If you remember in 2014, two twelve year old girls stabbed their friend, not once, but 19 times. Their reasoning? Slender Man made them do it.. or say they claim. I even shared my thoughts, talking about how it’s insane that he has gained such a fan base that actual attempted murders are happening in “his name”. Now, HBO will be bringing us “Beware The Slender Man,” a documentary by Irene Taylor Brodsky where she uses the [fictional] disturbing creepypasta character in order to explore not only the effect that Internet lore has on real-life actions, but also about how the digital age is saturating the imagination -and actions- of younger children.

The documentary is premiering at SXSW today, March 11, and the writers at Indiewire managed to get their hands on some poster art to share with you all. [it’ll be posted at the bottom!] It’s both effective and terrifying, and it makes it’s eerie enough to make the film come off more exciting. Now, before you ask, there is no release date yet, but being a Documentary, I expect it to come to Netflix soon enough. What else is impressive is that the director reportedly got exclusive access to the families of both girls that were charged with the crime, and as such, this documentary will likely stir up fierce debate [and more than likely, even a touch more fear about the character overall].

Slender Man’s Proxy symbol

 In order to prepare herself to make this Documentary film, Irene Taylor Brodsky spent a whopping 18 months following the court case of the two young girls, through courtroom footage, interviews with the girls’ parents and interviews with experts. She also explores what drove them to the act, while looking at how the Internet is shaping the young minds of today.

According to the poster, the act happened on May 31st, 2014, in the woods outside of Waukesha, Wisconsin; where two 12-year old girls stabbed their classmate 19 times. the film plans to explain the true story of what [they claim] drove them to do it.

As a fan of documentaries, I’m actually fairly excited about Beware the Slender Man. I remember the article when the stabbing happened, and how it shook the Internet – knowing that a fictional character had become such an inspiration for such terrible things. Not only does this documentary sound interesting, but the poster [above] is wonderfully eerie, giving off the vibe of always being watched..if only from a distance.

So now I turn to You. What are Your thoughts on Slender Man? Is it an interesting concept, or is it something that should be left alone? The important thing to remember is that Slender Man is not real. He was fabricated on a forum online..he just got insanely popular over a short period of time. If you plan on watching this film, let me know your thoughts in the comments! If you find yourself to enjoy what I do on here, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page [it’s at over 145+ likes – only a few more and we’ll have reached over 150!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted online; and I also share links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, 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! I’ve also been writing way more reviews on my Letterboxd account, this is because I’m trying to review every movie I watch  – with my most recent reviews including newer films such as  Deadpool and The Revenant and older films, such as Revenge Of The Sith and The Empire Strikes Back. Interested? Check me out over there and click that “follow” button, I’m bound to follow you back because I like other people’s movie reviews, as well as writing them myself!

THANKS FOR READING.

a “ghoul” that will be featured in PEELERS

After a strenuous 11 days without posting anything, [due to either writer’s block, laptop failures, etc] I’m finally back to write. For good reason too, I received an email from a man who goes by the name of Sevé Schelenz, a Director/Producer in the horror genre. Having never heard of him, I looked into his filmography and as it turns out, he made a film by the name of SKEW – a found footage film. Although it has an average of 4.4/10 on IMDb, it actually won a few awards; such as the Independent Spirit Award and Grand Jury Award for best picture. Now, Schelenz is back – this time with a film called Peelers.

Besides having their World Premiere on Saturday April 9th, 2016 at Palm Beach International Film Festival and being nominated for Best Horror Film, Peelers is said to be packed with a style that’s described as “Rodriguez meets Tarantino“, with exciting twists, baseball, strippers of unusual talents, and a “strong female lead.” The story, written by Lisa DeVita, goes like this:

“What starts out as the last hurrah on the closing night of an infamous small-town strip club, quickly turns into a night of bloodshed when a crew of coal miners shows up and with them a deadly contaminant.  Former baseball player and current club owner, Blue Jean Douglas has decided to hand over her bar to a new owner and leave town for good. But Blue Jean’s plans are thwarted when she discovers the magnitude of the epidemic that has been unleashed. With victims piling up, Blue Jean must step up to the plate to protect her family, her friends, and her bar before it’s too late and she loses everything she holds dear.”

Although short, I’ve shared the teaser trailer for Peelers below. Judging from what we see, it’s safe to assume this film is going to be one hell of a time. If you’re finding yourself excited for it, and you want to see the movie as soon as possible, you’ll have to find a way to get yourself to Florida. The Palm Beach International Film Festival will be held from April 6th through the 14th, and the Peelers world premiere has been scheduled for April 9th.

What has me excited is that Sevé Schelenz has described his film as one that “destroys the cliché stripper horror sub-genre.” He also says that Peelers is “Not just a great indie film, but destined to be one of the funnest films of 2016”. Naturally, this is a pretty exciting claim, and pretty confident coming from the film’s Director. Unfortunately being in Canada, there’s no way I’d be able to get to Florida in time to go to the Film Festival; but there is one way I’ll be able to see the movie. [granted, at a later date]

PEELER’s official poster.

Closing his email, Schelenz mentioned that in the future he will be in contact in order to send me a screener/review copy of Peelers in order to write a proper review on the film. When that happens, you can be sure that there will be a review on here for it, so stay tuned!

As always, now I turn to You. What are Your thoughts on a movie such as Peelers? Is it an interesting concept, or would you rather just pass on this one? If you plan on watching this film – either at the Palm Beach International Film Festival or otherwise – let me know your thoughts in the comments! If you find yourself to enjoy what I do on here, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page [it’s at over 145+ likes – only a few more and we’ll have reached over 150!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted online; and I also share links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog.

Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, 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! I’ve also been writing way more reviews on my Letterboxd account, this is because I’m trying to review every movie I watch  – with my most recent reviews including newer films such as  Deadpool and The Revenant and older films, such as Revenge Of The Sith and The Empire Strikes Back. Interested yet? Check me out over there and click that “follow” button, I’m bound to follow you back because I like other people’s movie reviews, as well as writing them myself!

exclusive screenshot from Peelers

THANKS FOR READING.

When you think of the word “cannibalism”, you probably think of zombies, or movies such as Cannibal Holocaust or The Green Inferno. It’s an odd concept – man eating man – that has been around for centuries. Even the Aztecs, who believed in the practice of eating another human, believed that by devouring their brethren; they would earn their “powers” or “abilities” in something that was more of a ritual, than a taboo. Cannibalism is one of those strange crimes that has always had the ability to physically turn stomachs as well as seem so incredibly disrespectful. For many people, it’s an absolutely sickening thought: eating another human being. But for others, there is a strange fascination when it comes to the thought of eating human flesh. Now before anyone jumps at me in the comments, I am in no way saying it’s okay or even promoting the idea of harming anyone in order to try and taste them. Instead, I’m here to talk about a BBC Presenter by the name of Greg Foot, and his Youtube video where he goes on a [personal] mission to discover what human flesh would actually taste like when it’s cooked. You read that correctly: BBC presenter Greg Foot cut out chunk of his own leg in the name of a taste test experiment. To begin this..”test”, Foot visited a local Doctor who took a biopsy of one of his quadriceps – located in the thigh- just so he could get it ready to cook and ultimately, eat.

[picture source: BBC]

As grim, and painful, as it sounds; Greg had a chunk of thigh removed and analyzed [by a food specialist] to learn more about the make up of the “meat” and it’s flavor. It was revealed that it was made up of the same type of muscle as chicken breast, as well as having a likeness to certain cuts of beef. Going even further, he then took the leg samples off to be analyzed to learn that his now cooked flesh smells ‘really meaty, a lot richer than pork or chicken. It smells a bit like beef and ale stew.’  BUT before we all get too excited – he didn’t actually eat the pieces from his leg. [wait, what?] Unsurprisingly, it is illegal to eat human flesh, even if it’s your own, so instead Greg worked off the smells he observed and made a composite burger out of similar flavors and the smells that were present.

[above: the actual “pieces” from Greg‘s biopsy]

THANKS FOR READING.

[NOTE: this is the font I’ll most likely use from now on when posting a picture]

Do you know what day it is? okay yes, it’s Friday, but what I mean is that today is none other than April Fool’s Day! It’s a special, one day event where you’re supposed to play a trick on someone – or a group of people – just because someone a long time ago thought of it as harmless fun. Maybe it is, I’ve never been one to take part in it, at least – not to the point of driving someone over the edge..like some people. Today though, being April 1st, I’m taking a different approach to April Fool’s Day, I’m not going to talk pranks and tricks, but I’m going to talk about a little cult classic horror movie with the same title: April Fool’s Day. As with many, if not all, expect spoilers in this review. I’m going to cover the entire movie. I mean, I have to, if I’m going to explain why I didn’t like it the first time around. [Since my reasoning is “the twist at the end” and who the killer turns out to be]

Directed by Fred Walton, April Fool’s Day is a 1986 American mystery/horror film that follows a group of college students and their weekend getaway to an island estate [belonging to another, but wealthy classmate] which seems to be infiltrated by a killer on the loose. It’s not necessarily a “scary” movie, when I first watched this movie – I didn’t enjoy it. Actually, I was quite upset with it; I couldn’t believe the ending. I took it as a cheap way to write everything off.. but watching it again, I came to understand: it does take place over April Fool’s Day and the weekend following. [oddly enough, this movie’s “April Fool’s” takes place on a Friday, kind of like today!]

Our movie revolves around eight people: Harvey, Nikki, Rob, Skip, Nan, Chaz, Kit, Arch and the rich Muffy St. John. Almost immediately, The tone is set, with Muffy preparing little details around the house, and finds an old jack-in-the-box. Her friends, meanwhile, are joking around on a pier, waiting on a ferry. But while on their way to the island, Buck, a deckhand on said ferry, is seriously injured in a gruesome accident.

