Fifteen and fourteen years, why am I starting my first blog post this way you may be asking. Well lucky for you, I’m about to tell you. Hop on the way back machine with me all the way back to the year of 2009 and 2010 when the very under appreciated, (only a 5.5 star rating on imdb) Friday the 13th remake and the very underwhelming Nightmare on Elm street remake graced us with their presences on silver screens across the world. Since then, we’ve had a handful of fan made titles that certainly scratched the itch but they were not big time studio releases of these beloved franchises. The reasoning behind me bringing this up is the franchise that Hollywood seems to not be able to get enough of. That franchise I am referring to is Halloween. We can not seem to figure out the Jason and Freddy situation and God Dog it here comes more Michael Myers to wet your collective whistles. Last October Mirimax landed the TV rights to the Halloween franchise, becoming teammates with Malek Akkad’s Trancas International Films to bring Haddonfield during the fall to the small screen. Early reports suggest that this new tv series will have zero continuation strings to the David Gordon Green’s Halloween trilogy, I guess evil did die tonight. Mirimax head honcho Mark Helwig in a recent interview has stated, “It’s a creative reset completely and going back to the original film.” Now my gut reaction to this news was of course, excitement because any new mount rushmore slasher content is good content, but at the same time I may have a bit of Michael Myers fatigue. So with that being said I hope that with it being a tv series it will allow some of the older characters that we haven’t seen in awhile, I’m looking at your Daniel Harris, to breathe more than they would in another feature film. If the producers don’t rely solely on Michael, Loomis, and Laurie, this TV series may have some enticing juice. Please call D. Harris!
I refused to see the first one and most likely wont see this sequel but Winnie the pooh: Blood and Honey 2 will have a three day run at theaters starting 3/26 to 3/28. So if that’s your thing then go do that thang! I wish it the best. I guess.
This week’s reviews are in and let’s just get this out of the way as quickly as humanly possible shall we. I saw Blumhouse’s new pepperoni pizza Imaginary. Now I have no interest in bashing films because I have never made a movie and I can be sure that it is incredibly hard to be produced. That being said, Imaginary quite simply is just not a good film. My review strategy for very sub par films is going to be either me saying just don’t waste your hard earned money on it or to not mention the film in question at all. Lucky for me I was accompanied by a beautiful date who grinded it out with me and for that reason alone, Imaginary will always have a special meaning and made it a great experiene. The actual film though in my humbled opinion is a please just skip it and use that money to fill up your gas tank instead. Blumhouse, if i can speak for all of the horror community, do better.
The other film I watched this week that I will touch on here is the new found footage film Frogman. Now if you know me, you know I love a good Found Footage Horror so I was excited going into this one considering the trailer looks almost like a beat for beat Blair Witch rip-off. With BWP being one of my favorite movies of all time, that gives you an idea of the bar I had set for it going in.
Okay so just got done watching Frogman. Basically a trio heads out to film a documentary on a local legend of Frogman and as their investigation gets deeper and deeper their problems begin to stack. Understandably so the formula to any found footage horror movie is that the first act has to establish one, meeting the characters and two why are these said characters setting out to film the documentary that you are about to watch. Well when this first act takes up almost 45 minutes of the film, that’s a problem. Grant it the cast is very likeable (outside of that fake southern accent) and very funny, almost to a fault. Where most FF Horror shines in the terror factor this one does not. Even when the crew eventually gets out into the woods to start hunting down Frogman, there is no tension or sense of danger. By the final act our trio stumbles upon a sequence that involves a ritual that indeed has a few shock moments but all in all it didn’t really meet my expectations. I’ll say if you are a found footage superfan and completionist like I am ,then check it out. If FF is not really your bag, I would suggest you leave Frogman unfound for the rest of time. I watched this on VOD (VUDU)
The Last Rites section will consist of a random bag of all things, whether that be Horror related items I have recently bought, Local events I have been to or announced, trailer first reactions, and whatever the hell else I’m excited for this week. The first edition of Last Rites is going to start out with a bang, a bang that includes a new Horror centric movie night here in the Valley ran by the amazing people from Chandler AZ’s own, Terror Trader. Starting March 21st Terror Trader presents SPOOK-O-RAMA! Teaming up with nearby Pollack Cinema’s for a weekly Horror movie extravaganza!! First movie up is the almighty Fede Alvarez’s masterpiece in bloodshed, EVIL DEAD! So if you live in or around the Phoenix, AZ area go to Terror Trader’s website or IG for all future info.
New trailer this week that I’ll mention is the new one starring Nic Cage entitled Arcadian due out April 12th. A Father and his twin teenage sons fight to survive in a remote farmhouse during the end of the world. Terrors are risen to even higher stakes once the sun sets. I’m totally down for this one! At first it gave me The Village vibes thinking that Nic Cage’s character is imagining the horrors that are occurring at night, which still could be the case but by the second half of the trailer you can clearly see the creatures attacking the characters. This looked solid and anything with Cage is entertaining at least.
Out this week on Physical media; The Big Cameron three in 4K Aliens, True Lies, The Abyss. I will most likely eventually get all of these, but Aliens for sure….. “mostly.” Poor Things starring Emma stone. And lastly a product that I cant recommend enough, Scream Factory’s blu-ray of Stephen King’s The Shining. Yes the TV miniseries directed by Mick Garris. It’s very long but I enjoyed it so much more as an adult.
This being my first Blog I know it’s atrocious and that’s okay. We can only get better, funnier, and bloodier from here. Thanks for reading. PS. Next week come back for my Late Night with the Devil Review! It’s going to be a big week everyone!
In one of the best years in horror cinema in recent memory, us fans were gifted with tons of heart pounding moments, unforgettable performances and of course, gallons of blood. I’ve assembled my annual list of carnage and chaos to give to you my top 13 horror films of 2022.
Writer and director Joe Begos has made horror bangers such as VFW and Bliss but his work has never made my best of list until now. Begos this time around tackles the Christmas Horror sub-genre with a killer robo Santa Claus that is out for blood with axe in hand. That’s right, think Terminator on Christmas on acid and what you get is an intense ride that once it starts going does not let you breathe until the credits roll. The star of the show here is actress Riley Dandy who is essentially the Sarah Conner role against the Holiday horror. She’s hilarious, she’s got a dirty mouth (on twitter she confirmed to me that there is 487 F bombs in the film) and most of all she kicks ass! Along with Joe Begos now iconic directing style with the bright neon pink, blue, and purple aesthetic, I’m glad that this film kicks off my list this year and hey, extra points for it being a Christmas movie. Happy Horrordays.
The Menu comes in at #12. Going by just the trailer prior to seeing this film I had an assumption on what the hook was going to be and I couldn’t have been more wrong. Director Mark Mylod has said that The Menu is not a horror comedy even though a good handful of moments through out the film I found myself laughing out loud. The two leads of the Head chef played by Ralph Fiennes and Margot played by the enchanting Anya Taylor-Joy are impossible to take your eyes off of. Personally I couldn’t be further from what people consider a “foodie” but even I was into all the exotic dishes that the chef and his crew concocted. This film had a ton of twists and turns to the point where you had no idea what would be coming at the dinner guests next. With a mix of humor and edge of your seat tension, The Menu is one of those films this year that all movie fans should not miss. Fun Fact, this was my mom’s favorite movie of the year.
I was born in the 1980’s. Now, every movie fan from that time period chances are you have one, seen Predator and two, love Predator. So I was extremely excited to check out Prey when it landed on Hulu earlier this year. After my first viewing, don’t get me twisted I enjoyed it but it didn’t grab me like I thought it would. In all honesty, Prey was not on this list until literally last night when I decided to rewatch the film in the way I should have from the jump. That way is as follows, on my tv, wearing my headphones and most importantly, with the Comanche dub track playing. With my first viewing the characters speaking English really took me out of the experience as it didn’t feel authentic. That was not the case on my second viewing, it paid off in spades. This film has everything you would want in action sci-fi horror flick.
In case you weren’t already aware, the found footage sub-genre has been one of, if not my favorites ever since I first laid eyes on The Blair Witch Project. With this point it’s not a surprise that there is two found footage films on the list this year. The first one being the Taiwanese film Incantation. Based loosely on true events of a family of 6 who in 2005 believed they were all possessed by evil entities from Chinese folklore. Directed by Kevin Ko Incantation on paper sounds like your run of the mill supernatural horror. A woman in the past messes with an evil spirit while she’s pregnant when years later when the child is older starts to experience strange behavior as in seeing people that aren’t there, sleepwalking at night, etc. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. The film does this thing that very few films do as the main character actually speaks to us the viewer, asking us to chant, stare at symbols, and even give your name. It sounds hokey but was very effective. The film checks just about every box you would want in a horror movie, cults, jump scares that work, creepy kids, and a sense of dread that grips you be the neck and doesn’t let go just to name a few. Out of all the movies I’ve seen this year this was the one where, even though I know it’s only a movie I felt the notion of I shouldn’t be watching in fear of being cursed. I’ve checked out a ton of other best of lists for this year and I have been rather shocked that I have not seen Incantation on many people’s lists. Let me be the one who tells you that it should be on the list because it’s damn scary and a damn good found footage entry.
Not. Of. Planet. Earth. Or NOPE by Jordan Peele is in at #9. This one out of all the movies this year bounced around the most on the list. I always knew it would be on here but not exactly where. Get Out is easily a top 10 horror movie of all time and I also really enjoyed US so I was counting down the days to see Peele’s third entry in NOPE. I don’t want to say that Nope didn’t live up to my expectations because I really enjoyed it, I just feel the third act was a bit of a miss for me. Not to give anything away but the film evolves into a Spielbergian summer action blockbuster in the third act, which is what they were going for, it just didn’t land for me. What works for Nope really works. I’ll start with the incredible score as Peele really has a talent of selecting some of the most unique songs the genres seen all year, shout out to the Jupiter’s Claim western style theme song. And when the situation called for it composer Michael Abels delivers on the spooky vibes. The cinematography is on a different level as well as the CG when used is flawless. Finally the acting, who seems to now be Peele’s go to man actor, Daniel Kaluuya does a remarkable job at bringing OJ Haywood to life as you really feel that this is an ordinary guy living out in a farm in California whose life has just been thrown into a cyclone. Nope is not nearly as good as other Jordan Peele projects but it’s still a damn good film. Added coolness for me, I was lucky enough to visit Universal Studios Hollywood this year where they have the actual set on display of Jupiter’s Claim. It was neat to be transported into that world even if for a few minutes. Jordan Peele is still my guy and I can not wait to see what he does next.
“This is Shawn Ruddy coming to you live from… Death Manor!” When I first heard of Deadstream I heard it was in the point of view of a youtube influencer and I immediately was turned off. Then I was informed that it is a mix of Host and Evil Dead 2 in found footage and that it was a cant miss experience, so I gave it a shot opening night on Shudder and I’m glad I did because I was instantly all in. Thus giving us our second found footage film on the list this year. Deadstream starts and ends with it’s star, writer and director Joseph Winter. Winter stars as a disgraced youtube influencer who decides to do one last stunt that he hasn’t attempted on his channel, stay a night at a famously haunted house, Death Manor. This movie works so incredibly well because of how funny it is. Winter plays this Shawn Ruddy character so over the top and so humorously that very quickly in you are rooting for him not to get hurt. As he sets up cameras all over the house, Halloween Resurrection style, you’re listening to him tell ghost stories about each room as he ventures around the house like you’re watching a low budget youtube version of Ghost Adventures. As the night rolls on you meet another character who shows up in the house which brings a whole new level of intrigue and suspense to go along with the humor and the horror. Deadstream lived up to its hype as I had a big smile on my face throughout the bullet speed run time of 127 minutes, with a solid amount of legit scares. Im looking forward to whatever Joseph Winter does next because with Deadstream he hit a homerun! Now make sure you smash that like button and remember to subscribe.
Time to put on your big boy pants and grab your barf bags. The Sadness is next up at #7. The Sadness wont be for everybody, shit I’m not totally sure it was for me, but I know I had a hell of a time watching it. Funded by mostly cryptocurrency and one of the producers cam girl businesses comes one of the craziest and bloodiest (all practical effects btw) films of the year. A certain other film that’s higher on this list may have it beat. In The Sadness we see a young couple trying to reunite amid a city ravaged by a plague that turns its victims into deranged, bloodthirsty sadists. The Sadness has in my opinion one of the most vicious and downright scary antagonist in all of cinema this year, The Business Man. Yes, everyone that is infected by the contagion is an antagonist but that main bad is heavy duty. The two main characters were very well acted, and both exuded a lot of charisma which made you really root for their survival against this living hell they are engulfed into. If you’re searching for extreme violence, gross gags, and an actual good zombie film ( yes they can be made) The Sadness is going to be your jam. Just please do NOT show it to the grandparents the next time they come over to visit.
