Category: Horror

“The Last Voyage of the Demeter” | A Look Inside Featurette

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The Last Voyage of the Demeter 

Based on a single chilling chapter from Bram Stoker’s classic novel DRACULA, The Last Voyage of the Demeter tells the terrifying story of the merchant ship Demeter, which was chartered to carry private cargo—fifty unmarked wooden crates—from Carpathia to London.

Strange events befall the doomed crew as they attempt to survive the ocean voyage, stalked each night by a merciless presence onboard the ship. When the Demeter finally arrives off the shores of England, it is a charred, derelict wreck. There is no trace of the crew.

The film stars Corey Hawkins (In the Heights, Straight Outta Compton) as Clemens, a doctor who joins the Demeter crew, Aisling Franciosi (Game of Thrones, The Nightingale) as an unwitting stowaway, Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones, Clash of the Titans) as the ship’s captain and David Dastmalchian (Dune, the Ant-Man franchise) as the Demeter’s first mate.

The film also features Jon Jon Briones (Ratched, American Horror Story), Stefan Kapicic (Deadpool films, Better Call Saul), Nikolai Nikolaeff (Stranger Things, Bruised) and Javier Botet (It films, Mama).

From DreamWorks Pictures and the producers of Zodiac and Black Swan, The Last Voyage of the Demeter is directed by Norwegian horror virtuoso André Øvredal (Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark, Trollhunter), from a script by Bragi F. Schut (Escape Room), Stefan Ruzowitzky (The Counterfeiters) and Zak Olkewicz (the upcoming Bullet Train), based on the chapter “The Captain’s Log” of Bram Stoker’s DRACULA.

The film is produced by Brad Fischer and by Oscar®-nominated producer Mike Medavoy and Arnold Messer for Phoenix Pictures and is executive produced by Matthew Hirsch.

“The Passage” (2019) starring Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Saniyya Sidney & Jamie McShane / Z-View

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The Passage (2019)

Written by: Liz Heldens (eps. 1 & 2); Peter Elkoff (ep. 3); Daniel Thomsen (ep. 4); Joy Blake (ep. 5); Mike Flanagan Dennis Saldua (ep. 6); Kate Erickson (ep. 7); Peter Elkoff & C.A. Johnson (ep. 8); Daniel Thomsen & Vanessa Gomez (ep. 9); Liz Heldens & Joy Blake (ep. 10)

Directed by: Jason Ensler & Marcos Siega (ep. 1); Jason Ensler (eps. 2, 3 & 9); Allison Liddi-Brown (ep. 4); Jeffrey Nachmanoff (ep. 5); Jessica Lowrey (ep. 6); Eduardo Sanchez (ep. 7); Ti West (ep. 8); Mark Tonderai (ep. 10)

Stars: Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Saniyya Sidney, Jamie McShane, Caroline Chikezie, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Brianne Howey, McKinley Belcher III, Henry Ian Cusick, Vincent Piazza, Kecia Lewis, Jason Fuchs and James Le Gros.

Tagline:  Can one girl save humanity?

The Plot…

Tim Fanning (McShane), a scientist working on a cure for alzheimer’s disease, accidentally became infected with a virus that gave him strange powers and a thirst for human blood.  Now Fanning is held in a secret medical facility behind thick glass walls as the US government experiments on ways to create a race of super soldiers. Although progress has been made, each subject has gained the same powers as Fanning and a desire for human blood.

Now the scientists want to experiment using a younger subject.  Agent Brad Wolgast (Gosselaar) is sent to bring a young, newly orphaned girl named Amy Bellafonte (Sidney) to the facility.  When Wolgast learns what is planned for Amy, he decides to help her escape.

But it may be too late for everyone… Fanning and the other experiment subjects have a secret power that the scientists don’t know about.  Fanning can psychically communicate with each of them. They are planning an uprising!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Passage is one of my all-time favorite series.   It is well written and well directed.  The production values are top notch.  It features one of the best casts possible.  Every role from the leads to the smallest parts are perfect.  I plan to revisit The Passage every few years just to relive the great viewing experience.

The Passage (2019) eearns 5 of 5 stars.

“The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” (1920) / Z-View

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The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

Director: Robert Wiene

Screenplay:  Carl Mayer, Hans Janowitz

Stars: Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt and Lil Dagover.

Tagline: Dr. Caligari and his mysterious slave – the black and white phantom who lives in a cabinet and goes forth in his sleep to do his master’s bidding. the weirdest characters ever seen on the screen and the most daringly different picture ever seen.

