This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, May 1st, 2012

Here are this week's horror/exploitation related DVDs and Blu-rays coming out 5/1:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

   
*  MIMIC 3 FILM SET:  MIMIC/MIMIC 2/MIMIC 3 [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  OPERATION:  NAZI ZOMBIES
*  RISE OF THE ANIMALS
*  SNOW WHITE:  A TALE OF TERROR
*  THE WIZARD OF GORE/THE GORE GORE GIRLS [Blu-ray]

Stop-motion animated zombies run amok in the new film, PARANORMAN!

  I have heard about PARANORMAN for a while, but I hadn't bothered to watch the trailer yet.  It is by the same folks that did the movie CORALINE, which I was a little disappointed with, so I guess I didn't have much excitement for this one.  But, now that I have taken the time to actually watch the trailer, I am super excited for this film!  Here is the brief synopsis of the film from imdb.com:

A misunderstood boy who can speak with the dead, takes on ghosts, zombies and grown-ups to save his town from a centuries-old curse.

 This movie looks like it could be a lot of fun, and maybe the first "zombie movie" I could take my kids to!   PARANORMAN is scheduled to be released in theaters on August 17th in both 2D and 3D versions!  


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website
 

DVD Review: WOMEN'S BLOODBATH WRESTLING (2012)

 
WOMEN'S BLOOD BATH WRESTLING
Distributed by:   MVD Entertainment

From the looks of the DVD cover, WOMEN'S BLOOD BATH WRESTLING should be about the coolest DVD ever made.  The cover boasts the comment "Horror and wrestling collide in an erotic showdown!".    What horror fan wouldn't like that!   Unfortunately,  the old saying "You can't judge a book by it's cover" applies to crappy horror wrestling DVD's too!   Here is synopsis courtesy of the MVD Entertainment website:

The Hottest Women of Horror in Blood-Soaked Hand-to-Hand Combat! Featuring some of the most gorgeous actresses in the underground horror scene, Women's Blood Bath Wrestling is a free-for-all of epic, plasmic proportions! See them hold, kick, slap and grapple each other right into a giant pool of blood until they are all completely soaked in sin!

Ok....I have to state that this DVD blatantly lies to you, starting with the first sentence of the DVD synopsis! "The Hottest Women of Horror"?  Really, let's hope not, or horror movies are doomed!  "Featuring some of the most gorgeous actresses in the underground horror scene".  If that's the case, they need to stay underground!!   Ok, that might sound a little mean, but really there were only 2 good looking girls in this "film".    The rest had great personalities, I'm sure!

The second lie comes from the front of the DVD, with the blurb that states "Watch as Scream Queens battle in their own blood!!".  There was a not a drop of real blood in these wrestling matches.  Granted they had some red stuff all over them, but it was something that someone just poured into the "ring" out of a water pitcher to look like blood.     

Notice I put the word ring in quotations in the paragraph above.  That's because while most wrestling matches take place in a ring, these matches all take place in a kiddie pool.  This was apparently an event at a Horror Convention called  "Genghis Con II:  The Wrath of Con" as it was filmed in the event room at the hotel.  It basically looks like someone just watching recorded this on their home video camera and somehow it made it's way to an actual DVD release.

How this ever got distributed as it's own DVD, I'll never know.  If anything, this should have been an extra or a special feature on the Genghis Con II  DVD, if they made one.

Extras on the DVD include a "Behind the Scenes: In the alley" feature and a feature called "Sneaking in the showers with the Blood Bath Wrestlers".   Wait, what was that!?  Ok, that is worth the price of the DVD right there...right?   WRONG....unless you like seeing girls shower fully clothed.    Yet another letdown from this DVD.  

Give this DVD a shot if you want, but don't come running back to me when you are disappointed or I will say "I told you so"!


CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

 

Watch THE RING's Sadako throw out the first pitch at a Japanese league baseball game!

 

One of my favorite horror sites on the Internet is dreadcentral.com, and while browsing their site today, I came across this funny story.  It seems as if Sadako, the main creepy character from the RINGU films (and the U.S. remakes THE RING, and THE RING 2), got to throw out the first pitch at a Japanese league ball game in the Tokyo Dome!  I think this is a great PR stunt and it is fun to hear all the people's reactions when they see Sadako take the field!  

The reason for this was to help promote the newest film in the RINGU series, SADAKO 3D!  Here is the synopsis of that film from the Dread Central website:

13 years after the original Ring movie, Sadako returns to the big screen in 3D!
Akane is a high school teacher who hears a rumor from her students that there is actual footage on the Internet of someone's suicide. The footage is said to drive anyone who sees it to also commit suicide. Akane does not believe the rumor at first, but when one of her female students dies after viewing the footage, she and her boyfriend Takanori are fatefully drawn into the horror that has been created by the man who appears in the suicide footage, Kashiwada.
Kashiwada's intention is to create chaos in the world by bringing back Sadako and the power of her curse. Now Akane has to fight against Sadako and Kashiwada to save the lives of herself and Takanori.