Once the friends arrive on the island [and into the mansion], it turns out what Muffy was doing earlier was setting up a variety of little jokes, from simple whoopee cushions,and  “dribble glasses”, to the more complex and somewhat disturbing “pranks”. [We see her put an audiotape of a baby crying in someone’s room and even heroin paraphernalia in another person’s wardrobe! She sees this as “just for fun!”] Though somewhat harmless, the friends – over all – try to relax..It’s just April Fool’s Day, right? Except then, Skip goes missing.. and Kit catches a glimpse of what looks like his dead body! Next, Arch and Nan go missing. [wait, what?] During the search for Arch/Nan, Nikki falls into the island’s well – only to find the severed heads of Skip and Arch and the dead body of Nan! [what the hell is going on?] Trying to escape the killer, the remaining group learn that the phones are dead, and there is no way to get off the island until Monday..

With already half of the group of friends left, something need, or someone, needs to explain themselves. People keep dying. One after another, people keep vanishing, only to end up being killed with their bodies being found. Finally, we get some answers. It turns out that Kit and Rob put together some of the clues in front of them, learning that everyone’s earlier assumption is wrong. It turns out the deckhand who got injured earlier, is nothing but a red herring and it turns out that Muffy, has a violent [and insane] sister: Buffy, who has escaped! That’s right: the “Muffy” they have been around since the first night on the island was actually Buffy pretending to be Muffy.. This causes them to discover Muffy‘s severed head in the basement. [did you catch that? I got confused just typing it out] So there’s your twist: Muffy is actually Buffy, and is killing everyone..or is she? By this point, Buffy‘s true identity is discovered, so she chases them around the mansion with a butcher’s knife separating the remaining people. While Kit flees from Buffy into the living room, she finds everyone else [who previously died] there, fully alive and calmly waiting for her..REWIND a second, WHAT THE HELL?

Think about it for a second. What weekend was it? April Fool’s Day. It was all a joke, or more accurately, a dress rehearsal. It is becomes clear to the audience that the whole movie that we just experienced was never meant to be a slasher film, but rather pretending to be one. Muffy actually has hopes to turn her mansion into a horror themed resort. She even had a friend who does special effects and make-up for Hollywood to help out with everything. As for the victims? They all agreed to take part as things were [slowly] explained to them..

Now that that’s all done and over with, everyone has a laugh and break out the bottles of champagne. Later that night, while talking about their “experience”, a half-drunk Muffy goes to her room. She finds a wrapped present on her bed. Smiling, she opens the gift. Turns out, it’s the jack-in-the-Box we saw at the beginning of the movie. Savoring her new found surprise, she turns the handle slowly. When “Jack” finally pops out, Nan appears behind Muffy and slits her throat with a razor! [there’s our killer, right?] Naturally, Muffy screams, but then realizes she isn’t really bleeding. She “got” her with a trick razor and stage blood.. The film ends with the Jack-in-the-box winking at the audience.

Arguably, I think it’s pretty obvious why I didn’t like this movie the first time around: I just didn’t enjoy the concept of a movie that turns out to be “fake” all along. As I said at the beginning of this review, I thought it was a cheap way out of explaining everything  at first. I understand that it was April Fool’s Day during the weekend at the mansion, but it feels “too easy.” It must have been though, because in 2008, they remade the film [as a straight to DVD release] with the same title: April Fool’s Day – though the story and characters in this version are radically different. I enjoy the movie now, but it wouldn’t make it into my top five slasher films of the 80s, if such a list existed. For now, here’s a trailer for the more tolerable [but questionable] original 1986 film.

As always, now I turn to You. What are Your thoughts on a movie such as April Fool’s Day? Is it an interesting concept, or is that ending just too cliche? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! If you find yourself to enjoy what I do on here, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page [it’s at over 145+ likes – only a few more and we’ll have reached over 150!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted online; and I also share links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog.

Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, 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! I’ve also been writing way more reviews on my Letterboxd account, this is because I’m trying to review every movie I watch  – with my most recent reviews including newer films such as  Deadpool and The Revenant and older films, such as Revenge Of The Sith and The Empire Strikes Back. Interested yet? Check me out over there and click that “follow” button, I’m bound to follow you back because I like other people’s movie reviews, as well as writing them myself!

[here’s that really cheesy wink at the end of the film for your entertainment!]

THANKS FOR READING.

Even if I’m more into horror as a genre, one thing I used to love more than anything was anime. I still do enjoy it, but I’m very particular [whereas I used to just watch anime “just so I could say I’m watching anime”] about the series I’m watching. One series that I used to watch religiously [and still enjoy to this day] is Death Note. The series follows a young man – Light Yagami – who comes across a Shinigami’s – or “Death God” – notebook which claims that anyone who’s name is written in the book will die. Naturally, Light finds this a useful tool in his attempt to “cleanse the world” of evil, to create a “new world” where he’ll be the ruler. Light even becomes known as “Kira“, an almost hero of the people. [since he starts by only killing criminals] Of course, it isn’t that simple, as a mysterious detective known only as “L” appears, claiming to solve the mystery of who Kira is, and a dangerous cat and mouse begins between the two. It’s a really enjoyable series, both in manga and anime, which I strongly recommend if you haven’t seen. It’s not even that long either, so you could probably marathon both seasons in less than a week! [points to you, Netflix!] In fact, the exact year the anime ended, there was – not one, but three – live action movies made based on the series in Japan. While the third one, titled: Death Note: L: Change The World not being as good as the other two, it was still an interesting take on the character. Now, we’re getting a new Death Note live action movie..and it’s going to be “Americanized” – seriously.

Taken from the Japanese live action film. [left: Ryuk – the “Death God” | right: Light Yagami]

This isn’t new to anyone though, because this live action movie actually started life back in 2011, with Shane Black attached to direct. But, like with many Hollywood productions based on manga and anime properties [don’t get me started on Dragon Ball Evolution..] it landed itself in production hell, as nobody in Hollywood seems to understand Japanese pop-culture! Even as early as last year, Warner Bros picked up the production for the film but again, let the project sit. Letting it waste away. Then came both STX and Lionsgate, who are both fairly interested in making this Death Note a reality, bringing it to theaters for a large-scale audience. Unfortunately [I just really wanted to see it on the big screen] this is more than likely not going to happen.. because Netflix has now stepped up to take the helm, with production on the movie to start as early as June 2016!

It’s actually refreshing to see that Netflix has stepped in here and is actually doing something about this adaptation. This is most likely because Netflix, unlike some companies, is a very data driven company and follows what the consumers are interested in. [I mean, we got a new Pee-Wee Herman movie because of Netflix – that’s awesome!] Hollywood, on the other hand, has this big ideological disconnect with their viewers, especially when it comes to foreign property. It’s unfortunate, but true that they don’t seem to be able to successfully overcome that yet.

So while we might not have a trailer yet, and it might be strange to consider an “Americanized” Death Note film, I can safely say that I’m curious. Worried, but genuinely curious about how this movie will turn out. It’s definitely in good hands with Netflix, since they seem to know what they’re doing with big name series, and their fans love them! [they know this all too well] I’ll be sure to keep updating on here when more news, or even a trailer is released. My only concern that I can think of, is how will Ryuk look? the CGI one from the Japanese live action film was perfect, but will it be as perfect in the American one? There’s many questions left unanswered at this time, but I just need to know more!

Ryuk in the manga – Death Note

As always, now I turn to You. What are Your thoughts on an “Americanized” Death Note? Is it something you’re excited for? Or are you worried that it’ll turn out like Dragon Ball Evolution? [*shudders!] Let me know your thoughts on the matter in the comments! Once again, if you haven’t seen the Death Note anime – I strongly recommend sitting and watching the series, it’s not very long, and it is on Netflix. [No excuses!] It’s well worth your time, even if it does get kind of strange near the end! Also, if you find yourself to enjoy what I do on here, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page [it’s at over 147+ likes – only a few more and we’ll have reached over 150!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted online; and I also share links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog.

Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, 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! I’ve also been writing way more reviews on my Letterboxd account, this is because I’m trying to review every single movie I watch  – with my most recent reviews including newer/theatrical films such as  Deadpool and The Revenant and older films, such as Nolan‘s Dark Knight trilogy. Are you interested yet? Check me out over there and click that “follow” button! I’m just bound to follow you back because I like reading other people’s thoughts on film, as well as writing reviews myself!

THANKS FOR READING.

It should come as no surprise to readers of this blog that when I was growing up, Lewis Carrol‘s Alice In Wonderland was – and still continues to be to this day – my favorite fairy-tale ever written. I absolutely love Disney‘s animated film, and I even enjoyed Tim Burton‘s “version”; which, as a fan of Burton, shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Something about the cast of characters, the colorful world it takes place in, and even the themes of Alice being “crazy all along”; these are all things that I find fascinating – there really is no story like it. But when it comes to the concept of a movie version of the familiar story, there’s been many; just look at what comes up when I type in “Alice in Wonderland” on imdb down below.

