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Week six of Halloween fun continues with Shudder‘s 61 Days of Halloween.

What surprises were in store for us this time and how do they stack up? Well, rather than the usual seven films, we got a double-feature treat. So we are ranking eight movies this time around.

#8 – The Old Dark House

Not the best of the Universal Studios pre-code films, The Old Dark House is still a fun glimpse at an earlier era. The film follows a group of strangers who take shelter in an old, dark house during a flood. The film’s top billing goes to Boris Karloff, credited merely as KARLOFF, but the real stand out performance comes from Melvyn Douglas, playing a real roustabout and raconteur.

The film is more of a comedy than a straight horror film, but a lot of that humor fails to lick outside of the 1930s. Despite this, the film does play with some tropes of the then-burgeoning genre.

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https://twitter.com/hpkomic/status/1319708202334781442

#7 – Satan’s Slaves

Satan’s Slaves is a modern remake-prequel of a 1980s Indonesian classic. Part of the Saturday night double-feature, this was the first Joko Anwar movie shown. The film follows a poverty-stricken family that is rocked by the death of their matriarch after caring for her for years. However, her death reveals a dark secret about the family and the larger world.

The movie is fine. It feels more style over substance, perhaps from it being locked into an existing story. Visually it’s quite impressive, but between this and Anwar’s Impetigore, the latter is superior.

https://twitter.com/hpkomic/status/1319709471245963264

#6 – The Monster Club

The Monster Club is a goofy anthology film adapting several stories by R. Chetwynd-Hayes. The film is largely known for Vincent Price, a goofy burlesque scene involving a skeleton, and a pretty fun soundtrack. Price’s vampire, Eramus, gets a blood donation from a fictionalized version of R. Chetwind-Hayes, played by the legendary John Carradine. The two then find themselves in a club for monsters, watching acts between stories about the monster world.

Only one of the segments feels memorable at all, honestly, and that is just for the ending. Otherwise this is a fairly forgettable movie outside of a few bright spots. The surprisingly punk-adjacent soundtrack is a lot of fun.

https://twitter.com/hpkomic/status/1319708463191126016

#5 – Patrick

Patrick is an Australian oddity that is a lot more fun than I expected it to be. Directed by Richard Franklin, the movie came with the first wave of Ozsploitation movies that swept the late 1970s and early 1980s. The movie follows a nurse, estranged from her husband, who takes a job at a hospital, ultimately caring for a comatose patient named Patrick. Patrick may not be as comatose as everyone thinks and his penchant for murder may be just as active.

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It is an oddly mean-spirited little movie and a scene involving a frog feels particularly alarming, yet the people who should die ultimately don’t. Still, though, the lasting legacy of Patrick is less the movie and the fact it was a step towards Psycho II (directed by Richard Franklin) and inspired a moment in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill.

https://twitter.com/hpkomic/status/1319709068164886530

#4 – The Masque of the Red Death

Hoo boy, The Masque of the Red Death is a timely choice given everything going on in our world right now. This Roger Corman adaptation of the Edgar Alan Poe short story (with a bit of Hop-Frog thrown in) stars who else, but Vincent Price. The movie follows a party of the Satanic elite among the backdrop of a plague ravaging the countryside.

The movie is a fairly subdued Corman film, probably him at his best. There is plenty of cleavage to be had, of course, as his love of breasts is on full display. What is most interesting is how sexy the film is, particularly Vincent Price as the Satan-worshipping prince of the kingdom hosting the masque (at least, according tomy wife). The upside-down crucifix brand on the right breast of his concubine is also very stimulating.

Though perhaps not a great adaptation of Poe in substance, The Masque of the Red Death is still a treat.

https://twitter.com/hpkomic/status/1319707425872605185

#3 – Blood Quantum

I won’t dive far into Blood Quantum here, instead, I urge you to read my previously published review. The film still holds up well on my third viewing, for what it is worth. The movie follows a zombie outbreak in the 1980s on First Peoples’ land in Canada and makes for a unique spin on the zombie formula.

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https://twitter.com/hpkomic/status/1319707981689225216

#2 – Impetigore

Impetigore struck me as the better of the Joko Anwar films in the double feature. It felt less beholden to existing in the confines of established work and let Anwar showcase a lot of fun horror, far more than Satan’s Slaves. The film follows a young woman who, after nearly getting killed, returns to her family’s ancestral village for answers, only to learn something truly horrific is going on.