CLICK HERE to read the full article on Dread Central and watch the video of Sadako throwing out the first pitch!
 
 

DVD Review: MADISON COUNTY (2011)

     
MADISON COUNTY
Written & Directed by:  Eric England
Distributed by IMAGE Entertainment

 I have been looking forward to seeing MADISON COUNTY for a long time.   I live in in the county right next to the real Madison county in Arkansas.  In fact, my wife is from a small town out in Madison county and her parents still live there, so I have spent lots of time in and around Madison County.   We were all excited when we heard a movie called MADISON COUNTY was being filmed here.   I remember getting the updates on the filming from the site's Facebook page, hearing about casting calls around town and wondering when I would get to see the film.   Well, the time has come, as my copy of MADISON COUNTY arrived just the other day.  I was excited to watch it and even more excited to hear that my wife wanted to watch it with me!  My wife is not a huge horror fan at all, and normally does not watch horror films with me, so this was a huge milestone!  She was interested to see it, though, because it was about her hometown area and wanted to see what the film would be like.
For those not familiar with the film, here is the basic plot from imdb.com:

 A group of college kids travel to a small, mountain town called Madison County to interview the author of a tell-all book on the accounts of several grisly murders that happened there. But when the kids get to Madison County, the author is no where to be found and the towns people act like they haven't seen him in years. They also say that the killer never existed and the murders never happened. However, when the kids start digging around to get their own answers, they find out that the stories may be more real than the townspeople are letting on!

 I have to admit, I was a little afraid that my excitement to see this film might leave me to be a bit disappointed at the final result.  This was director Eric England's first feature film, I believe.  Luckily, I had nothing to worry about, as I was not just happy with how the film turned out, I was pleasantly surprised at just how good it turned out to be!

  One thing I noticed right off was the quality of the film.  It looked amazing and had a crystal clear image.  I was wondering what camera they used, and then when I saw at the end credits that they shot this on the RED camera, well that explained it.   But not only was the camera quality good, the actual camera shots were great.  Great cinematography and great some great scene set ups...I especially liked when the camera was focused on the actor close up, but you could see a blurry, out of focus image moving the background.  This made for some very creepy scenes.

 The killer in the film was also great, and could be the next major horror icon!  The killer is named Damien, although I guess he is more commonly referred to as just "Pigman".  He wears a creepy pig head and is a towering figure when compared to the kids he was stalking.   Damien is played by actor Nick Principe, who also played the iconic killer Chromeskull from the LAID TO REST MOVIES , and for a bit of fun trivia for you..LAID TO REST director Robert Hall was the special makeup effects supervisor on this film!

 I had a great time with this movie...not only was it just a well made film, but it was fun seeing familiar surroundings while watching the film.  In fact, just last weekend my family went hiking at a place called "Kings River Falls" and my wife and I were excited when we saw what we believe to be the main falls area of Kings River Falls in a very critical scene of the film.  I am not 100% sure it is the same place we went hiking, but it looked just like it. 

 You don't have to be from this area to enjoy this film, though.  This is a great horror movie that all fans of horror should check out.  College kids getting getting stalked and killed in the woods by crazed killer might sound like a pretty generic plot, but the film has enough good plot points and twists that it comes across as a very fresh addition to the horror genre.

 Kudos to director Eric England and the rest of the cast and crew for putting together such a solid film.  I can only expect great things in terms of future projects from these filmmakers, and I have a feeling we have not seen the last of Damien by any means!

MADISON COUNTY is available for pre-order now and will be released in stores on DVD Tuesday, May 8th.  


CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to pre-order the DVD

Movie Review; THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (could this be the world's only negative review for this film?)

***WARNING***  Review contains some minor spoilers  -- don't read if you have not seen the film and are planning on doing so

     
A CABIN IN THE WOODS
Written by:  Joss Whedon, Drew Goddard
Directed by: Drew Goddard

 Ok, am I the only person in American that didn't like this film?   I obviously LOVE horror films, and was super excited to see this film, and awaited in eager anticipation until I had a free night to go see it.  Well, I got to go this past Monday night and I have to say that this was probably one of my biggest "horror movie" disappointments I have had in a long time!  Notice I put "horror movie" in quotes.  This was not a horror movie by any means....it had some horror elements to it...lots of them actually, but yet the movie still managed to be nothing but a science fiction/comedy hybrid.   
 Here is the (very misleading) plot synopsis courtesy of imdb.com:
 
 Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Together, they must discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods.
 
  Ok, that synopsis sounds simple enough.  And if they would have left it at that, it might have been a great horror movie, but there is so much more going on here that the film gets cluttered and tries to do too much in its 1:45 time length.
  