Looking at this list, there’s a total of ten films on record, [not including all the ones that come up when I click “more title matches”] and that includes two films called “Malice In Wonderland” – which, after reading the plot- doesn’t seem to be  what we’re looking for. Today though, we’re looking at the very first one, the one from 1903. [over 100 years ago!] This version involves a girl – named Alice – awakening in a garden beside a white rabbit in a waistcoat with a pocket watch..sound familiar yet? A Director by the name of Cecil Hepworth decided to make [a faithfully as possible] an adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s original story: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland for the big screen..at least, as big as screens were in 1903! Originally running a whopping twelve minutes in length, Hepworth’s film of Alice In Wonderland was – at the time – the longest film produced in all of Britain. In order to keep faithful to the novel, the plan was to try and keep the style of the film to look like  Sir John Tenniel’s original illustrations. [which I find fascinating!] The costumes were designed from hand and elaborate sets were built at Hepworth’s film studio – including a rather impressive rabbit burrow. To save on money, which mainly went to costumes and set pieces, family members, friends and their children were used in the cast. [Hepworth even cast his wife as the White Queen]

a screenshot of Alice running from the Red Queen‘s card soldiers

Unfortunately, being as the film is over 100 years old, the full version of Hepworth’s mini classic has been lost: the print that exists is damaged but is still a beautiful, trippy and incredible experience. However, all hope is not lost, as The British Film Institute created a remastered version in 2010. This “remastered” version is nine and a half minutes long, is a black and white silent film, and is definitely an interesting piece of cinema. Don’t be too shocked: it is still creepy in it’s own right, but it is still a landmark in film making. Even knowing that it existed so very long ago, and was able to be restored is magical. For your viewing pleasure, and my wanting to share it with the world, I’ve included the remastered Alice In Wonderland film down below.. but not before asking my usual set of questions – which can be answered after watching: What do you think about this film from 1903? Is it really interesting to know and see that the BFI remastered it for viewing in this day? Or do you think it’s too creepy, and that children would have panic attacks just watching playing cards attack a young girl? Let me know in the comments! Do you have any theories behind Alice In Wonderland? What do you think is truly happening to our Alice? Share your theories below! But enough questions. Without further stalling, here’s the VERY FIRST film take on Alice In Wonderland. [Coming to you from the year 1903]

THANKS FOR READING.

[a special thanks to the BFI for restoring the film!]

I’ve always been a fan of Silent Hill. The games are eerie enough, with the rusty and dark settings always feel unsettling, and the atmosphere is brimming with personality. With creepy monsters around one corner, and an almost empty void of a town around the other, Silent Hill is pretty damn scary. I love these games, but I can’t play them in the dark. Not because I’m scared, but I start..hearing things. Naturally though, this would imply that the game series would make for an excellent horror film, right? Technically, there were two films: Silent Hill and Silent Hill: Revelations 3D. We’re going to look at the first film today, mainly because the sequel was a piece of hot garbage – which I’ll save to talk about another day if the interest is there. [LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT IT REVIEWED]

So why are we talking about Silent Hill? If you follow warrenisweird on Facebook, you would have noticed that yesterday I mentioned that it’s been ten years since we got Director Christophe Gans’ vision of Silent Hill came to theaters and presented us with what might very well be the most faithful video game-to-film adaptation ever. [take that comment with a grain of salt..] While the film didn’t do insanely well, only earning $100 million against a $50 million budget, it was still praised for its atmosphere, set design, and visuals; which are pretty important in a Silent Hill title. I remember enjoying it when it came out, it was scary, it looked great, and it was generally entertaining. As a fan of the games, I was impressed..but that was ten years ago.. and the real question is: does it hold up? Only one way to find out, so strap yourself in – we’re going on a road trip. Destination: Silent Hill. Population: Spoilers.

this scene feels like it’s lifted straight from the game!

The movie follows Sharon, the young daughter of Rose Da Silva, [oh yeah – Harry isn’t in the movie – just so you know] who has been dreaming of a town – Silent Hill. In an attempt to show her that it’s just a dream. Rose makes the decision to take her to this town. However, the road to Silent Hill is anything but easy to reach, and Rose finds herself in a high speed chase between herself and a police officer only to end in a crash for them both! When she wakes up, Sharon has disappeared and Rose is at the entrance to the deserted, dream-like town of Silent Hill. As Rose begins the endless search for her daughter, she does not realize the terror and mystery surrounding her, finding herself getting more and more entwined into the disturbing past of a little town known as Silent Hill.

Right off the bat, the movie opens with music lifted straight from the game itself – in fact, the entire movie contains original tracks from the game as well as some being a remixed score. Just as it was a fantastic and brooding background when playing the game, it works very well on the big screen. The plot describes the town of Silent Hill that Rose finds herself trapped in as a “nightmare world”, and thankfully, that is exactly what Christophe Gans does with the film: we see buildings transform into a caged inferno when “the darkness” comes, we actually see the creatures that come with this darkness: the patient demons, “the nurses”, and..even Pyramid Head? Yes. Pyramid Head makes an appearance..even though he wasn’t in the first game. [which this movie is based on] But who cares? He’s still really pretty to look at – he’s no doubt here for the fans, not for the original story arc.

But perhaps my favorite part of the film was knowing that almost none of the evil “creatures” are overused, and thankfully – that is what truly stops this separates this film from a zombie movie. The demons, with the exception of the Pyramid Head, aren’t the true evil of the film, but rather work together to give us a sense of fear while they are on screen. Gans was not afraid to get gory, having several scenes with deformed and tortured bodies – as seen above – even as far as to where we see Pyramid Head skin a human being.. with his bare hands. [find warrenisweird on Facebook to see the GIF!] These scenes are extremely effective, and almost always adds to the intensity of the movie.

Finally, we have the best part of the movie: the fact that you don’t need any significant knowledge of the games to be familiar with Silent Hill‘s atmosphere – specifically within the town itself – It feels like the world is cloudy and dreamlike, like a living thing. Silent Hill is scary not because of it’s monsters and dark areas, but because it changes based on your darkest fears, secrets and sins.. Making this fear a very personal nightmare.

I mean, sure, the game was scarier. Way scarier. There was something appealing about the vagueness of the story here though – the fact that it was never fully explained. Some parts [specifically in the final act] could have been edited down and made more intense, but this is just nitpicks.. overall, the movie is really well done – especially being a video game adaptation – which don’t usually go over well. This goes above and beyond your standard fare horror flick. It’s made for horror fans, but feels like a love letter to the fans of the game as well!

did I mention I love The Nurse demons?

I’m not saying this movie is flawless, it definitely has it’s positives and negatives, but for a video game adaptation – it’s pretty damn good. Again, I won’t be mentioning the sequel, Silent Hill: Revelations 3D, unless someone requests it – but being such a terrible sequel/adaptation, I might have to talk about it..for the sake of how bad it is. [if you want me to review it, let me know in the comments!] So does Silent Hill hold up after ten years? I’m going to say that I, personally, believe the only answer here is: Yes. I loved it then, I love it now, and I really want to [re]play through the games.

As always, now I turn to You. What are Your thoughts on an Silent Hill? Is it something you enjoyed? Or were you more a fan of the games? Let me know your thoughts on the matter in the comments! If you haven’t played the Silent Hill games – I strongly recommend sitting through and playing the series, or at the very least, watch a play through on Youtube! As reiterated [about 3 times] above, if you want me to review Silent Hill: Revelations 3D, let me know that in the comments as well! Also, if you find yourself to enjoy what I do on here, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page [it’s at over 149+ likes – only a few more and we’ll have reached over 150!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been “gone live” online; and I also share links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog.

Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, 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! I’ve also been writing way more reviews on my Letterboxd account, this is because I’m trying to review every single movie I watch  – with each review coming the very next day after viewing! Are you interested yet? Check me out over there and click that “follow” button! I’m just bound to follow you back because I like reading other people’s thoughts on film, as well as writing reviews myself!

[I was legitimately shocked at the visual quality of this “monster!”]

THANKS FOR READING.

Seeing as I’m someone who lives in the North America, I sometimes find myself feeling as though I’m trapped in a “movie bubble.” Granted, it’s a comfortable bubble, but it’s difficult not to think of all of the insane horror movies we tend to miss from other countries. As a fan of foreign horror, I’m talking about films like Batoru rowaiaru [Battle Royale], Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da [I Saw The Devil] or Oldeuboi [Oldboy] – all of which I strongly recommend – though they do make it to North America, it should come as no surprise that there are some foreign movies, stories and general ideas that we would be missing out on. Not every last production or project is going to call for exporting. Some are best to be stay behind; right where they came from.. Which is what should have happened with: Mahakaal, or as it’s known in English: The Monster. [it’s also sometimes known as “Time of Death”]

It’s important to note that unlike the other examples of foreign horror films I used above, [which were all Korean cinema] this film is a Bollywood film – meaning it’s a Hindi film. Don’t read into this wrongly, I have nothing against Bollywood, but I do feel the need to point out that a lot of their films seem to follow the same plot: boy meets girl, boy likes girl, boy has to prove his worth to girl’s family. Is Mahakaal any different? Let’s look into it.. For starters, the film itself looks ridiculous for so many reasons, that you’re bound to lose count. But if there’s one thing you’re absolutely guaranteed not to miss: it’s the clear “borrowing” from other horror movies – specifically, one film in particular..and it’s a favorite of mine. Need a hint?

That’s right! Mahakaal is a [very] low budget Indian rendition of A Nightmare On Elm Street. But hold on; we’re not really talking about a loose rendition – no, this is a flat out, wild, and obvious rip-off! That guy you see above? The one with the glove – he’s not Freddy Krueger – he’s “The Monster” of the movie. Even the synopsis sounds very familiar to Nightmare, claiming that “a mysterious monster haunts the dreams of a young woman named Anita, who becomes concerned when one of her friends is killed by the monster in a dream.” The thing is though, this movie has a terrible habit of either being a clear as day rip-off, or straying so far from the path; that it may as well be a completely original idea! [With mixes of ANOES] For those who are considering watching Mahakaal, it runs at almost two and a half hours; and most of this time has the characters singing and dancing for no reason, even after they realized they’re being stalked by The Monster. [Though singing and dancing is typical in Bollywood cinema, so I guess I’m not overly surprised] Because of the long screen time, I searched for short clips on Youtube and Vimeo and actually found something better: someone actually re-cut the film, highlighting the important parts. If you have ten minutes, be sure to check it out below! It’s hard to take seriously, but that’s why it’s so damn great!

