A haunted house film is a tough sell. No masked stalker, no creatures that eviscerate and certainly no zombies lurching down those shadowed halls. A single setting, a dark secret, a group of people terrified by something is usually your standard template, and even the best haunted house flick doth not stray from the formula. So the trick is to convince the viewers once you get them inside – something that the low on budget, high on conviction, and seldom talked about The Evil (1978) accomplishes admirably.
Barely distributed in May of ‘78 by Roger Corman’s New World Pictures, The Evil was made for $700,000 Us and came and went very quickly. The filmmakers complained about the paltry distribution, but I’m sure Corman turned a profit somewhere down the line – he usually did. So from the modest budget, to the generic sounding title (why not just call it Horror Movie?) to the not exactly topical sub genre,...
Barely distributed in May of ‘78 by Roger Corman’s New World Pictures, The Evil was made for $700,000 Us and came and went very quickly. The filmmakers complained about the paltry distribution, but I’m sure Corman turned a profit somewhere down the line – he usually did. So from the modest budget, to the generic sounding title (why not just call it Horror Movie?) to the not exactly topical sub genre,...
- 2/20/2016
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
With cover art featuring a giant brain with a face it was only a matter of time before It Came From 1980 X got its pause on this flick. Straight out of the vaults of Vhsps (that’s the Video Home System Preservation Society to the uninitiated) we bring you the 1988 classic feature of hypnosis, teen angst and most of all… a man eating brain controlled by none other than Dr. Carl Hill or at least David Gale. It’s mind over matter as the tag line says. Get ready for an effect filled, 80′s fashion sense swaddled affair complete with bright shining 80′s boobies. 1980 X! X! X! VHS junkies get your head cleaners ready. Make sure your tapes are rewound (or face the $.50 penalty). We’re going to give you something to think about (Pun You!)
Straight from the back of the VHS:
Imagine a pulsating mass of grey matter,...
Straight from the back of the VHS:
Imagine a pulsating mass of grey matter,...
- 5/15/2012
- by Jimmy Terror
- The Liberal Dead
Prepping to do a 25th Anniversary tribute to Night of the Creeps is a dream come true. While every film I have done a retrospective on has been a labor of love, Night of the Creeps is one of my favorites, and I felt pressure to do it right and knock it out of the park. I have never done a dual interview, so this was an opportunity to do something really special. Thankfully, director Fred Dekker and actress Jill Whitlow are as gonzo about the movie as the fans, and they were more than happy to sit down and talk up one of the finest Late Night Classics of all-time.
You can ready my retrospective with Jill Whitlow on Twice Dead here.
Jason Bene: How did you write such an amazing script in such a short period of time?
Fred Dekker: I don’t know about “amazing.” But...
You can ready my retrospective with Jill Whitlow on Twice Dead here.
Jason Bene: How did you write such an amazing script in such a short period of time?
Fred Dekker: I don’t know about “amazing.” But...
- 9/15/2011
- by Jason Bene
- Killer Films
Tremors? Nightbreed? Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat? 976-evil? Are all on the list this year. And though there were not huge horror wins in sound editing through screenplays, the Technical Awards never cease to bring out the horror veterans. Notably Tim Drnec who contributed to such VHS classics as Alien Seed, Destroyer, and Prison won for his work on “Spydercam 3D volumetric suspended cable camera technologies.” An award also shared with Ben Britten Smith and Matt Davis who both also worked on Constantine.
But among all the winners, the Academy also honored some great loses in 2010. And though they mentioned some of our heroes, Dennis Hooper (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2), Kevin McCarthy (Invasion of the Body Snatchers) and Dino de Laurentiis (King Kong), they did not mention Zelda Rubinstein or Corey Haim. But we will in this last section and the others lost to us last year.
So farewell fight fans and remember,...
But among all the winners, the Academy also honored some great loses in 2010. And though they mentioned some of our heroes, Dennis Hooper (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2), Kevin McCarthy (Invasion of the Body Snatchers) and Dino de Laurentiis (King Kong), they did not mention Zelda Rubinstein or Corey Haim. But we will in this last section and the others lost to us last year.
So farewell fight fans and remember,...
