Monday, November 30, 2009

Ataque de Pánico! (PANIC ATTACK!) 2009


Don't know how many of you cats have seen this already, but it amazes us what can be accomplished with a few keystrokes these days. Seriously, this is AWESOME. (We hear director Fede Alvarez is signed on to make a feature - consider us in line already.)

Happy Birthday Ridley Scott

Today, one of my favorite filmmakers turns 72 years old.

From The Duellists to Thelma and Louis, from Alien through Blade Runner to Gladiator, I love his films.

Happy Birthday Ridley Scott!

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Mini-Series

According to the Twitter account, PrideandZombies, Seth Grahame-Smith's "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" is getting turned into a six-part TV mini-series. Stay tuned.

NINTH CONFIGURATION brawl scene

A little assist for Anne. Good call on the scene, dear heart!

Saturday, November 28, 2009

The Ninth Configuration Bar Brawl Scene

As a lady who is still somewhat new to horror, I am trying on many different movies, stories, worlds, images, etc. to see what truly scares the hell out of me.  What seems to be the verdict thus far?

Cruelty. The emotions and thoughts inside a human being before they act out a cruel act of violence.

As I am knee deep in preparations for directing William Peter Blatty's LEGION, I am researching, reading and watching everything Blatty related, and came across this scene from The Ninth Configuration. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VDYaS6Lpvk&feature=player_embedded Stacy Keach is wonderfully terrifying in this scene! This scene is just another confirmation to me about why Blatty is such a fascinating story teller. The worlds he chooses to explore are amazing to me.

-Anne Adams

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Invisible Man

This is pretty amazing! Liu Bolin is know as the Invisible Man. He paints himself onto the background so that he is almost completely invisible.






Check out this website to see more crazy pictures. http://v1kram.posterous.com/liu-bolinthe-invisible-man

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Pathological Hyperphagia

be careful out there. it's a dangerous time.

it's easy to fall into sinful, gluttonous habits, and you never know when John Doe is behind you.

gypsy curses are not covered by your new health insurance plan, so don't count on a magical purge after you over-indulge

and when you start to feel that bloated, crampy feeling, let's hope it's not this

but don't reach for the Alka Seltzer either: "... Almost immediately, she doubled up with severe stomach pain, the gas from the fizz having apparently stretched the stomach to its breaking point. Within 14 hours, the woman died. The case study, reported in the December 1941 Annals of Surgery, is accompanied by a detailed half-page illustration of her stomach, replete with a gaping five-inch-long rupture, that is enough to put anyone off his supper. Well, almost anyone." salon.com

Hammer Glamour



A must have book for fans of Hammer Films.

HorrorHound Weekend Cincinnati (Nov. 20-22) report


Hey kids,

I gotta say, this year has been one of the most bizarre in terms of being absent for numerous key events in the Midwest horror calendar. Most, if not all, of the conflicts have come as a result of employment opportunities and let it never be said that I’m not grateful for the chance to work and receive financial remuneration. However, I am equally grateful that I was able to attend at least one full-fledged horror convention in the waning weeks of 2009, and that this past weekend in Cincinnati was as entertaining as I could have hoped.

Armed with decades of horror knowledge and a functioning minivan, Jon Kitley of Kitley’s Krypt has been spreading the horror gospel for years now – I feel truly blessed that there is always room in the passenger seat for this humble Fool. Having missed the excursions to both Cinema Wastelands, March’s HorrorHound in Indianapolis and October’s Flashback in our own backyard, I was revved up and rarin’ to go. (My beloved femalien was kind enough to send me off with her blessing, in spite of the fact that I had not even been back from my sojourn in West Virginia a full week yet.) Turntabling.net’s head honcho and intrepid musician/writer Joe Wallace filled out our trio and we hit the dusty five-hour trail toward the home of 5-Way Chili and Bengals fans.