Scream, what can ya say really? One of my all-time favorite franchises, the original is THE best horror film from the 1990’s, and arguably single handily brought horror back from the dead. So when news started to trickle out that a new Scream sequel was in the works the obvious question was who was going to helm it considering franchise creator, the iconic Wes Craven had passed away from cancer in 2015. In comes Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, better known to horror fans as Radio Silence. Fresh off of their success of the amazing Ready or Not, this was the perfect decision to carry on Ghostface’s legacy. 25 years after the murderous rampage in Woodsboro a new killer emerges donning the ghostface mask and its up to series final girl Sydney Prescot to return to uncover the truth. Speaking of Sydney, Neve Campbell was initially hesitant to return to the role due to Wes Craven’s passing, but a letter written by Radio Silence to Campbell describing how much Craven and his films meant to them as filmmakers changed her mind and she accepted their offer. Opening night at the Majestic here in Phoenix was a huge spectacle. Sold out show, Scream themed food and beverages and a ton of scream masks being worn by the fans. Unfortunately for me I was sitting next to a couple that talked during the entire film which sucked but I didn’t allow it to ruin my experience. I came in excited to see the legacy characters, Sydney, Dewey and Gale and they were all great as usual. But the new cast, especially the two new leads of Melissa Barrera as Sam and now mega star Jenna Ortega as Tara, get handed the baton and carry it to the finish line with excellent performances. David Arquette was my personal favorite part of the film as he has mastered the role of Dewey Riley. Fun and creative kills, many jabs and jokes taken at the current state of horror, which is a Scream franchise staple, a Psycho reference, and a great third act that even surprised me that was oozing with 90’s nostalgia. Scream 6 is coming out in a few months and I am ecstatic to see where the franchise goes from here but Scream 5 was a great reboot/sequel that the Radio Silence boys did an impeccable job at creating. P.s. Damnit I KNOW Stu is in this movie, we just don’t realize it yet. #StuLives
Top 5 time and I can’t think of a better way to get into it than the man, Ti mother f’n West! Yes, my personal favorite director ever since I first watched the House of the Devil way back in the year 2009. West took a hiatus from the horror genre after 2013’s the sacrament focusing in on tv work and directing a western film In a Valley of Violence. After the long wait Ti West is back where he belongs in 2022 and boy did he come back with a bang! West wanted to take a swing at the slasher sub-genre with X and where better place to go than 1970’s Texas (New Zealand in reality) In X we follow a group of young adult film stars and crew who arrive at an old farmhouse to film their next big hit movie. Little do they know an elderly couple are also living at the farm. As the day shifts into night, our film stars quickly discover they are not safe, and are being targeted by another star on the land. Going into the theater all I knew was it was a horror film, helmed by Ti West set in 1970’s Texas, so everything was a surprise and I loved it! We meet Mia Goth’s Maxine, who in which (spoiler alert) also plays the killer Pearl. We will we talk about much more in our next movie on this list, is an absolute star! The fact that I didn’t know Goth played both Maxine and Pearl till the next day just goes to show you the level of skill the makeup and sfx crew had ( and Goth’s acting ). X leans heavily into the themes of getting older and the lack of sexual desires as we age, which brings an extra layer of dread outside of the slashing and the gore. Eventually Pearl stumbles upon the crew filming their trash porn and propels her into a frenzy. What follows can only be described as a blood bath. The first kill occurring over the song Don’t fear the Reaper which is one of the big set pieces that is unforgettable as well as unrelenting in its violence. After a night of more chaos dealt out by our protagonists (and the alligator of course) we have our lone survivor Maxine who escapes the twisted nightmare to set up for a sequel entitled Maxxxine later next year. X was such a breath of fresh air to a genre that lost a bit of its edginess. Ti West set out to make a grimy, sexy slasher and he nailed it all while creating the next horror icon in Pearl which we will be diving into next. Great to have you back Ti!
Before I continue here I feel bad numbering these next four films as any one of them could easily have been my number one but we’ll continue on. After both Ti West and star Mia Goth fell in love with the character Pearl they decided to co-write a prequel film. In an unprecedented move rarely seen in Hollywood, A24 gave them 100% support, funding and most of all confidence to make a prequel to X set in the same location just in 1918. Ti and Mia originally wanted to film Pearl in black and white but the studio wouldn’t allow it so they went to the other side of the spectrum in Technicolor. Turns out it was the right decision in the end. Pearl is my favorite looking film of the year. On such a low budget Ti West makes this puppy look gorgeous. The images literally pop off the screen. This picture follows pearl’s, ( literally she is in 95% of the frames) origins and her descent into madness. It also sheds some light onto why she was so bitter and angry to the characters in X decades later. Pearl much like Maxine wants to be a star and will do anything and everything to make that happen. When that outcome doesn’t come to fruition, everyone in her world has to pay. Mia Goth’s portrayal of Pearl in this picture is unmatched I believe this year by any other actor. Her incredible talent of being so loveable to being terrified in a blink of an eye is awe inspiring. Near the latter parts of the picture she has a long monologue that just seals the deal on how great of an actress she truly is. The score by Tyler Bates and Tim Williams I had to mention here because the more I listen to it, the more I love it. Such an audible treat that merges 1920’s technicolor era music with a current age suspense tones that really puts a big red bow on the entire project. Im so glad this picture was made because it is truly Ti West’s best film yet and seeing Pearl’s downward spiral into what we see in X is one hell of a trip. Now we get to sit back and patiently wait for next year’s maXXXine.
I was privileged to see our next film on our list about a week earlier from release and the theater was packed. Literally shoulder to shoulder, goodbye social distancing. So the anticipation and the energy in the theater was at a fever pitch. Smile is directed by, and I cant believe I’m saying this, first time director of a feature film Parker Finn. Last night before writing this I watched Parker Finn’s short that he filmed entitled “Laura hasn’t slept.” Which was also amazing and it makes a lot of sense that when Paramount saw this short when it debuted at SSW they quickly put Smile into production. Smile follows amazing actress Sosie Bacon who plays Rose Cotter, a compassionate psychiatrist. After what is undoubtedly the strongest, most sadistic cold open horror has seen all year long. After the events of the open, Rose is then now cursed by an evil entity as she starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can’t explain. Rose must now confront this entity as well as her troubling past in order to overcome her terrifying new reality. Parker Finn blends family drama with horror, with a twist of comedy spots. When a joke drops, it hits. This movie is very heavy so the droplets of humor is very welcoming. Smile has sequences of horror elements that would make James Wan smile ( see what I did there ) Figures in shadow, objects in the back of the frame that makes your skin crawl, I love that kind of stuff. The run time could maybe be 15 minutes shorter but believe me Smile never drags. By the end of the 155 minutes Rose looks like she hasn’t taken a shower in weeks. Another standing ovation for the makeup department. If there was a Jump Scare of the year award Smile owns it! Not going to spoil when it happens but when it happens, you’ll know. By the time we get to the third act and the final showdown takes place my jaw was hanging down because I did not expect what I was watching. With a story like this, if it didn’t stick the landing it could have ruined the whole experience thankfully for smiles sake, I thought the ending was great and leaves the door open for sequels. Wink wink. Another film on this list that checks all the boxes you want in a horror movie. I cant wait to see what Parker Finn does next, ( Nightmare on Elm st.? ) here’s hoping its Smile part 2 but who knows, but I’m excited. 😊
Ok enough of the preamble, it is freaking TERRIFIER 2 TIME!
I’ve attended countless Rock concerts and movie premiers in my life separately, but not until I saw Terrifier 2 in theaters on opening night did I experience both at the same time. Once again The Majestic Theater was a phenomenal host. Along with the themed food and bev, they also had a pre screening raffle that one of the prizes was my drawing that I did of franchise slashing protagonist Art the Clown. Shout out to Danni, thank you for asking me to include it! All the valley area horror peeps were in attendance. We sold that thing out to front to back, the place was jacked with Art the clown loving lunatics. Once the projectionist started the reel the madness began. Franchise creator, makeup effects, writer, and director Damien Leone pulls no punches when meeting the high expectations of the fans in Terrifier 2. Neither I nor anyone else cared about the two hour and eighteen minute long runtime because we knew what we were going to get was worth the time and in the end it sure was. After being resurrected by a sinister entity, Art the Clown ( David Howard Thorton ) returns to the timid town of Miles County where he targets a teenager Sienna played excellently by Lauren LaVera on Halloween night. If you’re not aware of who or what Art the Clown is he is a sadistic, ruthless, brutal, F’ing psycho and with this entry into the series has solidify himslef as a horror icon. To have a new icon, especially now a days doesn’t come around very often. If you thought The Sadness had too much red stuff then this my friends is not for you. The crew had a goal in mind for gore and when they reached that goal, they went a tad further. Now keep in mind I watched this in a theater of die hard horror fans and even we were at times squirming in our seats at the bloody madness that was happening up on the screen. No one complained though because we knew exactly just what we were getting ourselves into. Not only do you get buckets of blood from Art he also brings a ton of humor. Just youtube Art the Clown sunglasses scene and that’s all you’ll need to know. DHT is a genius actor and is amazing at bringing so much character to a character with no character. ( Got all that?) Art is not the only star in this movie bring on our newest scream queen ::drum roll::…. Lauren Lavera! An amazing actress, she can kick your ass, take a punch, and gorgeous as hell. On my rewatch I was just as excited to see Sienna as I was Art. Damien Leone ups the anti in this bad boy in every way. More blood and guts, better comedy, better acting, better story, and side kick for Art! F*ck Yeah! I could go on forever about all the gags and kills but you should really just experience it for yourself. One more cool thing about the night I saw the movie was one of the actors who portrayed one of the characters in the dream sequence /kids Saturday morning tv show sequence was in our theater viewing it with us! Yes, when she died the whole audience cheered, because of course. Overall Terrifier 2 delivered in absolutely every bloody way possible. Art is here and he’s here to stay! Horror has a new icon. Bring on Terrifier 3! ( God help us )
We made it! 2022’s number one horror film of the year is, Jeepers Creepers: Reborn! Of course I am joking. It is in fact Barbarian. Written and directed by Zach Cregger. Zach back in the day used to make me crack up laughing on his old comedy skit show “The Whitest Kids U’Know.” So when I heard he was making a horror film I was very intrigued. After small period of time passed as critics started to see it the hype began to slowly grow on how great this thing was. With Barbarian I did something I usually am incapable of doing, I went into Barbarian completely blind! I knew two things about it Zach Cregger made it and that Bill Skarsgard played a role and that’s it. With that I can’t express enough, if you haven’t seen the film yet I beg of you go into it just like that and thank me later. So if you’re still reading this I’ll go into a little of minor spoiler territory but not much. In Barbarian we meet Tess played by Georgina Campbell who arrives at an air bnb in the slummiest of slum streets in Detoit, MI. she is greeted by someone already accidently staying in the air bnb in Keith played by genre favorite Bill Skarsgard. What transpires in the days ahead after this dilemma is nothing short of story telling and horror gold that will be discussed for decades to come. The twists and turns that this movie takes, I don’t care who you are, you can not see some of these plot twists coming. After the arc of Keith and Tess is over you as a viewer are ejected out of the house and into a sunny beach side interstate highway with one of my favorite actors ever Justin Long, who is fantastic in this film. Long delivers easily my favorite male performance of the year. Long’s story arc takes him back to the air bnb in Detroit where the insanity picks up again through Justin Longs eyes. What follows from there is an unforgettable roller coaster ride that has the words what the f*ck spray painted on the side of it. By the time the end credits roll you feel like you have just been through a 12 round boxing match as your brain tries to calculate everything that its just witnessed. It is actually terrifying that this is Zach Cregger’s first feature film being this strong. How in the world could he top himself? The film feels like a 3 part play so it has zero pacing issues. The only issues you may experience is your muscles tightening from all the tension and scares this thing has attached to it. Hopefully I didn’t give too much away for anyone who has not seen it yet. In a year with so many great horror films I feel Barbarian stands just a few inches higher than all the rest. Only downside to a film like this is that there will never be that first time viewing experience because you know all the twists and turns it takes. You can’t fault a film for that though. Bravo Mr. Cregger you earned my top spot in 2022, a year that truly kicked ass! Cant wait for what 2023 brings….. ( EVIL DEAD RISE!)
I know, I know 80% of the horror community hates the new Halloween but let me be the one to tell you to read the novelization of it. It fills in a lot of the gaps that the movie had and it’s a hell of a joy. More kills as well which is never a bad thing.
