Category: Horror

BECOMING THE BOOGEYMAN by Richard Chizmar is Coming!

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Becoming the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar is the sequel to his best-seller Chasing the Boogeyman.  Here’s the lowdown…

The terrifying sequel to the acclaimed New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling novel Chasing the Boogeyman, which was hailed as “genuinely chilling and something brand-new and exciting” (Stephen King) and “unforgettable” (Harlan Coben).

A riveting, haunting sequel to the New York Times bestselling thriller Chasing the Boogeyman—a tale of obsession and the adulation of evil, exploring modern society’s true-crime obsession with unflinching honesty, sparing no one from the glare of the spotlight. Will those involved walk away from the story of a lifetime in order to keep their loved ones safe? Or will they once again be drawn into a killer’s web? As the story draws to its shattering conclusion, only one person holds all the answers—and he just may be the most terrifying monster of them all.

It drops on October 11, 2023.  Pre-orders are available now.

“The Apeman” (1943) starring Bela Lugosi / Z-View

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The Apeman (1943)

Director: William Beaudine

Writer: Barney Sarecky based on the short story They Creep in the Dark by Karl Brown

Stars: Bela Lugosi, Wallace Ford, Minerva Urecal and Ernest Morrison.

Tagline:  No one is safe from the cruel desires of this inhuman fiend!

The Plot…

Dr. James Brewster (Lugosi) accidentally turned himself into a apeman.  The only cure is to inject himself with human spinal fluid. Unfortunately the process kills the donor.  That matters little to Brewster, who needs more spinal fluid!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

While The Apeman is supposed to be a horror movie, it falls far short of being frightening.  Lugosi looks like an old 1950s beatnik.  His gorilla is one of the all-time worst movie apes.  The only reason to watch is if you’re an Lugosi completist… and even then you might reconsider.

The Apeman (1943) rates 2 of 5 stars.

BRYNMORE from Steve Niles & Daniel Worm is Coming!

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Steve (30 Days of Night) Niles is reuniting with Daniel Worm for Brynmore.  The two had previously collaborated on October Faction.  This is one to keep an eye on.  Here’s the lowdown…

In Brynmore, the recently divorced and newly sober Mark Turner returns to his hometown of Turner Island hoping to rebuild his shattered life and rekindle a relationship with his estranged daughter, Sophie. Planning to renovate the town’s dilapidated church into a home for himself, Mark’s dreams of a second chance soon begin to crumble as he encounters hostility from the locals and finds himself enmeshed in a dark and sinister legacy of intrigue dating back to when the island was first named after his ancestors. Locked in battle with malefic forces beyond his control, Mark must work to uncover the island’s dark history while keeping himself and Sophie safe from harm—and staying away from the bottle in the process.

Source: Flickering Myth.

“Halloween Ends” (2022) starring Jamie Lee Curtis / Z-View

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Halloween Ends (2022)

Director:  David Gordon Green

Writers:  Paul Brad Logan, Chris Bernier, Danny McBride, David Gordon Green based on characters created by John Carpenter, Debra Hill

Stars: Jamie Lee Curtis, Andi Matichak, James Jude Courtney, Will Patton, Jesse C. Boyd and Michael Barbieri.

Tagline: Their Saga Ends

The Plot…

It’s been three years since Michael Myers was last seen.  Some believe him to be dead, others think he’s an urban legend.  Laurie Strode (Curtis) is writing her memoir and living with her granddaughter, Allyson (Matichak). When Allyson starts up a friendship with Corey, things begin to go south.  Corey was found not guilty in the  accidental killing of a child, but many people in the town still have a problem with Corey.

Is Corey just misunderstood? How far can he be pushed before he snaps… and who does Corey keep meeting under the bridge? (I’ll give you three guesses.)

Michael is back and Laurie is gonna be ticked.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Four writers are credited for Halloween Ends and that makes sense because the movie is at times a misunderstood youth movie, a youthful romance, an adult budding romance, a buddy film, a revenge film, a slasher movie and ultimately a Halloween movie.  For me Michael Myers works best when he’s a mysterious psycho killer with super strength and THAT is the focus of the movie.  Here he we find him living under a bridge and befriending a kid. Really?

