News

By Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

I recently had a chance to talk with Kourosh Ahari. He’s a very promising young filmmaker that not only appreciates all the facets of good storytelling, but also embraces the technology that would allow him to tell those stories within and outside the realm of known possibilities. That approach has worked pretty well for guys like Spielberg and Cameron, so I relished the opportunity to talk to someone with that same passion at the dawn of their career.

He has already crossed genres with some pretty surreal and powerful stories involving human emotion intersecting with extraordinary circumstances, and now he’s using an innovative new three screen technology in his horror short film The Secret Of 40. Ahari talks with me in this interview about his beginnings, his very impressive body of work thus far, and what may be next for how we watch and enjoy films.

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Venus in Furs (1969)

Written by: Jess Franco, Malvin Wald, Milo G. Cuccia, Carlo Fadda, Bruno Leder.

Directed by Jess Franco

Cast: James Darren (Jimmy Logan), Maria Rohm (Wanda Reed), Klaus Kinski (Ahmed Kortobawi), Margaret Lee (Olga), Barbara McNair (Rita)

This may be the oldest film that I have reviewed thus far for More Horror. I had almost forgotten that in was in my Netflix roster, and through some celluloid serendipity, or more specifically, me forgetting about updating my snail mail DVD queue, Venus in Furs comes in the mail. There are two names attached to this surreal piece of erotic horror. Jess Franco which is quite expected, and then James Darren. What? I only remember him from the Shatner show “T.J. Hooker”, but I think my mom really liked him. She might have even considered him “dreamy”. I looked him up and sure enough,...

John Seale (Mad Max: Fury Road), the late Andrew Lesnie (The Water Diviner) and Benjamin Shirley (The Pack) shared the prize for best cinema feature at the 2015 Nsw/Act annual awards for cinematography.

Seale also collected the Ross Wood senior judges award for 2015 best entry.

The prize for drama or comedy series and telefeature went to Jules O'Loughlin for Black Sails episode 16 and Bruce Young for The Code episode 4.

Steve Arnold ( JFK - Smoking Gun) and Dave Cameron (The Monster of Mangatiti) shared the dramatised documentaries gong.

The awards were presented on Saturday at the Sydney Masonic Centre hosted by Ray Martin, with Gillian Armstrong as guest of honour. The winners from each of the Acs branch awards will compete for national awards in Adelaide next year, where there is a gold tripod award for each category. From those, the Milli Award for Australian cinematographer of the year is selected...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

Written by: Jim Jarmusch, Marion Bessay

Directed by: Jim Jarmusch

Cast: Tom Hiddleston (Adam), Tilda Swinton (Eve), Mia Wasikowska (Ava), John Hurt (Christopher Marlowe), Anton Yelchin (Ian), Jeffrey Wright (Dr. Watson)

I’ve written on more than one occasion how many subsets there are of zombie films. In most cases, you know what you are going to get. Straight up purist zombie films, contagion zombie films, zom coms, and even zom rom coms (That’s zombie romantic comedy. I don’t know if it’s fully made it into the horror lexicon yet, so I felt that I needed to elaborate) The vampire film has its own unique evolution, and exactly what any vampire film is about is much more difficult to decipher. It could be anything from gothic period pieces, showdowns between a Van Helsing protagonist and a Dracula antagonist,...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014)

Written by: Ana Lily Amirpour

Directed by: Ana Lily Amirpour

Cast: Sheila Vand (The Girl), Arash (Arash Marandi), Marshall Manesh (Hossein the Junkie), Mozhan Marno (Atti the Prostitute), Dominic Rains (Saeed the Pimp), Rome Shadanloo (Shaydah the Princess), Ray Haratian (The Boss), Pej Vahdat (DJ Porno), Ana Lily Amirpour (Skeleton Partygirl), Masuka (Masuka the Cat)

There are two things that have inhibited me in the past from broadening my horror film horizons. Those things would be subtitles and anything filmed in black and white. I’ve conquered my perceived drudgery of reading subtitles, and after many forced exercises to multitask my watching and reading simultaneously, I can get lost in a really good horror movie, and the subtitles come as second nature. I’m still struggling with the black and white. Even established classics such as “Night of the Living Dead...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Hell Comes to Frogtown (1987)

Written by: Donald G. Jackson, Randall Frakes

Directed by: Donald G. Jackson

Cast: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper (Sam Hell), Sandahl Bergman (Spangle), William Smith (Captain Devlin), Cec Verrell (Centinella), Kristi Somers (Arabella), Rory Calhoun (Looney Tunes), Cliff Bemis (Leroy).

I don’t really know what to make of the name “Hell Comes to Frogtown”. I think it has served a dual purpose in being clever, and keeping me from seeing this film. The play on words is the clever part. Our hero’s name is Sam Hell, and guess what-he’s headed to Frogtown. Then again, it would be quite logical to assume that this could be a low budget Jim Henson film wannabe, and I guess it is. However, after I watched it, I’ve come to realize that it’s way more subversive than that. The two lead actors...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

Monster Dog (1984)

Written by: Claudio Fragrasso

Directed by: Claudio Fragrasso

Cast: Vince (Alice Cooper), Sandra (Victoria Vera), Angela (Pepita James), Pepa Sarsa (Marilou), Carlos Santurio (Frank), Ricardo Palacios (Sheriff Morrison), Barta Barri (Old Man),

Horror film anomalies are one of my favorite things ever. An occurrence of happenstance that is just so weird and off kilter, it could never occur or even be suggested again. Ironically, these strange and random acts of film kismet, hold a very important place in the legacy of horror films. Case in point would be Alice Cooper’s only (as far as I know) starring film role. He made a memorable turn in John Carpenter’s “Prince of Darkness” as a supporting character, but never as a leading man, other than “Monster Dog”. This is a 1984 film that I remember renting just because it had Alice Cooper in it.

