My day job as a teacher has gone on pause due to campus closure, y’all are hoarding toilet paper, and I am wary of anyone who coughs near me. It must be pandemic-time. 2020 is off to a great start, is it not?
So a lot of us will be stuck for at least a week or two either working from home or pretending to work at home and watching tv instead. In that regard, I figured I would drop a list of films for that first week. Just carve out a couple of hours of your shift and watch the world burn, I suppose. So, here are five pandemic horror films to watch for the workweek for those of you who aren’t heading in on Monday.
Oh, and a few of these movies are available on YouTube, in full, if you look for them.
Outbreak (1995)
Yes, I know what you are thinking, Outbreak is not a horror film. It’s a thriller. But you know what? I find that the distinction between horror and thriller to be somewhat arbitrary at the best of times. These are like kissing cousins (which is one thing you should not do at all during and outside of a pandemic). Honestly, if the situation scares the shit out of you then it is basically horror. C’mon.
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Outbreak is a fun movie based on the novel The Hot Zone by Richard Preston. It is a big-blockbuster style slice of anxiety focusing on a deadly fever entering the US from another country. Wolfgang Petersen directs a pretty stellar cast, led by Dustin Hoffman and Morgan Freeman, as the virus gets worse, and worse, and worse.
Rabid (1977)
Of course, we need some Cronenberg on this list. David Cronenberg wrote and directed this movie that stars Marilyn Chambers. Yes, thatMarylin Chambers. Throw together a pretty terrifying virus with a pretty crazy delivery method and you have Rabid.
You’ll never look at an armpit the same way again.
Regrettably, the fantastic Last Drive-In showing is no longer available on Shudder, but it is still a great watch, even without Joe Bob Briggs. The super depressing ending alone is one of the most iconic conclusions of 1970s horror.
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
It was a choice between Dawn of the Dead or Night of the Living Dead. I opted for Dawn because it is, technically, a better film, and it more reflects the societal breakdown that comes with a pandemic.
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Of course by pandemic, in this film, I mean the rise of the frickin’ dead.
If you’re a fan of horror you’ve seen this movie. It’s almost impossible that you haven’t. For anyone who hasn’t however, George A. Romero directs a film that explores the crumbling fabric of society as the undead rise. The most famous name on the call sheet here is Ken Foree, who might be recognized by 1990s kids as Kenan’s dad on Kenan n’ Kel.
The Crazies (1973)
With any major disease making its way through the US there are always those conspiracy theories that it’s all “cuz of the gubment” and The Crazies is just the sort of movie to explore that whole thought experiment.
I Drink Your Blood (1970)
Another wacky-ass rabies film, only this time we throw in some Satanic hippies. The film is very much playing on the post-Helter Skelter anxiety of the Tate-LaBianca murders with cult feeling very, very Mansonesque.
Director David E. Durston developed the film after reading about a mountain village in Iran where rabid wolves attacked a schoolhouse. After seeing some 8mm footage of the effects of rabies the film came together as I Drink Your Blood. This film would be notorious for being one of the first X-rated films from the MPAA due to violence.
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Basically, watch this on Friday. It’ll be a good time.
Do you have any pandemic movies to recommend for Haunted MTL readers? Let us know in the comments.
🎅🏼🔪 Brace yourselves for a blood-soaked holiday extravaganza! 🎄💀
Joe Bob’s Christmas Carnage is coming to town, and it’s not for the faint of heart! Catch this killer special on Shudder and AMC+ TV feeds Friday, December 13th at 9pm ET/8c, or stream it on-demand starting December 15th.
What’s in Santa’s bag of horrors? 🎁
Two spine-chilling holiday horror flicks
So much gore, even Rudolph’s nose will turn pale
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A charity auction that’ll make your wallet scream (in a good way!)
Joe Bob and Darcy are decking the halls with boughs of terror, auctioning off:
Rare AF props from The Last Drive-In
Exclusive merch that’ll make your horror-loving heart skip a beat
Joe Bob’s personal keepsakes from his 35-year reign of terror in the industry
But wait, there’s more…
Join the HauntedMTL crew for a spine-tingling side quest on Threads (https://www.threads.net/@_hauntedmtl_)! We’re going live as our very own Jim Phoenix breaks the bank for charity, adding an extra layer of terror to your Joe Bob experience. It’s like getting two scoops of horror in your bloody sundae! 🍦💀
Those britches are mine, bitches! -Jim circa the year of Darcy’s panties.
