Category: Horror

“Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities” – The Final Trailer is Here!

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Here we have the final trailer for Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.  I’m looking forward to this!

Guillermo del Toro – the master of horror – presents a collection of unprecedented and genre-defining stories that will challenge our traditional notions of horror.

Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities is an anthology of sinister stories, told by some of today’s most revered horror creators – including the directors of The Babadook, Splice, Mandy, and many more.

Unlock Your Fears with Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities

“Bones and All” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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I like the poster and trailer for Bones and All.  Based on the novel by Camille Deangelis, Bones and All is a strange story.  I have a feeling that it will either be very good or very bad,  Hoping for the best…

You can’t run from who you are. From acclaimed director Luca Guadagnino and starring Taylor Russell, Timothée Chalamet, and Mark Rylance – watch the #BonesAndAll trailer now and see the movie only in theaters this November.
Directed by: Luca Guadagnino
Starring: Taylor Russell, Timothée Chalamet and Mark Rylance
Based on the novel by: Camille DeAngelis
Screenplay By: David Kajganich

Stephen King’s Storm of the Century (1999) / Z-View

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Storm of the Century (1999)

Director:  Craig R. Baxley

Screenplay:  Stephen King

Stars:  Tim Daly, Debrah Farentino, Colm Feore, Jeffrey DeMunn, Casey Siemaszko and Stephen King

Tagline: Give him what he wants and he’ll go away.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

As the residents of the small remote Little Tall Island off the coast of Maine, prepare for a blizzard that is predicted to be the storm of the century, a murderer is discovered sitting in a chair, eating cookies next to the corpse of the old woman that he beat to death with a cane.  Mike Anderson (Daly), store owner and part-time constable and his deputy bring the stranger in to the jail cell located in the back of Anderson’s store.  Because of the storm, all transportation to the island is shut down.  They’ll have to hold him until the storm passes.

The man gives his name as André Linoge (Feore). He tells Anderson and those watching, “Give me what I want, and I’ll go away.”  Linoge has information about Anderson and others that no one could possibly know.  He also seems to have ability to make folks do things against their will.  When two people commit suicide and “Give me what I want and I’ll go away” is found written beside them, they start to believe that Linoge is a demon.  As the storm worsens, Linoge displays more powers, inflicting hallucinations and causing people to commit murder.  If they give Linoge what he wants, will he really go away?  And what could he possibly want?

Storm of the Century is a three part mini-series that creates a slow burn as we’re introduced to Linoge and come to realize that he may be more than an evil man.  Tim Daly was excellent as the level-headed, moral part time constable/store owner.  Jeffrey DeMunn was perfect as the unlikable town manager.  Equally as good was Colm Feore as the menacing  André Linoge.  As a viewer, you cannot help but think about what you would do in that situation.  Would you give him what he wants?

Storm of the Century earns 4 of 5 stars.

Francesco Francavilla’s Poster for the Limited Release of George Romero’s Classic “Night of the Living Dead”!

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Francesco Francavilla was asked to design/illustrate a poster for a limited German theatrical release of George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead.  Francesco hit a home run!  I love that Ben is given center stage and we see him surrounded by the living dead. Walking zombies in the foreground and hands seen through the boards over the window.  Bravo!

Source:  Francesco Francavilla 

Rob Zombie’s “The Munsters” (2022) / Z-View

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The Munsters (2022)

Director:  Rob Zombie

Screenplay:  Rob Zombie based on the television show The Munsters by Allan Burns, Chris Hayward

Stars:  Cassandra Peterson, Sheri Moon Zombie, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Richard Brake, Daniel Roebuck, Dee Wallace, Sylvester McCoy, Pat Priest, Jorge Garcia, Catherine Schell and Butch Patrick

Tagline: None

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

The Munsters was a television comedy that ran for two seasons from September 1964 to May 1966.  The show featured a family of monsters living in the suburbs.  The family consisted of Herman Munster, based on Frankenstein’s monster; his vampire wife, Lilly; their son Eddie (a werewolf); Lilly’s father, Grandpa who was a vampire and their niece, Marilyn who was pretty by conventional standards (but the family thought of her as unattractive).  The comedy came from neighbors’ reactions to the Munsters and the family’s interactions with each other and normal folks.

