Urban Legends on the 13th: 325 Sycamore Lane

325 Sycamore Lane (2017)
Starring: Jeff DuJardin, Emmy Newman, and Juliette James

Director: Ren-Horng Wang

Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

Barry (DuJardin) encounters a pretty young woman (Newman) walking down a desolate stretch of highway in the dead of night.

"325 Sycamore Lane" seems like a straight-forward adaptation of the well-known, well-worn urban legend about a hitchhiking ghost for most of its run-time. It's an excellent adaptation of that legend, even to the point where a character voices what most viewers are thinking at a particular point in the film... but where it ultimately ends up makes an excellent horror film in every way.

Check it out below. The four minutes the film runs is going to be time well spent with this film's talented cast and well-paced story that's a fresh spin on oft-told tales.

Tuneful Tuesday with the Melodicka Brothers

The annual Halloween celebration here at Terror Titans got brought to a screeching halt by the horror show that is real life. So, instead we're going to be sharing some of the stuff we had INTENDED to post during the second half of October in 2024 on a sporadic basis throughout the coming year... starting now!

We're starting things with a surpringly good cover by the Melodika Brothers. It's not surprising that they once again have delivered something clever and well-conceived... no, what's surprising is how effective Ricky Martin's famous party anthem "Living La Vida Loca" translates into the horror genre! I mean, it's been there the whole time, but I've just never noticed!

And the video--which tells the tale of a ghost hunt--is excellent!

31 Nights of Halloween: Trick or Truth?

"The Silent Watcher" (sadly one of the many great early films that have been lost) tells of four sorority sisters, the handyman they all lust after, and the maid from the sorority house, who are working through the night to get an old house ready for a big party the next evening. Unfortunately, a killer is in the house with them, so they might not live to see the morning...

Some film historians identify "The Silent Watcher" (1925), starring Bessie Love and Douglas Fairbanks, as the first slasher film. It's surprisingly gory for its time. In fact, it is SO gory that it was only shown in three theaters in California, two showings each, before all copies were seized by the authorities and production company Gleaming Edge was hit with so many fines it went out of business.

Although it was widely condemned in the press (while being unseen by most), critics also praised stars Bessie Love and Douglas Fairbanks for performances that ran the gamut from funny to "heart-stoppingly terrifying", and generally spoke favorably of the last-minute, shocking revelation of the killer's identity.

So... what do you think? Is this a truthful post? Or is it trickery in the spirit of Halloween? 

Tuneful Tuesday: It's Just Another Day with Oingo Boingo

Oingo Boingo was another favorite band of my youth, with "Just Another Day" ranking among my most beloved song by them. Not only is it a cool and creepy song, but it inspired a number of my favorite creations for my personal roleplaying game campaigns.

If you are unfamiliar with the song, check it out. If you are familiar with the song, check it out again. It's bound to make you feel the Spirit of Halloween lurking in the closest shadow!

31 Nights of Halloween: "We represent the Lollipop Guild..."

 

"We represent the Lollipop Guild, and we don't tolerate scabs."

(These pictures feature a fake version [AI generated] of actress Valeska Miller. Click here for the real thing.)

31 Nights of Halloween: REHABILITATING REAPER'S REPUTATION

Coming to YOUR favorite television network, just in time for Halloween -- a groundbreaking film trilogy starring Annabelle Crean, Will Ferrell, and the voice of Patrick Warburton: REHABILITATING REAPER'S REPUTATION!

 

When the Grim Reaper (voiced by Patrick Warburton) gets tired of the negativity surrounding him and his essential role in the cosmos, he hires marketing firm McManus & Trent to change humanity's perception of him. Ad executives Teagan (Annabelle Crean) and Darrin (Will Ferrell) find themselves navigating uncharted PR territory and unknown dangers in both this world and the next, as they go about REHABILITING REAPER'S REPUTATION! 

 

 

(From the Creator of CROWNBREAKER and WHO LET THE DOGG OUT?, and Co-Scripter of RESIDENT EVIL 7: ALICE IN WONDERLAND! A Noshuchthing Production.)

 

Tuneful Tuesday with Duran Duran: Night Boat

I love music videos from the 1980s and early 1990s, because so many of them were mini-movies. The video for "Night Boat" in one such item. Plus, it's all mysterious and spooky, with young men wait for the arrival of a woman none of them have seen before on an isolated boat dock.

It's a great little nugget to help spur the Halloween Spirit in your vicinity.

Night Boat (1983)

Starring: Duran Duran

Director: Russell Mulcahy

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: No Sleep Tonight

Here's a friendly reminder that, this time of year, you should always check for monsters under your bed before turning in for the night.

No Sleep Tonight (2024)

Starring: Saffron Richardson and Verity Richardson

Director: H. Owen Richardson

Rating: Six of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: RESIDENT EVIL 7!

Coming Soon to All Streaming Platforms and Quality Movie Theaters -- from the star and director of the classic Resident Evil, Milla Jovovich and Paul W. S. Anderson...

                         RESIDENT EVIL 7: ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Is this a trick or treat? Or both?

Tuneful Tuesday: Lyric Noel

On Friday, October 4, 2024, Lyric Noel released "All Hallows Eve Volume 1", a Halloween-themed EP, on pretty much any streaming platform you care to mention (like here at Amazon Music). If you like hard rock, I think you'll like it... and I think everyone will love Noel's powerful voice and will be impressed by her range. 

Check out the music video for "Cry Little Sister" below to get a taste of the EP (and Noel in general) has to offer. She and her band are so talented that I even liked the growly "death metal" parts of the song. And I usually HATE such Cookie Monster homages almost anywhere they are found. (Until this point, only Psychostick had done "growly" without causing me to snarl.)

31 Nights of Halloween: Off to Never-Never Land

Wendy had told her parents that a fantastic flying creature had appeared at her window, saying it would take her to Never-Never Land. It said they could come to if they wanted. They laughed at her. So, the next night when the creature reappeared again, Wendy went with it alone.

31 Nights of Halloween: The Visitor (2024)

It's been a few years since we last checked in with filmmaker David Fershtadt, but we noticed that he just released a new short film so now seemed like the perfect time. His supernatural domestic troubles are continuing... much to his detriment but for our entertainment.

We hope you enjoy this mini trip into mysterious moodiness as much as we did!

Visitor (2024)

Starring: David Fershtadt

Director: David Fershtadt

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: "Die Sister, Die!"

This week, in the Screening Room, we're showing a psychological horror film that was made in 1973, but not released until 1978. It could be good... it could be bad. As these words are being typed, we have not seen it yet! If you are seeing this post soon enough, join us and we'll find out about this film together!

"Die Sister, Die!" will premiere in the Screening Room at 4:00pm (1600) Pacific Time. Click to watch the film today, tomorrow, or whenever you happen by. And please let us know whether you liked it or not, either with a comment here or on the film itself.

Die Sister, Die! (1978)

Starring: Jack Ging, Edith Atwater, Antoinette Bower, Kent Smith, and Rita Conde

Director: Randall Hood

Rating: [TBD]