We arrived, loaded in and set up, bidding hearty greetings to Aaron Crowell and Nathan Hanneman, HorrorHound’s two top dogs, as well as Matt Moore, who writes their exemplary Video Invasion column, and Horror Chick Extraordinaire Jessica Dwyer. As a rule, before the doors open to the public, the dealers wander around to catch up with long-absent friends (and to scope out the best finds before the rest of the masses shamble in). Longtime convention staple and makeup f/x legend Tom Savini stopped by to say hello (and to discuss the finer points of corn dogs), as did Family Ties dad and Tremors regular Michael Gross. Tom is currently working on his autobiography (along with a zillion other projects) and Michael reveled in his non-so-secret passion for the classic giant ant film, Them! A few aisles over, Dan Kiggins and Emil Hyde continued to spread the Landlord love while Jill Van Voorst at Lix showed off several sassy new t-shirt designs.

The guest list was composed of a fair mix of show veterans, such as Texas Chainsaw’s Gunnar Hansen and ’80s scream queen Linnea Quigley, with newcomers to the circuit. Quinn Lord, who plays the diminutive but lethal “Sam” in Trick ’r Treat, was affixing his 9-year-old scrawl to photos and posters with the flair of a pro while Near Dark’s Jenny Wright, making her first convention appearance, seemed a bit stunned by the wealth of people sporting bloody t-shirts who wanted to give her a long-overdue hug. Grindhouse’s Electra and Elise Avellan (aka the Crazy Babysitter Twins) continue to ride their 15 minutes of fame at $20 an autograph, though Rob Zombie’s Halloween starlet Scout Taylor-Compton seems to be showing signs of wear since we first saw her back at HorrorFind 2007. (Hint: Stop doing lousy remakes and sequels to lousy remakes, dear heart.)

The belle of the ball, however, was the one and only Mistress of the Dark, Elvira, who appeared (on different days) both as her curvaceous onscreen black-clad persona and the woman beneath the beehive, Cassandra Peterson. Also making a bit hit were Tom Atkins, Jason Lively, Jill Whitlow and Steve Marshall, all of whom seemed genuinely pleased as punch to be spreading the love for the new DVD release of Fred Dekker’s woefully neglected Night of the Creeps. Across the hall, the Troma and Toetag teams kept company with Courtney Gains and John Franklin (has it really been 25 years since Children of the Corn came out?), as well as Hollywood veterans Corbin Bernsen and Don Calfa. (Don also stopped by our table on Friday to spin tales of intrigue on the set of Warren Beatty’s Bugsy and laud Dr. Phibes director Robert Fuest.)

Our Horror Society/Chicago buddies Mitch, Brian, Jessica, Kirsten and Coye (as well as Southern-fried author and all-around horror guru Robert Freese) kept the weekend lively, both during the show and afterwards, sharing “Big Hugs” and “Turkey High Fives” (don’t ask) with unending enthusiasm. As anyone who has attended a show firsthand knows, it’s the time after the dealer room doors close, and since HorrorHound’s Editor-in-Chief Nathan had also chosen this weekend to wed his beloved Jessica, the party was on, on, on. Hula hooping, urinal partition disasters and one broken elevator bank ensued, along with the to-be-expected parade of Technicolor yawns.

Luckily, I avoided most of the mayhem, instead opting to spend quality time with two industry folk who are most likely not household names to the civilian quarter, nor I suspect to any but the most hardcore of fans. Writer/director J.D. Feigelson has been making the rounds this past year in anticipation of the long, long-awaited DVD release of the classic TV-movie Dark Night of the Scarecrow, and we were honored that he elected to join us for dinner on Saturday. It actually ended up being quite the hilarious adventure since, all day long, we had been hearing tales of the “finest BBQ in the world” served at a place that J.D. swore by, saying that he went there any time he was in Cincinnati. Well, we all pile into the Kitleymobile and head off, following JD’s directions, nearly drooling all over ourselves with hunger after a long day in the trenches… only to end by pulling into a darkened parking lot with the words “For Lease” emblazoned across the front of the vacant restaurant. We laughed heartily, dubbing this “The Night of the Dark BBQ,” then tore out in search of alternative edibles, finding them in the form of Jim Dandy’s BBQ (which unfortunately was playing host to Bad Bob’s Blue Band that night, thus quelling any opportunity for conversation). Happily, JD was kind enough to return to the hotel with us to hang out in the bar, holding court with stories of Hollywood legends that he had worked with. Without a doubt, those few hours will remain in my memory as some of my fondest convention memories. Thanks for making that happen, Dan.