Still haven’t had enough? I also feel obligated to mention that one of Mahakaal’s weirder additions to the A Nightmare On Elm Street premise is there’s a scene where a group of angry men corner and molest the heroines. [which was actually a common social problem in India at time] However, toward the end of the film, we see a possessed Anita take one of these men up on his offer to go back to his place – where she slaughters him! Of course, before that happens, she and another female character endure not one, but multiple scenes where they find themselves groped in public – but fear not! Their boyfriends come to save the day.. with martial arts! [because of course they do!]

So that’s Mahakaal: a movie that isn’t afraid to show that it’s a rip-off of a film that is so close and dear to horror fans everywhere. It’s by no means a “bad movie”, but it’s unnecessary. If you were to cut out the songs, the over the top “jokes”, and shorten the film by at least half an hour; you could have something of a fun film. Be that as it may, it’s still a bizarre and curious film from the world of Bollywood. If you’re still curious, and you want to watch Mahakaal in it’s entirety, you can do that here – subtitles and all – the film quality is actually decent, and it’s easy enough to follow along.. if you can follow along to monsters, murder, and dance numbers.

Now I turn to You. What are Your thoughts on Mahakaal? Is it something you found interesting? Or should blatant Nightmare On Elm Street rip-offs stay away from North America? Let me know your thoughts on the matter in the comments! As for me, I think I’ll just stick with good ol’ Nightmare from the master himself: Wes Craven! If you enjoy foreign horror, which [foreign] film is your favorite? Writing this made me want to see more so I’m open to suggestions! Also, if you find yourself to enjoy what I do on here, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page [it’s at over 149+ likes – only a few more and we’ll have reached over 150!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been “gone live” online; and I also share links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog.

Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, 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! I’ve also been writing way more reviews on my Letterboxd account, this is because I’m trying to review every single movie I watch  – with each review coming the very next day after viewing! Are you interested yet? Check me out over there and click that “follow” button! I’m just bound to follow you back because I like reading other people’s thoughts on film, as well as writing reviews myself!

remember: this is from “Mahakaal.” NOT “A Nightmare On Elm Street”..good luck convincing me otherwise..

THANKS FOR READING.

RETURN TO SILENT HILL! Remember a few days ago when I wrote about Silent Hill and how it was a fantastic video game to film adaptation? While I still stand by that statement, the same can’t be said about it’s sequel: Silent Hill: Revelation 3D.  I knew regardless if anyone asked for this, I’d end up writing it. Mainly because I needed to write my indefinite hatred for it. It was boring, it was bland, and it really hurt the ego of the first film. Believe it or not, this sequel jumped and is actually based on Silent Hill 3 [the game] and unfortunately for fans – like myself – it did everything wrong; both in story and “scares.” Now remember: I’m going to come off as bias because I’m talking as a fan of the first film, and this “sequel” [with the most original sequel name ever] has very little to do with the first. I mean, okay, it is set in the same place and some situations are the same but it doesn’t continue the flow that the first film had. Not to mention, it doesn’t follow any of the momentum. The first ended in a kind of bitter way that made it feel like there was no real place for a sequel – which I liked – so this whole film just comes off as a cash grab. Be warned: this review is going to widely be negative, because it’s how I felt – and if you liked this movie, then I’m sorry..but not really.

Silent Hill: Revelations 3D takes place six years after the events of the first film. Between the first and second films, Sharon‘s mother has found a way to get her out of Silent Hill because of the danger, but now Sharon and her father find themselves on the run. She also changed her name to Heather, and her father, played once again by Sean Bean, has moved her from location to location, always struggling to keep his daughter away from the Silent Hill cult. Turns out, they want Heather [or Sharon.. or whatever her name is] to complete a ritual that will set them free from the evil, and now they’ve taken Heather‘s father to ensure the girl’s return.

Does this sound flimsy? Good. Because it is flimsy. Unlike Ganz, Bassett‘s screenplay for this “sequel” takes its sweet time picking up any momentum. When it does, it relies on quick flashes of creepy imagery or large pieces of exposition. As it turns out, everyone – and I mean everyone – Heather comes in contact with; seems to has a vital piece of information for her. Whether it’s about the town or its residents, all this [useless] information breaks the overall pacing of the film. The first Silent Hill was over two hours long, but it was much simpler and smoother than this 95 minute “movie.” As proven in Revelations, Bassett doesn’t seem to understand the concept of explaining things, so while the story is trying to move along, the film feels the need to grind to a shrieking halt every time it decides it wants to explain something. It makes the viewer feel stupid, like every detail needs to be explained in simple terms.

[the only interesting monster in the film]

What makes the Silent Hill video games so scary is that it always seems vague enough that dropping random characters into the game’s atmosphere could always be the starting point of an interesting mystery, but in the case of a movie, it seems to be next to impossible to translate onto the screen. The one thing it should be able to do is show us how creepy, intense, and effective the first Silent Hill movie was..or at the very least, build on it!

hey, Bassett! Clive Barker wants his monster designs back!

I love the Silent Hill world: the [first three] games are masterpieces in their own right, and the first movie was fantastic. This sequel on the other hand, really hurt to watch. Remember, this is just my opinion. Although I didn’t enjoy it, there are people who preferred this film over the first. I think at the rate we are going with these films, a third one would be pushing our luck.

The question remains though: what did You think of Silent Hill: Revelations? Was it a worthwhile sequel? Or an unnecessary money grab? Let me know in the comments! Also, if you find yourself to enjoy what I do on here, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page [it’s at over 149+ likes – only a few more and we’ll have reached over 150!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been “gone live” online; and I also share links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog! Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, 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! I’ve also been writing way more reviews on my Letterboxd account, this is because I’m trying to review every single movie I watch  – with each review coming the very next day after viewing! Are you interested yet? Check me out over there and click that “follow” button! I’m just bound to follow you back because I like reading other people’s thoughts on film, as well as writing reviews myself!

did I mention that the CGI is terrible? cause the CGI is terrible..

THANKS FOR READING.

Good morning boys and ghouls, there is someone I absolutely need to introduce you to. Someone, who apparently is a bigger Evil Dead fan than I am! [Blasphemy, I know!] I don’t want to wait around so let’s get right into it. Please allow me to introduce you to Mike, the man who runs EvilDeadWorkshed. Mike – like most of us – is a lifelong and self-proclaimed Evil Dead enthusiast who makes replica chainsaws from the series. Pretty cool stuff, but the main reason I want you to know this guy is because he’s undertaking an incredibly important challenge that is valuable to the horror community. Calling this “project:” Operation: Evil Dead Uproot, Mike has found the original filming site of Evil Dead II and decided that it needs to be salvaged and preserved, making sure sure that it will forever live on for those who wish to proclaim their love to the beloved film. WAIT WHAT?

you can read the whole story here, but here’s the basic version: Mike has been in touch with the owners of the property where Evil Dead II was filmed, which for those unaware, is in Wadesboro, NC. Ever since 2011, Mike has been meaning to visit the location, if only to step foot where Evil Dead was filmed. One day, the owners warned him that they, “…will be clearing the area where the cabin ruins are located in order to harvest the trees for local firewood businesses.” For Mike, the thought of this was too much to handle. “After having a long conversation with the owners, I have been given permission to come to the site and remove ANY and ALL Evil Dead II structures that are able to be saved prior to the devastation of the site area,” Mike explains.

an AWESOME floor plan of the cabin – in film – by Patrick Soucy.

Unfortunately in 2014, the cabin collapsed due to a “…micro burst that hit [the owner’s] property“, so collecting and saving everything has proven to be somewhat of a difficult process. The frame of the work shed was so rotten and so damaged by termites, that Mike came to the logical conclusion to leave it behind and will build an identical frame upon which they’ll attach the original outer planks. As for materials and items from the cabin, he and his friend were able to gather as much as they possibly could, which in itself – is extremely impressive!

Of course, the million dollar question comes up: why does this matter? Luckily for you, Mike has an answer for that too! As Mike himself explains, “I am not making any money off of this. I spent a shit load of money to do this. I’m doing this for everyone. Bringing the secret and private site out of the woods and into public view. I plan on trying to bring some these structures to some of the [Western Pennsylvania] Comic-Cons.”

That’s right! Depending on how everything goes – and you’re in the area – you might get a chance to interact with these original props and structures from Evil Dead II! Unfortunately being Canadian, this will prove difficult on my end..unless Steph and I went on a road trip; but knowing that someone is doing something many of us wouldn’t even fathom makes Mike one hell of a guy. From his official page, here’s a complete list of the items that were saved from the film’s site:

• The entire Workshed [Complete Exterior and Roof Metal] Due to framing rot, the workshed collapsed during this process
• The fake foam tree [180 degrees of the lower 5 feet of one tree]
• 1 large Cabin window [kitchen area]
• Cabin rear door frame with one door hinge and one screen door hinge still attached
• Rear interior and exterior door trim
• Interior base boards
• Interior window frame [next to back door]
• 1 Cabin window [rear room left of the rear door]
• 5 bundles of cabin flooring
• 3 large sections of interior walls
• Cabin roofing
• Roofing nails from the workshed
• Cabin roofing cap
• 3 remaining chimney stones [painted styrofoam]
• Exterior Cabin wood [various locations]
• Exterior Cabin plaster
• One 55 gallon drum inside of the workshed [Resin labels – possibly used for the trees]
• One 55 gallon drum found 100 feet from the back door [appears to be the one Ash tripped over]
• The complete upper West wall of the living room [above where the cellar door would have been]
• Roofing slats from the Workshed
• One break away Ram-O-Cam door with a hinge attached
• 90% of all remaining coal rocks where Ash buried Linda
• A very large amount of window glass
• The rear stairs framing
• One rear stair
• Small and Large pieces of white interior wall

Once again, I highly recommend heading to Mike’s page where he documents everything he did, because it’s extremely impressive. We’re talking about the endeavors and skills of a true horror fan and he deserves our thanks! Below, I’ve included a few pictures that Mike has posted, showing us fans the site now and his progress.

