Year: 2012

It's a Horror to Know You: Ryne of The Moon is a Dead World!

1. What is the first film that ever scared you?

It's really a toss-up, simply because I can't remember which came first. One of the first that I remember was Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, probably when I was 5 or 6. My dad had it playing in a video store he used to own, and the only thing I know was that there was a kid locked in a jail cell and I was really, really scared of the monsters at that time. I refused to watch.

The second was Pumpkinhead 2. I was fascinated with the cover of it in the video store, since I was generally attracted to the horror genre right from the start. I begged my dad to bring it home for me so I could watch it, but when he did, my bravado faltered and I made up an excuse so I didn't have to watch.

Still haven't seen either of those movies since.

2. What is the last film that scared you?

If I'm being completely honest with myself, and not including those random jump scare moments, I'd have to say that it was Funny Games. Moreso than any other home invasion movie, that flick really got to my core because of the way Haneke is able to characterize the demented individuals who think it's fun to terrorize people. The slow, lingering shots, disturbing music, and creepy dudes have stuck with me since I first saw the movie.

3. Name three Horror movies that you believe are underrated.

1. Le notte che Evelyn usci dalla tomba (The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave) (1971). It's an often overlooked giallo film that's both heavy on atmosphere and melodrama. Perfect!

2. The Funhouse (1981). Tobe Hooper's masterpiece is considered to be The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but The Funhouse is my favorite film of his thanks to the lovable monster that inhabits the amusement park's ride.

3. The Slumber Party Massacre (1982). This could just as easily fit on the list below of the worst movies I enjoy, but The Slumber Party Massacre is a really bad slasher that does everything right – tons of boobs, blood, and ridiculous killings.

4. Name three horror movies that you enjoy against your better judgment.

1. The Langoliers This movie should never be on anyone's favorite list, but I love it despite its four hour length and really cheesy acting. I've seen it more times than I can count.

2. Dolls. I caught this film on Sci-Fi channel when I was a kid, and it was the first film that I reviewed – although it wasn't much of a review, more of a summary of the film and a couple of stray thoughts about it.

3. Halloween 4 & 5. Right after Halloween 1 & 2, these terrible entries into the series are right up there on my list of most-seen favorite flicks – I love them for no reason at all, the only way you can love them.

5. Send us to five places on the Internet!

Strange Kids Club. A great place collecting news and essays on all of your favorite toys, games, and television.

L-G-B-Terror. Evan's helped me out a ton with my Viewer Vomit posts on The Moon, and his reviews focusing on gay and lesbian themes are both funny and spot-on.

The Death Rattle. Intensely in-depth reviews, and I love the new Framewhore column.

Taliesin Meets the Vampires. Ever wondered what random movies have vampire themes in them? Check out Taliesin's Vamp or Not series.

Back Online, Back On Duty. Witty reviews and a Robocop theme? Yes, please!

It's a Horror to Know You: Turnidoff of Death to CGI!

1. What is the first film that ever scared you?

I think it would have to be Trilogy of Terror (1975). I was probably 3 or 4 and I walked past the old wood paneled Curtis Mathis floor model television and caught a glimpse of Karen Black getting assaulted by this spastic little toothy demon. It is still burned in my memory of where I was, what I heard and what I saw. It was that traumatic for me. Now of course, I love little Zuni. (Note to self, sitcom idea: "Lil' Zuni")

2. What is the last film that scared you?

This is tough. I haven't really been scared of anything recent. (I haven't seen Cabin in the Woods yet) I tend to go back to the classics. I prefer my horror on VHS because for me, the format ads to the creepiness factor. Nothing beats a grainy copy of Galaxy of Terror. However, I did see Devil (2010) and was very scared of what horror films today have become… or maybe that was depression.

3. Name three Horror movies that you believe are underrated.

Ravenous (1999): a victim of a confused marketing campaign. It made no noise when it came out. Everything about this film is fantastic. It's a brilliant take on the cannibal/vampire genre. Oh, and the music… Best scored film of the 90's.

The Frighteners (1996): Peta Jicksen's big US breakthrough wasn't as well received as his following films, but it made Michael J. Fox kick some ass one last time, and although it was a bit cartoony, it still packed some good chills. True Story: a friend and I went to see this opening day, we were the only ones in the theater… flash forward to his next film, and we could barely find a seat. The great Jackson jump of the late 90's.

