The Friday the 13th movies.

Come with me on a journey to Camp Crystal lake. The Friday the thirteenth franchise has to be my favorite slasher franchise ever.

Having been introduced to Jason at an early age, I was incredibly surprised when I  watched the original Friday the thirteenth and at the end of the movie, to be introduced to someone called Pamela Voorhees who happened to be Jason's mother. Anyway, I'm going to give my thoughts on each movie and again, I'm going to avoid any spoilers (but then again, if you are a horror fan and you haven't seen these movies, where have you been)?

FRIDAY THE 13TH.

Here is where it all began. The murder, the sex, the beginning of Kevin Bacon's career all started with this little horror movie.

I have to say, I love this movie. Although the murders aren't as brutal as later entries, or as frequen , the film manages to build up suspense like none of the sequels do. Not to forget Tom Savini's magic special FX giving life to some amazing death sequences even though one was obviously stolen from Mario Bava's Bay of blood.

The ending has to be seen to be believed, because in my opinion, Betsy Palmer brings the mother we all know and love, and turns her into something that is seething with hatred and crying out for revenge.

Body count:- 10.

Friday the 13th part II

This is my least favorite Friday the thirteenth movie, with only two murders that have stuck in my mind and also with very little gore (it's amazing to know that Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark contains more gory scenes than Friday the 13th part 2) .

In this movie, we are introduced to Jason Vorhees, but its just a shame that the kills or the suspense from the first movie aren't here and it really seems to drag in the second act when the friends are at a bar.

Body count:- 11.

Friday the 13th part III.

In this one, the first thing that shocked me was the theme tune. Gone were the screeching strings of the original, only to be replaced with a disco version of the original theme. Friday the 13th part 3 was also the first (and only, to this date at least) of the franchise to be filmed in 3D, and it's also famous for introducing the hockey mask, the thing which makes Jason so recognizable (amongst a slew of other masked horror movie boogeymen at least).

Here, the gore is upped and the kills are a little more brutal, There is the added coolness of a biker gang being pitted against Jason, which is a lot of fun .

Body count:- 13.

Friday the 13th part IV: The Final Chapter.

This is where the series hit its stride again. Maybe it was due to the return of Tom Savini, or having the guy who previously helmed The Prowler direct this sequel, but in this movie, everything is back. The gore, the brutalit , even a young Crispin Glover. Without a doubt this is, and probably always will be my favorite Friday the thirteenth movie, and the FX at the end of the movie have to be seen to be believed.

Body count:- 16.

Friday the 13th part V: A New Beginning.

This one puzzled me as a youngster and is hated by many fans of the franchise, but for what it is, it isn't all that bad. There isn't much I can say about this one without giving too much away, other than this movie is a lot of fun, and again, if you don't expect too much, you'll have a great time watching it.

Body count:- 16.

Friday the 13th part VI : Jason Lives.

In this movie, Jason is a zombie. There is an undercurrent of self awareness and some moments of genuinely funny comedy. That's not forgetting what we all watch these movies for, and you get murders by the bucket load!! Jason really is unstoppable in this movie, and it also contains one of my favorite kills from the franchise. Just watch when the girls cop father is murdered. You'll see what i mean.

Body count:- 18.

Friday the 13th part VII : The New Blood.

Something is different in this movie and although it is heavily cut leaving it almost gore free, the end battle between Jason and his telekinetic enemy is amazing!! This is also the first Friday the thirteenth movie that had Kane Hodder playing Jason. The look of Jason in this movie also has to be my favorite, as everything that has happened to him in previous movies is shown in the make-up.

Body count:- 16.

Friday the 13th part VIII : Jason takes Manhattan.

Or not, as is the case as most of the movie is set on a boat going to Manhattan. Again , this movie is a lot of fun, but it does get a little too much to take with some scenes showing Jason to be in two different places in a matter of seconds, and having an ending that is strange in the least. Again, it's fun to see Kane Hodder don the Jason make up again and bring the screens most prolific killer to life.

Body count:- 19.

Jason Goes to Hell : The Final Friday.

Here we have a strange body swapping horror movie that contains very little of the iconic Jason, at least looking like he normally does. This movie does contain a cameo from Kane Hodder without make up, and it does contain some brutal kills, but it also contains what I consider to be the most homoerotic shaving scene ever committed to celluloid.