After JD had finally excused himself to hit some well-deserved hay, I headed over to the hotel business office to check email (they had blocked Facebook and MySpace, which seems a little obnoxious in this day and age, but whatever). Well, I’m sitting there minding my own business when I hear a voice say, “You didn’t happen to see a boarding pass on that computer when you came in, did you?” I turned around and found myself face-to-smiling-face with Eileen Dietz, probably best known for her valiant (and uncredited) work standing in for Linda Blair in The Exorcist, performing several of the more, ahem, “mature” scenes (hello, crucifix scene), as well as the subliminal shots of the demon Pazuzu. Dietz also chillingly appeared as Linda Kasabian, member of the Manson Family, in the acclaimed TV-movie Helter Skelter. Apparently, the printer in the office had not been working, so she had gone to the front desk to retrieve her boarding pass, forgetting whether she had logged off the computer. Then, to my surprise, this woman who had been holding court all day long at her table, listening to people endlessly tell her “how The Exorcist had scared them to death, blah, blah, blah,” sat down at the other computer and we proceeded to chat about this and that for the next hour. What a treat! Eileen has several projects in the works, and I’ll tell you, I am now looking forward to them with great anticipation. So-called celebrities everywhere, let it never be forgotten that the personal touch, a brief (or in this case, not-so-brief) but genuine conversation is infinitely more profound and lasting than any number of paid-for autographed DVD covers. As a result of this weekend’s interactions, I will never forget JD and Eileen’s generosity of spirit and will be an unwavering supporter of their endeavors henceforth. My most heartfelt thanks to both of you.

While on the subject of personal touches, hats off to the good people at the Cincinnati IHOP and Bob Evans’ restaurants. I know, sounds weird, but every meal we had at these establishments was accompanied by the most attentive and accommodating service any of us had encountered in a long, long while. Seriously, waitstaff employees everywhere could take more than a few pages out of these kids’ books, and the food (at IHOP, I know!!!) was terrific. Whatever they’re doing, they need to bottle it and send it up Windy City way.

And with that, the 2009 horror convention circuit comes to an end, though there are still a couple more fright-tastic events on the Chicago horizon before The Year We Make Contact comes around the corner. Movieside will be hosting Terror in the Aisles 3 on Dec. 5, with screenings of The Blair Witch Project and Night of the Creeps, while Horror Society presents Holiday of Horrors a week later (Dec 12), featuring Christmas Evil (w/ director Lewis Jackson in person!), Silent Night, Deadly Night and more! So much to be thankful for! On that note…

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Wield those carving knives with accuracy and care, and we’ll see you soon!

Fool out.

FOOL'S VIEWS puts the bite on Robert Quarry


Denied his place in history as a true genre icon, Robert Quarry starred in numerous '70s exploitation features, including Dr. Phibes Rises Again, Sugar Hill, Madhouse and Rollercoaster. Here we profile probably his best-known pic, as well as a personal passion project of Quarry's which never got its due recognition.

Count Yorga, Vampire (1970)
Considering its low budget feel and camp qualities, writer/director Bob Kelljan’s little shocker has no right to work as well as it does. One of the first films to place a vampire in a modern setting, Quarry cuts an impressive cape-whirling figure as the titular count moonlighting as a hypnotist to seduce swinging chicks into his bloodsucking harem. While the film has not aged particularly well, the '70s attire and attitudes lend a kitschy charm, actually enhancing the viewing experience. The performances will win no acting awards, but manage to carry off the story ably enough, and despite minimal nudity, the film packs in enough sensuality (the females really like being bitten) to get the blood racing. Quarry operates out of a gothic castle outside Los Angeles, deftly mixing scenes of apartment track lighting and close encounters in the backs of vans with candlelit drawing room confrontations.


Kelljan gets the most out of his few dollars, throwing a fair amount of blood and violence around with authority, yet sustains a well-grounded story and interesting characters. The script is intentionally funny at times, which cannot be said of many genre films from the period. The scene in which one of Quarry’s quarry eyeballs her cat as a source of nourishment is worth the price of admission alone, and the finale is satisfyingly exciting and bloody. Originally conceived as a full-out adult offering, the film was trimmed for general audiences and became a surprise hit, both stateside and abroad. Followed by a sequel, The Return of Count Yorga.