Terror in the Aisles (1984): For me, this film was my introduction to many great horror flicks of the video store age. Donald Pleasance hamming it up hardcore. Nancy Allen in all her full permness, and it made Wings Hauser in Vice Squad (1982) look creepier than he was. Neon Slime!

4. Name three horror movies that you enjoy against your better judgment.

The Crazies (2010): I'm very leery of most remakes. I dismissed this one as another one for the fire, but I actually enjoyed it. In a time oversaturated with zombie flicks, seeing government and military killing everyone off was more terrifying than the undead. Plus Timothy Olyphant is this generation's Clint! (Eastwood, not Howard)

Night of the Living Dead (1990): The original NOTLD is about as close to a perfect horror film as you can possibly get. At first I thought the remake was going to be crap. I was so wrong. NOTLD1990 is EXACTLY how you make a faithful remake. It doesn't try to re-do the story for a new generation. It assumes you are familiar and even comfortable with the original and that's where its power lies. Once you think you know what's going to happen, BOOM, they playfully trick you. They work really well back to back.

Ginger Snaps (2000): Teen goth sister werewolf film? No thanks. I sat through this with annoyance, but it quickly turned to enjoyment. I refuse to believe that anything Twilighty could have been inspired from this film. For a female teen horror film, Ginger Snaps had balls.

5. Send us to five places on the Internet!

Trailers From Hell. Joe Dante's brainchild of great trailers with tons of filmmaker commentary.

The Star Wars Soundboard. Seriously addicting. You can even make mixes of the sound clips. You'll never need to speak again!

The Beard Knows. Kenny Rogers Spreadin' his wisdom. Go on, ask him anything!

Death To CGI. My rant blog. I haven't posted on there for a while. I better get on that.

John Mapes. My music page. You could call it horror considering some of the songs I do.

It's a Horror to Know You: Stevil1981

1. What is the first film that ever scared you?

I'd have to say Spookies from 1986. I'm almost ashamed to say it as it's such a goofy movie but man, that birthday scene at the start (shudder)

2. What is the last film that scared you?

I think someone else said this but Insidious had me pretty freaked for days after watching it.

3. Name three Horror movies that you believe are underrated.

The Feast trilogy. It's almost unknown (at least it seems that way to me, nobody I know has seen any of them). For the most part I prefer psychological horror and anything with dense atmosphere over blood and guts but there's a part of me that's a total gorehound especially when it's got it's tongue lodged in it's cheek, oh and cats getting raped by monsters, yeah cats getting raped by giant monsters that's always good.

4. Name three horror movies that you enjoy against your better judgment.

The above mentioned Spookies (really can't help myself)

Basket Case. I love this movie but when I tried to watch it with my girlfriend there was continual eye rolling and total bafflement as to why anyone would spend any money on it.

The Bronx Warriors. I mean… WOW! just WOW! It's terrible but….no, no, no, I don't even know where to begin with this one, just watch it and be careful you don't break your jaw when it hits the floor.

5. Send us to five places on the Internet

Hysteria Lives. Extremely thorough slasher site from the UK.

BadMovies.Org. Really funny reviews from a guy who clearly knows his stuff.

Inferno Music Vault. This guy has extensively compiled soundtracks to some really awesome movies sometimes they're rips from official soundtracks sometimes VHS rips (Looker soundtrack by Barry Devorzon!) always great.

Cinemassacre. I'm sure most readers know of James's work but for anyone who hasn't been here before it's well worth getting initiated.

Urban Legends Demos. Sorry I'm not normally one for shameless self promotion but this is the bandcamp for a musical collaboration I make up 50% of. We write songs based on urban legends. Right now only our rough demos are up but we'll be starting work on our first proper record in a month or so.

It's a Horror to Know You: WIL of Horror Yearbook!

1. What is the first film that ever scared you?

The Elephant Man. this movie was on cable all the time when I was young. I always had to zip by it on those old cable box controllers with the slide dial thingys. I was really young and the elephant man scared the poop out of me.

2. What is the last film that scared you?

Jesus Camp. I saw a double feature of Jesus Camp and Texas Chainsaw: The Beginning. Jesus Camp scared me more.

3. Name three Horror movies that you believe are underrated.

Seed of Chucky. I still believe this will be considered a classic some day.

Splice. Best horror movie since Orphan.

Anything by Chris Smith (Black Death) Smith should have the horror fans attention not Eli Roth and Rob Zombie.

4. Name three horror movies that you enjoy against your better judgment.

Congo. Im obsessed with Congo. It is one of the few movies I can watch over and over.