Body count:- 21.

Jason X.

Jason in space. I know what you are thinking. But amazingly it works, and it works well. Again we have Kane Hodder playing Jason, and we even have a cameo from David Cronenburg (who is killed off in the first 10 mins).Also, it contains a new look for Jason and even contains what I consider to be the greatest kill in the entire franchise (watch for the way Jason dispatches the blonde female scientist). A fun movie, it even has touches of humor again, and is the only film I can think of that has Todd Farmer in wearing clothes.

Body count:- 28.

Friday the 13th ( Remake ).

Platinum Dunes. A production company that strikes fear into the heart of many horror fans. In all honesty, they didn't do a bad job with Friday the thirteenth. The kills are good if not a little more realistic than previous films, and Jason is played with new ferocity by Derek Mears. A good job, even though I felt incredibly let down on my first viewing, I watched it again on TV one night and enjoyed it a lot more than I had previously.


Body count:- 15.

Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts.

Darkest regards........Dani.

 

Movies featuring Werewolves.

Lycanthrope (n)- a werewolf.
Origin- Early seventeenth century, from modern latin Lycanthropus- wolf man.

There have been many werewolf movies over the years. Some good, some very bad, but nevertheless they always manage to leave an impression. Who can forget Lon Chaney Jr as the original wolf man, or the camp comedy of The Howling 2.

My intention here is to discuss some films many have seen, and also some that a few of you might not have viewed. So without further hesitation, let us begin.


Here we have an incredibly rare werewolf movie from 1995, and starring non other than everyone's favorite onscreen killer , Kane Hodder. After injecting himself with werewolf DNA, a soldier is captured and cryogenically frozen. We then move forward ten years where scientists are given a body to experiment with a self repairing, metal based organic skin. The body turns out to be the frozen soldier, and when he awakens he turns into a werewolf, only this time he's meaner, faster, shinier.

The movie is an amazing example of low budget horror and Kane Hodder, as the metal beast of the title is truly menacing. John Carl Beuchlers FX still stick in my mind. It's a shame it isn't available on DVD/BLU RAY, as it is one of the better low budget werewolf movies.




One night in a small town called Tarker's Mill, murders begin. The townspeople believe a maniacal killer is on the loose and plan on hunting him down, but marty, a young handicapped boy has other ideas. He believes it isn't a man committing these murders, but a werewolf.

I remember watching this movie when I was little, and it is one of those movies that you might just fall in love with if you give it a chance. The movie is based on Stephen King's little read novella,  Cycle of the werewolf. Its a fun movie, with some brutal kills and FX that are not amazing, but do the movie justice. Another one to check out if you haven't managed to see it.




Here we have an incredibly low budget women in prison/werewolf hybrid and in my opinion, it's all the more fun becasue of it!

This movie tells the story of Sarah, who when camping with her boyfriend is attacked by a werewolf. She awakens in a corrupt prison only to find that her boyfriend has been torn apart, and she is the prime suspect. Forced to do things that can only be done in a prison run by women, it isn't long before Sarah's wounds begin to change her....

This movie is pure exploitation fun!!! It has gore, it has naked women, it even has a little cringe worthy CGI at the end, and a werewolf with red lights for eyes!!! If you like low budget gore, W.I.P movies or even are a fan of Troma (not that they had anything to do with this movie, but it certainly has a Troma feel to it) then I highly recommend this movie!!





I remember the first ever werewolf movie I saw, and it was An American Werewolf in london. It was, and in my mind, still is the greatest werewolf movie I have ever seen and the FX have to be seen to be believed. Some horror fans write it off as being too funny, while comedy fans write it off as being too scary, but in my opinion John Landis struck a perfect balance between comedy and horror, keeping the laughs and the shocks coming thick and fast.

Two American friends go for a hike along the Yorkshire moors, where they are both attacked  and one of them is killed. The other is taken to hospital  where he suffers terrible nightmares. When he is released and it is a full moon, he goes through a terrible, painful change.

Another thing that i liked about An Americn Werewolf in London was the creature itself. It moves about on all fours, being more of a giant wolf than a wolf man, and its ability to bite a mans head off just made me fall in love with this movie all the more.