Deathmaster (1972)
Best described as “What if Charles Manson had been a vampire?”, Robert Quarry stars as Khorda, a mysterious figure who shows up at the local hippie commune and turns them on to a different groove. R.L. Grove's wannabe hip n’ groovy dialogue was probably already pretty ripe at the initial release, and time hasn’t been kind. But Quarry (who also served as executive producer) has screen presence to burn and his longhair fanged fiend is a welcome twist on the caped gentility that had been skulking about onscreen for years.


On the flipside, John Fielder – yes, the voice of Piglet on Winnie the Pooh – is the least likely Van Helsing character you’re likely to find. (That's also Bobby "Boris" Pickett - he of "Monster Mash" novelty song fame - as one of the goofy hippies.) Throw in a little kung fu, some scantily clad babes, and Khorda’s big creepy drum-lovin’ familiar, and you’re in for some deliciously cheesy '70s programming. A reasonably rewarding curiosity piece, unfortunately released to little fanfare then buried by Sam Arkoff and AIP (but available on DVD thanks to Fred Olen Ray and Retromedia).

MAIL ORDER ZOMBIE: undead and on the air...


WildClaw's own Dr. AC ran into the good folks of Mail Order Zombie while down in Cincinnati this past weekend at the HorrorHound Weekend convention (more on that to follow). Yes, apparently those flesh-filleting rotters are not content with their presence in film, TV, literature and bowling alleys - now they've taken to the airwaves.


Mail Order Zombie is a weekly podcast show devoted to straight-to-DVD zombie movies as well as zombie movie music, post-apocalyptic literature (with or without zombies) and theatrical zombie movie releases and will soon be celebrating their 100th podcast episode. Episode 94 focuses on Jake West's (Evil Aliens, Razor Blade Smile) latest, Doghouse, while Episode 95 unearths the moldy 1987 VHS class-sick The Video Dead, doling out the Headshot ratings with deadly accuracy.


MoZ also features interviews with zombie movie personalities, Zombie Aptitude tests and more. Every week, Brother D, Miss Bren, Need-a-Nickname Scott and the gang bring the reviews and undead news you can use while MOZ Presents: The Munchies covers non-zombie genre topics and movies.

Visit these sloppy souls today at http://mailorderzombie.com/, or contact them directly at mailorderzombie@gmail.com (email) (206) 202-2505 (voicemail). Tell 'em the 'Claws sent ya!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Portable Grindhouse: The Lost Art of the VHS Box



Coming soon from Fantagraphics:

Hearken back to those thrilling days of yesteryear when the advent of rental videos astonished the movie-going consumer who could only feed his addiction by going to the theater or watching chopped up movies in between commercials on TV. Like vinyl, here is the revenge of another analog cast-off: the VHS is once again insinuating itself into American culture, and this book celebrates the anarchic design art of those early VHS boxes.

Portable Grindhouse: The Lost Art of the VHS Box is a feast for exploitation cognoscenti, reprinting some of the most louche, decadent, minimo-pervo artwork to ever grace a VHS box, featuring such movies as From Beyond, Penitentiary II, Beast of the Yellow Night, Cop Killers, Bay of Blood, Escape from Death Row, and Cocaine Wars. Readers will be agog at the plethora of supertrash movie titles, and then move on to rediscover the anarchic box designs. Throughout, editor and cultural historian Jacques Boyreau succinctly narrates the household-piercing story of VHS: “On par with the jukebox, disco, and neon, VHS reformatted the world’s product-intake and boosted a libertarian aesthetic that conquered TV in the same way TV conquered comic books in the 1950s, and allowed us to hold movies in our hands. Posters in the lobby could advertise, even fetishize a movie; credit sequences could identify the participants, but somehow, VHS box-art ‘became’ the iconic equivalent of the movie.”




Portable Grindhouse is published in a VHS “format,” slyly packaged inside a facsimile VHS box, and contains almost a hundred reproductions of VHS art with commentary.

200-page full-color 5.5" x 9.25" softcover with slipcase
ISBN: 978-1-56097-969-2

In stock: November 2009 (subject to change)
In stores: December 2009 (subject to change)


For a cool little sneak peek video, click HERE

Happy Birthday Boris!

Today is Boris Karloff's Birthday.



He turns 122.

