From working a ton, to visiting friends [this guy, and this guy] and family [out of town, which is why I’ve only been posting on the Facebook page, rather than here lately] – I’ve been a fairly busy guy this past week. But when I got home Monday night, I didn’t want to jump on the computer and type away, so I decided to take a blast to the past and play Pokémon Heart Gold on the 3DS; which I got as a gift from one of the above said friends.I completely forgot how much I love the games [I grew up playing Pokémon Blue and Red] with the cute characters, the battling mechanics, and most of all – the “gotta catch ’em all” feelings you get when you throw that famous Pokéball : it’s all around good natured, child-friendly fun.. Or is it?

Let’s quickly recap, in case you have been living under a rock for the past 15+ years or you haven’t played the games, Pokémon is a long running video game series where your objective is to collectively ‘catch’ over 600 creatures and make them battle each other to level up and “evolve” them to stronger monsters. If you’re against the whole animal cruelty thing, you can alternatively have them participate in contests, judging their beauty with different accessories on them, and so forth. I guess it’s also fair to mention that in the game, you leave home at the age of ten to find and “train” these wild monsters..

[relevant to this blog’s Pokédex]

Now the reason this post is titled “secretly terrifying” is because although it’s marketed to [ten + year old] kids, many of the Pokédex – an electronic ingame Pokémon encyclopedia – entries are creepy as fuck.. like morbidly creepy. It makes you wonder how some of these slipped past game-censors, and how parents would feel if they knew what little Tommy was playing with..To make this list easier, I have included a picture of the “creepy Pokémon“, and added it’s Pokédex entry [also stating which game the entry is from]. So grab your Pokédexes, and let’s have some nostalgic fun, shall we?

Kadabra:

Pokédex Entry: It happened one morning – a boy with extrasensory powers awoke in bed had transformed into Kadabra. [as per Pokémon Fire Red]

Starting off with one of the more what the fuck moments in the very first Generation of the series, Kadabra is already kinda spooky looking. But to know that this “pocket monster” was once human makes it downright terrifying! If that’s not enough, Kadabra has a similar look and feel to Baphomet – the Freemason’s god. In all seriousness though, this basically tells us that trainers who have one of these, are “training” a child..to battle monsters..to the death. yup.

Yanmask:

Pokédex Entry: Each of them carries a mask that used to be it’s face when it was human. Sometimes, they look at it and cry. [as per Pokémon Black]

Based on this particular entry, we’re introduced to a pretty deep – yet messed up concept as if it was completely normal. According to this, humans [and trainers alike] can die and ultimately turn into Yamasks. If that’s not bad enough, it basically gets humiliated by losing it’s entirety of its human body except the fucking face: WHICH IT THEN CARRIES AROUND AS A MASK!!

Haunter:

Pokédex Entry: It’s tongue is made of gas. If licked, it’s victim starts shaking constantly until death eventually comes.. [as per Pokémon Silver]

It’s one thing that Haunter‘s tongue is made of gas, I mean it is a ghost – but to know even the slightest of touch will kill it’s enemy? that’s dark..even for what we’ve seen already. The above entry doesn’t even try and deny that fainting is just a term used for death in the Pokémon world! The scariest part of this creature is that if you remember the TV show, during the opening theme, Haunter actually licks Ash‘s Charmander: what does that tell us? the shaking is clearly visible..[check it out here]

Darumaka:

Pokédex Entry: Darumaka’s droppings are so hot, people used to put them in their clothing to keep themselves warm.. [as per Pokémon White]

Although cute, Darumaka is a strange creature; even by Pokémon standards. In a world where all of society seems to only care about pocket creatures that are constantly beating each other up – which seems to be the norm amongst kids – the concept that people are putting scalding hot monster feces in their pockets to “keep warm” is probably the most fucked-up thing on this list – and that’s passing the fact that some Pokémon hold their dead face around.

Cubone:

Pokédex Entry: It always wears the skull of it’s dead Mother, no one has any idea what it’s hidden face looks like. [as per Pokémon Silver]

Hard to believe that as a kid, Cubone was actually my favorite Pokémon, I loved it’s design, it’s move set and even it’s evolve form [Marowak, which has the deceased Mother’s skull fused to it’s face] it blew my mind as I grew older to know that it’s skull mask isn’t a “mask”.. This Pokémon is more depressing than any, and I still love Cubone.

Obviously, there’s more than just these five Pokémon that can be classified as “terrifying”. There’s many psychic types that even go so far as to kidnap kids, or even eat their dreams! And that only marks seven total – out of over 600! But now I ask you: which creepy critter is your favorite? Did it make this list? Let me know in a comment or two! Also, if you found yourself to enjoy this piece, please take a minute and follow me over on Facebook where you can click the “like” button on my Facebook page. By clicking “like”, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted. I also share things that will not be featured here on the blog.  So be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share the page with family and friends! The page only needs FIVE more “likes” until we’re at the 100 mark! [there will be a celebratory post when it’s reached!]

THANKS FOR READING.

Oh, Mom – You were the woman who held us in your womb for nine [long] months. You are the woman who fed us and shushed us when we cried.. But unlike these Mothers; you seem to have actually cared.  Unlike the ones in horror films and TV shows that have gone and given us a look at the dark side of motherhood over the years.. It’s kind of strange in it’s own right: there’s no horror film called “Father’s Day” ? But yet there are many that revolve around vicious killer Moms. Because I have to work tomorrow, here’s my Mother’s Day post – my top 5 mothers in horror.

NOTE: Amelia from The Babadook was going to make this list, but I felt that since I already wrote up a post on the film, I’d set her aside. Be sure to read that post, over here.

MARGARET WHITE – CARRIE

They’re all going to laugh at you if you think that Piper Laurie as Carrie‘s mother isn’t the most extreme holier-than-thou mother I’ve seen in a while, making her one of the most frightening parents in horror history. She has a notoriously bad habit of abusing her daughter, proven by the fact that she’s under the impression that her very existence is wretched sin! Margaret even goes so far as to force her to recite certain passages from the Bible,  lock her in a closet, and endlessly torments her until she finally fights back with her telekinetic powers.. Well, she did have it coming after all this..right?

PAMELA VOORHEES – FRIDAY THE 13TH

Anyone who calls themselves a horror fan knows that in the original Friday The 13th, Jason wasn’t the killer [yet] but rather, his mother. According to the plot of the film, Mrs. Voorhees was furious about the oversexed teens who neglected her son as he ultimately, drowned in the nearby Camp [Crystal] Lake. That grin is as terrifying as any old hockey mask!

AMANDA KRUEGER – A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 5: THE DREAM CHILD

Like Jason before him, we learn in the fifth installment of his famous series that Freddy also had a mother of importance. We learn that during her time as a nun, Amanda Krueger is locked inside the Westin Hills Asylum with dozens upon dozens of inmates, where she is raped, repeatedly, which ends in her pregnancy. She does give Freddy up for adoption and tries to follow him from a “safe” distance, and to her credit, she even tries to stop him, but realistically, trying to defeat a boogeyman that haunts your dreams is a nearly impossible task; even if you are a woman with divine connections..

ROSEMARY WOODHOUSE – ROSEMARY’S BABY

Watch out for those neighbors. It doesn’t help when you find yourself living in a questionable apartment building where strange events seem to occur almost daily and suspicious people give weirder explanations for those events. Then you get Rosemary and her husband, who become players in the plans of what seems to be a Satanic cult! In the movie, Rosemary has what she believes to be a dream of being raped by a demonic being..except it wasn’t  a dream!

NORMA BATES – PSYCHO

you can’t say you didn’t expect this one on the list: when I think mothers in horror, Psycho is bound to be the first film you would probably think of.  We hear her speaking to him the whole film until we learn that Mother was more or less “created” by Norman’s psychotic cross dressing episodes; Only to be horrifyingly revealed as a skeletal corpse stashed away, fully clothed and all in the cellar!

With so many Mothers being so vicious, it’s a wonder any of these people prospered..albeit – into killers – but still. If there’s any lesson to learn today, it’s that even if your Mother grounded you as a child, she’s not nearly as bad as someone who asked you to kill for her, or at least she didn’t lock you in a closet! Which horror Mom do you think is the scariest? is it Mrs. White? Or do you sympathize with Mrs. Krueger, seeing as it’s technically not her fault that Freddy turned out the way he did? Let me know in a comment or two below or on Facebook!

Also, on an closing note, if you found yourself to enjoy this article, please take a minute and follow me over on Facebook where you can click the “like” button on my Facebook page. By clicking “like”, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted. I also share things that will not be featured here on the blog.  So be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share the page with family and friends!

THANKS FOR READING.