It took me a good few years before I managed to view The Howling, a twisted take on the werewolf genre, but very typical of Joe Dante. Karen White is a news anchor who is being stalked by a serial killer, and in co-operation with the police, agrees to help capture the killer by meeting him in a sleazy porno theater.

After an encounter with the killer  and suffering from amnesia, Karen and her husband are sent to The colony, where Karen's husband is bitten by a wolf like creature, and then things take an even more sinister turn.

This film also features amazing FX  and in my opinion, the most demonic looking werewolves I have ever seen. Plus an appearance from Dick Miller makes the movie all the more amazing! The Howling isntt as crazy as some of Joe Dante's other movies, but what it lacks in craziness it more than makes up for in dark humor and downright nastiness.

You can purchase the VHS of Project Metal Beast from Amazon by clicking here.

You can purchase the DVD of Silver Bullet from Amazon by clicking here.

You can purchase Werewolf in a Women's Prison from Amazon by clicking here.

You can purchase An american werewolf in london from Amazon by clicking here.

You can purchase The Howling from Amazon by clicking here.

Thank you again for taking the time to read.

Darkest regards.....Dani.                                                     

Ghoulies ( 1985 ).

I thought I'd write about one of my all time favorite little monster movies this time. Having seen Gremlins, Critters, and even The Munchies, the cover to this movie always appealed to me.

Of course, when I actually watched the movie, I was slightly disappointed to find the ghoulies of the title didn't feature as much as I had been led to believe, but it was still a fun supernatural movie and looking back, one that I am surprised I was allowed to watch due to the black magic involved in the film.

A college kid inherits a mansion that was owned by his recently deceased father, who also had a penchant for the black arts. His son also shows an interest in the black arts and manages to raise small demons, the Ghoulies of the title, from hell. He also manages to raise the corpse of his dead father who has come back to unleash hell..... literally.




Yes, I know what you are all thinking, and I do agree, this film is bad. But you know what? It's a hell of a lot of fun, and I'm sure the makers knew it as it really doesn't take itself too seriously.

The scene that sticks out the most, at least for me is when a guy is being seduced by a blonde woman with amazing eyes, who turns out to be the zombie father,  flings his tongue around the neck of the guy he/she was seducing.


This movie takes so many things that were a staple of 80's trash cinema. You've got slime, sex, creatures, satanic rituals and even 80's style hair!!

Also of mention are two imps, dressed up like cast offs from some fantasy epic and boy did they make me laugh.




All in all, I have to admit to being more of a fan of the sequels, but I do still enjoy catching up with this movie as it is enjoyable and pure 80s cheese. Check it out.

Also of note, this movie started off as a collaboration between Charles Band and Stan Winston, who had previously worked together on a movie called Parasite and wished to work together again. The movie ended up being directed by Luca Bercovici , with the special FX being handles by John Carl Beuchler.

You can buy the Ghoulies 1 and 2 movies on 1 DVD from amazon here.


Darkest regards......Dani.

Superstition (1982).

 This is an amazing little slasher movie from the early eighties, but differs slightly from the rest of the crop by having a supernatural edge and featuring a murder pretty much every 8 minutes. It also lays on the suspense incredibly thick, and has some incredibly brutal murder sequences. Believe me, not even children are safe from this movies killer.

The sad thing is, this movie isn't actually available in the U.K, but I did manage to find a copy on amazon that is imported from Italy, so was recently able to watch this movie again.

The movie is about an old house that has a huge pond outback. A family with an alcoholic priest, move into the home and soon find out that the pond outback was the site of an execution of a witch by drowning three hundred years before. Then people start disappearing. It soon becomes obvious that the witch is back for revenge, picking off anyone and everyone who visits the house.


The first time I saw Superstition, I was young and my mother had borrowed it from a friend who had amassed quite a collection of horror movies. I remember the atmosphere being incredibly creepy and the scenes that show the witch talking in a different voice really stuck in my mind.


When I watched this movie again a few months ago, I really didn't comprehend just how brutal the death scenes are. There are decapitations, hangings, evisceration's, you name it this movie has it. Also, the special FX in this movie are typically 80's, and very well done.

Also of note, you never actually see the killer, only her hands and her silhouette.

This is one of those movies like The Exorcist before it, that is made purely to scare, and I feel it goes a long way to achieve this, layering on the tension without a chance for the viewer to breathe.