So there you have it, proof that you – nor I – are the “ultimate Evil Dead fan”. I think that as I’ve shown here, Mike from EvilDeadWorkShed takes that spot pretty easily. The question remains though: what do You think about the concept of rebuilding an iconic Cabin? Is it something that needs to be done? Or an unnecessary piece of work? Let me know in the comments! Also, if you find yourself to enjoy what I do on here, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page [we’re now at over 150+ likes – let’s reach over 200!]

By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been “gone live” online; and I also share links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog! Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, 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! I’ve also been writing way more reviews on my Letterboxd account, this is because I’m trying to review every single movie I watch  – with each review coming the very next day after viewing! Are you interested yet? Check me out over there and click that “follow” button! I’m just bound to follow you back because I like reading other people’s thoughts on film, as well as writing reviews myself! I recently reviewed Captain America: Civil War, and I gotta say: I absolutely loved it! [read that spoiler filled review here] Apparently so much, that I’m actually seeing it again tonight! [I recommend it highly for any Marvel fan]

THANKS FOR READING.

Here’s something exciting: a new horror gaming segment. It’s something I haven’t done in a while, and after watching a few videos online about it, I decided I wanted to talk about a very specific game: Fran Bow. Developed by Killmonday – an indie studio  founded/comprised of “two Swedish game developers of madness” [their words, not mine] who created this extremely well crafted game that is scary not once, but also the second time you play it. The game isn’t strictly horror either, it delves into subgenres – such as sadness, depression, and even other mental illnesses.. and they’re done perfectly. Let’s dig a little deeper, shall we? If you upset by mental illnesses, or anything relating to the nature of these topics; consider this your forewarning. From here on out we’re going to be relating to and talking about our “hero” Fran Bow. [be sure to visit the official website for the game]

In the game, Fran Bow is the young girl who serves as the main character. She is described as struggling with “a mental disorder and an unfair destiny.” which I’m sure many of us can relate to. She also has a black cat named Mr. Midnight, who she refers to as her closest and only friend. As an individual, Fran is described as a curious 11 year old with bobbed brown hair and blue eyes. She usually seen wearing a yellow dress with a small blue bow tie and brown boots with black-and-white striped stockings. [see below]

[and the award for the creepiest 11 year old goes to…!]

When we first meet our “hero”, we see Fran Bow living a happy life with her mother and father just like any ordinary kid. [though Fran is no “ordinary kid”] They give her Mr. Midnight and shortly after her Aunt Grace arrives for dinner. After a few days, she is disturbed by an dark and ominous figure in her window, only then does she hear a scream from her parents’ room and goes to investigate..When she enters her parent’s room she faces what no kid should have to face – her parents. Killed and dismembered, with their bodies [and various lying about the bedroom. [Naturally] Terrified, Fran runs into the nearby forest with Mr. Midnight and blacks out. Though her cat seems to want to stay and comfort her, we see a dark figure [who we later learn is named Remor] approach. Fran is then picked up by a hooded figure. After this Dr. Deern wakes Fran up, which reveals this to all to have been memory. Fran and Dr. Deern talk for a bit, leading to Fran demanding to be released from the mental institute that Fran has been in the whole time. As one would expect, Dr. Deern sternly refuses her request.

Being as her parents are gone, Fran is given her mother’s old purse – which she finds a note from Aunt Grace inside. As soon as she reads the note though, a nurse was called in to the room in order to give Fran her “new medicine” called Duotine. Fran is told that she is not allowed to leave the room until she takes it, because it’ll “help her relax.” Of course, considering she has no other option, Fran takes the medicine, stating that she is not feeling well; and immediately has visions of blood, gore, and decapitated heads raining in the room. While unconscious, she dreams of Mr. Midnight, who encourages her to come find him, saying the pills will help her do so. He says he is waiting for her in the forest and tells her he loves her. It’s with these final words we start the game’s First Chapter.

Even though it’s not a long game, it is divided into Five Chapters with each one being even more depressing as the chapters go on:

• Chapter One: Sober Day
• Chapter Two, Part 1: Curiosity symptoms
• Chapter Two, Part 2: Double Personality
• Chapter Three: Vegetative State
• Chapter Four, Part 1: My Imaginary Friend
• Chapter Four, Part 2: Doctor’s Prescription
• Chapter Five: The House of Madness

The one thing that I will always think is cool about Fran Bow from a game play point of view is that Fran is able to pass into this “other” hell world and alter her surroundings so that she can escape.. through the use of her pills. [Which can be used at any time during the game] The entire point of her “adventure” is to try and discover who is responsible for her parents’ tragedy and ultimately – find her way home. Along the way, Fran discovers a strange land named Ithersta: a magical fantasy-like land where vegetables and roots live together in harmony. After she leaving Ithersta she runs into a skeletal creature named Itward. Itward is the being that ends up helping Fran get back to her only friend: Mr. Midnight. On a depressing note, throughout the game we see that Fran‘s reality seems to be breaking down, making it difficult to tell what the difference is between what she sees when she’s using the pills or what she sees when she’s off them. Fran is ultimately faced with the reality that her parents have actually died and that the person responsible might be someone very close to her.

Itward [and his “flying machine”] and Fran

I’m not going to spoil the ending for the game, and as expected, I did miss a lot of points. I didn’t even explain where Remor came from or what he/it is. If you are interested in a more in-depth explanation, check out this video on it – it’s actually where I heard about the game. Just know this: as Jordan points out in the video I linked, it’s not a “scary” game, it’s more a game about “hope”. Seriously – Watch it.

If one thing is for sure, it’s that we desperately need more games like this. Games with zombies, aliens, vampires, ghosts, demons, serial killers or animatronic abominations [if you didn’t get that reference…where have you been? Living under a rock?!] will always have a place within our favorite genre. But it’s so important that games developers don’t rely exclusively on these familiar “monsters” when there are real monsters that live inside our heads.

As someone who studied it a bit in my first year at college, Mental illness is a different kind of scary: it’s a real thing. Even though you might not understand it as intimately as someone who lives with it, you probably know someone who does. Somewhat ridiculously, it’s still somewhat looked down on in our society, and I hate that. It’s insane to know people see depression as something other people “choose” to feel. Mental Illness has, and often continues to, claim too many lives. I’m not just talking literally, but also in the passion for life it often pulls away from its unsuspecting host like an never satisfied insect. But we’ll talk about that another time. That’s enough sad-talk for one day.

As always, if you find yourself to enjoy what I do on here, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page [we’re at over 150+ likes – let’s get to 200!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been “gone live” online; and I also share links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog.

Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, 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! I’ve also been writing way more reviews on my Letterboxd account, this is because I’m trying to review every single movie I watch  – with each review coming the very next day after viewing! Are you interested yet? Check me out over there and click that “follow” button! I’m just bound to follow you back because I like reading other people’s thoughts on film, as well as writing reviews myself!

who’s the creepy thing on the right? Play FRAN BOW to find out!

THANKS FOR READING.

but what could today’s “prize inside” be?

I have a confession: I have an unhealthy obsession with going through sites like Kijiji and Amazon for used Blu-Rays or anything pop culture related. Although I browse them constantly, I’ve actually only bought something once. It was an Ash action figure from Evil Dead II and I absolutely love it – it’s even still in the packaging! [this is the one I bought!] However, we’re not talking about me, but rather, an unnamed woman from Goldsboro, North Carolina: She was buying a slightly used deep-freeze freezer, which she bought from her neighbor for only $30! But that’s when things got weird.. really fast; and I don’t mean it in the way we – here on warrenisweird – appreciate.. She might have even believed the seller when they asked her not to open the freezer right away, because, as he claimed, it was being used as a “time capsule” for a Sunday School project. It would have gone so well.. Except she probably would have reconsidered this sweet deal when she finally opened up the freezer and discovered something [unexpected] inside: the frozen remains of a human being.

source: WNCN

“A church was supposed to come to pick up the items inside the freezer,” the woman told WNCN News, stating that the neighbor had asked her to wait until the church arrived before opening the deep freeze up. Ultimately, “The church never came.” In the three weeks that passed afterwards, the neighbor had since moved away, claiming they were going to live closer to their mother, who was staying at a rest home in West Virginia. [making the reasoning behind selling the freezer sensible: they were “just downsizing”] The woman also mentioned that she hadn’t seen the [now deceased] elderly woman since September. As expected, once she saw what was inside the freezer, she immediately called 911. “I have a serious problem,” she told the dispatcher, describing what she’d found, while repeating “I am freaking out.”

When they arrived, Police on scene had confirmed that the contents were in fact parts of a human corpse; which the woman later identified as her neighbor’s mother. The North Carolina Medical Examiner’s office also confirmed the identification.

“She sold me her frozen mother for $30,” the woman told WNCN. “How do you do something like that?” According to the Medical Examiner, there are no signs of foul play, but the Police are treating the incident as a felony. Watch the news report on this “real horror” down below!

