Also known as “House III: The Horror Show” for—reasons, “The Horror Show” has a significant place in my collective memories. Back in the beginning of the nineties I vividly recall watching “The Horror Show” on late night HBO with my parents. It didn’t scare me like they thought it would, but it sure kept me watching with mouth agape and quite stunned. I don’t care what generation you’re from, Brion James is a terrifying son of a bitch even if “Meat Cleaver Max” isn’t a household name. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Horror
Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter (1994)
“The Final Chapter” of the Puppet Master series isn’t the final Puppet Master movie, but it’s definitely the final installment of the true series for me. I consider the rest of the installments nothing but filler and greatest hit clip compilations. In the first two films, we watched the evil puppets and their master Toulon wreak havoc, part three was the origin of how Toulon became evil and how the puppets were once capable of good, and the final two installments are Toulon and his puppets redeeming themselves by saving the world from interdimensional demons.
Aftershock (2013)
Have we reached so low down the totem pole that we’re now ripping off Eli Roth movies? Is that the definition of desperation or what? “Aftershock” feels like one of those situations with “Poltergeist” where Eli Roth was ghost directing while Nicolas Lopez was credited as director. It’s a half hour of a lame tourist dramedy, followed by an hour of really silly gore and zero direction in its story, all leading in to a finale that shamelessly rips off the final scenes of “The Descent.” Thank goodness “Aftershock” is a merciful ninety minutes.
Diabolique Magazine No. 18 (Nov/Dec 2013) [Magazine]
I think in a past life I was a doomsday survivalist, because you just have to say “apocalypse” and my ears perk up with interest. The November/December issue of “Diabolique” is all about the apocalypse, and how it’s been depicted through various forms of film, television, and literature. And it’s not a slapdash compilation of articles. As is the case with “Diabolique” the articles about the popularity of apocalyptic entertainment in today’s media are beautifully written and insightful. And you can’t really scoff at their dedication to “28 Days Later” and Richard Matheson.
Exhumed (2011)
Director Richard Griffin’s horror thriller about a demented and warped family comprised of people that simply can not leave their home is an often enigmatic, perplexing, but excellent horror film. I often found “Exhumed” to be a brilliant spin on the “Spider Baby” with a Lynchian atmosphere that worked quite often. From the black and white palette, to the intricate play with shadows, “Exhumed” is constricted to one setting, but feels as if we’re in an entirely new and horrific world.
Night Of The Comet: Collector’s Edition (1984) [BluRay/DVD]
Director Thom Eberhardt’s eighties apocalyptic classic is a great amalgam of zombie horror and coming of age drama. And while it does watch very much like an eighties film with brutally dated clothing and hairstyles, Eberhardt’s film has been incredibly influential since its initial release, nonetheless. Scream Factory provides a fitting and really sharp treatment (though maintaining the grit and grain) for what is still a stellar dose of post-apocalyptic fiction that entertains as well as frightens.
Stalled (2013)
Director Christian James’ “Stalled” is a very creative, and often clever horror comedy that takes the zombie movie to a new direction. It tries, at least. “Stalled” really seems to have a grasp on its premise for the first forty minutes, and then scrambles to keep monotony from setting in the rest of the way. In spite of that, “Stalled” is a creepy, interesting, and very unique zombie horror comedy that takes a few notes from “Shaun of the Dead.” It’s a horror movie about a perpetual loser who gets his life together in the wake of a bona fide zombie apocalypse. But it tries to add its own twists to the conventions, which make for a good experience.