I just got back from seeing THE RAVEN and, while there isn’t much to “rave” about, I’ve definitely seen worse. John Cusack plays the legendary Edgar Allen Poe and does a pretty good job portraying the tortured genius whom many horror fans will site as their favorite chapter in literature class. “God gave him a spark of genius drenched in misery,” states his frustrated employer, and this is something that both history and this film firmly establish.
Recently I fished out a movie I’d nearly forgotten about. Back in 1993, my friend Suzanne gave me a call saying she wanted to go out to see a movie. This meant that, per our usual custom, SHE would pick out what we’d see and though I never complained 90% of her choices were forgettable nightmares. Of course even a broken clock is right at least twice a day and, every once in a great while, Suzanne would pick a winner. This was definitely the case when she chose FIRE IN THE SKY.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again….it’s always the fans themselves that are the best part of any genre convention! Especially the ones that decide to dress up in costumes. These folks don’t need Halloween to strut their sinister stuff on the killer cat-walk and both Daves are always amazed at the incredible creativity that goes into many of them. There were quite a few monstrous characters walking around the 2012 Ohio Horrorhound Weekend but, fortunately, we were able to catch many in one spot as they converged for the Saturday night costume contest!
When I originally heard that this movie was being made I thought that perhaps it was an EVIL DEAD rip-off, especially since said cabin looked very similar to the one from the 1981 film. To be honest, I actually had no interest in seeing this film until I saw the preview, stating that it was co-written by none other than Joss Whedon, of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and FIREFLY fame. After seeing that I knew this was a film that I wanted to see and eagerly awaited it’s April 13th release.
Last Friday, for the first time in 30 years, commercial TV Horror Host, Mr. Mephisto, donned his signature make-up and stood before the cameras once more. The appearance took place in Kenosha on the set of Dr. Destruction’s Crimson Theatre at The Time Warner Studio. Mephisto, Dick Flanigan, arrived around noon and was greeted by a full set of cast members and guests as well as local new crews.
From 1969-1982, Dick Flanigan’s Mr. Mephisto would entertain Madison, Wisconsin horror fans as their host extraordinaire! Though not the first incarnation of the character, Flanigan would not only inherit the name but irrefutably make it his own. Late Friday nights, viewers could catch their favorite horror host courtesy of WMTV/Channel 15’s “Ferdie’s Inferno” and later “Lenny’s Inferno.”
Terror from Beyond the Dave 