Horror is usually most satisfying when it's intense and pulse poundingly fast.  Sometimes, though- taking your time can be just as fun... A mysterious person calling himself, "The Puppeteer" has kidnapped you, and imprisoned you in an old mansion.  The only way you and his other 'puppets' can escape is to play his game, win access to more of the house until you're finally free. " The Panic Room: House of Secrets " is a hidden object game, where you look for objects hidden in each room of the house.  Completing each list earns you rewards- and 'Freedom Points", which level you up so you can gain access to other rooms. While the mechanics are pretty simple, there are some nice variations that bring a nice amount of replayability to each room.  There are different modes that pose different challenges- such as "night mode" where your view is limited by the light of your flashlight, and "silhouette mode", where the list is i...

  In every franchise, there are installments that don't quite work at continuing the story... and others that not only perfectly conclude one part of it, but open up a new chapter of possibility... Callie Spengler and her children have been evicted from their home, and forced to move to her estranged father's "dirt farm".  As she struggles with her memories of his abandonment, her daughter Phoebe discovers a ghost trap that had been hidden by her deceased grandfather.  Soon, Phoebe, her brother Trevor, and new friend Podcast uncover a supernatural threat and the return of an old enemy of The Ghostbusters... After the less than stellar performance and reception of " Ghostbusters: Answer the Call " (2016), fans of the franchise were cautiously optimistic about the announcement that there was to be a direct sequel to " Ghostbusters II " (1989).  Fortunately, this sequel proved to be everything they needed, and wanted from a " Ghostbusters " ...

  Susan has withdrawn from the world  after her divorce from her abusive husband.  Her mansion contains state of the art household automation.  She is secure from the dangers of modern Life.  She is safe from an unsafe world... Too bad her mansion had other ideas... The idea of a Alexa/Siri controlled house going haywire may sound like something written within the past decade, but you might be surprised that Dean Koontz actually wrote this book back in 1973. That's right.  Just five years after " 2001: A Space Odyssey " hit theatres, Koontz wrote this book brining HAL to a more personal level, while predicting the advent of programs like Alexa and Siri. This book is actually a pretty quick read at 301 pages.  The story progresses and builds at a steady and fast pace.  The writing is smooth and seamless as the tension and events unfold before you.  I lost track of time as I turned page after page.  I loved that this book was written from ...

 Horror fans enjoy surrounding themselves with items connected to their passion.  It can be Halloween masks, movie posters, prop replicas or collectible figures. This week, I'm going to show you one of the collectible figures I've recently acquired- Reel Toys' " Re-Animator " Herbert West! The "bubble box" for the figure is pretty simple, but effective.  I like the balance between the figure and the illustration on the front.  The packaging also gives you a clear look at all the bibs and bobs that come with the figure. The illustration is great in my opinion.  It stretches across the whole of the packaging- providing a nice background for the figure.  The art style is nicely atmospheric and moody without going over the top. In fact, the backing card illustration is suitable for collecting on its own.  The artist- Justin Osbourn, did a great job with it. The reverse of the backing card is also pretty good.  There's a nice harmony between the font, ...

  One phenomena of the North American film industry is the practice of taking successful and popular European and Asian horror films, and Americanizing them.  Some are as successful as their original source materials, others not as much... and some leave you wondering if the process was necessary... Owen is a young boy growing up in a broken household.  Isolated, and neglected, he faces brutal bullying at school that further pushes him towards a breakdown and violence... Then Abby moves in.  Abby makes him smile.  Abby makes him feel special.  Abby make him feel wanted. Abby needs blood... 2010's " Let Me In " is an Americanized version of the Swedish film " Let the Right One In "- which is based on a novel of the same name.  The story is fairly simple to follow, yet deep enough to keep you mentally and emotionally engaged.  There are no wasted moments in the story- every scene helps to support every other story element.  This is lean, smooth...