Sunday, November 22, 2009


I just saw the German silent film "Waxworks". It is one of the first anthology films, with a framing device of the type later used by Amicus. Not exactly horror, but with startling expressionist imagery and set designs, clearly influenced by "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari". Here is a link to a page about the film's director Paul Leni, who would go on to make "The Man Who Laughs" and "The Cat and the Canary" before dying of blood poisoning aged 44. Click here for an article about his work, entitled "Paul Leni - The Forgotten Master".

Friday, November 20, 2009

Vote for Horror Theatre!



Please take a moment to click on the button above and vote for WildClaw in Chase's Community Giving. We could receive $25,000. That would pay for a lot of tentacles.

Thanks for your support!

Near Dark Soundtrack - Tangerine Dream



When the classic vampire movie, Near Dark, came out I was a composer and synth player. The Tangerine Dream soundtrack was so cool and so perfect for this movie and very influential on my compositions. Loved the movie, the cast, the soundtrack.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

My Rotten Life: Xmas Gift for the Kids

Unrealized Films, Kickass Poster Art

Our fellow fiend and blood brother Will Wilson sent us a couple sweet posters (back when you could get a movie greenlighted on the strength and "hook" of a poster's artwork) of films that took out ads in Variety, but that was as far as they got.

THE COMING was a Robert Fuest project written by Michael Winder that was to have also featured, in addition to Cushing and Bach, Burgess Meredith and Anthony Franciosa. Vincent Price mentioned this in a Fangoria interview, indicating his PHIBES director had sent him the script (Price described it as a "mishmash") and that he'd passed on the project.



From May, 1985 (this ad also ran in Fangoria around the same time). You gotta love that tagline, "He emerged from the depths of Lake Erie...and ate everything in sight."


Never any arguing the appeal of a giant snake (or alligator or gila monster...) And one based on a novel by the fella who wrote THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123, no less.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Kitley's Krypt MYSTERY PHOTO #23

Another week, another MYSTERY PHOTO!

Jon Kitley, pillar of the Chicago Horror Community and head honcho over at KITLEY'S KRYPT, wants to challenge your horror knowledge. Week in, week out, he posts a Mystery Photo - sometimes from an obscure horror title, sometimes just an unusual shot from a well-known classic. We figured our faithful Claw readers would enjoy the challenge!

Last week's photo was from the 1977 hell-on-wheels movie THE CAR. The shot below is just before the Hell-spawned vehicle drives through the house to put the brakes on the phone call in progress. Frickin' Buh-Rilliant.


Let's see how well you fare with this week's offering:


Send your guesses to: jon@kitleyskrypt.com

If you provide the correct answer, your name will be announced next week on the Kitley's Krypt website (http://www.kitleyskrypt.com), along with a new photo. Even if you don't know the answer, we welcome any sorta-kinda educated guess! So, send in your emails today and good luck!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Roger Corman gets his Oscar...at last


Oscar-winners Ron Howard, Jonathan Demme and Quentin Tarantino speak about Honorary Oscar Recipient Roger Corman’s Influence at the 2009 Governors Awards ceremony, held at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center on November 14, 2009.

Ron Howard:
http://www.oscars.org/video/watch/ga_2009_02_howard.html

Quentin Tarantino 1 of 2
http://www.oscars.org/video/watch/ga_2009_03_tarantino.html

QT 2 of 2
http://www.oscars.org/video/watch/ga_2009_04_tarantino.html


Jonathan Demme (followed by Corman's acceptance speech):
http://www.oscars.org/video/watch/ga_2009_05_demme_corman.html

Fool's Views: SUTHERLAND IN THE '70s

Dr. AC takes us back to a time when the clothes were a little looser, the hair a little curlier, the paranoia more rampant... It's time for:

DONALD SUTHERLAND IN THE '70s DOUBLE FEATURE

Don’t Look Now (1973)

Superb direction by Nicolas Roeg and terrific performances help this strange little adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s story succeed on several levels, deepening with subsequent viewings.


Sutherland and Julie Christie play a married couple reeling from the recent death of their daughter, dramatically played out in the first few minutes. When Sutherland’s work as a restoration expert takes them to Venice to work on a cathedral, they encounter a pair of bizarre middle-aged English sisters, one of whom tells Christie that she has “seen” their daughter. This leads to an unsettling séance where Sutherland is warned to leave Italy, with stranger events unfolding from there.