[Mother’s Day Horror by chrisraimoart]

Ever since it was announced, I’ve been finding myself concerned for MTV‘s Scream: The TV Series. It may be because of my in depth review of the first film though, considering I called Scream one of the most important horror films of it’s time – if not all time! It’s not so much the series as a whole I’m worried about, but rather how is it going to translate from big budget film[s] to television? I’m not quite sure what kind of show MTV plans to deliver, but with the first episode releasing on June 30th, 2015; I’m becoming more and more curious as to how this show will all play out. As we learned in the Scream films, Everyone has secrets. Everyone tells lies. Everyone is fair game. And everybody dies – and this show seems no different, boasting murders at parties, and everyone being on the floor: either with slit necks, or knives in their heads! The odd thing about MTV producing this show is that Scream [the original film] was actually the winner of the 1997 MTV Movie Award for Best Picture. Another interesting thing to note about this new version of the series is that it doesn’t take place in the same town as the films, but rather a smaller town known as Lakewood. For those unfamiliar with Scream: The TV Series, I’ve included the synopsis below:

“After a cyber-bullying incident results in a brutal murder, the shocking violence stirs up memories of a  killing spree from the past that has haunted some, intrigued others and maybe just inspired a new killer. A group of teens – with two old friends struggling to reconnect at its heart – become lovers, enemies, suspects, targets and victims of a killer who’s out for blood.”

I love Ghostface just as much as everyone, but apparently the signature mask will NOT be appearing in the show…

Since we still have a month and a bit before it’s release, I find myself with a few questions involving the show: with the most important being: will the “rules” apply? Or will the series be, or feel, as comedic as the films felt at times? It’s something we will have to wait til the end of June to find out with ten episodes being made for season one. The show will be written by Jill Blotevogel, [who wrote a few episodes of 2002’s The Twilight Zone]  and will have Canadian Director Jamie Travis on board as well. This series was originally planned to be released in mid-2014, however, this was changed to Summer 2015 with the pilot episode being called “Red Roses”.

Now the question is, are you excited for Scream: The TV Series? If you’re still not entirely sure how to feel about all this; check out the newest promo for the show, entitled: “Killer Party” below – it’s bloody, it’s vicious, and it looks [half-] decent so far. Let me know your thoughts about it in a comment or two! Also, if you found yourself to enjoy this piece, please take a minute and follow me over on Facebook where you can click the “like” button on my Facebook page. By clicking “like”, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted. I also share links and pictures that will not be featured here on the blog.  So be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share the page with family and friends!!

THANKS FOR READING.

If there’s one trend that seems to be sticking around lately, it’s rebooting a film, remaking a film, or making unnecessary sequels. This news is no different than that, because it’s official: Sony Pictures is set to remake the 90s witch-centric cult hit The Craft and according to The Hollywood Reporter, it’s has already found it’s director. Leigh Janiak, who is probably best known for her surreal horror Honeymoon, is set to write and direct this new version of the movie. The original film, which came out in 1996, had Robin Tunney play as the newest member of a group of school outcasts. Together, the four women begin to dabble in the dark arts of witchcraft, using magic to get back at bullies and the “bad boys”.

Obviously, It’s too early to tell, so it’s not fully clear just how faithful this remake will be, but as we saw in her last movie, Janiak certainly knows how to build supernatural tension. Based on Honeymoon, I’m sure she’ll also be able to handle the kind of snappy and witty dialog that comes with a high school-aged coven of girls. Apparently, Sony has faith in the project, because according to same article above, The Hollywood Reporter, she had impressed Sony executives with her take on “a female empowerment tale” . It must have taken some fighting to get finally get it remake though, because The Craft was supposed to be remade back in 2006, and then [the project] died in 2008. By the power of witchcraft, it’s been resurrected..again.

[I don’t even care, Fairuza Balk is still an absolute babe. just me? anyone?]

I’m just trying to wrap my head around a remake of the film though, It’s not exactly necessary. [granted, what remake really is?] To this day, I feel the original film still holds up, but maybe that’s my nostalgic mind talking- It wasn’t a bad film per se, it was an entertaining 90’s teen flick – it’s just important to remember that is exactly what it is: a teen flick. If you were to go into The Craft hoping for method-acting or some extreme character development, you’re going to be disappointed. Because that’s not what the film is about: but rather, is about peer pressure, how cruel teenagers can really be, and the power-trips given off by catholic witches. If you weren’t aware though, there was even a few complaints brought against this movie when it was first released by actual practicing Wiccans, who had stated that it gives the false impression that Wiccans engage only in “bad” magic, as we see the girls in the movie putting curses and spells on their enemies.. and with all the “hipster witches” of today’s societies, I feel that we’re bound to get some sort of complaint[s] when this version of The Craft comes out as well..

[Oh Nancy, you are my kind of lady ♡]

Clearly, this is an interesting choice for a remake, it seems like an unnecessary choice, but I’m sure we can all agree that lately, Hollywood hasn’t really had any original ideas to work with; with a few exceptions of course. How do you feel about The Craft getting remade? Are you curious, or just plain worried for the outcome? Who would you cast in the girls’ roles? Let me know in a comment or two.  Also, if you found yourself to enjoy this piece, please take a minute and follow me over on Facebook where you can click the “like” button on my Facebook page. By clicking “like”, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted. I also share links and pictures that will not be featured here on the blog.  So be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share the page with family and friends!

THANKS FOR READING.

If you follow me on Instagram, chances are that you saw this picture that I had posted a few days ago – stating that it was a “hint” to something new to come to warrenisweird. Now although movie reviews aren’t new, and are in fact something I do all the time, this film is a little different than the others for one reason: The House With 100 Eyes hasn’t been released yet on DVD/Blu-Ray: which – other than Netflix or the movie theater – is how I watch most films these days, especially as someone who collects movies.

Now before you jump at me about how I must have downloaded the film, or I “ripped” it, I want to nip these rumors at the bud and explain: I’ve actually been working with a distribution company called Artsploitation Films to receive ‘screener’ copies of their movies before it’s widespread release – which in return – I’ll review here on the blog. Bear in mind, not all of them are horror, but a good number of them will be, so don’t be surprised if one day I review something non-horror related movie. Being as they’re a company from the USA – and I’m in Canada – I also have to wait in order to get them mailed to my address, so patience is definitely a virtue here.

So there you it is; my “big secret” of the day, week, month, whatever you want to call it:  I will be reviewing a few films that haven’t been released yet, and this will become a more common thing around the blog. It just depends when the screener arrives, or if one is on the way. I hope this clears things up with what this new thing I’m going to be doing for a while now is, and hopefully you enjoy reading these as much as I enjoy writing them! Please remember though, if you enjoy the review enough, and you find yourself interested, be sure to snag a copy of the film once they’re released, whether it’s DVD, Blu-Ray, digital copy, or however you see fit: it really does help the movie makers, which I’m a huge supporter of, and as movie fans: you should too. Obviously, this won’t be the only thing that happens on warrenisweird, but rather, a new ‘segment’ to the blog, for lack of a better term. Regular posts will still appear as often as possible, but for now, let’s move onto the main event of the day: the actual review of The House With 100 Eyes!

Meet Ed and Susan [above]. They are your typical suburban married couple. Susan is the perfect trophy-wife for someone like Ed, she seems to “get him”, and they do everything together.. everything. The House With 100 Eyes is their life story, where they attempt to create the ultimate “film” [for their dying fans!], complete with behind the scenes footage and even a director’s commentary – all the features you’d expect on a regular DVD: but that’s just extra, because everyone knows you’re here for their main attraction: The world’s first triple feature: Three victims, Three murders, One night!

Before even the first shot, we’re told that the film we are about to watch is ‘edited’ from an actual snuff film, that it was ‘found’ by the producers, and that it’s based on actual events; with religious music playing over the words. When the beginning of the movie officially starts, it feels fairly slow to set the pace. With Susan and Ed filming themselves in first person view, which the most of the movie is, Ed begins to tell the camera that they plan to make “an adult movie”. But of course, this is no ordinary movie, because it’s the most terrible type of film: a snuff film. Ed makes a comment or two about how they plan to go further than any other film of this nature has before by filming the entire process: from how they choose their victim to the “finale”. But like I said above, they change it up, and instead of one victim, they are including three victims, or as they refer to them, cast members. It gets almost scary in a sense because we hear Susan and Ed talk about killing people and filming the deaths just as they would if they were discussing something as natural as planting a tree or going for a leisurely stroll. It’s on the outside that they look like a normal, happy couple – but clearly that’s just a front to cover where evil truly lies.