What everyone wants is the showdown between Michael and Laurie.  We finally get it.  When their battle is over, the movie should end.  Instead we get an extended scene featuring the town marching to a junkyard to watch Michael’s body thrown into a huge industrial shredder.  Then we get a scene showing that Laurie and Allyson are on good terms now.  Then a scene with Laurie and her potential beau.  Perhaps it should have been called Halloween Ends… Give It Time.

Halloween Ends (2022) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“The Last of Us” – Season 1 (2023) starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey / Z-View

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The Last of Us: Season 1 (2023)

Teleplay by: Craig Mazin & Neil Druckmann (episodes 1 & 9); Craig Mazin (episodes 2 – 6, 8); Neil Druckmann (episode 7)

Directed by: Craig Mazin (episode 1); Neil Druckmann (episode 2); Peter Hoar (episode 3); Jeremy Webb (episodes 4 & 5); Jasmila Žbanić (episode 6); Liza Johnson (episode 7); Ali Abbasi (episodes 8 & 9)

Stars: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Anna Torv, Nico Parker, Merle Dandridge, Keivonn Woodard, Jeffrey Pierce, John Getz, Scott Shepherd, Storm Reid, Ashley Johnson, Nick Offerman, John Hannah, Terry Chen, Ian Rozylo, Graham Greene, Sonia Maria Chirila, Andy McDermott,  Christopher Heyerdahl, Nelson Leis, Elaine Miles, Marcus Aurelio and Adrian Hein

Tagline: Save who you can save.

The Plot…

2023.  Twenty years ago a pandemic caused by a bizarre easily transmitted fungal infection turned most of the world’s population into mindless mutant killing machines. Society collapsed.

Joel (Pascal) currently lives in a city under military rule.  Joel and his partner Tess (Torv) plan to escape the quarantine zone and head into the wilderness.  Joel’s brother is there somewhere with a group of freedom fighters.  As Joel and Tess make plans for their escape they encounter Marlene (Dandridge).  She can provide them with needed equipment if they will take Ellie (Ramsey) with them.  Ellie is an orphaned fourteen year old with a lot of attitude… and she just may be the key to a cure.

Joel, Tess and Ellie head out.  They will quickly discover the infected aren’t the worst thing they will have to deal with.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Last of Us is based on the popular video game of the same name.  I’ve never played it and didn’t know the story ahead of seeing the show.

Every episode contains twists, but none as brutal as in the first episode.  It should have been obvious looking at the posters, but I had avoided everything I could in regard to press for the show.  I was gobsmacked by how much I came to care for a character I had never seen before.

It’s interesting how time is played with throughout the series.  The first episode features a scene on a talk show that takes places 30 to 40 years before the start of the pandemic.  A scientist is talking about the dangers to humans that fungi could present with minor changes to the environment.  That was clever.  Each episode features flashbacks to strengthen the present story.

The characters are well cast, well written and well played. Of course not enough can be said about Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.  They are supported by an amazing supporting cast. Standouts include Anna Torv, Nico Parker, Merle Dandridge, Jeffrey Pierce, Storm Reid, Nick Offerman, Graham Greene and  Elaine Miles.  Some of these characters appear in just one episode or a few scenes in one episode.  The attention to detail in getting the right person in each role, no matter how small pays off.

Joel (Pascal) and Ellie (Ramsey) are the heart and soul of the series.  Yet sometimes the people they meet take center stage. In episode three, titled Long, Long Time, Joel and Ellie become supporting characters, but this chapter remains essential viewing to The Last Of Us story.  Long, Long Time ranks with the best single episode of any continuing drama ever.  With each new outing we learn more about Joel, Ellie and the world they live in.  I wouldn’t want that reality, but I sure love visiting it.

The Last of Us is making the right choices in every department.  I look forward to season two.

The Last of Us: Season 1 (2023) earns 5 of 5 stars.

EERIE ARCHIVES VOLUME 3 is Coming!

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Eerie Archives Volume 3 is available for pre-order now.  It’ll be 256 pages and feature one of my favorite Frank Frazetta covers.  It drops on October 10, 2023.  Here’s the lowdown…

Cousin Eerie is back with a casket full of blood-chilling tales of terror and the macabre!