  Now don't get me wrong, the horror elements all throughout the film are excellent....the Buckners, the zombie family that makes several appearances, were great, and the scenes of the guy with the bear trap on a chain were great...unfortunately this only made up about probably 20 minutes of total screen time. The rest of the film was filled with the secret agency that never really gets explained.
 
An example of an awful scene was the scene where 2 kids infiltrate the secret agency that houses all these creatures and monsters. At one point the monsters  all get loose and end up destroying everyone around. These monsters included a werewolf, a merman, a giant cobra like snake, and....a unicorn. Yes, you read that right, a unicorn. Since when is a unicorn a monster? Just one more thing that didn't make sense to me and made me roll my eyes.
  
 Another thing I didn't care for in this film was the bad acting, and even bad dialog.  The film was filled with cheesy attempts at humor that just never seemed to work.   The stoner character was extremely annoying to me, making me not care about his character at all.  And don't even get me started on Sigourney Weaver's cameo at the end as the director of whatever the heck this agency was.  The dialog written for her was atrocious and I actually felt embarrassed for here for having to deliver such awful lines.
  
 I just don't get it.  The movie is getting rave reviews from everyone I know.  I can understand someone that isn't real big into horror thinking this is a great movie, but I can't explain why huge fans of horror, such as other horror bloggers like myself, are thinking this movie is so great.   I have heard people say it is "just what the horror genre needs" and they "hope more horror films are made like this".   I don't understand this at all. 
  
 Now, in the movie's defense, I will say that I went to the 9:50 pm showing, so maybe I was tired and groggy and just not in the mood for what this film was.   Also, with all the glowing reviews I read with everyone saying how good this movie was, maybe I was just expecting too much out of it. When it comes out on DVD, maybe I will give it another chance and see if I still feel the same.  Until then, I will take my horror films with less attempts at dumb humor, more zombies, and no unicorns!
 
 THE CABIN IN THE WOODS is in theaters now.  I look forward to the comments I am going to get on this post.  I really think I am the only horror movie fan that didn't like this film.   Is there anyone else out there that felt like I did about this movie?  Leave a comment below and let me know!
 
 
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

 

Here are this week's horror/exploitation related DVDs and Blu-rays coming out 4/24:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)
 
 
*  11-11-11
*  FETISH DOLLS DIE LAUGHING
*  THE FIELDS  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  INDEMNITY:  RAGE OF A JEALOUS VAMPIRE
*  THE INNKEEPERS [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  KILLER NUN [Blu-ray]
*  MS. CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST
*  NIGHT WOLF
*  THE RED HOUSE  [DVD/Blu-ray Combo Pack]
*  THE THEATER BIZARRE
*  THOR AT THE BUS STOP
*  UBALDO TERZANI HORROR SHOW  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  THE WICKER TREE  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  WRECKAGE

Check out the new EVIL DEAD 2 figures from NECA Toys

    

 

I recently took by two 5 year old boys to Toys 'R Us to buy some toys with some money that they had earned and received in birthday cards, Christmas cards, etc.   One of my boys came away with a Sonic the Hedgehog remote control car, while the other bought a Scooby Doo comic book and a set of Legos. 
  I came away with a couple of cool toys too!  While helping my kids find something to buy, I spotted these awesome EVIL DEAD 2 ACTION FIGURES from NECA Toys!  I have all the ARMY OF DARKNESS action figures, but always wanted some from what I consider the best film of the trilogy, EVIL DEAD 2!   The two figures that are out now are "Farewell To Arms Ash"  and "Deadite Ash"!   Check these out and if you are a action figure collector like I am, you will definitely want to add these to your collection!  Toys 'R Us sells these for $14.95 + tax.  Get them before they are gone!!

  
CLICK HERE to purchase the figures from Toys 'R Us
 
   

DVD Review: DRIVE-IN MASSACRE (1977)

   
DRIVE-IN MASSACRE
Directed by Stu Segall
Distributed by Cheezy Flicks

 They don't make horror movies like this anymore...and that is a good thing!  Ha!  Ok, so DRIVE-IN MASSACRE is not a horrible movie by any means, but by today's standards, it is quite tame for a horror film.  For those not familiar with the film, here is the plot synopsis from the Cheezy Flicks website:

A restless crowd and a cheezy double feature lead to two brutal killings at a drive-in! Detective Koch and O’Leary assemble a mixed cast of suspects that would make even Charlie Chan cringe. Is it the deranged knife-thrower, the foul-mouthed bigot, the projectionist, the janitor or the pathetic voyeur? Cold razor-sharp steel slices through warm flesh and hot blood squirts over the screen as patrons are splattered across the hoods of cars and even dismembered at the concession stand!