The movie is very good and very creepy. What I found particularly interesting is that while it shied away from outright gore, the horror of implication was on full display and some gruesome, gruesome things happen in the story. Tara Basro, who seems to be Anwar’s good luck charm based on the number of collaborations they’ve done, puts in a very strong performance as Maya, the protagonist.

https://twitter.com/hpkomic/status/1319709471245963264

#1 – The Mortuary Collection

My selection for the best film of week six, The Mortuary Collection, I believe has the potential to start a franchise. This is an anthology title (again, another anthology…) that not only sticks the landing with most (if not all the short stories) but also has a solid narrative device that links them. The film follows a young woman who applies for a job at a mortuary in the town of Raven’s End, but we soon see the not everything is as it seems, even given the unusual appearance of the mortician.

The whole film is very stylish and I think there is a lot more that can be done with the community of Raven’s End. The film also spans several decades in its storytelling, starting with the 50s, telling a tale in the 1960s and 1970s, and framing the stories in the 1980s. Honestly, this might be one of the best anthology films on Shudder, maybe even up there with Scare Package.

https://twitter.com/hpkomic/status/1319708738031288320

So, what is on the agenda for the final two weeks of the 61 Days of Halloween? Shudder was kind enough to share the schedule on Twitter.

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Related posts:

  1. Weekly Wail – Ranking the 61 Days of Halloween – Week Four
  2. Weekly Wail – Ranking the 61 Days of Halloween – Week Seven
  3. Weekly Wail – Ranking the 61 Days of Halloween – Week Five
  4. Weekly Wail – Ranking the 61 Days of Halloween – Week Six
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David Davis is a writer, cartoonist, and educator in Southern California with an M.A. in literature and writing studies.

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The Last Drive-In Season 5 Premiering April 21st Exclusively on Shudder!

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2 weeks ago

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March 21, 2023

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They say good things come to those who wait, and boy have we been patient. It has been close to a year since our eyes have indulged a full season of ‘The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs’, in fact, the season 4 finale premiered on Shudder July 1st, 2022. Since then, we have been able to satisfy our appetites with festive holiday specials sprinkled throughout the past year. Specials such as ‘Joe Bob’s Halloween Hangout’ guest starring horror’s favorite Mistress of the Dark, Elvira (played by the legendary Cassandra Peterson) and ‘Joe Bob’s Ghoultide Get-Together’. Last month was a treat in itself, as we were able to witness Joe Bob Briggs and co-host Darcy the Mail Girl (Diana Prince) marry one lucky couple for the first time on the show with ‘Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine‘ special.

picture of Joe Bob Briggs and Darcy the Mail Girl sitting in lawn chairs on the set of The Last Drive-In. Behind them we see a white camping trailer with red string lights along the top and a bright red and blue neon sign that reads "The Last Drive-In' in the background. Joe Bob is seen wearing an orange collard button down long sleeve shirt and black jeans with snake skin cowboy boots. His hands rest on his thighs as he invites you in with a warm smile. Darcy is seen sitting to Joe Bob's left wearing a mail girl costume with fishnet stockings, her legs neatly crossed over one another. Surrounding the two hosts is an ice box with empty beer bottles and cans resting on the top and an old tube screen television in the front of them.
host Joe Bob Briggs and co-host Darcy the Mail Girl on the set of ‘The Last Drive-In‘.

While the current changes in staff at Shudder have left fans questioning whether we will receive a new season of the popular series, I can happily say mutant family, we need not worry. In fact, to our wonderous surprise, Joe Bob Briggs has officially announced via Twitter, season 5 of ‘The Last Drive-In‘ will be premiering April 21st, exclusively on Shudder! One thing that is noteworthy, is unlike previous seasons, it has been reported by 1428Elm that season 5 will be broken up into two parts of five double-feature blood-curdling episodes. Though we have not been provided the official release schedule for the second block of season 5, here is a sneak peek of what we can expect for the first half of the season:

April 21: Season 5 Launch Party!
April 28: Walpurgisnacht Part 2!
May 5: Cinco de Fucking Mayo!
May 12: Mama’s Day!
May 19: Dysfunctional Family Jubilee!

Unfortunately, we do not have an official list of the brand-new double feature films for the first half of season 5 but, with amusing episode titles such as these, one can only imagine what grindhouse-classics will be joining ‘The Last Drive-In’s’ already eclectic list of sloshy goodness. For those impatient mutants eagerly waiting for more hilarious Joe Bob rant-filled commentaries, or those newcomers who’ve yet to experience the magic that is ‘The Last Drive-In‘, all previous four seasons, including past holiday specials are currently available to stream now on Shudder.