I guess at the end of the day, the moral of this story is that you should always look at things you’re buying with the seller when buying from someone. Even if it’s something small, like a DVD – maybe the disc isn’t in the case and you’re assuming it is..until it’s too late. Or maybe your neighbor is selling a freezer…that happens to have a dead body inside. [too soon?]

As always, if you find yourself to enjoy what I do on here, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page [we’re at over 150+ likes – let’s get to 200!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been “gone live” online; and I also share links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog.

Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, 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! I’ve also been writing way more reviews on my Letterboxd account, this is because I’m trying to review every single movie I watch  – with each review coming the very next day after viewing! Are you interested yet? Check me out over there and click that “follow” button! I’m just bound to follow you back because I like reading other people’s thoughts on film, as well as writing reviews myself!

THANKS FOR READING.

Earlier this week – Monday the 13th – a friend and I went and saw The Conjuring 2. I enjoyed it, surprisingly a lot more than I expected; and definitely better than the first Conjuring film. [read my full review on The Conjuring 2 here] However, on the way back from the movie, I had an epiphany: if the “haunting” shown in the film is based on actual events, and Ed and Lorraine Warren were concerned about the whole thing being a hoax, just how much of is actual truth? That’s where we are today: I’m going to be looking into the true story behind the infamous “Enfield Poltergeist” and separate the facts from the fiction. As expected, this post does involve the plot and important details involving The Conjuring 2. Being as it’s a newer release, spoilers will be everywhere within this post. So if you haven’t seen the movie yet, or you’re okay with spoilers – let’s begin.

Before we officially begin though, it’s important to note that Director James Wan didn’t take many shortcuts when translating the infamous Enfield Haunting onto the big screen – this is proved when he went so far as to display real-life photographs and locations against the ones shown in the movie during the end credits. I mean, that’s impressive and it really adds to the tone of the film. Even hearing the actual tapes during the credits reminded viewers that this was an actual event..or was it?

At the beginning of the movie, we start with the infamous Amityville case and its aftermath, because most of Conjuring 2 has to keep going back to the Warrens‘ story across the Atlantic as they deal with how traumatizing the event was for Lorraine. The case in this movie was often called the “English Amityville,” or “the Enfield Case” because [unlike what was shown in the movie] there was many paranormal investigators swooping in from all over the globe. So yes, the Warrens did drop by at one point in 1978 according to one of the investigators, Guy Lyon Playfair. But according to him, during an interview on Darkness Radio, the Warrens showed up “uninvited and only stayed for a day.” Even worse, Playfair claimed: “All I can remember is Ed Warren telling me that he could make a lot of money for me out of it.” Playfair isn’t the first to say something like this – over the course of their cases, the Warrens were constantly called out for “helping families for the money and fame” rather than their hearts of gold – which the movies show them to have. [listen to the entire interview with Playfair here]

though I gotta say, the chemistry between these two is perfect.

It’s important to note that a lot of the details in the movie, like how the supernatural problems occur after the girls play with a Ouija board, are fact though – and are straight from the accounts of the Hodgson family. [especially Janet and Peggy] They did flee to the neighbor’s house like they did in the film, with witnesses claimed they could hear  “whistling” and “knocking on the walls” just as it happens in the film.

But note that I said “a lot” of the details..not all. Some of the more extravagant occurrences, such as the scene [that’s also seen in the trailer] where we see all the crosses on the wall turning upside down, has absolutely no basis in what the girls say happened: You read that right, this never happened. [though the girls claim that the room really did have crosses on the wall in the first place] Janet was also actually recorded having a deep-throated, evil voice when in interviews and throughout the investigations. You can also see in the interview below that the movie actually followed Janet‘s mannerisms and claims quite faithfully.

Another important tidbit, which comes from the movie and the actual case, was that an older man by the name of Bill Wilkins actually died in their home. According to Terry: Bill Wilkins‘ son, the man actually did die in that bloody chair of a brain hemorrhage. As you no doubt heard in the interview video above, Janet claims to have been possessed by Wilkins, leading many to believe this gives a large credibility to the case. But does it? Hold on. In the movie, one of the skeptics points out that Janet could have very easily have heard about Wilkins from a neighbor, and it would have been very easy for her to fake the voice in order to keep the whole charade going. Still, the movie pays close attention to Janet‘s specific recollections, even adding her [actual] claims that when the “voice” came over her, she felt like something was behind her.. But this is all nothing compared to what comes next:

Janet was caught faking the haunting: and more than once!

[the longer I look at this, the more it really does look like she’s just jumping]

Near the end of the movie, the investigators catch Janet bending spoons and flipping tables on video, making it clear to them that she was faking the activity – but would you believe me if I said that this also happened in reality, with Janet and her sister faking it more than once in the exact same manner? It’s true as even Janet herself has admitted that “some” of the events were faked, even though she adamantly remains convinced that most of it was real, including her possession. At least the haunting[s] stopped, right? By the end of The Conjuring 2, we earn something of a conclusion, that the demonic spirit is destroyed by the Warrens and everyone is happy. However, it also points out at the very end that Peggy Hodgson continued to live in the home until her last days of life [which is fact] and ultimately – died in the same chair as Bill Wilkins. This follows the truth of it [for the most part], as the Hodgsons have claimed over the years that while most of the haunting stopped after a priest visited them in 1978, activity still occurred in the home for the following decades to a smaller and lesser degree. Of course, like any other “true story”, the movie also left out a few important parts: such as Janet being sent to a psychiatric hospital where they “stuck electrodes” on her head for tests. Though, the tests turned out normal. The movie also leaves out that Janet‘s sister Margaret had “the voice” speak through her as well!

Left to right: Margaret, Johnny, Janet

The question I’ll leave you with today is “Is it all a hoax?” Unfortunately, It’s hard to claim that the entire case was just faked by this family considering all evidence to the contrary. But you have to admit: it’s even more impressive how well-documented this case was, which resulted in a movie that manages to capture much of the story’s compelling moments and arguments without drifting too far from the truth. You know, except for the part where Ed and Lorraine Warren are not just “in it for the money.” If you’re still aching for more on this “case”, click here for a hour long documentary on the Enfield Poltergeist and be sure to leave your thoughts on this whole “scenario” in the comments below!

As always, if you find yourself to enjoy what I do on here, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page [we’re at over 150+ likes – let’s get to 200!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been “gone live” online; and I also share links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog.

Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, 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! I’ve also been writing way more reviews on my Letterboxd account, this is because I’m trying to review every single movie I watch  – with each review coming the very next day after viewing! Are you interested yet? Check me out over there and click that “follow” button! I’m just bound to follow you back because I like reading other people’s thoughts on film, as well as writing reviews myself!

THANKS FOR READING.

Between working both jobs, and applying for an English class – which will upgrade my English mark, and thus, allow me to reapply for college in 2017 – you could say this week has been pretty hectic. However, during my time applying for this English course, I thought back to my High School days [I’m going to redo grade 12 English in July for 3 weeks – I did pass it before, but with a terrible mark due to not caring for school at the time – hence, the “upgrade”] and the things I enjoyed doing/watching; at least to get into the mindset of being in school again. One such thing that crossed my mind was none other than Pokemon. You know exactly what I’m talking about: they’re generally cute little monsters that 10 year olds go out and capture – and do battle with their friends! I used to love Pokemon. I mean, I still enjoy it; just not as much. It’s still a fairly popular topic though, with both a TV show [still!] and games coming out almost yearly. In my case, I’ve always enjoyed the idea of fan-created Pokemon [known across the internet as “Fakemon”] and/or the fan-art in general. A lot of people try to them as “life-like” as possible, and for some Pokemon – as I’m sure you can imagine – is a horrific idea! [unless, like me, you like creepy and horror-themed monsters] And then there’s David Szilagyi – an artist online, who like us, enjoys Pokemon. He even enjoys drawing Pokemon.. in the most fucked up way imaginable. [be sure to check out his Patreon page]

You see, concept artist and freelance illustrator David Szilagyi is on a mission – to ruin your cherished childhood memories, one twisted picture at a time. Using his love for Pokemon and the work of Stephen Gammell – who you might remember from Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark – Szilagyi‘s most recent project has him trying to re-draw the entire Pokedex.. in the most nightmarish way possible! [For those who keep up with the games, we’re currently standing at over 730 Pokemon Monsters..that’s a lot of drawings]
Chances are, you’ve even seen his art already online, seeing as he’s pretty popular. If you like his art, I strongly suggest supporting him at his Patreon page above – he releases two new pictures each week, and even a comic in the same horrific style. [but that’s only for supporters] Now onto the main event, the actual drawings. Remember, they aren’t the cute and cuddly monsters you once knew. They’ve..changed. For ease of posting, and saving time, I have included the original starters [and their evolutions] that Szilagyi has created in his “special style.” For all of the art he’s drawn, check out his ArtStation page; which includes more than just Pokemon.

Not exactly as you remember them? According to David Szilagyi, that’s the point – to be as terrifying as possible! Today’s question is a simple one; so long as you are/were a fan of Pokemon. What “type” is your favorite? Is it Squirtle‘s WATER type, or are you more of a Charizard FIRE type? Or maybe you’re a fan of another type; like STEEL or PSYCHIC? Let me know in the comments below! I’ve personally always been both FIRE and DARK, but I guess that comes to be expected of me – Charizard, Umbreon and Duskull are among my favorite Pokemon of all time. In regards to the me doing an “upgraded” English course, [that I briefly mentioned above] it will be taking up a good amount of my time, with work happening afterwards so I may not be as frequent on here in the month of July [however, I am still active on Facebook – sharing posts, etc – when I’m not able to write something on here: the actual blog] Also, Stephanie and I are in Niagara Falls next weekend, since it’s going to be our one year wedding anniversary – crazy! I KNOW! But, I’ll be writing another post before we leave [Saturday July 2nd is our departure date – we’re back on the 5th..with English starting on the 6th…jeez, what a month July will be, and it’s not even here yet!] Anyway, I’m rambling, and that wasn’t the intention, so I’ll just leave you with a fan art rendition of one of my favorites, because if I’m being honest – I just really want an Umbreon.

