“Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark!” No, seriously…don’t be.

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LORD OF THE RINGS meets PAN’S LABYRINTH in the latest Guillermo Del Torror film I just returned from seeing – DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK. This is a remake of the 1973 film of the same name and was released last Friday. Let me say for the record that I am not as against the idea of remakes as my co-blogger is. I am absolutely offended by “shot for shot” remakes such as the 1998 PSYCHO abomination, but feel that, as long as a movie is original in its execution ( if not its concept), that’s not such a bad thing. Movies like John Carpenter’s THE THING, Rob Zombie’s HALLOWEEN, and the latest PLANET OF THE APES are all examples of  movies that can stand alone without marring the good name of its originals.

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Forgetting Sarah Michelle Gellar: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Remembered…

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The genre crowd is abuzz regarding the news that our beloved “Slayer,” Sarah Michelle Gellar, will be returning to commercial television – both acting as well as serving as executive producer for a new Fall series titled “Ringer.” Gellar plays a woman on the run who conceals herself via the identity of her wealthy twin sister. I am a fan of Gellar and absolutely wish her all the best and will definitely check out the new show despite having mixed feelings.

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Who, Me? Part 8: Sweet Screams With Ms. Monster And The Monster Melons, Tit And Tat!

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By: Jamie Lee Cortese

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After I met Count Gore De Vol, Mr. Lobo, and Count and Countess Gregula, and spoke to Wolfman Mac on the phone, there was just one more horror host on my list of people to meet that I had yet to introduce myself to:  Ms. Monster.

I had met her costars, the Monster Melons, Tit and Tat, a few times during the day, as I had stopped at their table multiple times throughout the day (probably more times than I really should have).

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SVENGOOLIE at JJ BLINKERS: Horror Host fans arrive in droves!

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The Internet had been buzzing for weeks at the news of National horror host, Svengoolie, making a public appearance at JJ Blinkers – a costume/trick shop located in Antioch, Illinois. The “Rubber Chicken, Whoopee cushion kinda store” was an obvious perfect fit for Sven, while its location (north of Chicago) made it an ideal spot for his Wisconsin fans to see him as well.

I had heard of this event almost from the moment it was booked courtesy of my friend, Dr. Destruction. Dr. Destruction is an avid fan of both Svengoolies and was honored by the Chicago icon when he participated in his Kenosha based “Big Top Radio Show” (for which I was also honored to be a part of) a few weeks back. Unable to contain his excitement of seeing Svengoolie again, and at one of his favorite stores, Destruction began his own one-man media campaign.

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Who, Me? Part 7: Emerging From Their Chicagoland Crypt, It’s Count And Countess Gregula!

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By: Jamie Lee Cortese

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Later on that first day at the convention, my family had to practically tear me away from Horror Host Alley in order to bring me into the massive MaskFest room.  Now, I have to admit, I did see some amazing masks there, and I really did enjoy exploring that room!  I met two of the Killer Klowns from Killer Klowns From Outer Space, and also saw, but didn’t get a chance to speak to, the male and female leads from the film.  The Klowns were both very kind, and were more than willing to take a picture with me when I bought their autographs!  They also both confirmed something I had read on the Internet and had been wondering about for a while:  Apparently, the Chiodo brothers have been attempting for a few years… to make a sequel to Killer Klowns From Outer Space!  I’ll be on the lookout!

Another highlight of the MaskFest room was The Late Dr. Lady’s table.  Recognizing his name from The Daves’ blog, I went over and had a very nice talk with him as I perused the surprisingly varied merchandise he was selling.  My family ended up buying a couple of funny-yet-fully-functional weekly pill cases, each of which bore the warning, “DANGER: MAY CONTAIN EXPERIMENTAL MONSTER TRANSFORMATION PILLS.”  We also bought a Horror Hotel CD.

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Can this PLEASE Be the Final, Final Destination?

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It was a mostly teenaged/young adult crowd that joined me for a viewing of FINAL DESTINATION 5 on its opening day. I popped on my 3D glasses and prepared myself for the “ride” that is guaranteed whenever one sees a FINAL DESTINATION film. Before I begin on my take of the movie, lets address the “3D” aspect. Its a common feature these days and with varied results; In most cases its unnecessary, in some cases disastrous (CLASH OF THE TITANS), while effective in a clever few (PIRANHA & MY BLOODY VALENTINE remakes). Horror films, by their very nature, should be ideal for this medium. The whole idea of something coming at you and causing you to jump is all part of their standard operating procedure anyway and 3D simply gives it extra punch. I did not feel, however, that it made a huge difference in this one.

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