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...

Ghost stories are one of the hardest things to do visually without resorting to extensive CGI or gore to bring the scares.  Finding a good, solid, suspenseful ghost movie is a challenge for someone like me. Living in an isolated manor during World War Two, the Stewarts find themselves alone and depending on each other to survive the threat of invasion.  Adding to their isolation is the affliction that affects the two children.  One day, they hire some servants... only to find that they'd brought "The Others" with them. Or maybe "The Others" were there all along already... This is not a fast paced story.  It slowly builds and builds.  It slowly, but surely adds on the suspense, the unease, the creepiness until you're looking over your shoulder into the shadows of your closet or under the bed.  The characters all get equal time and development as the story progresses.  They all serve a purpose to the unfolding of the tale.  I could imagine ...

Space is a big, wonderous place. Unless you're in a horror movie that is... Unknown to the world, the cancelled Apollo 18 mission of 1974 did occur.  Three astronauts went to the moon on a secret military mission, only for things to go horribly wrong.  This is their footage... and their terrifying story ... I wanted to see this movie because of the premise: Astronauts go to the moon, and discover we are NOT alone. The story was blah.  The story was dull.  The story was boring. The characters were blah.  The characters were dull.  The characters were boring. The actors were blah.  The actors were dull.  The actors were boring. The aliens were blah.  The aliens were dull.  The aliens were boring. The movie was blah.  The movie was dull.  The movie was boring. I think you can guess where this movie's going... Yep.  Right into " The Ugly "

In 1984, Wes Craven introduced the world to Freddy Krueger, and horror movies were never quite the same again. In 1985, " A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge " came out, pushing Krueger into the realm of household word and horror icon. Five years after Nancy Thompson fought Freddy Krueger, Jesse Walsh has moved into her old house.  Soon, Jesse starts to experience bad dreams that become reality.  As people start to die, Jesse finds himself fighting Krueger for his very soul. .. While I did enjoy this movie, I found it fell short of the first one.  The premise of an entity possessing someone to kill is interesting, but I felt it didn't really fit in with Freddy's personality.  He wouldn't use someone else to kill in the "real world", since he could do so in their dreams.  Not only that, he strikes me as having a huge enough ego that he wouldn't want the puppet getting the credit for the kill.  Not only that, his being able to ma...

I was contacted by Louise Rivers, from Maven Publicity about reviewing the 2013 film, " Evil Feed ", which was directed by  Kimani Ray Smith, and stars Laci J. Mailey, Terry Chen, Alian Chanoine, and Alyson Bath.  The title made me hungry from some possible cannibal horror, so I readily agreed. And man, am I glad I had a taste of this dish! Martial arts fighters have been disappearing without a trace.  When she's kidnapped along with her sister and boyfriend, Jenna must find a way to escape.  Her friends are on the trail which leads to "The Long Pig" restaurant... but they may have bitten off more than they could chew ... " Evil Feed " is one heck of a meal.  It's got humour, semi-clad babes, fights, WTF moments, and lots of blood and grue- though heavier on the blood than actual grue. The premise is pretty simple, but lays a solid foundation for the actual storyline and characters.  All of the elements I listed above are fitted nicely a...

Those of you who read this blog on a semi-regular basis, may be thinking that I've made a mistake in this review's title- especially since I've already done reviews of Stephen King's Novel " The Shining ", and the 1980 Stanley Kubrick version . Well, I'm not wrong, since 1997 saw a TV mini-series based on the novel.  The teleplay was written by Stephen King himself. After alcoholism leads to the loss of his job, Jack Torrance accepts a job as winter caretaker at the Overlook Hotel.  Filled with hope for a fresh start, Jack and his family move into the hotel, and begin the process of healing old wounds. Soon, however, the snow starts to fly, and the hotel begins to stalk its occupants in the hopes of making their stay permanent ... After watching Kubrick's version years ago, I'd always felt that " The Shining " would've been better told as a mini-series, since it could incorporate more the themes and scary events from the no...

As a fan of horror movies, I enjoy seeing how the genre has evolved over the years, and learning a bit about how some of the most influential movies came to be made, and the role they played in making horror what it is today. In the final years of the turbulent 1960's, when race riots, decreasing support of the Vietnam War, and growing social unrest were spreading like a virus across the United States, a small, low-budget horror film was made.  Despite uncertainty about it's reception and ultimate Fate, this little film made by some guys from Pittsburgh, went on to change the world of horror forever. This film was, " Night of the Living Dead "... and this is its story... If you've read my review of  " Night of the Living Dead " (1968), you'll know that it's one of my favorite horror movies of all time.  Well, let me tell this:  " Birth of the Living Dead " is a great little companion piece to that movie. One of the things I re...