THANKS FOR READING.

I’m back! For those that weren’t aware, my wife and I actually went to Niagara Falls for our one year wedding anniversary for the long weekend, and had a blast! Consequently, I wasn’t available to write anything because we were so busy with other things [like a wax museum!] If you wanted to see these pictures, and others, from the trip – be sure to travel over to my Instagram page and click follow. [seriously, my account is set to “private” so you have to click “follow” before seeing anything] It didn’t help that the internet would constantly log me off in the hotel either.. but you’re not here to hear me complain; you’re here because we just got an Ash vs Evil Dead season 02 teaser trailer! For those of you that are just joining me, here on warrenisweird, I’m a huge fan of The Evil Dead and the TV series is no different. I even wrote an entire review on season 01, which took way too long [here you go!] but now, we’ve got a teaser trailer for season 02! I sure hope you’re ready, cause I know I am! [spoilers are everywhere in this trailer, especially involving the events that took place in season 01]

Season 02 of Ash vs Evil Dead jumps back into the action with Ash leaving his beloved Jacksonville and returning to his hometown of Elk Grove. It’s there that he confronts Ruby: The former enemies have to form an uneasy alliance as Elk Grove soon becomes “the nucleus of evil” – whatever that means. [I’m sure we’ll learn more about it as the season goes on, most likely as it heads towards the finale]

The cast is, of course, led by the legend himself Bruce Campbell in the role of Ash Williams; Lucy Lawless is back as the evil – but beautiful – Ruby, who [for those that remember from season 01] possesses the powerful Necronomicon; Ray Santiago as fan-favorite Pablo Simon Bolivar, who is Ash’s loyal sidekick who is still dealing with the trauma he suffered in the cabin; and finally – Dana DeLorenzo as my favorite: Kelly Maxwell, who – grief-stricken after the death of her parent – plots her revenge against The Evil Dead. Did I mention Ash‘s father – Brock – is set to make an appearance? This season is shaping up to be almost better than the first! But let’s cut to the chase, you’re here to watch the trailer for season 02, don’t worry; I forgive you. Check out the trailer below! But first, I have only one question to ask you: who’s your favorite character in the show? Is it lovable Pablo, who seems to be earning his shamanistic powers? Or is it the badass Kelly, who wants to exact her revenge after the death of her parents. Let me know in a comment or two!

As always, if you find yourself to enjoy what I do on here, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page [we’re at over 150+ likes – let’s get to 200!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been “gone live” online; and I also share links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog.

Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, 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! I’ve also been writing way more reviews on my Letterboxd account, this is because I’m trying to review every single movie I watch  – with each review coming the very next day after viewing! Are you interested yet? Check me out over there and click that “follow” button! I’m just bound to follow you back because I like reading other people’s thoughts on film, as well as writing reviews myself!

THANKS FOR READING.

A while ago [as in “February 2nd, 2016 while ago”] I wrote about how it seemed that Saw VIII was going into production under the name Saw: Legacy. [There’s already an IMDb page set up for it!] The thing is though, we know nothing about it: Could it be is it a sequel? Maybe a reboot, or some kind of spin-off, and while we – the heavyhearted fans – wait for more information to be released, we do at least have an official release date; and I’m telling you, it’s a familiar one.

“If it’s Halloween, it must be Saw.” Sound familiar? It should, because for many years, the Saw franchise released a new sequel every year around Halloween – to the point of it becoming a tradition, so with the new film coming our way October 27th, 2017: just four days before next Halloween feels pretty right to us horror fans. It feels like it’s welcoming the franchise home, and I like that feeling. a lot. This news comes to us from Movie Pilot, who says that IATSE 873 – a technical union based in Toronto – posted a notice about Saw: Legacy, and that it will be filming from September 12th through October 21st 2017. From the union’s forms, we can see that Dan Heffner and Oren Koules [who have been on board for all the previous installments of Saw to date] are listed as producers. A Director though, hasn’t been chosen yet, but all in due time.

[I quite enjoy the fact that the company is “Tricycle Productions“]

God I’ve missed you, Billy

THANKS FOR READING.

Being a guy who was born in the 1990s, I don’t really think about it if I see a badly spelt gang name or a pentagram spray-painted on a high school wall, but would you believe me if I said that there was a time when suburban American families were absolutely terrified of satanic cults? It’s true; Occult rituals were, at a time, prime-time topics because as news stations then broadcasted – there were high reports of stolen babies, threats of ritual sacrifice, and even sexual abuse were all being committed.. under the guise of evil cults who claimed to be worshiping the devil himself.

Call it what you will, but “Satanic Panic” was a big business in the late 80s and early 90s. Naturally, this went on to spawn hundreds of books, videos, and television specials aimed at pushing the fear of the occult into soccer moms and stay at home dads across the country, and it guess what? It worked. In fact, it worked so well that Police and other Law Enforcement agencies across North America began to look into typical graffiti – like the kinds I mentioned above – and investigate the ideology behind the pentagram; stating that it was evidence of what they called “a satanic presence.”

The face of a true expert.

The Law Enforcement Guide to Satanic Cults is a instructional video that Police were required to watch as part of their “training,” and it’s quite the experience.. On this educational tape, we see “occult experts” with mullets [I mean, it was the 80s] and for those still not convinced, there’s even interviews with alleged victims of satanic rituals! The VHS tape is only 73-minutes long, but it is a glimpse into the “Satanic Panic” era that’s as frightening as it is hilarious.

I’ve always been a huge fan of weird toys, old instructional videos, and other such obscurities. The Law Enforcement Guide to Satanic Cults is no different. It’s a lot of fun to watch, even if you can’t take it seriously. If you feel like you can handle “Satanic content,” [and the mullets!] You can watch the whole video below, and if you manage to watch it until the end, you’ll be treated my favorite part! A clip of a woman [in a bikini] being “prepared” by some older man who seems to be demonstrating “a ritual sacrifice.” Of course, as expected, this final clip is complete with the dotted lines to show where to slice and dice your “victims.”

All laughs aside, I know it’s easy to laugh at the awkward acting, over-the-top assumptions [that are made] and ridiculousness of the video, it’s important to remember – this was actually used to train police! Because of videos like this one, countless metalheads, goth kids, and occult enthusiasts became quickly [and unfairly] singled out as “suspects” in crimes they did not have any part in. In case you weren’t aware, this has happened before.

How do You feel about this “training video?” I know it’s a little obscure, and it’s definitely something from the 1980s, but remember: this was an actual fear that a lot of people had. In their defense, the Law Enforcement Officers were only doing what they thought was right for their respective communities; even if some people were wrongly accused for crimes they did not commit.

[Friendly Reminder: there was a time when I used to look like this – chances are, I would have been accused of something drastic too! For a more recent photo of me, click here!]

---

As always, if you find yourself to enjoy what I do on here, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page [we’re at over 150+ likes – let’s get to 200!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been “gone live” online; and I also share links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog.

Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, 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! I’ve also been writing way more reviews on my Letterboxd account, this is because I’m trying to review every single movie I watch  – with each review coming the very next day after viewing! Are you interested yet? Check me out over there and click that “follow” button! I’m just bound to follow you back because I like reading other people’s thoughts on film, as well as writing reviews myself!

[Lydia was my original goth crush; second only to her]

 THANKS FOR READING.

I have a confession: I loved season one of Stranger Things. It’s a show I had been putting off watching since it’s original release, mainly because I had class Monday to Friday for three weeks, and I felt that if I get caught up in a TV show; [albeit, only eight episodes] I’d fall behind. Now, with class being done since July 27th, I finally watched this show in it’s entirety.. and holy fuck, this show was fantastic!

Let’s get one thing straight first though, Stranger Things isn’t the first TV show/movie to try and recapture the feeling of the 80s horror/adventure films. Think of  J.J. Abrams‘ Super 8 – the difference here is that you’ve never seen anything quite like this series. The show is essentially genre-less too, with numerous references and allusions to the 80s, allowing itself to become a mysterious sci-fi horror complex story that ends up being something extremely unique and individual. Some of the things that happen are Weird, others are Strange. It’s a really refreshing feeling to see story telling like this. We see many throwbacks to the 80’s Sci-Fi and Horror genres respectively, with heavy influences from John Carpenter and Stephen King. It doesn’t only look like an 80s time capsule, but feels like one too! I have to hand it to the Duffer brothers, they really captured the essence of the 80’s – and I wasn’t even born yet!

“there’s how many references in STRANGER THINGS?”

As I said above, there are a lot of references in Stranger Things, some obvious; but some are more cleverly hidden. Most notably, Stranger Things gives a ton of nods to films that I grew up with – films like E.T. and The Goonies: the bikes, the dark backyards, the group of kids, and the flashlights. But if you were to look at the lighting and sets, you’ll notice there’s so much that feels like Alien, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind and Firestarter. Other homages include Poltergeist, Explorers, The Shining, Stand by Me, and Carrie. Of course, this is only some of the “Easter eggs.” There are still so many more, although you will just have to re-watch Stranger Things to see them all! Below, I’ve included some of the ones that I noticed. [Did you notice other ones? Let me know in the comments!] As expected, these references include major spoilers for Stranger Things: Season one so make sure you watch all eight episodes first.