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

Zombeavers (2014)

Written by: Al Kaplan, Jon Kaplan, Jordan Rubin

Directed by: Jordan Rubin

Cast: Rachel Melvin (Mary), Cortney Palm (Zoe), Lexi Atkins (Jenn), Hutch Dano (Sam), Jake Weary (Tommy), Peter Gilroy (Buck), Rex Linn (Smyth), Brent Briscoe (Winston), Phyllis Katz (Myrne), Bill Burr (Joseph), John Mayer (Luke), Robert R. Shafer (Trucker)

It’s so hard to tell nowadays what kind of film you are going to get by just looking at the solitary picture and the synopsis. I seldom ever rely on the number of stars that it has, because someone else’s trash just might be my treasure. Back in the video store days, there were absolutely no guarantees even by looking at the videocassette box, but I guess that I just had a false sense of security that I could make a more informed choice. I’m slowly letting go, and just going with straight up intuition.

By Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

I had the distinct pleasure of corresponding with Natalie Burn. Burn’s talented beyond measure and has had a well lived life thus far. Beginning as a dancer and studying at such prestigious schools as The Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow and The Royal Ballet School in London.

She then threw her hand into the acting game, and has worked alongside Sly Stallone himself in Expendables 3, and has recently made a film that deals with the dark side of organ donation, in addition to Awaken and Killer Mermaid (review). It’s pretty impressive not only because it has some noteworthy names in it, but it was also co-written by her as well. She even does her own stunt work. If it’s not apparent by now, she believes in a pretty broad skill set.

Kevin Scott Natalie, thanks so much for talking with More Horror. I...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

Heir (2015)

Written by: Richard Powell

Directed by: Richard Powell

Cast: Robert Nolan (Gordon), Bill Oberst Jr. (Denis), Mateo D’Avino (Paul), Stacey Campbell (Kid), Ken Austen (Rotting Pedophile), Jane Pokou (Waitress).

If you have heard the buzz around Fatal Pictures’ new film “Heir”, you can rightfully get pretty excited about it. A convergence of two juggernauts actors of independent horror is what it is, plain and simple. Bill Oberst Jr. and Robert Nolan can masterfully wield the ability to take everyman creepy from an innocuous and subtle unsettledness to a menacing and baneful fever pitch right before your very eyes.

It’s only a natural progression that they would inevitably share the screen together. Every time I watch anything with either of them in it, I know that I’m not going to see the normal world in the same comfortable way for a little while after that.

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

Knights of Badassdom (2013)

Written by: Kevin Dreyfuss, Matt Wall

Directed by: Joe Lynch

Cast: Ryan Kwanten (Joe), Steve Zahn (Eric), Peter Dinklage (Hung), Margarita Levieva (Beth), Summer Glau (Gwen), Joshua Malina (Travis), Michael Gladis (King Diamond), W. Earl Brown (Randy), Brian Posehn (Gilberto), Douglas Tait (Abominog)

I’m pretty much going to watch any film called “Knights of Badassdom”. I just am, and probably if you are reading this, you would too. I’m absolutely astounded at how the social stereotypes are melding together little by little, and this film is definitely a testament to that. Remember being the weird kid and only having a handful of equally weird, but loyal friends. That definitely was me, and I couldn’t see it then, but I pretty much had it made. Being weird now is a little more tolerated that it used to be, but...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

Preservation (2014)

Written by: Christopher Denham

Directed by: Christopher Denham

Cast: Wrenn Schmidt (Wit Neary), Pablo Schreiber (Sean Neary), Aaron Staton (Mike Neary)

Read the simple synopsis on “Preservation”, and it would be easy to jump to the conclusion that teenagers fall by the blade of a masked killer or maybe even a crazed family of mountain dwelling inbreeds. Nope, way off. It does involve masked killers though. Instead of the wilderness excursions that are really excuses to indulge in the debauchery of alcohol, drugs, and unbridled and unprotected sex, this is more the camping trip that you would take in your late twenties after you have settled into marriage or couplehood. No sick house on the lake that doubles as party central. These are actual adults, intending to sleep in tents and actually kill animals. Mostly due to nostalgia, and what makes this even...

Interview by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

I had the privilege recently to talk with the very talented director James Cullen Bressack. He’s becoming the Cameron Crowe of Horror directors by being a wunderkind and showing mind blowing talent as a writer and director even before he could buy his own beer. I was grateful to get some insight from him, find out what inspired him, and see what’s next. Special thanks to actor/producer/writer Zack Ward for joining in on the interview.

Ks: I know that you get this a lot, but you are a really young guy. You seem so close to the golden age of VHS, with a love for such classics as “Basket Case” and the William Lustig films, yet you are a generation removed. How did you discover them?

Jcb: I got really into watching VHS stuff. My Dad had “Hellraiser” on VHS.

