I thought a bit about this, of a way to tie it in to something I like. I finally decided on Vegetable Horror Movies. Course, then I realized I hadn't seen many Vegetable Horror Movies. But I went ahead and here is what I came up with. And I know a tomato is considered a fruit, but I just went for vegetable as in the "animal/vegetable/mineral" sense. Anyhoo... Away we go:
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THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
My favorite version is the 1986 movie, with Rick Moranis, the awesome Ellen Greene, Steve Martin, Bill Murray and more. Great fun.
Audrey II is quite the demanding (and growing) plant. "FEED ME SEYMOUR!" Not really a scary horror movie, this is more a comedy/musical hybrid. Great entertainment!
However, the 1960 version is something special, too, for it features a young Jack Nicholson. (This version was also the very first VHS tape I ever owned, given to me as a Christmas gift by my brother a looooong time ago!)
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THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS
Okay, I have to admit I haven't seen this. Or, at least I don't remember seeing it. It could have played on "Creature Double Feature" back when I was a kid, but I don't recall.
Based on the 1951 book by John Wyndham, it has been adapted for TV, movies and even comic books, and a remake is supposedly in the works with Dougray Scott.
Triffids are like animal-plants who eat raw meat, walk on three "legs" and have whiplike stingers. Zoinks! May have to add this movie to my Netflix queue!
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ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES
From 1978, this is the cult classic movie about... Killer Tomatoes. Also done in the comedy vein (guess it is hard to take killer plants seriously), this is sort of a spoof on B-movies. But it isn't very good.
The movie does have it's fans, though. And, of course, a remake is also in the works.
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PUMPKINHEAD
Okay, it's really about a demon of vengeance, but hey, it's called PUMPKINHEAD! And it's a horror movie.
A dad loses his son and, in despair, seeks revenge on the kids responsible. Big theme for a "little" horror movie. Lance Henriksen is great as the mourning dad. And Pumpkinhead can be scary. Good flick.
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THE RUINS
I have seen quite the variety of opinions on this one. I sat down to watch it, not expecting much. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked it and it held my interest.
Some young people vacationing in Mexico set out to look at ruins, led by a Greek traveller. Upon finding the ruins, they also find some angry locals who proceed to do bad things. Trapped by these angry, violent people, the group seeks refuge atop the ruin, only to find that the vines here aren't so friendly either.
Granted, this isn't the greatest movie ever, but for a "killer plants movie", I think it is the best of the bunch. Sort of reminded me of "Cabin Fever".
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SHROOMS
Another flick I have yet to see, this one was reviewed recently by Jason at The Mad Ravings of an Entertainment Junkie. He liked it, giving it 4 out of 5 Skulls and causing me to add it to my queue.
The 'shrooms are ingested in this one, making them sort of inadvertent villains, and they cause hallucinations. Or do they? Well, I dunno, as I have yet to see it. But it looks good!
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FRIDAY THE 13th: THE SERIES - "A Cup of Time"
I had to end this post with an episode of my favorite television show, "Friday the 13th: The Series". This is the show's fourth episode, a very early one, and features a cursed tea cup. How does that tie in to vegetables?
Well, the curse is such that the user must get someone to drink from the cup. Once they do, the drinker is killed when the ivy pattern on the side becomes real and strangles them. The user is then granted what they desire, in this case a youthful body.
The effects aren't awesome (as I said, it was an early episode), but it is a fun watch, with a strong 80s vibe. Always a good show! Check out some screen shots from Vendredi Antiques, a great fan site for the show.
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So, there you go. My first time posting for "Theme Thursday". I had fun and hope to keep doing it.