 I was expecting a great slasher film, but what was considered horrifying back in 1977 just isn't very scary in today's desensitized world.  There is very little blood in the film, but I imagine back in the 70's , even a little bit of blood on the screen was considered scary.  That being said, the movie was still a lot of fun, especially just in a nostalgic way if nothing else. 

 The acting in the film is actually pretty good, especially the part of Germy  (pronounced Jeremy), the janitor at the drive-in.  The film has some humor in it, like a scene where the two detectives try to lure the drive-in killer by posing as a couple at the drive-in, complete with one of the detectives wearing make up and a wig!

 Ok, so this won't be on any ones top 10 horror movie list....or let's be honest, even any one's top 100 horror movie list, but I have to admit that I still enjoyed this film and will definitely revisit it at some point. 

 You can purchase the DVD over at the Cheezy Flicks store for only $2.99 plush s&h!!  You can't beat that price for a new DVD!!
 
 
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

It's time for a 4H DVD giveaway!!!! Enter to win a FREE AUTOGRAPHED D4 DVD!!!

 
 That's right! It's giveaway time!  I realized I have not done a giveaway in quite some time, and I got some great DVD's and books stacking up so I promise to get back in the groove of doing periodic giveaways.   Since you've waited so long, I am going to give you a chance to win a very awesome prize!   
 
  My newest giveaway is for an AUTOGRAPHED DVD of the awesome horror/sci-fi film, D4!
D4 was written and directed by Darrin Dickerson and Mr. Dickerson has been so kind as the sign the front of the DVD!   You can check out my original review of D4 by clicking here.  Here is the plot from the Ghostwater Films website:

D4 FOLLOWS A TEAM OF SPECIAL OPS MERCENARIES ON A MISSION TO RESCUE A KIDNAPPED KID BELIEVED TO BE HELD IN AN ABANDONED GOVERNMENT FACILITY. HIRED BY THE BOY’S MOTHER, A WEALTHY DOCTOR WITH HIGH REACHING INFLUENCE, ALL SEEMS TO BE AN EASY JOB. BUT AS THINGS UNFOLD, WHAT WAS MEANT TO BE A SIMPLE SEARCH AND RESCUE TURNS INTO A FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL.

 

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to view the D4 Facebook Page

TO ENTER THE CONTEST, FOLLOW THESE STEPS:  

1. If you are not already, become a FOLLOWER of this blog! (Click the JOIN THIS SITE button under the "Followers" section of the blog on the right hand side).  Ok, I'm feelling nice, you don't HAVE to become a follower of this blog to win, but I sure would appreciate it! 
   

2. Leave a comment on this post with your NAME and EMAIL ADDRESS so I can contact you for your shipping info if you are the winner (if valid email address is not given, I will post the winners name on the site and winner will have one week to contact me with their shipping info. If prize is not claimed within one week, prize will be forfeited).  For an extra entry, share the link to the contest on your facebook, twitter, myspace, google+, etc.  Put in the comment where you shared the link and post a link to it if possible.

 
3. Only one comment per person. Multiple comments will result in removal of all your comments therefore removing all your chances of winning!

4. Contest is scheduled to end on Friday, May 11, 2012. Comments must be left by the end of the day on 5/11 in order to count towards the contest.

5. Contest winner will be chosen by random.org and must agree to let me post their name in a separate post stating who won the prize.

6. Due to shipping costs, contest is open to U.S. Residents only. Thank you for your understanding.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Check out the trailer for the film, AREA 407

  

  Take a moment and check out the trailer for the upcoming film, AREA407 courtesy of the website, Shocktillyoudrop.com.  This is another entry in the "found footage" sub-genre, which makes for some good scares, especially when viewed at the theater on the big screen!  Here is the plot synopsis from the official press release:

After taking off on a flight from New York to Los Angeles on New Years Eve, the passengers of Flight 37A are soon sent into shock and alarm as the plane experiences severe turbulence. The relentless weather attack causes panic and terror amongst the passengers until the plane ultimately crashes in a remote government-testing reserve, AREA 407. Through footage captured by two teenage sisters, the accident and crash lead to further events that should not be viewed by the faint of heart. As they continue to film, it becomes apparent that the remaining survivors of Flight 37A may not survive the night.

AREA 407 will be available nationwide on IFC Midnight Cable VOD and Digital Outlets (SundanceNOW, iTunes, Amazon Streaming, XBOX Zune, Playstation Unlimited) and select theaters on APRIL 27, 2012.
  