Eventually, we learn that every day they can, our favorite couple drives the streets, looking for their “cast members” for their next “feature film” – telling people that they can make quick money. Along the way, we notice it’s not as easy as it seems to be made out to be: With a few either wanting to leave, or just plain ignore their offers of fast-cash. but after a few trial and errors, we meet Jamie, Crystal [as seen above], and Clutch. We see Ed lure them into his van with the promise of $500 for showing up to their show, and being as they are desperate for cash in a town they don’t know, the three agree to go back to Ed and Susan’s House. Once back at the home, [and after a few drinks] Susan and Ed waste no time introducing their ‘staff members’ to their homemade torture chamber[s] amongst the walls of the House. Jumping right into the action, they begin torturing and tormenting each one of them with smiling faces, and cameras everywhere. [I took the “100 Eyes” to be the cameras] These victims go through a number of horrific experiences [including, but not limited to, cutting stomach fat out and being force-fed it] with what looks like no chance, or hope, of survival. The worst part is, there’s a high chance that no one will even know they are missing.. making the movie feel painfully real. Their will to survive push them to at least try to make it out alive, but we all know in horror films – except for a typical “final girl”, the rest are pretty well finished for good.. Scene by scene, Susan and Ed vent their pain, anger, and frustration at humankind onto their play-things – all while their 100 cameras are filming. If they’re lucky, maybe the fans will send them some cold, hard earned cash for their efforts; assuming it all went to plan.

The House With 100 Eyes is definitely not a movie for everyone: it’s brutal, it’s violent as all hell, and it’s terrifyingly real. Not surprisingly though, some scenes will offend some viewers, but fear not: it all has its place in the movie. With graphic violence, blood/gore, fast-paced action and a disturbingly evil feeling plot, It’s clear that Jim Roof – the writer and actor of Ed – was hoping to open people’s eyes to the depravity that is out there – no matter how much we deny it. and he succeeded. The film is clear with it’s showing that even a small cast is the perfect way to do a film like this, and with most of the movie taking place in the dark of night, visual effects and camera work are/is insanely good at feeling realistic – it just feels like it helps turn the “House” into a scary, creepy atmosphere for a killing floor! If this movie sounds interesting enough for you, I’ve included the trailer for the film down below, just be sure to check out THE HOUSE WITH 100 EYES when it’s released on DVD and Blu-Ray June 16, 2015!

THANKS FOR READING.

Have you ever noticed in movies that when it comes time to write/make a sequel [or six], the films – as a whole – tend to become progressively worse than the one before it? I have. many times. As it turns out, there’s actually a word for that: sequelitis. As described by TVTROPES, sequelitis is when the number of films in a series grows, the higher the probability that the latest entry will be terrible. This makes sense if you think back to older films that had their share of many sequels: such as the Puppet Master films, Friday The 13th, and even A Nightmare On Elm Street – even if that last one and it’s sequels have a special place in my heart. In other words, sequels to movies, generally created on the hopes of box office revenue, are rarely as good as the movie they’re an actual sequel to. If there’s an attempt at a third installment as well, this will also [usually] mark a sharp downhill spike, even if the second movie turned out “all right”. I won’t even get into Direct-To-Video sequels, cause that screams ‘bound to be garbage’ [ahem! Hostel: Part III, cough] Today though, we’re going to be talking about yet another series that although I love[d] them as a whole, they really did get worse as the series went on. If you know me in real life, you’d know that I’m, of course, talking about Saw [and it’s many sequels]

the SAW films: and their ‘freshness’ as per Rotten Tomatoes

Look at the picture above. Notice how the first Saw film was 48% fresh, but it’s sequel: Saw II,  had a  ‘freshness’ of 36%? That’s almost 10% of a difference already, already showing us that the second film wasn’t as good as the first! [granted, these films aren’t exactly everyone‘s cup of tea] By the time a third SAW film appeared on screen, we’ve dropped yet another 10% in popularity amongst the films. I mean, you’d think that’s where they’d stop..right? Except, this is where it gets kind of tricky though because the series was supposed to end at the third film, which could make sense if you’ve seen the films. But when Lionsgate began to notice just how much money Saw was bringing them in, they demanded that the script to Saw III be changed immensely to allow even more SAW movies to be made.. Obviously, this falls on the fault of “Executive Meddling” – which essentially means that these films started to get worse, because of executive decisions beyond our control.

It’s kind of unfortunate that the Saw films fell into such a death-trap though, [see what I did there?] because I actually enjoyed them – at the very least, for the story of John Kramer and the traps. The Final Chapter, which didn’t feel very “final” at all, ended up with 09% freshness, which is beyond saving.. Even if I have a terrible habit of trying to find something good with every film I watch; that score is fitting. The Final Chapter hurt to watch. [it very well could have been a trap of it’s own]i It didn’t even clear everything up, which it’s promotional teasers claimed it would. [it’s final moments/ending only really made sense if you watched the film with the commentary on]

“well, let’s see: do I want more SAW movies or no? can I think it over first?”

With news and confirmations of an eighth Saw film coming as soon as Halloween 2015, [groan*] I’m both guilty of being excited and overly nervous for what’s to come. With the last film in the series being such garbage, received badly by critics and fans alike, I don’t see why they feel the need to keep pushing with more. If this new sequel is as bad as I’m predicting it will be, I’m hoping Lionsgate comes to realize that more does not always mean better. But now I turn to you readers: how do you feel about the Saw films? Were they masterpieces of horror [I mean, they are the highest grossing horror franchise made] or something that should have ended after part three? Let me know in a comment or two down below.

Also, if you found yourself to enjoy this piece, please take a minute and follow me over on Facebook where you can click the “like” button on my Facebook page. By clicking “like”, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted. I also share links and pictures that will not be featured here on the blog.  So be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share the page with family and friends!

THANKS FOR READING.

I’ve said it countless times, but The Evil Dead stands as one of my favorite horror films of all time. The character of Ash is the epitome of what a ‘hero’ in horror should be. He’s funny, he’s extreme, and..let’s be honest, he’s been through a lot. He’s faced numerous Deadites in his adventures through The Evil Dead all the way to Army Of Darkness, and that’s not including his newest adventure that’s coming up! Another thing I’ve said far too many times to count is that I enjoy comic-books, specifically Marvel comics; such as Wolverine and Spider-Man. But what if we could combine the two together into an epic battle?

Whether you believe it or not, Marvel Zombies VS The Army Of Darkness is an actual five-issue comic book that was published in 2007 by Marvel Comics in association with Dynamite Entertainment, a crossover series where Ash Williams, who – as we just said is the hero of the popular Evil Dead films, finds himself in the Marvel Zombies setting: which is an alternate world of flesh-eating ‘zombified’ Marvel comics heroes.. These comics are as gory as they get, at least by Marvel standards, but Ash has kept his Bruce Campbell face, which I’m more than okay with!

thanks to a group of people known as “Slash/Up”, who run a YouTube series that actually combines pop culture icons with each other, we actually get to see characters like Ash fighting zombified super heroes, like Wolverine and Spider-Man, which let’s face it – we’ve all wanted to see at some point. Although it was initially removed, it’s been recently re-added; and in high-definition too! Although the video ends on a cliff hanger, It’s been recently mentioned that Slash/Up is working on “Ash VS The DC Dead“, which isn’t based on a comic – but that doesn’t stop me from imagining a zombified Batman.. If you’re still curious about the Marvel Zombies and Ash fight that I’m talking about, the awesome short [clocking in at just over 8 minutes] is found over on YouTube – or better yet, I’ve included it down below.

If you lasted through the above video, what were your thoughts on it? I actually really enjoy this short, and I forgot all about it until YouTube brought it up as a recommendation on my feed. Was Ash the hero he is meant to be? Or did you find him to be too try-hard? [which is kind of the point of Ash when you think about it..] Let me know in a comment or two down below or over on the Facebook Page.

Also, if you found yourself to enjoy this piece, please take a minute and follow me over on Facebook where you can click the “like” button on my Facebook page. By clicking “like”, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted. I also share links and pictures that will not be featured here on the blog.  So be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share the Facebook page with your family and friends!

THANKS FOR READING.

Hey there kiddies! It’s your old pal, The CryptKeeper! and I’m here to tell you a few stories that involve death, monsters, and best of all: terrible horror puns! ahem. Sorry, I don’t know where that came from.. probably another time or even another place – a place where I had a raspy voice and made terrible jokes..oh wait a second. That actually sounds about right..

In all seriousness though, Tales From The Crypt is an American horror anthology television series that ran from June 10 1989 to July 19 1996 on HBO for seven seasons [and two movies!], equaling itself out to a total of 93 episodes. The show’s title is based on the 1950s EC Comics series of the same name, with most of the content originating in that comic, or the six other EC Comics that appeared around the same time [these were known as “The Crypt Of Terror”, “The Haunt Of Fear”, “The Vault Of Horror”, “Crime SuspenStories”, “Shock SuspenStories” and “Two-Fisted Tales”] An interesting thing to note is that because it was aired on HBO, which is a premium television channel, Tales From The Crypt was one of the few anthology series of it’s time to be actually be allowed to have full freedom from censorship by network standards and as a result, HBO gave the okay and allowed the series to contain graphic violence as well as other content that had not appeared in most television series up to that time: such as crude humor, gore, nudity and even sexual situations. Naturally, this would most likely give the series a TV-MA rating by today’s standards!