We Quarantined, we masked up, we got vaccinated ( well, some of us ) we waited outside Target for Toilet paper like it was the 90’s outside Tower Records awaiting a new Metallica album to drop, and we made it through 2020. Where 2020 saw all of us watching the majority of our movies from our couches in our homes, 2021 saw the return of the movie theater going experience and I couldn’t have been more relieved and ecstatic about it. With 2021 stepping up to the plate, it was accompanied by films that were originally intended to come out in 2020, but due to the C word were delayed, a handful of these said films will be seen on this list and all were worth the wait. Unlike past years that I have done this list, this year did not have a stand out, no doubt about it number one film. This fact made the list tricky to put together to say the least, and even more of a head scratcher to come up with a numbered countdown, but at the same time made it much more enjoyable to determine the order. Now with the preamble out of the way, ill shut up and get to the list. Sit back, relax and grab your barf bag as I count down the Top 13 Horror Films of 2021. Stick around after the list for a few honorable mentions as well as a few other forms of Horror entertainment outside of movies that made 2021 special. Enjoy.
By Hugh Patrick/Terrified State
13. PSYCHO GOREMAN
Question, Does Psycho Goreman care for Hunky boys? Who knows and who cares! This Movie and its over the top, bat shit characters and story are amazing! Director Steven Kostanski not only created all the characters he also wrote, produced, edited and obviously, directed the film, Holy %#&@ thats a lot of hats to be worn by one person. All this hard work pays off with PG as it brings up all of our memories of Power Rangers goofy after school science fiction action mixed with buckets of blood and guts. Coming off the films The Void and the vastly underrated last Leprechaun movie, Kostanksi brings us a visual cocktail that is filled with a splash of Monster Squad, Rawhead Rex,the TMNT films with some Iron Maiden blasting in the background. I was so excited to check this film out as I saw it opening night at the Alamo Drafthouse ( thanks for the free poster! ) and I enjoyed it so much. It had humor, incredible voice acting, a spunky 80’s influenced score, over the top practical gore effects done by MastersFX out of Toronto, and a character in Psycho Goreman that will go down in Horror History as one of the stand out characters from this era. PG starts this list off this year at 13 with a great horror/comedy that knows what it is and knocks it out of the park back to Gygak. Here’s hoping a sequel will be coming soon.
12. SON
Ivan Kavanagh wrote and directed SON and it is in at #12. This was, by design, the very first movie I checked out at my end of the year cram session of films I missed throughout the year, and boy did it deliver. Here is the synopsis, When a young boy contracts a mysterious illness, his mother must decide how far she will go to protect him from terrifying forces in her past. That is all I had going into this film as I did not even watch a trailer and I’m glad I didn’t. If you ever check this out, go into it as cold as possible. Andi Matichak plays the lead role here as the mother. Now with this performance along with her betrayal as Lauri Strode’s Granddaughter Allyson in the new Halloween films, she is quickly becoming one of my new favorite actors. She shines in Son. Not going to give away any spoilers but her descent into bloody madness is priceless and something that I was not expecting to be so damn good. The practical gore effects all be it used very sparingly are incredibly done. The gore hounds out there will not be disappointed. With a shocking twist ending, Son was one of the big surprises in 2021 and makes me excited to see what Ivan Kavanagh puts his name on next. Check out Son if you come across it, you wont be disappointed. The creepy kid sub genre lives on! Good too because he wont be the only creepy kid on this list.
11. JAKOB’S WIFE
Barbara Crampton plus vampires, do I have your attention? Of course I do. That’s what we get with Travis Stevens’ Jakob’s Wife. A twisted tale about a relationship that has been slowly deteriorating for 30 years until Crampton’s character crosses paths with an ancient Vampire called “The Master.” We then follow Cramptons character as she discovers a new lease on life with the powers of a vampire. Unfortunately for everyone in her life comes with a price. That price, the lust for blood which leads to some very, very nasty situations. With a great message for anti domestic abuse, an at times surprisingly very humorous script, top notch creature design and practical effects, along with a cool CM Punk cameo, Jakob’s Wife I found was one of this years biggest surprises. Barbara Crampton apparently worked her tail off to get this film off the ground and by the time the credits scroll you understand why. It was such a joy to watch Crampton take center stage and show off her acting ability in such a cool vampire flick. Jakob’s Wife is this years number 11.
10. SPIRAL
It is no secret that the OG SAW is one of my favorite horror movies off all time. An easy slot in the top 10 of my generation. The SAW franchise ran its course, (some say into the ground) in the 2000’s. Even I can admit that it was time to hang up the pig mask and call it a franchise. I was a fan of the way they wrapped up the John Cramer story and honestly thought I would never see a film based in the SAW universe ever again. Then came 2017’s “Jigsaw” This did not move the needle for me at all. It was just another SAW movie that frankly I thought should not have been made. Just very forgettable. It also did not do very well at the box office which all but certainly killed off the Saw franchise once and for all. Then something happened. That something was Chris Rock, yes my favorite Stand Up of all time, Chris Rock. Rock bumped into a head executive of Lionsgate at a party and pitched him his idea for a new SAW movie. The next thing he knows he was on the phone with SAW 2,3, and 4’s director Darren Bousman and the rest is history. Bousman along with Rock assembled the SAW band back together to make Spiral. I appreciated their attempt to distance themselves from the original SAW films as much as possible but in so many ways be the same and stay in the SAW world. The over the top gory traps and kills can go toe to toe with any traps from past films. Composer Charlie Clouser is back and brings with him a hard hitting impeccable score. Chris Rock playing the lead role really worked for me here as he brought with him a desperately needed comedic element to the SAW universe as he wrote all of his own hilarious dialogue. The rest of the cast I feel did an ok job as well as this world and scenario they were placed in felt very real to me. The overall message and the ending was not endured by all fans but it sure worked for yours truly and when Zepps theme came in at the films climax I almost stood up out of my chair with enjoyment. Spiral is on here at #10 and like Psycho Goreman, I hope we see a sequel to this as well. Chris Rock’s Spiral/SAW universe I feel has only just begun.
9. ANTLERS
Scott Cooper’s ANTLERS planted itself on my upcoming Horror list shortly before the Pandemic started early last year. Then… it was delayed off of its original April release date… and then delayed again. Fast forward to summer of 2021, it was finally being released. I was in my local horror pawn shop essentially called Terror Trader and they were giving out passes to an Antlers advance screening and I immediately grabbed them. Seeing this in a theater full of like minded Horror folk who like myself, have all been salivating to see this film and it payed off and was worth the wait. The cast was great with Keri Russell as the lead along with Jesse Plemons from Friday Night Live fame. Not to give away the entire film, this has massive creepy kid and Pumpkin Head vibes. The combination was as good as it sounds. I went into the screening as cold as I could, only watching the trailer a time or two and I will say it helped the experience as I had no idea what to expect next as the story unfolded. The child actor Jeremy Thomas should have a bright future and his acting was very solid along with a great monster that you get introduced to in the third act, this creature feature is in at number 9.
8. THE MEDIUM
We got insane over the top found footage from Thailand action baby!! Ever since The Blair Witch Project, the found footage sub genre has always have a special place in my heart. With that said it makes me happy to have a found footage film on the list this year. That film being The Medium. A horrifying tale of a shaman’s inheritance in the Isan region of Thailand. What could be possessing a family member might not be the Goddess they make it out to be. Only downside to this film it is a little long in the tooth with the run time being over 2 hours with the first act I feel could have been edited down a hair in some places. Outside of that this thing is an absolute banger of a movie. You have overnight camera footage that sent chills down my spine much like Paranormal Activity did about 15 years ago. The third act of this film is by far the most extremely brutal sequences that I have seen all year long. I wont go into details but it pulls NO punches! Directors around the world each year get better and better with the art that is found footage. With last years HOST and now this years The Medium, Found footage is a film style that not only has a heart beat, it’s not dying anytime soon.
7. My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To
My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To. Wow, ok where to start? First off, The title sucks. Too lengthy and certainly hard to recall. Now that that is out of the way, the title being the only thing that I did not enjoy about this gripping, intense, powerhouse of a slow burn horror story. This film was a film I watched late in the year as it was released on Shudder in early December. I went into it not really knowing a thing about it. I wasn’t even familiar with any of the cast which brought me into the experience even more. The film transplants you into a home with a family of two brothers and a sister. The younger brother in which is a vampire and it is the other two siblings to take care of and keep him safe. Rarely does a film make me stand up in tension and excitement but there is a sequence towards the end that involves a local kid from the neighborhood who finds himself inside the home and I was legitimately freaked out. The acting by the trio of this movie was astounding and really brought home the feeling of believability to it. I have seen many Top horror lists in the last few days before writing this and I have not seen this film on any of them. Hopefully people see this and catch this wonderful little horror gem on Shudder. If you don’t have a weak stomach you will definitely enjoy My Heart Cant Beat Unless You Tell it To. ( Horrible title. )
6. FEAR STREET TRILOGY
I see you Netflix!! The Flix rarely comes through with good horror these days but in 2021 with the Fear street trilogy they have come up with something great! Director Leigh Janiak brings R.L. Stine’s Fear street books to life in this bloody trilogy that will hopefully forever go down in horror history as a gate way to many young horror fans’ first experience in the genre. By no means is this made for children though as there is harsh language and surprisingly gratuitously gory kill sequences. I will not be ranking the three films as I am considering all three as one long film so shove it. Netflix gave Leigh and her crew a crap ton of moolah take make these movies and it shows, ( mostly in the epic soundtrack ) also in the set design as the aesthetics in all three films is just spectacular with my favorite being 1977’s which was located at a summer camp and had the 80’s slasher vibe which was oh, so great. I was admittedly worried that the ending wouldn’t land considering how many different ideals and characters were thrown at the wall but it landed with a perfect 10 by the judges. I personally cannot wait to see what project this director does next because I’m certain it will be just as epic as Fear Street was. Acting, laughs, creative kills, great story that paid off in the end. What else could anyone ask for? Fear Street is in at number six.
5. WEREWOLVES WITHIN
Horror Comedies are hard to come by these days. Even more so ones that are actually enjoyable. Werewolves Within has Horror splashed with comedy in spades. This wintery romp in the small town of Beaverfield see’s a collection of characters that are by far the best crop of characters assembled on screen together this year. Milana Vayntrub (yes, the AT&T woman) stars along side an absolutely hysterical cast that had me laughing out loud on my couch at their jokes and banter. When people start being murdered in the town the fingers start to point. Are these murders being committed by a large animal from the surrounding woods or are they being committed by one of the members of the community as dare they say… a werewolf?! I love a good “who dunnit?” film and I feel this is this years best. With great horror elements, a laugh out loud script and a pay off that was top notch, Werewolves within should not be missed by anyone. This film was great and very much deserves a top 5 finish!
4. THE VIGIL
Again, The Vigil was one of those films in 2021 that released early on that for whatever reason I just kept putting off seeing. Wow am I kicking myself for doing so. The Vigil follows a young man down on his luck trying to earn an honest living. When an opportunity lands on his plate of being a shomer for the night, he does not pass it up. A Shomer is someone in the Jewish Religion whos sole purpose is to watch a body from the time of death till the burial. A premise for a horror film so simplistic yet so good it is a shame that I myself didn’t think it up. You as a viewer are for the most part are trapped in the house with our main character as its just him an older woman who is asleep upstairs and the dead body laying with a sheet over them in the living room. What is one of the scariest things I find in horror movies you may be asking. Old people! Yes, the old woman that frequently shows up in unexpected times through out the run time got me every time and I loved it. Further more as far as actual scares go, The Vigil needs to be number one of this years list for terrifying. This film is frightening. The Mood, the score and the overall creepiness is top notch here and to be honest if the ending would have landed a little bit better in my opinion, it could have been number one on this list. If you do watch The Vigil I recommend you do with all the lights off and with a set of headphones on. It will stick with you for days in all the best ways.