Anaconda. The first movie where Ice Cube wasn't a ghetto thug.

Trancers. My favorite Full Moon franchise after Puppet Master.

It's a Horror to Know You: Adie Stone of Die On Set A

1. What is the first film that ever scared you?

Well, I first started watching horrors at a very young age and the first film that scared me was the first horror I ever watched 'A Nightmare On Elm Street'. What I remember it was mostly his face and how he could change the dreams to whatever he wished at pure will. Also the whole Tina in a body bag thing just creeped me out, even now if I see someone in a body bag moving around it makes my hairs stand on end.

2. What is the last film that scared you?

'Cutting Moments', it's a 5 part short horror movie movie lol. The first 4 parts are just plain silly and ridiculous but the 5th part, the actual 'Cutting Moments' of the group is the one, theres a statement on the front of the dvd by Tom Savini saying its the most disturbing film he had ever seen, and I agree completely. Without giving much away it's about a standard family where the wife in said family isnt happy anymore so she attempts to make herself look better. The whole thing stuck in my head for months after, yet the most disturbing part was seeing that outside, the family's child sat happily playing with his toys. (Also the moment in Scream 3 with the killer pretending to be Sidneys mother in a sheet/bag disturbed me.. See above, question 1.)

3. Name three horror movies you believe are underrated.

1. 'In The Mouth Of Madness' (1994) Probably the best horror ever and most underrated.

2. 'Cube' (1997) Such a simple but effective sci fi/horror.

3. 'Bad Taste' (1987) Before 'Lord of the Rings' and the dire 'King Kong' remake there was 'Bad Taste', Peter Jacksons first ever film, pure brilliance.

Honorable mention: 'Faust: Love Of The Damned' (2000) Based on comic books and is simply fun.

4.Name three movies that you enjoy against your better judgement.

1. 'Cold Hearts' (1999) A terrible vampire movie with the original Pink Power Ranger, I dont know why I like this movie, I just do.

2. 'Valentine' (2001) Even though completely different from the book, its script was really intelligent but for some reason it just couldnt be pulled off on screen.

3. 'Cloverfield' (2008) Pretty much everyone I speak to hates this movie. Yeah there is nothing to it really other than a giant monster but it just draws me in.

5. Send us to five places on the internet.

1. Die On Set A. Its my facebook horror blog, only with a few friends atm but I update about any new horror news as much as possible, I also have a deviantart and tumblr but I dont update them half as much as facebook.

2. Scary For Kids. I dont think its been updated for years but it had amazing online pranks, videos and stories.

3. The SCP Foundation. Probably the strangest site ever compiling list upon list of unnatural phenomena, This could easily all be fake, but could also easily be real. There is also a downloadable game based on one of these called SCP – 087 where you descend a long staircase, Nobody has ever reached the bottom.

And thats all I can think of, I apologise for only 3 sites but trust me, they are good enough!

It's a Horror to Know You: Senski of Heart in a Jar!

1. What is the first film that ever scared you?

The first film to ever scare me was "Frankenstein Created Woman," as I would have been all of five years old when I saw it in the theater. I remember Susan Denberg hacking and stabbing her way through much of the picture, especially one scene where she is on top of a fellow, plunging her knife in repeatedly. The notion that something could hurt you enough to kill you made its first impression on me, and those kills seemed very, very real.

2. What is the last film that scared you?

The last film that scared me was the first "Paranormal Activity." I found the tension to be almost unbearable. Pleasantly surprised that a film can still do that, as I worry about becoming immune to shock.

3. Name three Horror movies that you believe are underrated.

Although I wonder if anything can be underrated in this era of wall-to-wall internet coverage, I really like 2001's "Frailty," 1991's "The Unborn," 2003's "Willard," and everyone has to stop what they're doing and watch 1972's "The Other." That last one may not be underrated, but it's definitely underseen.

4. Name three horror movies that you enjoy against your better judgment.

You'll put a big giddy smile on my face if you show me "The Green Slime," "Night of the Lepus" and "Lifeforce." Among my friends those are infamous for being *my* movies.

5. Send us to five places on the Internet!

Oh, I'm deadly dull on the web, but I do spend lotsa time with the Internet Speculative Fiction Database and Fantastic Fiction. Read more. That is all.

It's a Horror to Know You: Nathan Rosen of MicroHorror!