Roeg keeps his audience off-balance through extensive use of cross-cutting between scenes and flashbacks, and the terrific use of Venice’s blind alleys and waterways only accentuates the disorientation. Not a fast-paced thriller, with a dream-like atmosphere of dread and unpredictability pervading throughout. The “are they really doing it?” sex scene between the leads was trimmed for American distribution, but remains sexy and emotionally visceral. The final scenes will certainly surprise first time viewers; whether they satisfy or not is a matter of taste.


Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)


Director Philip Kaufman’s worthy updating of the 1956 sci-fi masterpiece is quirkier and more graphic, with oogey scenes of PG-rated violence and stellar acting all around. This revamped version of Jack Finney’s novel, by W. D. Richter, relocates the setting from that of a small town to that of the equally isolatory existence within a bustling metropolis (San Francisco, in this case), where individuals’ relationships with one another are often so tenuous and surface that we might not initially notice if our neighbors had been “replaced.”


Sutherland stars as a SF health inspector who, along with Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum and Veronica Cartwright, begins to suspect that their fellow citizens are being taken over by pod people from space. Kaufman cultivates a marvelous sense of dread and suspense, with numerous striking scenes and elements (the iconic “shriek”, the man/dog combo) – as well as one of the more truly haunting and unsettling endings to be found anywhere. As if to give their stamps of approval, Kevin McCarthy and Don Siegel (star and director of the original film, respectively) appear in memorable cameos.

True Blood Busts

DC Direct has just announced their True Blood busts, coming out next July.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Linnea Quigley Works Out With Zombies

The Adventures of 'Lil Cthulhu

Happy 25th Birthday, Freddy Krueger!

Freddy Krueger turns 25 years old today! Happy Birthday Freddy!



On this day, in 1984, A Nightmare On Elm Street was unleashed upon an unsuspecting world.

I, for one, will never forget going to see this film, at the Tamalpais Theater in San Anselmo. Me and my high school buddy's, heading to see what we were sure would be some cheese-ball monster movie. Little did we know that we were about to witness the emergence of one of the great villains in horror history (not to mention the introduction of Johnny Depp). Little did we expect that our cynical, world weary, know-it-all 16 year old selves were about to get scared s#*tless. Two images from that movie will stay with me for the rest of my life, two things I had never seen before. The first was the tongue coming out of the phone. I don't often jump, but I jumped out of my seat on that one.


And then, the finger-knives being dragged across his chest revealing the green puss-like ooze.

It has been 25 years since that night at the theater and I still so vividly remember that experience. I remember walking out of the theater in shock, and the next school day spreading the word far and wide that this movie was like nothing that had come before it. Perhaps that was excessive (it was 11 months before I saw Re-Animator in the very same theater), but, I was 16. It did, without a doubt, tap into something, it that changed the face of the horror genre for years to come. There is something primal, still, 25 years later, about being attacked through your dreams?

In April of 2010, the remake of A Nightmare On Elm Street will be released. From the folks who brought you the remake of Cape Fear, Doom, Hitched, Pearl Harbor, The Transformers, and directed by a first time film director with a list of music videos longer than my arm...I do not expect this movie to change my attitude that 99% of remakes suck donkey balls. I expect this one, as well, despite Jackie Earl Haley, to suck donkey balls.

But, for some reason, it does not bother me. Perhaps, because the original has left such an impression on me, and was such an imaginative and new twist to the slasher film, there is no way they can ruin that.

Anyone out there looking forward to the remake? Or have a specific memory of the first time you saw the original? Love it? Hate it? Let us know, on this the 25th anniversary of it's release.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Thrillpeddlers presents "Shocktoberfest!! 2009: The Torture Garden"


Thrillpeddlers, the grand guignol theatre company based in San Francisco, are producing their tenth "Shocktoberfest". From their website:

"Thrillpeddlers are proud to announce our signature Halloween show “Shocktoberfest!! 2009: The Torture Garden,” our tenth annual pageant of titillating Grand Guignol terror plays and stimulating sex farces, running Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00pm from October 1 through November 20. The program will be presented in repertory with Thrillpeddlers’ current production “Pearls Over Shanghai,” the Cockettes musical, which will continue to run on Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 7:00pm through November 22.
“Shocktoberfest!! 2009” will consist of two plays, “The Torture Garden” (1922) by Pierre Chaine and Andre de Lorde, and “The Phantom Limb,” an original play in the Grand Guignol tradition commissioned by the Thrillpeddlers from New York playwright Rob Keefe, from whose fetid mind have sprung many previous Shocktoberfest!! offerings"

Friday, November 13, 2009

THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL opens tonight at Music Box!