The Plot…

Dr. Caligari has brought his strange sideshow to the town carnival.  Caligari places a coffin on stage which he then opens.  Inside is a sleeping man named Cesare.  Dr. Caligari speaks a command and Cesare awakens to take questions from the audience.  A man asks, “How long shall I live?”  To everyone’s surprise Cesare says the man will be dead before dawn.

The next morning the man is found murdered in his bed.  This is the second murder since Caligari came to the small town.  Is Cesare the murderer?  Caligari?  Or is something more sinister at play?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is considered by many to be the first horror film.  

The sets and cinematography are amazing especially considering the film was made in 1920.  All of the sets are given odd angles and perspectives which contributes to a feeling of unease.  Buildings are interconnected with tilting walls, strange shadows and alleys that create odd intersections.  Plus The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari features a great twist ending.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) rates 5 of 5 stars.

The Twilight Zone’s Scariest Monsters!

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The MeTV staff came up with their list of The 7 Scariest Monsters That Spooked Us On ‘The Twilight Zone”.  I decided to play along.  I’ve commented on each of their choices and provided my list of the seven best Twilight Zone monsters.

MeTV

Zablo

1. “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” (Excellent choice. Also made my list. – CZ)

2. “The Eye of the Beholder” (Great design, but were they really monsters? Misguided, yes. But monsters? – CZ)

3. “The Fear” (Scary at first, maybe. Then you find out what the “alien” really is. – CZ)

4. “The Invaders” (Almost made my list. – CZ)

5. “The Living Doll” (This episode didn’t resonate with me. The doll was just irritating. – CZ)

6. “Hocus-Pocus and Frisby” (Loved the alien design but the episode was a comedy so not scary. – CZ)

7. “The Masks” (The faces were well designed. The people getting the new faces weren’t nice, but were more victims than monsters. – CZ)

1. “The Howling Man” (Great design. What monster is scarier than the devil? – CZ)

2. “It’s a Good Life” (Little Billy Mumy is one of the scariest monsters ever in this episode. – CZ)

3. “To Serve Man” (Nine foot tall aliens that eat humans? Yeah, that’s scary. – CZ)

4. “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” (Features The Twilight Zone‘s best jump scare! – CZ)

5. “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” (One of the scariest Twilight Zone episodes because we are the monsters. – CZ)

6. “Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?” (Although this episode features humor, it’s scary to think that an invading alien force is already living among us. – CZ)

7. “Nick of Time” (A fortune telling maching that may provide you a glimpse of the future. Do you dare look? – CZ)

Midnight Mass (2021) directed by Mike Flanagan / Z-View

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Midnight Mass (2021)

Written by: Mike Flanagan (eps. 1 & 7); Mike Flanagan and James Flanagan and Elan Gale (ep. 2); Mike Flanagan and James Flanagan (eps. 3 & 5); Mike Flanagan and Dani Parker (ep. 4); Mike Flanagan and James Flanagan and Jeff Howard (ep. 6)

Directed by: Mike Flanagan

Stars: Kate Siegel, Zach Gilford, Kristin Lehman, Samantha Sloyan, Annarah Cymone, Annabeth Gish, Alex Essoe, Michael Trucco, Henry Thomas and Hamish Linklater

Tagline: Be Not Afraid

The Plot…

Riley Flynn (Gilford) has returned to his hometown of Crockett Island after four years in prison for killing a woman in a drunk driving accident.  Flynn is at rock bottom.  Being home hasn’t helped much.  Father Paul Hill (Linklater) a charismatic new priest has also just arrived on the island.

When strange and miraculous things begin to happen on the island, the small town is divided.  Some see the miracles as messages from God, while others aren’t so sure…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I loved every episode of Midnight Mass.  Don’t sleep on this one!

Midnight Mass (2021) earns 5 of 5 stars.

“The Descent” (2005) written & directed by Neil Marshall / Z-View

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The Descent (2005)

Director: Neil Marshall

Screenplay:  Neil Marshall

Stars: Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza and Saskia Mulder.

Tagline: Face Your Deepest Fear

The Plot…

A group of six women get together for an annual adventure.  This year they’ve decided to explore unmapped caves in the Appalachian Mountains.  The women quickly find they are, pardon the expression, in over their heads. A narrow passage collapses, one of the women is badly injured… and the group is targeted by creatures living deep within the caves.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Kudos to Neil Marshall for writing and directing this gem.  The film is filled with action, characterization, and scares.  Marshall knows when to give us a brief second to catch our breath before the next danger.  If you’re not claustrophobic or afraid of the dark, you may be after viewing this film.  The creatures are realistic and frightening.

