Horror Hotel Cinema : The Screaming Skull (1958)

 Tonight's show is a real treat, or a real trick. It's all a matter of perspective. I first caught THE SCREAMING SKULL when I was a very young kid. I caught a late night showing, while my parents slept. It scared the holy hell out of my younger self, as these things do to a kid with a susceptible imagination and no grasp of the line between fantasy and reality. Watching the film all these years later, (and yes, I have it on DVD), its a full on cheeseball fest of the highest order. And of course, that just makes it all the more adorable. I love these films. I always dreamt of drive-in's and 50's Americana as a boy. There's something effortlessly charming about these B-movies of old. In a sense, they capture a part of history that we'll never see come around again. White picket fences, wholesome ladies and solid male counterparts, (not this guy in tonight's film though, he comes off as a total dickhead!)

Review : Bereavement (2010)

Director: 

Stevan Mena

Writer:

Stevan Mena

Stars:

Alexandra Daddario, Michael Biehn and Peyton List

The horrific account of 6 year old Martin Bristol, abducted from his backyard swing and forced to witness the brutal crimes of a deranged madman. 


Just take a look at the BEREAVEMENT one-sheet. Is it any wonder I was excited to see this bad boy? Its a startling image, and it caught my attention and fueled my imagination on sight. That was a year ago. I had no idea the film was a prequel to a well respected low-budget slasher by the same writer/director until I decided to give it a whirl. The original, MALEVOLENCE, tells the tale of a serial killer who is impervious to pain. He can't feel it, period. You could cut this guys nuts off while averting his eyes and he'd be none the wiser, (although if you were in his vicinity, you'd probably most likely be dead or dying, and the only nuts getting chopped off would be your own). Its a cool slice of reasoning for why our slashers just keep getting back up, and I wish I'd heard of the film earlier, because frankly, it sounds pretty fine.

Review : Chromeskull - Laid to Rest 2 (2011)

Director:
 

Robert Hall

Writers:

Kevin Bocarde, Robert Hall

Stars:

Nick Principe, Angelina Armani and Zachary Alden Baker

When we last saw Chromeskull, he'd had his face melted and his head caved in via baseball bat. Not a fun situation to find oneself in. Now, with Chromeskull catching up on some much needed rest, his second in command, Preston is sent out to finish the job he started and tie up loose ends. But Preston has ideas of his own about who should be running this show...

The first time I saw LAID TO REST, I was immediately charmed by its antagonist. The Skull faced, camera wielding headcase known as Chromeskull was, and is, a slasher for the ages. Theres a real lack of truly iconic killers in the genre these days, and alongside Babyface from THE HILLS RUN RED, our knife happy pal was one of the few masked killers who's image alone made him eminently watchable. Shame then that his stomping ground was a film so mired in terrible acting and ridiculous plot developments that took the viewer straight out of the experience. It was a strange mash-up of brilliant ideas and half baked execution. Let me rephrase that, the only thing that was not 'half baked' in LAID TO REST was the execution. The kills were beautiful to behold, and stand among the greatest ever put onscreen in a modern slasher. I've seen the film a few times since, usually with a beer in hand and a group of buddies round to enjoy the bloodshed. You ever drank far too much and slept with someone you know is trash, but you just couldn't resist? LAID TO REST is like that. You'll have fun with it when your trashed out of your skull, but you'll wake up feeling guilty come the dawn.

Review : The Devil's Rock (2011)

Director:

Paul Campion

Writers:

Paul Finch (screenplay), Paul Campion (screenplay)

Stars:

Craig Hall, Matthew Sunderland and Gina Varela

Set in the Channel Islands on the eve of D Day, two Kiwi commandos, sent to destroy German gun emplacements to distract Hitler's forces away from Normandy, discover a Nazi occult plot that may help them win the war once and for all. 


Hands up those of you who don't get giddy at the idea of a Horror movie dealing with Nazi's and the occult. Anyone? Didn't think so. These two concepts are as endlessly fascinating today as they were when Micheal Mann directed THE KEEP, or when good old Indiana Jones was tackling the bastards back in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, and THE LAST CRUSADE. There is something inherently attractive about such a dark subject matter, even when its handled lightly, as in the Indiana Jones film's. It's widely known that Hitler had a compulsion towards the occult, and took the whole thing very seriously, adding an element of reality to any film that focuses on the subject. Sure its all fanciful stuff, but the viewer often find themselves asking that most eternal of all Horror fans internal questioning. What if?

The Horror Hotel Cinema : The Woman in Black (Original Broadcast 1989)

Welcome back to the Horror Hotel Cinema, folks!

I had a really sweet B-movie from the 50's picked out for this week's show, but after writing an article here on the upcoming WOMAN IN BLACK adaptation by Hammer Studios, I thought the time was right to take a look back at the original TV Movie which aired one chilly Christmas eve here in Britain, and scared the whole damn country half to death. For those of you who have seen the film, join us and relive one of the most genuinely chilling ghost stories ever told. For those of you who haven't seen the first film, or read the book; sit back, turn all the lights off and let yourself believe. Your in for a real treat.

Review : Fright Night 2 (1988)

Director:

Tommy Lee Wallace

Writers:

Tom Holland (characters), Tim Metcalfe, and 2 more credits »

Stars:

William Ragsdale, Roddy McDowall and Traci Lind

Charlie Brewster and Peter Vincent from the original Fright Night must face more vampires out for revenge. 

FRIGHT NIGHT is my favourite vampire movie of all time. It often feels like my favourite film of all time, period. I see it at least four or five times a year and it never fails to enthrall me with its potent mix of King-esque suburban horror and Gothic, romantic sensibilities. I see the film as a love letter to the Hammer Horror movies I grew up with, and a perfect encapsulation of all that the vampire mythos has to offer. I semi-reviewed it here, for those of you who want my perspective on why its so damn delightful.

Now, its sequel is another matter. I hadn't seen this film since its original release back in the day, and with the new film on the way I figured it'd be a good time to have a look at it with fresh, (or, more accurately, less fresh) eyes. It never shook my world on its release, so could it charm me in the same way the first film did as an adult?

The Horror Hotel meets World War Z : On the set of the new adaptation.

Just thought I'd share some cool-ass pictures I managed to take in my home city of Glasgow, during the WORLD WAR Z shoot this past week. In case your unaware, Glasgow was being used as a stand-in for Philly, and certain parts of the city were secured for chase scenes and random zombie craziness. I tried my best to get some close up pictures for you guys, and even infiltrated a derelict building to secure better pictures, (alas, I got busted and dragged out, but the workers were kind enough to pose for a picture when I told 'em I'd make em famous). What you see below is Glasgow's famous Georges Square, and the surrounding streets, being furnished as Philly, complete with SWAT vans, American cabs, Philly cop cars and some cool street signs. It was a lot of fun seeing my beloved home being 'Americanized'.