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

Nymph (2014)

Written by: Marko Backovic, Barry Keating, Milan Konjevic

Directed by: Milan Todorovic

Cast: Kristina Klebe (Kelly), Franco Nero (Niko), Natalie Burn (Lucy), Dragan Micanovic (Boban), Slobodan Stefanovic (Alex), Miodrag Krstovic (The Guardian), Sofija Rajovic (Yasmine)

As you can see from the very challenging names to spell in the cast, this film has an international flair. Some scenes were filmed in Montenegro and some in Serbia. As of this writing, this film is streaming on Netflix under the title “Killer Mermaid”. I tend to gravitate more towards “Nymph”, the films’ original title. It leaves a little more mystique and still lets the film hold on to that exotic flair I eluded to earlier.

If anyone remembers “She Creature”, it involved a killer mermaid as well. That’s the only other film that I know of that can be compared to this one. I liked it a lot,...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

Don’t Blink (2014)

Written by: Travis Oates

Directed by: Travis Oates

Cast: Mena Suvari (Tracy), Brian Austin Green (Jack), Zack Ward (Alex), Joanne Kelley (Claire), Robert Picardo (Man in Black), Fionna Gubelmann (Ella), David de Lautour (Noah), Leif Gantvoort (Sam), Emilie O’Hara (Amelia)

After all of the horror that I’ve taken in all these years, I don’t think that I could even begin to feel peaceful at a secluded cabin with a bunch of friends in tow. The adage “safety in numbers” seems to never, ever apply with recreational cohabitation in the wilderness. I’m not sure why, but it just happens to be a well documented fact in horror cinema. Slasher or supernatural, something that starts with an “s” is just going make methodical work of disposing of everyone. The previously mentioned cabin set up just happens to be the...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

Pernicious (2015)

Written by: James Cullen Bressack, Taryn Hillin

Directed by: James Cullen Bressack

Cast: Ciara Hanna (Alex), Emily O’Brien (Julia), Jackie Moore (Rachel), Russell Geoffrey Banks (Colin), Byron Gibson (Byron), Jack Prinya (Male Nurse), Sohanne Bengana (Vlad), Jared Cohn (Shane), Sara Malakul Lane (Samorn)

*Possible Spoilers Below*

I’m always running a formula in my mind when I watch any movie or a horror movie in particular. Well, I’ve got some attractive ladies in a foreign land, this has got to be a kidnapping or a sex trafficking film. My sensibilities are my own worst enemy sometimes, because with James Cullen Bressack’s film “Pernicious”, it really is like that leftover Whitman’s sampler from Valentine’s Day. You never know what you are going to get.

It begins with three young women from the States arriving in Thailand for a humanitarian teaching gig.

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

Wolves (2014)

Written by: David Hayter

Directed by: David Hayter

Cast: Lucas Till (Cayden Richards), Stephen McHattie (John Tollerman), John Pyper-Ferguson (Wild Joe), Merritt Patterson (Angelina Timmins), Jason Momoa (Conner), Janet Laine-Green (Clara Tollerman), Melanie Scrofano (Gail Timmins), Adam Butcher (Deke), Philip Maurice Hayes (Kino)

I saw a random preview of this film at the theatre before the feature film that I was there to see. It was the climax battle scene between the two primary characters. Both were wolfed out and talking some trash. I never heard from “Wolves” again until I saw it streaming on Netflix. I reserve judgment as one should until I actually watch something. I always have a golden strand of optimism to grasp on to. When it comes to werewolf films, I’ve found myself becoming a little pessimistic. The last film that really nailed it was “Dog Soldiers...

Snoop Dogg's Youth Football League continues to churn out studs -- with 20 former Syfl players committing to D1 colleges to play ball ... TMZ Sports has learned. As we previously reported, Snoop started the L.A.-based league back in 2005 -- and it's exploded ever since ... with roughly 1,700 players signed up last season ... and 4 alums who made it to the NFL. And now that National Signing Day came and went, the Commish of the Syfl...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

The Beast Must Die (1974)

Written by: James Blish (Original story), Michael Winder, Paul Annett, Scott Finch

Directed by: Paul Annett

Cast: Calvin Lockhart (Tom Newcliffe), Peter Cushing (Dr. Christopher Lundgren), Marlene Clark (Caroline Newcliffe), Charles Gray (Arthur Bennington), Anton Diffring (Pavel), Ciaran Madden (Davina Gilmore), Tom Chadbon (Paul Foote), Michael Gambon (Jan Jarmokowski)

I’ve been on a werewolf kick here lately. I’ve watched new flicks like “Wolves” (review forthcoming), and some really obscure stuff like “Full Eclipse” about werewolf cops. It’s been purely unintentional, it just happened that way. This film is the one that lit the fuse, and the best of the pack. It has volumes of cool stuff going for it, and is ripe for a good remake with all new cool stuff made possible by modern technology. I’ll get to that later.

This is an Amicus film.

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

Banshee Chapter (2013)

Written by: Blair Erickson, Daniel J. Healy

Directed by: Bair Erickson

Cast: Katia Winter (Ann Roland), Ted Levine (Thomas Blackburn), Michael McMillian (James Hirsch), Jenny Gabrielle (Callie), Vivian Nesbitt (Olivia Kmiec)

“Banshee Chapter” exemplifies the phrase “Still Waters Run Deep”. The poster art lends to either some “Hellraiser” action with some skinned twisted Epicureans or it’s some sort of anatomical horror indie flick. I dunno. After writing a good many reviews by now, I always notice patterns about the things that I mention repeatedly. I realized that I’m a sucker for good poster art. That all too critical first impression that hooks you. “Banshee Chapter” ended up being nothing of what I thought it would be.