The Descent (2005) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Razorback” (1984) / Z-View

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Razorback (1984)

Director: Russell Mulcahy

Screenplay:  Everett De Roche based on Razorback by Peter Brennan

Stars: Gregory Harrison, Arkie Whiteley

Tagline: No nightmare will prepare you for it…

The Plot…

When his wife is killed covering a story, Carl Winters (Harrison) travels to the Australian outback to find the cause.  Soon Winters is caught up in the hunt for a giant Razorback that has been terrorizing the area for years.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I had wanted to see Razorback for years because it was directed by Russell Mulcahy.  I’m a huge fan of Mulcahy’s direction of Highlander.  Sadly, Razorback fell waaaay short of my expectations.

Razorback just didn’t resonate with me at all.  I didn’t care much for the characters. The story had several dead spots.  The way the Razorback was killed came off as just plain silly.  Of course your mileage may vary.

Razorback (1984) rates 1 of 5 stars.

“Alien: Resurrection” (1997) starring Sigourney Weaver & Winona Ryder / Z-View

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Alien: Resurrection (1997)

Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Screenplay:  Joss Whedon based on characters created by Dan O’Bannon, Ronald Shusett

Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder, Dominique Pinon, Ron Perlman, Gary Dourdan, Michael Wincott, Kim Flowers, Dan Hedaya, J.E. Freeman, Brad Dourif, Raymond Cruz and Leland Orser.

Tagline: Witness the resurrection.

The Plot…

Over two hundred years have passed since the events of Alien 3.  On a remote space station military scientists are using DNA from Ellen Ripley (Weaver) to create clone hosts for Xenomorphs.  The current clone, Ripley 8 (Weaver), due to the melding with the alien embryos has increased strength, reflexes and acidic blood.

A group of mercenaries arrives at the space station with cargo for the military.  Soon after two adult Xenomorphs escape.  It then becomes a battle for survival as more adult aliens are released throughout the ship!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I am a huge fan of Alien Resurrection mainly due to the unique characters and actors playing them.  The mercenary crew could be stars of their own movie(s)!  I would love to see some of their adventures.  The mercenary crew consists of…

  • Annalee Call (Ryder) – the newest member of the team.  She’s hiding a secret that will be revealed.
  • Dom Vriess (Pinion) – the mechanic. He’s a paraplegic with a motorized wheelchair (that also has secrets)!
  • Ron Johner (Perlman) – a battle scarred warrior with a bad attitude and short temper.
  • Gary Christie (Dourdan) – the second-in-command who exudes cool.
  • Frank Elgyn (Wincott) – the leader.  He’s cynical and willing to do questionable things to make a buck, but is committed to his team.
  • Sabra Hillard (Flowers) – the co-pilot of the mercenary ship and Elgyn’s woman.

In addition, we have…

  • General Martin Perez (Hedaya) – the commanding officer of the space station.
  • Dr. Jonathan Gediman (Dourif) – one of the scientists experimenting with the adult aliens.  He should know  better than to poke the bear.
  • Vincent DiStephano (Cruz) – one of the space station soldiers who joins the mercenaries in an effort to survive.
  • Larry Purvis (Orser) – a civilian who joins the mercenaries.  Purvis carries a deadly secret.

There is also a subplot which involves Weaver and Ryder.  For me that takes a backseat to the  the characters — the military, mercenaries and civilians in a battle against the aliens on a spaceship heading towards Earth! There are so many fun scenes –

  • The mercenaries entering the ship under military guard.
  • Johner (Perlman) flirting with Ripley 8 (Weaver) and being put in his place.
  • Johner’s (Perlman) interactions with Dom Vriess (Pinion).
  • Dr. Jonathan Gediman (Dourif) as he realizes the adult aliens have outsmarted him.
  • The long shot of a grenade bouncing down a walkway to drop into an escape pod just as an alien does the same.
  • The underwater escape and the discovery that the aliens are following! Plus Gary Christie (Dourdan) and  Dom Vriess’ (Pinion) solution to Dom being unable to swim!

Many people have complained about Ripley 8’s relationship to the aliens as well as the look of the Xenomorph Queen.  I understand the complaints and would agree that these are the weakest parts of the movie.  Still, the things I love about the film far outweigh these concerns.  Alien Resurrection is one that I have watched and enjoyed multiple times.

