Saturday Night Drive-In Movie #6

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Welcome to the sixth installment of Saturday Night Drive-In. Your weekend b-horror flick: This week, I bring you Night of the Living Dead from 1968, the original and most iconic zombie flick. "A group of strangers gets stranded in a dilapidated farmhouse and must survive the night, and each other, after the dead begin to rise from their graves to eat the flesh of the living."

Make sure to watch my introduction and then enjoy the movie!

Saturday Night Drive-In Movie #5

House on Haunted Hill (1959)

Welcome to the fifth installment of Saturday Night Drive-In. Your weekend b-horror flick: This

week, I bring you The House on Haunted from 1959, starring Vincent Price. "An eccentric millionaire holds a "haunted house party" for five strangers, offering them each 10,000 dollars to stay the night. The catch? They have to survive until morning."

Make sure to watch my introduction and then enjoy the movie!

Terror Video (Happy Birthday to Me)

Happy Birthday to Me

In this week's Terror Video, we take a look at the new Mill Creek Entertainment release of Happy Birthday to Me (1981), part of their retro VHS line of 80s movie releases. 

Saturday-Night Drive-In Movie #4

The Bat (1959)

Welcome to the fourth installment of Saturday Night Drive-In. Your weekend b-horror flick: This week, I bring you The Bat from 1959, starring Agnes Moorhead and Vincent Price. "A famous writer and her maid rent an old house where a series of murders by a killer called The Bat happened. When the murderer returns, it is up to the two ladies and their friends to solve the mystery and stop the killer once and for all."

Make sure to watch my introduction and then enjoy the movie!

Mini Macabre Review #15

Black Sunday (1960)

The Italian master of horror, Mario Bava, brings his best film forward with the gothic storytelling of Black Sunday. 

When a witch is burned at the stake, she promises to come back to take revenge on the family who killed her. Two centuries later, when two traveling doctors stumble on the witch's crypt, they unwittingly release her from her bonds. However, her strength isn't enough to come back yet. So, what better way to get strength than by sending out vampire servants she has created? Add in a cobweb-filled castle complete with secret passages and trap doors, and you have one fantastic horror flick.

Black Sunday is a phenomenal movie mixing witches, vampires, and satanism all into one gothic supernatural mix. Black Sunday is like a mixture of the gothic settings of Universal's Monster series and the gore and dark themes of Hammer's horror movies. 

Terror Video (The Mole People)

The Mole People

I'm happy to announce that I'm resurrecting my Terror Video series. These are short little videos where I'm either showing and reviewing a horror related product or simply discussing some element of the horror genre as a whole. 

This week I'm reviewing The Mole People Blu-ray from Scream Factory.

Buy your own copy at Scream Factory.

Saturday-Night Drive-In Movie #3

The Screaming Skull (1958)

In a return to form, I'm starting up the short-lived Saturday Night Drive-In Movie series again! Each weekend I'll be sharing a public domain horror movie with you. I'll upload the movie to my youtube channel while also uploading my own personal introduction to the film. Get ready for some goofy horror and sci-fi! This week we watch one of my favorite b-movies--The Screaming Skull!

Mini Macabre Review #14

Todd and the Book of Pure Evil (Episode 3)

Rock N' Roll Zombies Know Best

In episode 3 of Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, we get our first taste of the undead with a metal band of zombies. Todd is eager to make Jenny, his obsession, jealous. To do this, he goes over to Jenny's best friend's house only to find that she is keeping a pair of zombies in the basement. The zombies in this episode are very reminiscent of Billy from Hocus Pocus. These zombies can talk and think for themselves and their witty humor is along the same lines. This fact alone makes the episode more entertaining, as the British metal band undead are interesting characters on their own. 

This is also one of the less vulgar episodes which is a plus in some ways. Of course, it isn't without its gore--which in my opinion makes this show. The zombies eat some people leaving a bloody mess behind, but there are also some fun decapitations in store. As always, be prepared for swearing and sex jokes galore. 

Horror News: Critters A New Binge

Critters A New Binge Coming to Shudder!