The opener shows a montage of legit footage about government mind control experiments. One in particular has been dubbed “Project MKUltra”. What singles this...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

Mercy (2014)

Written by: Matt Greenberg, Stephen King (Short Story)

Directed by: Peter Cornwell

Cast: Chandler Riggs (George), Dylan McDermott (Jim Swann), Mark Duplass (Uncle Lanning), Francess O’Connor (Rebecca), Joel Courtney (Buddy), Hana Hayes (Girl Next Door), Amanda Walsh (Charlotte), Chris Browning (Frank), Shirley Knight (Mercy)

If you notice from the credits, “Mercy” is a feature length film that is based on a short story from the modern day master of horror himself, Stephen King. In my humble opinion, I don’t think that Stephen King is one of those guys who you either love or hate. Regardless, of whether you judge him exclusively within the horror genre or when films based on his work crossed out of horror, such as “The Green Mile”. There is something from Stephen King for everyone, and at least one of the many things he wrote that resonates...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

Mr. Hush (2011)

Written by: David Lee Madison

Directed by: David Lee Madison

Cast: Brad Loree (Holland Taylor), Edward X. Young (Mr. Hush), Stephen Geoffreys (Stark), Steve Dash (Mac), Jessica Cameron (Julie), Connie Giordano (Debbie)

I don’t want to reveal my hand to early on this one, but then again you guys probably know by now that I don’t rip into any film to tear it to shreds. Typically, it’s for two reasons. I see what they were trying to do with a limited budget. The heart is there, but the money ain’t. Also, I’ve had to double back on my opinions of films on the first watch. Hating it in the beginning, and then seeing something or things on another viewing that shows me that I had a gross error in judgment. Well, “Mr. Hush” puts me into a purgatory of indecision.

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

God Told Me Too (1976)

Written by: Larry Cohen

Directed by: Larry Cohen

Cast: Tony Lo Bianco (Peter J. Nicholas), Deborah Raffin (Casey Forster), Sandy Dennis (Martha Nicholas), Sylvia Sydney (Elizabeth Mullin), Richard Lynch (Bernard Phillips), Andy Kaufman (Police Officer).

This film is unquestionably one of the most unique films that I have watched or reviewed. I don’t just throw that statement nonchalantly out here. It was written by Larry Cohen, who horror fans will primarily know from the “It’s Alive” films and the really eclectic sequel to “Salem’s Lot”. He’s done everything, and is a prolific writer and director. One of my all-time favorites of his is “The Stuff” about some killer yogurt, and I don’t mean “killer” as in it just tastes good. I’ve seen a lot of his work, and “God Told Me To” has to be the most complex.

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

Frogs (1972)

Written by: Robert Huchison, Robert Blees

Directed by: George McCowan

Cast: Sam Elliot (Pickett Smith), Ray Milland (Jason Crockett), Joan Van Arc (Karen Crockett), Adam Roarke (Clint Crockett), Judy Pace (Bella Garrington), Mae Mercer (Maybelle), Lynn Borden (Jenny Crockett)

One great truth that I have learned is that there are truly no new things. There are only old things happening to new people. Agree or disagree, I’m using it in this particular instance to describe a little subgenre of the horror film, the eco horror film. My picks for horror movie watching in general are usually split between about 70 percent random and about 30 percent deliberate. It’s usually the random ones that are the most fun. I’m a sucker for American International Pictures flicks from the 1970’s. They fall under a few different types of classifications, but they are all Grindhouse...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Oculus (2013)

Written by: Mike Flanagan, Jeff Howard, Jeff Seidman

Directed by: Mike Flanagan

Cast: Karen Gillan (Kaylie Russell), Brenton Thwaites (Tim Russell), Katee Sackhoff (Marie Russell), Rory Cochrane (Alan Russell), Annalise Basso (Young Kaylie), Garrett Ryan (Young Tim), James Lafferty (Michael Dumont)

Mirrors have always given me the creeps. Your refection showing the toll of time and aging, those tried and true horror tropes of your reflection not being tethered to what you do on the other side of the glass, or the mirror itself being a gateway to another world. So it would be a pretty easy sell to make a movie about an evil mirror. It’s even been done a few times before. I just watched another pretty clever mirror entry with David Warner. It was part of the classic Amicus Anthology “From Beyond the Grave”. He comes under the control...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Torture Garden (1967)

Written by: Robert Bloch

Directed by: Freddie Francis

Cast: Burgess Meredith (Dr. Diablo), Jack Palance (Ronald Wyatt), Beverly Adams (Carla Hayes), Peter Cushing (Lancelot Canning), Maurice Denham (Uncle Roger), Robert Hutton (Bruce Benton), John Standing (Leo Winston), John Phillips (Eddie Storm), Bernard Kay (Dr. Heim), David Bauer (Mike Charles)

It goes without saying how much I love the Amicus and Hammer anthology films. So elegantly terrifying with a prim and proper British flair, I would love to see a film like that today. Not saying that there aren’t good anthologies made now, but I haven’t seen any that mined that perfect blend of EC comics pulp horror and some solid style as classically trained actors and actresses bring it to life. I can even look past all the neckerchiefs and high 1970’s fashion, in fact I kinda like it.

