Author: unkle lancifer

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.

It's a Horror to Know You: Francisco from Spain!

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

Halloween 1978, it was an exhibition in summer in the open air and I was 7 or so, I don't know exactly why the sister of a neighbour and friend slightly older than us, said it was about a mannequin???

2. What is the last film that scared you?

Atrocious, 2010, a found footage film co-produced, I think, by Spain and Mexico and I'm afraid (not sure) inspired by true events.

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

The Broken (2008) with Lena Headey, psychological and quiet horror, it doesn't need lots of blood to really scare specially when is a film about mirrors and dopplegangers.

Just Before Dawn, 1980, maybe my favourite American gothic, do you use this term in USA? some great scenes like the one with the glasses or the scene of the young couple in the waterfall.

Cabin Fever. Another American gothic, more modern than Just Before Dawn but with a very 70's feel, with The Descent being the best film of horror from the 2000s.

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

The Italian cannibal stuff.

5. Send us to five places on the Internet!

Hysteria lives. A lot of information on the slaher genre.

The Terror Trap. Very exhaustive too but covering other subjects like 70's horror, Italian horror or horror made for TV.

Too Much Horror Fiction. Very interesting for fans of horror fiction, books, from the 60s, 70s and 80s awesome cover art too.

Glorious Trash. About men's adventure novels… in Spain we haven't had that kind of paperback industry.

Talk Stephen King. Information and news about one of my favourite authors.

It's a Horror to Know You: P. William Pinto of Bizarre Noir Theater!

My partner and I own and operate the Bizarre Noir Theatre Company. Specializing in little-known musicals, plays, and absurdity in the New York area.

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

To this day I still get a chill from one particular scene in Superman 3 (1983). It's my earliest memory of running and hiding under the kitchen table with my fingers in my ears (even the sound of the scene scared me.) It's the scene where Annie Ross' character gets sucked into Robert Vaughn's super computer and gets assimilated into a Robot/Annie Ross Thing. I still get the shudders when I watch it.

2. What is the last film that scared you?

I really don't get all that scared any longer. I will get exhilarated or super-excited about a scene or a particularly well-executed special effect but my most recent true scare was more or less a severely disturbing. The scene in Ghost Ship (2002) where the dancing couples get sliced in half was burned into my corneas for all eternity. I will never NEVER watch that film again for that scene only, and I can never not have seen it.

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

Haxan (1922) Swedish silent horror documentary about witchcraft. Cleaned up by Criterion, the re-enactment scenes are beautiful to watch.

Sisters (1973) A Brian De Palma film that NO ONE knows. It's super bloody and has some amazing music by Bernard Herrmann writing his first synth score.

Theatre of Blood (1973) So many people don't know this film. And I absolutely believe it is some of Vincent Price's best work.

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

The Watcher in the Woods (1980) I don't care what anyone says!! I actually thoroughly enjoy it. Whether with the original ending, the second ending, or the ending Disney eventually used… if it's a dark and stormy night it's a great film to have playing.

The Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) Stylish, sexy… kind of like a romance novel cover. A John Carpenter script paired with Faye Dunaway playing a role written for Barbra Streisand. Good times.

Rose Red (2002) Seriously against my better judgment! Plot holes everywhere! Shoddy special effects! But I REALLY dug the puppetry used to animate some of the corpses. I will still put it on if I have a spare 4 hours to kill!

5. Send us to five places on the Internet!

I really don't go to any other horror site but Kindertrauma, so here are five links to some scary scenes from my childhood that I cherish.

Return to Oz (1985) Mombi's Heads wake up.

Bride of Boogedy (1987) Corwin and Ari discover Mr. Boogedy.

Raggedy Ann and Andy (1977) The Greedy.

Vertigo (1958) The Dream Sequence. Enough said.

All That Jazz (1979) The Finale. Absolutely frightening and gorgeous… and then it punches you in the stomach. Brilliant.

It's a Horror to Know You: Brother Bill of The haunted Closet!

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

Jaws (1975). Sorry for not coming up with something more obscure or original, but my parents took me to see Jaws in the theater when I was 5 years old, and for two weeks afterwards I had nightmares, convinced that a shark was going to somehow swim into my bedroom and eat me.