Eerie magazine was one of the finest horror comics magazines ever published, and the original issues are expensive and hard to find. Eerie Archives Volume 3 presents another collection of fearful fables in a value-priced softcover format by a host of comics greats, including Archie Goodwin, Joe Orlando, Angelo Torres. Jeffrey Jones, and more. Includes adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Telltale Heart” and “Masque of the Red Death.” Foreword by Gail Simone.

Collects Eerie magazine issues #11–#15.

  Deal me in.  Pre-Orders are available now.

CREEPY ARCHIVES VOLUME THREE is Coming!

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Creepy Archives Volume Three will drop on September 6, 2023.  It’ll be 288 pages of comic greatness topped by an awesome Frank Frazetta cover.

Cast your bloodshot eyes and feed your fetid imagination on the deliciously deranged tales of terror unearthed from the spine-chilling pages Creepy magazine!

Featuring virtuoso turns by comics legends Archie Goodwin, Frank Frazetta, Steve Ditko, Neal Adams, Gray Morrow and other masters of the macabre, Creepy proves that fear can be fun!

Collects Creepy issues #11–#15 in a value-priced paperback edition and includes original letters pages, text features, and ads.

  Deal me in.  Pre-Orders are available now.

“The Ghost Breakers” (1940) starring Bob Hope & Paulette Goddard / Z-View

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The Ghost Breakers (1940)

Director:  George Marshall

Writer:  Walter DeLeon based on the play The Ghost Breaker by Paul Dickey and Charles W. Goddard

Stars: Bob Hope, Paulette Goddard, Richard Carlson, Willie Best, Pedro de Cordoba, Virginia Brissac, Noble Johnson, Anthony Quinn, Tom Dugan, Paul Fix, Lloyd Corrigan  and Robert Elliott

Tagline:  The two stars of “The Cat and the Canary” find love and laughter in a haunted house!

The Plot…

On a voyage to Cuba Mary Carter (Goddard) and Larry Lawrence (Hope) develop a flirtatious relationship.  Mary is going to Cuba to claim an inheritance. Larry ended up on the ship by accident.  When Mary is told about ghosts and zombies on the land and mansion she’s inherited, Larry decides to stick around.  The mansion is just as creepy as she’d been told.  It’s full of secret passageways, walls with hidden panels, and a painting that looks just like Mary. When what appear to be ghosts and zombies show up, it may be time to sell!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Due to the success of The Cat and The Canary, the studio wanted to quickly re-team Hope and Goddard. The Ghost Breakers fit the bill. Although they play different characters, the plots of both films are very similar.

This is the third time the play The Ghost Breakers was made into a film.  The first two versions were silent.  It was remade for a fourth time as Scared Stiff in 1953 with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

The Ghost Breakers (1940) earns 3 of 5 stars.

“The War of the Gargantuas” (1966) / Z-View

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The War of the Gargantuas (1966)

Director:  Ishirô Honda

Writer: Ishirō Honda, Takeshi Kimura, Reuben Bercovitch (story)

Stars: Russ Tamblyn

Tagline:  Can a Country Survive When Two Gargantuas Battle to Death?

The Plot…

Two giant gargantuas have appeared.  The green one is evil, attacking, killing and eating people.  The brown gargantua is gentle.  Both are believed to be causing the havok.  When the military is called out to kill both, the battle is on… man vs gargantuas and gargantua vs gargantua.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Russ Tamblyn reportedly didn’t get along with Ishirô Honda and often ignored his directions.  Tamblyn also improvised many of his lines.  This created a problem with Tamblyn’s audio track had to be re-recorded and he didn’t remember exactly what he said in each scene.  Plus Tamblyn took a real laidback attitude in each scene.  All of this adds up to Russ Tamblyn being the weakest part of the movie.

The movie is at it’s best when the gargantuas are battling with each other, the military or attacking people (whether on land or at sea).  Seeing the monsters crashing through buildings, throwing ships or using full grown trees as clubs will bring out the kid in you.

There are a couple of truly creepy scenes: one is when the sailor is looking down into the ocean water and a gargantua is looking up at him, the other is when the gargantua is up to his shoulders walking in the ocean preparing for his next attack.

The War of the Gargantuas (1966) earns 2 of 5 stars.

