Grove Asylum, escapes and returns to his hometown for some long overdue trick or treating. Made on a shoestring budget and featuring a nail-biter of a soundtrack, HALLOWEEN is arguably the best executed slasher film ever made. It's a shame that it was subjected to a barrage of progressively weaker sequels that, until HALLOWEEN H20, weakened the credibility of the series.
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 HALLOWEEN 2
1981 / d. Rick Rosenthal
Picking up directly where the first HALLOWEEN ends, we continue to follow Laurie Strode as she struggles to survive an attack from a masked boogeyman hellbent on ending her life. Creepy hospital scenes and a driving re-do of John Carpenter's classic musical score create tension and a true atmosphere of Halloween night, while the plot shines light on the relationship between Myers and Strode. Aside from the fact that Myers' mask is clearly altered, the overall feeling and tone between the movies remains consistent. A worthy sequel, and the perfect film to set the mood for Samhain.
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 HALLOWEEN 3
1982 / d. Tommy Lee Wallace
Watch HALLOWEEN 3 and you'll see: an eccentric, silver-haired maskmaker with grandiose plans and a demented sense of humour; facial reconstructions by men in grey suits; seizure inducing 1980s digital effects; and who could forget, an annoying TV jingle which will be stuck in your head for days to come! Aside from the title, HALLOWEEN 3 owes nothing to the Halloween franchise, and because of that many an unknowing viewer has left disappointed, expecting to see Michael Myers continue his onscreen bodycount. Though generally ignored, HALLOWEEN 3 has its moments, and is corny enough to be enjoyable with the right attitude. Listen for an uncredited voice cameo by Jamie Lee Curtis as the telephone operator!
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 HALLOWEEN 2
2009 / d. Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie's sequel to his incredibly well done re-imagining of HALLOWEEN was sadly, an enormous letdown. An unfocused script was the culprit, which turned Michael Myers into a walking, talking (oh yeah, you heard right), heavily-bearded Jim Morrison lookalike. Zombie's wife (Sherri Moon Zombie) returns as Michael's mother, in a simply bizarre role that was far too reminiscent of Pamela Voorhees for my liking. However, the film was deliciously violent in typical Rob Zombie fashion. While I love him as a director, hopefully he'll put this flop behind him and go back to making films more like THE DEVIL'S REJECTS.
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 HALLOWEEN 6: THE CURSE OF MICHAEL MYERS
1995 / d. Joe Chappelle
My personal least favourite of the series, but without a doubt the most graphic and mean spirited installment. Seeking to develop even more mythology around Michael Myers, HALLOWEEN 6 further explores the "man in black" from the previous film, as well as delves deeper into the Cult of Thorn storyline. Absolute rubbish that takes the series to an all-time low before the much needed HALLOWEEN H20 injected some much-needed credibility back into the franchise.
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 HALLOWEEN H20
1998 / d. Steve Miner
An excellent installment in the long-winded HALLOWEEN franchise, and in this reviewer's opinion, the second best film after John Carpenter's original. Ignoring parts 4, 5, and 6, HALLOWEEN H20 reunites us with Laurie Strode, who has since changed her name, become headmistress at a remote boarding school, and is the mother of a sixteen year old son. She is faced to confront her demons once and for all when her dear old brother returns, leading to an epic and intense free-for-all. Plenty of homages to the previous HALLOWEEN films thanks to a well rounded script by Kevin Williamson, and even a brief appearance by Janet Leigh and the original car from Psycho. It's a shame they couldn't leave it on this note, and had to drag the series further through the mud.
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 HARD ROCK ZOMBIES
1985 / d. Krishna Shah
It’s death metal, literally! This low-budget flick may appear to be another in a long line of so-bad-they’re-good films of the undead… until you realize that it was actually meant to be a comedy! This guilty pleasure has it all: a pair of murderous midgets, a slicin’n’dicin’ werewolf woman in a wheelchair, a hulking psycho with a raging weed whacker, and Adolph Hitler! Oh, and did I mention hair? Lots and lots of hair! The tunes (everything from love ballads to guitar riffs with the power to reanimate the dead) are pretty darn catchy and the performances from the cast can actually be quite clever at times. A hidden gem that is just dying to rock out in your DVD player. [JC]
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 HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD
1980 / d. Bruno Mattei
The legendary HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD (a.k.a. VIRUS, a.k.a. NIGHT OF THE ZOMBIES) is the film that made Bruno Mattei a household name amongst horror fans. Not because the film is good by any means, but just the opposite: this thing watches like a bad Ed Wood movie, in more ways than one. Filled with random bits of National Geographic stock footage, the inconsistency and flat plot makes this flick like a rabid dog: in serious need of being shotgunned. Some decent effects and the usual 'testine-gorging is all this snooze-fest has to offer.
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 HELLRAISER
1987 / d. Clive Barker
Adapting his short novella THE HELLBOUND HEART into a full-length film, HELLRAISER marks the legendary Clive Barker's debut into the realm of horror filmmaking. Though the film would be subjected to a slew of mixed sequels, the 1987 original is where it's at. The raw, unpolished feel which permeates every frame of celluloid, lends itself to a tense and unnerving film experience. The gritty quality, haunting gothic orchestral score, and taboo subject matter create an interesting unpredictability, which thrusts the viewer into a horrifying world of pleasure, pain, beauty, and darkness.
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 HIGH TENSION (A.K.A. HAUTE TENSION / A SWITCHBLADE ROMANCE)
2003 / d. Alexandre Aja
An unrelenting and savage piece of horror filmmaking which grabbed the attention of filmgoers worldwide and solidified Alexandre Aja as one of the most promising modern-day horror filmmakers. True to its name, HIGH TENSION moves you to the edge of your seat and holds you there for the duration of the picture, as we follow a young woman (Marie) as she struggles to save her abducted friend from the sadistic whims of a vicious and deranged killer. See it UNCUT to really appreciate the graphic and cringe-worthy special effects, but savour it for director Aja's sheer brilliance at building and maintaining tension. Highly recommended; this one remains a personal favourite even after several viewings.
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 THE HILLS HAVE EYES
2006 / d. Alexandre Aja
This, along with Rob Zombie's redux of HALLOWEEN, were the two most pleasantly surprising films of the 2000-2009 decade. Director Alexandre Aja stupefied me with his awe inspiring skills on HIGH TENSION, and it's no wonder he was hand-picked by Wes Craven himself to direct this flick. Gratuitous, gory, suspenseful, and filled with enough updated social commentary to make it relevant for today's younger audiences, THE HILLS HAVE EYES will provide an ample ninety-minute shockfest you're not soon to forget!
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