3. CANDYMAN
Candyman Candyman Candyman Candyman… Candyman. Now that that’s out of the way and I’ll be dead shortly, lets get hooked into Nia DaCosta’s Candyman. Written by Win Rosenfeld and the mighty Jordan Peele and the 32 year old director Ms. DaCosta. Lets get the negative out of the way right out of the box. The Ending. You can make a strong case that it doesn’t really ly make much sense, seems kind of rushed and disorganized. Due to this it is the reason why its not my number 1 for this year. A sequel to the horror film Candyman (1992) that returns to the now-gentrified Chicago neighborhood where the legend began. The first Candyman back in 92 absolutely rocked me as a kid as I watched it when it arrived on HBO back in the 90’s. I was too young to watch it then, (Duh) but man is it a classic and yes it is still just as good now, if not better. I was very excited to catch this new Candyman especially considering it was bumped out of 2020. What us fans got was a visually stunning film that much like the original, heavily leans on real world social commentary. There will never be another actor that could replace Tony Todd’s Candyman but what we have is our lead, (and easily one of my new favorite actors in Hollywood) Yahya Abdul-Mateen II who plays a struggling artist on a deadline to produce art and gets inspired and motivated by the myth that is Candyman, thus giving us our dark rabbit hole of a movie. Yahya’s acting as he slowly slips into madness is such a treat to sit back and watch unfold in front of you. The cinematography is the best of the year in the genre. And last but not least the kills. They are here and Nia did not hold back. The one kill in an apartment complex with the camera slowly fading backwards out the window had my jaw lowered and I actually said wow in the theater. Even with the choppy third act, this is still an incredible companion piece and worthy sequel to the original and spoiler alert…. Tony shows up. ::wink wink::
2. MALIGNANT
“Hey Google, How much money did Aquaman make?” Google – 1.148 Billion USD. Yes, the James Wan helmed Aquaman raked in that much coin for Warner Bros. So, what does James Wan want to do next? Anything he damn well wants. That project, a giallo inspired horror film that has so many elements baked into it’ll make your head spin around. That film is Malignant. Why is it number 2 on my list? Sit back and ill explain. I see James Wan as an icon. SAW, Conjuring, Insidious, and now Malignant. The way Wan can craft a story and get the mood just right is of legend. Within the first 20 minutes Wan reminds all of us that he hasn’t forget how to scare the shit out of us. The actual story of the film is impossible to talk about without giving away all the huge plot points, so I’ll just say its a blender full of paranormal horror, a who dunnit murder mystery, and a kick ass action movie that pushes the envelope on what’s even possible. The result is one of the most unique horror experiences in years. Once the twist happens about three quarters the way through the film it is balls to the wall craziness. Malignant was such a ride and by the time the credits roll you realize why James Wan was so intrigued to make this movie. Hey James, bring on the sequel! ‘Time to cut out the cancer!”
1. HALLOWEEN KILLS
This year like I said, did not have a clear cut favorite for best movie of the year and it took me awhile to figure out how the puzzle pieces of this list would eventually fall into place. Until one night I was driving to work and I had my itunes on shuffle and a track from John Carpenters score of Halloween Kills came on and in that moment it was clear who had the edge. It was Michael Freaking Myers and the town of Haddonfield in David Gordon Green’s Halloween Kills. The Michael Myers we see here is as brutal as he has ever been. Portrayed once again from Halloween 2018 by James Jude Courtney. This film is a slasher with a capital Slash! First off I adored the flashback scene to the original night in 1978 where we get to see what actually happened after the original faded to black. Added bonus we get a Jim Cummings cameo as he plays one of the officers. Accompanied with Carpenters score from the original it was just most fun I had in a theater all year long by far, total geek shit. The only gripe I really have with the film is that I personally wish there was more JLC but I know the spot light will be squarely on her in Halloween Ends next year. The other small complaint is I felt the script spent a bit too much time in the hospital as the mob chased after who they believed was Myers but obviously wasn’t. The film wants you to know that Myers is more than just a man, damn near close to a supernatural and I’m not hating on that. The score was far and away my favorite of the year. Combine that with ultra violent kills, solid acting by everyone in the cast old and new, especially someone that is on this list twice in Andi Matichak as Allyson Strode plus the continuation of a story of Michael Myers that I have been following along with my whole life. The result is my favorite and what I feel is the best horror film of this past year and I’m salivating for how the crew plans on ending this story next year with Halloween Ends. P.S. something that I didn’t expect but was greatly appreciated, the comedic stylings of crowd favorite couple Big John and Little John. I may even start a campaign to give them their own stand alone film haha. There you have it. Halloween Kills tops the list. A list in which had a little bit of everything this year. Excited to see what 2022 has to offer. I’m looking right at you Ghostface! Let’s GO! Below are some honorable mentions and some other shit. Thanks for checking this out. Keep Horror Alive.
Honorable Mentions
Queen of Black Magic ~ The Empty Man ~ Censor ~ The Night House ~ The Manor ~ There’s someone inside your House.
Television
Midnight Mass ~ Chucky ~ Slasher.
DISCOVERY
Reading Brett Easton Ellis’ novel “American Psycho” was one of the biggest treats of the year. Extremely more violent and engaging than the film. Just an insane experience. I highly recommend the read.
After leaving Halloween Horror Nights 28 in Orlando, FL. I said to myself with a giant cheesy smile on my face “I am skipping HHN 29 but I am going to HHN 30!!” Little did I know then that one, I would be Universal Studios Hollywood and two, it would actually take place a year later due to a worldwide pandemic. Fast forward to Sept. 2021 and Halloween Horror nights is back. In this entry I will go over my fully spoilish review and overall thoughts of HHN 30. How great it delivered and how it was worth the wait.
First and foremost, this years tag line for HHN is “Never Go Alone” Lucky for me I didn’t have to. My dear friend, Denise joined me for the weekend to go to her first HHN. Not only is she smart, hilarious and beautiful, I found out that she has a high tolerance for scares. WIth purchasing the fast pass ( which I highly recommend you do if you ever attend this event ) we were fortunate enough to go through every maze/house that HHN HW had to throw at us. The only time she got a good scare was the Pandora’s Box maze as that involved crows. She’s terrified of birds. Don’t you dare make fun. By the time we left the park it was approaching 2 am. we were aching and exhausted but had a killer time. Ok enough of the preamble lets break down these mazes shall we!
The first maze we b-lined to because personally this is the one that I wanted to experience first because I heard how terrific it was, was The Bride of Frankenstein. With the mindset that it would be a good way to kick things off thinking that it wouldn’t be too scary. This thinking held true but what it lacked in overall scares, they made up for in amazing aesthetics. As you enter through a giant novelization of the bride of Frankenstein the first thing you notice is that amazing art work on the walls. These posters essentially inform you of what chapter of the story you are in as you walk through the maze. To go along with the thunder sound effects and the soundtrack from the old film you have a female narrator walking you through the story of what’s going on around you. Three overall characters being the bride, Frankenstein and a female vampire, Each room of the maze you get a variety of the same basic concept. The bride bringing Frankenstein back to life. The stand out for me here was the make up effects on the Bride specifically, excellent. One last memorable moment for me in this maze that towards the end it was pitch black, so black in fact that I believe the scaracter didnt even see me as she was leaning out of the wall in full vampire makeup came very close to stabbing me in the eyes with one of her long pointy fingers. Overall this was a good house, it may not have lived up to all the hype but by no means was it a bad house. Up next was my personal favorite and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre! Hope you like chainsaws.
As you approach the famous Sawyer family house you are greeted by the oh so kind and generous Hitchhiker prancing back and forth around the front yard. With camera in hand he takes pictures of you and runs up to you as you enter. He seemed to especially enjoy my company as I was wearing a Texas chainsaw Massacre t-shirt. I gave him a big thumbs up as we entered the threshold. Inside you are in an exact movie replica of the front door area. The steps, the room to the left with the chicken feathers and of course the sliding metal door. Hope you enjoy leatherface because he was in this maze ALOT. But that’s not a bad thing right? Cowering our way through the living room areas we eventually come to my personal section of the maze. The dining room. Here we had the entire family at the dining room table along with grandpa swinging his hammer around hap hazardly at Sally’s head. Very creepy, very effective! Oh this needs to be mentioned, the makeup on grandpa was 100%! Leaving the house you walk through the gas station that housed some gross sh*t followed by a section of the woods. This is where you see Franklin in his wheelchair. I’ll come clean here and say I jumped at this moment due to the fact that there was a Leatherface right behind Franklin hiding in the darkness that I flat out didn’t see. Lastly, as you’re leaving the maze me and Denise were aware that there was a huge scare at the very end just by watching other guests leave. Even knowing this the jump scare still got both of us as we went running/ screaming out of the maze haha.
Next up we took a break from the scares and took a trip to Jurassic world. This was epicly ( is that a word? ) amazing. Don’t want to give anything away here just know its a log floom style ride which I love and that the end drop you do not see coming at all, mainly because you are too enamored by the T -Rex fight going on above your head. If you are ever in Universal DO NOT miss out on this experience.
Back to the scares? Yes, back to it we went. Where did we go? To the IP belonging to arguably the most terrifying film of all time… The Exorcist! Now Denise is on record by saying this was far and away her favorite maze. I am torn between the TCM maze and the Exorcist but the more and more i process it, I feel like I am going to eventually agree with her. Lets get into it. Don’t get green bile on your Jordans! First off the house itself from the outside looked incredibly screen accurate along with the Priest standing outside that I said hello to and was not responded to, how rude. Entering the house the temperature gets turned up immediately as the first room you’re thrown into is the living room where a roboting Reagan is crazy ass upside down crawl walk down the flight of stairs. Very creepy that made me yell out “Here we go!” What came next were a series of the same Reagan bedrooms which may sound repetitive but was not in the least. From Reagan levitating three feet above the bed while the Priest screams at her, to her projectile vomiting at you with her head turned backwards. ( probably the stand out moment for me overall ) this house was just marvelous to look at as well as hella scary! The home stretch of this maze was relentless as it seemed like every corner you took toward the exit the devil jumped out at you from the walls as The exorcist theme music played loudly. Really well done. Awesome House.
Next up was a ride on the Terror Tram with a Purge theme. Now full disclosure I literally had no idea what to expect out of this section of the park. I knew ( I thought I knew) that we would just ride on the tram car around the universal lot as characters from the purge movies would attack the tram car. I couldn’t have been more incorrect. After a brief video you watch on the tram of a news reporter telling us that we are all about to die ( and you thought News Max was bad ) you are told to exit the tram car. As soon as you exit you start walking up the street and the annual purge then commences. This sparks a wave of characters from the movies along with their chainsaws, hammers and whatever the hell else they had come rushing towards us. This was very enjoyable to me and very unexpected. What follows is a walking tour around the universal lot that is just surrounded by purge characters with the added bonus of a photo shoot with the one and only Norman Bates in front of the Psycho house which we both Partaken in. ( Awesome Shot!) After a giant loop we all re enter the tram and ride back to the main section of the park.
WIth three more mazes on our list left to hit it was time to scamper over to Haddonfield for the Halloween 4 house. Now back when I was at HHN 28 this exact maze was also there in Orlando but I had just ran out of time and couldn’t experience it. This scenario was not going to repeat itself. Just coming within 20 yards of the house the Classic John Carpenter theme music was blaring. With this house being based on Halloween 4 it starts off in the gas station where in the film Michael and Dr. Loomis reintroduce themselves to each other. I knew what to expect from scoping out videos and pictures of the maze from back in HHN 28 but it was still neat to be ingulfed in these environments. One spot from this maze got me but REALLY got Denise as you’re walking through Jaime lloyd’s bedroom with cute little Daniel Harris in full clown costume sitting on the bed. Your attention is drawn to her but little did we both know that behind us out of the closet comes crashing a Michael myers and the scare legit got us both. Well done.
At this point in the night it was approaching 1 am and we were both admittedly exhausted but we were determined to finish as we had two mazes left. Denise was a trooper and amazing at the same time. I made the judgement call that I wanted to end the night with The Haunting of Hill house so that led to Hollywood’s only Original maze, Pandora’s Box. This was pretty forgettable honestly outside of the cool 3d lighting effects and of course the crow room that freaked Denise out. I was cracking up. Birds are harmless.
Finally that brings us to the last house of the evening, The Haunting of Hill House. Mike Flanagan, where ever you are, thank you sir. You are a true genius. Based on the uber popular netflix show of the same name, this was a house that I was luke warm on the idea of it going in but something happened when I got to the park and the giant poster of the bent neck lady and instantly got a lot more juiced for it. Speaking of the bent neck lady, she shows up a lot, she’s actually the first thing you see when you walk into the maze. To sum up the maze its all the familiars rooms you see in the show with the bent neck lady and other ghosts from the show flooding every corner. Overall I thought the house was pretty solid. At one point Nell is hanging out of the wall and the actress locked eyes with me while reaching out to me. Combined with the impeccable make up, the sequence was very eerie. My only gripe with this house could be the only gripe I have about the entire night. I figured it be a lock that we as guests would get placed in the funeral parlor scene and see Ghost Nell standing over her own casket. Spoiler Alert…… ya don’t see that. Other then that unfortunate fact though, the house was cool.