To give you some perspective on the show, each [and every] episode of Tales From The Crypt begins with a tracking shot leading to the front door of The Crypt Keeper‘s decrepit – presumably haunted – mansion. [which I like to call, “my dream house”] Once the viewer[s] are inside, the camera pans down the narrow hallways and stairways, and then finally descends into the dark, dirty basement. The show’s host, known as the CryptKeeper, then pops out from his coffin, cackling wildly; ending with a green slime as it pours down over the screen with the main title appearing. [can’t picture it? we’ll come back to this in a bit..] The CryptKeeper is an animated corpse, as opposed to what he was in the original comics where he was actually a living human being! Our wisecracking Host, who was voiced by John Kassir, would then introduce the episode with intentionally hackneyed puns with his trademark greeting to viewers: “Hello, Boils and Ghouls” or “Hello, Kiddies”. Each episode was fairly self-contained, and normally ended with an specialized outro sequence involving the CryptKeeper, usually by telling us that the person[s] who died in the episode had it coming.. using really bad [but entertaining] puns! The comic book cover art that was used for each episode were created by Mike Vosburg and Shawn McManus.

what a cutie, am I right? just me? okay..

In 1993, a Saturday morning cartoon that I grew up watching as well known as Tales From The Cryptkeeper was created/spun off from the original HBO series. It was produced by Nelvana [a Canadian company] for ABC, rather than HBO; which naturally means that the excessive violence of the prime-time series was insanely toned down and the gore was removed completely. Nelvana even went so far as to find [and employ] a child psychologist to double check the show’s scripts to be sure that the episodes would be suitable for younger viewers. The CryptKeeper puppet from the classic show was considered to be the host for the series as well, but it was ultimately ruled that he would probably frighten the younger audiences. Instead, we were given an animated version, which granted – looks closer to the EC Comics version – with John Kassir reprising as the voice of The CryptKeeper. This series didn’t last overly long though, running for a short 26 episodes with only two seasons.

Tales From The Crypt was [and still is] a fantastic show, it’s something that I like to call horror at it’s finest. I grew up watching this series and the animated series: Tales From The CryptKeeper. If you haven’t seen the series before [blasphemy!] or you just want to relive some cult horror television, I implore you to check out a few episodes online on your own, or with some friends; cause you know what they say: “the morgue, the merrier!” [here come the puns, again!] As someone who’s been revisiting the series lately [especially after finding seasons 1 and 2 on DVD for $10!] I strongly recommend the series in full.  I recommend it so strongly in fact, that I’ve even included the show’s intro [which I described above] to get you in the ghastly spirit of things!

THANKS FOR READING.

Anyone who is a Tim Burton fan, or has even scoured the internet for a little bit knows [or at least, has heard of] this theory: Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie, Corpse Bride, and The Nightmare Before Christmas are all one big movie. It seems to make sense, based on the above picture with each character looking like one another and each having a [dead] dog. However, after being asked by a friend to tackle this theory [especially since I’m a fairly large Tim Burton fan] and after over thinking these films – which I’ve watched over a dozen times each – I’m fairly confident in saying that these films are not connected in any way;  and I’m prepared  to explain why. So sit back, grab a snack and a drink; because this is going be one hell of a long post. okay. ~deep breath

Let’s start with Frankenweenie, the supposed beginning of this “timeline”.  Our story begins with Victor Frankenstein of New Holland, who comes off as a young and budding scientist and film maker with his best [and seemingly only] friend: Sparky – his dog. After a freak accident, [involving a simple game of “catch” with his dog] young Victor is friendless and alone.. or so he thinks! After learning about electric currents in his science class, and how electricity can shoot through the body, making body parts move. A typical Frankenstein scenario plays out with Sparky coming back to life, then dying..again.. and then Victor accepting that his friend is gone for good.

Flash forward to Corpse Bride, arguably my favorite of the three films we’re discussing today and the “middle” of the theory’s timeline. The movie follows Victor Van Dort of Victorian England, who is set to marry a woman he’s never met. While this Victor looks like a grown up version of Frankenweenie’s Victor, there is no correlation, let alone a mention claiming that they are even related.  Not only are Van Dort’s parents completely different than Frankenstein’s, the time lapse is completely wrong as well – New Holland is found in North Lincolnshire, England. Like in the town in Frankenweenie, it’s a really small village. To prove this, its population at one point was only 955 people! The period of Victorian England on the other hand, started in 1837, making these two films impossible to be under the same timeline. Also, It’s important to note that although they both had [dead] dogs, Sparky and Scraps have two separate names. Though, that last one is a smaller, less important detail.

Lastly, we have The Nightmare Before Christmas, or the ‘end’ of the theory’s timeline – This film follows Jack, the Pumpkin King playing an almost ‘reverse Grinch’ where, instead of hating Christmas, actually falls in love with the idea and tries to have his own Halloween-ed version of it, with his [dead] dog Zero helping out. Now right off the bat, things have proven themselves that Jack [and Zero], Victor F [and Sparky] and Victor V [and Scraps] are completely different people/dogs, specifically – their names and appearances.  Through-out Nightmare, we also learn that Jack is, and has been, the Pumpkin King for a very long time – long enough that even a hint at his ‘human life’ [assuming he had one] was never mentioned in film. As far as viewers are aware, Jack has always been a living skeleton. Also, going back to names, what would be the reasoning for Victor to change his name to Jack? [and Sparky to Scraps to Zero? these are important questions]

In closing, I feel that this theory doesn’t make much sense, with each character not entirely matching up to the character they supposedly become. While I wish it could be true, the facts against it are too strong.. How do you feel about this theory? Could Jack Skellington actually be Victor Frankenstein? Or does the whole theory feel too farfetched? Let me know in a comment or two down below!  Also, if you found yourself to enjoy this piece of writing, please take a minute and follow me over on Facebook where you can click the “like” button on my Facebook page. By clicking “like”, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted. I also share links and pictures that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps a ton, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share the page with family and friends!

THANKS FOR READING.

While I usually don’t watch them, one of my absolute favorite web-series as of late is something by one of my favorite directors. This web-series is called: “Adam Green’s Scary Sleepover“. [check out every season one episode over here] The concept is fairly simple – Adam has someone that either was in a horror film or made a horror film come to his ‘office'; and they just hang out, talk about movies, and have a typical “sleepover”. It’s essentially something I’d love to do; if I had more friends..famous friends. In one of the later episodes of Scary Sleepover‘s first season, [season two is coming in October!] there was a teaser for something new – something calling itself “20 SECONDS TO LIVE“.. According to it’s official website, the concept of this series is fairly simple: it’s an anthology web-series that dares it’s viewers to pay close attention, because no matter how the short story seems to begin, in exactly twenty seconds, someone’s going to die.. 20 SECONDS TO LIVE comes off as the horror/comedy series that is aimed at people who seem to hate happy endings. With each episode being somewhat short, [clocking in at just under five minutes] the feeling of the episode[s] seem quick and to the point; which is not a bad thing; in fact, I prefer it that way. Episodes are set to come out every Friday, and with this series quickly becoming a new favorite of mine, I’m excited for more – even though there’s only been one episode so far. Originally posted two days ago, [June 5th, 2015] this first episode is titled “Anniversary“, which should already have you curious as to how the story is going to play out..especially with death looming over everyone’s shoulder. Anniversary follows a married couple who are celebrating, – you guessed it – their anniversary. However, they are blindly unaware that someone is watching them from out of sight.. Be sure to check out ArieScope‘s official page for 20 SECONDS TO LIVE to keep updated with all the episodes – both released, and previews for the upcoming ones! If all this has caught your attention, and you’re a fan of the horror genre [if you’re not, I think you’re on the wrong site, buddy!]  you definitely need to watch the first episode of 20 SECONDS TO LIVE, and because I care; you can do so by clicking on the preview picture below! I promise, that it’s completely worth 20 Seconds of your time and it’s a ton of fun to watch; especially since you don’t know what’s going to happen in it! Assuming you watched the episode above, how did it feel? Did you enjoy it and find yourself craving more? Or was it something that doesn’t feel like something you’d want to continue with? Let me know in a comment or two down below!  Also, if you found yourself to enjoy this piece of writing, please take a minute and follow me over on Facebook where you can click the “like” button on my Facebook page. By clicking “like”, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted. I also share links and pictures that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps me out a ton, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share the page with family and friends!

THANKS FOR READING.