- 3/13/2011
- by Heather Buckley
- DreadCentral.com
Shout Factory has been doing a stellar job with their Roger Corman DVDs as of late. A ton of great classics have been re released to a new audience and with them are some pretty good extras. No one would have blamed them for just putting these titles out in bare bones release but every DVD I’ve watched from the set so far at least has a commentary track, which is something I can’t even say for most new films. Before I even get into the review everyone should just give a round of applause for the effort put into these releases. They truly feel like labors of love, like they were made especially for fans. So with all this awesomeness packed into the DVD what about the films themselves?
The Films:
The Evil starts things off well enough. We have a hapless victim checking out an old...
The Films:
The Evil starts things off well enough. We have a hapless victim checking out an old...
- 11/17/2010
- by Alex Scott-Webster
- Killer Films
The Evil (1978)
Directed by: Gus Triskonis
Starring: Richard Crenna, Joanna Pettet, Victor Buono, Andrew Prine and Cassie Yates.
In Gus Trikonis' The Evil, psychologist C.J. Arnold (Richard Crenna) and his wife Caroline (Joanna Pettet) buy a dilapidated mansion with a dark past in the hopes of restoring the estate and turning it into a drug rehabilitation clinic. With the help of some of his students and current patients, the doctor begins work on the mansion - but things take a nasty turn when an ancient spirit starts attacking people. When he opens a secret door in the basement of the house, the psychologist inadvertently releases the malevolent presence...and all hell breaks loose.
In terms of B-Movie ranking, The Evil isn't all that bad. The film takes an admittedly strong stance on the importance of sticking to a more classic ghost story rather than a sleazy, gory filled B-movie romp.
Directed by: Gus Triskonis
Starring: Richard Crenna, Joanna Pettet, Victor Buono, Andrew Prine and Cassie Yates.
In Gus Trikonis' The Evil, psychologist C.J. Arnold (Richard Crenna) and his wife Caroline (Joanna Pettet) buy a dilapidated mansion with a dark past in the hopes of restoring the estate and turning it into a drug rehabilitation clinic. With the help of some of his students and current patients, the doctor begins work on the mansion - but things take a nasty turn when an ancient spirit starts attacking people. When he opens a secret door in the basement of the house, the psychologist inadvertently releases the malevolent presence...and all hell breaks loose.
In terms of B-Movie ranking, The Evil isn't all that bad. The film takes an admittedly strong stance on the importance of sticking to a more classic ghost story rather than a sleazy, gory filled B-movie romp.
- 10/15/2010
- by AndreDumas
- Planet Fury
Fuquay-varina - It was a speedy two days with major stars dropping into my neighborhood.
On a Thursday night the man who made predicted FedEx arrived at a Durham library. Mister McFeely (David Newell) still fits in his Speedy Delivery uniform and hat as he greeted Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood fans of all ages. Most of the ages were under seven. Luckily I had brought along a little kid in order not to stick out.
McFeely was at the end of a weeklong tour around the state to touch base with the kids. Lately whenever any star of kid focused tv shows comes to town, it’s part of some over inflated media spectacular stage show at the sports arena. There’s singing, dancing, indoor fireworks and motorcycle stunts meant to dazzle a three year old. Plus there’s a $18 convenience charge on the tickets. But this was not McFeely’s type of entertainment.
On a Thursday night the man who made predicted FedEx arrived at a Durham library. Mister McFeely (David Newell) still fits in his Speedy Delivery uniform and hat as he greeted Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood fans of all ages. Most of the ages were under seven. Luckily I had brought along a little kid in order not to stick out.
McFeely was at the end of a weeklong tour around the state to touch base with the kids. Lately whenever any star of kid focused tv shows comes to town, it’s part of some over inflated media spectacular stage show at the sports arena. There’s singing, dancing, indoor fireworks and motorcycle stunts meant to dazzle a three year old. Plus there’s a $18 convenience charge on the tickets. But this was not McFeely’s type of entertainment.
- 10/8/2010
- by UncaScroogeMcD
Another week in October, another bounty crop of horror DVDs and Blu-rays. This week we have home entertainment from recent theatrical releases of nightmares of the mind as well as re-releases of classic and campy horror, all with boatloads of extras.
