Halloween Spectacular VII! (Episode 30)

Welcome back to our seventh Halloween special since starting Cannon Cruisers! If you're wondering what the sixth special was last year, it ran from summer from the start of winter. That was a big one, but this year we decided to do something a bit more traditional.

Like most other years we decided to take on a classic Hollywood franchise from back in the day. Our choice? One of the heavy hitters from the 1970s: The Exorcist!

However, much like our Psycho episode, we decided to skip the most well known film everyone already knows about and has talked on incessantly over the years. It's great, you know it's great, what else can we add? Instead we decided to cover the following two entries in the series. And boy are they different!

Don't worry, though, there is plenty of talk of the original (and we even give our scores for it) as we go into what makes this sequels succeed or fail. It's quite the journey!

We've got much to cover so I won't waste your time here. Anyway, strap in and enjoy in this extra long special episode!

As always, have a Happy Halloween and a great All Saints Day!

The Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

Randy's Score: 1/5

JD's Score: 1/5

The Exorcist III: Legion (1990)

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Spotify link here!

Up Next: Gymkata!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 129 - An American Werewolf in London (1981)

For our final film in our Non-Cannon special we decided to end it with a flick that one of us had yet to see. The unmatched atmosphere of An American Werewolf in London survives intact and the experience remains great to this day. We go into why in today's episode! It is amazing how much there is to talk about in this influential film.

Be sure to check this episode out, and we will see you next week when we begin our final run of Cannon flicks. It's going to be a blast.

Randy's Score: 5/5

JD's Score: 5/5

Up Next: Deja Vu!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 128 - Boogedy Double Feature Special [1986 + 1987]

Two movies, one experience. This episode we decided to shake it up a little, covering two different movies from a period of time few seem to remember. The Boogedy movies started as a pilot that gained a lot of infamy as a special on TV back on the day which led to a full length movie sequel a year later attempting to expand on the original.

But how do they hold up? Well, as usual, you will have to tune into the full episode and see just how. Regardless they are a unique experience of the kind you won't get these days. They don't make them like this anymore!

Mr. Boogedy (1986)

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Bride of Boogedy (1987)

Randy's Score: 2/5

JD's Score: 2/5

Up Next: An American Werewolf in London!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 127 - Poltergeist (1982)

Hope you had a productive weekend, it's time for more Non-Cannon! This time we have a surprise: one of the biggest movies from the time that we have yet to cover, and one that one of us had yet to see! That's right, it's time for Poltergeist from 1982!

Does it still hold up, or is there something holding it back from being a classic? Check out today's episode to find out!

Randy's Score: 5/5

JD's Score: 5/5

Up Next: Boogedy Double Feature!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 126 - Watcher in the Woods (1980)

We've still got a few spooky season episodes left to go! We're going to try and take this into the holiday season, so strap in. This time we took a look at the nearly forgotten favorite, Watcher in the Woods, from 1980!

This one holds up surprisingly well despite a twist that is kind of lame, but the movie still salvages it with some creepy effects and some gorgeous scenery. The entire thing actually holds together and is well worth watching today. Check out today's episode to learn how that might be!

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: Poltergeist!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 125 - Return to Oz (1985)

Our season long special continues, this time covering the obscure favorite, Return to Oz! This one is not what you might think, especially if you only know it by reputation. A bit eerie, a bit adventurous, all creative, this one could only have been made in the era it was made in.

Check out the full episode for our opinion on this strangely misunderstood and unappreciated film to learn our full opinions. You might surprised as to what we thought on this one!

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: Watcher in the Woods!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 124 - Arachnophobia (1990)

Here is a movie most of us remember exists but tend not to remember much about it. Surprisingly, despite that, Arachnophobia holds up surprisingly well. Aside from some nitpicks, it's a fairly good horror movie from an era when they still worked well.

It's not the greatest genre flick ever or anything, but you might surprised by how well it actually holds up. That said, it fits our current long-running special extremely like a glove!

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: Return to Oz!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 123 - The Witches (1990)

This time we watch an obscure favorite where Jim Henson meets Roald Dahl. The last movie produced by Henson, yet released after his untimely death, The Witches is a surprisingly well done fairy tale over the older style, with much of Dahl's darker elements. Though it can be a bit crude, there isn't quite another film like this one.