Let’s be real for a minute: it’s always sad when someone passes away, but nothing shakes the world more than when it happens to be a well known actor – it’s as if everyone goes haywire – we all know how we reacted when Robin Williams left this planet, or in the case of us horror fans; when Betsy Palmer [the original Mrs. Voorhees] passed on. However, today; we lose yet another horror actor – a veteran who has been in over 280 films over the span of his career, and that’s just his acting; of course I’m talking about Sir Christopher Lee. [above] According to The Guardian, Lee had been hospitalized for some time for respiratory problems and heart failure, and ultimately – led to his unfortunate passing.

Sir Christopher Lee was at the age of 93, where the actor – who is best known for a variety of films from The Wicker Man, Dracula adaptations, all the way through to The Lord Of The Rings trilogy – passed away on this past Sunday morning at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, England.

I already miss Sir Count Dooku..[just me?]

In short, it’s a sad day already and it isn’t even ten AM yet.. I find it super sad to know that a man who has been a master at the craft of horror has passed on, but at the ripe age of 93; he had his share of the movie and music world at his fingertips..not to mention that Force Lightning! Today’s question is fairly straight forward: what was your favorite Christopher Lee film? Let me know in a comment or two down below!  While I enjoy Taste The Blood Of Dracula, My earliest memory of him is always Tim Burton‘s Sleepy Hollow and the Star Wars prequels. Also, if you found yourself to enjoy this piece of writing, please take a minute and follow me over on Facebook where you can click the “like” button on my Facebook page. By clicking “like”, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted. I also share links and pictures that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps a ton, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share the page with family and friends!

[if you follow me on Instagram, my post from this morning is relevant; look above!]

THANKS FOR READING.

In recent years, horror hasn’t been as good as it should be – we’ve seen many terrible flops, and far too many haunted house tropes. [I’m looking at you, Paranormal Activity] However, what if I told you that there’s a movie coming soon that is like The Expendables in context, but instead of action stars, we got horror icons? According to IMDB, that’s what Death House is going to be..just hear me out – it’s hopefully going to be better than it sounds.

Already in pre-production, Death House boasts some impressive names from classic horror already, including: Robert Englund [..I know you know who I’m talking about when I mention Englund‘s name], Gunnar Hansen [notably remembered as the original Leatherface], Sid Haig [Captain Spaulding, anyone?], Doug Bradley [also known as Pinhead], Bill Moseley [Otis Firefly, the devil himself], Dee Wallace [she’s been all over the horror map], Danny Trejo [the ‘Machete’ wielder], Kane Hodder [you probably know him best as Victor Crowley] and even Michael Berryman [can the original The Hills Have Eyes get some love in here?] I mean, doesn’t this sound great? Maybe. Or at least, so far.. The plot that IMDB offers isn’t exactly enough to give us something to go on, but it was written by one of the writers/director himself:

“Two federal agents fight their way through nine levels of Hell inside a secret prison known as the Death House. A facility-wide prison break turns their flight into a tour of horrors as they push toward the ultimate evil housed in the lowest depths of the earth.”

please note: this is just a random prison, not a set picture..

We’re also told that The Four Horsemen are the most notorious serial killers of all time..at least, in the story this movie takes place in. Robert Englund’s character’s weapon of choice is fire; Gunnar Hansen‘s character has an unquenchable thirst for human flesh; Bill Moseley‘s is a surgeon, and tends to focus on mutilation and torture; and lastly – Doug Bradley‘s character shares a bond with spiders, particularly the Brown Recluse Spider, whose poison he is happy to dispense among those unfortunate enough to meet him. All four of these killers are ‘safely’ housed in a maximum security wing in the basement of the infamous Dodhoff Prison, aka The Death House.

Earlier, I said that it sounds like it’s going to be a decent film so far, and I meant that. It may sound great, knowing that there’s a ton of famous horror actors coming on board; but it’s not only the actors we have to think of – but the story. Englund is a great actor, but he’s been allowing himself to be in semi-okay horror lately. As for people like Hansen, when was the last time you recognized him in a movie that wasn’t related to Texas Chainsaw somehow? I’m excited for this film, but I’m also extremely nervous; knowing it could very easily flop if done wrongly. I know that Bruce Campbell is also planning a movie involving a group of horror icons, but this one isn’t it; whether or not this [or for that matter, Campbell‘s version] is going to work as well as people hope it will. I guess we’ll have to wait for more information to come to light, because there’s not a lot on Death House that’s been released yet.

if Moseley‘s character doesn’t look even close to Otis – above – I’m going to complain.

What do you think about Death House? I know there isn’t much to go on, but I mean based on the plot, and the actors involved? Let me know in a comment or two! If you found yourself to enjoy this piece of writing, please take a minute and follow me over on Facebook where you can click the “like” button on my Facebook page. By clicking “like”, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted. I also share links and pictures that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps a ton, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share the page with family and friends!

THANKS FOR READING.

Chances are, you’re probably never heard of the company that calls itself “VRwerx” – and that’s okay – because until the other day; neither had I. According to their LinkedIn page, VRwerx is a “premiere innovative” Virtual Reality game developer, and distribution company who primarily focus their time on delivering high quality Virtual Reality entertainment to a global audience. This basically means that this company works to make Virtual Reality video games and sell them to the largest group they possibly can, which – speaking as a gamer – I think is really cool! naturally, it’d come as no surprise that their games specialize in working hand in hand with tools like The Oculus Rift and other Virtual Reality machines. One thing I think that would work really well with this type of gaming is horror: think about it. You could essentially be in that world; not just being scared of what you see on screen [as if you’re watching a movie], but actually feeling like you’re in that specific horror scene. Imagine wearing The Oculus Rift, and finding yourself strapped into a Reverse Bear Trap from the SAW franchise? That’d be fucking terrifying! But why am I talking about Virtual Reality video gaming on a horror blog that generally talks horror movies? Let’s rewind for a second..

Not even five seconds ago I mentioned that I’d love to see horror come to Virtual Reality, I think it’d be super effective if done correctly, and that it could really boost a franchise hit the “next level”. [even for me – that was a bad pun..] It’s looking like I spoke too soon though, because one such horror franchise revealed a day or two ago that we’re getting a VR version of it.. and that franchise is none other than.. Paranormal Activity.

I know Keanu, I’m not happy about it either..

I know, I know; like Keanu Reeves, I’m a little skeptical about the thoughts around this. I’m not a big fan of Paranormal Activity as it is, and I’m beyond tired of supernatural movies..let alone shaky cameras. But, as it turns out, a Paranormal Activity VR video game is planned to be released for all major head-mounted displays including: The HTC Vive, Sony’s Project Morpheus, The Oculus Rift; PC; mobile; and even home video game consoles – such as The Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Although there’s no concept details of the game yet, Russell Naftal, The Co-Managing Partner of VRwerx says “Paranormal Activity is the perfect property for VRwerx. This franchise represents a huge audience that loves visceral and unbridled terror, which we intend to intensify through the incredible immersion that only virtual reality can enable. Our goal is for our Paranormal Activity VR video game to not only be the scariest game you’ve ever played, but the scariest experience you’ve ever had!”

That’s quite the claim, but if done correctly – it could be just as terrifying as they seem to say it will be. Earlier this year, another Virtual Reality game was demo-ed called Catatonic: A VR Experience. To add to the scary atmosphere, players were actually strapped to a wheelchair while wearing a Virtual Reality head-mount; which had them “wheeling” through the halls of an abandoned asylum! If VRwerx is right about one thing; it’s that with Virtual Reality, it’s all about the atmosphere and in depth immersion, which can open up the mind to more frightening scenarios.. where you actually experience what you’re playing.

contrary to belief: this is not a screenshot from the upcoming game.

I guess I’m just worried that it won’t live up to the expectations, and the strong claims of VRwerx. I’m already not a huge fan of Paranormal Activity, which sparked this “rant”; but making it into a Virtual Reality video game just concerns me more-so. As I said though, if it’s done right – this is going to be great; even surpassing the movies with their scare tactics. [which, in my opinion, isn’t that difficult] While we’re on the topic of everyone’s favorite ghost stories; if you weren’t already aware, there is a sixth Paranormal Activity film in production, [groan] subtitled “The Ghost Dimension“, and it’s currently set for an October 23rd release. Chances are, I’m not going to be seeing it, only because I’m just tired of shaky cameras, ghosts and loud/annoying jump scares.

So the real question is: how do you feel about a Paranormal Activity video game? Even with Virtual Reality, is it going to be the next big thing or is it time to put the PA ghost[s] to rest for good? Also, if you could choose one horror film to make into a Virtual Reality video game, what game would that be and why? Let me know in a comment or two! If you found yourself to enjoy this piece of writing, please take a minute and follow me over on Facebook where you can click the “like” button on my Facebook page. By clicking “like”, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted. I also share links and pictures that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps a ton, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share the page with family and friends!

THANKS FOR READING.