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, April 17th, 2012

Here are this week's horror related DVDs and Blu-rays coming out 4/17:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  7 BELOW [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR
*  THE ASPHYX [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  THE DIVIDE  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  EPISODE 50
*  THE SURVIVOR

 

Book Review: THE PAINTER, THE CREATURE, AND THE FATHER OF LIES: A COLLECTION BY CLIVE BARKER Edited by Phil and Sarah Stokes

 
 
THE PAINTER, THE CREATURE, AND THE FATHER OF LIES:  A COLLECTION BY CLIVE BARKER
Edited by Phil and Sarah Stokes
Published by Earthling Publications

 Most horror fans are very familiar with the name Clive Barker.   Some might know him just from his films  (HELLRAISER, NIGHTBREED), but most will also know him as a brillian author and quite an amazing artist as well.    Barker's "Books of Blood" series is considered one of the greatest horror anthologies every printed, and most everyone is familiar with his "Abarat" series, and his story, "The Hellbound Heart", which was the basis for the film HELLRAISER.

 While Barker has written many novels and short stories, he has also written hundreds of introductions, forewords, and short pieces for other people's work as well.  You will find most all of those collected here, together for the first time.  Here is the synopsis of the book from the Earthling Publications website:

 From the man who has brought you twenty books of dark fiction and fantasy, unforgettable horror movies such HELLRAISER and CANDYMAN, and countless paintings and illustrations, this is the first-ever collection of Clive Barker’s nonfiction. Representing more than 25 years of writing, THE PAINTER, THE CREATURE, AND THE FATHER OF LIES contains:

* All the introductions he’s written for his own works (prefaces in fiction and non-fiction books, liner notes on CDs/laserdiscs/DVDs, introductions in graphic novel adaptations, text of theatre playbills, and more);
* All the forewords and afterwords he’s written on other people’s works (books, graphic novels, etc.); and
* Essays and articles written for magazines on the horror genre and other topics.

These have never been collected together and many are nearly impossible to track down. Furthermore, from Barker’s personal archives: a couple of unpublished pieces, including an unused self-penned introduction to Volume 1 of the BOOKS OF BLOOD from 1983 written from the point of view of a demon interviewing Clive Barker.

The editors, Phil and Sarah Stokes, who operate the official Clive Barker website at www.clivebarker.info, have spent the past several years compiling these 100 separate pieces to produce a truly definitive work. This collection features a new foreword by Barker, an introduction by the Stokes, and new illustrations by Barker. The numbered and lettered edition will contain bonus material: cover images for the majority of publications in which the nonfiction pieces were first published.

If you haven’t read any of Barker’s nonfiction, you’ll find that it’s just as compelling, enjoyable, and well-written as his fiction. These pieces cover the inspirations for his works, insights into the creative process, and musings on art and the horror genre. Not currently scheduled to be published anywhere else, don’t miss this landmark collection from a modern master of horror and dark fantasy.

 

 That is a very lengthy synopsis, but that is necessary to tell you what all you will find inside this book.

Along with all the linear notes Barker wrote to his movies, it is the lesser known writings that I found so interesting in this book.  Some of the writings I found so interesting were ones like the linear notes he wrote for the LORD OF ILLUSIONS unrated laser disc, something I had never read since I never owned a laser disc player!  Barker also wrote an introduction to the Imajica card game rule book and even more obscure, an open letter to the editors of 100 U.S Newspapers that he wrote back in 1997 where he, along with P.E.T.A., was requesting that they stop publishing stories about hunting and killing animals in the Outdoors sections of their newspapers, saying these kinds of stories belong on the obituary pages!  

 There is very rare and obscure stuff like this all throughout this amazing book.  The regular hardcover is out of print at this time, but keep your eyes peeled for a second printing which I'm sure will happen at some point.  But, true Clive Barker fans will want to purchase the limited edition signed copy which is still available on the Earthling Publications website.  The limited edition is limited to 250 numbered hardcovers, is bound in leather and housed in a cloth-covered slipcase, and signed by Clive Barker and Phil and Sarah Stokes!  This limited edition sells for $125.  While that seems like a lot of money, you are getting a very rare collectible signed by Clive Barker himself.  I would say that is actually quite a bargain, especially when you consider the out of print regular hardcover sells on Amazon.com for over $100!

 Any Clive Barker fan will need a copy of this book in their personal library.  Don't miss out on your chance to get this great book and rare collectible!

CLICK HERE to order the signed, leather bound, limited edition copy of the book

Book Review: HORROR FILMS OF THE 1990s by John Kenneth Muir

  
   
HORROR FILMS OF THE 1990s
By John Kenneth Muir
Published by McFarland & Company, Inc.
 
McFarland has released some of the best horror related books over the years.  They go above and beyond with their horror related releases, and HORROR FILMS OF THE 1990s is no exception.  This book is like a huge college textbook, but one that I would actually read!  Here is a brief description of the book from the McFarland website (www.mcfarlandpub.com):
 
 This filmography covers more than 300 horror films released from 1990 through 1999. The horror genre’s trends and cliches are connected to social and cultural phenomena, such as Y2K fears and the Los Angeles riots. Popular films were about serial killers, aliens, conspiracies, and sinister "interlopers," new monsters who shambled their way into havoc.
  Each of the films is discussed at length with detailed credits and critical commentary. There are six appendices: 1990s cliches and conventions, 1990s hall of fame, memorable ad lines, movie references in Scream, 1990s horrors vs. The X-Files, and the decade’s ten best.
 