1. What is the first film that ever scared you?

Aw, heck. I was a timid little kid and got scared by everything. Watching Ernie pull off Bert's nose really freaked me out. "E.T." scared me, "Labyrinth" scared me, when I was a little bit older I got scared by "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1978, I think) at some kid's sleepover party… but do you want to know the worst of all? The movie that scared young me so badly I had nightmares for months and couldn't try watching it again for about fifteen years?

Good old "Pee-wee's Big Adventure." Large Marge, man. One of the scariest scenes in modern cinema, no doubt.

2. What is the last film that scared you?

I'm a lot harder to scare these days. I just saw "The Cabin in the Woods," and I loved it, but I wouldn't say it scared me. Probably the scariest movie I've seen in recent years was "The Descent"– the early scene with the tiny tunnel and the cave-in really pinged the old claustrophobia.

3. Name three Horror movies that you believe are underrated.

"Phantom of the Paradise" (1974): Brian De Palma directs goofy, over-the-top grand guignol with a fabulous soundtrack by Paul Williams. What's not to love? I like to show it in a double feature with Williams' episode of "The Muppet Show."

"Slither" (2006): This is on everyone's list of underrated horror movies, I think. It wasn't afraid to get balls-to-the-wall weird, and deserves more attention.

"The Creeps" (1997): Another Charles Band joint, and aw, man. I can't even tell you what's so awesome about this movie without spoiling it. What's worse is that the cover gives it all away, when the twist works so much better if the audience doesn't know what's coming. If you can somehow see it without reading any synopsis or anything, just do it.

I guess I like a nice dollop of comedy mixed with my horror. Nothing wrong with that.

4. Name three horror movies that you enjoy against your better judgment.

"Jason X" (2001): Halfway between underrated and guilty pleasure for me. It's a laugh riot from beginning to end.

"Eight Legged Freaks" (2002): Another unabashedly ridiculous flick, and the only movie to pit giant jumping spiders against dirtbikes.

"Hellraiser: Bloodline" (1996): I can't defend this one. Cenobites in space. That's all. It's like "Jason X" without the deliberate comedy.

5. Send us to five places on the Internet!

MicroHorror: The world's largest free online archive of short-short horror fiction. I run it.

Gorelets.com: Home of Michael A. Arnzen, master of horror poetry and microfiction, and a brilliant scholar of horror.

MetaFilter: Not a horror site. Just a community full of cool people and great links and conversation. I
spend a lot of time there.

That's about all I've got.

It's a Horror to Know You: Gillig!

1. What is the first film that ever scared you?

Robert Wise's THE HAUNTING (1963) – Still one of the most frightening films ever made.

2. What is the last film that scared you?

James Wan's INSIDIOUS (2010) – Specifically the scene with the little boy (?) in the house after they move out of the first house.

3. Name three Horror movies that you believe are underrated.

THE CRAWLING EYE (1958) – aka The Trollenberg Terror. Based on a stage play and chillingly Lovecraftian. What some consider cheesy effects undermine this film's credibility but I always thought the Eyes were pretty terrifying, in particular those weird noises they make.

MATANGO (1963) – aka The Attack of the Mushroom People. Based on a chilling short story by William Hope Hodgson and brought to life by Godzilla's creator, Ishiro Honda. This movie is still one of the most freaky pieces of celluloid ever nearly fifty years on.

RAVENOUS (1999) – Darkly humorous, yet still creepy tale of cannibalism with an amazing performance by Robert Carlyle, not to mention a fantastic soundtrack by Blur's Damon Albarn.

Honorable mentions:

GARGOYLES (1972) – Simply one of the best made-for-TV movies ever, some of the most chilling movie scenes ever and some fantastic effects from Stan Winston on a very low budget.

GHOST STORY (1981) – A classic haunting story with a great, slow build-up to an amazing conclusion. Phenomenal performance from Alice Krige!

4. Name three horror movies that you enjoy against your better judgment.

THE GREEN SLIME (1968) – some would say science fiction but it's really a horror movie at heart. Cheesy music, monsters and effects combined with stiff, hammy acting…Love it!

KILLER SHREWS (1959) – the isolation of the island and the voraciousness of the shrews win me over on this one. The black and white somehow enhances this one.

THE LAST DINOSAUR (1977) – once again, borderline science fiction I guess but to me just a creature feature. There is nothing to really like about this movie but somehow I just love it. Makes you wonder how Richard Boone ever got work.

5. Send us to five places on the Internet!

Don't really surf much (Kindertrauma's my home page!) but I do enjoy outsider art. Here are a few faves…

Joshua Hoffine. (outstanding stuff!)

My Pet Skeleton.

Ben Newman.