Look at the picture above. Which iconic horror villain stands out the most to you? Some of these guys are the epitome of horror: Ghostface, Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, Jason, Billy, Leatherface and Chucky. They are all fairly formidable foes on their own, but which one is truly the most deadly? After talking through email with someone [whom I won’t mention by name due to obvious privacy reasons] from the website buycostumes, they actually made an info-graph back in 2014 explaining which horror villain is considered the “most deadly” – at least by their kill count. When trying to export the info-graph here, the picture kind of shrunk [making it hard to read] so I’m going to break it down by horror villain, in order. With this graph, this individual and I agreed that I’d talk about it here, mainly because it’s definitely something that could be up for debate amongst horror fans, and not everyone who reads this will agree! So strap your boots on tight, kiddies: this is gonna be a long one.

[click this info-graph to see the original post by BUYCOSTUMES]

Let’s start from the top of this ladder of villains with: Pennywise, from It. Probably my least favorite on this list for the fact that I have coulrophobia. Clowns in horror isn’t really something new, but Pennywise is probably one of the scarier ones. If you want to get down to the ‘technical’ stuff, It‘s villain wasn’t always a clown, but an entity known as It, which is a shape-shifting being that can take any form it chooses; Clowns just seem relevant.. According to the graph, Pennywise isn’t nearly as violent as the others, as his kill count is at only 09. In his defense though, he did only have one movie under his belt.

Jumping from 09 kills to 22, we have The Candyman, from you guessed it; Candyman. If you’re unfamiliar with the movie [and its two sequels], Farewell To The Flesh and Day Of The Dead, the basic thing you need to know is that The Candyman is a demonic being that can be summoned by saying his name in front of a mirror five times. If you’ve ever heard of “Bloody Mary”, this is  pretty much the same concept, just with a guy with a hook for a hand instead of a woman in the mirror..

Remember Chucky? Everyone remembers the first time they saw Child’s Play: it’s actually creepy [in it’s own right] with a killer “Good Guy Doll”; where the spirit of fictional killer by the name of Charles Lee Ray puts his soul into a doll to try and live ‘forever’. I assure you, it’s a lot better than I make it sound, even if they do get a little ridiculous after the third film. Chucky has killed over 30 victims over the span of his six movies.

If you’ve never seen his films, I’m about 100% sure you’ve at least heard of Leatherface of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre fame. The original film is gritty, it’s raw, and it’s really fucked up. In a good manner of speaking, of course. His real name is Jedidiah Sawyer, but that feels like a mouthful in it’s own, so let’s stick with Leatherface, shall we? Over seven movies later, [with a new one on the way] Sawyer has claimed himself 31 victims [beating Chucky by ONE]

Hellraiser has arguably one of the cooler villains on this list, because Pinhead is completely different than everyone else on here. I mean, think about it: he’s another worldly being who has a thing for pain, pleasure and most importantly; [Lament Configuration] puzzle boxes. nine films later, Pinhead has shown such sights to 35 people! [and that’s not including the books!]

If you know me well enough, you know that one of my [many] guilty pleasure film horror series is very clearly – the SAW series. Even if Billy isn’t the “technical” killer [the traps are] his “playthings” have been through seven movies and put in traps over 40 times, with only a [very] small number of survivors..

He’s everyone’s favorite dream-invading killer: If you die in your dream, you’re going to die in real life. Of course I’m talking about Freddy Krueger. A Nightmare On Elm Street is what I think of when I think classic slasher film; it has a bit of everything – including Johnny Depp in his first role! nine films and a [terrible] remake later, Krueger has claimed 42 sleeping teenagers and adults alike!

Imagine this: you’re about three feet tall, you’re Irish, and you’ve been kidnapped by an angry and greedy American who wants your gold. Essentially, you’ve become Lubin from the Leprechaun series. Though he may not be the first horror villain that comes to mind since he’s not overly popular, [if not for cult status]  Lubin is actually extremely violent, as proven by his 45 kills over seven [obscure] movies. Unlike others on this list, he doesn’t have a specific weapon choice either. He is the type to use whatever he can find including a pogo stick, which was used to crush a man’s chest. I don’t know if I’m scared or impressed.

As the second most dangerous horror villain, this guy is pretty impressive. Any guesses? Here’s a few clues: He’s quiet, He started killing when he was young, and His movie is named after a special day. That’s right, we’re talking about Michael Myers from Halloween. Not only is his silence scary, but the fact that his eyes seem almost empty makes him more vicious. ten films and a remake [which also had a sequel] later, Myers has claimed over 111 victims! If that’s not concerning enough, I don’t know what is..

Ranking in at number one is a villain who killed over 300+ people, He is extremely difficult to kill. Apparently if you do manage to stop him, sometimes extreme electricity can bring him back from the dead. Basically, you’re dead. No questions asked. Jason from Friday The 13th has murdered more people than anyone on this list over the span of thirteen movies. [which is kind of appropriate when you think about it] Okay, okay – I know that it was his mother in the first film, but come on – he’s still killed many others when He started doing the killing.

As proven by the above [very long] list, many horror icons have a ton of experience in being evil. There’s clowns, dolls, and dreamy killers, [pro tip: that was a joke about Freddy if you couldn’t already tell] and that’s not including horror villains that weren’t on this list [next time, Ghostface, next time..] Do you have a favorite horror icon – Who is it and why? How many films have they had and how many kills? Let me know in a comment below! Also, if you’ve made it this far – be sure to check out the original kill count post by buycostumes [found here] and tell them I sent you there!

If you found yourself to enjoy this piece of writing, please take a minute and follow me over on Facebook where you can click the “like” button on my Facebook page. By clicking “like”, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted. I also share links and pictures that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps a ton, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share the page with family and friends!

THANKS FOR READING.

One of the perks about writing about horror films is that occasionally, film makers will send me copies of their film to review – it’s not a paid gig, and I don’t expect it to be: I do it for the sheer entertainment of it. Whether it’s horror or otherwise, I’m always up for watching something to help someone get noticed in the film industry. It’s generally by email [where I get contacted through my contact page] and I’m asked if I’m willing to do a review, which I’m not one to turn down. It’s kind of like when I wrote the last film study, I was requested to write my thoughts on the info-graph and without hesitation, [because I thought it was interesting] I jumped at the opportunity. Same goes for movies, I’m not against reviewing every film I can, it’s just a matter of if I can get to each [and every] one of them, and having time.

One such movie I was asked if I was willing to review was called The Sky Has Fallen, and the request to review was coming straight from the director/writer. I had never heard of such a film, but armed with the knowledge that it won “Best Horror Feature” at the Horror Freak Show Festival in 2009, and that the director insisted on only using practical effects; I was sold already. I looked into it a little, [not the trailer though, I wanted to go into the film blind] and found out it started out on Kickstarter, and already had a ton of people praising either the film, or the fact that Mr. Roos [the writer/director] was using practical effects, which one fan even called “a dying art” – which I must agree with. Roos also seemed to be a reader of warrenisweird, because he had mentioned in his email that he had read my thoughts on [bad] CGI, and even agreed with me! I was beyond excited for this film. With this excitement [and free time] ahead of me: I dove into the horror award winner, known only to me as: The Sky Has Fallen.

for an indie film – these effects are flawless.

The movie begins with telling us that the world has [more or less] ended, and that within a couple of hours, a new disease has wiped nearly the entirety of humankind. Trying to avoid this “infection”, people have started to evacuate cities, fleeing to remote locations such as back woods, or by the river. Some survivors have also claimed that they have been seeing mysterious black figures carrying away the dead and actually experimenting on them. Now, our two “heroes”: Lance and Rachel, are determined to fight back and plan on killing The Leader of these creatures before the rest of humanity disappears: for good. As you can tell from the above picture, the practical effects I was told about are beyond what I expected; with an almost Sam Raimi feeling attached to them. This is a great thing, as I’m a huge fan of the original Evil Dead trilogy, and Raimi is a practical effects master! [as far as I’m concerned] I would have loved to see more of the make up effects though, because as the creatures show up, you could tell that there was great effort put into the detail, but as soon as you want to get a clear look, the camera either looks away, or pans to another scene. If I had to make a constructive criticism on one thing though, it’d be that the back woods they were walking through could have used more scenery. By this, I just mean that most – if not all – the film takes place with just trees as background. If we saw maybe some survivor huts, or some sort of structures to add more to the feeling of moving forward; giving the characters a feeling of traveling further into the woodlands.