Alien: Resurrection (1997) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“The Lost Boys” (1987) starring Jason Patric & Kiefer Sutherland / Z-View

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The Lost Boys (1987)

Director: Joel Schumacher

Screenplay: Janice Fischer, Jeffrey Boam, James Jeremias from a story by Janice Fischer, James Jeremias

Stars: Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Dianne Wiest, Barnard Hughes, Edward Herrmann, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Corey Feldman, Jamison Newlander and Alex Winter.

Tagline: Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. Never die. It’s fun to be a vampire.

The Plot…

Lucy (Wiest) and her two teenage sons, Michael (Patric) and Sam (Haim) move to the small, beachside town of Santa Clara, California.  At night the boys like to hang out at the amusement park/arcade on the beach.  That’s where Michael meets Star (Gertz).  There’s a definite attraction between the two, which only infuriates David (Sutherland), the leader of a small motorcycle gang.  Meanwhile Sam has met two brothers, Edgar (Feldman) and Alan (Newlander) who are convinced Santa Clara is the home of a vampire coven.

They’re not wrong.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

You’d be hard pressed to find a more 80s movie than The Lost Boys.  From the cast to the way the movie is shot, The Lost Boys screams mid-1980s.  This is my favorite Joel Schumacher film.  For a movie that seems to want to be scary, there’s just a bit too much humor for my taste.

The Lost Boys (1987) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Fiend Without a Face” (1958) / Z-View

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Fiend Without a Face (1958)

Director: Arthur Crabtree

Screenplay: Herbert J. Leder

Stars: Marshall Thompson, Terry Kilburn, Michael Balfour, Kim Parker and Peter Madden.

Tagline: New Horrors! Mad Science Spawns Evil Fiends! …Taking form before your horrified eyes!

The Plot…

When locals begin getting murdered around a new US Airforce base, the locals think the military has some involvement.  This prompts Major Cummings (Thompson) to begin an investigation.  As the bodies pile up, evidence points to an unimaginable horror.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I saw this when I was much younger and didn’t care for it, but on a recent re-watch I enjoyed it much more.

Fiend Without a Face (1958) rates 3 of 5 stars.

The All-Time Best Black & White Monster Movies!

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Jordan Payeur at CBR.com came up with a list of the 10 Best Black and White Monster Movies.  Before you click over to see Payeur’s comments on each, here’s my rankings using just Payeur’s list.  I’ve then included several black and white monster movies that would have made my rankings.  What did I miss?

Payeur

Zablo

10. Village of the Damned (1960)

09. The Man Who Laughs (1928)

08. Haxan (1922)

07. Cat People (1942)

06. The Wolf Man (1941)

05. The Mummy (1932)

04. Dracula (1931)

03. Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

02. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

01. Nosferatu (1922)

10. The Man Who Laughs (1928)

09. Village of the Damned (1960)

08. Haxan (1922)

07. Cat People (1942)

06. Nosferatu (1922)

05. The Mummy (1932)

04. The Wolf Man (1941)

03. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

02. Dracula (1931)

01. Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

  • The Phantom Carriage (1921)
  • Frankenstein (1931)
  • The Invisible Man (1933)
  • Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman (1943)
  • Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
  • The Thing from Another World (1951)
  • Them! (1954)
  • Night of the Living Dead (1968)

“Renfield” (2023) starring Nicholas Hoult, Awkwafina & Nicholas Cage / Z-View

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Renfield (2023)

Director: Chris McKay

Screenplay: Ryan Ridley from a story by Robert Kirkman based on Dracula by Bram Stoker

Stars: Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage, Awkwafina, Brandon Scott Jones and Adrian Martinez.

Tagline: Stop serving. Start living.

The Plot…

Renfield (Hoult), Dracula’s (Cage) servant for the last 90 years, has come to realize he’s in a toxic relationship.  He wants out.  Unfortunately, Dracula is not ready to let him go.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Nicholas Cage would be one of the last actors I would consider to play Dracula, but since Renfield is a comedy, it all works out.

I thought it was cool that Chris McKay took a couple of scenes from the original Dracula film and superimposed Cage’s face for Dracula and Hoult’s for Renfield.

The idea that Renfield realizes he’s in a toxic relationship and attends meetings with others looking to get out of bad relationships creates for some funny business.

Renfield (2023) rates 3 of 5 stars.