Rob Zombie’s reboot explores how Herman and Lilly first fell in love.  I wanted to like The Munsters.  While I wasn’t a huge fan of the original series, I did watch it as a child.  My wife who is just a few months younger than me was a huge fan.  She had high hopes for the reboot.  We started watching and she was ready to bail after the first few scenes.  Ultimately we stuck with it for about 30 minutes before tapping out.

Part of the problem is the movie starts with several scenes and no Munster in sight.  Instead we have a mad scientist and his halfwit hunchback, Floop (I kid you not.  His name is Floop.  Is that supposed to get a cheap laugh?) robbing graves.  When Floop is sent to retrieve the brain of one of the world’s smartest men, he instead brings back the man’s brother’s brain.  The world’s smartest man and his brother, who happens to be one of the world’s dumbest men both conveniently (for the joke to work) died within hours of each other.

Meanwhile Grandpa is trying to hook Lilly up with a Nosferatu-looking vampire.  We get to see them on a date.  Lilly’s brother (a werewolf) is trying to get Grandpa to sell the house.  Meanwhile the mad scientist is creating Herman.  Oh, and there’s scenes of Grandpa watching Transylvania tv talk shows.

Does this sound like fun or anything even remotely funny?  If you think so, then give The Munsters a go.  It wasn’t for me… or my wife who is a Munster‘s fan.  Of course your mileage may differ.

The Munsters earns 1 of 5 stars.

“State of Emergency” (2011) / Z-View

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State of Emergency (2011)

Director:  Turner Clay

Screenplay:  Turner Clay

Stars: Jay Hayden

Tagline: When the dead walk, the living… run.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

When a chemical plant explodes, a toxin is released that turns people into blood thirsty cannibals.  The area is put on a military lockdown and survivors are to hunker down until help arrives.  Jim (Hayden) makes it to a farmhouse where three others have sought shelter.  Will they survive each other and the cannibals until help arrives?

State of Emergency is a low-budget, but well done film.  It is helped by a likeable cast, a decent story and able direction.  If you’re a fan of the genre, you should enjoy State of Emergency.

State of Emergency earns 3 of 5 stars.

“Morbius” (2022) / Z-View

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Morbius (2022)

Director:  Daniel Espinosa

Screenplay:  Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless

Starring: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Tyrese Gibson and Michael Keaton

Tagline: The line between hero and villain will be broken.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Michael Morbius (Leto) is a brilliant doctor who uses vampire bat blood to cure himself from a rare degenerative blood disease.  The process also gives Morbius powers associated with vampires (heightened senses, super speed and strength), but also a need for human blood.  When Morbius hungers, he loses control and all around him are in danger.

When Morbius’ friend Milo (Smith), who suffers from the same rare blood disease realizes that Morbius has found a cure, he goes through the process and becomes a vampire.  While Morbius sees himself as a monster and looks for a cure; Milo embraces being a vampire.  He sees himself as the next step in evolution and enjoys feeding on humans.  The police believe that Morbius is responsible for Milo’s murders.  Morbius struggles to find a cure with the police and Mio out to kill him…

I was surprised how much I enjoyed Morbius.  While the movie is set within the Marvel Universe, it played out pretty much as a standalone film.  Leto is perfect as the slightly strange Dr. Morbius.  When the movie started I felt it carried a vibe similar to the under-rated television show The Passage (which is a good thing).  I’m not a big superhero movie fan, but I enjoyed this one.

Morbius earns 4 of 5 stars.