“Torture Garden...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

Blood Glacier (2013)

Written by: Benjamin Hessler

Directed by: Marvin Kren

Cast: Gerhard Liebman (Janek), Edita Malovcic (Tanja), Brigitte Kren (Ministerin Bodicek), Hille Beseler (Birte), Peter Knaack (Falk), Santos (Tinnie), Felix Romer (Harald), Wolfgang Pampel (Bert Kakauer)

I don’t want to lead anyone astray on what this film is about. Just from reading the plot before I watched it, I gathered that it could be labeled as eco horror, which for the most part, I guess it is. Here we go though, putting labels on stuff, when all the old classic throwback horror from the 1950’s of mutated whatevers caused by radiation or some other ecological sin man created was just a scary movie. That’s how I prefer to look at it.

This is an Austrian film, and it takes place at a remote mountain research station in the Swiss Alps. There’s...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott,

MoreHorror.com

Antisocial (2013)

Written by: Chad Archibald, Cody Calahan

Directed by: Cody Calahan

Cast: Michelle Mylett (Sam), Cody Ray Thompson (Mark), Adam Christie (Jed), Ana Alic (Kaitlyn) Romaine Waite (Steve), Ry Barrett (Chad)

Ever think that social media is going to be the death of us? Maybe, but it’s not going anywhere. Aside from the positive aspects of bringing people back into our lives that we would have otherwise lost touch with forever (that’s not always a good thing), it becomes relevant fodder for filmmakers. One of the many things that I love about the horror genre is that any thread of social commentary that runs through with the monsters or the murderers on the surface, gets filtered into its purest form and we see the absolute most extreme impact of what happens with the ordinary when things become extraordinary (usually in a really,...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

The Midnight Hour (1985)

Written by: William Bleich

Directed by: Jack Bender

Cast: Shari Belafonte Harper (Melissa), Lee Montgomery (Phil), Jonna Lee (Sandy), LeVar Burton (Vinnie), Peter DeLuise (Mitch), Deedee Pfeiffer (Mary), Jonelle Allen (Lucinda Cavender), Kevin McCarthy (Judge Crandall), Dick Van Patten (Martin Grenville)

This is the very first time I’ve featured a TV movie on any of my reviews. I’m really surprised that it is. Some solid entries in the annals of horror and sci fi history made their debut on the small screen. “Salem’s Lot” is the first one to come to mind. Although the film that I’m going to talk about isn’t even remotely close to being anything like “Salem’s Lot” (except for having vampires), it does come from a bygone era where things might have been a little tighter on what could be shown on TV.

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

Satan’s Little Helper (2004)

Written by: Jeff Lieberman

Directed by: Jeff Lieberman

Cast: Alexander Brickel (Dougie), Kathryn Winnick (Jenna), Stephen Graham (Alex), Amanda Plummer (Merrill), Wass Stevens (Dean)

If there ever was a film that deterred me from watching it just by the poster art, it was this one. The demonic elf holding the pumpkin for some reason did not appeal to me. I’ve dodged watching this one for a good two years. I had heard some good things about it, so what the heck.

It really has absolutely nothing to do with a demonic elf, but it does take place on Halloween. Jenna is a college student who comes back home with her boyfriend, Alex to celebrate Halloween. They are met when they arrive by her mom, Merrill, and her little brother Dougie. Dougie loves Jenna and sees Alex as a deterrent...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

The Monkey’s Paw (2013)

Written by: W.W. Jacobs (short novel), Macon Blair (screenplay)

Directed by: Brett Simmons

Cast: C.J. Thomason (Jake), Stephen Lang (Tony Cobb), Daniel Hugh Kelly (Gillespie), Michelle Pierce (Olivia), Corbin Bleu (Catfish), Charles S. Dutton (Detective Margolis), James Minor III (Cory Cobb), Andy Favreau (Kevin)

Anyone that is familiar with the short story “The Monkey’s Paw” knows where the premise of this flick from Chiller Films is headed. It’s a pretty respectable premise though. Horror has always had a cautionary tale basis at its deepest foundations, and this is a timeless morality story that has been given a contemporary spin. Not the first time it’s been done for sure, but if it’s done well, I can definitely roll with it. This version takes place in New Orleans, which happens to be one of my favorite locales for a horror film anyway,...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

MoreHorror.com

The Town that Dreaded Sundown (1976)

Written by: Earl E. Smith

Directed by: Charles B. Pierce

Cast: Ben Johnson (Capt. J.D. Morales), Andrew Prine (Deputy Norman Ramsey), Dawn Wells (Helen Reed), Charles B. Pierce (Patrolman A.C. Benson), Robert Aquino (Sherriff Otis Barker), Jimmy Clem (Sgt. Mal Griffin), Jim Citty (Police Chief R.J. Sullivan), Cindy Butler (Peggy Loomis)

If I had seen this film, it’s been a fleeting memory, and my recollections of it were sketchy to non-existent. I had to watch it when I saw it on Netflix. This happens to be one of the granddaddy’s of the slasher film genre when there was no genre at all. At this particular point in 1976, there was only one other, and that was “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. No “Halloween” yet, and “Friday the 13th” was even further down the line. My expectations...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

