Movie Music: Halloween - "The Shape Returns"

Any new take on a classic is usually met with a cacophony of derision. It’s true, most of them do fail to live up to expectations. I also find that many just can’t in no matter what, before they get made people clamor for something new, when that happens they wail for something familiar, or vice versa. In any case, I am trying not to get overly excited for this new Halloween, but I do like what I have seen so far. Now, I can add what I hear to the list, as this first unveiled track for the new film is pretty great.

Critical Capsule: The Strangers - Prey at Night

The Strangers was a scary and effective horror film that had an unsettling realism about it. Now, we have the sequel that I don’t think anyone was really asking for, bearing the subtitle Prey at Night. The best thing I can say about this movie is that it has some well shot sequences. The movie itself seemed intent on doing nothing like the first one, thus defeating the purpose. Rather than terrifying the characters, it was more about terrifying the audience with unearned jump scares. On one level, I can sort of enjoy this, but then I get distracted by the terrible choices made by those behind the camera. It is as if they are seeking to undermine the elements that made the first so effective. In many ways I hated this movie.

Movie Review: Red Christmas

What is it about Christmas and horror that blends so well? It is a strange mixture that, while not always perfect, often yields entertaining results. Now, outside of Halloween and summer camps, Christmas may be the best pairing with everyone’s favorite film genre. Just look at some of the classics we have already, there is the family friendly horror of Gremlins, the antics of Silent Night Deadly Night, the somewhat sad Christmas Evil, and even the recent iteration of the Krampus tale. That doesn’t even get to international offerings like Rare Exports and Sint. Now we have an offering from Australia, Red Christmas. Does it have what it takes to join the pantheon of classic Christmas horror hybrids? Perhaps.

Movie Review: Graduation Day (1981)

In 1981 the slasher sub-genre was starting to gain some steam. After having the formula solidified by Halloween in 1978 and popularized by Friday the 13th in 1980, the genre began to take off. All manner of horror films sought to exploit the lurid and exploitative nature of slasher film. Sequels started to pile up alongside such early entries as My Bloody Valentine, Hell Night, The Burning, and The Funhouse. Each of these movies employed some crazed killer paired with creative and gruesome death sequences. There was even a film made satirizing the style, Student Bodies, which bears a passing resemblance to the movie we are looking at today, Graduation Day.

Trailer Park: Leatherface (2017) - Trailer 2

We are faced with yet another Texas Chainsaw Massacre film, and another prequel to boot! It is always very iffy to make a prequel to a classic film. We are always curious as to a cinematic maniac’s origin, but to actually make such a film is to risk damaging any idea we have in our mind. It takes away the creative license of each and every viewer. Beyond that, we run the risk of getting a bad film. Will that be the case here? I am not sure, but the fact that it is going to DiecTV before going to theaters (limited) does not inspire much hope. Sure, it could be good movie, but it is a long shot.

Movie Review: Circus Kane

Wading into the realm of VOD movies can be a treacherous one. I have been taking that dive more and more in recent weeks. The results have been a decidedly mixed bag. You really need to factor in how much leeway for budget and effort exerted. I don’t know, expectations are just different when watching these films. At the same time, I don’t want to go to easy on sub par product. Of course, sometimes I just let myself go and allow myself to get into the movie and enjoy it for what it is. I guess that is what it comes down to, if you are entertained by a movie, it is a worthwhile endeavor. In this case, Circus Kane feels derivative but it is entertaining and worth spending time with.

Movie Review: Wolf Creek 2

Way back in 2005 the screens were graced with a little movie called Wolf Creek. The film told the tale of an unfortunate group of tourists who entered the Australian Outback and never exited. It was a tale loosely based on an actual Australian serial killer and the movie proved to be quite satisfying, with its slow build and ever increasing sense of dread. The highlight was Mick Taylor, the resident killer, played like an offshoot of The Devil’s Rejects family by John Jarratt. The sequel took eight years to come out, but the wait was worth it. Wolf Creek 2 is a worthy follow up, taking what we know and just amping it all up. I may just like this one better.

Movie Review: Bonejangles

What do you get when you combine a subpar slasher and a subpar zombie movie? Bonejangles, of course. Toss in a healthy dose of horror themed comedy and a not quite efficient level of exposition and you end up with a movie that is actually somewhat entertaining. It is funny, almost in spite of how mediocre the pieces are on their own, the movie still manages to entertain enough to be worthwhile. To take that a step further, I feel you could have had a good film if you picked one side and expanded that into a feature. With that said I do like the idea of combining the disparate elements, if not the execution.

Opinion: Friday the 13th Legal Limbo

I don’t know where I’ve been for the past year, but I have just become aware of the legal battle that is surrounding the Friday the 13th franchise. And here I thought the problems with getting another film off the ground was the fact that the suits couldn’t come up with a good story. For the record, I am a fan of the remake and wish they had just started with a sequel to that one. In any case, this legal wrangling could have long lasting effects on one of the most enduring horror killers of all time.

Movie Review: Absurd

When you see a movie called Absurd, you should know that you are in for something, well, absurd. This Italian production was known by a number of different titles, but Absurd seems to fit the best. However, if that title doesn’t ring a bell, how about Horrible, Zombie 6, Monster Hunter, Grim Reaper 2, Anthropophagus 2, or, as the title on this print called it, Rosso Sangue (Blood Red)? I think there may be a few more variations as well, but I always go with Absurd. Of course, you could just call it “Someone Saw Halloween and Tried to make it Their Own.” it’s a mouthful, but that is what it amounts to.

