Ten!

SALEM'S LOT
(1979)

I just finished reading the book for the second time and I have to say, Stephen King really brings the thunder! What a fantastic book. So I decided to revisit the original miniseries, as well.

I have a long history with this made for TV movie. I saw it when it came out, when I was ten years old, and it scared the living hell out of me. For a week afterwords, whenever I went to bed and closed my eyes, I saw the livid, evil face of the Master vampire, Barlow. And if you know what he looks like, you'll understand. Through the years, I've seen the film a dozen times and I never get tired of it. Now, 41 years old, I still find it effectively creepy and scary. Maybe it's just archaic memories or some kind of terror imprinting from when I was a child, but when those kid vampires are floating outside their victim's windows, scratching and begging to be let in, their eyes glowing and a fog swirling around them, it still gets me.

So, what's the film about? Uh, vampires. They invade the small town of Jerusalem's Lot, slowly eating their way through the populace. Only a writer and a boy stand between them and total victory.

Watch this film. Rent it, buy it, whatever. Directed by Tobe Hooper, starring some great actors, and full of scary goodness. It's a can't miss.


C.H.U.D.
(1984)

For those of you who don't know, the government was doing some sick shit in the New York City sewers in the late 70's and early 80's, and the results of all that radiation was the creation of creatures that began to prey on the surface dwellers. The government termed them C.H.U.D.--Cannibalistic, Humanoid, Underground, Dwellers--and they nearly destroyed the entire city of New York. If not for the intrepid action of the NYPD, a renegade photographer, and Daniel Stern when he ran a soup kitchen, we might all be dead right now.

Great monsters, great script, great acting, and a cheesiness that transcends silliness and catapults you right into awe. C.H.U.D. is a great movie, and if you've never seen it, you should get to it, pronto!