2. What is the last film that scared you?

Insidious (2010). It has its flaws and gets a flag for unnecessary silliness, but I was on the edge of my seat for most of the film, and unlike some critics, I thought the surreal alternate universe, which looks like a drug-induced stage play of Our Town, was thoroughly creepy and original. … although I'd also like to toss the TRAILER (that's right, the trailer) for the upcoming Prometheus. Saw it in Imax 3-D (okay, I just outed myself as having seen Titanic 3-D) and the rapid-fire editing under the sound of that bone-chilling screeching siren had me clinging the armrests. Can't wait to see the whole film.

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

Three Women (1977) Robert Altman's strange, dreamy study of the unusual relationship between Shelly Duvall and her new roommate, Sissy Spacek, who slowly assumes Duvall's identity. Utterly captivating from frame one. Who can forget the creepy moment when Duvall accidentally walks in on Spacek's elderly parents making love in her bed?

The Forbin Project (1970) A technology-run-amok Cold War thriller where the U.S. government has put a supercomputer name Colossus in control of the nation's defense, only to have it contact and ally with Russia's version and hold the entire planet hostage to its whims. Colossus also becomes obssessed with its creator, Dr. Forbin, and makes increasing demands on his personal freedom and privacy. I think I may have projected my own anxiety about adult authority into this when I first saw it as a kid.

The Machinist (2004) A worker in a machine shop suffering from insomnia finds himself questioning his reality after several disturbing coincidences. A study in paranoia and guilt, with atmospheric photography and an amazing Bernard Herman-esque score. From the director of Session 9, and starring that guy from Batman, The Machinist seems to have quietly faded into obscurity.

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

Squirm (1976) A freak lightning storm mutates normally harmless earthworms into ravenous flesh eaters. There's no reason to distinguish this from any other by-the-numbers-nature-gone-wild film, but they nailed the atmosphere by shooting mostly on location in the backwoods of Georgia, and there's plenty of gross-out encounters with hundreds of REAL, LIVING worms.

The Baby (1973). Blatantly exploitive bizarro film about a grown man forced to live as a baby by a psychotic family of women that refused to allow him to mature mentally. One scene using real disabled children crosses the line of what little good taste the film may have pretended to have. But The Baby plays its ridiculous premise totally straight (no tongue-in-cheek winking at the camera here) and the twist ending still gets me.

Hot Rods to Hell (1967) I love films that pit the squares against the troublemakers, and this one has the squarest square of them all, Dana Andrews, as a humorless father who moves his family west to take over a hotel only to find himself terrorized en route by a band of no-good teens in hot rods. There's plenty of preaching and moralizing for all, and a great ending where Andrews finally finds his courage and faces off against the lead punks with a nail-embedded two-by-four. "How would you like these nails in your face?" he taunts. Yes, please!

5. Send us to five places on the Internet!

Pumpkinrot. Incredible photography of Halloween decorations and the like, updated frequently.

Vintage Kids Books My Kids Love. Galleries of classic children's picture books, like stumbling into the ultimate used book store.

Long Forgotten. Until a university starts teaching a class in Haunted Mansion-ology, you'll just have to study from home using this website as your textbook. An anthropological study of all things Haunted Mansion related.

The Sinisters. My OTHER little side project

Music video: "Name In Stone" by Dead Man's Bones. Haunting song with a great one-shot video of the group strolling through a cemetary (and yes, that guy in the band is Drive's own Ryan Gosling).

It's a Horror to Know You: Fishmodes

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

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. Yeah, it's not a horror film, but there were two scenes that terrified me. The first was when Large Marge told Pee-Wee the story of the truck crash, and then ended it by showing him what the face of the driver looked like when they were pulled out of the wreck, all in state of the art claymation effects. If that wasn't bad enough, my fear of clowns wasn't helped when Pee-Wee dreams of the clown doctors trying to save his broken bike. Then a sinister, but somewhat normal looking doctor walks in with a mask covering the lower half of his face. You know by the close up and the music you don't want him to pull that mask off, but he does, revealing a mouth and teeth painted around his own mouth, and he laughs. It was so weird and terrifying for a kid. Those two scenes scared me to death!

2. What is the last film that scared you?

June 9. I'll elaborate on that one below.

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

Terrified (1963). I feel this one hasn't gotten it's due, yet. The premise is a young man looks for a killer in a ghost town. The killer plays a game with him, some of which involves scaring him, and choking him to the point of passing out, then letting him go without actually killing him. The opening scene is particularly horrific. It does have a few B-movie trappings, mostly involving a subplot of two characters going to the police to help the main character and taking their sweet time for a calm little chat, and the ending is a bit weak, but overall it's pretty unique and worth a look.