Blood Lake: Attack of the Killer Lampreys (2014)

Written by: Anna Rasmussen and Delondra Williams

Directed by: James Cullen Bressack

Cast: James Brooks (Michael), Shannen Doherty (Cate), Zack Ward (Will), Christopher Lloyd (Mayor Akerman), Ciara Hanna (Nicole), Yar Koosha (Kyle), Fred Stoller (Rich), Rachel True (Marcy), Jeremy Wade (Lamprey Expert)

I’m a huge “Piranha” fan, and I’ll watch anything (anything that is!) pertaining to lake horror. Hockey masked killers, prehistoric monsters, government altered mutated fish, toxic waste mutated marine life and even zombies, are all enhanced when set at a lake. It’s in a more confined space than the ocean, there’s usually plenty of expendable characters getting their vacation on to up the body count, and it makes one think twice that fresh water is absolutely, positively safe.

“Blood Lake” is an Asylum film that deals with something that is creepy enough as...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott

Invaders from Mars (1986)

Directed by: Tobe Hooper

Written by: Richard Blake, Don Jakoby, and Dan O’Bannon

Cast: Hunter Carson (David Gardner), Karen Black (Linda Magnusson), Timothy Bottoms (George Gardner), Laraine Newman (Ellen Gardner), James Karen (Gen. Climet Wilson), Bud Cort (Mark Weinstein)

The best that I can tell, nostalgia runs on a thirty year cycle. I can speculate that what everybody watches as children, shapes them into adults with a deep seated desire to emulate it or watch it being emulated. A select few make it to a position where they can actually interject that nostalgia into the contemporary mainstream, and satisfy both the fans of the original material, but also put such a spit shine on the old premise that even the youngsters dig it, and have no idea that it’s based on something way older than they are. In the 1980’s we...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Cursed (2005)

Written by Kevin Williamson

Directed by Wes Craven

Cast: Christina Ricci (Ellie), Joshua Jackson (Jake), Jesse Eisenberg (Jimmy), Milo Ventimiglia (Bo), Judy Greer (Joanie), Scott Baio (Himself), Craig Kilborne (Himself), Portia de Rossi (Zela), Mya (Jenny), Shannon Elizabeth (Becky), Derek Mears (Werewolf)

Here I am once more, potentially defending something that is much maligned as a catastrophic fail. I often find myself having to do that for films, (sequels especially) that did not find a collective acceptance among its target audience. Friday the 13th part 5, Halloween 3, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, just to name a few. “Cursed” stands alone, but still made a difficult road for itself by being part of a genre that has had its share of epic triumphs and hard disappointments. Werewolf films have broken new ground with “An American Werewolf in London” with its landmark special effects, and “The Howling” with...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, More Horror.com

Don’t Look Now (1973)

Directed by: Nicolas Roeg

Written by: Daphne Du Maurier (Short Story), Allen Scott (Screenplay)

Cast: Donald Sutherland (John Baxter), Julie Christie (Laura Baxter), Hilary Mason (Heather), Clelia Matania (Wendy), Nicholas Salter (Johnny Baxter), Sharon Williams (Christine Baxter), Renato Scarpi (Inspector Longhi), Massimo Serato (Bishop Barbarrigo)

There’s a term for a spinoff hybrid of country music that I really can appreciate. “Countrypolitan” is the label used for country music with lush arrangements, maybe some horns and unconventional stringed instruments thrown in. A refined version of an elemental thing that was good on its own, but elevated while retaining the same beloved and established characteristics of its genre. The thing that is so great about “Countrypolitan” is that it gave some culture to the masses in a palatable way so that they almost didn’t know it. My Dad would...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Piranha (1995)

Written by: Richard Robinson (story), John Sayles (original script)

Produced by: Roger Corman

Directed by: Scott P. Levy

Cast: William Katt (Paul Grogan), Alexandria Paul (Maggie McNamara), Monte Markham (J. R. Randolph), Mila Kunis (Susie Grogan), James Karen (Governor), Leland Orser (Terry Wechsler)

In this day of remakes and re-imaginings, this little anomaly would be anything but unusual. However in 1995, this was a strange curiosity, that was brought into existence for no particular reason that I know of. It was a made as TV movie for the Sci Fi Channel (Yep, that’s the old school spelling back in ’95) when it was still trying to find its niche. Then only three years old, the Sci Fi Channel was more than likely showing reruns of cult favorite tv shows, and had not tapped into the fertile ground of the nouveau B movie that it is now famous for.

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Hide and Creep (2004)

Written by: Chance Shirley

Directed by: Chance Shirley and Chuck Hartsell

Cast: Chuck Hartsell (Chuck), Michael Shelton (Michael, Lee), Kyle Holman (Keith), Chris Garrison (Ted), Eric McGinty (Ned), Melissa Bush (Barbara), Chris Hartsell (Chris), Mia Frost (Gail), Melba Sibrel (Sheila), Barry Austin (Reverend Smith)

I’ve watched a lot of independent zombie films, more than I can count for sure. Some were more memorable than others, and the production quality was definitely the most random criteria that differentiated them. I can honestly say that I enjoyed them all on some level. Being a fan of an obscure or independent film with a meager budget poses a bit of an interesting dichotomy. In any other genre it may make someone a little Bohemian. Ironically in horror, sometimes it’s incorrectly perceived as a case of low standards.

