Hooptober 7.0 #36
A Tobe Hooper Film

The scariest family friendly film ever made? Feels more Spielbergian than Hooper's work. While it acts as a criticism of capitalism, I found it has more to say about family. Almost all of the male characters are sidelined; the hero and deductive work left to Williams, Straight and Rubenstein, all of which are incredibly rich characters. Rubenstein, in particular, walks in like a superhero, immediately takes charge of the situation and the film.…

This is an extremely weird bit of television. Couldn't be more 70s. A variety show with stars of the era (Donny and Marie Osmond, Florence Henderson, Paul Lynde, Tim Conway) which ends in a disco. Not as spooky as you'd think given it's a Halloween special, but it does feature Margaret Hamilton and Billie Hayes as two of the most famous witches of all time. Seeing Hamilton as the Wicked Witch again scared me a little but then filled me…

Hooptober 7.0 #33
Body Horror 4/4
Countries 6/6 France

Extreme, bracing and unexplainable, it must be a Zulawski film. Much like his later masterpiece On The Silver Globe, this is all about sensations. The feeling of being lost in sweeping yet intimate imagery, of your greatest love losing their mind, of losing your own mind. Swirling into insanity, blood, fucking and endless screaming. This is what a panic attack feels like.

Neil's performance is bold, but Adjani is next level.…

Hooptober 7.0 #31
Bonus film #1

I didn't expect to cry at the end of a video nasty. Cimber's film is not some lurid grindhouse gore fest, instead it's a meditative surreal, deeply painful story about a woman abused in her childhood who lashes out in ways she cannot control. Millie Perkins' performance is awe-inspiring, making us feel for this character, a kind person in unbearable pain. Last 10 minutes hit with unbelievable emotional force providing a moral dilemma that…