Opening tonight at the Music Box Theatre

THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL (2009) , directed by Ti West

Here's what Dr. AC has to say:

Having not yet seen indie horror contender Ti West’s other flicks (The Roost, Triggerman), I cannot vouch for the buzz on the street that his latest effort represents a quantum leap in quality and skill. I can, however, attest that both of these qualities are present in spades throughout the entirety of this ’80s-infused tale of babysitters and Satanists.

Fresh-faced Jocelin Donahue stars as a cash-strapped college student who accepts a gig watching creepy couple Tom Noonan and Mary Woronov’s elderly mother while they are out for the evening, against the protests of bubbly gal pal Greta Gerwig. While the subject matter and isolated setting don’t set any records for originality, West’s slow-burn build of tension and dread-filled atmosphere is quite impressive, as is his ear for dialogue.

Veterans Noonan and Woronov sink their teeth into their juiciest genre roles in years, while newcomers Donahue and Gerwig make for a delightful pair of innocents. One of the better fright films of 2009.


See the $70 Cannes zombie film COLIN this weekend!

Tomorrow, Saturday, November 14th, our friends at HorrorSociety.com will be hosting the Zombie Outbreak Film Fest at the Portage Theater in Chicago. This means over 8 hours of nothing but zombie movies! The festival features shorts and full length independent films, including:

The $70 zombie film (Yes, you read that right, 70 FLIPPIN' DOLLARS FOR THE WHOLE MOVIE) Colin that made a huge impression at Cannes this year:



to Pathogen, a zombie film made by 12-year-old Emily Hagins, then watch Hagins during the making of said film in the documentary Zombie Girl The Movie :



Oh yeah, when the clock strikes midnight there will be a 35mm screening of The Return of the Living Dead!!! Do You Wanna Partaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay?????



In addition to all the great cinema there will be a zombie makeup contest, merchandise vendors, special guests, Q&A, giveaways, and more! All this fun for only $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Join the Zombie Outbreak!

More info can be found at http://www.horrorsociety.com/festivals/

With This Bloody Axe, I Thee Wed...



So due to recent exciting events (which took place on Halloween...how appropriate), I have had weddings on the brain. BRAAAAINS!!! Many folks have asked me if we will be serving said sweetmeats at our rehearsal dinner...and while I love my horror, I am not that hardcore. But there are folks out there, God love 'em, that embrace the darkness all the way to the altar.


The obvious choice is to get married around Halloween and go whole hog with demon wings, fangs, and a hearse for your limo. The wedding dress could be a red medieval vampire gothic number and a matching red lined cape and top hat for your groom. For the more traditional types, take your cue from horror's funnest couple evah...Spike and Drusilla. Dru's cream empire waist dress would be a swell wedding inspiration and Spike is well...yummy. But if motorcycle boots and a long leather coat on your groom will leave your grandmother in tears, consider paying homage to William the Bloody's trademark look by wearing a red tux shirt unbuttoned, with a white t-shirt showing, stylishly punk skinny tux pants, and a killer black leather blazer. Don't forget the blondey bear bleached hair along with Drusilla's rockabilly glam coiffure and silent movie chic makeup! Heck, dress your whole wedding party to theme...your maid of honor could sport a signature Buffy Prophecy Girl dress or her prom look and the best man could go as tall dark and brooding himself...Angel. Get your officiant to put on the Master's costume or the Mayor of Sunnydale and you've got yourself a hootenanny!