Everyone now and a film...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Maximum Overdrive (1986)

Written by: Stephen King

Directed by: Stephen King

Cast: Emilio Estevez (Bill), Pat Hingle (Bubba), Laura Harrington (Brett), Yeardley Smith (Connie), John Short (Curtis), J.C. Quinn (Duncan Keller), Holter Graham (Deke Keller), Frankie Faison (Handy)

Alright, I know that I probably can’t tell you anything new about this one, but sometimes I feel like I need to defend it as a wonderful and random anomaly that will probably never happen again. Stephen King as a director? AC/DC doing the complete score? Man, that sounds like horror/rock and roll heaven! In a way, it was. Once again, I do have some nostalgia for this film. It was the humble beginnings of one of my favorite cities, Wilmington, Nc becoming a prolific film town. This film was made by Deg films along with a couple of other King adaptations like “Cat...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Creature (2011)

Written by: Fred Andrews, Tracy Morse

Directed by: Fred Andrews

Cast: Dillon Casey (Oscar), Serinda Swan (Emily), Mehcad Brooks (Niles), Lauren Schneider (Karen), Aaron Hill (Randy), Amanda Fuller (Beth), Wayne Pere (Bud), David Jensen (Jimmy), Daniel Bernhardt (Grimley Boutine/Lockjaw), Sid Haig (Chopper)

The creature feature genre is often the most neglected of all the horror subgenres. It takes a back seat to more bankable premises such as slasher and paranormal horror. A new good creature feature is about as hard to find as the creature in the movie itself. Back in the day (way, way, back) in the 1950’s, the creature feature held the lion’s share of what any horror fan would want to see. In my humble opinion, it’s the biggest gamble for anybody that has plans to make a horror film now. Out of the gate, it has two strikes against it.

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Abby (1974)

Director: William Girdler

Writers: William Girdler and Gordon Cornell Layne

Cast: William Marshall (Bishop Garnet Williams), Terry Carter (Rev. Emmett Williams), Austin Stoker (Det. Cass Potter), Carol Speed (Abby Williams), Juanita Moore (Miranda “Momma” Potter)

I pride myself on being a Blaxploitation fan, but I may have missed one of the high points in the genre. A good friend of mine and a trusted resource for solid film recommendations told me about this one. When I elaborate a little further about the cast and the plot, I almost need to turn in my Blaxploitation fan card. It’s almost unpardonable.

“Abby” came out in 1974. It’s a story of possession that debuted a year after another possession story that maybe you heard of. It actually was taken out of circulation for several years because Warner Brothers sued American International Pictures for directly ripping off “The Exorcist”. Maybe,...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Wreckage (2010)

Directed by: John Asher

Written by: David Frigerio

Cast: Aaron Paul (Rick), Mike Erwin (Jared), Cameron Richardson (Kate), Scoot McNairy (Frank), Kelly Kruger (Jessica), Roger Perry (Sheriff Macabee), John Asher (Deputy Berry), Lisa Ann Walter (Doctor Richardson)

Cult horror movies that have actors in them that go on to mega stardom create a separate category all their own. Kevin Bacon in “Friday the 13th”, George Clooney in “Horror High”, and Johnny Depp in the original “A Nightmare on Elm Street”. I don’t know what it is, but it ruins it for me a little bit, because when I watch the movie thereafter, that’s all I see. Then there are the films that might have been buried before (sometimes for good reason), but enjoy a resurrection, and maybe even a redesigned cover with the now famous star’s name displayed prominently, even...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Almost Human (2013)

Written by: Joe Begos

Directed by: Joe Begos

Cast: Graham Skipper (Seth), Joe Ethier (Mark), Vanessa Leigh (Jen), Susan T. Travers (Becky), Anthony Amaral III (Clyde Dutton), Michael A. LoCicero (Barry), Jami Tennille (Tracy), Mark O’Leary (Dale)

Just like anything else, I’d like to the think that the more I use my skills as a horror movie aficionado, the sharper they become. I would argue with anyone that it is a legitimate skill set that from personal experience, has taken years to develop. So, I said all that to say this. Sometimes, I can look over all the imperfections a film has, and clearly see the intent that they were going for. That in itself can define most of our beloved cinema that some would say was schlock from the 1970’s and 80’s. Remember “The Incredible Melting Man”? I don...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Jug Face (2013)

Written by: Chad Crawford Kinkle

Directed by: Chad Crawford Kinkle

Cast: Lauren Ashley Carter (Ada), Daniel Manche (Jessaby), Larry Fessenden (Sustin), Sean Bridgers (Dawai), Alex Maizus (Emaciated Boy), Sean Young (Loriss), Mathieu Whitman (Bodey)

I gotta say that this movie could be about anything. Let me present a few possible scenarios: A poor, homely, simpleton girl that is abused by those more fortunate than her, and hopefully, she executes a cold and calculating plan of revenge using supernatural means? Nope. Maybe a backwoods girl possessed by something unholy whose only salvation is an exorcism by a righteous crusader? No, but closer than the first option.

“Jug Face” begins with Ada, a young rural girl getting crudely deflowered in the woods by her boyfriend perhaps, unfortunately more like her brother. A few weeks later, she suspects and then confirms that she is pregnant.