So there ya have it. My thoughts on Halloween Horror Nights 30 Universal Hollywood. 30 Fears in 30 Years. Thanks to Denise for joining along and making it so much more special and fun. Can’t wait for HHN 31! Happy Halloween Everyone.
Built in 1938 by Cyril Wengert, a prominent and beloved banker, the home was occupied by The Wengert family for 29 years. And after changing hands numerous times, it was then acquired by the State Bar of Nevada and has now most recently been purchased by Zak Bagans, host and Creator behind The Travel Channels Ghost Adventures. After purchasing the property he transformed it into a Museum, a Haunted Museum.
The 11,000-square foot, 33 room mansion through the years, have accounts of hostile spirits — family members who passed away there and whose energy remains — have been rumored to roam the halls terrorizing past occupants. Some long-time Las Vegans even claim dark rituals took place in the home’s basement during the 1970s. Facts about this claim can sometimes be hard to pin down but luckily for me on my tour of the museum our tour guides were incredibly informative and did not pull punches on the details. In the early 70’s the house belonged to the family of famed Pornstar actress Jenna Jameson. To prove this true, Bagans has a copy of the Birth certificate of Jenna’s brother. On the certificate you can clearly see that the original address of the haunted museum is stated on the certificate proving the occupancy of the family. When Zak Bagans purchased the property Jenna reached out to him and revealed to him that her and her brother when they were kids on multiple occasions would sneak down into the basement and catch people donning hooded robes standing in a circle surrounding a Devils pentagram. The family moved out soon after. Jenna Jameson and her brother have never returned to the house since. Now on my visit to the Museum I went ahead and purchased the upgraded RIP pass that allowed me to experience every area on the tour, I suggest you do the same if you ever decide to visit. With this upgrade I was allowed access down into the infamous aforementioned basement so what better place to start than down into the basement
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Out of my group of 12 there was 8 of us with RIP passes which worked out so we could comfortably go in groups of 4 into small, confine spaces. When arriving at the bottom of the steps my first thought was if the stone walls and ceiling were original to the house or were they installed for the museum when Zak purchased the property, I never asked. What was added were multiple satanic ritual memorabilia. From a quite large and intimidating statue of Baphomet all the way down to candle holders with satanic symbolism hand carved onto them. At the end of the hallway you arrive in this small area that had to be maybe 10 ft by 10 ft (possibly smaller) Here you are welcomed by the unnerving sounds of a spirit box, which if you don’t know what they are is essentially a research device that uses a radio with a frequency scan mode meant to detect EVPs and communicate with spirits. Also painted in blood on the ground beneath our feet was a Devils Pentagram accompanied by a lit candle in the middle. Even though all this devilish paraphernalia has been added for effect, it did not take away from the fact that this was easily the single creepiest basement I have ever had the privilege of being in. To believe that alleged satanic activity took place down there is not a far fetch idea by any means. Other than the said creepiness and the extreme sense of claustrophobia, also was the Bela Lugosi Cursed Mirror. The guide informed us that Lugosi, who became legendary for the portrayal of Dracula, was obsessed with the occult, particularly the practice of scrying. Scrying is the practice of looking into a suitable medium, such as a crystal ball or mirror, in the hope of detecting messages from spirits or visions of the past or future. Our guide went on to claim that Lugosi used this mirror for scrying and that “he did this after his wife died, trying to contact her.” The guide mentioned that this occult practice may have opened a “portal” to the other side. She also mentioned to us that a few weeks prior to our visit a priest was a guest at the museum and once informed that this mirror was located in the basement he refused to enter. I looked deep into the mirror and did not feel anything and as of me writing this I am thankfully have not yet passed on to another dimension. Lastly, my group claimed to have heard a male voice resonating from the spirit box for a brief second. I can not confirm or deny this as I did not experience the voice.
With The Haunted Museum being much larger than I could even imagine, I can’t go into detail on my thoughts of every single nook and carnie of the building but I will share the highlights. I’ll start off with a disclaimer, if you are terrified of clowns, this may not be the right spot for you as dolls, life sized mannequins and paintings of clowns are everywhere. Speaking of dolls, Zak has obsessively collected creepy and mostly haunted dolls from all over the world. The first room you enter on the tour you are greeted by seemingly hundreds. All of which have their eyes directly on you no matter what part of the room you decide to stand on. The RIP feature of this opening room was a small walk in closet sized room that had even more demonically looking dolls in it. Our tour guide pointed out that people have been known to be pushed, scratched and even heard a female child’s voice whisper the words “Get Out” into their ears. The tour started with a bang as I thought this area was extremely creative and quite eerie at the same time. The second stop on the tour is one that stood out to me personally. I’ll explain.
A wild west, saloon vibe accentuates the second room of the tour as it holds both Wyatt Earp’s Bible and a rocking chair reserved for the Old West icon if he should happen to ever stop by again. The room also is home to an actual human skull that was found in the New Mexico desert by an Archeologist. The reason I am highlighting this room is not so much for the objects in the room, more so the way the room effected me personally. During my trip to Vegas I was smacked dab in the middle of my once a year cold snap as I have a cold for roughly 3 to 4 days then it is gone. Runny nose, fever, and headaches are the extent. Well moments after entering this Wild West room I felt a sharp pain in the pit of my stomach. Almost like someone had stabbed me in the gut. I thought about leaving the room and having a seat until it hopefully subsided but decided otherwise. Thankfully for me, after leaving this area of the museum the pain went away, as if it was never there in the first place. This is unexplainable and I found it very odd.
Next room i’d like to highlight is the self proclaimed “The Conjuring” room. This room was particularly exciting to me being that I am such a fan of Ed and Lorraine Warren and the Conjuring films. The room contained case used Rosary beads and statues of Mary Magdalene. Photos and voice recordings from the actual cases and of course The Devil’s Rocking chair that was in the room of the Exorcism of young David Glatzel, which the events of this case can be seen played out in the opening sequences of this years Conjuring part 3. After bringing the chair into the museum and setting up the exhibit it would soon be shut down. This being the first time where Zak decided to shut an exhibit down at The Haunted Museum due to multiple people being affected in connection to unexplained paranormal activity of the Devil’s Rocking Chair,” Bagans said. “Six people all shared the same disturbing, uncontrollable crying during the short time I opened the exhibit, one of them being a guest who also collapsed directly above the Devil’s Rocking Chair on the stairs.” Bagans clarified that the chair is housed directly under the set of stairs.
Some of the other stand out items burrowed inside the walls of the museum are for starters the Dybbuk Box.
A dybbuk is a malicious spirit said to able to haunt and possess the living according to Jewish mythology. The Dybbuk Box is an object that is said to house the demon containing it within. The Dybbuk Box is believed to be the world’s most haunted object. It even inspired the 2012 horror film The Possession. Since it has been on display, the museum staff and visitors have experienced black shadows, fainting, feelings of sickness, anger, anxiety and more.
The Dr. Jack Kevorkian van. has its own room as well. AKA Dr. Death who died in 2011 lived in the van for periods of his life and used vehicle to carry out over 130 assisted suicides. There are many souls that have been lost in the 1968 Volkswagen Death Machine van and the display is educational and tastefully done to mark respect to those who passed away. There was a dummy figurine display inside on the vans bed and it made my skin crawl.
Surviving the Serial killer and Ed Gein’s cauldron’s themed rooms, I would like to lastly mention another favorite section of the museum of mine. That being The Demon House room. From a very intriguing and Hauntingly good standalone documentary of the same name, the Demon House was an investigation undertaken by Zak and his team at a home in Indiana where a family claimed that numerous members of the family had been possessed by a spirit. Zak purchased the home in 2014 and immediately started in with the investigation. The local police department and even social services within the local area were convinced that the house was in some way haunted. From footsteps in the corridor to full-on body possession, the Demon House creeped Zak and the team out more than anything they have ever witnessed on their show before. After the completion of the film (I highly suggest you seek it out and watch it) the property was bulldozed entirely in 2016. Before this taking place though Zak removed pieces of it, including the staircase, dirt and other items found in the basement and brought them back to the Haunted Museum. Whether you believe in the legend or not, it is still very foreboding and sinister!
That same sentiment can be applied about the whole museum itself. In my opinion whether you believe in ghosts, demons, or the afterlife in general, it doesn’t necessarily matter. What does matter is the stories, the myths and legends passed down about the places and or items that they are attached to. That notion is the reason that I, myself are so passionate about it. The stories and the never ending debate of what if strives us all to continue checking this stuff out and getting so damn geeked out about it all.
I see myself eventually heading back through the Haunted Museums threshold once again at some point due to the fact that I know i’ve had to miss a lot due to its scale. Plus they frequently hold flash light tours at night in the pitch dark which sounds gnarly as hell!
I’m aware that when most people hear Las Vegas they think of gambling, drinking, and partying but next time you’re there and you want to experience something a little different I strongly recommend you checking the place out. It’s surely a place you will never soon forget. That’s if you have the guts to go in.
The Two scariest words to most Horror fans, Reboot and Remake. Yes the 2000’s saw a shit load of horror remakes that Hollywood pulled out of their collective asses not because the lack of fresh ideas i’ve come to learn, but because fresh ideas not giving a chance. At the end of the day cash is king and Hollywood knew that the remakes could turn a profit so oh boy, did we get a ton of them. Can we really blame them? I recently re-watched My Bloody Valentine 3-D for the first time in a long time and I have to be honest, half way through I said to myself, wait this is freaking awesome! So it got me inspired to take a look back at other horror remakes or reboots and rank them 10 to 1. Figured it would be a fun exercise. So here goes my Top 10 horror remakes from the 2000’s till today.
#10 Thirteen Ghosts (2001 remake of 1960)
Arthur and his two children, Kathy and Bobby, inherit his Uncle Cyrus’s estate: a glass house that serves as a prison to 12 ghosts. When the family, accompanied by Bobby’s Nanny and an attorney, enter the house they find themselves trapped inside an evil machine “designed by the devil and powered by the dead” to open the Eye of Hell. Aided by Dennis, a ghost hunter, and his rival Kalina, a ghost rights activist out to set the ghosts free, the group must do what they can to get out of the house alive. The actual ghost designs and the kills that those said ghosts perform are great. The cast had a couple of 2000’s all stars in Matt Lillard and Shannon Elizabeth along with the father figure here played by Tony Shalhoub. This film was one of really first films to kick off the remake craze and it still holds up.
#9 Fright Night (2011 remake of 1985)
I have fond memories of seeing this remake. Me and a date went to a drive in movie theater in the middle of nowhere in New Jersey and the experience was awesome. The audio coming through the car speaker and delicious popcorn from the old timey themed concession stand. When a nice new neighbor moves in next door, Charley discovers that he is an ancient vampire who preys on the community. Can he save his neighborhood from the creature with the help of the famous “vampire killer”, Peter Vincent? “Your Mom gives off a scent and your girlfriend, phew, she’s ripe.” -Colin Farrell. Yes I’ll admit, i’m not the biggest Farrell fan on the block but he was damn good in this playing the vampire next door. The movie was a lot of fun, much like a lot of other films at this time they used 3D tech and used it pretty damn well. Lastly that chase scene, when Farrell throws the motorcycle through the families back window I was like Holy Shit as I did not expect it at all. Along with the greatness of Toni Collette who plays the mother, this one was a solid remake of a classic vampire flick.
#8 The Amityville Horror (2005 remake of 1979)
One thing about me is that I both love the original 1979 Amityville film and the actual mythology revolving around the real life story that happened at that house in Amityville, NY. I was lucky enough to visit the house a few years back and i’m not shitting you it was a surreal experience. So going into a remake of the 1979 classic I was very skeptical especially considering funny man Ryan Reynolds was going to be playing the role of George Lutz. In December 1975, George and Kathy Lutz along with their three children move into an elegant Long Island house. What they don’t know is that the house was the site of a horrific mass murder a year before. They decide to keep the house and attempt to keep the horror in the past, but are now haunted by a murderous presence. This is until, George starts to behave weirdly and their daughter, Chelsea starts to see people. What follows is 28 days of sheer, unbridled terror for the family with demonic visions of the dead. Don’t get me twisted this rendition is not as good as its predecessor but it’s not bad either. By the end Ryan Reynolds is completely transformed into a man who has lost all sense of reality and you are scared of him and for the safety of his family. This remake hits all the same beats as the original and it deserves to be on this list.