The other thing is the acting. Overall, it’s mediocre at best, but as a lower budget flick; I’m not overly surprised. The dialogue, however, is where I have a slight complaint. It’s just how the actors deliver their lines: they’re almost over-dramatic bursts.. This can be overlooked thanks to the special effects and the story, but it’s something that sometimes feels out of place at times. My absolute favorite thing about this film [besides the use of practical effects] is that the story was not fully explained. Although that can sometimes be a downfall – especially in the horror genre – I like that other than talk of: a plague, some zombie-like beings, horrible and violent deaths, and something weird happening to humanity. That’s really the only explanation we’re given. It’s strange and obscure, but we never really know what’s actually going on or even why these two “heroes” were immune to.. whatever this virus really is: It’s subtlety at it’s finest.

Ultimately thought, in an age films are filled with CGI – which I absolutely detest –  it’s so freeing to see that practical effects are still something people play with. It’s something we need more of, even if CGI can fix what practicality can’t, it’s the effort and the time that’s put into it that makes it feel so special. The Sky Has Fallen isn’t the most perfect film I’ve ever seen – but it’s great to look at visually, and for a low budget film; it’s brilliantly put together. It’s a great first [full length] film from Director Doug Roos, and I look forward to his next film[s] ! If you like zombies, swordplay, and violence – check out The Sky Has Fallen over here: it’s not free to watch, but it’s definitely a fun film to spend an hour and a bit on. Definitely Recommended.

If you found yourself to enjoy this review, please take a minute and follow me over on Facebook where you can click the “like” button on my Facebook page. By clicking “like”, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted. I also share links and pictures that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps a ton, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share the page with family and friends!

THANKS FOR READING.

“CLICK ME TO BUY YOUR TICKETS TO THE CARNIVAL RIGHT NOW!”

Let’s get one thing out of the way right off the top: I’m not the biggest fan of musicals. at all. I mean, I like some: films such as Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street and Little Shop Of Horrors generally keep my attention enough because of the horror aspect behind them.. However – occasionally, a newer horror-musical is released and because of how it looks visually, I get [overly] excited. This was the case for Repo! The Genetic Opera, which took until Stephanie brought it to my attention and said things like “I know you’ll like it..” or “come’on! give it a chance!” . Needless to say, she must know me well because Repo! has since become one of my favorite horror musicals ever. Speaking of, remember when there was an “episodic” sequel to Repo! ? It was known as The Devil’s Carnival, which had many of the actors from Repo! and followed three individuals who end up at a carnival set in hell, that’s run by the devil. these three people are a kleptomaniac, an obsessed father, and a young and gullible teenager, all of whom are doomed to repeat the very sins that delivered them to the carnival’s doorsteps in the first place. It was a short film, running at only 56 minutes and, other than on Netflix, it can be a fairly difficult film to find on disk, but for what it is; it’s an entertaining short about the Devil and his ‘carnival’. As it turns out, it seems that Repo! and Carnival were well received enough, because as it turns out; we’re getting a full length “episode 2″ to The Devil’s Carnival, where cult filmmakers Darren Lynn Bousman and Terrance Zdunich are back at the helm with “Alleluia! The Devil’s Carnival“, which has Lucifer setting a plot into motion against Heaven/God which leads to [naturally] all Hell breaks loose!

We’re getting a good group of actors attached to the project  too, many being from the previous “episodes”. With names such as Emilie Autumn, Barry Bostwick, heavy metal babes: The Butcher Babies, David Hasselhoff, [seriously!]  Kristina Klebe, Bill Moseley, Ted Neeley, Adam Pascal, rapper Tech N9ne, Nivek Ogre, Marc Senter, Lyndon Smith, Paul Sorvino and Terrance Zdunich; we’re bound to have a good time at this Carnival.

The film is set to be released on August 1st, 2015, and I’m still am not 100% on it. I loved Repo!, but I’ve never seen the ‘first’ Devil’s Carnival – however, based on the trailer for this sequel, [found at the end of this article] It looks like it could be entertaining to say in the least. If interested, you can order tickets and/or find more information on Alleluia! The Devil’s Carnival, on the movie’s official website. How do you feel about the idea of another “Devil’s Carnival” film? Did you watch the other “parts” in the series? Let me know in a comment or two! Also, If you found yourself to enjoy this review, please take a minute and follow me over on Facebook where you can click the “like” button on my Facebook page. By clicking “like”, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted. I also share links and pictures that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more articles, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share the page with your family and friends!

THANKS FOR READING.

Suspiria is a strange film. Full of bright colors, gruesome violence and is set to a score that’s nearly as good as the movie itself; it’s beyond compare, and because of this – it’s one of those movies that after ‘experiencing’ it, you pray that it won’t get a remake.. The 1977 movie takes place on a stormy night, where an American dancer named Suzy Bannion arrives in Freiburg [but coming from New York] to join what she knows as a famous [and expensive] ballet school for a three year internship. Not even the next morning after her arrival, she is told [by the direction of the school] that a student she met earlier [leaving the school on the night she arrived!] was violently murdered and the police are investigating this crime. When Suzy becomes friend of another student, Sara, she quickly realizes that the school house is actually a coven of evil witches!

Back in 2008 though, Director David Gordon Green was actually planning on remaking Argento’s Italian horror classic for American audiences, [ughhhhh] but earlier last week, Green finally opened up about his original plan on his remake. This new information comes from a Crave Online interview..

Maybe it comes with being a fan of horror – specifically slashers – but when it comes to films that are based on actual events, I tend to be extremely picky. I’m one of those movie watchers who watches to escape reality, not sympathize with it. But sometimes, a ‘true story’ film catches my attention, and the upcoming  film known as The Circle is one of them. The film makers are saying that it’s going to be based on the unsolved mystery of The Dyatlov Pass Incident/Massacre, which happened over 50 years ago! Wait, you’ve never heard of the situation? Let’s look into a little back story about this infamous incident:

The Dyatlov Pass Massacre was an actual event that ended quickly with the deaths of nine [out of the total ten] skiers in the Northern Ural Mountains on the late night of February 2, 1959. This ‘incident happened on the Eastern side of Kholat Syakhl. Since then, the mountain pass where the incident occurred has been called Dyatlov Pass after the hiking group’s leader, Igor Dyatlov.

What makes this all weird is that investigators of the scene had determined that the skiers had torn their tents from the inside out in order to escape from an unknown, but seemingly obvious, threat. They concluded that they had fled the campsite [with some of them barefoot!] under heavy snowfall. When their bodies were found, they had shown no signs of struggle, but two of the victims had fractured skulls and broken ribs, without any bruises.. Confused yet? It get’s weirder.. Apparently, The Soviet Authorities had also determined that an “unknown compelling force” must have caused the deaths; and because of this, access to the region was consequently blocked for hikers and adventurers for just over three years after the incident. What is known though, is that because there is next to no survivors, the order of events remains uncertain – even to this day – though several theories exist, from a possible avalanche, to more extreme beliefs such as a hostile encounter with Extraterrestrial Life! I know, I know; this is all exciting stuff, but I’m here to talk about the movie – remember? [if you’re interested in learning more, click here to read an awesome article by Historic Mysteries]

Back to The Circle though – The creators are actually going to be setting up a Kickstarter campaign to help with funding for the production costs and what have you, which will be launched on this July 14 2015 [next Tuesday!] So why now? Why, after 50 years are this film makers looking to make a film on an unexplained incident that most people haven’t heard of? According to their website, it’s a simpler reason than you’d think.. According them, the timing is perfect. They claim that the story must be told because 9 tragic deaths demand it and these 9 silent voices “cry for it“. but most importantly: the world wants an answer, The families of the murdered students deserve an answer!

If you want to learn more about The Circle, you can easily find them on Facebook, and even easier on their LaunchRock page. But now I want to hear from you: what do you think happened during The Dyatlov Pass Massacre? Was it the work of an avalanche? Or was it something more sinister, something..otherworldly? Let me know your fan theories in the comments below! Thanks to Ruth [if you’re reading this, you know who you are] for the tip on this upcoming film, I’m looking forward to what is to come from it!

THANKS FOR READING.

Remember Evil Dead ? It was easily one of, if not – my favorite film of it’s year. It was gruesome, it was totally not what I expected, it was violent, and it was a remake [one of the only remakes I actually enjoy!] of one of my favorite films ever: The Evil Dead. With San Diego Comic Con wrapping up this past weekend, a lot has been mentioned/shown to audiences lucky enough to be forward enough, but of everything shown, I’m finding myself looking forward to most but mainly — two specific things; Ash VS Evil Dead and [more recently hinted at] an Evil Dead crossover film featuring both Ash and Mia.. and this is coming from Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi themselves!

In addition to showing off their first full trailer for Ash VS Evil Dead, [which I’ll include in this post, near the end!]  plus telling a room full of over 1000 people that the new series will premiere exclusively on Starz on Oct. 31st — that’s Halloween, for you primitive screwheads who can’t already tell — Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell also let the notion of a [major] possibility for what we might expect from the next Evil Dead movie.

