Fall Television, DVDs, and Movie Preview
Bring on the Scares

Hauntmistress, 10/01/2006

October offers television broadcasters the opportunity to fill their schedule with scary movies. This, and scary new DVDs offer you the opportunity to stay indoors for a little Halloween fun. Or, get out of the house and go see a movie in the theatre.

This October Turner Classic Movies (TCM) presents many old-time frightening flicks to freak you out. On October 6th enjoy seven back-to-back scary movies from the 1930s and 40s, including Cyclops, in which a physicist in the jungle discovers how to shrink his enemies; Murders in the Rue Morgue, about a doctor who mixes human and gorilla blood with deadly results; Devil Bat, in which a scientist trains killer bats; and Mad Love, where you’ll watch a mad doctor graft the hands of a murderer on to a concert pianist’s wrists. On October 8th another six old-time flicks await you, including Day the Earth Stood Still, in which an alien demands that Earth’s leaders choose between peace and destruction; and Leaves From Satan’s Book, a silent film about Satan’s banishment from Heaven. There are other scary movie marathons on TCM, culminating in a “Halloween Tribute to Vincent Price, Master of the Macabre” on the 31st, so check out TCM’s website or your local television listings.

Over at the Sci Fi Channel on October 14th, don’t miss the premier of Haunted Prison, an original movie about a film crew and a band of criminals getting more than they expect when they converge in a prison. In addition, Sci Fi will be running episodes of Tales From the Darkside every Monday night in October. On October 28th, you'll want to turn the lights out for Sci Fi's original movie, building on the  Pumpkinhead (1989) film series, Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes, starring the always creepy Lance Henriksen. "He threw their dead loved ones into a swamp. Now they want revenge ... But when a demon does their dirty work, it comes at a price," says Sci Fi's website. Also on Sci Fi, spooky movies will air throughout the month, culminating with “13 Days of Halloween”, a scary movie fest that lasts for, well, 13 days! Check out Sci Fi’s website or your local television listings.

Over on ABC Family, catch "13 Nights of Halloween", with movies such as Satan's School for Girls, The Sixth Sense, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride, and It.

Bravo is showing its “100 Scariest Movie Moments” as well as “Even Scarier Movie Moments” Part 1 and 2, and horror movies including Friday The 13th, Part VII and Texas Chainsaw Massacre II.

AMC is showing “Monsterfest X” October 22nd-31st, showing movies such as The Lost Boys, Wolfen, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Children of the Corn, Psycho II, Halloween II, Creature From the Black Lagoon, and The Fly!

Spike TV presents the 2006 Scream Awards on October 10th with categories such as Best Horror Movie, Best Fantasy Movie, Best Superhero, and Scream Queen.

If you’re in the mood to rent a DVD, there are a number of horror movies coming out in October. On October 3rd the French film Calvaire: The Ordeal from 2004 is released on DVD. In the film, a singer is stranded in the middle of nowhere and chased by a crazy local. Also released on the 3rd is House of Blood from Germany. It centers on four escaped prisoners hiding out in a desolate mansion who discover that the house is cursed. In Live Feed, from Canada this year, friends on vacation in China find themselves part of a live snuff film as the victims. Also from Canada this year is The Covenant, in which an ancient artifact unleashes evil upon mankind. And don’t miss The Pumpkin Karver, a tale of a masked killer on a spree.

On Oct. 10th enjoy Japan’s Ju-on 2, in which evil spirits kill a TV crew filming a documentary about a house with a violent history. All we Bay Area people will have to rent San Franpsycho, about a serial killer stalking San Francisco and sending a reporter cryptic letters after each murder. On October 17th, catch Masters of Horror: Pick Me Up and watch a young woman caught in a violent turf war between two serial killers. Also don’t miss 2006’s remake of The Omen. On October 24th, the Masters of Horror series contuse with Masters of Horror: Jenifer, in which a police officer becomes obsessed with a mute woman. Then on Halloween, give Heartstopper a try and watch a convicted serial killer go on a bloody rampage through a locked down hospital.

In the mood to pay $10 for a movie? Then off to the theatre you go! October 6th you’ll be able to see The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, which shows how the Hewitt clan became so darn crazy. On October 13th don’t miss The Grudge 2, a sequel to Sarah Michelle Geller’s original, this time starring Amber Tamblyn as the sister of Sarah Michelle who is being terrorized by the same mysterious entity. October 20th brings the release of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas 3-D and Requiem, about a woman who thinks she is possessed.

On October 27th, see Saw III. Same premise as I and II… Don’t think you can escape the scary after Halloween! On November 17th Sarah Michelle Geller returns to the horror genre in The Return. She plays a sales associate who has visions of murder. Also scheduled for November is Hood of Horror, in which Snoop Dogg, AKA the Hound of Hell, narrates three terror tales about people in the ‘hood whose actions will determine where they end up in the afterlife.