Most of us see a horror movie, like " The Grudge ", or " The Ring ", then learn it's a North American remake of a Japanese film.  And we think that the Japanese are pretty badass and awesome.  Then we see the Japanese version of a movie, like " Zombie Ass: Toilet of the Dead "... and then we're not sure what to think of them... A group of friends are going camping in order to find Maki a tapeworm to help her stay skinny.  After swallowing a parasite found in a fish, the group are soon attacked by shambling people, and encounter Dr. Tanaka.  Soon, they discover the connection between Dr. Tanaka and the parasites ... Wow. Just wow. This is not a film to take seriously. At all. Poo covered zombies.  Butt loving parasites.  Farting.  Tentacle loving.  Farting.  Martial arts.  Farting.  Boobs. Did I mention farting? The premise is enough to make you scratch your head, and wonder how they pull it off.  The actual st...

Sometimes, a movie comes along at just the right time, that not only entertains you, but reminds you WHY you do what you do.  For me, that movie was " Son of Ghostman " Denny is unemployed, just got dumped, and is in danger of losing his house.  A chance drunken videotape, sends him on the road to a new life.  Unfortunately, he has to deal with an old rival, and the fact that he needs to keep his quest secret from the woman he's attracted to. .. There have been times over the past few years, where I've wondered why I continue reviewing horror movies.  I have wondered if anyone would actually miss this blog... to the point where I've contemplated closing things down, and being... "normal". Then I was approached by  @SonOfGhostman on Twitter to view and review their movie.  I liked the trailer they sent first.  It intrigued me since it wasn't so much a horror film, as much as it dealt with some of the unsung icons of the industry- Horror Movie...

Growing up, I was a fan of the classic "Hammer Horror" films like Christopher Lee's Dracula.  So, when I heard that Hammer was back in business a few years ago, I was excited and eager to see what they had to offer modern horror fans.  I am also a huge fan of the 1988 BBC release of " The Woman in Black ".  When I heard that their first submission to the world's scrutiny was to be "The Woman in Black", I was even more excited to see what they would do... Solicitor Arthur Kipps has been assigned the task of preparing Eel Marsh House for sale, and getting the recently deceased owner's papers organized and settled.  Upon arrival, however, Kipps soon realizes that something is wrong with the town and the isolated manor.  Digging deeper reveals a tragedy that still lingers and brings grief to those that stay there... Right off the bat, I have to say that I was impressed.  The story is different enough from the 1988 version that it's fresh,...

What can be more terrifying that gorillas going on a rampage?  How about gorillas going on a rampage because of implants in their brains?  How about it happening on King Kong's Island? When Diana is kidnapped by gorillas during a safari, Burt Dawson sets off into the deep jungle to find her.  He soon encounters a jungle girl, a mad scientist, and a band of mind controlled gorillas... Despite the title, " Kong Island ", there is no island... and no King Kong.  In fact, the original Italian title, "Eve, The Wild Woman " is in reference to the jungle girl Dawson meets.  One can only assume that American distributors felt that it would do better if they inferred a connection to the popular big ape. The concept is perfect for a low budget B-movie.  Mix together a mad scientist, a mercenary, a beautiful kidnapped woman, a beautiful jungle woman, and a bunch of mind controlled gorillas.  The story is actually, decent enough for a night of popcorn and ...

I enjoy movies that subtly include social issues in the story, and use social fears as the basis for the plot.  " The Wasp Woman " by Roger Corman does this. Janice Starlin is desperate to save her cosmetic company, whose sales have dropped since customers have noticed that she's aging.  How far would she go to regain her youthful appearance... and at what cost? Roger Corman's " The Wasp Woman " is not one of his better films.  There is the obvious influence of the classic movie, " The Fly ", which only came out two years before.  While the concept isn't original, the story takes a different route, and offers up a lot of potential to include social commentary on the cosmetics industry, and humanity's fear of aging as well as its need to be beautiful.  While those are touched on (the fear of aging more so than the others), this movie misses some nice opportunities to bring even more depth to the story- and the characters at the same ti...

There is something to be said about horror movies that feature a group of scantily clad women being terrorized by an unknown killer.  Some of those things are good... others, not so good. After Gary and several female dancers crash land near an apparently deserted island, the group begin planning how to escape the island.  When Gary disappears, the women begin to be killed one by one. .. " Horrors of Spider Island " is a horror movie from West Germany, whose apparently reason for existance was to display beautiful women in bikini's being terrorized by a monster.  Nothing more, nothing less. The title gives an expectation of an " Arachnophobia " type of movie.  Too bad, there's only one spider- and a really cheesy, cheap one at that.  When it bites Gary, you're given the expectation of possibly a cool spider transformation of Gary.  Too bad, the make-up on him looks NOTHING like a spider.  There was so much potential here for a decent story, but...

One of the staples of horror movies from the 1950's and 1960's was the use of atomic power.  Whether it's the accidental creation of mutated animals through atomic tests, or the use of it in experiments by mad scientists, you will find a plethora of such movies during that time.  " The Atomic Brain " is one of them. The rich and elderly Mrs. March has hired Dr. Frank to perform an experimental medical procedure that that would extend her lifespan... by implanting her brain in the body of one of three beautiful women, she's hired as domestic servants ... " The Atomic Brain " had some real potential for genuine eerie and creepy moments- but failed to meet that potential.  The concept was interesting, if not wholly original.  The story moves at an unfortunately plodding pace, and lacks any real suspense or tension. The characters were rather flat, and seemed to rely mostly on the beauty of the female leads.  Mrs. March was suitably malevolent, b...

