“Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer is old-school fun.” Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer Director: Jon Knautz Writers: Jon Knautz, John Ainslie Starring: Trevor Matthews, Robert Englund, David Fox 2007 Canada | R | 85 mins They are big, ugly, grotesque, slobbering, and sometimes found under your bed. They guard treasures, they eat children, they live in caves or …
“The Fury ends up being a lame followup to the pyschokinetic mastery of Carrie that De Palma hoped to cash in on.” The Fury Director: Brian De Palma Writer: John Farris Starring: Kirk Douglas, John Cassavetes, Amy Irving 1978 United States | R | 118 mins Brian De Palma solidified himself as a household name after …
“It could have been an exploitation fan’s dream, but as for what it is, Midnight Blue only belongs in the collections of genre completists.” Midnight Blue Director: Raimondo Del Balzo Writers: Raimondo Del Balzo and Candido Simeone Starring: Christiana Borghi, Antonio Cantafora, Monica Como 1979 Italy | Not Rated | 83 mins When Last House on the …
It is horror season again, my favorite time of year, which means my dear friend Justine and I reprise our rivalry and do our best to out-watch each other, for no other prize other than bragging rights for the year. Really, it is an excuse for two horror fanatics to cram their brains with as …
Cult Cinema: Volume 8 At their best, horror films hold society up to a funhouse mirror, providing a grotesque yet revealing reflection of cultural concerns, values, and above all, fears. And then there’s torture porn, in which the only insights are gained from peering deep into the vivisected ruins of a woman’s genitals. The term …
“The gothic horror genre has been fairly maligned in cinemas lately – shoddy stories and appeals to the lowest common denominator are largely to blame. Thankfully, Heartless is the movie to buck the trend.” Heartless Dir. Philip Ridley (2009, UK, 114 mins.) Heartless is an uncommon film from an uncommon director. Philip Ridley is, among …
“A surprisingly invigorating horror film.” The Last Exorcism Directed by Daniel Stamm Thanks to its wicked humor and unexpected smarts, The Last Exorcism sets itself apart from many recent attempts at faux-documentaries. In the film, documentary filmmakers follow a disillusioned preacher who hopes to expose the danger exorcism poses in the modern age. He attempts …
“Outrageous, and hysterical, All About Evil is as much an ode to no-budget indie horror as it is a celebration of independent movie theatres; surely, a veteran horror fan can ask for nothing more.” All About Evil Dir. Joshua Grannell (2010, USA, 98 mins.) Freaks everywhere, rejoice. Director Joshua Grannell, better known as cult film …
Body Count: Volume 2 I was recently asked to write a horror script that would be produced by a local group that’s trying the Sam Raimi/Robert Rodriguez means of raising money for real features by making schlocky b-pictures as a revenue source. They’re hell bent on producing a zombie picture because everyone seems to have …
Cult Cinema: Volume 6 In the 1980s, author Clive Barker was dubbed the new face of horror. And what a face it was, one that looked like it should be fellating both Lord Byron and Aleister Crowley during a sex magic ritual, all arched eyebrows and smooth cheeks and smoky eyes. Barker’s 1985 short story …
Body Count: Volume 1 Horror. The much maligned, hard partying, estranged uncle of cinema. Being the reasonably presentable professional that I am by day, it often shocks people that I, a man in his thirties of above-average intelligence devotes such a large portion of his free time mentally cataloguing some of the worst movies ever …
We Are What We Are Directed by Jorge Michel Grau Screenplay by Jorge Michel Gray 2010, Mexico The completed version of Jorge Michel Grau’s We Are What We Are had its North American premiere at the Fantasia Film Festival and left audiences very content on their way out. In the same way, Let The Right …
Cult Cinema: Volume 3 In the 1950s, a group of French writers revolutionized film criticism with the magazine Cahiers du cinéma. By re-evaluating the films of Alfred Hitchcock, Howard Hawks, and John Hughes, among others, the critics gave birth to a grand unified ‘auteur theory,’ which positions the director as the ultimate creative force behind …
Over the years, Meir Zarchi’s 1978 rape-revenge film I Spit on Your Grave (aka Day of the Woman) has been labeled everything from an expression of raw, feminist rage to a cinematic sex offense. And there’s no doubt that Steven R. Monroe’s 2010 remake be equally polarizing, as it’s more graphically violent by at least …
While sloppy at times, Robert Zemeckis’ Death Becomes Her is an often delicious trifle, of which the core ingredients are so rich that the film is as much fun as any of Zemeckis’ comedies (if not quite as polished). Death Become Her Directed by Robert Zemeckis Although it managed to walk away with the Best …
More than 30 years after its initial release, Brian De Palma’s Carrie remains the ultimate revenge tale for anyone who wasn’t home-schooled. Carrie Directed by Brian De Palma One doesn’t necessarily have to be a horror aficionado to instantly recognize the monstrous image of Sissy Spacek covered in blood from Brian De Palma’s masterpiece, Carrie. …
“a world where hookers, pedophiles and violent-murderous creeps are all second fiddle to a killer Easter Bunny” Easter Bunny Kill! Kill! Directed by Chad Ferrin Leaving your mentally challenged children at home has never been more dangerous. Around every corner lies creepo-freak-a-zoids willing to trade your body for coke just to get a little taste. …
A great little video has been lead to my attention exploring the mystery of THE CALIFORNIA MOUNTAIN DEVIL. Friends Rob, Matt and a nameless guy behind a camera, decide to take this creatures mystery to their advantage and try and scare their friend, Chad. This video has a great twist that you don’t even see …
Cult Cinema : Volume 1 Religion is a beautiful thing. Provided you’re a Paleolithic savage who needs fairy tales and a lumpy fertility idol in the shape of a BBW centerfold to explain where babies come from. Anyone else still believing in magic and wizards should read a book that wasn’t written before humanity invented …
#10- Werewolves On Wheels (1971) Directed by Michael Levesque Werewolves on Wheels was produced by Paul Lewis, a frequent collaborator with Dennis Hopper who had only two years before directed the quintessential biker road movie Easy Rider. Werewolves is the directorial debut of Michel Levesque, who would go on to work as Art Director on …
When comparing these critical scenes to their counterparts in such classics as An American Werewolf in London or The Howling, they are simply not in the same league. The Wolfman Directed by Joe Johnston Joe Johnston walks into a bar and says: “Bartender, I’ve directed Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Jurassic Park III and Hidalgo. …
LOS ANGELES, CA (Feb 1, 2010) – Lakeshore Entertainment’s chairman and CEO Tom Rosenberg announced today that Lakeshore will re-team with writer / actor Kevin Grevioux and director / award-winning special effects designer Patrick Tatopoulos of the UNDERWORLD franchise on I, FRANKENSTEIN. Production is scheduled to begin in July of 2010. I, FRANKENSTEIN is a contemporary …
bills itself as a low-budget film bent on entertaining audiences… Daybreakers Directed by Michael and Peter Spierig Over the years several pairs of brothers have directed high-grossing, successful Hollywood films. Notable duos include the Cohen’s, the Wachowski’s, the Hughes’ and the Farrelly’s. However, the Spierig brothers from Australia will never, ever be on that list. …