From the opening scene the mood is set. Two guys are playing pranks on people who park near the house for some alone time. They are both picked off in quick succession, one in particularly gruesome fashion (his body is cut in half by a window, and yes, I know it sounds perfectly normal in a horror film for something like that to happen, this is filmed with such flair and brutality that it really sticks with you).

From then on, its death after death as the people in the house uncover more and more of the mystery of the deaths that have been occurring in the house for many years.

I really do hope that in the near future some company in the UK sees fit to release this little known classic of 80's horror for all to see. Until then, a bare bones imported version will have to do.

Nevertheless, this is a film that MUST be seen by all horror fans, as it shows how gory films can actually be scary without being laughable.

The film is also notable for being incredibly popular on pre cert VHS, and in 1984 was given a cinema release under the title The Witch. This is one of a few films which were given a video release first , and then moved to the cinema, not the other way around which was more normal.

I suggest everyone reading this should see this movie. It may be a little camp (as a lot of 80's movies are) but it really is a heart stopping kill fest of a movie.

To buy the region 2 version of the film from Amazon click here.

To buy the region 1 version of the film from Amazon click here.

Here for all to see, is the original trailer for Superstition.

Until next time....

Darkest regards.....Dani.

Cannibal Holocaust.

Here we have what many consider to be the most vile and disgusting movie ever made. In truth, it is an amazing piece of work which comments on the modern world and the violence of day to day life inherent within all cultures.

Also of note, is the fact that Cannibal Holocaust is the first ever found footage movie, influencing movies such as The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield to name but two.

Because Cannibal Holocaust contains animal cruelty, (admittedly the muskrat scene was cruel, and is the only scene still cut from the UK release, all the other animals were killed quickly and eaten off camera) it is slated by an awful lot of movie fans and even horror fans, but in this humble mans opinions, this film is one of the greatest non supernatural horror films ever made and captures the brutality of human nature perfectly. Maybe that's why some people find it so hard to watch.

First of all, I'm gonna give you a little information on what happened after the movies release.

In 1981, the french magazine PHOTO made allegations stating that Cannibal Holocaust was in fact a snuff movie (a movie which features people being murdered in real life). The film was confiscated ten days after it's premiere in Milan, and it's director  Ruggero Deodato was arrested. Originally, Deodato was charged with obscenity, but later on the charges were amended to include murder as the courts not only believed that the four main actors portraying the missing film crew were murdered before the camera, but the actress in the impalement scene was actually impaled.

To make matters worse for Deodato, he had the actors sign contracts saying they would not appear in any sort of media, motion pictures or commercials for one year after the release of Cannibal Holocaust to promote the fact that the film really was found footage, thus when Deodato stated he had not killed the group, questions arose as to why they had not appeared in any other media since Cannibal Holocaust.

Eventually though, after staging an impaling in the court, and gathering the actors together for the courts to see, Deodato, the producers, screenwriter and United Artists representative each received a four month suspended sentence after they were convicted of obscenity and violence because the film contained animal cruelty and the film was duly banned.

Deodato fought for another three years to get the film unbanned, finally succeeding in 1984 where it was granted a v18 rating in Italy for a cut print. It would later be re-released uncut.

Even after knowing all of that about this film , I still had to see it. My interest piqued when I saw a video of Phil Anselmo, his wife Opal and Necrophagia vocalist Killjoy complaining about The Blair Witch Project being known as the first found footage movie , when in fact, Cannibal Holocaust was.

It took me a few years to finally get hold of the movie, but when I did, it sickened me, which admittedly , is a feat in itself as I am rarely affected in such a way by cinema.

The film does not fail to fascinate, and keeps you watching at first by making you wait for each depraved act, and it keeps you guessing as to what will happen next, with each violent scene outdoing the last.

Normally, gory scenes make you laugh or make you cheer, but in this movie they do truly disgust. In no way is that a slur on this movie, it is a testament to it's power as a great horror movie, still with the ability to shock even after all these years.

The film tells the story of a group of documentary film makers, who go to film two warring tribes, but end up exploiting them, raping them and torturing them, only to have the tables turned on them.

I really don't think I need to say anymore about the plot of the movie, as me writing about it just wouldn't do it justice. This really is a film which has to be seen to be believed.

