October Horror Challenge - Whistle (2026)

   

Synopsis

A group of students find themselves stalked by death when they hear a cursed Aztec death whistle.

Review

I watched this because of the Gunship video for their cover of Time After Time. This movie shares some similar plot elements as the Final Destination series, so there's nothing totally original here. To be honest, I don't even care for those flicks. However, due to the likable cast of misfits I really liked Whistle. In particular Daphne Keen (X-23), Sophie Nélisse, and Sky Yang have great interactions and make care about them. Yang's Rel was my favorite. Nick Frost has a small role as a teacher. The effects in this won't aren't great, but there are some gnarly kills. Honestly I don't have too much to say about this one. It's an average teen scream. 

Your Game

There is a predatory youth pastor in this flick and I think that's an archetype that works well in most SURVIVE THIS!! settings.

Predatory Youth Pastor (Humanoid)

Armor Class: 13
Hit Dice: 3 
Move: 12
Actions: 1
Attack: Knife (1d6-1)

Special: Advantage on Persuasion rolls against Christians and authority figures

Bonuses: +2 to melee attacks, +2 to Knowledge: Religion (Christianity), +2 to Persuasion, +3 to Stealth, Street Smart +4

Alignment: Neutral or Evil

Morale: 4

Madness: 0 (7)
Terror: -

HDE: 1

Items: Bible, switchblade, dimebag, bottle of pain pills, $100

October Horror Movie Challenge 2026

Viewed: 6
First Time Views: 5

Marvelous Body Horror

I miss Marvel comic corner box art. That might be why these body horror pieces by  Frederik Hornung hit like they do.

October Horror Challenge - Ice Cream Man (1995)

  
Synopsis

When one of their friends goes missing a trio of kids try to rescue him from the clutches of the local ice cream man.

Review

I had planned on watching Eli Roth's Ice Cream Man, before I learned about Roth's use of AI and lies about it. This is why I decided to check out the unrelated Ice Cream Man from 1995. This one has a cult following and I can see why. Is it a good movie? Nope. Is it a bizarre and goofy horror movie? Hell yeah. There's a lot about this movie that doesn't make sense. How do folks not notice body parts in their ice cream? How has the mental hospital Gregory, the titular ice cream man, operated the way it has without oversight. Just forget those questions and enjoy the show. The film is definitely 90's straight to video style and the music reminds me of something you'd here in one of Charles Band's Full Moon flicks. Clint Howard's portrayal as the titular ice cream man is inspired. He has a tragic background and there are times that you do feel for him, but ultimately he's an insane killer.

If you want to watch some horror trash mixed with absurd dark humor, check this one out. Its currently streaming for free on Tubi and a few other apps.  

Your Game

Your game needs a killer ice cream man.

Gregory Tudor the Ice Cream Prince (Humanoid)

Armor Class: 13
Hit Dice: 1 (12)
Move: 12
Actions: 1
Attack: Knife (1d6) of improvised weapons (1d4)

Special: Disadvantage on mental saves
Bonuses: +2 to melee attacks, +3 to Stealth

Alignment: Evil

Morale: 5

Madness: 9 (10)
Terror: 14

HDE: 1

Items: ice cream truck, knife, pint of Butter Brickle

October Horror Movie Challenge 2026

Viewed: 5
First Time Views: 4

Music Monday - The King In Yellow

I'd never heard of Oricadia until I stumbled across this video last week. He's got a great voice and collabs with several artists I like. This track is haunting. I don't have the obsession with the King in Yellow I used to, but this track might have rekindled it.

October Horror Challenge - Infested (2023)

 

Synopsis

Residents of a rundown French apartment find themselves fighting for their life as they are quarantined in their building with hordes of deadly spiders.

Review

This French creature feature is the debut film from Sébastien Vaniček, director of Evil Dead: Burn. The movie is a claustrophobic and arachnophobic nightmare. Seriously, this one will make your skin crawl. I appreciate the film's use of practical effects. The sound effects heighten the experience. The film isn't just a thrills and scares though. The cast is solid. Lead Kaleb, played by Théo Christine, is a compelling and flawed protagonist. He and the rest of the cast really make you care about them. I found myself emotionally invested in their survival. 