Today's episode will tell you just why that is. Let us learn just what has made this one a cult classic over the years.

Randy's Score: 5/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: Arachnophobia!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 122 - Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)

Based on the Ray Bradbury book, this movie should really have it all. The source material is a classic, and should have been an easy home run for Disney to make into a comparable movie. The author himself even contributed to making it.

However, the final product leaves a little to be desired. There are some great things in this adaption of the Bradbury story, but also some head scratching decisions. As always, to find out the full deal, dive into today's episode! It's a bit of a puzzler.

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Up Next: The Witches!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 121 - The Gate II: Trespassers (1990)

Today we look at the sequel of a movie we watched ages ago: the follow-up to the cult favorite The Gate. We were hoping for another inventive hidden gem that we might have missed out on, like last time. Unfortunately, that isn't what we found this time.

The Gate II, instead of being another good time, ended up being a surprising disappointment from people that should have known better than this. What we ended up with this time ended up being so typical that we almost found ourselves at a loss for words describing it.

As always, check out today's episode to hear our full thoughts on this totally unnecessary sequel to a much better watch.

Randy's Score: 2/5

JD's Score: 2/5

Up Next: Something Wicked This Way Comes!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 120 - Little Monsters (1989)

Today we cover a different sort of horror experience. Little Monsters is a movie that doesn't have much of a reputation beyond one rumor revolving around a behind the scenes incident. Aside from that you don't tend to hear much about it.

However, this one is also quite a bit different than you might have heard it was. Though very much of its time, Little Monsters also manages to build its own identity apart from similar movies of the same era. Check out how it does in today's episode!

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Up Next: The Gate II!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 119 - The Peanut Butter Solution (1985)

I am not even sure how to properly describe this movie. It is barely a horror film, at least at first, until you understand exactly what the premise leads to and how it all ends up. This is a weird film, and a time capsule at that, unlike most of the other ones we have covered so far. Nonetheless, we chose to watch it for a very good reason.

Check out today's episode to to see what exactly makes The Peanut Butter Solution a surprisingly good family horror film. You will be surprised!

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: Little Monsters!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 118 - Monster Squad (1987)

Now for the next movie in our bizarre Summer/Halloween special, we chose a movie only one of us has any real nostalgic attachment to. Watching this today over three decades after its release is quite an experience, but a much different one than you might think. Of all the movies we've covered on Cannon Cruisers, this one has aged in a very peculiar way that probably no one involved saw coming.

Regardless, film has this effect of eventually making itself a documentary given enough time, and that is certainly a big part of the appeal of Monster Squad. See exactly what that means in today's special episode!

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: The Peanut Butter Solution!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 117 - Maximum Overdrive (1986)

As you might have guessed, we've decided to do another series of Non-Cannon movies. You'll have to guess the theme for yourself, and whether this is technically a summer or Halloween special or a combination of both. Either way, you're in for a weird time.

For our first movie we decided to take on the obscure by choice Stephen King film Maximum Overdrive! Learn just how it succeeds and fails, as well as how it could have been wilder! The movie isn't as bad as you might think, but it could also be better.

This is only the first in this wave of Non-Cannon weirdness!

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Up Next: Monster Squad!

Halloween Spectacular V! (Non-Cannon - Episode 104)

Welcome back to our fifth Halloween Spectacular since starting Cannon Cruisers! It's been a long year since the last one, and we decided this time to finish off covering the big slasher franchises from the time period by tackling the Friday the 13th series for the first time since we started years ago.

The difference is that we decided not to start with the original movie, for reasons mentioned in the episode, but instead jumped ahead to what are regularly considered the best instalments of the series with Friday the 13th, Part IV and Friday the 13th, Part VI! For those who have seen them, you understand why. For those who don't, check out today's special!

The 1980s were a bizarre time in the saga of horror stories, and you'll see just why when you learn just how different these movies are from on another. For a series based around a slasher villain killing people, you would be surprised how inventive they got with it. And they did it four and six movies in, respectively.

That said, they are still straightforward slasher movies, so don't expect a Lifeforce or The Hidden out of them. Despite that, you would be surprised as to how ambitious they were with such a basic and tired premise. That makes them worth talking about today! Horror doesn't have to be pure throwaway and these simple, old franchise movies, of all things, show you how that can be the case.