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Dead End (2003)

Directors: Jean Baptiste Andrea, Fabrice Canepa

Writers: Jean Baptiste Andrea, Fabrice Canepa

Cast: Ray Wise (Frank Harrington), Lin Shaye (Laura Harrington), Mick Cain (Richard Harrington), Alexandra Holden (Marion Harrington), Billy Asher Rosenfeld (Brad Miller), Amber Smith (Lady in White), Steve Valentine (Man in Black)

I’m always amazed at how long a film will stay stagnate on my Netflix list. This one sat on it for I’m thinking around six months or so. What’s even more amazing are the pre conceived notions about the film that I get from the synopsis and the cover art. I’m usually more surprised than anything else, and that can be good or bad. I’m an optimist for the most part, and am almost always glad that I went ahead and took care of business and watched it. With the directors’ names, I...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Grabbers (2012)

Director: Jon Wright

Writer: Kevin Lehane

Cast: Richard Coyle (Garda Ciaran O’Shea), Ruth Bradley (Garda Lisa Nolan), Russell Tovey (Dr. Adam Smith), Lalor Roddy (Paddy Barrett), David Pearse (Brian Maher)

I’m probably revealing my hand too soon, as a matter fact, I know I am. This is one of my favorites that I’ve seen year, and it’s a great little film that incorporates a lot of things that I love about other films into a solid entry on the sincere recommend list of great little gems that need more exposure. I love horror films set in the United Kingdom. That love goes way back to the Hammer and Amicus films, the great gothic scenery. and groovy 1970’s vibes. The new generation of great U.K. horror films has its own subset of categories. You have the “28 Days Later” type that’s full on horror,...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Vampires (1998)

Directed by: John Carpenter

Written by: John Steakley (novel), Don Jakoby

Cast: James Woods (Jack Crow), Daniel Baldwin (Anthony Montoya), Sheryl Lee (Katrina), Thomas Ian Griffith (Valek), Maximillian Schell (Cardinal Alba), Tim Guinee (Father Adam Guiteau)

Back in 1998, there were two vampire films in theatres, “Blade” and “John Carpenter’s Vampires”. They were eerily similar. Both had something to do with vampires going through an ancient rite to walk in the daylight, both had an anti-hero vampire hunter whose life had been ruined by bloodsuckers, both had a conspiracy that vampires really do exist, and both even had actor Tim Guinee in the cast. “Vampires” and “Blade” are huge favorites of mine. “Blade” planted the seed for the renaissance of Marvel films we are enjoying today, and well, like many other Carpenter films, “Vampires” enjoyed the patronage of horror and Carpenter fans alike during its theatrical run,...

Lone Survivor star Mark Wahlberg was the recipient of Spike TV’s 2014 “Guys Choice” Troops Choice Award.

Former Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell and actors Charlie Hunnam, Emile Hirsch and Wahlberg attended Spike TV’s ‘Guys Choice 2014′ at Sony Pictures Studios on June 7, 2014 in Culver City, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for Spike TV).

Spike TV’s “Guys Choice” program premieres Wednesday, June 11 at 9p Et/Pt on Spike TV.

In keeping with Spike’s year-round efforts to support our nation’s servicemen and women, “Guys Choice” will once again feature inspiring moments saluting our troops and returning veterans.

Four Navy SEALs on a covert mission to neutralize a high-level al-Qaeda operative face an impossible, moral decision in Lone Survivor, the intense, action-packed story of heroism, courage and survival, on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, including Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD with UltraViolet™ and On Demand Now, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Buck Wild (2013)

Directed by: Tyler Glodt

Written by: Matthew Albrecht, Tyler Glodt

Cast: Matthew Albrecht (Craig), Isaac Harrison (Lance), Dru Lockwood (Tom), Jarrod Pistilli (Jerry), Mark Ford (Billy Ray), Meg Cionni (Candy), Joe Stevens (Clyde)

One classic situation in horror (and other genre films for that matter) is the group of friends going into the wilderness to get away from it all. The only difference between horror and other genres is that instead of comic mishaps and talking about their feelings, someone is inevitably going to get killed, eaten by a monster or said former friends, or transformed into a hideous monster themselves. The great thing about “Buck Wild” is that all that stuff happens.

Craig, Lance, Tom, and Jerry are all headed to the Buck Wild Ranch on a deer hunting trip. Craig is the straight laced, buttoned down one with a ring...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

Heavy Metal (1981)

Director: Gerald Potterton

Writers: Daniel Goldberg, Len Blum, Dan O’Bannon, Richard Corben, Bernie Wrightson, Angus McKie, Jean Giraud

Voice talents: John Candy, Eugene Levy, Richard Romanus, Al Waxman, John Vernon

Soundtrack artists: Sammy Hagar, Journey, Riggs, Devo, Blue Oyster Cult, Cheap Trick, Don Felder, Donald Fagen, Nazareth, Grand Funk Railroad, Black Sabbath, Trust, Stevie Nicks

If you were a kid in a record store in the early 1980’s, you saw this poster. Our record store was poorly lit with carpet crawling up the walls where you could thumb through albums with provocative covers while your parents ran their errands. Ahh, innocence lost. I couldn’t recall an animated film like this before or since, but the most significant thing that I can remember about “Heavy Metal” is that it taught me that animation can have adult and horrific elements. This movie scared me a little.