When asked whether Raimi, who is an executive producer on Ash VS Evil Dead [and director of its first episode], would ever like to make another Evil Dead film, Raimi had a this to say:: “After working with Fede Alvarez, who did a terrific job on the Evil Dead remake…we loved that movie and we [are] thinking we should do a team-up eventually of his great heroine and our hero for a joint-Evil Dead reality.”

For those who don’t know; Instead of clumsy yet loveable Ash, the remake saw Mia [played by the beautiful Jane Levy] as the heroine of the film, becoming a Deadite-like creature herself, before ultimately stopping the horde of enemies from taking over.. though by then, She was much too late. Without getting into it too much, it was essentially exactly what I wanted from the series: I just didn’t know it until I saw it with my own two eyes! Going back to the topic at hand, what it seems that Raimi is suggesting is a crossover between the original Evil Dead films’ star [Ash] and the hero[ine] from the remake; making this a team up so much more groovy than anything we’ve come to see from the film series we already know and love! In retrospect, this would explain why [SPOILERS! but not really] Ash appears at the end of the remake’s credits just simply stating ‘groovy’!’ Obviously, this is just all “a possibly” right now — with nothing confirmed just yet.. All that is certain is Ash VS Evil Dead, which is coming together perfectly. It’s really coming to feel like the original Evil Dead series again; with blood, guts, and even some comedy thrown in the mix — something that was missing from the remake, which made it effective as fuck. [seriously: that remake was great, even if it was pure terror!]  Also, if you haven’t – check out the first full trailer for Ash VS Evil Dead, below!

So now I turn to you, with today’s question which is: Did you like the Evil Dead remake? Or did you find the lack of comedy just “not Evil Dead” ? What about a crossover with Ash and Mia? Is this something you’d want to see on the big screen, or should the two series be left to their own series? Let me know in a comment or two!! Also, If you found yourself to enjoy this article, please take a minute and follow me over on Facebook where you can click the “like” button on my Facebook page. By clicking “like”, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted. I also share links and pictures that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more articles, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share the page with your family and friends!

THANKS FOR READING.

You know what I love? movies. You know what I love more than movies? [my wife – yes I can say that now] when a cult movie gets re-released! That’s where Shout! Factory [and their sister site; Scream! Factory] succeeds; and quickly became one of my favorite film/TV on DVD distributors. Starting back in 2004, Shout! Factory released the complete series of cult classic TV show: Freaks and Geeks with tons of bonus features – which they’ve since become known for. I won’t go far into their history, because that’s not why you’re here, so let’s get on with the horror! As I said above, Scream! Factory is the side of the company that releases the cult horror; which is what I am [slowly] starting to collect. With titles like Sleepaway Camp and even one of my personal favorites: Army Of Darkness on it’s way, the company seems to know what their fans want. With #SDCC long and done for this year, many things were mentioned [see my last post*] and one such thing was Scream! Factory‘s plan to release TEN new films on Blu Ray!

That’s right, ten brand new titles, successfully acquired for Blu-Ray release. While none of the following have solid release dates yet, most [if not all] are expected before the end of 2016. I suppose this only means that my movie shelf is slowly going to collapse under it’s own weight, cause each one is either a film I’ve been looking to pick up, or I haven’t had time to pick up. So enough talk and let’s look at these expected releases, shall we? I’ve included the movie’s poster, and a quick plot synopsis, just to get you in the mood for some cult film! Truthfully, I’m actually excited for quite a few of these! Ready..Go!

 Women’s Prison Massacre: this film follows Emanuelle, who is a reporter who comes just a little too close to exposing a corrupt city official, and is therefore sent to prison on charges. [because relevance, I guess] While in prison, the inmates are constantly harassed [and even tortured] by the prison workers. It’s the kind of place where overly loving prisoners have their heads forced underwater, while others are told to look, so they know what could happen to them.. Emanuelle finds an enemy in the deranged Albina, someone who “runs the prison.” For the pleasure of the warden, Emanuelle and Albina are forced to fight each other..with knives! It doesn’t help that four men from inside the prison escape and ultimately, take over the prison. Women’s Prison Massacre is violent, it’s gory, and it’s Italian. What’s not to like?

Blood & Lace: with a title like Blood & Lace, you know it’s going to be interesting. Our story here follows young Ellie Masters, who’s prostitute mother and her lover are beaten to death in bed while little Ellie is sent to an isolated orphanage run by Mrs. Deere and her handyman who ‘helps’ out at the orphanage. The only one who seems to be taking an interest in her well being is detective Calvin Carruthers. While a lot of unpleasant surprises are in store for Ellie in this movie, the biggest is the fact that Mrs. Deere [and her handyman] are both brutal sadists, who run the orphanage like a concentration camp, proving that her mother’s hammer-wielding killer is now most likely stalking her!

Troll/Troll 2: Probably the film[s] I’m most excited for on this list, the Troll movies are bad – like “Oh My Godddddd!” bad, but you know what? It’s probably the reason I love them so much. This one was a long time coming from Scream! Factory so I’m definitely going to have to grab this one on Blu Ray. Though I doubt it, I’m hoping for one of the special features to be Best Worst Movie, which is the documentary about the making of Troll 2. Fun Fact, did you know this film featured a ‘hero’ named Harry Potter before the boy wizard? Weird, I know..

Ghost Story: In this movie, we meet four successful [yet elderly] gentlemen, who are all members of a group known as The Chowder Society, where they tell ghost stories to one another. The interesting thing is that all four men share a gruesome, 50-year old secret.. and I’m not talking about their friendship! But when one of Edward Wanderley‘s twin sons dies in an accident, the group begins to see a pattern of frightening events developing before their eyes.

The Guardian: I’m just going tothrow you right into the plot for this film, okay? Meet Phil and Kate. They have a baby boy. His name is Jake. The happy couple decide to hire a babysitter named Camilla to look after Jake, and quickly she becomes almost like part of the family. The family’s neighbor, Ned, ends up takes a liking to Camilla and asks her out on a date. Quickly, she refuses, but heartbroken Ned follows her home, only to discover that she is not quite human. When Camilla discovers that she has been followed, she leaves a message for Phil and Kate which reveals that she has special plans for young Jake..

The Car: While traveling through the desert on their bikes, two teenage are murdered by a black car. When this car hit a hitchhiker and the crime is witnessed, Sheriff Everett puts his men on high alert and plans to put road blocks in the area to arrest the driving murderer. Sooner than later, he becomes a victim of the car and newly appointed Sheriff Wade Parent begins a man hunt for the vehicle that is seemingly threatening his town. Though, it seems to be impossible to be located. It’s only then that Wade realizes that he might be dealing with a car with supernatural powers.

Nightmares: An anthology film full of horror! Once again, this is one of the releases I’m most excited for. In one story, a woman who leaves her house late at night to drive to the store while a killer is loose..and encounters some problems. In the second, an arcade kid’s obsession with a game leads to deadly consequences. The third story follows a small town priest who loses his faith and decides to leave town – only to be stalked by a mysterious black pick-up truck.. Ending with the final story, with a family’s problem with a rat is larger than they think..

Death Becomes Her: Helen, a writer. Madeline, an actress. These two have hated each other for years. For good reason though, since Madeline is married to Ernest, who was once Helen‘s fiance! After recovering from a mental breakdown, Helen swears her revenge by planning to steal back Ernest and killing Madeline. But both rivals have secretly swallowed a miracle cure for aging; as they accidentally discover, when trying to eliminate the other, that they have both become immortal and that “life” will never be the same again..

The Garbage Pail Kids Movie: I’m sure I don’t have to say much about this movie; it’s definitely a “you love it or hate it” kind of film, but it’s a cult classic for sure! It follows seven [disgusting] kids who each have their own set of interesting personalities. They’re being made of the green mud coming out of garbage can, and once alive; their master gives them rules to obey.. Though, they think that life is funnier without following stupid regulations like no television or no candy. Naturally, this might just cause some problems. It’s gross, it’s raunchy, it’s everything you want – it’s The Garbage Pail Kids!

The Return Of The Living Dead: MORE BRAINS! It usually follows the idiots, doesn’t it? When a pair of idiotic employees at a medical supply warehouse accidentally release a deadly toxin into the air, the vapors cause the dead to re-animate as they go on a rampage through Louisville, Kentucky seeking their favorite food – brains. This film is already a classic, but with the Tarman, it’s easily one of the better zombie classics.

Hopefully this list didn’t feel too long, but if you’ve made it this far; I need to know..for science – what re-release are you looking forward to? Is it something sadistic like Blood & Lace? Or are you more a fan of The Garbage Pail Kids? Let me know in a comment or two below! Also, If you found yourself to enjoy this article, please take a minute and follow me over on Facebook where you can click the “like” button on my Facebook page. By clicking “like”, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted. I also share links and pictures that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more articles, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share the page with your family and friends!

THANKS FOR READING.