Then there are other horror titles that are being re-released on Blu-ray or in packs for double dipping. On top of that, horror offerings from Asia, past seasons of TV shows, manga, novels, and even video games are all vying for our pocketbooks. And we still have four more weeks of October to go.
Next year October needs to begin in August.
Human Centipede: First Sequence
Directed by Tom Six
Human Centipede: First Sequence (review) was a sensation ever since its first mention. Stephen Colbert even talked about it at the 2010 Emmys Awards broadcast! The premise cannot be simpler. Two pretty American girls are on a road trip through Europe.
Then there are other horror titles that are being re-released on Blu-ray or in packs for double dipping. On top of that, horror offerings from Asia, past seasons of TV shows, manga, novels, and even video games are all vying for our pocketbooks. And we still have four more weeks of October to go.
Next year October needs to begin in August.
Human Centipede: First Sequence
Directed by Tom Six
Human Centipede: First Sequence (review) was a sensation ever since its first mention. Stephen Colbert even talked about it at the 2010 Emmys Awards broadcast! The premise cannot be simpler. Two pretty American girls are on a road trip through Europe.
- 10/5/2010
- by kwlow
- DreadCentral.com
A look at what's new on DVD today:
"Fade to Black" (2010)
Directed by Oliver Parker
Released by Image Entertainment
It looks like we'll have to update our list of actors who've played Orson Welles with this long-delayed drama from "The Importance of Being Earnest" director Parker, which stars Danny Huston as the "Touch of Evil" auteur who gets caught up in a murder mystery all his own on 1948's "Black Magic" in Italy when he finds out his name is on a hit list. Christopher Walken, Diego Luna and Paz Vega co-star.
"30 Days of Night: Dark Days" (2010)
Directed by Ben Ketai
Released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Rare for a direct-to-video sequel, original author Steve Niles returns to co-write this follow-up to the 2007 graphic novel adaptation about a vampire attack in Alaska. This time, "Lost" star Kiele Sanchez is protecting her neck, along with Diora Baird, Harold Perrineau, Rhys Coiro and Mia Kirshner,...
"Fade to Black" (2010)
Directed by Oliver Parker
Released by Image Entertainment
It looks like we'll have to update our list of actors who've played Orson Welles with this long-delayed drama from "The Importance of Being Earnest" director Parker, which stars Danny Huston as the "Touch of Evil" auteur who gets caught up in a murder mystery all his own on 1948's "Black Magic" in Italy when he finds out his name is on a hit list. Christopher Walken, Diego Luna and Paz Vega co-star.
"30 Days of Night: Dark Days" (2010)
Directed by Ben Ketai
Released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Rare for a direct-to-video sequel, original author Steve Niles returns to co-write this follow-up to the 2007 graphic novel adaptation about a vampire attack in Alaska. This time, "Lost" star Kiele Sanchez is protecting her neck, along with Diora Baird, Harold Perrineau, Rhys Coiro and Mia Kirshner,...
- 10/4/2010
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
Horror fanatics are still buzzing like chainsaws over the Academy Awards’ genre montage. Anywhere there could be a conversation about it online, there was one. Many were upset over the Twilight ‘tweens’ participation, as if their mere presence sent a message about the state of scary in Hollyweird, USA.
A few seemed happy, though, to just get a glimpse of their beloved Evil Dead and Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 if only for a few seconds. But many called the selections generic and thoughtless, demanding the likes of Demons and TerrorVision instead (well, maybe not TerrorVision; that was just me).
How about Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer? Re-Animator? It’s Alive? Tombs of the Blind Dead? Coffin Joe? No list is perfect, but with a bit more care and a phone call to any one of us, the Oscars could have elevated that section into a real scream. Or maybe they...
A few seemed happy, though, to just get a glimpse of their beloved Evil Dead and Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 if only for a few seconds. But many called the selections generic and thoughtless, demanding the likes of Demons and TerrorVision instead (well, maybe not TerrorVision; that was just me).
How about Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer? Re-Animator? It’s Alive? Tombs of the Blind Dead? Coffin Joe? No list is perfect, but with a bit more care and a phone call to any one of us, the Oscars could have elevated that section into a real scream. Or maybe they...
- 3/9/2010
- by Heather Buckley
- DreadCentral.com
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