Happy Halloween, and have a great All Saint's Day!

Friday the 13th, Part IV: The Final Chapter (1984)

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Friday the 13th, Part VI: Jason Lives! (1986)

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: Lifeforce (Revisited)!

Halloween Spectacular IV! (Non-Cannon - Episode 80)

Welcome back to a new year of Halloween specials! Last year we took a side-detour with yours truly covering some movies we probably wouldn't have covered on the main series. This year we return to the old setup of a longer special episode dedicated to a small series of films. And of course we ended up choosing something off the wall.

What did we choose? The two Guyver movies from the early '90s, based on a darker Japanese tokusatsu/superhero franchise with roots back in the 1970s. How do they relate to horror and Halloween? Well, you'll have to tune in and find out.

It was a bizarre time as we also looked into a bit of the old series and source material to see how it compares and by the end we were all Guyver'd out.

Nonetheless, have a watch and stay safe on this spooky Halloween. All Saint's Day is just a stone throw away!

The Guyver (1991)

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Guyver: Dark Hero (1994)

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Up Next: Rescue Me!

Halloween GAIDEN Special #6 - Maniac Cop 2 (1990)

A movie that is very much the end of an era, and one of the last big horror movies before the genre fell into decline in the 1990s. Maniac Cop 2, for all intents and purposes, is the second half of the original Maniac Cop, building off the promises, the atmosphere, and the not quite so satisfying ending to bring the story into full bloom before capping it off with an explosive send off that brings it full circle. As far as horror sequels go, this is one of the best.

This is also one of my personal favorite horror flicks, and I hope you'll listen to the episode above to learn why that is. And yes, this one is being posted on Wasteland & Sky just as the other episodes in this special were.

I would like to thank you for sticking around this past week and enjoying the Halloween excitement. It's been a treat doing something different and sharing it with you. Tomorrow, I'll see you again with a regular Cannon Cruisers episode, where we will return to our normal schedule. It's been fun!

Have a Happy Halloween!

JD's rating: Recommended

Up Next: Hard Ticket to Hawaii!

Halloween GAIDEN Special #5 - Maniac Cop (1988)

On our fifth day of Halloween celebrations, we are taking a look at 1988's noir-ish horror thriller Maniac Cop. This is one that has been gaining in cult appeal over the years, and for good reason. As far as "slasher" style horror goes, it is one of the best.

But Maniac Cop is more than a slasher. Its quite an engaging story of revenge and the price of greed and order over justice. To say more would be to spoil it. Watch the episode above to understand just what I'm referring to.

Just as always, check the link to Wasteland & Sky if you'd prefer to watch it there. All of these are still being cross-posted there.

Remember to have a Happy Halloween! We have one more episode left to end this week long special. I hope you'll continue to join me as we finish this  series up.

JD's rating: Recommended

Up Next: Maniac Cop 2!

Halloween GAIDEN Special #4 - Dead Heat (1988)

For our fourth day I'm going to go into the relatively forgotten and unknown gem, Dead Heat starring Treat Williams and Joe Piscopo. On the surface, this might seem just like any other buddy cop movie from the 1980s, but there is quite a bit more to it than that.

Part action movie, part dark comedy, part zombie horror, and with surprisingly effective themes, this is one of those pictures that could only work in the era that spawned it. As a result, it deserves an episode to itself. You're not liable to see anything like this out of Hollywood ever again. That much is absolutely certain.

This one is also being crossposted on Wasteland & Sky, just as before, so watch it wherever you'd prefer. Remember, we're not done yet!

JD's rating: Recommended

Up Next: Maniac Cop!

Halloween GAIDEN Special #3 - House II: The Second Story (1987)

Continuing from yesterday, I decided to cover the very different sequel to the original House. This one isn't a horror movie, being more of an adventure story. In many ways it is the opposite of the first film, yet it retains many of the themes at the same time. It also helps that has much of the same staff and crew from the first movie to help retain quality.

As always, check the episode above for full impressions! This one is cross-posted on Wasteland & Sky, just as the rest in this mini-series will be. So check it out wherever you prefer.

JD's rating: Recommended

Up Next: Dead Heat!