Welcome back to the Netflix Instant edition of Horror in Your House, a bi-weekly column highlighting the recent releases, expiring films and a few recommendations from Netflix’s ever-changing lineup. Overall, it was a relatively light couple weeks on the Instant front, but I think you should be able to find something worthwhile to watch. Netflix Instant Horror In Your House
Feb 1st, 2010

Recent Releases (of note):

AMITYVILLE 3-D (1983)

To debunk the Amityville house’s infamous reputation and take advantage of a rock-bottom asking price, skeptical journalist John Baxter (Tony Roberts) buys the place and settles in to write his first novel. But as soon as the ink on the deed has dried, people who have come into contact with John and the house (including Meg Ryan) begin to meet with shocking fates (2D version)

CIRCUS OF HORRORS (1960)

After mutilating a patient, a plastic surgeon (Anton Diffring) is booted from the medical profession and goes into hiding in France. There, he transforms disfigured female criminals into beauties who perform in his traveling circus. But when some of the women meet with horrific “accidents” when they try to escape, Scotland Yard begins to take notice. Donald Pleasence and Yvonne Monlaur co-star in this grisly British cult classic.

DREAMANIAC (1986)

Heavy metal songwriter Adam (Thomas Bern) ignores his devoted girlfriend, Pat (Ashlyn Gere), because he’s obsessed with Lily (Sylvia Summers), a seductive woman haunting his dreams. When he uses black magic to bring Lily to life, he discovers too late that she is a murderous succubus. Although Adam is held spellbound by Lily, Pat fights back against the creature when she begins slaughtering the drunken college students partying at their home.

SHREDDER (2003)

This chilling slasher flick follows a group of friends terrorized by an ax-wielding murderer during their snowboarding getaway. It seems a shredder dressed in black is taking it upon himself to wipe out anyone who breaks mountain etiquette. As the killer picks off the pals one at a time — in decidedly gory style — the survivors must find a way to overcome their fears and fight back before they too get ripped to bits.

MICAH SAYS: This is a pretty fun slasher flick that is much better than I ever expected. It plays out a lot like the old school ‘80s slasher flicks (bloody, cheesy) with a touch of the self-awareness that the SCREAM films made so famous. Out of all the new flicks I recommend this one the most.

5IVE GIRLS (2006)

Ron Perlman (Hellboy) stars as the resident Catholic priest in this horror flick from director Warren P. Sonoda set in a reform school. When five troubled teenage girls are sent to the academy, they expect to clash with their keepers — what they don’t expect is that their keeper will be a demon named Legion who holds the institution in thrall. Luckily for the girls, they possess unique powers that enable them to battle the ancient ghoul.

MICAH SAYS: I only mention this one because of the Ron Perlman factor. The film didn’t do much for me one way or the other; if anything it kinda sucks but is fun to see an actor like Ron in a flick of this caliber.

THE SWARM (1978)

Entomologist Brad Crane (Michael Caine) and his crack team of scientists attempt to intervene when swarms of voracious killer bees begin attacking a number of cities in Texas, and an army general (Richard Widmark) threatens to use military firepower against this force of nature. This doomsday epic buzzes with an all-star cast, including Katharine Ross, Richard Chamberlain, Olivia de Havilland, Fred MacMurray and Henry Fonda.

MICAH SAYS: A bit of classic stinker here – another one to watch only because of certain actors.

EXPIRING SOON (within the next two weeks):

LO (2009) (Feb 9th Expiration date)

Lovelorn Justin (Ward Roberts) sees his life change for the better when quirky April (Sarah Lassez) lands in the middle of it. When she’s abruptly kidnapped by a band of demons, Justin sets out to rescue her, with the help of the hellion Lo (Jeremiah Birkett), who has an agenda of his own. Hell, musical demons and oversized rats complicate the path to love in writer-director Travis Betz’s horror-comedy hybrid.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

BAD BIOLOGY (2008)

In this outrageously twisted tale of sex and horror, highly excitable Jennifer (Charlee Danielson) and well-endowed Batz (Anthony Sneed) are strangers in search of sexual fulfillment. When they meet, the two discover that they’re an explosive match made for lustful perversion. Mutant babies and a deadly dismembered member haunt this sure-to-be cult classic from director Frank Henenlotter (Basket Case, Frankenhooker).
MICAHS SAYS: It’s a light couple weeks for instant releases so I decided to throw out a few recs of films that are worth a view on Instant. This one is being released today in other formats, but has been available on Instant for quite a while now.

THE VIDEO DEAD (1987)

When teenagers Jeff (Rocky Duvall) and Zoe Blair (Roxanna Augesen) move into their new house before their parents arrive, they discover the television from hell: Flesh-eating zombies walk straight off the screen, looking for some tasty human dinner. Now the siblings join forces with neighbors April (Victoria Bastel) and Joshua (Sam David McClelland) — who supply a machete, bow and arrow, and chainsaw — in a bloody fight for their lives.

MICAH SAYS: Not only does this movie have one of the best posters of all-time; it’s a great ‘80s cheesefest with tons of unintentional comedy

SUSPIRIA (1977)

This horror gem follows Susan (Jessica Harper), a naïve young American girl whose talents have brought her to an illustrious European ballet school. But once she gets there, she realizes there’s something strange going on as she’s faced with a cluster of freaky happenings, from a shower of maggots to poison in her food. What she soon learns is that the school has been a meeting place for witches for many years.
MICAH SAYS: Don’t really need to say much about this one; just felt it needed some love today.

PARASOMNIA (2008)

When he discovers that a psychiatric hospital has nefarious plans for a beautiful patient (Cherilyn Wilson) rendered helpless by a chronic sleep disorder, young artist Danny Sloan (Dylan Purcell) schemes to protect the girl by sneaking her out of the ward. But Danny gets a rude awakening when he crosses paths with a psychopathic killer (Patrick Kilpatrick) who wields strange powers over the woman’s mind. William Malone directs this thriller.

MICAH SAYS: Cool, original horror film with a great atmosphere. I had it as one of the best direct-to-disc releases (it finally got a release in 20100 of last year).