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 big day is here- Halloween!  And what better way for me to wrap up this year's month long celebration of all that's spooky, creepy, and scary than with a review of the latest offering in the " Halloween " franchise? It's been 40 years since Michael Myers went on his infamous killing spree in Haddenfield.  While being transferred to a new facility, he escapes... and heads straight for Haddenfield. Laurie Strode has been waiting in terror for the day that Michael would come home.  News of his escape sends her on a dangerous quest to protect those she loves... and leads her to a final showdown with the Boogeyman of her past... 2018's " Halloween " is what I would consider the perfect reboot of this franchise.  While the others in the series were fun, I found that the story threads tying them all together started to get silly and rather convoluted.  This installment goes back to the core concept of what Michael Myers is, and keeps it s...

Did you honestly think I'd let this year's " Halloween Day by Day " go by without covering THIS particular theme? Shame on you, ye of little faith! John Carpenter's musical theme to his first movie is just a masterpiece of horror movie music.  It's a pulse quickening, uneasy melody that matches your racing heart and panicked thoughts.  It always sounds as if it's coming from the shadows behind you- just like the stealthy stalking of Michael Myers himself.  The different layers of tones and melodies keeps changing sides, and makes you look over your shoulder at any little sound in your empty house. This theme is the sound of slow, inevitable fear and death coming for the unwary- relentless in it's approach, unyielding in it's mission, uncompromising in it's plans for you. It is the sound of " Halloween ", the night death came home. My words can't do this piece of music justice, really.  Just listen to it bel...

Ever have one of those nights where you just wanted to tell your neighbours to shut the fuck up...? You're trying to sleep one night when a nearby party wakes you up.  It's been going on every night... and you've had enough.  Donning a mask, and grabbing your kitchen knife, you go to work... bringing sweet silence to the streets you stalk. .. " Party Hard " by Pinoki Games is a simple, fun game to play.  The mechanics are easy:  kill people where you won't be seen, sabotage items for accidents.  While it's a simple game to play, it's not an "easy" game to play in that you HAVE to think and strategize about how and when you're going to strike.  The levels also get progressively harder and more challenging as well. I like the story that's played out between the levels as well.  It's not complicated or overly deep, but still adds to the game in a nice way. The graphics are sprite based, and are a great throw back t...

2003 saw a TV series hit the air that tried to answer the eternal question:  Who IS the Grim Reaper...? A faulty toilet falling from the Space Station accidentally hits teenaged Georgia- killing her.  What she couldn't possibly have expected is that her soul would be tapped by the administrative system of the afterlife... as a Grim Reaper... " Dead Like Me " is a charming and fun comedy series that treats death with humour, and sincerity at the same time.  The world is well crafted, and pretty coherent from episode to episode. The characters are unique, interesting, and emotionally engaging.  They are believable people, who you come to care about, and even relate to as they deal with the baggage left from their past Life, and their current Death. I really enjoyed the performances from the actors.  They all brought a nice solidity and reality to their roles.  Ellen Muth as Georgia was especially wonderful to watch.  She brought a nic...

If you're a collector, then you're all aware of what Funko Pops are- "cute" little figures based on all sorts of movie, television, and comic book characters.  Well, I've compiled a list of the Top Five Horror Funko Pops I Want... Alien Face Hugger-  Let's start with one from one of my favorite franchises: "Aliens".  The Face Hugger is an iconic alien terror that brings tremors of fear to pretty much anyone that thinks about what it does to you. But hey, it's also giving you free hugs, so it's not ALL bad... right? I don't think a collector of "Aliens" merch would wish to NOT have this one in their inventory. And let's face it... it's kinda cute... in a creepy sort of way, right? Right Ash-  Seriously, given my love of horror and comedy, you all had to expect that Ash from the "Evil Dead" franchise would be on this list. This one just looks really cool, with Ash bearing his tr...

As October nears its end, we offer up one more seasonal beer for you to possibly check out:  Red Collar Brewing's Squash Gourdon... To say that the label is shit simple would be an understatement.  It's orange.  With a squash on it, and the name of the brew.  So simple, a squash could figure out what it's all about. Compared to the other two brews I've reviewed this month, I must confess that this label is probably my least favorite.  It's just a little bland for my visual tastes.  The rather rough look of the squash, and the odd nature of the font makes it feel a little amateurish and possibly a little rushed to me. If Red Collar Brewing had been located in Kamloops, I'm afraid this label would've made me pass it by. However, I am glad I didn't just move by it while perusing the liquor store. It's got a nice deep amber colour, and holds a decent head of foam as well.  The first sip certainly lets you know that ...

Superhero movies have become a huge part of the movie industry over the past eleven years.  Horror has also gained a bit more "respectability" within the movie industry as well.  It was only natural- and a matter of time before someone put the two together... An alien spacecraft crash lands on a small farm.  The Beyers find within it a survivor... a baby.  As the boy reaches his teen years, he starts to exhibit strange powers, and the Beyers begin to wonder: Will this child from the stars become Earth's savior...? I can't say enough positive things about 2019's " Brightburn " by James Gunn, Kenneth Huang, and David Yarovesky.  The idea of a "dark" Superman story has been done often enough before by DC Comics in their Elseworlds comics, but this movie takes it to a new level, and makes it much more visceral and fascinating to watch.  The progression of the story is natural and quite believable- pulling you along willingly.  The ...

One of my favorite Stephen King novels (next to " The Shining " of course), is " The Dead Zone ".  I'm also a huge fan of the movie version starring Christopher Walken. I mean- It's CHRISTOPHER WALKEN! *coughs and calms down from his fanboy fever* Anyway, back in 2002, when I heard that they were going to produce a " The Dead Zone " TV series, I was stoked. Since I don't watch TV, I waited until the first season was on DVD, and binged it.  I binged it hard.  Like two teens hiding the bushes at the local make-out spot hard. I loved it.  The first season follows the novel for the most part:  Johnny Smith is in a car accident that puts him in a coma for six years.  When he comes out of it, he discovers that he has psychic abilities to give him visions upon touching someone.  After rubbing shoulders with congressional candidate, Johnny is then sent on a path to prevent a possible nuclear apocalypse from occurring. Since t...