Growing up, I loved reading horror comics and magazine- " Vampirella ", " Weird War Tales ", and EC's " Vault of Horror , " Tales From the Crypt ," and " The Haunt of Fear ".  I also loved watching horror anthology shows like " The Twilight Zone ".  This means I also enjoy horror anthology movies. " Creepshow " features five short horror stories present to us as stories from a comic book being read by a young teenager: " Father's Day ":  During the annual family get together, a family's deceased patriarch decides to drop in for cake; " The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill ":  After finding a crashed meteorite, Jordy Verrill watches as his farm- and himself, go through some changes; " Something to Tide You Over ":  There are some people you never get on the wrong side of, because you'll wind up to your neck in deep water.  Of course... there are some people you never ta...

Sometimes, there comes along a movie that just fills you with amazement, awe, and wonder.  " Galaxy Invader " is one of those films. After a strange object crashes in the backwoods of a small American town, a young man and a scientist embark attempt to reach it- and it's alien occupant... before a money seeking posse gets there first. .. This movie filled me with amazement.  Amazement that it EVER got a green light to be made (even if it WAS direct to video).  It filled me with awe.  Awe that even a low budget movie could have such horrible acting.  It filled me with wonder.  Wonder at the fact that this movie still exists on DVD. I mean it.  It's just a horrible movie.  The special effects are crap- even for a cheesy 1980's movie.  The acting was just outlandish.  The camera work was pitiful- though I do like the shot at the top of this article.  The characters were just inane, and didn't induce any feelings other than, "ki...

Normally, sequels tend to get a bad rep- though there are a few rare ones that either do as well as (or better than) the first installment. After 22 years in a mental institution, Norman Bates is finally coming home.  As he tries to put his life back together, and move forward into a healthier future, a shadow stalks him and the house.  Soon, the killing begins.  Has Mother returned as well? Considering that the original " Psycho " was such a hit- and is considered one of THE greatest horror/suspense films of all time, you certainly wouldn't be able to blame Universal for wanting to see if they could capture lightning in a bottle again.  But would someone OTHER than Hitchcock be able to pull it off? Fortunately, Director Richard Franklin does a great job tackling this franchise.  Of course, it helped that the story itself was interesting, and took a look at Norman from a totally different angle: as the victim.  This approach brought a depth and ful...

In this era of remakes, reboots, re-imaginings, remixes and rehashes, I like to go back and look at the original version of many of the films being made these days- like 1980's " Friday the 13th ". Twenty years after the death of a some camp counselors, Steve Christy hopes to reopen Camp Crystal Lake- despite the claims made by "Crazy Ralph" that the place is cursed, and that him and the rest of his staff will die.  While getting the camp ready, staff members start to disappear... What can I say about " Friday the 13th "?  Just this: iconic movie.  Pure and simple. While, the plot is basic and simple, it is still enough to allow the movie to develop the characters- and give us a movie twist that- at the time of release, was unexpected, and unprecedented.  It is this twist that helped to differentiate it from John Carpenter's "Halloween".  It also helped to keep it from simply being another slasher film.  A great little bit of sto...

In most horror films, you can be guaranteed of three "B's"- Boobs, Butts, and Blood.  Some of them, rely on just those three things to draw an audience... A group of friends are travelling when they become lost in the middle of a forest.  An accident strands them in the woods, where people have gone missing... and flesh eating creatures roam the shadowy trees ... " Demonic " (also known as " Forest of the Damned " won as this week's, " What Movie Wednesday " selection, and offered up plenty of the three "B's" mentioned above.  Unfortunately, that was all that was appealing about this film. I liked the premise- angels that lusted after man and fell to earth in disgraceg the woods eating people.  Too bad the only real indications of the creatures' angelic origins was a biblical quote at the start, and a couple of crazed rants by two people.  The concept could've added a lot more depth to the story, and adding m...

Abandoned facilities such as mental institutions are an often used location in horror films .  It wasn't much different with the recent " What Movie Wednesday " winner, " Room 33 ". When their vehicle runs out of gas, a female roller derby team, and the couple they offered a ride to are forced to take shelter for the night in an abandoned mental institution .  They soon meet Roxy - a scared teenager with a mysterious connection to the facility... and the killer that is now stalking them from the shadows ... The premise, while not what one could call "original" these days is still one that promises potential.  The actual story used, however is pretty shallow and amounts to tedious repetition of characters being scared, concerned for Roxy, being bitchy and being killed.  There is very little in the way of emotionally engaging moments... or scares even.  The opportunities to explore the reasons for what was happening were wasted- rather than clear t...