 I loved the introduction section of this book which was titled, 'It Depends on What the Meaning of the Words "IS" is'.    This is of course referencing the classic line given by President Clinton at his impeachment hearings.  The introduction talks about how horror films are influenced by what is happening in the word at the time and how the events of the 90's affected the films of that decade.
 
 The real meat of the book is the listing of every major horror film released in the 1990s by year of release.  Each film's entry starts with a "Critical Reception" section, which list a couple of quotes about the film from notable critics from the time of the film's release.   This is followed by a section listing each of the major Cast and Crew members and then a brief synopsis of the film.
 The author then goes into his commentary of the film which always seems to be the perfect length.  Muir's commentaries are always full of great info and insight, without ever being too long in length.
 
 One of the great things I like about these types of books is finding movies that I have never even heard of before.  With a book this big, I knew I was bound to find some, and I certainly did.  All the major films from the 90's are contained in the book, as well as some smaller films I had never heard of.  For instance, have you ever heard of the films, GRIM PRAIRIE TALES, THE RUNESTONE, or ROADFLOWER?   These are just a sampling of the smaller, lesser known films that I found in this great reference book.
 
  HORROR FILMS OF THE 1990s a 7x10 hardcover book containing 714 pages, including over 220 photos!  This book is a must have resource and is worth every penny of it's price tag.   Muir also penned the books HORROR FILMS OF THE 1970s and HORROR FILMS OF THE 1980s, which can both be purchased at the McFarland website as well!  Hopefully I can eventually get copies of those books as well and have one amazing reference series!  Get yours today!!


 You can call McFarland's toll free order line at 1-800-253-2187 to purchase this book or order directly from McFarland's website by CLICKING HERE.

Check out Danny Trejo in his newest film, BAD ASS!!

 
 
 Ok, I know...this isn't really a horror film...BUT...it is horror related, so I felt like it was worth sharing!  BAD ASS is a new film staring genre fave, Danny Trejo, and also features Hellboy himself, Ron Perlman! 
 The film is an action/revenge film and looks to be really good.  Here is basic plot from the film's imdb.com page:

 Decorated Vietnam hero Frank Vega returns home only to get shunned by society leaving him without a job or his high school sweetheart. It's not until forty years later when an incident on a commuter bus (where he protects an elderly black man from a pair of skin heads) makes him a local hero where he's suddenly celebrated once again. But his good fortune suddenly turns for the worse when his best friend Klondike is murdered and the police aren't doing anything about it.


 BAD ASS is in limited theaters starting today!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

Watch the trailer for ZOMBIE ASS: TOILET OF THE DEAD....yes, you read that right.

 
 
  It's not often that filmmakers try to make a crappy film, but the folks behind ZOMBIE ASS did just that!   Noboru Iguchi wrote and directed this crazy foreign zombie film.   You might know him from his other directorial efforts such as ROBOGEISHA, MUTANT GIRLS SQUAD, and MACHINE GIRL.   I loved each of those movies, so I'm sure I will love this one too, although it does look very strange.   
 I love Japanese zombie movies, though, so I will definitely be checking this out once it is available in the U.S.

Check out the trailer and let me know what you think...hopefully it won't turn out to be a real stinker!  


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

Book Review: THE HAMMER STORY by Marcus Hearn & Alan Barnes

 
THE HAMMER STORY
by Marcus Hearn & Alan Barnes
Published by Titan Books

Most all readers of this blog are probably familiar with Hammer Films.   Hammer is the British production company that made many genre films starting with THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN in 1957, although the studio had actually been around since the 1930's.  THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN as well as 1958's HORROR OF DRACULA, gave the studio their first big commercial success and paved the way for them to focus mainly on Gothic horror films.

THE HAMMER STORY is a beautiful hardcover 11 1/2” x 9 1/2” coffee table size book.  It is over 190 pages and is full of everything you could ever want or need to know about Hammer Studios.  Here is the basic synopsis of the book from the Titan Books website:

  Fifty years ago, Hammer Films released their first ‘gothic’ horror movie, The Curse of Frankenstein. The now-legendary British company went on to make such classics as Dracula (and its many sequels), making international stars out of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, changing the face of horror cinema, and inspiring a generation of Hollywood filmmakers, including the likes of George Lucas, Martin Scorsese and Tim Burton.
 Now, for the first time, Hammer have given their active backing to an authorised history of the company, and have provided unlimited access to their archives.
The Hammer Story provides a film-by-film dissection, dripping with rare promotional material and previously unpublished photographs.