#7 My Bloody Valentine 3-D (2009 remake of 1981)
Tom returns to his hometown on the tenth anniversary of the Valentine’s night massacre that claimed the lives of 22 people. Instead of a homecoming, Tom finds himself suspected of committing the murders, and it seems like his old flame is the only one that believes he’s innocent. This remake I recall seeing when it first came out but almost dismissed and forgot about it instantly because I re-watched this film this past Valentines day and had a blast with it. The kills were over the top crazy, gory and well designed. I did not see this in 3D but I appreciated all the creative ways that it took advantage of the viewing experience when 3D was the big thing in the 2000’s. So with myself being a huge Jenson Ackles fan and with the final kill totals being at least 30, this remake in my opinion kicked ass!
#6 Halloween (2007 remake of 1978)
After the tragic death of long time Halloween franchise producer Moustapha Akkad, Malek Akkad, his son takes over the franchise and goes with Mr. Rob Zombie and with the blessing of both Malek and John Carpenter, Zombie is told to make this film his own and that he does. The residents of Haddonfield don’t know it yet… but death is coming to their small sleepy town. Sixteen years ago, a ten year old boy called Michael Myers brutally kills his step father, his elder sister and her boyfriend. Sixteen years later, he escapes from the mental institution and makes his way back to his hometown intent on a murderous rampage pursued by Dr Sam Loomis who is Michael’s doctor and the only one who knows Michael’s true evil. Elsewhere a shy teenager by the name of Laurie Strode is babysitting on the night Michael comes home… is it pure coincidence that she and her friends are being stalked by him? Zombie’s Halloween is always put in the love it or hate it department. Personally im in the like it department. The first half is 100% zombie filth grime and grittiness that his movies are known for. He gives a great backstory of little Michael Myers and explains just what happened to him into the boogeyman will all know. After escaping the mental institution we see Michael goes to Haddonfield so the second half of the movie is basically a copy and paste rehash of the 1978 classic. This version of Michael Myers was by far the most terrifying one from all the Halloween movies, played by former pro wrestler, Tyler Mane, this dude is not fucking around. Nice touch by Zombie casting Danielle Harris, famously from parts 4 and 5 but obviously playing a different character in this version. The epic throw down with Laurie Strode and Myers in this one is longer and more physical as the final shot of the film has Laurie’s face covered in Michaels blood as she shoots him in the face. I give Rob Zombie alot of credit for taking the story in so many crazy directions in the first half yet then showing his love and appreciation for the original in the second half.
#5 Dawn of The Dead (2004 remake of 1978)
Written by George A. Romero and James Gunn, Directed by Zack Snyder, yes #SnyderCut of Dawn of the Dead. Here we see Ana goes home to her peaceful suburban residence, but she is unpleasantly surprised the morning that follows when her husband is brutally attacked by her zombified neighbor. In the chaos of her once picturesque neighborhood, Ana flees and stumbles upon a police officer named Kenneth, along with more survivors who decide that their best chances of survival would be found in the deserted Crossroads Shopping Mall. When supplies begin running low and other trapped survivors need help, the group comes to the realization that they cannot stay put forever at the Shopping Mall and devise a plan to escape. Here is another remake that lands on this list that is also just oozing with bad assery. From the opening till the end credits you barely get a second to breath as the kill count on this beast is roughly 438 (credited to a you tube kill count video) YIKES! That’s a fuck load of head shots. In the end Zack Snyder did Romero proud here as this film will always be known as not just a great remake of a great zombie movie, but as a great zombie movie on its own. Personally I am not a big Zombie kind of horror fan but there’s no denying this one.
#4 Friday The 13th (2009 reboot of the 80’s originals)
A group of young adults set up tent near the abandoned summer camp where a series of gruesome murders are said to have taken place back in 1980. The perpetrator was a grieving mother, driven insane by the drowning of her child, Jason, whom she believed was neglected by the camp counselors. As legend has it, the last survivor of the attacks beheaded the woman. But then Jason came back, and now he is a vengeful and inexorable killer, wielding crossbows, swords, axes and other sharp instruments. The legend proves horribly true, as these campers quickly discover. Six weeks later, the brother of one of those campers distributes posters of his missing sister. The police believe she took off with her boyfriend; but he knows better. The brother crosses paths with an uptight young rich guy who is having his girlfriend and friends over at his parents’ cabin. The brother ends up at the cabin himself just before his sister’s attacker sets upon them all. The other Supernatural brother is thankfully on this list in Jared Padalecki. He plays a dude coming to the camp to find his missing sister. The cast of characters are super cheasy and over the top clique so when they finally bite the machete you dont feel too bad for them. Luckily for us the Kills are ALL creative and for the most part all gruesome. 13 kills in all ( symbolism ) I really hope this franchise gets their legal shit together because call me crazy, I wouldn’t mind seeing a continuation of this Jason in the future in some form. A 13 episode series on HBO MAX yeah I said it, make it happen!
#3 Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003 remake of 1974)
If you don’t agree with 2003’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre being this high on the list than you simply must have not have seen it in a crowded theater. The very first time you hear leatherface’s chainsaw rev, it was so dang on loud in the theater tagged along with woman in the audience screaming theirs heads off clutching the arms of their boyfriends, that I almost jumped out of my seat in excitement. It was the moment you realized, ok this thing was going for the jugular. I recommend hopping on that youtube machine and watching the trailer for this film. I can guarantee it will wow you, as I feel its easily the strongest trailer from all these reimagining’s. Driving through the backwoods of Texas, five youths pick up a traumatized hitchhiker, who shoots herself in their van. Shaken by the suicide, the group seeks help from the locals, but their situation becomes even more surreal when they knock on the door of a remote homestead. It’s quickly apparent the residents are a family of inbred psychopaths, and the unlucky youths suddenly find themselves running for their lives. In hot pursuit is a disfigured, chainsaw-wielding cannibal known as Leatherface. A lot of gore ( especially the hitchhiker death in the beginning), combined with a likable cast highlighted by the legendary actor R. Lee Ermey playing Sherriff Hoyt and Jessica Biel being hot as hell. TCM 2003 is a hell of a ride through Texas.
#2 IT (2017 remake of 1990)
In the summer of 1989, a group of bullied kids band together to destroy a shape-shifting monster, which disguises itself as a clown and preys on the children of Derry, their small Maine town. Not going to say much about this as its fairly recent and everyone knows the deal here. Director Andy Muschietti did a phenomenal job here putting a fresh coat of paint on the Stephen King classic. As well as Bill Skarsgard doing a tremendous job portraying the dancing clown Pennywise. Chapters 1 and 2 were instant classics the second they were released. Beep Beep Richie.
#1 Evil Dead (2013 remake, reboot, sequel? who gives a shit. IT ROCKS! of 1981)
We arrived at number 1. Fede Alvarez’s masterpiece recreation of the Sam Raimi classic Evil Dead. Lets get bloody! Five twenty-something friends become holed up in a remote cabin. When they discover a Book of the Dead, they unwittingly summon up dormant demons living in the nearby woods, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left intact to fight for survival. You can tell right off the cold open that director Alvarez is a fan of the series and it determined to make a very serious yet incredibly great entry into the lore of Evil Dead. The winks to the old movies are all over the place with Mia sitting on the Ash’s 73 Oldsmobile Delta being my personal favorite. After our characters find the book of the dead in the cellar all hell breaks loose. Homage to the tree attack outside the cabin, homage to Ash’s hand sawing off in the kitchen, along with two sequences that once you see it, you can never un see it. The cheek slice in the bathroom and the now infamous tongue slice by Mia on the cellar steps. My Lord its wicked!! The final climax between Mia and the abomination outside the cabin with blood raining down is a great battle with Mia coming out on top chainsawing that bitch in half in one of the bloodiest kills in history. This remake was an easy number one for me as I find myself re-watching quite a lot and it gets better every time. Added bonus at the end with the Groovy cameo from Mr. Ash Williams himself Bruce Campbell. Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead is a classic.
“Who would wanna do that? Sequels suck!” – Randy Scream 2
The concept of the direct sequel comes from the fact that the original did gang busters enough at the box office to warrant another film. So why do 80% of them fucking suck balls? I could write another blog post on that topic alone but lets just say for the most part they are rushed. Bigger budget in most cases, but rushed. So I wanted to dip my toe in the waters of the horror genres part two’s and list in my opinion the best of the best and make a top 5 list. So sit back and relax, as I weed through all the garbage and pluck out five part two gems.
Number Five- Pet Semetary 2 (1992)
Back in the late 80’s/early 90’s is when my love for the horror genre began. One of those early favorites was Pet Semetary directed by Mary Lambert, ( I even read the book ) so when the sequel came out also directed by Mary Lambert, I needed to see it as soon as I could. Lambert purposely made this film more over the top than its predecessor and that fact shows immediately as we see the one and only Clancy Brown giggling at rabbits having sex in his rabbit cage in his backyard. Yep, and were off to the races. Not only do we got Clancy, we also got Eddie Furlong!!! LFG! This non stop bat shit crazy train starts right away and doesn’t let up. After Gus played by Clancy shoots his girlfriends sons dog bc he electrocuted himself in Gus’s rabbit cage, he straight up blows him away his dog Zowie with his rifle! Talk about 1 to a 100! So of course my man Furlong talks his friend into burying Zowie in the Indian burial ground. What could possibly go wrong right? Later that night we get a pretty killer dream sequence by Furlong with Zowie’s Head on his dead mothers body in a rocking chair. When he awakes he does see a Zombie Zowie sitting in the rocking chair looking totes Bad Ass! Fast forward to Gus crashing a Halloween party at the Pet Semetary he is attacked by zombie zowie killing him instantly prompting to, you guessed it burying that son of a bitch in the indian burial ground too. Enter one of my personal favorite Horror characters ever ( yes, you heard me.) Zombie Gus! Him laughing with, what I believe is green bean soup falling out of his mouth is madness. After a couple of unforgettable zombie Gus kills and two more indian burial visits in the bully and Furlongs mother. We get an epic three way dance fight in the attic where we get zombie puke, some burning flesh and a sad feeling as Furlong has to see his mom die for the second time. This selection may come to a surprise to alot of people reading this but damnit, its an old favorite of mine and its my list dang it!
Number 4- Final Destination 2 (2003)
If you’re asking yourself does this one really belong on this list? Tell me you have never once driven on a highway by yourself or with a group of people and spotted a truck hauling a massive amount of timber logs and not mention the Highway sequence in Final Destination 2. New Line Cinema knew that had a hit franchise potential on their hands after the success of the first film and even with the fact that it was a new writing team and a new director they went ahead anyway, and thank God they did because the franchise got bloodier and in a lot of ways better from here. Like I said the opening Highway crash sequence is one for the record books in the history of the horror genre, once you see it, you can never unsee it. I recall watching this in the theaters and it being a blast with the large crowd. For the most part its an all new cast since the original outside of Ari Larter who is there to help the new cast from the clutches of death as shes locked on in a mental institute after the events of the past film. She’s is so attractive, don’t get me started. and of course the cameo of the legendary Tony Todd. This one smartly follows the same now famous Final Destination formula. Our characters escape death in the opening highway crash so now death is pissed and ready to kill off each one of them off and man are the gruesome! Ladder in the eye, plain of glass fallen from the sky, elevator decapitation, and many more. All the deaths were created with mostly practical effects and it shows. As far as the plot goes, the writers found an interesting way to tie in this film with the original. In many ways I feel Final Destination 2 out shines it predecessor and that’s why its at number 4.
Number 3- Friday The 13th Part 2 (1981)
Released just one year after the original Friday the 13Th, part 2 is the first time we see a grown ass Jason Vorhees! Yes, One hole cut out Potato sack Jason. Why wouldn’t Jay just cut out two holes? Was he that insecure about his disfigured face? Guess so. This film was also the debut of Jason’s shack in the woods, a shack I believe was very under utilized in future sequels. The cast in this one is for the most part is forgettable except good ol’ number 81, wheelchaired Mark and that infamous machete shot deep into the face but what made it even more iconic was hilarious backwards trip poor mark took down those long steps straight out of The Exorcist. Eventually the kill became one of the series’ most infamous kills. A spear kill and a couple of cool POV kills later, we eventually get to the final girl vs Jason showdown. After a few well timed ECW like chair shots, this brawl culminates in Jason’s Love shack where we see MRS. Vorhees severed old head surrounded by candles. Very romantic. A tussle with Jenny and Paul in the shack leaves Jason dead…… until a few minutes later he comes crashing though the window mask less looking like a beat up hillbilly Jim after an all night bender. We then get a white flash and Jenny is being lifted into an ambulance and Paul is nowhere to be found, so who knows what happened. The End. This was by no means the best slasher ever, was not even the best Friday sequel but it was one of the best part 2’s, alot of firsts in this one and it lands at number 3 on my list.