“Goodnight Mommy” (2022) Starring Naomi Watts / Z-View

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Goodnight Mommy (2022)

Directors:  Matt Sobel

Screenplay:  Kyle Warren  based on Goodnight Mommy (2014) written and directed by Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala

Starring: Naomi Watts, Cameron Crovetti, Nicholas Crovetti, Peter Hermann, Jeremy Bobb and Crystal Lucas-Perry

Tagline:  None

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

When twin brothers, Elias and Lukas arrive at their mother’s remote home for the summer, they’re surprised to find her face covered in bandages.  She explains that she’s had cosmetic surgery. Pretty quickly they see that their mother isn’t acting normal… and they begin to wonder if it is their mother!  When she takes their cell phone they have no way to contact anyone and mom’s behavior is getting worse.

Goodnight Mommy is a fun ride in the tradition of The Twilight Zone or a good M. Night Shyamalan film.  There are at least three “What?!” moments.  I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Goodnight Mommy.

Goodnight Mommy earns 4 of 5 stars.

“It Came From Outer Space” (1953) / Z-View

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It Came From Outer Space (1953)

Directors:  Jack Arnold

Screenplay:  Harry Essex from a story by Ray Bradbury

Starring: Richard Carlson, Barbara Rush, Charles Drake and Russell Johnson

Tagline: Terror In 3-D… Reaching From The Screen To Seize You In Its Grasp!…

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

When John Putnam (Carlson) and his fiancé, Ellen Fields (Rush) see a meteorite crash nearby, they go to investigate.  What they discover is an alien spaceship.  They escape to inform the town folk, but no one believes them… until people begin to act strange!

When I was a kid, I didn’t like It Came From Outer Space.  There’s more suspense than action.  The aliens look goofy instead of scary.  It’s also a movie where the aliens don’t want to cause harm.  Like ET, they just want to get home.  I recently re-watched It Came From Outer Space, it’s not great but it’s also not a bad way to spend 81 minutes.  ; )

It Came from Outer Space earns 3 of 5 stars.

“The Return of Dr. X” (1939) – Humphrey Bogart’s Only Horror Film / Z-View

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The Return of Dr. X (1939)

Directors:  Vincent Sherman

Screenplay:  Lee Katz based on The Doctor’s Secret (1938) story in Detective Fiction Weekly by William J. Makin

Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Wayne Morris, Rosemary Lane, Dennis Morgan, John Litel and Huntz Hall

Tagline:  Back from the Grave He Came!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Walter Garrett is a newspaper reporter following leads on a story involving murders where bodies are drained of their blood.  Garrett consults with his friend, Dr. Michael Rhodes (Morgan) who then joins the investigation.  Garrett and Rhodes discover that Dr. Marshall Quesne (Bogart) bears a strong resemblance to Dr. Maurice Xavier.  Xavier was executed in the electric chair for horrible experiments that killed a child.  As Garrett and Rhodes get closer to the truth, they may be getting closer to their deaths…

When The Return of Dr. X was released, Humphrey Bogart wasn’t yet Bogart the star.  He ended up with third billing, reportedly hated the film and never again worked on a horror movie again.  The Return of Dr. X is a fun Warner Brothers B picture.  Getting Bogart is a bonus!

The Return of Dr. X earns 3 of 5 stars.

“Knock At The Cabin” Directed by M. Night Shymalan, Starring Dave Bautista – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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I like both the poster and trailer for Knock At The Cabin.  M. Night Shymalan looks like he has another winner.  Deal me in.

While vacationing at a remote cabin, a young girl and her parents are taken hostage by four armed strangers who demand that the family make an unthinkable choice to avert the apocalypse. With limited access to the outside world, the family must decide what they believe before all is lost.

From visionary filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, Knock at the Cabin stars Dave Bautista (Dune, Guardians of the Galaxy franchise), Tony award and Emmy nominee Jonathan Groff (Hamilton, Mindhunter), Ben Aldridge (Pennyworth, Fleabag), BAFTA nominee Nikki Amuka-Bird (Persuasion, Old), newcomer Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn (Little Women, Landline) and Rupert Grint (Servant, Harry Potter franchise).