"A hootenanny, well, it's chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny."
-Oz, Dead Man's Party:Buffy Season 3





If even that is pushing the limits of your family's weird threshold, keep the horror on the sidelines. Maybe the spooky comes through in subtle decorating choices, like bare tree branch centerpieces with a blood red roses and a beaded spider. The wedding cake could be pristine in white fondant and beaded edges but perhaps there is an ever so delicate skull motif that reveals itself upon closer inspection. The Groom's cake is also a chance to have some dark fun as this is often where the couple can really get creative without familial backlash. So bake yourself a red velvet zombie head cake complete with oozy strawberry filling. Or make a traditional tiered cake a bit more sinister with a cake topper using action figures from Tim Burton movies, Night of the Living, and other horror flicks. Having a scary commitment ceremony? Just how cute would Freddy and Jason look locked in a torrid embrace?

Check out one of my favorite places, Etsy, for tons of horror wedding theme goods...anything from zombie cake toppers by Bellasmiles, skull cufflinks, and gothic wedding gowns.



-Head to the Gothic Martha Stewart website for some spooky wedding DIY ideas.

-Spooky Wedding Venue Ideas...

Thursday, November 12, 2009

TERROR IN THE AISLES 3 - Dec. 5th!!!


TERROR IN THE AISLES 3

$12 (yes, only $12 FREAKING DOLLARS!!!!) for a Night of Totally Terrifying films, music, vendor tables, vintage movie trailers, prizes, surprises and more!!!

Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009

Portage Theater
4050 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL 60641
1.773.736.4050

Doors open at 7pm.

THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (10th Anniversary!)
with director Eduardo Sanchez in person!

NIGHT OF THE CREEPS (Director's cut!)
with director FRED DEKKER in Person!

[REC] 2 (Midwest premiere!)
Sequel to the Spanish horror hit! One of the first US screenings!

Special Guest WENDY ROBIE
(star of People Under The Stairs & Twin Peaks)
reads Edgar Allan Poe for Poe's Bicentennial Birthday Celebration!

Short films include:
TREEVENGE (A Chilling Tale of Christmas Gone Wrong!)

Pre-sale tickets @ brownpapertickets.com
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/88624

For more info go to myspace.com/moviesidefilmfestival
or www.portagetheater.org

Dawn Of The Dreadfuls



Quirk Publishing announces the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies prequel - Dawn of the Dreadfuls. It will cover Elizabeth Bennet's evolution from innocent teenager to a deadly slayer of zombies. Plans are for a follow-up to P&P&Z to create a full trilogy.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Horror Society's ZOMBIE OUTBREAK - this Saturday!


Oh yes, it’s time once again for the most brutal, blood drenched, underground independent horror you can find on the big screen. It's time for HORROR SOCIETY'S ZOMBIE OUTBREAK!!!!

ZOMBIE OUTBREAK FILM FESTIVAL
November 14th, 2009
4pm to 2am
PORTAGE THEATER
4050 N. MILWAUKEE BLVD.
http://www.horrorsociety.com/festivals/

This time around it’s all about the Zombies!! It’s a 8-hour marathon of nothing but Zombie Films. Everyone loves a good zombie flick and we got some great films this time around! Horror Society is bringing you film festivals every 3 months in the City of Chicago, and on November 14th we will be bringing you a flesh eating filled 8 hours of Independent Underground Horror.

This festival will feature 8 hours of brain eating film fun, a zombie makeup contest, vendors, special guests, Q&A’s, giveaways, and more!

Plus a 35 mm screening of the 1985 cult classic THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD!!!!



Guests Include: Ron Fitzgerald (co-star of Tales from the Script), Claire Fluff Ryan (Director of Tales from the Script), Kitty Zombie, Scott Kenmore (Author Zen of Zombie), The Undead Comic, Justin Johnson (Director of Zombie Girl the Movie), Mac Eldridge (Director of Chemical 12-D), Walter J. Walsh (Director of The Basement), Special Appearance by Sam the Zombie Hunter, and more...

For more info or to buy reduced tickets, click HERE

Do it now...before it's too late!

Teeth

So Dani sez the other night that she has a toothache. so of course, I felt a twinge in my jaws, gums and choppers.

Scary.



Scary that deep down, Mr. Morlock is actually the sweet empathic type.

But also scary in that when teeth go wrong, they go horribly wrong.



Just ask the winner of the 2009 Bloody Hatchet, Chris Hainsworth, about scary teeth. Go on, ask him.



And dentists are scary.