If you are just as big of fans of ‘The Last Drive-In‘ as we here at HauntedMTL are, please be sure to follow us on Twitter @HauntedMTL and join us April 21st as we tweet along with Joe Bob and Darcy the Mail Girl for the season premier. As is tradition, we will be hosting live watch parties every Friday with each new episode, including fresh holiday specials. The road to season 5 is upon us…let the countdown begin!

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Related posts:

  1. The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine Special Live Watch Party February 10th!
  2. Shudder March 2023 Release Schedule
  3. Coming to Shudder and AMC+ for January 2023
  4. Joe Bob’s Ghoultide Get Together
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Shudder March 2023 Release Schedule

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March 14, 2023

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Mutant family, please gather ’round as February kicks rocks and we shove our way into March. With the new month comes the shifting from winter to spring as death beautifully resurrects back to life, drunken patrons swarm our local bars like rabid locusts for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, and of course new exclusives and returning favorites on Shudder to satisfy the horror fiend in us all. To quote the prestigious Samuel L. Jackson, “hold onto your butts” and let’s dive right into Shudder’s March 2023 release schedule.

Shudder Exclusives

While it is true that the release schedule for the start of 2023 on Shudder has been minor and slightly mixed, with films such as the much talked about experimental low-budget indie ‘Skinamarink‘, the surprisingly entertaining horror comedy ‘Sorry About the Demon‘, and writer/director Neil Marshall’s return to the genre with ‘The Lair‘. We also graciously received the wildly fun ‘The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine” special, with season 5 currently in production and premiering later this year; though it can’t come soon enough. As we like to do here at HauntedMTL, let’s kick off March with Shudder’s newest exclusives currently streaming now and in the coming weeks.

Spoonful of Sugar – Now Streaming

official film poster for Spoonful of Sugar. We see a vial filled with a red liquid, possibly blood being dripped into a young woman's open mouth. Her tongue slightly extended out ready to receive the scarlet drop. We see an individual in a space helmet standing in the background behind her, slightly blurred. The title Spoonful of Sugar reads in red capital letters.
‘Spoonful of Sugar‘ official poster.

Starting off this list we begin with director Mercedes Bryce Morgan and writer Leah Saint Marie’s latest film ‘Spoonful of Sugar‘, now currently streaming.

Millicent (Morgan Saylor), a disturbed college student working on her thesis about children with severe allergies, is hired to babysit little Johnny (Danilo Crovetti), a sickly, mute child who suffers from every allergy under the sun. His mother Rebecca (Kate Foster) is an accomplished author currently focused on her newest book release, while his father Jacob (Myko Olivier) spends his days in the backyard working on frivolous carpentry projects. After experiencing a bizarre sexual awakening while using LSD as an alternative treatment for Johnny, she soon uncovers the family’s dark secrets as things begin to become unhinged.

Leave – Premiering Friday 3/17

official film poster for Leave. We see a hooded individual holding a silver inverted cross necklace engulfed in bright orange and yellow flames. The individual holding the flaming cross has yellows hands and long rotted finger nails. one eye peers from thick-long black hair. The title Leave is smeared along the bottom in bright blood.
‘Leave‘ official poster.

After having been abandoned as an infant at a cemetery wrapped in a cloth with satanic symbols, Hunter White (Alicia von Rittberg) grows obsessed with figuring out who her biological parents are and why they seemingly abandoned her. However, as she gets closer to the answers she so desperately seeks, a malevolent spirit is warning her to leave.

‘Leave‘ premiers exclusively on Shudder Friday 03/17 and is directed by Alex Herron and written by Thomas Moldestad, starring Alicia von Rittberg, Herman Tømmeraas, Ellen Dorrit Petersen, and Stig R. Amda

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The Unheard – Premiering Friday 03/31

Official poster for The Unheard. We see the main Character Chloe staring out of a window, the image has a static blur. as we only see Chloes pale face and bright blue eyes. The title The Unheard is seen below written in White bold font.
‘The Unheard‘ official poster.

‘The Unheard‘ follows the story of deaf 20-year-old Chloe Grayden (Lachlan Watson) after she undergoes an experimental treatment to restore her hearing. While recovering at her family’s beach home after the successful procedure, Chloe begins to fear she is not alone as she begins to experience auditory hallucinations related to the mysterious disappearance of her mother.

‘The Unheard’ is directed by Shudder alumni Jeffrey A. Brown (The Beach House) and written by brothers/screenwriting partners Shawn Rasmussen and Michael Rasmussen (Crawl), co-starring Michele Hicks and Nick Sandow. ‘The Unheard‘ premiers exclusively on Shudder Friday 03/31.

