Countdown to Halloween 2014

When I participated in Countdown to Halloween in 2012, my focus was an investigation into why I like horror films.  Here is how I began my first post on October 1, 2012:

Not too long ago, I watched a particularly awful horror movie and, for the first time in my life, I had to ask myself, "Why do I watch this garbage?" The plot was predictable, the acting was bad and the violence was excessive.  When I realized those are the characteristics of many horror movies, I began to seriously question why I love them so much.

I spent the rest of the month exploring that question, but was unable to come to any definitive conclusion.  It turns out there are several reasons, one of which is that my love for horror movies developed in my formative years: the 1970s when I was in the range of 7 to 16 years old.  This year, I am going to dig deeper into the era of the 1970s.

There are movies I remember and love from the 70s.  However, I haven't watched them since then.  How do they hold up over 40 years later?  I haven't re-watched them because I was afraid they would be awful.  But I'm forcing myself to do it with more than 30 movies that I will use this forum to evaluate, both from the eyes of an eager, energetic child and the eyes of a wiser, more tired adult.

And, as usual, I will include in my thoughts the experiences I had as a young child going to these movies.  I remember them as if they were yesterday… well, that's not exactly true.  I can't remember yesterday as well as I can remember the early 1970s!

When you join me on this journey, you'll read about movies like Taste the Blood of Dracula, Willard and The Stepford Wives (plus 27+ more).  But you'll also read about going to the drive-in to see many of these movies when I was growing up in Enid, Oklahoma; my parents escorting me to many of these movies; and, even dropping me off alone to see them when my impatience must have been driving them crazy.

        

If that isn't enough to intrigue you, you'll also learn exactly what a "hagsploitation" or "psycho-biddy" movie is.  It's going to be a whole lot of fun, whether you are a horror movie fan or not.  Please join me every day in October for the Countdown to Halloween.

Tomorrow: Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed!