Reviews
MY AMITYVILLE HORROR: LURKING SHADOWS OF TRUTH IN A HAUNTED PSYCHE
The Ghosts of Truth and Memory: A Look into “My Amityville Horror” In the uncanny realm of haunted house stories, few have permeated the fabric of American horror as deeply as the Amityville saga. “My Amityville Horror,” a 2013 documentary directed by Eric Walter, drags the infamous tale back into the limelight by weaving a…
THE ABCS OF DEATH: A MACABRE MOSAIC OF MORTALITY’S MANY FACES
Death by Alphabet: An Anthology of Terror “The ABCs of Death” lures its audience with a simple yet morbid premise: 26 letters, 26 directors, and 26 ways to face your darkest fears. This ambitious 2013 horror anthology, orchestrated by producers Ant Timpson and Tim League, compiles 26 short films, each helmed by different directors from…
HIDDEN IN THE WOODS: NAVIGATING THE THICKET OF TERROR IN AN UNTAMED LANDSCAPE
A Journey into Primal Fear: “Hidden in the Woods” In the harrowing landscape of horror cinema, few films dare to tread the line between disturbingly graphic and psychologically haunting as boldly as “Hidden in the Woods.” Directed by Patricio Valladares, this 2014 release plunged viewers into the depths of a nightmarish scenario that uncomfortably merges…
ANIMOSITY: DELVING INTO THE DARKNESS OF DOMESTIC HORROR
An Ominous Whisper from the Shadows: “Animosity” Uncovered “Beware the dwelling that knows your name…” A line from 2013’s “Animosity” that echoes long after the credits roll, encapsulating the eerie essence of this largely overlooked horror film. Directed by Brendan Steere, this narrative weaves a tale of sacrifice, secrets, and the supernatural. At its core,…
ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK: SLITHERING THROUGH THE DECAYED VEINS OF A DYSTOPIAN LABYRINTH
The Creeping Dread of a Dystopian Labyrinth Imagine a world where Manhattan Island has been transformed into a maximum-security prison, and the president of the United States crash-lands into this concrete jungle of convicts. This is the backbone of John Carpenter’s 1981 dystopian thriller, Escape from New York. From the onset, the film hooks viewers…
THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD: RAISING HELL AND HUMOR FROM THE GRAVE IN A CULT CLASSIC REVIVAL
An Undying Legacy: The Punk Rock of Horror “Do you ever wonder about all the different ways of dying?” So begins a film that delves into the humourous morbidity inherent within us all. “The Return of the Living Dead,” directed by Dan O’Bannon in 1985, reanimates the zombie genre with a self-aware wink and a…
DEVIL GIRL FROM MARS: INVADING THE PSYCHE WITH RETRO SCI-FI HORRORS
A Martian Maven Invades: “Devil Girl From Mars” Unearthed “You cannot escape me! I am Nyah the all-powerful!” With this chilling declaration, ‘Devil Girl from Mars’ marks its place in the annals of 1950s sci-fi horror. Released in 1954 and directed by David MacDonald, this British film is an oddity that blurs the line between…
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD PART II: A SECOND HELPING OF BRAIN-CHOMPING MAYHEM
A Night to Dismember: “Return of the Living Dead Part II” In the tongue-in-cheek world of zombie cinema, “Return of the Living Dead Part II” claws its way back from the grave with the same campy vigor as its predecessor. Directed by Ken Wiederhorn in 1988, this comic horror sequel dances between fright and farce,…
MOTEL HELL: HARVESTING HORROR IN THE GARDEN OF GHOULISH DELIGHTS
A Recipe for Terror: “Motel Hell” “Meat’s meat, and a man’s gotta eat.” This grisly mantra from the 1980 horror-comedy Motel Hell sets the tone for a film that simultaneously repulses and amuses. Directed by Kevin Connor, Motel Hell takes viewers into the twisted world of Farmer Vincent Smith and his sister Ida, who run…
SUPERNATURAL: EERIE ECHOES FROM THE DEPTHS OF PRE-CODE HORROR
The Whisper of Death: “Supernatural” Unearthed “I’ve crossed eyes with Death… and he’s crossed eyes with me.” This chilling line from the 1933 horror movie “Supernatural” sets the tone for a journey into the eerie and uncanny. Directed by Victor Halperin, released just a year after his seminal work “White Zombie,” “Supernatural” unfolds as a…