Returning Classic and Fan Favorites

Now that we’ve removed the veil for the new exclusive titles dropping this month, I think it’s time we reveal the returning classics jump starting our transition into spring for 2023. Allow me to highlight some of my favorite films returning to Shudder for March including ‘Gretel and Hansel‘ and ‘The Company of Wolves‘; grim re-telling’s of popular children’s fairy tales. We also cannot forget John Carpenter’s haunted coastal horror ‘The Fog‘; no, not the remake…thankfully.

Gretel and Hansel – Now Streaming

image of Alice Krige as The Witch in Gretel and Hansel. She stares in the camera with a sinister smirk. Her head covered and body drapped in black clothing. Her right eye a dark grey/brown color with her left pale white...blind.
Alice Krige as “The Witch” in ‘Gretel and Hansel’.

Directed by Osgood Perkins, ‘Gretel and Hansel’ is a terrifyingly dark and unique vision to one of history’s most famous childhood fairy tales. After being thrown out of their mother’s home, Gretel (Sophia Lillis) leads her younger brother, Hansel (Samuel Leakey), through the woods in search of food and work. The children soon discover a quaint cottage where a fragile old woman Holda (Alice Krige) offers fresh food and bed. The children accept all Holda has to offer, with little thought as to what may be asked of them in return.

Though it has been met with mixed reviews, ‘Gretel and Hansel‘ offers astounding performances by veteran actress Alice Krige as the films iconic Witch of the woods and Sophia Lillis as lead Gretel. Director Osgood Perkins does well to draw his viewer in with a beautifully haunting score and unnerving cinematography, making this one grim re-telling worth checking out at least once. ‘Gretel and Hansel‘ is available to stream now.

The Company of Wolves – Now Streaming

Image of a werewolf transformation. A mans head is tilted back as the snout of a wolf begins protruding from his mouth. The fur on the snout white as the large fangles gnarl and growl. The mans eyes are a bright yellow and his hair long flowing brown locks. A terrifying image as his mouth extends in an inhumanely manner.
My, what big teeth you have…

Continuing our list of returning classics, we have yet another bold re-telling of a beloved children’s fairy tale, 1984’s ‘The Company of Wolves‘. While the story of ‘Little Red Riding Hood‘ has been retold through various forms of media, including numerous films, ‘The Company of Wolves‘ is a beloved horror interpretation with adult themes and memorable practical effects including one of the genres best werewolf transformations.

A wise grandmother (Angela Lansbury) tells her granddaughter Rosaleen (Sarah Patterson) a disturbing tale of innocent maidens falling in love with handsome strangers … and of their sudden mysterious disappearances when the moon is full and accompanied by the strange sound of a beast in the woods.

‘The Company of Wolves’ is co-written and directed by Neil Jordan and stars Sarah Patterson, Angela Lansbury, Micha Bergese, and David Warner, streaming now.

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John Carpenter’s The Fog – Streaming 03/31

Haunting ghoslty image of 8 figures standing in a cloud of mist and fog. They are outlined in eeire blue and white lighting. All we see is the outline of these ghostly figures and their glowing red eyes.
When the fog comes, run!

Writer, director, musician, and horror master John Carpenter is a legend in the genre having provided countless classics such as ‘The Thing‘, a terrifyingly gruesome remake of ‘The Thing from Another World‘. Or his sci-fi action/horror ‘They Live’ where he deals with societal control through corporations and government. And of course, my personal favorite, the film that jumpstarted his career and created one of horror’s most iconic slashers…’Halloween‘.

1980’s ‘The Fog‘ is a terrifying shoreside tale of vengeful spirits haunting the fictional coastal town of Antonio Bay, OR. as they begin preparations to celebrate its centenary. Following exactly 100 years after a ship mysteriously sank in the town’s waters, a thick unearthly fog harboring the souls of those who perished rolls in and with them, the dark secrets of Antonio Bay’s past.

John Carpenter’s ‘The Fog’ stars scream queen and recent Academy Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis, genre alums Adrienne Barbeau, Janet Leigh, Tom Atkins, Charles Cyphers, and Nancy Kyes, and was co-written by the late Debra Hill. ‘The Fog‘ will be available to stream on Shudder 03/31.

Full Shudder March 2023 Film Releases

For a full comprehensive list of all the titles being added to Shudder for the month of January, please refer to the graphic below. Please be on the lookout for our review of ‘The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine’ to drop later this week here on HauntedMTL and be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more Shudder news and spooky reviews!

Image list of the films releasing on Shudder for the month of March.
Shudder March 2023 film release schedule.

