This Halloween, like every Halloween since my kids have been too old for me to trick-or-treat with them, I plan to sit out in my front yard, handing out candy and comic books to kids in the neighborhood. I always have creepy old movies or movie trailers playing on an old TV set that has a built-in VCR. A makeshift graveyard and other decorations add to the fun.
I have a blast doing this. Not only do I love Halloween, movie monsters, and in general being goofy, I have a great time talking to the neighbors who walk up with their kids, and it's a lot of fun seeing all the different costumes. The kids love it, and my house now has a reputation as a fun place to go on Halloween, mainly because of the comics and the "scary" movies. The little ones approach with cautious eagerness, and it's fun to see the excitement on their faces. Many of the parents shake my hand, tell me they remember me from previous years, and express gratitude for my silly little set-up.
I say all of this because I feel sorry for people who hate Halloween, including those who worry about "offensive" costumes that are scary or politically incorrect, and those who think Halloween and its fantastical, imaginary trappings--witches, warlocks, wizards, demons, devils, ghosts, and goblins--somehow propagate true evil.
There's a lot of evil in this world--terrorism, racism, violent crime, and child abuse, just to name a few examples--but it has nothing to to with Dracula, Frankenstein, or the Wolfman, or with spreading some literacy around, or with getting to know your neighbors and their kids a little better. Rather, it has to do with the dark hearts and misguided desires of flawed human beings.
Happy Halloween, everyone!
.
is as much a car-chase film as it is a horror movie, with two San Antonio
couples in an RV being chased by devil worshipers across the Texas plains. The
cast, which includes Peter Fonda, Warren Oates and Loretta Swit, is considerably
stronger than the script, but the action-packed movie remains entertaining.
, The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)
stars Ben Johnson as a Texas Ranger searching for
a hooded killer who is terrorizing the residents of Texarkana, circa 1946. Supposedly
based on a true story, this early serial killer film plays out documentary
style and is plenty chilling. Look for Dawn Wells, a.k.a. Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island
, as a shrieking
victim.
, an amusing
horror comedy starring Bruce Campbell as The King and African-American Ossie
Davis, who claims he was “dyed” after his assassination was faked by LBJ, as
our 35th president.
as well.
is fairly
obscure (perhaps the lame title has something to do with it), but disturbing, powerful
and relevant. In terms of sheer quality of filmmaking, it’s one of the better films on this list.
is the superior
sequel to Zombie’s House of 1,000 Corpses
(2003). Sid Haig (wearing bad teeth and clown makeup), Bill Moseley and Sheri
Moon Zombie (Zombie’s wife) reprise their roles as members of the psychotic,
prolifically murderous Firefly family. This time they’re on the run from the
law, and the cops are about as scary as their prey.
takes place in rural
Texas during a zombie apocalypse that was created by the unleashing of an experimental
bio-weapon. The fun film takes the “Living Dead” formula to new heights with
grosser, more graphic depictions of zombie carnage as a small band of survivors—including
Rose McGowan brandishing a shotgun leg—fends of the unholy hoards.
, was shot in Texas as well.
, an independent film
screened at the 2010 After Dark Horrorfest, bullied teens take matters into
their own hands, exacting revenge on their tormentors by drugging them,
chaining them together and brutalizing them using methods derived from horror
movies and ancient torture techniques.
, you're really missing out, especially if you enjoy dark dramas, sociological science fiction, and well-written anthologies. The show is sort of a The Twilight Zone
of the modern era, but more intense and more squirm-inducing. In short, it's awesome. 
and gives her a little bit of history on the game. Not surprisingly, he fails in his attempt to pick her up. Check it out below, or click HERE to watch the video in full screen.