  Hey everyone!  I've got a special treat for you today! My friends Jason and Pete have banded together to give the world a show that delves into the unusual.  Kind of a modern day, "In Search Of". Well, this week, their show, "Hunting the Haunted" did an episode one of my favorite cases- the Enfield Poltergeist. This case covered a span of two years- from 1977 to 1979.  It started with Peggy Hodgson calling police saying that furniture was moving.  Soon the Society for Psychical Research sent Maurice Grosse and Guy Lyon Playfair to investigate.  Their investigation is covered in Playfair's book, "This House is Haunted". This case has been called "England's Amityville" due to it's validity being as hotly debated as the case in Amityville. But enough of my rambling, click on the video below- and give it a watch!

  Some might argue Byron Haskin’s adaptation of H.G. Wells’s classic novel is more sci-fi than horror, and technically, they’re right. But the story of Martians attacking Earth, and pretty much kicking our collective asses all over the planet, is a scary one. And Haskin delivers scenes of mass destruction and human tragedy with such panache and gritty realism (for the era) that this film is still horrifying. That’s my pretzel logic on the matter, anyway. Owing more than a bit to Orson Welles’s famed Halloween radio broadcast, this version quickly brings audiences up to speed on the Martian plan, and settles in on a small California town that becomes the focus of much of the film. As with the radio version, the Martian reveal is slow at first, building suspense and drama, before the attack happens. Haskin and screenwriter Barre Lyndon borrow heavily from Welles for the first half hour, but that’s fine. It’s understandable, given what a landmark production his radio play was. S...

  We're back with a new review!  Yaaaaay! This week, we're checking out a Stephen King adaptation from 1984- " Firestarter "! Andy McGee and his daughter, Charlie, are on the run.  They are running from a mysterious agency known only as "The Shop".  They're running because The Shop wants Charlie for her abilities. The ability to set things on fire... with just a thought. .. This is one of the earliest adaptations of a Stephen King novel.  Originally, John Carpenter had been tapped to direct, but was replaced when " The Thing " proved to be a financial failure (little did they KNOW).  The new director, Mark L. Lester commissioned a re-write that kept fairly close to the original novel. The story isn't bad, though not really scary.  The slow, plodding pace, and rather stiff dialogue actually make it a little dull and the equivalent of white noise.  It's came across as insignificant background noise.  I found myself drifting off and thinki...

  Today in "The Corner of Terror," we have a special Guest Reviewer: Jason H from " From the Basement ", so let's see what offering he brings to our dark corner of the internet... There was a time when books were sold pretty much everywhere. Grocery stores, drug stores, smoke shops, you name it. And individual paperbacks could sell 12 million copies in North America alone. That was back when writing a best seller really meant something. This was the 60s, 70s, and 80s, and one of the most prolific – and profitable – genres was the horror novel. What set these books apart from their modern counterparts was an unashamed desire on the part of the writer to gross out, offend, titillate and, at times, outright disturb. Or, at the very least, baffle.  Psychic Nazi dwarves who enjoy S&M? These paperbacks had them. Armies of mutant rats eating the populace of London, England? You betcha! Mystics that bite off young boys’ penises? But of course. This was a time when a...

  After the horror show that was 2020, I feel that we should start the New Year) with something lighthearted and fun.  And you can't get any more fun while remaining in the "horror" genre than with that ooky, kooky, spooky family... The Addams Family ! Fester Addams has been missing for 25 years after a falling out with his brother Gomez.  During their annual seance to try and contact Fester, a mysterious figure arrives at the door... a figure who claims to be the long lost brother. But is he?  And what are his intentions towards the family... and their vast wealth? I have been a fan of The Addams Family since I was a kids and used to watch the old black and white TV series.  When I heard in 1991 that the "fam" was coming to the big screen, I was excited- especially when I heard that Angelica Huston, and Christopher Lloyd were going to be in it.  I hadn't heard much about Raul Julia at the time, but when I saw him in stills showing him as Gomez, I was impr...