There is also some social commentary with this one. One of the apartment's residents judges Kaleb and his friends because they are young, financially struggling, and not white. Additionally without going into to much detail there is police subplot that could be scene as commentary on the pandemic. 

Your Game

While it was the least favorite of my stories, the bat monsters from Whispers would be great monsters for a SURVIVE THIS!! game.

Oversized Spider (Beast)

Armor Class: 13
Hit Dice: 1 HD
Move: 8
Actions: 1
Attack: Bite (1d2+poison)

Special: Ambush, Immunity: Poison, Advantage on climbing 
Bonuses: +1 to melee attacks, +8 to Stealth

Alignment: Neutral

Morale: 5

Madness: -
Terror: 13

HDE: 1/2

Poison: When an oversized spider successfully bites a target, the target must make a Poison Save, add the bite damage to their roll., or they become sickened for 3 rounds. At the end of each round while sickened by this ability, the target must make a Death Save or they become stunned as well for the duration of the sickness. Then if under both effects, the target takes 2 Poison damage.

Ambush: Oversized spiders can lay motionless until they wish to strike, graining surprise on their initial action if unseen. They may attempt to Stealth, allowing them to go back into a still state. If nobody sees them they can repeat this ability.

October Horror Movie Challenge 2026

Viewed: 4
First Time Views: 3

October Horror Challenge - Return to Silent Hill (2026)

Synopsis

James is an alcoholic with a troubled mind. A letter from his lost love draws him back to the mysterious town of Silent Hill.

Review

To say that I was greatly disappointed with this one is a gross understatement. I loved 2006's Silent Hill and even enjoyed he often maligned sequel, Silent Hill: Revelation. I thought they did an excellent job and capturing the spirit and the looks of the games. Return to Silent Hill just looks like a cheap imitation of the games. The two biggest disappointments were Pyramid Head and the nurses. Pyramid Head is supposed to look intimidating, but it just fell flat. This may sound weird, but the nurses are also supposed to be strangely sexy and they are not. Overall the film had a fake look to it. There was something about the way its shot that makes the characters look fake. I don't know I got an uncanny feeling vibe. Storywise, the movie tried to imitate Silent Hill 2, arguably the best in the franchise, but it kind of fumbles it. While James is the protagonist of the game and film, he's not supposed to be the hero. Because we don't get to spend as much time with the characters the connections and things just feel off. It feels like it just goes from one game set piece to another. The movie isn't all bad. It used the iconic Silent Hill soundtrack. Also the final monster of the film actually looks great. Unless you're a fan of the game franchise, I'd pass on this one. Even if you are a fan of the franchise, lower your expectations before going in.

Your Game

Silent Hill is a cursed place that often serves a a dark reflection to a protagonists psyche. However, that doesn't mean you can't just use them as creepy (and strangely sexy) foes to through at your party. If you want to add the nurses to your SURVIVE THIS!! game you can use the stats below.

Dark Nurse (Humanoid)
Armor Class: 13
Hit Dice: 3 HD
Move: 8
Actions: 2
Attack:  Rusty knife (1d6)

Special: Toughness +2, unobservant, 
Bonuses: +3 to melee attacks, +2 to melee damage

Alignment: Evil

Morale: 9

Madness: -
Terror: 13

HDE: 2

Unobservant: A Dark Nurse have disadvantage on Spot & Listen checks to notice creatures being stealthy. Additionally any successful surprise/sneak attack against it is an automatic critical hit.   

October Horror Movie Challenge 2026

Viewed: 3
First Time Views: 2

October Horror Challenge - Necronomicon (1993)

    

Synopsis

This Lovecraft anthology includes three different tales with a wrap-around story. The wrap-around framing story features H.P. Lovecraft (played the legendary Jeffrey Combs). "Rats in the Walls," "Cool Air," and "The Whisperer in the Darkness" are adapted for the other three tales.

Review

My favorite Mythos director, Brian Yuzna, directed much of this flick. Additionally some of the effects were done by Tom Savini. Here are my thoughts on the stories.

Library: The wrap-around story is a lot of fun. I mean Combs as Lovecraft is just inspired. Also Yuzna makes a cameo as the cabby at the end.