My favorite horror streaming service on the web, Shudder, has just announced a brand new series coming to their platform in March! Critters: A New Binge! That's right, a brand new entry in the Critters franchise! It looks goofy, it looks gory, it looks like everything I'd want! Check out the trailer below. And just in case you need to catch up on all the little furry critter action, make sure to pick up Scream Factory's special Blu-Ray collection of the movies!

Mini Macabre Review #13

Todd and the Book of Pure Evil (Episode 2)

How to Make a Homunculus

Episode 2 of Todd and the Book of Pure Evil brings in my favorite character as a regular member of the "book hunting" team of teens. Hannah is the nerdy, smart, yet cute girl who wants nothing more than to be a great scientist like her parents. However, as this school is full of strange and horrible adult figures, the science teacher is a scuzzball who tells her she has no future in science. As luck would have it, the Book of Pure Evil passes to her and she uses it to make a Homunculus--a little demon who reminds me of a Ghoulie or Gremlin. 

The creature effects in this episode are fun and reminiscent of Full Moon Features, featuring a creepy looking puppet that looks a little like Todd himself. Of course, watching the Science Teacher get killed was a fun and bloody treat. I enjoy it when gross men in horror shows and movies her what's coming to them. The second episode isn't quite a fun, or as metal, as the first one--but it keeps with the same irreverent spirit that will be the staple of the entire show. 

Cthulhu Nights (FREE Role Playing Game)

A ChapBook RolePlaying Manual

I can hear it now, "What's this? Another Cthulhu and Lovecraft inspired role-playing game? Don't we already have, like, a thousand of those on the market?"

The answer is "Yes. Yes, we do."

So why another game in that same theme? Simply put, I love the genre. I recently was playing the new Arkham Horror 3rd edition but felt disappointed by it. It dragged on too long, was a little complicated for my game group (since there is no clear goal at the beginning of the game) and it got too muddled near the end.

My response? Make up my own ultra-simple rules that I can use to play with my friends and family--something I might even be able to teach to my younger nieces and nephews. The result is Cthulhu Nights, a ChapBook RolePlaying Manual. However, seeing as we have the internet and don't all live in isolation tanks, I also didn't see any trouble in sharing my game design with others outside my game group and family circle.

So, without further ado: Welcome to Cthulhu Nights, a ChapBook RolePlaying Game (CBRPG). What is a ChapBook game? It is a light pen and paper game where the rules take up no more than thirty pages total. It is intended to be fast to learn and easy to play.

What is Cthulhu Nights? It is a game of horror adventure and investigation set in the 1920s, loosely inspired by the works of Howard Phillips Lovecraft.

What do you need to play? You’ll need this ChapBook, a single six-sided die (known as a D6 in these rules), pencils, paper, one friend to act as Game Master (GM), and one to five friends to act as Investigators.

You can pick up the rules for free for a limited time at DriveThru RPG.

Thanks a million to anyone who decides to pick up a copy. If people seem to like it at all, I'll consider making a paperback version as well based on feedback.

Mini Macabre Review #12

Todd and the Book of Pure Evil (Episode 1)

Todd the Metal God

Rockus, raunchy, violent, gory, and overly vulgar are all terms I might use to describe Todd and the Book of Pure Evil. However, it may also be described as humorous, silly, over the top entertainment as well. If Buffy were a pot-smoking sex-focused idiot teen boy, she would be Todd. Todd is a loser who wants nothing more than to be a Metal God. However, when he finds The Books of Pure Evil, it seems his dream might just come true. What he doesn't realize is that his music will now cause people to hemorrhage from the inside, at least not until the school's Battle of the Bands. The opening episode to this Shudder exclusive series sets the stage for exactly what you can expect from the rest of the show. While it steers away from blatant nudity, it does not shy away from plenty of blood, practical effects, and sex jokes. The best way I can think to describe it is if Family Guy made a trip in the live-action high school of an 80s b-satanic horror flick. If goofy over the top gore and comedy is your cup of tea, you'll enjoy this show. Make sure to stay tuned to my website for mini-reviews of all the episodes in this series.

