Since I was a kid I have always been fascinated with the bizarre and unknown. I was always reading books on UFO’s and bigfoot and to this day I still read everything I can get my hands on in the fields of ufology and cryptozoology. Another interest of mine was the travelling sideshow. These were usually small additions to the travelling carnivals and were often tucked off in a corner of the fairground. You never knew what to expect once you entered the tent, usually paying a small sum for access to all of the oddities inside. What would you see? A 6-legged cow? A two-headed chicken? An alien embryo? Regardless of the contents of the tent, it was almost always guaranteed to delight and disgust and yes, I loved it all.
From the Slasher Vault: “Maniac Cop!”
Horror aficionados will unanimously agree that the 1980’s were the Golden Age of slasher films. As I’ve discussed before in a retrospective on the original My Bloody Valentine (which you can relive HERE), the holidays were a particularly dangerous time for horny teenagers looking to celebrate these special dates in their own lascivious ways.
BOOK REVIEW: “The Fright File: 150 Films To See Before Halloween”
Movie review books. Those film guides that present to you an assortment of movies reviewed by a complete stranger. How do you know which ones to buy and which ones to avoid like the plague? This is really a tough question to answer, especially since we all have our own personal tastes (as do the authors of these books). It seems that a new guide comes out on an almost weekly basis and all have mixed reviews. So again, how do you know which ones to buy? I guess it really depends on what you are looking for. I am not a big fan of the movie guide that features every genre of movie. The reason for this is because, like I said earlier, everyone has their own personal taste and it may not agree with your own. Some people may love dramas but hate horror, so that will reflect in the book. So what do you do, give a book a negative review because the author’s opinion doesn’t match yours? I have actually seen this happen! The key to enjoying a movie guide is to keep an open mind and realize that we do all have our own personal tastes and just because the author may not like a movie you love, it does not make the book bad. When I buy a movie guide I am looking to see what that author liked or disliked about my favorite movies and if he dislikes something, I am very interested in why he dislikes it. Thankfully we are also seeing an increase in genre-specific movie guides, especially when it comes to horror and science fiction, two of my favorite movie types. This review is on one of these books, “The Fright File: 150 Films To See Before Halloween.”
DAYPLANNER OF THE DEAD: Plan On Seeing This Short Film!
I really didn’t know what to expect when I received the screener of DAYPLANNER OF THE DEAD, a 17 minute mini-zombie film. These independent creations really can go either way; thankfully more often than not lately it seems that they are going in a positive direction with great writing and creative film-making.
The March 2014 Horror Host Report!
As this horrendous winter from Hell winds its way down (or so we tell ourselves) we not only look forward to better weather but also some horror host appearances! Since Terror Dave Fuentes is an unapologetic Svengoolie stalker that alone makes him happy but, best of all, he’ll be joined by Terror Dave Albaugh at his next appearance! The last time we Terror Daves (one from Chicago & the other Rhode Island) communed was the Fall of 2012 and it’s been long overdue. There’s also another Horror Host gathering at The Horrorhound Weekend in Cincinnati complete with another round of Horror Host Hall of Fame inductees. You can read more about that event down in our “Horror Host News” section!
Book Review: The Quorum by Kim Newman
By Kim Newman
511 pp. Titan Books
$14.95
It’s a tough thing, trying to find a new angle on a horror story. How many different spins could there actually be on the same monster? All the TV shows, movies, and books about vampires, werewolves, and zombies are blending together into an amalgam of brooding bad boys and naughty girls that is getting quite tiresome.
There is one classic horror story that has not been so overdone – the Faustian deal with the Devil story. Most stories that do center around the trope focus on the person making the deal, living a stupendous life, then getting his comeuppance – or getting out of it, depending on the hero – and the devil reaps his reward. Continue reading