June 9 (2008). June 9 is a found footage movie, and owes a debt to The Blair Witch Project, but has enough up it's creepy sleeve to stand on its own. A group of teens hear legends of some creepy things going down in a nearby town. This, of course, is the perfect place to party and record their deviance and debauchery on camera. This movie sets itself apart by setting up many different unsettling moments, and they do this brilliantly. Rarely are you scared in the same way twice. There are blink and you'll miss them scares, tense moments as the teens return again and again, and odd occurrences that amp up the tension. The ending is admittedly chilling, but is unfortunately completely out of step with the rest of the movie. However, it doesn't distract from the rest of this truly scary movie. June 9 is Blair Witch with a touch more of Lovecraft and a hint of David Lynch.

The Resurrected (1992). Also known as "Shatterbrain," this movie is a somewhat forgotten Dan O'Bannon film, and the only other one he directed, after Return of the Living Dead. RotLD is fun as hell, but this movie is fantastic. It is a loose riff on The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, by H.P. Lovecraft, and it is possibly the best Lovecraft adaptation to date. The Resurrected stars Chris Sarandon in what I think is his best performance as Ward, a man who locks himself in an old house as he obsesses over his secretive experiments. Lovecraft, O'Bannon, and Sarandon. How can you not be on board with those three names alone?

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

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994). This sucker boasts an over the top performance by Matthew McConaughy and his remote-controlled, mechanical leg. It plays boxed wine to the original's Dom Perignon. Some days you just prefer that old boxed wine to make you dizzy.

Mother of Tears (2007). Yeah, it's not Suspiria or Inferno, but really, what is? It does have it's flaws, as does every Argento film, if we're being honest. It is about the awakening of an angry, vain witch, who is no longer interested in hiding away in some old building. What I liked about this film, is you actually see a villain with world domination aspirations actually doing something about it. People are acting strange, possessed followers are running around, and she actually seems like she may pull it off. There are some great, tense moments, and Argento even gets a few classic kills in here, though I was saddened by the use of CGI blood. It isn't his best by a mile, but in my eyes, it's still the bee's knees.

The House on Haunted Hill (1999). How do I love this movie? Let me count the ways. Dark Castle mostly gives me a headache, but man, this is how you remake a film. Or maybe not. This era of horror was not my favorite, but this movie kept my dark heart beating through those rough, post-Scream years. Geoffrey Rush channels Price and chews scenery with great line after great line. Chris Kattan was funnier here than in probably any other film he's been in. And do we need to dote upon Jeffery Combs? It's not exactly a classic, but I love it.

5. Send us to five places on the Internet!

Kindertrauma sends me to most of the places I go on the internet! However, I do have one.

Darkweb Online: This isn't really an endless resource, but their top 100 horror films is, with the exception of the rather predictable top 5, as well thought out as they come. I love it for introducing me to the great Night Must Fall (1937) alone.

It's a Horror to Know You: Brian Katcher!

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

First film that ever scared me: 'The Halloween that Almost Wasn't.' (1979). This was a comedy, but when you're four years old, a scary Dracula and a zany Dracula look an awful lot alike. My mother discovered me hiding behind a chair, but unable to turn off the movie, even when she suggested I watch something else.

2. What is the last film that scared you?

Last film that scared me: 'The Grudge' (2004). Kind of hokey, but that scene where we see the woman's back and you know when she turns around we'll see that her jaw has been ripped off…yeah, I covered my eyes. Shortly after I became a father and had to stop watching horror movies.

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

Underrated: 'The Abominable Dr. Phibes.' (1971) I first read about this in a back issue of Fangoria when I was about eight, but never got to see it until I was in college. My girlfriend at the time wasn't impressed, but 'Nine killed you, nine will die,' always gives me the shivers.

'Signs,' (2002): I had just started dating my future wife at the time. She lived way out in the country. Out in the corn fields. I'm lucky she didn't dump me after the tenth or eleventh time I said 'Did you hear that?'

'Alien 3' (1992): I think this one got bad reviews just because it was compared to the earlier, much better films. I rate it third in the series, but it was still pretty good.

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

In spite of myself: 'Tales That Witness Madness' (1973): If they'd had a bigger budget, this could have been a classic. The cover art IS a classic, as far as I'm concerned.

'Twilight Zone: the Movie' (1983): Everyone hated it, and maybe it's because I saw this film before I really saw the TV show episodes, but I liked it.

'Faces of Death' (1978): Once you realize the footage is all faked, it's good, gruesome fun.