Mini Macabre Review #11

Crypt TV's Shelley: Season 1

When you're looking for short, bite-sized horror movies (to get your fix when you don't have time for a full-length film), there may be no better place to look than Crypt TV.

Shelley is one of their ongoing shows that is part of the larger Crypt Monster Universe. They recently started posting season 2 episodes, so I decided it was time to look back at season 1.

Shelley isn't anything new as far as story ideas go. It fits comfortably into the teen slasher genre. Some person was wronged, hurt, or killed in high school and returns during the class reunion for revenge. It is one of my favorite tropes of the genre, but Shelley manages to actually make the leap into the supernatural where many of the traditional slashers of the 80s and 90s didn't bother.

While a few of the blood splatters in the show do take on a CGI appearance once in a while, the overall production and special effects seem to be spot on for the genre. In each episode, we get one new revenge kill from the undead Shelley herself. The use of a bladed hockey stick is creative and fun.

Basically, if you enjoy traditional slashers, supernatural killers, or teen screams, you'll likely enjoy this offering. It may be one of Crypt TVs best productions yet, and the new season appears to offer plenty more lore and supernatural elements to keep people watching. 

Check out episode 1 below.

Mini Macabre Review #10

The Faculty

What if John Carpenter's THE THING paid a visit to a midwestern high school? If it did, you would get The Faculty.

Despite some relatively dated and goofy looking CGI work, The Faculty is one cult classic film that is definitely worth the watch. It is a bit in the vein of Scream but with 1950s style aliens instead of a killer. You have all the stereotypical high school tropes including the goth, jock, cheerleader, geek, etc. All are acted well be some big name actors from the time. In addition to the CGI, there are also some excellent practical creature feature effects for the alien queen. Overall, a fun and goofy sci-fi horror romp.

I'm a huge fan of "Teen Scream" horror and this movie is no exception. 

Mini Macabre Review #9

 Christmas Evil

Ho-Ho-Ho. How about one more mini holiday review before I begin my own vacation and celebration for the season? This will be my last update for the year, but I will be back in January for more horror reviews and releases of horror books. A truly magical Christmas horror flick. The first time I saw this film I was unimpressed. I was expecting something along the lines of Silent Night, Deadly Night. Now, revisiting it again with a fresh view and understanding of what I was getting into this year, I can say I truly adore this little movie. In my own opinion, it sums up all that is good about Christmas while not shying away from what makes the season so horrible for many families and individuals (like myself). It balances goodness, charity, community, togetherness, and belief with their harder counterparts of avarice, greed, family dysfunction, loneliness, bullying, and faithlessness. It is a psychological horror movie that takes a glance at serious mental illness (taken to the extreme) and the lack of support from those who may need it most. What happens to one man when he hopes for the best out of the Christmas season and is only dealt the absolute worst. He snaps and then ultimately has to try and make his own magic of the season--even if that means killing off a few unmentionables who were on the naughty list before joining in on the season of giving.

Mini Macabre Review #8

Christmas Presence

Finally, a halfway decent modern Christmas horror movie. It's your normal set up. A group of friends meet up at a secluded location (this time for Christmas) only to be hunted and killed off one by one by a malevolent unseen force. It's a bit like a tamer version of Evil Dead where you can never tell who is possessed or who isn't. The movie begins with a slow startup, but once the paranormal stuff hits, the movie turns out pretty tense and exciting. If there was one thing they got right it was the atmosphere, induced by suspense and an excellent musical score.

However, it isn't a perfect Christmas horror movie. In fact, Christmas hardly plays into it at all. This movie could be set at any time. You only remember it's Christmas when you see the tree in the background. Overall, good for a single watch this season if you enjoy hauntings, possessions, and a And Then There Were None sort of setup.