Universal Pictures presents a Blinding Edge Pictures production, in association with FilmNation Features and Wishmore Entertainment, an M. Night Shyamalan film. The screenplay is by M. Night Shyamalan and Steve Desmond & Michael Sherman based on the national bestseller The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay. The film is directed by M. Night Shyamalan and produced by M. Night Shyamalan, Marc Bienstock (Split, Glass) and Ashwin Rajan (Servant, Glass). The executive producers are Steven Schneider, Christos V. Konstantakopoulos and Ashley Fox.

“White Buffalo” (1977) Starring Charles Bronson and Will Sampson / Z-View

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White Buffalo (1977)

Directors:  J. Lee Thompson

Screenplay:  Richard Sale based on his novel The White Buffalo

Starring: Charles Bronson, Jack Warden, Will Sampson, Kim Novak, Clint Walker, Stuart Whitman, Slim Pickens, John Carradine, Ed Lauter and Martin Kove

Tagline: Two legendary enemies unite to fight the charging white beast!!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Wild Bill Hickcock (Bronson) tormented by dreams of being killed by a giant white buffalo, heads west to face his fears.  While on the hunt for the beast, Hickcock meets Chief Crazy Horse (Sampson) who also wants to kill the creature.  Although natural enemies, Hickcock and Crazy Horse slowly develop a mutual respect as they attempt to track and kill the monster.

While Hickcock did wear his guns in a sash, sunglasses weren’t invented until decades later and look so out of place in Bronson’s characterization.  The White Buffalo is a giant creature that works best, and is almost hypnotizing in dream sequences.  In the final scenes (where Sampson has jumped on it’s back), the buffalo looks silly.  The most fun in the film is seeing star cameos by Kim Novak, Clint Walker, Stuart Whitman, Slim Pickens, John Carradine, Ed Lauter and Martin Kove.

White White Buffalo earns 3 of 5 stars.

“Frogs” (1972) Starring Ray Milland, Sam Elliott and Joan Van Ark / Z-View

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Frogs (1972)

Director:  George McCowan

Screenplay by:  Robert Hutchison, Robert Blees from a story by Robert Hutchison

Starring: Ray Milland, Sam Elliott, Joan Van Ark, Adam Roarke, Judy Pace  and Mae Mercer

Tagline:   It’s the day that NATURE strikes back!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Pickett Smith, a wildlife photographer, ends up on the Crockett estate where, grumpy, old Jason Crockett (Milland) has invited family to celebrate his birthday.  Unfortunately that same weekend all of the animals – frogs, lizards, birds, snakes have decided to start killing humans.  Yep.  Killer frogs and other animals with no means of hurting a human are killing them.  Yeesh.

Frogs earns 1 of 5 stars.

KILLADELPHIA Deluxe Edition, Book One by Rodney Barnes & Jason Shawn Alexander is Coming!

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Killadelphia took the comic world by storm.  If you know, you know.  If you don’t know, here’s a summary…

Finally, the acclaimed horror title which was nominated for an Eisner Award for “best new series” is collected in a stunning hardcover featuring the first 12 issues and more!

From RODNEY BARNES, the breakout star comics scribe and television writer behind HBO’s Winning Time, and the show-stopping artist who redefined SPAWN for a new generation, JASON SHAWN ALEXANDER.

When a small-town beat cop comes home to bury his murdered father, revered Philadelphia detective James Sangster Sr., he stumbles into a mystery that will lead him down a path of horrors and shake his beliefs to their core. The city that was once the symbol of liberty and freedom has fallen prey to corruption, poverty, unemployment, brutality…and vampires.

Now, it’s up to Jimmy and an unexpected companion to stop long-thought-dead President of the United States John Adams from building an undead army and staging a bloody new American revolution.

There’s a reason they say you can’t go home again. Welcome to Killadelphia.

Collects KILLADELPHIA #1-12 and chapters 1-5 of the terrifying werewolf tie-in story ELYSIUM GARDENS

I’m glad that Killadelphia is getting the deluxe hardcover treatment.  I’m looking forward to mine.  Pre-orders are available now.