The Drowned (Rats in the Walls): This tells the tale of Jethro and later his nephew Edward. Both lost their loves and sought to bring them back via a ritual in the Necronomicon. The deep one that brings Jethro the Necronomicon is the best live action one I've seen, even better than all the fish folk of Yuzna's later flick, Dagon. Bruce Payne's portrayal of Edward is full of heart and sorrow. He might not be in the film long, but his performance rally stands out.

The Cold (Cool Air): The story is about a series of missing persons being investigated by a reporter. A woman tells her tells him the story of her mother and they came to live there. An eccentric doctor, played by David Warner (who I know as the scientist from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze) has found a way to prolong his life, though it has changed him. I like the story, but the effects in this one aren't as good as those in The Drowned.

Whispers (The Whisperer in the Darkness): Two Philadelphian police follow a suspect known as "the Butcher" into an underground cavern.  For me the highlight of this is Don Kalfa (Ernie from Return of the Living Dead). The story is kind of meh, the monsters look silly, and the twist also felt dumb. It's not awful, but is just kind of mid. If you want to see a better film with a similar plot, I recommend Midnight Meat Train.

Of the four stories, Library and Drowned are my favorites. This one isn't in print in the states and I had to grab my Jolly Roger to watch it. Still if you're a Stuart Gordon fan and haven't seen it, you should check it out. 

Your Game

While it was the least favorite of my stories, the bat monsters from Whispers would be great monsters for a SURVIVE THIS!! game.

Extraterrestrial Bat Monster (Aberration Beast)
Armor Class: 13
Hit Dice: 2 HD
Move: 6, Fly 24
Actions: 1
Attack: 1XS sawtooth beak (1d6)

Special: Marrow frenzy
Bonuses: +3 to melee attacks, +2 to melee damage

Alignment: Evil

Morale: 8

Madness: -
Terror: 8

HDE: 2

Marrow Frenzy: Once the bat monster gets a taste of human bone marrow it will ignore all other targets in order to devour the marrow. It automatically hits the target on its turn.

October Horror Movie Challenge 2026

Viewed: 2
First Time Views: 1

Classic Horror Covers

Frederik Hornung has created several awesome horror/classic comic cover mashup. My favorite is the Kevin Maguire tribute one.

October Horror Challenge - Obsession (2026)

   

Synopsis

Bear, a hopeless romantic (emphasis on hopeless), uses a "One Wish Willow" to get his crush to fall for him. As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for...

Review

Many folks have said this is the best horror movie of the year, which is a lot of hype to live up to. I won't say that, because the year hasn't ended, but this it is a phenomenal horror film. I'm a huge fan of Curry Barker's comedic shorts and I wondered if he could make the leap to horror. The film's score is phenomenal and at times, haunting. 

The movie brought back a lot of old feelings for me. Bear, played by Michael Johnston, is the quintessential "nice guy" who really isn't. While in the beginning  he doesn't seem all bad, his true colors and lack of actual character eventually come out. I definitely went through a "nice guy" phase myself. I'm not saying this to say that I relate to Bear. He's definitely the villain of the story. I'm just glad that I was able to grow as a person. I feel like that's a random odd confession, but seemed relevant.

Bear isn't the only villain of the story though. While some might say it's Nikki, I would argue that Ian is the secondary villain. I don't want to spoil anything, but Bear's best friend is manipulative. Side note, the actor, Cooper Tomlinson, is also in a lot of Barker's comedic shorts.

Inde Navarrette was amazing as Nikki. Her performance is manic, vulnerable, and frightening. She's truly unnerving and terrifying at times. She's also absolutely sympathetic. I can't praise her performance highly enough. I'm excited to see her portrayal of Rogue.

I didn't expect Conan's sidekick, Andy Richter, to appear in the film, but that was cool. Barker, himself, also has a role in the film as the One Wish Willow call representative. 

Overall, I have to say this one does live up to the hype. The direction and atmosphere is tense and the performances are fantastic. I hope Barker continues to make his comedy shorts, but I also want him to make more horror flicks. He seems like an artist that sticks to his vision. I saw an interview where he stated the studio offered him a ridiculous amount of money to make Bear the hero of the story and he turned it down because it didn't fit his vision. We need more directors like that.

Your Game

You can easily do a Monkey Paw style adventure in your game. However, according to the director the One Wish Willow doesn't maliciously grant wishes. 

October Horror Movie Challenge 2026

Viewed: 1
First Time Views: 0