 The book gives you a lot of history on the start up of Hammer films as well and info on the early works from 1934-1954.    The bulk of the book focus' on Hammer's most popular years between the years of 1955 through the 1970's.   The book discusses every major film from this period and gives you a behind the scenes look at each film, from things that inspired the film to tons of fun trivia and facts. 

 Throughout the book, there are small spotlights on certain actors and actresses that played roles in Hammer Films, as well as info on the directors of those films.   The book is also chock full of great photos, including both publicity stills and behind the scenes photos, as well as lobby cards, rare sketches and story board prints.
 
 The book ends with a Hammer Filmography, listing every Hammer film, along with a brief synopsis of the film. This is by far one of the nicest movie books I have ever seen released.    This is a must have for Hammer fans and really for any horror fan in general.

 This is just one of series of books that Titan Books have released about Hammer Films.  Stay tuned to 4H blog as I review the other book in the upcoming weeks.


CLICK HERE to purchase THE HAMMER STORY

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, April 10th, 2012

Here are the horror related DVDs and Blu-rays coming out Tuesday, 4/10:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  BANE:  AN EXPERIMENT IN HUMAN SUFFERING
*  THE DARKEST HOUR  [DVD, Blu-ray & 3D Blu-ray]
*  DEATH STOP HOLOCAUST
*  HIDDEN
*  KILL
*  THE TERROR EXPERIMENT  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  TRIPPIN

Civil War era zombies run amok in the new film, EXIT HUMANITY!

  
 Check out the trailer for what looks to be another great zombie film, EXIT HUMANITY.   The film was written and directed by John Geddes and starts genre vet Bill Moseley.
  Here is the plot synopsis courtesy of the film's official website:

EXIT HUMANITY is a story told through the written and illustrated journal of Edward Young as he battles his way through an unexplainable outbreak of the walking dead a decade after the American Civil War. After returning home from a hunting trip to find a horrific re-animation of his wife Julia, and that their son Adam has disappeared, Edward starts to record his experiences with the walking dead as well as the unexplainable outbreak that has torn his family apart, and threatens all of mankind. Throughout his harrowing journey Edward finds friendship, guidance and love amongst chaos and despair, when all else seems to be lost in a world robbed of its humanity.

EXIT HUMANITY is set for release on DVD on June 19th of this year.
 
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website

Check out the creepy trailer for the upcoming film, INBRED

 

  I found this while watching another trailer on youtube.  When that video ended, it gave me a list of other recommended related videos.  The teaser trailer for INBRED was one of those videos and I am glad I stumbled upon  it.  
  Here is the basic plot synopsis from the film's official website:

A disparate group of young urban offenders and their care workers embark on a community service weekend in the strange, remote Yorkshire village of Mortlake, which prides on keeping itself to itself. A minor incident with some local inbred youths rapidly escalates into a blood-soaked, deliriously warped nightmare for all involved.

This UK feature has no U.S. release date yet, but I'm sure we will see it over here before too long.

CLICK HERE to watch the teaser trailer
CLICK HERE to watch the teaser trailer #2

DVD Review: THE WICKER TREE (2010)

    
 
THE WICKER TREE
Written & Directed by:  Robin Hardy
Distributed by:  Anchor Bay Entertainment

  Fans of Robin Hardy's 1973 classic, THE WICKER MAN, will be glad to hear that he is back with a new film called THE WICKER TREE.   THE WICKER TREE is Hardy's newest film and comes almost 40 years after his original cult classic.   THE WICKER TREE is a not a sequel, nor is it officially a remake of THE WICKER MAN.  The back of the DVD describes it as a "re-imaging" of Hardy's original classic.  I'm not really sure what that means, and I'm not sure how close in story this film is to THE WICKER MAN. 
 
 I saw THE WICKER MAN years ago, when I was probably too young to be watching it, probably sometime back in the 80's.  So, needless to say I don't remember much about it at all.   Here is the plot of THE WICKER TREE from the Anchor Bay website:

 When two young missionaries (Brittania Nicol, Henry Garrett) head to Scotland, they are initially charmed by the locals in the town of Tressock, and agree to become the local Queen of the May and Laddie for the annual town festival. But the couple is not prepared for the frightening consequences of their decision, and the very disturbing secrets they are about to discover about Tressock’s seemingly friendly townspeople.

  It is probably a good thing that I have not seen THE WICKER MAN in over 30 years, as it made it impossible to compare the two films.  I'm sure those who have seen TWM recently, will not be able to keep from comparing the two films.  If TWM is as great of a movie as most people say, then it might not be in THE WICKER TREE's best interest to be compared to it.

 Now, for those like me that haven't seen TWM in years or even ever, I think you will enjoy this film.  I know I sure did.    The film is very well made and has some very beautiful scenery courtesy of the Scotland filming location, including beautiful countryside and some impressive mansions and castles.

