John Carpenter’s America
“In England, I’m a horror movie director. In Germany, I’m a filmmaker. In the U.S., I’m a bum.” John Carpenter once said that about how he’s perceived in different countries. … Continue Reading John Carpenter’s America
Baywatch: ’90s Trash TV Reevaluated as Cult Oddity
Whether there is actually a renaissance of interest in Baywatch that is leading to its reevaluation as a time capsule masterpiece of campy junk food television or if that’s just … Continue Reading Baywatch: ’90s Trash TV Reevaluated as Cult Oddity
A Musical Tribute to Italian Genre Movies of the ‘60s and ‘70s
I thought I would try something a little different around here. You may have noticed in my writing here that I’m quite fond of Italian genre movies of the ’60s … Continue Reading A Musical Tribute to Italian Genre Movies of the ‘60s and ‘70s
Horror Movies with Brains (Literally): A History of Killer Brain Movies
It seems like every time a horror movie happens to become a hit with film critics, they always have to make it a point to say that it’s “a horror … Continue Reading Horror Movies with Brains (Literally): A History of Killer Brain Movies
A History of Crocsploitation (Crocodile and Alligator Movies, That Is)
Among killer animal movies, sharks tend to get the lion’s share (or shark’s share?) of the attention. Sharksploitation has been a full-fledged genre for a long time now, even predating … Continue Reading A History of Crocsploitation (Crocodile and Alligator Movies, That Is)
A Very Special Podcast Appearance!
I recently had the honor and pleasure of guest starring on the amazing Pairing Podcast to talk about movies with prominent cat characters. Listen to it here or find it on pretty … Continue Reading A Very Special Podcast Appearance!
A Simple Breakdown of Metal Subgenres
I know that the outside world thinks it’s baffling and in some ways hilarious that there are so many different subgenres of metal when to their ears it all sounds … Continue Reading A Simple Breakdown of Metal Subgenres
The 1st Annual Mondo Vulgare Movie Awards!
This is the time of year when it seems all the people who are really passionate about movies put forth their top 10 lists and superlatives to honor what they … Continue Reading The 1st Annual Mondo Vulgare Movie Awards!
On Critics and Horror
The degree of its vulgarity is ever wavering, but to the critical establishment, “horror” is still a dirty word. Skim through even most positive reviews of recent horror films published … Continue Reading On Critics and Horror
The Invisible Man on the Internet
“…the whole world’s my hiding place. I can stand there amongst them in the day or night and laugh at them.” -Jack Griffin, The Invisible Man (1933) The Invisible Man … Continue Reading The Invisible Man on the Internet
8 ’80s Horror Movies That Should Have Inspired Saturday Morning Cartoons
Troma’s 1984 cult classic The Toxic Avenger is notorious for its cartoonishly extreme violence (including a little boy’s head being crushed by a car), abundance of sex and nudity, onslaught … Continue Reading 8 ’80s Horror Movies That Should Have Inspired Saturday Morning Cartoons
My Halloween History
Despite the fact that I’d never seen any of the Universal Monster movies as a kid, I devoted four consecutive Halloweens to them. I was obsessed with monsters, and obviously … Continue Reading My Halloween History
13 Horror Movies Every Goth Should See
Horror fans are a more diverse bunch than people give us credit for. Listing off the different subgenres of horror would not be unlike Bubba talking about shrimp in Forrest … Continue Reading 13 Horror Movies Every Goth Should See
Why Horror Will Never Be as Popular as Sci-Fi or Fantasy — and Why That’s Okay
If there’s a common element to the stories that have captured the imaginations of entire cultures over time, it’s rather obviously mythology. People innately respond to myths. This goes back … Continue Reading Why Horror Will Never Be as Popular as Sci-Fi or Fantasy — and Why That’s Okay
The Walter Paisley Universe: Tracking the History of Cult Cinema’s Favorite Recurring Character
Roger Corman’s 1959 horror-tinged beatnik satire A Bucket of Blood may have been the start of one of the least likely shared universes in movie history. Well, okay. Not officially. … Continue Reading The Walter Paisley Universe: Tracking the History of Cult Cinema’s Favorite Recurring Character
New York as Hellscape in Horror Cinema of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s
“I think someone should just take this city and just…just flush it down the fuckin’ toilet.” -Travis Bickle, Taxi Driver (1976) As soon as you emerge from the stairway of … Continue Reading New York as Hellscape in Horror Cinema of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s
