The original Don Mancini 1988 horror film “Child’s Play” was both a slasher movie and a psychological thriller. We’re given an immense amount of exploration in to the mind of serial killer Charles Lee Ray, and we see him transfer his body in to the Good Guy doll. But when Andy is given the cursed doll, every time someone dies and the body count rises, there is the suspicion that perhaps Andy is committing the murders and Chucky is an outlet for his feelings of alienation. “Chucky” reaches back in to the original narrative and brilliantly adjusts it for a modern setting.
Tag Archives: Slasher
The Collection (2012)
I never saw the original “The Collector” but at this point I think it’s fair to say that you don’t really have to. “The Collection” is definitely a follow up to what is meant to be a trilogy of films, and the storyline isn’t exactly episodic. “The Collection” is not at all a bad movie, mind you. But it’s not as labyrinthian in its narrative as the “Saw” series continues to be. It sure does try to be, as it tells us very little about who the Collector is.
Alone in the Dark (1982): Collector’s Edition [Blu-Ray]
It’s too bad that in the eighties, in the midst of the big slasher movie boom, that “Alone in the Dark” was almost completely lost in the shuffle of the endless genre titles thrown in to theaters. At a time when audiences wanted splatter films and masked slashers, “Alone in the Dark” snuck by them for too long. Whole it’s not nearly the slasher that the original art for it implies, what we actually get is a chaotic home invasion horror movie with a sick sense of humor.
Jason Rising: A Friday the 13th Fan Film (2021)
The “Friday the 13th” property is still in legal limbo, and the odds of us seeing a sequel or reboot any time soon are slim. All we the fans have for now are fan films. Thankfully, the delivery from filmmakers that respect the property has been fantastic, and James Sweet’s own fan film is no exception. It’s a little rough around the edges in regards to the narrative, but he offers some new fodder that I hope is made in to canon someday.
Pretty Boy (2021) [Fright Fest 2021]
Immediately following Blind, this sequel takes the lead character and her stalker and puts them in the midst of a Valentine’s Day party where the party goers are set-up to be victims of the titular character.
The Last Matinee (Al morir la matinee) (2021)
Back in the golden age of video stores, a lot of times when you weren’t informed on certain video releases, you’d pretty much have to rent something out of the blue. Sometimes you came home with a lemon, and sometimes you ended up renting something amazing. “The Last Matinee” feels like that lost video store gem, that movie inhabiting the corner of the horror section of the video store that is waiting to be discovered. And when it’s discovered it’s bound to blow you out of your seat.
How “Jason Lives” Became My Favorite “Friday the 13th”
As a kid horror movies were forbidden. But they were forbidden in the way that staying up late was forbidden. Sure, it was a no no, but our parents always looked the other way if we caught a sneak peek at one of the stronger horror shockers. Plus, growing up with a mother with an insatiable appetite for all things horror, it’s pretty tough to re-enforce a ban when she’s showing up every other day with VHS copies of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “Sleepaway Camp.” For some reason though, growing up, my mom always discouraged my watching “Jason Lives.” I could never quite figure out why, though.