Movie Review: Luther the Geek

Genre movie fans owe a debt of gratitude to boutique distributors such as Vinegar Syndrome. Thanks to them, some truly bizarre films are being preserved and made available to the public. In some cases this is their first ever home video release and in other cases it is in a beautifully restored version, where the movie looks as if it were brand new. The movie at hand today is called Luther the Geek. It is a truly odd feature from 1988 that features a clucking killer who never says a word, and some truly unsettling atmosphere. No, it is not the best film, but it is surprisingly effective and certainly worth the effort to watch.

Screening Report: Hudson Horror Invades the Alamo III (Alamo Drafthouse, 9/19/15)

If you did not know, the Hudson Horror Show is a pretty big deal. You go somewhere and mention them, people know what you are talking about, their eyes light up with excitement. There is a growing camaraderie amongst the horror marathon that is amazing. Go to these shows and you instantly become a member of the family. Anyway, this past weekend the Hudson Horror crew spearheaded their third invasion of the Alamo Drafthouse, and it was a sold out affair. This double feature played to a lively crowd and went over extraordinarily well.

Blu-ray Review: It Follows

Do you ever feel like someone is following you? Get that creepy feeling up the back of your spine? I would be really surprised if you haven't. After watching It Follows, you will likely experience that sensation. It is not really a pleasant one, a sense of dread that you cannot shake. It is not unlike the spectre of death. It is inevitable, there is no escaping it, no talking to it, no bargaining, it just keeps coming. With It Follows, you get a visual representation of death, a metaphor for STDs. It is creepy and you have no escape. That creepy feeling has followed it right out of the theater and into your home.

Movie Review: It Follows (2015)

Do you ever feel like someone is following you? Get that creepy feeling up the back of your spine? I would be really surprised if you haven't. After watching It Follows, you will likely experience that sensation. It is not really a pleasant one, it is like someone is after you, a sense of dread that you cannot shake, cannot escape. It is not unlike the spectre of death. It is inevitable, there is no escaping it, no talking to it, no deals to be struck, it just keeps coming after you. Sure, you can take care of yourself, but in the end, death will be there. With It Follows, you get a visual representation of death, a metaphor for STDs. It is creepy, has no escape, and is not graphic.

Movie Review: Don't Go in the Woods

Before really getting into this, I think we should thank Vinegar Syndrome for unearthing, restoring, and releasing some long forgotten films. Without them, I do not think we would ever be talking about a screening, much less a Blu-ray release, of a movie like Don't Go in the Woods. It is not the sort of film that a widespread mainstream audience is going to be clamoring for, but it has a certain audience, an audience that may not be aware of just how much they need this movie. I have to be honest, I did not think that I needed this movie until I saw it projected on the big screen. I need this movie in my life.

Movie Review: The Town that Dreaded Sundown (2014)

The Town that Dreaded Sundown, The Town that Dreaded Sundown. Has a ring to it, doesn't it? It is one of those titles that stuck in my head the first time I heard it. That is sat, every once in awhile floating to the surface to remind me that it was there. It was a long time before I got to see it, yes, it was released back in 1976, but it took awhile for a release to find its way into my possession and longer still until I got to watch. As it turns out, I did not like it as much as I thought I was going to, but it had some really good stuff. Now we are faced with a remake, which bypassed a big theatrical release. That cannot be good, can it?

Movie Review: Intruder (1989)

Every movie fans has lists of movies. There are lists for movies they love, movies the hate, movies they love but don't want anyone else to know about, favorite horror movies, favorite comedies, you name it, they have (or can have at a moments notice) a list for it. The most basic of these lists are the movies they have seen and the movies they haven't seen. The movies on the not seen list can be there for any number of reasons and likely run the gamut from all-time classics to obscurities you heard mention of in some long forgotten conversation, some are just titles you see on a shelf and just shove to the side. Intruder is one of those shoved to the side movies. It has also now migrated to the movies I've seen list.

Movie Review: Candyman

In my estimation, he does not get the same respect that other horror killers do. He may not have the notoriety of a Freddy, or a Jason, or a Michael, or a Pinhead, but he should not be forgotten or underestimated. He should stand as an iconic killer of the 1990's, not to be overshadowed by the likes of Ghostface. Seriously, if you match them up, the all too human Ghostface would be gutted from groin to gullet. Of course, I am talking about none other than Candyman, the movie and character that would put Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen on the map. It is a movie that mesmerizes, haunts and terrifies. It holds up to this day and should not be forgotten.

Movie Review: Paganini Horror

When it comes to trashy Italian horror, there are a number of names you can look up and find plenty to be entertained by. One of those names happens to be Luigi Cozzi, often credited as Lewis Coates. He may not have been quite as prolific as some, and his name does not come up as often as, say, Lenzi, Bava, Fulci, or even Mattei, but he is not to be overlooked. I would highly recommend Starcrash and Contamination, these are fantastic and goofy flicks, and do not forget his pair of Hercules movies with Lou Ferrigno. The movie at hand is the final fictional feature he helmed, Paganini Horror. It is a lesser film to be sure, but still one to be savored.

Movie Review: Bloody Birthday

In the early days of slasher cinema, there was something of a free for all. I do not say this from any real knowledge aside from just seeing all the sorts of movies they were putting out in those days as the style was beginning to find its footing in the world. We had the early classics that set the formula, like Black Christmas and especially Halloween. We had Friday the 13th that brought it all to the masses. Then there was everything else. That brings us to today's film which seems to have been made by those who were paying close attention to the direction horror was taking. Bloody Birthday may not be a great movie, but it certainly is worth paying some attention to.