Slime Season
The best body oddities (so far!) from this yr's Halloween queue.
October 1st…
Time to pay bills and watch heads explode!
When this time of year rolls around, I pull out the DVDs (I am old) and update the playlists to maximize spook and/or ook for household viewing. First time watches, comfort classics, high, low and everywhere in between.
In a perfect world, we’d be bumping non-stop chainsaw content thru the 31st. But I’ll take whatever I can get! Not sure what it means, but this year’s standouts have all shared a body horror vibe that is distinctly gloopy.
The Blob (1988, Peacock) — the ‘50s / ‘80s dynamic in pop culture deserves a dedicated ‘stack unto itself, and this lil slimy boy would definitely be in there. A Red Dawn step-cousin from Chuck Russell and Scream cinematographer Mark Irwin that punches above its weight thanks to a perfectly hokey cast (Donovan Leitch, the receptionist from Becker, a mulleted Johnny Drama) and gallons upon gallons of the titular stuff (shout out The Stuff) engulfing a fictional California town in practical FX ooze.
Videodrome (1983, Peacock) — unfair to put Videodrome in a “horror movie” box, it’s a legit classic for smartypants sickos that I somehow just watched for the first time. (I like to call these moments “old me leaving a gift for now me.”) James Woods at his twitchiest, Debbie Harry at her Debbiest, and more voyeuristic, media-skewering creepouts than I can fit in a single blurb.
Street Trash (1987, Tubi) — this was a goldilocks situation after starting Dead Heat and skipping around Def By Temptation, which for all their respective charms (Joe Piscopo’s biceps, Ernest Dickerson’s lighting) kinda drag in the edit. Don’t get me wrong, this does too! But the insanely problematic highlights are so bananas that it’s worth the trip: silly goose gore, inventive camerawork and ‘80s Greenpoint at its sleaziest, including a scene shot right down the street from Nick Hook’s studio where I get my pączki.
The Substance (2024, theatres) — I suppose am contractually obligated to include something from this century? But in many ways, The Substance is uncut Regan product — Society for the girlboss Glossier era. Your own mileage may vary, but I personally love that it’s going to be the first crazy movie for people who describe things as “aesthetic.”
The Fly (1986, Peacock) — back to Cronenberg for an additional helping of body bubbles. And another Mark Irwin credit! “96 Minutes of grotesque, vomit-soaked bedlam.” All romcoms should be like this, TBH.
There’s still two weeks left of rotting my brain until candy can take over to rot my teeth. I look forward to pulling up Ginger Snaps and People Under The Stairs on Peacock, Suitable Flesh and Skinamarink on Hulu, Evil Dead Rise on Netflix and a double dose of Álex de la Iglesia with Day Of The Beast and Perdita Durango on Prime.
Plus Kerin has bedazzled all sorts of things in Smile 2 this Friday…
Let the splattering continue!
Paranormal Reserve — if “vodka aged in actual haunted asylums” is ur thing, sip away. Alternately, cake killer Matthew Lillard has “macabre tequila” on offer.
Dookie “Demastered” — Green Day’s classic album, but on Game Boy cartridges, piano rolls and Teddy Ruxpins. We love committing to a bit!
Button Stealer — “Button Stealer works automatically. Do your usual everyday online stuff and watch the collection of your stolen buttons grow. It's fun, useless, and free!”
Mercury, Merczone — clever samples, ASMR flows, yes please.
The Dead Milkmen on Club MTV — “if you don’t got Mojo Nixon then your store could use some fixin...”
New York Hot Tracks — another dance show with freestyle and club pop vids live from The Funhouse circa 1984. Perfect for listening to Shannon while making dinner and learning that Wiliam Friedkin directed Laura Brannigan’s “Self Control.”
Slippers, So You Like Slippers? — who needs high (or even medium) fidelity when you can have girly garage rock goodness instead?
Playlists updated!