Mini Macabre Review #7

 Black Sabbath

They just don't make them like this anymore. Black Sabbath is an Italian anthology horror film that is truly chilling and frightening without all the gimmicky gore, sex, and special effects of the modern era of cinema. Having recently watched a few newer anthology flicks (and being completely disappointed in them) this film shows that no one has matched these types of films from the era. Split into three parts, Black Sabbath offers up three bite-sized horrors, each with its own merit and worth. The first story is your traditional set up where a woman is home alone and is receiving threatening phone calls from someone who is watching her every move. Seeing the old apartment in this one was a real treat. The second story is the gem of the collection, starring Boris Karloff as an Italian style vampire. This one feels like the great Hammer vampire flicks of the same era, all while making it even scarier somehow. The final story might be the most frightening. It features a house call nurse who steals a ring from one of her dead clients. As luck would have it, the ghost comes back for some very shocking revenge. Don't watch this one at night unless you want to see that ghost's horrific face floating over your bed while you try to go to sleep! After watching a few modern duds this past week, this was a real pleasure to watch.

Mini Macabre Review #6

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: A Midwinter's Tale

As I've bee going through and searching for decent Christmas horror movies from the past few years--and have been mostly disappointed on every front--I realized I already have a new one that I love that I haven't shared! Now, I forgot about talking about this here on my blog because it is a TV episode and not a full-fledged movie. However, why shouldn't I review my favorite show's Christmas episode when it is the only stand out slice of Christmas chills I've found in many years? My favorite TV show growing up was always Sabrina The Teenage Witch. So, it should be no surprise that when Chilling Adventures of Sabrina hit the "airwaves" it would quickly fall in line as my new favorite show. I've always loved this little witch and the new show is no expectation.

Better than that, in the same tradition of the original live-action Sabrina TV show, Netflix released a Christmas episode. I was in heaven, to say the least. This episode is perfect--especially for a neo-pagan like myself. We have a few different storylines going on here between an evil mall Santa, to Sabrina summoning her dead mother's ghost, to the infestation of spirits that haunt the Spellman household for the holiday season. Yule can't get much better than with good ol' Sab.

This episode hit all the right spots from chilling to funny. It keeps the spirit of the holidays while not being afraid to spook us--all without using an excess of blood, gore, or sex just for shock factor. (You know how much I hate sex and violence just for sex and violence sake).

In the end, this may be my personal most perfect Christmas TV episode of all time. Thanks, Sabrina! 

Mini Macabre Review #5

All The Creatures Were Stirring

Have you ever seen a creative project that was trying too hard to be too many things at once? Well, All The Creatures Were Stirring is that type of movie. A touch of Saw, the paranormal, creature features, the Twilight Zone, slashers and even Charles Dicken's Christmas Carol come together to make this uneven and somewhat unsatisfying movie. I personally believe that if you are going to make an anthology style horror movie, such at this one, it is better to keep a consistent theme and tone throughout--rather than this smorgasbord of rather mediocre attempts at every sub-genre that exists. That isn't to say the movie didn't have its good moments. I thought the black and white Twilight Zone style episode was in excellent taste for a Christmas movie (especially since those old school anthology tv and radio shows always did Christmas episodes). However, much of the rest of the movie falls short. the acting is wooden much of the time, the writing a bit faulty, and many loose ends or left untied. Most of all, for a Christmas movie, it has very little holiday cheer to accompany the lack of scares. At least I can give it credit for not being discuting and disturbing just for the sake of it.

Mini Macabre Review #4

Better Watch Out (2016)

A disturbing and unhappy little Christmas movie without any of the chilling cheer of many other holiday horror classics. I haven't disliked a horror movie this much in a very long time. Rather than the combination of goofy fun slasherific kills and a touch of Christmas humor and holiday chills (like you might find in Black Christmas), this movie falls more in the camp of Wes Craven's despicable Last House on the Left . . . only with children involved. Need I say more? While there is no explicit sexual violence, the motives for the killer are misogynistic and come with rather unsettling sexual overtones--made all the more unsettling by his age. Halfway through, I had actually hoped this would turn into a sort of Tales from the Crypt sort of vibe where the killer gets their disgustingly satisfying just desserts in the end. But no, this holiday "home invasion" flick is something that just isn't worth watching again . . . or for the first time even.