Tag: 31 Scary Movies

31 Scary Movies: ‘Hour of the Wolf’

Jeff Mitchell

“Hour of the Wolf” (1968) – Taking a sharp detour away from blood, guts and gore and toward surreal imagery and artful horror, writer/director Ingmar Bergman’s “Hour of the Wolf” is a bizarre, but mesmerizing film. Although the movie’s title suggests that Bergman’s picture is about a wolf man, no such creature makes an appearance.  Instead, “Hour of the Wolf” is a haunting tale of isolation and madness that is also beautifully filmed, edited and packaged, and it will most likely leave the audience with many questions at the film’s…

31 Scary Movies: ‘Village of the Damned’

Jeff Mitchell

“Village of the Damned” (1960) – “I’ve seen it all in a small town.” – John Mellencamp, “Small Town” At first glance, the residents of Midwich, a small British village, seem to be living a comfortable Norman Rockwell-existence, as this country town is complete with a local general store, friendly neighbors and is surrounded by green, rolling hills. When we first meet Professor Gordon Zellaby (George Sanders), he is enjoying a pleasant morning.  The good professor is conversing on the phone in his study with his handsome dog Bruno by…

31 Scary Movies: ‘Black Sunday’

Jeff Mitchell

“Black Sunday” (1960) – When an executioner lifts his sledgehammer and smashes a mask with about 20 pointed nails into your face – while you are also tied to a stake and then branded with the letter “S”, the mark of Satan – you gotta know that it is not your day. This is Princess Asa’s (Barbara Steele) horrible day, but what makes matters worse is her own brother sentenced her to this ghastly fate.  Set in the 17th century, this unseemly opening sets a sinister tone for “Black Sunday”, which…