To buy the film from Amazon without the muskrat scene click here.

To buy the uncut 2 disc special edition from Amazon click here.

Here is the original trailer for Cannibal Holocaust.

And here is the original Theatrical trailer for Cannibal Holocaust.

I know I am more than likely going to offend people for singing the praises for this movie, but what is horror if it's not to question our behaviour, if it isn't to offend our sensibilities, to question our tastes and to bludgeon us with hammer blow after hammer blow of tastelessness.

Darkest regards..........Dani.

Fathers day.

 


I have just witnessed probably one of the greatest homages to grindhouse cinema in existence. This movie surprised me in every way possible. You think you can predict where it is going, then it takes a left turn, then another, barraging you with sick imagery, penis mutilation, incest and any other taboo you can think of.

Fathers day tells the tale of The fathers day killer, Chris Fuchman (pronounced fuckman) who specialises in the rape , murder and eating of fathers just north of Tromaville. At the beginning of the movie, Chris Fuchman is killed by a man called Ahab, but as the movie goes on we learn some things about Fuchman that have to be seen to be believed.

This film really does have it all. Blood, gore, comedy, even a cheesy commercial break. The film is directed by Astron-6, a film production company from Canada who have come together with the help of Troma to make what is, in my opinion, the best homage to grindhouse cinema since Hobo with a Shotgun.

So if you enjoy movies that are sick, twisted and movies that don't seem to care who they offend, then this is definitely for you. Even if that isn't your thing, I'd suggest watching it, as it is an absolute gem of a movie and will hopefully move Astron-6 and Troma into an even bigger league of movie making.

All I have left to say is......WATCH THIS MOVIE!!

Here is the trailer for Fathers day.

You can buy this movie from Amazon by clicking here.

Until next time...

Darkest regards......Dani.

A nightmare on elm street ( 1984 ) .

                              

Here's a movie I'm sure everyone, horror fan or not knows about, with probably the most iconic killer since Norman Bates wore his mothers dress and stabbed Janet Leigh while she was taking a shower in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.

That 'bastard son of a hundred maniacs' himself, Freddy krueger (Robert Englund).And the movie? Why, the original  A Nightmare on Elm Street  of course.

I was around fourteen when I watched my first A Nightmare on Elm Street movie which was part four, The Dream Master. For some reason, when I was younger, I remember my mother and father renting the original A Nightmare on Elm Street, and them saying we will see if you can watch it, but me and your dad are going to watch it first. I had never known them to do this before, but I remember waking up the next morning, while getting ready for school and my mother saying that I wasn't allowed to watch it, as she didn't get past the bit where a young girl was being tossed around the room by an unseen force.

Of course, me being a fan of all things horror even back then, I felt like I had to see this movie. I kept pestering my parents for it, but they would not give in and the fact that the TV show Freddy's nightmares had an advertising campaign where it referred to Freddy as The dream demon really didn't help matters along.

After watching The dream master, I liked Freddy. Not as much as Jason, but he did manage to make me smile, and he was cruel AND cool.

So it was with great excitement that I began watching the original A Nightmare on Elm Street. What hit me first was the atmosphere. This was a very creepy film. Then I saw Freddy, and boy did he seem different than he was in The dream master. He seemed more cruel, more evil.

We see Freddy as he stands in an alleyway, his arms elongating, sparks flying from the razors on his glove as he drags them along the wall, scaring poor Tina (Amanda Wyss) almost to death. For some reason, this is one of the images in the movie that stuck in my mind. Tina then awakens and soon we are introduced to Tina's friends, who are Rod (Nick Corri) who is Tina's rebel boyfriend, Glen (Johnny Depp), and Nancy (Heather Lagenkamp). As the teens are talking at school, they discover they have all been having the same dream involving the same man pursuing them.

Later that night, the friends have a get together and Rod and Tina share an intimate time together. While they are both asleep, Tina has a nightmare involving the man again, but this time he catches her and she grabs onto his face, sliding it off and revealing a smiling skull underneath. Then we cut to the bedroom, where Tina is struggling while lying next to Rod. I had a feeling the bit of the film my mum didn't manage to get past was coming up.

Tina then has 4 long cuts appear on her abdomen, and as blood pours from the wound, she is lifted up by an unseen attacker, where she is spun around, headbutting Rod knocking him over, and then she is dragged onto the ceiling where she is then dropped onto the bed underneath with blood splashing all over Rod. Nancy and Glen rush into the room to find Rod gone, and Tina dead, which makes Rod the main suspect.

From then on, for me it was horror by numbers, apart from a few scenes which i will mention now, and the ending which I have to say, ruined the whole damn movie for me.

One of the scenes I really liked is where Nancy is falling asleep, and Freddy appears pushing through the wall above where Nancy is lying, as if hes trying to break into the real world to get at her. She then proceeds to put a crucifix on the wall, therefore stopping him from breaking through.

Another scene I enjoyed is where Nancy is on the telephone to Freddy, and his tongue and lips appear on the phone, and Nancy drops it in fear. I also enjoyed Glen's death , as I had never seen so much blood in a film before, and was amazed at how they could do it. (It wasn't until I read Robert Englund's Biography Hollywood monster that I found out how it was done).

Now onto the ending. I really enjoyed the battle between Freddy and Nancy, but when you have a guy who can invade people's dreams, who has murdered many people, and you can destroy him by calling him nothing and shit, it ruined it for me. He was powerful. He was the Ultimate evil, or at least that's what I saw him as, and him being destroyed that way just didn't do it for me. In fact, it really did ruin the whole film for me, and I'm sure it goes a long way to explaining why I have never ever found Freddy Krueger even slightly scary. Anyway, here is the original trailer for A nightmare on elm street.

You can also buy the original movie from Amazon by clicking here.

Or you can buy the complete A nightmare on Elm Street box set, which contains all seven movies (and no, that doesn't include the remake) on DVD by clicking here, or if you prefer to buy them all on Blu Ray, click here.  

Until next time, drink beer, listen to metal and watch horror and gore all damn day and night.

Darkest regards........Dani.

The Unholy (1988).

Here is another one of those films I wasn't allowed to rent when I was younger. I came across it at my local HMV store for an incredibly low price, so parted with the cash and took it home. The synopsis alone sells the film to me, as does the name of the person who created the special FX make up.

The synopsis goes like this. In New Orleans, a city with a dark underside of black magic and Satan worship, two priests have been brutally murdered at St Agnes Church. Now the Unholy reigns, only to be challenged by the purest of souls. Father Michael Cross, believed to be spiritually blessed, is appointed to the ungodly parish. Is he really 'the chosen one', strong enough to fight against such ravishing temptation or such raw evil? Or is he simply the third to die? Some say Father Michael hasn't got a prayer.......

Now if that doesn't do it for you, then what are you doing reading this??? After viewing the film, I couldn't believe I'd missed this one.

A flame haired demon attempts to seduce priests in St Agnes church. Father Michael (Ben Cross) has been selected by the Arch Bishop to go to St Agnes church after he was pushed out of a high story window and he fell to the ground, only to be found completely unhurt. This leads the Arch Bishop to believe that Father Michael is spritually enlightened, or 'The chosen one' .

Father Michael then meets a waitress (Jill Carroll) who works at theatrical satanic bar, under the employment  of Luke (William Russ) who regularly holds staged sacrifices, therefore providing much of the satanic influence.

It is soon obvious that dark forces are at work at St Agnes' church, with an intent to claiming the lives of those it can tempt, especially preist's.

This film is an amazing 80's horror movie. As you have probably guessed , I am a fan of most 80's horror movies, and I instantly became a fan of this one. There are scenes of blood, there is a demon which for most of the movie is a beautiful red haired woman (played by Nicole Fortier) but at the end, she transforms into her true form which is gortesque, ugly and horriffic.

It was here the film lost it just a tiny bit for me. The two imps (two small people in masks and costumes) I found a little silly, and when the demon appears, it moves rather clumsily but still manages to look vile and disgusting. I felt the demon had the same flaws as the alley demon in Hellraiser, as in it didn't move well but apart from that, it was awesome.

I mention Hellraiser, because the FX in this movie were handled by none other than Bob Keen.

All in all , this film is fun, sexy, with a healthy dose of blood. Another scene I should mention, is Father Michael's descent into hell. Amazingly done, and an incredibly memorable scene.