5. Send us to five places on the Internet!

Forever Young Adult. Reviews of what's new in young adult literature…zzzzz Only it's hilarious! The Sweet Valley High drinking game alone is worth checking out.

Good Girls Gone Geek. Horror, sci fi and fantasy reviews, by a friend of mine.

Danny Isn't Here, Mrs. Torrence. Same as above

Snopes. The urban legends website. I've ruined more people's good stories with this one.

Brian Katcher's website. Yeah, that's me. I got books to pimp.

It's a Horror to Know You: Craftypants Carol of Craftypants Carol's Fancy Crafty World!

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

I did a Name That Trauma (HERE) about the very first thing on TV that scared the crap out of me. It was a Movie of the Week commercial for some movie with a dude with a tall, Jack the Ripper-esque hat who was walking through the cobble-stoned streets of some town and scared me so bad I started to cry hysterically. My trauma wasn't "officially" named, but, as a result of all the great guesses, I watched I, MONSTER, which really has some major similarities with what I remembered – and is really good! After that, the movie that scared me beyond reason, that I know the name of, is ENCOUNTER WITH THE UNKNOWN. I included the creepy lady from that movie in a traumafession-style list (HERE) a while back.

2. What is the last film that scared you?

I'd have to say DEAD SILENCE. That lady is just too creepy for someone with a creepy lady phobia.

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

I'm not exactly sure which movies are underrated, mostly cause everyone seems to have their own opinion and I never really know if there is some debate going on about them in the greater horror community or what the deal is. But occasionally I read things that surprise me. So…

1. Dead Silence – I'm pretty sure this is a movie a lot of people think is lame, maybe cause of the really idiotic CGI at the end, but I think it has some majorly genuine creepiness throughout.

2. A Tale of Two Sisters – Again, I don't know if this movie is underrated or not – but I don't really see too many people talking about it. To me it is genuinely creepy.

3. Death Proof – I have this feeling that there may be some sort of, not necessarily anti, but not very pro, Quentin Tarrentino thing amongst some horror folk – but maybe I'm wrong. I don't know. In any event – I have seen this movie at the very least 10 times – and love it more every time I see it. And I always yell "Deathproof Nacho!" during the nacho scene. It is entirely possible that the nacho scene is the reason I love this movie so much.

Honorable Mention: Bloodrage (1979) – I swear I'm gonna do a traumafession about this one soon. I swear!

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

1. Nurse Sherri

2. The Legacy (1978)

3. Black Candles (1982) It's not even remotely scary or very good – but I dig the softcore action and that the main chick's name is Carol and they say it like 100 times throughout the movie.

There are also many 70s movies on youtube I could put in both these categories simultaneously.

5. Send us to five places on the Internet!

Dwrayger Dungeon.

Magic Carpet Burn.

Made for TV Mayhem.

Funky Frolic.

Retrospace.

It's a Horror to Know You: Jason S.!

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

Tourist Trap (the scene when the girl is smothered in plaster haunted me for years), This House Possessed (fuck PSYCHO, the shower scene in this traumatized me), and The Day After (the film takes place where I grew up so it just made it all the more real).

2. What is the last film that scared you?

Not really scared me but left a huge impression on me:

The Strangers–grim and unrelenting.

Eden Lake–see above.

Cold Fish–based on a true crime story that rocked Japan.

Kidnapped–house invasion flick from Spain.

Snowtown–another true crime film, this one from Australia.

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

The Haunting of Julia— beautiful performance from Mia Farrow. Needs to be seen in widescreen.

Through the Looking Glass— dismissed as just a porn film, this is one of the most horrific things I have ever seen.

Naked Vengeance— basically a remake of I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, everything is taken up a notch from the rape to the revenge. Actress Deborah Tranelli is phenomenal (and even sings on the soundtrack!)

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

Mother of Tears–Not the final "Mothers" film we wanted but damn I love this one

Murder Rock–Fuci's dance/slasher film. Not a lot of love for this one but I enjoy it a lot

Witchery–Linda Blair gets possessed again.

5. Send us to five places on the Internet!

Phantom of Pulp (one of my favorite blogs, he has turned me to so many great films)

Video Junkie (a trash movie lover's paradise)

The Big Bust Out Blog ( for fans of the WIP genre and beyond)

Bullets Over Chinatown (for fans of Hong Kong's CAT III films)

The Gentleman's Blog to Midnight Cinema (great place for reviews, interviews and for fans of exploitation/horror flicks)