“The Raven” (2012) starring John Cusack, Alice Eve, Luke Evans and Brendan Gleeson / Z-View

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The Raven (2012)

Director:  James McTeigue

Writer: Ben Livingston, Hannah Shakespeare

Stars: John Cusack, Alice Eve, Luke Evans, Brendan Gleeson, Kevin McNally, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Jimmy Yuill, Sam Hazeldine, Pam Ferris, Dave Legeno  and Michael Shannon

Tagline:  The only one who can stop a serial killer is the man who inspired him.

The Plot…

When a serial killer uses methods from Edgar Allan Poe stories to dispatch his victims, Detective Fields (Evans) reluctantly turns to Poe (Cusak) for help.  This only inspires the demented killer to up the ante by kidnapping Poe’s  fiancée and setting a timeline for her murder.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Edgar Allan Poe may have been an insufferable alcoholic, but to make an insufferable alcoholic the sympathetic hero of a movie is a tall order.  I did like how the ending aligns with real-life events in Poe’s life.

Luke Evans and Brendan Gleeson are welcome additions in any movie and they shine in The Raven.

My favorite scene is the night of the party when a masked rider (the killer?) enters the ballroom on horseback.

Had the movie centered on Detective Fields a sequel would have been very cool since the final scenes seem to set it up.

The Raven (2012) earns 3 of 5 stars.

“We Have a Ghost” (2023) starring David Harbour & Jahi Winston / Z-View

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We Have a Ghost (2023)

Director:  Christopher Landon

Writer: Christopher Landon based on the short story Ernest by Geoff Manaugh

Stars: Jahi Di’Allo Winston, David Harbour, Anthony Mackie, Isabella Russo, Tig Notaro, Tom Bower, Sean Boyd, Jennifer Coolidge and Peggy Walton-Walker.

Tagline: Set your spirit free.

The Plot…

The Presley family has just moved into an old house that they got for a rock-bottom price.  Kevin (Winston) isn’t happy about the move, but the family is looking for a fresh start.  Kevin’s dad, Frank (Mackie) is always looking for a get rich quick scheme and they never pan out.  While in the attic, a ghost named Ernest (Harbour) makes a poor attempt at scary Kevin.  Kevin manages to film Ernest.  When Kevin’s dad gets a hold of the video he has a plan to use it to make money.

Kevin and Ernest develop a friendship.  Ernest cannot remember all the details of his life, but thinks if he could it would help him to move on.  Meanwhile the CIA has seen the video of Ernest and they’re ready to move in…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

We Have a Ghost has some funny scenes and a wonderful cast.  Unfortunately it has as many scenes that miss the mark and a running time that goes a bit too long.

Jahi Di’Allo Winston and David Harbour have good chemistry.  Anthony Mackie does the best he can with what he’s given.  The writers make him an unlikeable loser at the start so when he does come around, it’s a little too late.  We Have a Ghost is probably best enjoyed by children in late elementary or middle school.  Your mileage may vary.

We Have a Ghost earns 2 of 5 stars.

RIP: Bert I. Gordon

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Bert I. Gordon died on March 8, 2023 at the age of 100.  Mr. Gordon was a writer, director, producer, editor, special effects artist… perhaps it would be best to simply say, he was a filmmaker.

Bert I. Gordon had an interest in making films from an early age.  He received a 16mm camera for his thirteenth birthday and began making home/fan movie.  Mr. Gordon served in the air force during World War II.  After the war he began making television commercials and editing films for television.

In 1955, Mr. Gordon co-wrote and directed his first feature film, King Dinosaur.  He would go on to direct (and often serve as producer, special effects artist, writer/co-writer) on 23 additional films throughout his career.  Most of Mr. Gordon’s films were in the horror or science fiction genres.  Because his initials were BIG and many of his films dealt with giant monsters, Bert I. Gordon was nicknamed Mr. BIG.

Some of Bert I. Gordon’s best known films include: The Cyclops, The Amazing Colossal Man, Attack of the Puppet People, War of the Colossal Beast, The Spider, Village of the Giants, The Food of the Gods and The Empire of the Ants.

Bert I. Gordon’s films were and still are a staple of horror hosts and horror movie fans everywhere.  My favorite of his films is The Amazing Colossal Man. If you’re a regular viewer of Svengoolie on MeTV, you’ll see several of Mr. Gordon’s films each year.  What director wouldn’t love to have his movies in regular rotation?  What an honor that these low budget films still attract huge audiences.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bert I. Gordon’s family, friends and fans.