Paul Merrill
@paulmerrill.bsky.social
Writer/Actor. Opinions are my own, and not of my employer, family, or the 1979 World Champion Seattle SuperSonics.
Hazel is really jazzed about her Halloween witch costume.
November 1, 2025 at 1:51 AM
Hazel is really jazzed about her Halloween witch costume.
Day 30 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Devil’s Night (mischief & mayhem)—PSYCHOMANIA (1973) It’s THE WILD ANGELS meets DRACULA A.D. 1972 in this classic tale of teens versus innocent bystanders. Features the wackiest pro-suicide scenes since M.A.S.H.!
October 31, 2025 at 5:12 AM
Day 30 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Devil’s Night (mischief & mayhem)—PSYCHOMANIA (1973) It’s THE WILD ANGELS meets DRACULA A.D. 1972 in this classic tale of teens versus innocent bystanders. Features the wackiest pro-suicide scenes since M.A.S.H.!
Day 28 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge This is jeopardy (must solve clues)— A GAGGLE OF GALLOPING GHOSTS (Scooby Doo, Where Are You? 1969) No ghosts OR galloping, but lots of cool monster designs in this episode from the great first season of Scooby Doo.
October 29, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Day 28 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge This is jeopardy (must solve clues)— A GAGGLE OF GALLOPING GHOSTS (Scooby Doo, Where Are You? 1969) No ghosts OR galloping, but lots of cool monster designs in this episode from the great first season of Scooby Doo.
Day 27 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Trancing and Hypnotism —ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948) “I’m something of a wolf myself!”
October 28, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Day 27 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Trancing and Hypnotism —ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948) “I’m something of a wolf myself!”
Day 22 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Wreck Tangle (features a car crash)—THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN’T DIE (1962) One of our favorites, I’m still amazed how gruesome (and horny!) this is for its time. A lot of bang for your buck, which is also how much this cost to make.
October 23, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Day 22 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Wreck Tangle (features a car crash)—THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN’T DIE (1962) One of our favorites, I’m still amazed how gruesome (and horny!) this is for its time. A lot of bang for your buck, which is also how much this cost to make.
Day 21 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Twinners Circle—BLOOD RAGE (1983/1987) Might be the first horror movie I’ve seen without a single moment of mystery or suspense. Louise Lasser is fantastic, though. I would love a supercut of just her weird improvised scenes.
October 22, 2025 at 4:54 AM
Day 21 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Twinners Circle—BLOOD RAGE (1983/1987) Might be the first horror movie I’ve seen without a single moment of mystery or suspense. Louise Lasser is fantastic, though. I would love a supercut of just her weird improvised scenes.
Day 19 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge The Abandoned Place—THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE (1973) Is this a ripoff of the far superior The Haunting? Yes. Is it still awesome to see them try to kill a ghost with a giant computer? Hell yes!
October 20, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Day 19 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge The Abandoned Place—THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE (1973) Is this a ripoff of the far superior The Haunting? Yes. Is it still awesome to see them try to kill a ghost with a giant computer? Hell yes!
Day 18 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Video Store Day!—LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL (2023) Rented from the legendary Scarecrow Video in Seattle, where my wife and I met as co-workers about 100 years ago. Saw lots of old friends there today—and the movie was pretty good too!
October 19, 2025 at 4:52 AM
Day 18 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Video Store Day!—LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL (2023) Rented from the legendary Scarecrow Video in Seattle, where my wife and I met as co-workers about 100 years ago. Saw lots of old friends there today—and the movie was pretty good too!
Day 17 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge The Watchening (title must end with “ing”) —THE HAUNTING (1963) One of the few times that a perfect book was adapted into a perfect movie (which later inspired a shitty remake and an even shittier Netflix series, but I digress).
October 18, 2025 at 5:13 AM
Day 17 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge The Watchening (title must end with “ing”) —THE HAUNTING (1963) One of the few times that a perfect book was adapted into a perfect movie (which later inspired a shitty remake and an even shittier Netflix series, but I digress).
Day 16 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Sequelar Subtitular (sequel with a silly name) —THE HOWLING II:YOUR SISTER IS A WEREWOLF (1985) The title is the least crazy part of this jaw-dropping wackadoodle trainwreck/masterpiece.
October 17, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Day 16 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Sequelar Subtitular (sequel with a silly name) —THE HOWLING II:YOUR SISTER IS A WEREWOLF (1985) The title is the least crazy part of this jaw-dropping wackadoodle trainwreck/masterpiece.
Day 15 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Goes Without Saying (little to no dialogue) —THE SKELETON DANCE (1929) + SKELETON FROLIC (1937) Needed to keep it short tonight so we went with a couple of classics from cartoon genius Ub Iwerks.
October 16, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Day 15 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Goes Without Saying (little to no dialogue) —THE SKELETON DANCE (1929) + SKELETON FROLIC (1937) Needed to keep it short tonight so we went with a couple of classics from cartoon genius Ub Iwerks.