 One thing you will have to get past is the acting.  The main two characters of Beth and Steve are a little hard to get used to at first, especially Steve.  He talks with a way over exaggerated Texas accent (or what is supposed to be a Texas accent) and his lines just come out really corny sometimes because of it.  He also sounds like he has a Scottish accent from time to time mixed in with his Texas accent, which can be a little distracting at first.   You get used to it, though...or at least, I did.    The part of Beth is played by newcomer Brittania Nicol, and I will let her acting slide since this is her first film.  It is not horrible, and I'm sure it will get better with each addition film she is in.   She could be one to keep your eye on in the future.

 The film is not a very gory film, so fans looking for that might be disappointed, but there is a scene of a human sacrifice that basically turns into the group of townsfolk stripping naked and eating the sacrificial human, all while worshiping the sun.   That is a very strange sentence, I know, but it is a very strange film for sure!  There is also a man burned alive and women being turned  into human statues!   Very weird and creepy stuff!  

 THE WICKER TREE will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on April 24th.  You can pre-order your copy now by clicking the purchase links below.  The DVD and Blu-ray will both contain the following special features:

*  The Making of The Wicker Tree
*  Deleted Scenes
*  Trailer


CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website and watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD
CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray

Check out the very weird trailer for the Norwegian film, THALE

 
 Wow...this one looks messed up.  And I mean that in a good way!   THALE was written and directed by Norwegian filmmaker, Aleksander Nordaas.  Here is the basic story of the film from imdb.com:

'Thale' is a feature film based on a mythical character in Norwegian folklore called 'HULDRA'. According to the myth a hulder is a beautiful lady living deep in the woods, and it is said that she seduces men that work or hunt in the woods. She hums a beautiful song and lures them to her deep in the woods, and they never return to their village. You can recognize a hulder by her cow tail.

Well, that sounds interesting for sure!  I'm not sure if the creature is actually called a 'huldra' or a 'hulder', as both terms are used in the description above, but none the less, it sounds interesting fore sure.

Check out the trailer below and let me know what you think.  Be sure to check out the 1:34 mark of the trailer.....it's a split second but if you pause it on just that moment, look at the creature or whatever that is up on the road. Very strange.  Then the woman at the end is very intriguing to say the least...not sure how I feel about her! HA!  Check it out and you (at least the guys) will see what I mean.

No U.S. release date has been set that I can find.  The film was just released in Norway this past February.  I doubt we will see a U.S. theatrical release, but I'm sure we will be seeing it on DVD and or Blu-ray at some point.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer  **WARNING** Trailer includes brief nudity

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012

 

Here is the list of this weeks horror related DVD's and Blu-rays coming out 4/2/12:
(Click a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  THE AFFLICTED
*  ENTER NOWHERE
*  HELLACIOUS ACRES:  THE CASE OF JOHN GLASS
*  THE MIDNIGHT DISEASE

DVD Review: PORKCHOP (2010)

      
PORKCHOP
Written & Directed by  Eamon Hardiman
Distributed by  MVD Entertainment


 I didn't know much about the film, PORKCHOP.  I haven't talked to anyone who had seen it or read any reviews about it.  I went into this one totally unbiased.   I was a little iffy about it based on the films plot.  Here is the plot courtesy of the MVD Entertainment website:

Get ready for some serious partying, mayhem and gore '80s style in this deranged satire and celebration of classic slasher cinema! A group of young campers head into the wilderness for a weekend of sex, booze and silliness at an abandoned summer camp - only to be picked off one by one by a blood-thirsty, chainsaw-wielding psychopath wearing a pig's head mask. Who will survive? The cheerleader? The slut? The nerd and his anatomically correct talking robot? Loaded with boobs, blood and '80s synth-pop, PORKCHOP reminds us it's still not safe to go back in the woods. 

 A group of kids heads to woods for a weekend camping trip, only to be killed off one by one by a killer lurking in the woods.  Not the most original story line by any means....but, PORKCHOP  still manages to be original enough to not let that over-used plot bring it down.  I was really expecting just a re-hash of every other "killer in the woods" type film, but luckily this one kept my interest.

The main "gimmick" I guess you could say, is that it is made to look like a classic splatter film from the 1980's.  The filmmakers pull this off perfectly,  not only from the looks of the actors (clothing, etc), but also in the film itself.   It looks like your watching a VCR tape rather than a DVD which gives it an instant nostalgic feel.

 There is some pretty good gore in the film, including a nasty head-splitting courtesy of Porkchop and his rusty machete.  Also, the scene with the chainsaw and the cheerleader is one you will remember long after you watch the film!  In contrast to the killing and gore, there is also some fun comic relief from the "nerd" character and his robot friend he built.  The robot seems to have taken a life of its own and reveals some very embarrassing stuff about his maker! 

 If you want a fun, entertaining horror flick, this would be a good one to check out for sure.



CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD