Horror Tag Archive
Clownsploitation: Clowns in the Horror Genre
For me clowns have never been scary, just odd. For the horror genre, clowns are an easy fix; ready made monsters building increasingly ominous public relations with a dubious audience. Last year American Horror Story; Freakshow pulled clowns into the spotlight with the macabre Twisty. Jon Watts’ Clown has already kicked
Eat – DVD Review
Jimmy Weber clearly has a bone to pick, his directorial debut (also his debut writing credit) Eat is, on many counts, a fearless shameless venture, out to upset the unsuspecting viewer. For a horror fan, it’s a rare thing to find something that genuinely curls your toes, makes your eyes water, and has you shuddering […]
Maggie – EIFF 2015
Henry Hobson’s Maggie is a welcome surprise for the zombie genre and Arnold Shwarzenegger fans alike. The debut feature from Hobson, and his scribe John Scott 3, is an intimate portrayal of living with terminal illness, centred around two great performances.
The Hallow – EIFF 2015
Corin Hardy’s debut feature The Hallow is a refreshing creature-feature feeding off the folklore of Ireland. The film follows a British conservationist (Joseph Mawle), his wife (Bojana Novakovik), and their infant child who find themselves caught up in a nightmare after moving dangerously close to an ancient forest.
Contamination – Blu-Ray Review
Banned by the BBFC in 1984 but not prosecuted, Contamination (AKA Alien Contamination AKA Toxic Spawn) is a relatively tame title on the notorious list of 72 censored films. Director Luigi Cozzi, here operating under the name Lewis Coates, is blatantly compacting successful ideas into one Sci-Fi, adventure, horror, mash-up and it just about works.
Dead Rising – EIFF 2015
Considering how saturated the zombie genre is, its difficult to craft an exceptional or even noteworthy entry. Dead Rising: Watchtower, the screen adaptation of the popular Capcom game franchise, has even more pressure since its namesake is a hugely successful part of modern zombie culture, loved by fans worldwide.
Society – Blu-Ray Review
Brian Yuzna, Stuart Gordon acolyte, producer of From Beyond, Re- Animator (and its sequels), all-round 80’s Indy horror maestro, delivered one of his most startling projects in his directorial debut Society. A cult classic now, Society finds its way into midnight screenings and festival line-ups every year, its continual appeal fed by the immortality of […]
Island of Death – Blu-Ray Review
Island of Death, directed by Nick Mastorakis, is one of the nefarious features censored in the 80’s in conjunction with the Obscene Publications Act of 1959. The 72 banned films known as the Video Nasties, are a kind of variable cinematic gauntlet reserved for the most passionate of horror fans. Though a number of these […]
Ava’s Possessions – DbD 2015
The exorcism sub-genre has successfully stood its ground time and time again in every mode of the horror genre, so it’s a tough place to make your voice heard. Even then, Jordan Galland’s Ava’s Possessions is an absolute treat, not least because there seems to be a lack of post-exorcism films.
Musaranas – DbD 2015
Winning the audience award for best feature at Dead by Dawn is no small feat. The Edinburgh horror festival has a tight group of in-depth genre fanatics who know their stuff and get exposed to the newest and best once a year. Juanfer Andres and Esteban Roel’s Musaranas (AKA Shrew’s Nest) is a beautiful powerhouse […]