Day 14 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Shut the Face Up (TV cut of an R-rated movie) —THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN (1957) Ok, this one was really hard so we sorta cheated and watched the MST3k version which, while not technically rated R, did contain a nearly nude giant?
October 15, 2025 at 4:41 AM
Day 14 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Shut the Face Up (TV cut of an R-rated movie) —THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN (1957) Ok, this one was really hard so we sorta cheated and watched the MST3k version which, while not technically rated R, did contain a nearly nude giant?
Day 13 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Hollywood Back (made by or starring indigenous people) —CLEARCUT (1991) Graham Greene is magnificent in this Very Canadian horror movie.
October 14, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Day 13 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Hollywood Back (made by or starring indigenous people) —CLEARCUT (1991) Graham Greene is magnificent in this Very Canadian horror movie.
Day 12 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Morose Code (gothic) —THE OTHERS (2001). Beautiful and absolutely terrifying. Nicole Kidman genuinely seemed like she was losing her mind, probably because she was still married to Tom Cruise! (That would have killed on Leno 24 years ago)
October 13, 2025 at 4:35 AM
Day 12 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Morose Code (gothic) —THE OTHERS (2001). Beautiful and absolutely terrifying. Nicole Kidman genuinely seemed like she was losing her mind, probably because she was still married to Tom Cruise! (That would have killed on Leno 24 years ago)
Day 11 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Dystopian Future—LAST MAN ON EARTH (1964). Like COVID, except with vampires, and Vincent Price as Dr. Fauci.
October 12, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Day 11 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Dystopian Future—LAST MAN ON EARTH (1964). Like COVID, except with vampires, and Vincent Price as Dr. Fauci.
My son just texted this to me. He turns 24 in a week. Back in 2001, the doctors and nurses were watching the M’s playoff game while his poor mother was giving birth to him. Go Mariners!
October 11, 2025 at 5:43 AM
My son just texted this to me. He turns 24 in a week. Back in 2001, the doctors and nurses were watching the M’s playoff game while his poor mother was giving birth to him. Go Mariners!
Day 10 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Estimation Decimation (nuke war)—MIRACLE MILE (1988). I…wasn’t prepared for how good this movie would be or how depressed it would make me 🥹
October 11, 2025 at 4:30 AM
Day 10 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Estimation Decimation (nuke war)—MIRACLE MILE (1988). I…wasn’t prepared for how good this movie would be or how depressed it would make me 🥹
Catching up with Day 7 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Holy Wednesday (Christploitation) —THE PROPHECY, starring Christopher Walken as a grumpy but lovable angel and Viggo Mortensen as Jared Leto.
October 11, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Catching up with Day 7 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Holy Wednesday (Christploitation) —THE PROPHECY, starring Christopher Walken as a grumpy but lovable angel and Viggo Mortensen as Jared Leto.
Day 9 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Master of Disaster, Irwin Allen—VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA: The Mummy. Yes we cheated and watched the TV show. And yes, in this episode there is a killer mummy on the loose inside a nuclear submarine.
October 10, 2025 at 3:16 AM
Day 9 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Master of Disaster, Irwin Allen—VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA: The Mummy. Yes we cheated and watched the TV show. And yes, in this episode there is a killer mummy on the loose inside a nuclear submarine.
Day 7 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Now That’s Brass—FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET (1971) Even lesser Argento can be fun if you add in some funky Morricone tunes and a guest spot by Bud Spencer, who looked like he walked onto the wrong soundstage and just decided to wing it.
October 8, 2025 at 5:23 AM
Day 7 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Now That’s Brass—FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET (1971) Even lesser Argento can be fun if you add in some funky Morricone tunes and a guest spot by Bud Spencer, who looked like he walked onto the wrong soundstage and just decided to wing it.
Day 6 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Squeaky Reels—THE MONSTER (1925) A fun, kinda goofy, proto-Scooby Doo type romp with some cool ghouls and a rare comedic hero role for a guy who usually played uptight hotel managers.
October 7, 2025 at 4:38 AM
Day 6 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Squeaky Reels—THE MONSTER (1925) A fun, kinda goofy, proto-Scooby Doo type romp with some cool ghouls and a rare comedic hero role for a guy who usually played uptight hotel managers.
Day 5 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Shrieks and Squeals—THE TINGLER. “Don’t be embarrassed to scream—it may save your life!”
October 6, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Day 5 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Shrieks and Squeals—THE TINGLER. “Don’t be embarrassed to scream—it may save your life!”
Day 4 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Mythical creatures —THE RITUAL (2017). What if Deliverance took place in the Lost Woods of Hyrule?
October 5, 2025 at 3:46 AM
Day 4 of the @scarecrowvideo.bsky.social #SCVpsychochallenge Mythical creatures —THE RITUAL (2017). What if Deliverance took place in the Lost Woods of Hyrule?