Number 2- Scream 2 (1997)
Scream 2 is… number 2 here. The dynamic duo of Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson return to build on what was in many ways a genre saving movie in Scream just a year earlier. Scream 2 has a somewhat meta approach just as the first one did on the horror genre, Scream two comments on horror sequels. The core cast returns and is focused of course around Neve Campbells iconic Sydney Prescot. Bigger budget, higher body count and a considerably gorier film than the original. Much like Drew Barrymore being slaughtered in the first one, in this one Demon Knight herself Jada Pinkett Smith gets the blade in the cold open in a very memorable movie theater sequence. First things first, I always thought Buffy the Vampire, aka CC, aka SMG was super cute in this. Even the name CC is hot for some reason. Spoiler alert, she doesn’t make it through Ghostfaces wrath. This sequel does a great job just as the first one did as a constant who dunnit game you play with in own mind while you watch the film you try to determine who the killer is. Thinking back to my first viewing, I have no recollection on if I guessed the killers or not. Deputy Dooey making ridiculous faces as he tries to figure out who is the killer, Randy even more paranoid running around screaming about horror sequels (RIP) Gale Weathers still the bitch that she always has been and as always does a fantastic job. When we get to the end climax sequence we discover the main killer is MRS. Loomis, yes Billy from the original’s mother. The main core cast all survive in what was a hell of a good sequel which propelled the Scream franchise to even higher stages.
Number 1- Evil Dead 2 (1987)
Personally Evil Dead 2 is one of those first horror movies I ever remember watching as a kid. Going through my Dad’s huge collection of VHS tapes I stumbled upon this one morning and my young brain at the time couldn’t compute what was happening on screen but I knew I loved it and was forever hooked. The legendary duo returns from the first Evil Dead to bring a more slap stick approach as apposed to the straight up horror that the first one was. That duo is of course Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell. The first 15 minutes is roughly a reboot of evil dead 1 and then after were through that its off to the batshit crazy ride in the 68 Delta. To the hand held POV shots on acid chasing ash through the walls of the cabin are of legend and i’m still not even sure how they pulled it off. “We just cut up our girlfriend with a chainsaw. Does that sound fine?” This movie is absolutely loaded with memorable scenes much like the evil ash in the mirror bit I just referenced. Others is the possessed Ash hand beating the shit out of Ash in the kitchen before being sawed off by El Hefe himself. Ash having a mini dance off with a desk lamp, the lunacy goes on and on. As a group led by Annie comes to the cabin looking for Annie’s missing Father the carnage continues leading to more deadite possessions and more bloody kills ( red and green ) Wrapping it up with an unforgettable fight for survival with Henryetta for the lost pages of the book of the dead, Ash and Annie come out on top unfortunately for the duo Annie gets stabbed in the back by Ashes hand and Ash himself is teleported back to the year 1300 to set up another classic sequel in Army of Darkness. Overall for me. there was no dispute which film would be number one on this list of part 2’s for me. Evil Dead 2 like I said, is no doubt one of the first horror films I watched and formed my love and appreciation for the genre. Evil Dead 2 is the best part 2 there is. “Groovy.”
Ps. Just so you guys know, the only reason why Aliens is not on this list is because I always considered that an Action movie. A absolute classic movie, albeit an action movie.
Jennifer’s Body. Directed by Karyn Kusama and written by Diablo Cody. Staring Megan Fox as Jennifer, Amanda Seyfried as Needy and Adam Brody as Nikolai. Was released in 2009 with a budget of 16 million that grossed almost 32 million worldwide.
“Hell is a teenage girl.” Yes, you read the headline correctly, I honestly do not have a reason why I have not seen the 2009 horror/comedy Jennifer’s Body in the 12 years since it’s release, but that is indeed the case until tonight. A film that was initially hammered by critics and fans alike when it was first released has have some sort of resurgence in the last handful of years. With countless of podcasts and youtube channels I follow imploring anyone who hasn’t seen it, do so immediately, I figured what the hell, lets give it a shot. Worst case scenario, Megan Fox is forever a smoke show.
The movie opens in Jennifer’s bedroom as we see our star laying on her bed watching one of those horrible late night info commercials selling shitty exercise equipment. The camera then suddenly shifts to a side view and we see a female creepily starring into the window. When Jennifer turns towards this window this woman is gone. The sequence worked like gang busters for me. I know absolutely nothing so far and I am hooked. I am then introduced to Anita aka Needy who is a mental patient in a psyche ward. Instantly I realize Needy is cracked, and fucking strong as she kicks a guard halfway across the cafeteria. The movie then shifts to the past to a time where Needy is in Highschool and she’s BFF with Jennifer. Funny when Jennifer mentions a rock concert happening later that night, she references the bands Myspace page and I immediately felt extremely old. Surprise surprise Chris Pratt is in this movie! I did not know this, cut me some slack I cant know everything. Jenn is hilarious, the back door virgin lines made me giggle. If I can be honest, yea Megan Fox is a beautiful actress but I never seen her as a good actress but I always heard she was good in this role and I can already see why people have said this. The bar that the rock show takes place in burns down in a horrible accident and Jenn leaves the burning venue with the band who doesn’t seem to give three shits in their 89′ Rapist van. Later that same night Jenn returns to Needys house covered in blood and acting quite demonic. One hell of a cool stare down into an evil smile. Tag this up with a cool score and a growling sound effect, I really dug this. Following this was an incredible sequence of events by Jenn puking up black sludge that was like road kill mixed with sowing needles and Boston Market. all while laughing and asking Needy if she was scared. Great shit. Fox totally dove head first into this role.
The next morning were back in school where Needy meets up with Jenn who seemingly is fine compared to the state she was in the night prior. Although her bitch meter is clearly at a higher level. Later on in the day we see Jenn seduce one of the guys who are mourning one of the guys who died in the bar fire. Jenn uses this grief to her advantage to trick him to come make out in the woods. While making out something occurs that I thought was very original. Dozens of different animals spring out of their habitats to come watch the make out sesh! Well what comes next is what I thought would come next, Jennifer’s Body goes total evil and the jock becomes Jenn’s lunch. Much better than Boston Market I bet. Jennifer is having the best day since Jesus invented the calendar.
Needy starts to sense a connection between the mysterious fire of the bar and this death of the star linebacker. While I appreciate the hook handed stylings of J.K. Simmons as the teacher. The movie fast forwards to one month ahead and Jenn looks tired or she may be pmsing. She looks like shit, even though still managing to look hot at the same time. Its clear that this is Megan Fox’s best role because you can tell she is barely acting. She is acting 100% herself and it shows. In result of this, it is making the believability of the movie exponentially high. Jennifer invites a poor soul to hang out with her later that evening which sets off a kill sequence that included a killer line of “Nice hardware Ace.” More importantly was the actual death sequence though that was shot by using just the shadow of the kill which I loved. The candlelight, blood splatter and grotesque sound effects made it a home run for me.
Then is where the film starts to get very interesting to me. There seems to be some sort of connection between Needy and Jennifer ie same thoughts, Needy seeing Jenn in her dreams ultimately meeting up with each other for a superhot make out session. Jenn then starts explaining to Needy what happened to her the night she got drove off with the band in the 89 Rapester. I find out that the band is planning on sacrificing Jennifer’s body to Satan for fame. As they did it singing 867-5309 which I though was comical. After killing her I learn they threw Jenn into that whirlpool hole before coming back to Needy’s house that first night.
Needy goes full blown detective and starts doing her own paranormal research for what could possibly be going on with Jennifer. Of course nobody believes her or even wants to hear her conspiracy theories due to it being the night of the big spring formal dance. Now at the dance Needy is waiting for her date to arrive but he is cut off by Jennifer. Sensing this for some non for seen reason, Needy leaves the dance in pursuit of Jennifer.
Jennifer takes Needys boyfriend to an abandoned pool of sorts where she tries to seduce him and eventually feed on him but he shuts her down because he just cant hurt Needy. This leads to Jennifer beating the shit out of him. By the time Needy arrives its seemingly too late as Jennifer has half of his bloody neck in between her razor sharp teeth. The shot looks amazing with the green and the red. Megan Fox is genially scary here. A huge brawl breaks out that ends with a giant pool skimmer impaling Jennifer. When she takes it out she asks Needy for a tampon. A line that was so well done and funny it makes me wish i had seen this in a crowded theater back in its premiere days. Jennifer escapes the scene and unfortunately Chip dies. RIP Chip.
The movie then arrives to where it started in Jennifer’s bedroom. This time instead of seeing who I now know is Needy’s face I see jump through the window in an attempt to revenge Chips death and kill Jenn. What ensues is a crazy cool ass struggle fight with a box cutter while floating in the air and ends with Needy stabbing Jennifer in the tit aka heart killing her. Right on cue Needy’s mother comes in and sees her on top of Jennifer’s dead body which explains why we met Needy in the psyche ward in the beginning. She then explains to us how if you get bit by a demon you absorb some of their powers. Which then leads to Needy escaping the hospital and eventually going after and killing the band that started all this shit from the beginning and she accomplishes just that. The End.
My gut reaction was that one, it was better than I even expected it to be as it had great acting by everyone especially of course Fox. Cool 90’s style soundtrack. Great gore effects. With a story that wrapped up perfectly without a single damn complaint. The only negative i could say about it is it could have benefitted from being maybe 15 minutes shorter as I could have done without all the empty scenes of the band playing music. But that is nothing to take away the enjoyment of the movie. This was a funny, bloody, great first watch oh what will be a classic in the 2000’s horror spectrum.
4 Skulls out of 5 for Jennifer’s Body
IMDB Fun Facts
The waterfall portal in the movie actually exists in Judge Magney State Park in Minnesota
To prepare for the role of this demon Megan Fox lost 15 lbs to go down to 97 lbs and stayed out of the sun as much as she could.
The films popularity has grown over the years even garnering a musical in 2018.
The new Shudder original entitled SHOOK, written and directed by Jennifer Harrington. Staring Daisye Tutor as Mia. Emily Gross as Nicole and Nicole Posener as Lani.
When Mia, a social media star, becomes the target of an online terror campaign, she has to solve a series of games to prevent people she cares about from getting murdered. But is it real. Or is it just a game at her expense. I pushed play on shook because its shudder and if its on shudder I pretty much need to watch it. Also considering it was completely dead at work, it was the best option I had at the time. The film opens up and slaps you over the head with Instagram Influencer culture and I immediately got sick. I instantly hated all the characters introduced. So it didn’t hurt when the first girl kicked the bucket in the cold open. Song playing during the credits is a horrible rendition of Cindy Lauper’s Girls just want to have fun. Right away you realize that the killer of this movie is called the “Pooch Killer” and with that I almost turn it off. You cant just be out here killing puppies, cmon now! But I stayed with it. Our main character Mia is very unlikable in the opening scenes of the film, this made it interesting to me considering the whole film is going to be following her, will she ever win me over. The film is not off to a promising start.
As I jot down “If Chico dies we riot!” I realize the tension for this film will continually be built around the whereabouts and wellbeing of Chico the dog. No spoilers to come in these reviews but I will say at the 27 minute mark shit gets serious.
What follows is a very Scream inspired game of answer this question right or else through the phone, over calls and texts. Unlike Casey in Scream, Mia here uses Google to assist on the answers. The film HEAVILY relies on technology which just isn’t my jam, but I appreciate the effort by Harrington. Honestly I’m hoping a lot of people in the horror community enjoy it.
In the third act there is so many twists and turns in the story, Harrington did a great job of making you as a viewer truly have zero clue where it was headed next.. Not in a way that it was confusing, just a head trip of trying to decipher what is reality and what could possibly be in Mia’s head.
In the end, this was a very creatively shot and well acted film by its star Daisye Tutor as Mia. As the end credits rolled I felt like I went on a pretty crazy ride into the depths of how dark and deep some people may go for love, affection and jealousy. Unfortunately the amount of time spent by our characters on electronics whether it be laptops or cell phones really made me not enjoy the film as much as I probably wanted to. Like I mentioned earlier, I appreciate Harrington’s vision of this being a modern day horror film and it makes sense as most people are never three inches from their phones at all times, but for me personally I enjoy my horror movies with as little technology as possible. As I tend to use the horror genre as an escape from everyday life. Shook had some very interesting twists along the way and a few pretty intense moments, but in the end, I just feel like shook was made for a different type of horror fan than myself. I am excited to see what the Jennifer Harrington does next thought as I will be watching.
Released in 2000 distributed by Artisan Entertainment, Book Of Shadows Blair Witch 2 written by Joe Berlinger and Dick Beebe, directed by Joe Berlinger.
