Horror Hotel Cinema : 100 Scariest Moments (2003)

Hi folks...Hotel Management here with a long overdue return to the Horror Hotel Cinema...

Tonight, we're going for something a little different. In place of the usual B-Movies, J-Horror and Cult Classics; tonights show will consist of what, if I remember correctly, was a two-part TV show that aired around nine years ago in the UK.

At that time, a vote was taken to try and discover what Britain considered the scariest moments in television and cinema history. The results were often surprising, hugely nostalgic, and served to remind many viewers, (myself included), of some of the moments that chilled our souls as kids in the 80's and beyond. For many, I'm sure it was an educational experience also. I personally have the entire QUATERMASS series sat proudly atop my DVD collection, and I'm not sure it would be there were I to have missed this thing. It ranks among my fave box-sets, and I had never even heard about this legendary, (and still terrifying), BBC serial until I slapped my eyeballs on what you'll find below.

So, settle back for a long, fun-filled trip down memory lane with a look at the 100 SCARIEST MOMENTS, as voted for by the UK. Your in for a real treat, and you'll be meeting a whole host of familiar fiends, including Myers, Kruger, Mrs Voorhees, Sadako, Pinhead and many more. Not to mention it'll make for brilliant debate fodder among you and your more geekish buddies.

Your welcome!

Review : The Bay (2012)

Director:

Barry Levinson

Writer:

Michael Wallach

Stars:

Kristen Connolly, Jane McNeill and Christopher Denham
 
Those among you looking for an antidote to the tired and tiresome onslaught of inept. ambition-free found footage horror totally squanders the sub-genres inherent ability to disquiet; need look no further. THE BAY is by far the most disturbing, unpleasant, gripping and downright horrific found footage film in many a moon, perhaps ever.

Playing out as a documentary, created and compiled from a huge number of video sources, THE BAY takes the faux-documentary sub-genre and combines it with large scale outbreak movies such as last years brilliant CONTAGION, to create an almost unbearably convincing slice of ecological horror. This is the sort of film that will turn many off. Its repulsive in its unflinching depiction of a viral outbreak spreading throughout an idyllic community, and is relentless in its desire to terrorise the viewer. Yet this is what true horror is aiming for. Its all too realistic, and it may destroy your appetite for the foreseeable future, but its an endurance test worth taking, to witness just how effective found footage horror can be when done right.

THE BAY opens, somewhat disconcertingly, with real-life media footage from a few years back. Some of you may remember a couple of years ago, there was an unexplainable phenomena occurred in the US, as thousands of birds simply dropped from the skies dead. The government handed out some ludicrous explanations, and the public, or at least those who were less well-informed, bought the bullshit. To this day, there has never been a solid, or believable explanation for the avian deaths, at least not from the 'authorities'.

Horror Hotel Cinema - Zombies: A Living History

The worlds doomed, man....

Everywhere you turn these days there are lunatics eating peoples faces, chem-trails blazing through the skies spraying us with God knows what, and the constant threat of chemical weapons being used on us by faceless unknowns, (most likely our own Governments).

You can't surf a news site without running into some zombie-like craziness. Hell, the internet is alive with talk of teh coming apocalypse! Time to study up, kids. Get your shit together and prepare for the coming Hell-on-Earth.

Me, I learned all I need to know from George Romero's DAWN OF THE DEAD. While these undead bastards are eating my friends and neighbours, I'll be holed up in a shopping mall, armed to the teeth with Jack Daniels, Sub-Machine Guns and Xbox 360 games. Step into my mall, living or undead...I'll blow your fucking head off.

For the rest of you, this documentary should help you get up to speed on your survival skills. Learn the history of Horror cinema's most enduring monsters; their weakness', motives and machinations.

Meet Jonathan Maberry....writer of some of the greatest zombie fiction ever written in his Benny Imura Saga,, (reviews of first two books here). Meet George Romero, creator of the...ah hell, you know who he is already. Meet some random chinese badass whose more than happy to teach you how to ruin a zombies day with a variety of household items.

And if all that aint enough, you'll also get to learn about the genesis of the zombie myths from a plethora of cultures! Does it get any better? No...no, its doesnt.

Get smart, get watching....

Horror Hotel Cinema : Halloween - A Cut Above the Rest ( Documentary)

Now look....

I'm not gonna ramble on about the film this documentary covers. There's nothing more needs ever be said about John Carpenters classic shocker by me nor anyone else. We all know its as damned near perfection as cinema gets. We all know its the perfect encapsulation of our most cherished day/night of the year. We all know Rob Zombie is an imbecile, (well, most of us do, I assume....).

Its the film that shaped our childhoods, and informed our adult cinematic minds. It lives inside us all, and it never, ever gets old.

Horror Hotel Cinema : Vincent Price's Dracula- The Great Undead (1985)

Something a little different for your viewing tonight, folks.

Question : What do you get when you combine the wonderfully dark origins of Vlad the Impaler/ Dracula, and one of the few undisputed kings of classic horror? What you get is an hour of sheer, uncut awesome; a history lesson delivered with that brilliant wit, insight, gentle humor and spooky camp that is so unmistakably Mr Price.

In truth, I could listen to the man read a grocery list and still be grinning like a fool, so having the rich history of Dracula, from factual figure to literary horror, and all the way to silver screen icon; is one hell of treat. I'm sure most of you will agree.

Somewhat surprisingly, the documentary doesn't skimp on the violent, grim wordplay while charting the rise of the infamous Vlad. As was so often the case, Vincent has his tongue firmly in cheek, yet theres some dark material here to get your teeth into, (pun, sadly, intended). As things progress, you'll be treated also to some nice snippets from classic cinema, including some real rarities that are all but forgotten, (though still loved by some). It's wonderful to see scenes from the Hitchcock inspired, RETURN OF DRACULA sharing screen-time with the usual suspects. These little moments of care and attention really help the whole show go down smooth, (aided in no small part by Mr Price's velvet tones). The whole thing is just a delight.

So, with no further nonsense from me, I ask you to join me in a toast. To Vincent......we will remember you, always, old friend.

Horror Hotel Cinema : American Scary (2007)

Calling all horror fans.....

Im gonna be posting films from time to time here, that you can all watch at your leisure without scouring the interwebs to find em, and I found this little number last nite. Its called AMERICAN SCARY, and I'll see you below the synopsis....

Take a trip back to a time when late night creature features were all the rage, and the personalities that presented them were nearly as popular as the movies, in this documentary about the uniquely American phenomenon of television horror hosting. Beginning in the 1950s, the horror host was a staple of regional television. From ghouls to vampires, to werewolves and crypt keepers, every host had a persona to suit their unique personalities. But their days were numbered, because as the local television business model began to shift thanks to production demands and the availability of cheaper syndicated material, Zacherley, Vampira, Ghoulardi, and the rest of these fiends began steadily disappearing from the small screen. Interviews with the hosts themselves, and the fans that elevated them to superstar status offer a chance to reflect on a bygone era of television that now appears poised for a comeback thanks to the internet and cable access.