  I'm not going to lie... I get hesitant around October, because I know I'm going to be expected to sample the Halloween themed beers that come out. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of the taste of pumpkin. And last week's beer left a really bad taste in my mouth. However, I'm willing to take one for the team, and put my taste buds on the line for our readers... I have always enjoyed the steampunk styling of Steamworks' labels- and the label for their Pumpkin Ale is no exception.  There's a nice touch of Victorian style to the artwork- the sort you'd find in newspapers at that time, almost..  They aren't elaborate, but are still full of interesting and fun details. The colour is a deep, brown amber... and looks like there's "heft" to it.  It doesn't keep a head of foam very well, unfortunately. I must say that I the first sip was pretty smooth.  There's a subtle hint of the various ingredients of pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg...

  Halloween is the time of year where the world of the unseen and the world of the seeable, meld and blend together.  It's a time when hidden horrors stalk us on the big and small screens. For some, however, they are stalked by unseen terror everyday of the year... Cecilia has left her abusive relationship, and is ready to start a new life.  Soon, however, that new life is shattered when she becomes convinced that her ex is stalking her... and that he is invisible... 2020's " The Invisible Man " offers a modern take on the H.G. Wells classic, while taking advantage of the rising awareness and conversations about domestic violence.  Sadly, beyond that modern tech used, and the modern and relevant theme, this movie doesn't really offer that much. The story plays out more like a drama than a suspense/thriller.  Any strength the story has comes from the number of viewers that can relate to having been in an abusive relationship, or had been stalked (my first relatio...

In this day and age, it seems that we're destined to be flooded with an endless deluge of remakes, reboots, reimaginings and even rehashes of classic movies- including conversions of old TV shows into movies.  I have noticed however, that the horror genre seems to be suffering the heaviest torrents of revisitations.  With that realization, I'll be doing a "double bill" today... Let's start with the 1976 release of " The Omen ", shall we?  The premise is interesting and simple enough to provide potential directions for storytelling: A prominent politician's pregnant wife suffers a loss when the son dies shortly after birth.  Before she can find out, the politician agrees to subsitute a newborn orphan for his own... Too bad that the son is the spawn of Satan... The acting is a little lifeless at moments, but in general was pretty good.  I enjoyed Gregory Peck as Robert Thorn- the politician, and Lee Remick as his wife was nice to look at, though her ac...

  Horror literature has been with us for almost forever- from tales about vengeful gods making it thunder, campfire stories about the beastie in the trees, to books about fanatical cults. Some horror authors seem to have been with us for almost forever too- from Bran Stoker, to Mary Shelly, to Stephen King, to Dean Koontz... An ordinary parking lot in southern California. Christine Scavello and her six-year-old son are accosted by a strange old woman.  "I know who you are," she snaps at the boy.  "I know  what  you are."  A scream, a threat- and then a grotesque act of violence.  Suddenly, Christine's pride and joy, her only son, is targeted by a group of religious fanatics.  They've branded him the Antichrist.  They want to kill him.  And they are everywhere... Dean Koont's " The Servants of Twilight " was my introduction to his writing back when I was in High School.  He was being hailed as the "next Stephen King", and this book w...

  If there is one writer who's indelibly linked to horror, it'd have to be Stephen King.  And when you're as skilled- and prolific a writer as Stephen King, there will inevitably be adaptations of your writing. So, today, I present you my " Top Five Stephen King Adaptations "! 1.  " The Dead Zone " (1983)-  Directed by David Cronenberg, and starring Christopher Walken, this is one of my favorites.  It is a well crafted, and spooky retelling of the story of a man who becomes psychic after an accident, and whose life get entangled with that of a politician who's fated to destroy the world. 2.  " Misery " (1990)-  One of the most faithful adaptations of a story about a writer who meets his "number one fan" after she rescues him from a car accident.  Starring Kathy Bates, and James Caan, director Rob Reiner gives us a slow burning, tale of horror that keeps you on the edge of your seat.  The sledgehammer scene especially is shudder in...