There’s two types of people in this world that I have discovered. The type that loves the original Blair witch project and the types that do not. For myself, the original Blair witch is one of my favorite films of all time so that goes to show you what side of the aisle I stand on. As for its follow up entitled Book of Shadows Blair Witch 2 ever since its release, the undeniable overall consensus from the horror community is that Blair witch 2 was a train wreck and a horrible film. I remember seeing Book of Shadows in theaters opening weekend all those years ago and I can tell you for a fact that I walked out of the theater not happy, damn near angry. See I was expecting something that I didn’t get, I was expecting a cookie cutter remake of the first Blair witch. Subscribing to the more of the same method to what so many franchises from my upbringing always did. This reality rubbed fans of the first film off in such a scarring way a lot of fans just wrote it off deeming it not apart of the Blair witch mythos moving forward, including myself. With that, I never watched it again.
Enter the year 2020. The 20 year anniversary of the release of Book of Shadows. A year in which included a world wide pandemic that involved extreme lockdowns and quarantines that kept people in their houses watching and rewatching movies and television shows. As the weeks and months went by I started getting desperate on what I could watch on tv as movie theaters were shut down and most of the content on streaming services don’t do anything for me. I did do a lot of first watches on classics that I never seen and rewatched many of my favorites in the genre that I have not seen in years. Now I don’t recall where I initially saw or heard about the 20 year anniversary of Book of Shadows but as soon as I did I immediately had a burning hunger to rewatch it with the thought of it just can’t be as bad as I remember, it just can’t be, right? Well 2020 came and went and this urge to rewatch Blair Witch 2 never came to fruition. Fast forward to the second week of February of the following year, as I sit on an airplane listening to an episode of The Boo Crew podcast that welcomed their special guest of none other than the director of Netflix’s upcoming true crime documentary about the vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, Joe Berlinger, the co-writer and director of the Book of Shadows. The host of the Boo Crew, Trevor Shand at one point during the interview brought up his love and affection for Berlingers work on the Book of Shadows and how great it holds up. After hearing this quick little back and forth I came to realization that this rewatch that I considered for half of 2020 will be going down later on after this flight goes wheels down. That night I went back into the black hills of Burkittsville, Maryland.
Sun down, quiet house, popcorn fresh out of the microwave it was time to view Blair Witch 2. I streamed it on HBO Max which before even pushing play I was impressed that the film was on the streaming service. I decided I was going to write this blog post whether I hated it or loved it. I just wanted to document the experience in some way. Plus I was excited considering it’s been twenty years since my last viewing with only recalling certain imagery and even that was fuzzy. The film starts off with a disclaimer stating that the following is a fictionalized re-enactment of events that occurred after the release of the Blair Witch Project and that it is based on public records, local MD tv and hundreds of hours of taped interviews. So literally right off the bat we as a viewer are placed in a world which is our own. A world that the Blair witch project was just a fake documentary based on a local small town legend. In comes MTV news and Kurt Loder and I am immediately teleported back to my teenage years, the nostalgia pulled me by the T-shirt and said we got you already, get comfortable and shut up. After a series of clips from multiple late night shows and news outlets discussing the success and how scary the Blair witch project is, it quickly shifts to a documentary style interviews of local towns folk from Burkittsville discussing what the popularity of the film has done to their small little community. From harassing locals with persistent video recordings, willing to pay for rocks from the citizens backyards, to even vandalizing property. This cold open hooked me right away, much like the original Blair witch started off with interviews of the townsfolk about the witch and the legends, where as this one started with interviews about the movie which I thought was very creative.
The next sequence we meet our main character of the film Jeff played by Jeff Donovan, from a year ago in a mental institution getting a crazy procedure done to him which immediately lets us know this guy has some baggage and maybe we shouldn’t even believe a word he says. Behind this uncomfortable situation we have composers Carter Burwell’s extremely unnerving score which I learned afterwards doing more research that before filming he went out in the woods for two weeks and collection boat loads of different sounds of twigs breaking and rock clangs and incorporated the sounds into the music and sound effects of the film and believe me, it works and made me feel very uneasy. We then have the title sequence and the helicopter fly over of the black hills woods. The music choice that the studio made for this was Marylin Manson’s “Disposal Teens” originally the song for the sequence was supposed to be Frank Sinatra’s “Witchcraft.” This may be a running theme of this post considering when Berlinger brought the finished movie to the studio they made him and his team change and add ( I’ll get to that next) to the film to apparently connect to a younger demographic and you get the sense right away if the studio heads just stayed out of the way this film may have been received in a total different light. Intertwined in the opening credits are these quick shots of brutal killings and gratuitous gore that should open the eyes of any fan of the original as the use of gore was virtually non existent. These scenes were apart of a huge plot point that yes, the studio had the film creators add before being released saying that there was not enough blood in the film, which I feel led to pointless killings of the tourist later on that we could have gone without and it wouldn’t have changed anything as far as the story Berlinger and Beebe were trying to tell. Fun fact about these scenes of the murdering of the 3 tourists and 2 Blair witch walk tour guides, they were filmed only 5 weeks before the film was released in theaters in Berlingers back yard. Crazy right?
We then are in a investigation room where our main character is being held for questioning on November 15th as one of the detectives says “we found blood in the van” followed by a cut to the actual van that is November 12th. So I can see the confusion of some to be placed in three separate time frames in essentially the first 5 minutes of the film. The van, that has The Blair Witch Hunt plastered on this side of it is Jeff’s and inside of it he is transporting three more characters Stephen and his girlfriend Tristen who are with Jeff to do research for a book project that will focus on the history or hysteria of the Blair witch. This theory is the most important thread throughout the movie. Everything involves history or reality versus hysteria. We are also introduced to the beautiful Erica, who is a Wiccan who is on the tour mainly because she is attracted to anything witch related but is incensed to making it known that she is a witch of nature and good and that the Blair witch project portrayed witches as evil which they are not. One last tour mate is picked up in Burkittsville cemetery, Kim who believes she’s psychic and with the black hair and the all black clothing we immediately know why she’s interested in this tour, she’s goth as it gets! Plus, she “thought the movie was cool.” Now that we have our crew it’s time for the tour. One last thing about the scenes shot at actually Burkittsville and it’s cemetery, the film crew got a lot of push back from the locals for filming there and were banded from returning. The remainder of the film was shot in woods outside the city limits of Baltimore.
After a quick stop at the local gas station / convenient store (the man working on the beer cooler that our characters walk over is supposed to be Rustin Parr’s ghost ) it’s off to the first stop of the tour Rustin Parr. At this point of the movie I am really enjoying all phases of it and start to develop this feeling in my gut of this movie is not going to be even remotely close to being as I remember it being or what the experts said about it. At the wreckage of what’s left at the parr house the characters begin taking photos, setting up camp for the night and we learn that Erica plans on communicating with the Blair witch even stating that she is her mentor. That night the crew sits around a fireplace under the moon and begins the spiral into intoxication. I noted down that the acting up until this point is by no means great but I am overlooking it focusing in on the plot and where things are headed. A sequence that I found very interesting is the gangs drunken discussion about societies obsession with things they can’t explain. Whether it be the Bermuda Triangle or the possibility of their being a Blair witch. It’s the reason that they are all on the tour in the first place. Tristan then says if people believe something enough isn’t it real? Perception is reality. At this point for me watching this I knew I was in for something a lot deeper than I was expecting and sure as hell for something better than I remember. Maybe it is because I am 20 years older but this is not a horror movie per say, this is a psychological thriller and it has layers. Stuff we have come accustomed to here in 2021 but back then you can imagine the studio thinking this is too deep, we need a few gory kills. At this stage I knew my year 2000 self was dead wrong and I was excited to see where this thing goes.
Then the entrance of the Blair witch walk, a different tour group rolls in on our group and I felt this was extremely out of place, not funny and actually said I wish they weren’t involved. After a ton a quick edits of more drug abuse and fire accompanied by a Queens of the Stone Age song about drugs, it is the next morning and one of my favorite sequences in the whole film occurs.
Tristan is walking toward the river holding a rolled up blanket and the music playing in the background is so creepy it reminded me of something we would hear now as a score in a years best A24 film. We see her walk into the water fully clothed and puts the towel under the water drowning it symbolizing it to be her unborn baby. After a pool of blood arises and a glimpse of a babies little hand along with a babies cry Tristan awakes next to Stephen. This took me a back, as I was not ready or expecting anything that effecting to come out of this movie. Loved it. Fun fact I learned later if you look to Tristans right in the water you can clearly see the shadow of a stick figure floating in the water beside her.
They all wake up and the shit really begins to hit the fan as overnight someone or something destroyed all the cameras and documents of research. At this moment our group begins to accuse everyone. From the tour group of last night to each other of doing the damage. What occurs next sets up the rest of the film. Tristan has a miss carriage and to recover the whole group goes to Jeff’s residence which is an old copper mills that’s only a mile or two from where the tour began. This sets off a laundry list of fucked up moments that gradually get crazier as they go. Like I said earlier the acting up until this point is not going to win any awards but the vibe, and the actually directing is top notch so far and I am still very much into this nightmare of these 5 characters.
The days and nights at Jeff’s property get aggressively more intense. They discover weird things in a time gap of the footage from the first night. Characters are seeing ghostly imagery of a little girl outside, Pagan alphabet starts to appear on everyone’s body in rash form, Erica dancing outside around a tree in the nude and many more. One thing about the little girl ghost, it gave me big time pet semetary vibes which I enjoyed. I found the creators of the film did an amazing job at making you as a viewer question every single incident that is happening on screen is really happening, is it the Blair witch just fucking with them or is it just some form of group delusion and they are all suffering from the same hysteria of it all. This is what I took out of this revisit the most and it’s why I ultimately am now a huge fan of Book of Shadows. Withought ruining all the scares and the spots to you the reader, just in case you haven’t seen it yet or in awhile, I’ll save them for you to experience. I will say that all the scares work. After viewing it I was genuinely a little freaked out walking around my house. The witch sub genre really gets to me because I feel there is a lot of truth to it.
The bottom line is this. This movie is worth a re-watch because you, like me are now much older than we were when we originally watched Blair Witch 2. In today’s world especially with a shit ton of conspiracies and different off the wall theories out there on the internet it is not a leap to think that these 5 people on a Blair witch tour were not in their right state of mind and by getting together secluded, experienced a situation where a group delusion took place which lead to all the incidents that occurred in the video footage that the police eventually showed to our characters after they were incarcerated. With examples throughout the film suggesting that these were all just indeed visions of other horror films that our group have seen such as the tapes themselves needing to be played in reverse. That’s not only a reference to the Exorcist but was a wildly known craze of playing music backwards as you will find hidden satanic messaging in the most famous artists albums at the time. More instances were when Jeff saw the barking dogs on the bridge was a reference to the omen, Erica dancing around the tree was a nod to the evil dead and finally when Kim is eating the owl ( great shot ) was a call back to the original Night of the living dead. What is real? But what makes all of us horror geeks out there crack a tiny smile is that Beebe and Berlinger still managed to keep the overall theory of what if it was the Blair witch that orchestrated this entire trip into hell. I love that in the movies and books I read. Leave the ending open to the mind of its viewer or reader. It invites more viewings to see if you can spot certain nods to teeter in a certain direction.
By the time the credits were rolling I just felt wrong. Wrong in the sense that not only was it a suitable follow up to one of my all time favorite movies, but it was also a damn good psychological thriller that spun its web into your psychosis the longer it went. I also felt bad because I spent so much time shitting on it to myself and to friends of mine throughout the years. Could the acting have been better in sections? Sure. Could certain plot points and sequences have been left on the studios desk? Most definitely. But what the team created here is something that should be respected and not shit on. The scares actually got me at times, an absolutely kick ass soundtrack, spectacular ghost, witch and psychological horror sequences. And with a third act where you truly will be debating with yourself hours after viewing what was real, what was fake, and what role did Elly Kedward, the Blair Witch herself have to play in it all? Not saying that it’s the greatest horror movie of the 2000’s but it deserves a hell of a lot more credit than it got back then and it deserves your rewatch and I feel you will enjoy it and thank me in the end.
More Fun Facts from IMDB:
Book of Shadows Blair Witch 2 was Joe Beringer’s feature film debut. Joe also appeared as “Joe” one of the Burkittsville residents during the films documentary styled opening sequence.
When the tour group picks up Kim in the cemetery she is lying on a tomb marked “Treacle.” According to the mockumentary Curse of the Blair witch, Eileen Treacle was one of the Blair witch’s alleged victims who was drowned in the local creek in 1825.
The term Book of Shadows was indeed added later by the studio even though no such book existed in the movie nor was even mentioned.
Terrified State 