3/1:

Gretel and Hansel

3/2:

Spoonful of Sugar

3/9:

The Company of Wolves

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3/13:

Holidays

3/17:

Leave

3/20:

Jack be Nimble

3/27:

Ultra Pulpe

After Blue

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3/31:

The Unheard

The Fog

The Blair Witch Project & Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2

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Related posts:

  1. Coming to Shudder and AMC+ for January 2023
  2. The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine Special Live Watch Party February 10th!
  3. The Last Drive-In Season 5 Premiering April 21st Exclusively on Shudder!
  4. Shudder December 2022 Holiday Horrors Schedule
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The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine Special Live Watch Party February 10th!

Published

2 months ago

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February 1, 2023

By

The sweet putrid stench of love lingers through the air which can only mean one thing…Valentine’s Day and its annoying little winged cherub mascot, Cupid, is fast approaching. Soon, partners will be spoiling one another with extravagant bouquets of roses, heartfelt Hallmark cards, obnoxiously large teddy bears, glistening diamond jewelry, and heart-shaped candies or boxes filled with assorted mediocre chocolates. You know? Normal things couples do. I tend to prefer my chocolate boxes filled with bleeding hearts, à la ‘My Bloody Valentine’ but, beggars can’t be choosers, right? All jokes aside, Valentine’s Day is special for many couples, however, there are also many others who find themselves celebrating this day without a significant other. Luckily, Shudder, along with drive-in king Joe Bob Briggs and co-host Darcy the Mail Girl (Diana Prince) will graciously be keeping us lonely mutants’, and yes, all you horror fanatic couples’ company on Friday, February 10th as they return with The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine, premiering live at 9pm EST.

Love Spells Abound…

Back in 2021, Joe Bob and Darcy invited us to a gruesomely passionate night of spell-binding love witches and animatronic dinosaurs infused with teenage human brains during The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob Put a Spell on You. Many, including myself, were introduced to the tantalizing 70’s inspired retro throwback ‘The Love Witch’ and the graphically goofy cult classic ‘Tammy and the T-Rex’, providing the perfect viewing pleasure to mend any broken heart. While the two films for this year’s morbid love-induced special have yet to be announced, as a special treat, Briggs has announced for the first time on The Last Drive-In, he will be marrying one lucky couple during the live showing. We here at HauntedMTL are eagerly awaiting the return of the ghoulish duo so, as is tradition, we will be proudly hosting a watch party on Twitter during the broadcasting of The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine. Be sure to follow us on Twitter and tag us  @hauntedMTL as well as @shudder, @therealjoebob, and @kinky_horror to partake in this night of unholy love.

Drawn image of Joe Bob Briggs pouring a drop of pink liquid into a clear glass potion bottled filled with a glowing red substance. To his left lies a book a magic spells with a golden pentagram necklace resting on top. Also on the books rests a human skull with heart shaped pupils for eyes hiding behind a pair of clear glasses. In bold white letters a text reads "Join us on February 10th as we live tweet The Last Drive-In Valentine's Day Special".
Follow @hauntedMTL for live tweets and replies!

What started off as a one-time special premiering on Shudder July 13, 2018, ‘The Last Drive- In’ was originally meant to be Brigg’s swan song; one last special before hanging up the bolo tie in retirement. However, due to so many mutants, excuse me…viewers tuning in and breaking the Shudder servers, it was only natural to announce an official full season of ‘The Last Drive-In‘, which would make its explosive debut March 19, 2019. Since then, Darcy and Briggs have spawned many exclusive holiday specials, have graciously donated to many charities within the community, and have accumulated 4 seasons of ‘The Last Drive-In’, with a fifth currently in production premiering on Shudder’s 2023 schedule sometime this year, let’s hope sooner rather than later.

Picture of Joe Bob Briggs, Darcy the Mail Girl, John Patrick Brennan and Yuki Nakamura standing together dressed in medieval costumes. A cardboard cutout of Tom Atkins stands between Darcy and Yuki. Darcy is seen drapped in a beautfiul elegant princess dress, satin white with gold trim. Yuki is seen holding a small wreath of purple, white, and yellow flowers that match his loud medieval king costume. Resting atop both their heads are golden crowns. Joe Bob Briggs is seen standing to the left of Darcy, as he smiles whilst wearing a half-put together jester costumer. Lastly, we see Brennan with two wooden recorders in his hand as he mimics playing them both dress clad in a bright yellow dress.
An unexpected ceremony during The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob Put a Spell on You (2021) special.

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  2. Coming to Shudder and AMC+ for January 2023
  3. The Last Drive-In Summer Sleepover Guests Revealed
  4. Shudder’s 61 Days of Halloween
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