  There was a time when going to summer camp was a common thing for children to do.  They got to socialize with other people of their ages, the parents got a few weeks of quiet to themselves... and a psycho was gainfully employed killing them... Angela and Ricky are sent to Camp Arawak for the summer.  Angela, unfortunately becomes the target for bullies. When those bullies start to die...it becomes clear that someone has a lust for blood... but who's doing it- and who'll be next? " Sleepaway Camp " is one those films that can- by many, be considered a "guilty pleasure".  You know you shouldn't enjoy it that much... but you do. But is it any good, though?  Well, on the surface, it's rather shallow.  At first viewing, it reads and looks like a cheap knock off of "Friday the 13th".  But, on closer viewing- and contemplation, there is a fair bit of depth to it. Especially if you view it through the lense of being a trans-narrative movie. The s...

  I love to play video games- especially horror themed ones.  I especially love when the game pays homage to classic horror movies, while having a bit of fun with it. You are a masked killer at the titular " Slayaway Camp ".  Your objective is to move around the map and kill the campers, cops, etc.  The mechanics are easy.  You can only move in a straight line until you hit an obstacle, so you have to chart your course using the obstacles.  You can get some "special" kills by scaring the victims into "traps" (holes, fire, water, etc).  You can also use the environment at times- as in the case of toppling a book case on a hapless camper. But you need to be careful that you don't run straight into a trap yourself- you end your "turn" in a cop's target spot. And that's it.  It's a simple enough game that can provide a nice mental work-out as you plot your moves.  I would imagine horror loving chess players would probably really quite...

  Jay recently suggested that I avoid reviewing any beers produced by this week's brewery- due to reports of a toxic work environment within the company.  I asked myself if it was possible for a company that produced toxic feelings within it's staff to produce a non-toxic beverage... I must confess that I found the label to be kinda lackluster.  I do like the font used- as it hints a the Germanic origins of the brew's name... but was left wondering WHY they went with that particular name... and what did a pumpkin headed scarecrow have to do with it? Maybe it was because the company execs took pleasure in the toxic environment they fostered- revelled in the sexist, racist, and transphobic comments, etc reported to be frequently uttered by managers, supervisors and the like. Or maybe, as the name suggests (taking pleasure in the misfortune of others), they found it amusing and entertaining to contemplate the customer's reaction to tasting this concoction... I liked the co...

  October.  It's a time when the leaves start to fall, and the air gets crisper.  It's a time when mysterious fogs start to roll through the trees, and strange sounds echo from the bushes.  It's a time when the veil between the Living and the Dead tears a little. It's a time when The Corner of Terror awakens to bring you " Halloween Day by Day "! That's right, we're back for a FULL MONTH of horror related fun and frivolity!  We have some great treats for you... and maybe a trick up our sleeves. What sort of stuff do we have to offer this year?  Well- let's reach into the candy bowl, and find out: I'll will be bringing you horror book reviews every Tuesday, and comic reviews on Saturdays.  Mondays will see him counting out some of his "Top Five Lists", while checking out "The Omen" movies on Wednesdays.  Friday's is "tip and sip time" as he kicks back and samples some horror and October themed brews.  And don...

The world has entered a pandemic with COVID-19 spreading like... well, like a virus.  Since I'm a sick bastard with a twisted sense of humour, I figured it was a great time to bring you a Top Five List of Viral Outbreak Movies! " 12 Monkeys " (1995)-  In this film, Bruce Willis is sent from the future to prevent the release of a virus by eco-terrorists that'll wind up wiping out the majority of humanity- and pushing them underground. Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt put in great performances in this film.  The book is pretty good too. " 28 Days Later " (2002)-  The UK has been hit by a virus that is turning people into rage filled killers. Great acting, great mood, and a realistic sense of isolation.  Especially note worthy for introducing the concept of the "rage zombie" to the genre.  Definitely a film to watch while the streets empty of people hoping to avoid COVID-19. " Cabin Fever " (2002)-  A group of friends go to an ...