I would recommend this movie to all fans of 80's horror, all fans of the supernatural and even to monster movie fans (just for the ending alone) .

Click here to buy this movie from Amazon.



I really do hope all my readers take the time to watch this film, and are as entertained as I was.

Darkest regards.................Dani.

The Video Dead.

Here's a film i saw many times in the video rental store when I was a young boy, but was never allowed to rent. I managed to watch an old VHS copy a few years ago, and I thought I'd spread the word for this little seen gem of 80's zombie horror.

The movie begins with a man getting a package he wasn't expecting. An old TV. The problem with this TV is that it only shows one movie, and that movie is called Zombie blood nightmare. In this movie, zombies are crawling out of the ground, when suddenly one of the zombies turns to face the viewer and manages to escape the realms of television land.

We then cut to three months later, where a brother and sister are moving into the house we saw at the beginning to get the place ready for their parents who are away on business in Saudi Arabia. Jeff (the brother) finds the TV that releases the dead, and he decides to movie it into his room.

While Jeff is watching the TV one night, a woman appears on the screen and begins seducing him. Before they can get to it a man comes out of the TV and murders the woman right in front of Jeff. The man informs Jeff on what he is about to unleash, but of course, Jeff doesn't take any notice, and unleashes a Zombie horde on the neighborhood.

Jeff then meets a Texan named Joshua Daniels, who that seems to know an awful lot about the zombies and how to stop them. This is where the film takes off and turns into an amazing horror comedy.

I must admit, there wasn't as much splatter as I'm used to seeing in a zombie movie, but then the zombies in this film are nowhere near normal. You see, these zombies don't like mirrors. The dead dont like to see their own reflection. We then find out there are two ways to kill these zombies, and these are:1- To trap the zombies in a room where there is no escape so they will go crazy ??!!!
2- Attack them like you would a living person, because the dead don't realize they are dead, so killing them would finally make them realize??!!                  

I understand it is confusing, but I feel it just adds to the film so much. Another thing I forgot to mention, if you don't fear the video dead, they wont attack and they become rather docile. The rest of the movie is spent with the teens and Joshua hunting down the zombies, with some amusing kills thrown in for good measure (for example, a lady is shoved inside a washing machine and put on the spin cycle).

What I love about this movie is it was made with love for the genre, and although the zombies don't ever munch flesh, I still found them awfully creepy. Especially the one in the bridal dress.

I know this film isn't for everyone. The acting is bad, the script virtually non existent, but I just cant help loving it. Horror movies have become less fun nowadays, and I feel that's a big thing missing from our genre.

Here is an alternate cover for The Video Dead.



I really hope the studio sees fit to transfer this movie from VHS to DVD or BLU RAY, as a whole generation are missing out on one of the best "so bad its good" movies ever made.

Until next time......

Darkest regards.......Dani.

Felissa Rose short interview.

Okay. A few years ago now, I was lucky enough to be able to ask Felissa Rose, star of Sleepaway camp, ten questions. Here is the brief Q and A session for you all to read.

1) You were in Sleepaway Camp at a young age. What was it like being on the set of a horror movie so young?


It was amazing and very exciting, it just felt like a big party!

2) Did you know about the shock ending in Sleepaway Camp or was it kept from you?

I knew about the ending, but it was very different from page to screen! I was in shock when I saw it in the movie theater.

3) What is your favourite movie making experience?

Meeting my husband on the set of Return to Sleepaway Camp.

4) What makes you want to return to the horror genre again and again?

Definitely the people who make horror movies and the people that watch them. It's an incredible community.

5) How was it working with Andreas Schnass in Nikos The Impaler?

He is very fun and loves blood. An eccentric for sure.

6) How did you feel when returned to Sleepaway Camp?

It was surreal. Like being in a dream i had once before.

7) What was it like working on Silent NightZombie Night?

I adore Sean Cain and had a lot of fun working with Vernon Wells. It was an exciting set with great people.

8) What is the scariest movie you have ever seen?

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

9) What movies are you/have you been working on lately?

I just finished Poe, and I will begin The perfect house next month, so excited for both!

10) Any plans for another return to Sleepaway Camp?

Oh yeah, something is coming...

Again, I would like to take this chance to thank Felissa Rose for taking the time to answer these questions.