It’s surprising for such an iconic author that Stephen King’s tales are so tough to bring to the big screen. I don’t know why “Children of the Corn” has managed to become something of a semi-classic since 1984 because the only scary thing about it is how boring it is. “Children of the Corn” has been a baffling horror presence since 1984, garnering a whole series of movies, including a remake, and sequels to the remake. There’s even been a new film in 2018.
Tag Archives: Horror
Paul’s Bad Day (2017)
A man wakes up from a black out and everyone around him is reacting rather peculiarly to his waking up.
Written and directed by Phil Bucci, Paul’s Bad Day is an uber short with a good impact and a fun twist on its subject. As a horror sub-genre that is quite overdone these day (and it will not be revealed here to keep some surprise), this new take on it is a breath of fresh air. The very short runtime forces it to be concise and straight to the point, something that is highly appreciated and shows that the filmmaker knows how to use the less-is-more approach to horror.
Girl #2 (2016)
As a killer offs all other sisters in their sorority, two young women argue as to which one will survive based on completely arbitrary characteristics leading the killer to wonder if he’s the crazy one or they are.
Lawnmower Man (1992): Collector’s Edition [2 Blu-Ray]
This was a time where the internet was capable of everything, and virtual reality was the wave of the future, which is what “Lawnmower Man” banks on to tell its yarn about the dangers of mind expansion. “Lawnmower Man” for a movie allegedly based on a Stephen King novella is really just a pastiche of other Frankenstein tales and tech gone bad stories from the past. It’s infamous, also, for being “based on” a Stephen King novel in name only (leading to a very notable lawsuit). Instead of a King tale, we get Jeff Fahey turning in to a computer and knocking boots with a very delectable Jenny Wright.
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006): Collector’s Edition [Blu-Ray]
As a slasher buff, I’m saddened that we’re in a current horror climate where other less deserving slasher films have gotten full fledged franchises while “Behind the Mask” is still just a one time gem. “The Rise of Leslie Vernon” is one of the best slasher films of the aughts that was perfecting the indie slasher sub-genre well before “Hatchet” came along. No slight to Adam Green, but I’d much rather have had three “Behind the Mask” films over four “Hatchet” films any day of the week. “Behind the Mask” is brilliant in not only creating a great slasher villain, but telling a sharp meta-story that dissects the sub-genre as a whole.
Drag Me to Hell (2009): Collector’s Edition [2 Blu-Ray]
After almost twenty years not making horror movies, fans were excited to see Sam Raimi getting back in to the genre that introduced him to us originally. While we might have wanted another “Evil Dead” rather than a PG-13 horror film, with Raimi you never get just a PG-13 horror film, after all. After many years of working on the big budget spectacles of the “Spider-Man” movies, Raimi blasts in to the horror world once again to deliver what has been a very thoroughly analyzed and appreciated little gem. Leave it to Raimi to throw in a smaller film that packs a punch over time.
Dead by Midnight (11p.m. Central) (2018)
In this anthology, a television station plays films hosted by a charming goth lady. As the films unfold, people go missing and meet their horrible fates.