And because we love our fellow fiends, we’re stuffing your stockings with some killer swag! That’s right, HauntedMTL followers have a chance to win some seriously spooky goodies. It’s our way of saying “thanks for being part of our nightmare before Christmas!” 🎁👻
So, while Joe Bob and Darcy are slashing through their winter wonderland, hop over to Threads and join the HauntedMTL fam. It’s a horror-day party you won’t want to miss! Remember: the more you engage, the better your chances of scoring some haunted swag. Let’s make this a Christmas to dismember! 🔪🎄
Wanna know which flicks we’re slashing through? Tune in December 13th on Shudder to find out! 🍿🔪
Hey there, fright fiends! 👻 Are you ready to sink your fangs into some spine-tingling Black Friday deals? We’ve scoured the darkest corners of Amazon to bring you a blood-curdling collection of horror goodies that’ll make your wallet scream with joy! From classic monsters to modern nightmares, we’ve got something to haunt every horror fan’s dreams. Let’s dive into the madness!
Before we go further – we are an amazon affiliate and if you click these links we may get money for Amazon. With that said, we won’t put up things we don’t suggest so here is the curated list as it sits for Black Friday Week 2024.
Sink your teeth into Francis Ford Coppola’s visually stunning adaptation of the classic vampire tale. Watch Gary Oldman’s mesmerizing performance as the Count in glorious 4K resolution!
Rev up your engines for John Carpenter’s killer car classic! This 4K edition will have you gripping your steering wheel in terror as the demonic Plymouth Fury wreaks havoc.
Experience the mind-bending anime masterpiece that redefined the genre. Prepare for a psychedelic journey through Neo-Tokyo that’ll leave you questioning reality!
Dive into the eternal war between vampires and lycans with this action-packed collection. Kate Beckinsale’s leather-clad Selene will have you howling for more!
Okay, it’s not strictly horror, but who can resist the Weeping Angels? Join the Tenth Doctor on his time-traveling adventures and prepare for some serious sci-fi scares!
The slasher franchise that knows the rules is back with a vengeance! This meta-horror masterpiece will have you guessing who’s behind the Ghostface mask.
Who can resist the allure of a magical and/or haunted castle? Build your own magical world and watch out for those Dementors!
🎬 The Final Cut
There you have it, horror hounds! These Black Friday deals are so good, it’s scary. Whether you’re into classic monsters, modern slashers, or cosmic horrors, Amazon’s got something to make your dark heart skip a beat.
But hurry! Like a vampire at sunrise, these deals won’t last forever. If you want to do a general search on your own, feel free to use our link here.
Remember, in the world of horror, the only thing scarier than missing out on these deals is paying full price! Happy haunting, and may your Black Friday be filled with delightful frights! 🎃👻🔪
If you live in the United States, it’s time to rock the vote for real. I shared this video before in conjunction with my identity-based costume work, and I feel it’s important to revisit now, with the election coming up in just a few days. Besides which, Jack Black and Tenacious D are brilliant and given the current political climate, who doesn’t want to do the time warp? But seriously, get out and rock the vote, your life kinda does depend on it (at least insomuch as being able to make for yourself the life that you want, without the government telling you how to do so – especially if you live on the fringes of socially acceptable awkwardness like me and so many of my friends).
Besides which, this video is so good, it’s worth sharing again anyway. And again, if for some reason the video doesn’t load, you can find it here.
Art Attack
And here are some artworks I made awhile back as political commentary. The photograph was shot of the scene exactly as found, of a sign above a parking lot in a quickly gentrifying neighborhood making sure all knew that any unauthorized vehicles were unwelcome, and hung right in front of a flag that was tattered and torn from being caught on the chain link fence driving the point home. The flags were meant to be interactive, with gallerygoers waving them while singing The Star Spangled Banner in its elitist entirety. The whole really spoke to me regarding some of the political climate at the time (this was right before Trump was elected President the first time). How much has changed since then? In some ways, a lot. In other ways, I guess we shall see.
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