UNDER THE SKIN:

Whenever Eleven uses her powers to read other people’s minds, she seems to enter a dark, featureless world that is gives off the same eerie feeling that the “black room” in Jonathan Glazer‘s artsy film Under the Skin had. In both cases, the enigmatic female character is seen to walk across a mirrored black surface that behaves like both a solid and as a liquid.

STAR WARS:

This one is fairly easy to notice, but there are plenty of Star Wars references in Stranger Things – and I’m not just talking about the poster. Mike owns a Yoda action figure, and is in awe at Eleven‘s “Jedi powers”. When Lucas thinks Eleven is lying to the gang, he calls her “Lando” – after Lando Calrissian. [For those unaware, Lando is the character who betrays Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back]

ALIEN:

Eager to investigate the gooey [and gross looking] inter-dimensional portal in their basement, the team at Hawkins Laboratory send in a disposable technician [Right] to check it out, with only a flashlight. The whole sequence is a call back to the first act of Alien, when the similarly-outfitted Kane [Left] explores the surface of the planet with his crew. Both characters are attached to a safety-cable which, in the end, does absolutely nothing for their safety.

E.T.

E.T. is probably the most important reference in Stranger Things because there are just so many of them! From the moody flashlight search sequences, to the general logic of kids on bikes outrunning a shady government organization who are after them. When she is left to her own devices at Mike‘s house, Eleven is often seen exploring the world with the same child-like fascination as E.T. Even during the scene where Mike and his friends “disguise” Eleven in a dress and wig to help her blend in at school is a clear call to a scene in E.T. in which Gertie gives the alien a “makeover.” [The only real question here is: who wore it better?]

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET:

The final episode of Stranger Things, which sees Jonathan and Nancy try to kill the “demogorgon”, matches up exactly with the climax of the original 1984 A Nightmare On Elm Street film: in both films, the teenage heroes trick a dimension-shifting monster into going into a house filled with traps, before setting it on fire. Meanwhile, in episode two [titled “The Weirdo On Maple Street”] sees the the “demogorgon” stretch the wall of Will Byers‘ room, which was also recalling a similar scene in Nightmare.

THE GOONIES:

The tone that Stranger Things sets owes a lot to Steven Spielberg‘s adventure story, The Goonies which sees a group of misfit friends discover a long-lost treasure map. As one could easily see, there are similarities between The Goonies‘ Chunk [top, right] and Stranger Things‘ Dustin. [below, centre]

STAND BY ME:

 The sequence in which Mike, Eleven, Lucas, and Dustin walk along an old railway track is a reference to the 1986 coming-of-age film, Stand By Me – which is based on a Stephen King short story called The Body. [Oddly enough, this was also the title of the episode when this happened..] In both, a group of friends work together to track down a missing child.

AND FINALLY..

ALTERED STATES:

If you look carefully enough, The Sensory Deprivation Chamber Eleven uses in Hawkins Laboratory [left] closely resembles the isolation tank William Hurt‘s character enters in Altered States. [right] Both Altered States and Stranger Things play with the idea that sensory deprivation can awaken dormant parts of the brain.

Again, these are just some of the references/call backs to various science fiction and horror films from the 80s. As expected, I wouldn’t be able to write all of them here, because I would never leave my chair. [I didn’t even talk about the Movie Posters on the kids’ bedroom walls, or the movies playing on TVs in the background!] The question is though, which references did You see? Which ones stood out the most for You? Let me know in a comment or two below! [if you haven’t seen Stranger Things yet, I strongly recommend it!]

As always, if you find yourself to enjoy what I do on here, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page [we’re at over 150+ likes – let’s get to 200!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been “gone live” online; and I also share links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog.

Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, 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! I’ve also been writing way more reviews on my Letterboxd account, this is because I’m trying to review every single movie I watch  – with each review coming the very next day after viewing! Are you interested yet? Check me out over there and click that “follow” button! I’m just bound to follow you back because I like reading other people’s thoughts on film, as well as writing reviews myself!

THANKS FOR READING.

Over the last few years, adult coloring books have gained enormous popularity around the world. For good reason, often seen as relaxing and therapeutic, these books are something I would never have dreamed of. There’s even different themed books, from Harry Potter to Animal Kingdoms; it really all depends what your inner child is calling for. Well, if your ‘inner child’ is like mine – Wednesday Addams – you’re probably wondering where the horror themed coloring book is. I’m here to help you with that, as lately, I’ve been counting down the days until I [and you readers at home] can get your hands on your very own copy of “The Beauty Of Horror” and yes, it’s sooner than we could have ever hoped!

Currently scheduled for an early Halloween release, [October 11th, 2016] “The Beauty Of Horror: A GOREgeous Coloring Book” is the creation of Horror Comic Award winner and Life Of Agony Bassist Alan Robert.  When asked where the idea of the book came from, Roberts says: “Bookstores are filled with coloring books for adults, but there’s a huge void for the kind of creepy art that horror fans like me want to color, so I decided to create my own, the world needs a book like this to cut through the mandalas! It’s art therapy for the abnormal…and trust me, there are plenty of us.”

I’m inclined to agree. Even Stephanie – my wife –  has her own coloring book [she has the Animal Kingdom copy above!] and while I enjoy coloring in the lines as well, it isn’t my “theme” of choice. With The Beauty Of Horror coming out in a few months, I can safely say that I have found my muse! Inside The Beauty Of Horror, is intricate hand drawn, pen and ink illustrations by Robert himself that take the color enthusiast on a twisted journey through bizarre carnivals, the zombie apocalypse, serial killer lairs, and haunted burial grounds! Long time horror fans [and newcomers] will find themselves welcoming this “GORE-geous” and creative blood-soaked alternative into their coloring library. I know it has a place on my shelf! Below, because I genuinely am excited for this book, I have shared a few of the [total 80] pages you can expect to color inside! Have a favorite?

So what I’m trying to say is, I’m pretty damn excited to color in some zombies and castles.. [that spider above looks fun!] As mentioned on the picture above, The Beauty Of Horror is available for pre-order now. If you’re planning to wait until it’s released before buying, think positive: at least you won’t be waiting long!

Today’s question is a simple one: do You plan on ordering/buying a copy of The Beauty Of Horror? Maybe, like me, you’re over excited to be able to color some zombies! Or maybe, you much prefer to watch the zombies on screen rather than on paper? Let me know in the comments! As always, if you find yourself to enjoy what I do on here, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page [we’re at over 150+ likes – let’s get to 200!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been “gone live” online; and I also share links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog.

Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, 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! I’ve also been writing way more reviews on my Letterboxd account, this is because I’m trying to review every single movie I watch  – with each review coming the very next day after viewing! Are you interested yet? Check me out over there and click that “follow” button! I’m just bound to follow you back because I like reading other people’s thoughts on film, as well as writing reviews myself!

THANKS FOR READING.

I’m back! I know, I’ve been missing from here for about two weeks, but between work and self-preparing for applying for College [in 2017]; I’ve been a little busy! I’m not going to write a huge list of excuses – I’ll save that for another day – so let’s jump right into it and talk about a little something that follows one of my more favorite shows that has been getting everyone in the horror genre talking.

Back in July, when the San Diego Comic-Con had all sorts of news pouring out of every source imaginable, the horror-fans of the Internet lit up with joy when it – we – heard a rumor that said that Army Of Darkness would be a part of [or at the very least referenced] during the next season of Ash VS. Evil Dead. If you happened to catch the first season, [which if you haven’t – there are upcoming spoilers!] you probably remember that the show seemed to basically ignore the fact that our hero adventures into the Middle Ages; which seems like the sort of thing that would..or rather, should come up at least once. [Although there’s a drawing in the Season 01 finale that you could call a visual reference] So with that in mind, the rumor that some kind of Army Of Darkness callbacks would be in Season o2 of the series simply taunted us from the shadows. Damn Deadites..

will we ever hear about the Boomstick again?

But, as we always seem to do, the Internet got way ahead of itself. When asked the question of whether or not Army Of Darkness will be an important piece of season two’s puzzle, Bruce Campbell gave us an answer: an answer, we may or may not like.. Here’s what the Chin had to say:

“I’ve been sort of putting that to bed. It was a random thing that Rob [Tapert] said, and you know how the internet is, if you see one sentence written, it’s real. I think Rob was more alluding to the fact that we’ve already taken stuff that would have been in Army Of Darkness. He still time-travels before Army Of Darkness. People have always asked, “Where is Army Of Darkness?” Like, we don’t really need Army Of Darkness. That was sort of our take on the whole thing. You’ve got to be careful referencing certain movies, because then you have to make deals with certain partners that might own those certain movies.”

Naturally, this could always change, if not this season then maybe next [if the show does indeed have a third season within itself – which better happen] But Campbell said: don’t expect any Army Of Darkness nods in Ash VS. Evil Dead anytime soon, and if you haven’t already heard: Ash VS. Evil Dead returns to Starz on October 2nd 2016. [Watch the first trailer for season 02 below!]

So there you have it, an update of what’s to come to Ash VS. Evil Dead, and not in the way we were hoping. Could this be good news in disguise though? Why or Why Not? Let me know in the comments! As always, if you find yourself to enjoy what I do on here, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page [we’re at over 150+ likes – let’s get to 200!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been “gone live” online; and I also share links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog.

Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, 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! I’ve also been writing way more reviews on my Letterboxd account, this is because I’m trying to review every single movie I watch  – with each review coming the very next day after viewing! Are you interested yet? Check me out over there and click that “follow” button! I’m just bound to follow you back because I like reading other people’s thoughts on film, as well as writing reviews myself!

hail to the King, baby!

THANKS FOR READING.