Attention Readers!

Is there a horror-related movie, book, graphic novel, television show, band or website you'd like to see me review on the Theater? 

Tell me about it!

For any suggestions, comments, or questions, send me an email at SlasherTheater@aol.com !

I'll make sure to read and respond to each and every email I receive, so give it a try!

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Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is pushed back two weeks

Troy Nixey's Guillermo del Toro produced remake of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark will open this summer on August 26th 2011 , two weeks later than originally planned.

FilmDistrict, who had recent major success with Insidious, will now compete against Dimension Films' Apollo 18 by pushing back Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. 

The film tells the story of a young girl in the middle of a recent move to an ancient mansion in Rhode Island. Unbeknown to her and her family, the huge mansion houses a terrible secret which she soon unleashes, putting everyone in danger. 

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is definitely not a film to overlook this summer, no matter how long they push it back.  

 

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Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 gets release date

If you're like me, 2009's slasher film Laid to Rest left wanting more kills, more blood and especially more of the nefarious villain known as ChromeSkull. 

ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2 will hit DVD and Blu-Ray on September 20th, after it's summer festival run. The film's trailer promises the origin and back story of ChromeSkull and, of course, way more kills.  

The movie looks promising, hopefully living up to the impressive first film that gained an immediate cult following within the horror community. If you haven't already seen Laid to Rest, it's definitely worth watching, especially for fans of 70's and 80's slasher flicks, and is currently streaming on Netflix.

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Rob Zombie's The Lords of Salem Update: Location, location, location!

Over the past few days, Rob Zombie posted some new pictures on his blog of locations he had scouted out for his new film, The Lords of Salem, which begins shooting over the next couple of months!

 

 

The locations look especially creepy and especially fitting for Zombie's Salem witch horror film. 

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ATTENTION

I will be on vacation from the 15th until the 25th and, since I'm not sure if I'll have internet or not, I may or may not be able to keep up with the blog for those 10 days. However, as soon as I return, I'll continue posting the same as I always do.

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Vintage Horror Review: Killers Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

Here it is, folks, my favorite horror movie of all time!

In case you haven't noticed or just didn't know, my absolute favorite type of horror movies are the campy, cheesy, fun ones, and Killer Klowns is all of those things.

The story centers around a small town that is mysteriously invaded by, you guessed it, alien "klowns" from outer space! They come to earth to harvest humans in giant cotton candy cocoons and suck their blood through bendy straws. Only Mike, Debbie, and the ice-cream-truck-driving Terenzi brothers can defeat the wicked klowns and save their sleepy little town from certain doom.

One thing that I really like about the film is the "do-it-yourself" style of film making, which is somewhat of a dead art in our world of high budget studio horror films and CGI. The Chiodos Brothers (Edward, Stephan and Charles) wanted to make a film that was an homage to classic horror of the 50's, most notably The Blob. So what did they do? Remake The Blob? No. They wrote, directed and produced their own film with a similar feel as those old reminders of how horror came to be. 

There's no CGI or computer effects in the film at all, adding to the raw feel of it. The klowns? Real costumes. The sets? Real locations. The finale scene? A miniature set. In my eyes, this is horror done right. Fun yet creepy. Weird yet laughable. Low budget yet good. This is one of those movies made by horror fans, for horror fans.

The overall atmosphere of the film makes you feel like you're at a drive-in move theater, and brings back that long dead feeling of movies that were fun. In recent years, films like Machete and Hobo with a Shotgun are reviving this feeling, and I personally think it's the best thing that could ever happen in a world filled with movies about kings with speech impediments and a rock finally giving James Franco what he deserves (thank you rock!). So, before watching this film, remember that this isn't like The Sixth Sense or Let Me In. The only emotion that should be felt by the viewers is happiness and enjoyment.

Now I know some Roger Ebert-loving movie snob will say it's a terrible movie because the dialogue isn't well written and the acting isn't top notch and plot really doesn't make sense. And do you know what I think about people like this and their opinions? If you don't want to have fun watching a movie then go to a funeral or watch paint dry, because horror fans like to enjoy their movies, and Killer Klowns from Outer Space is one of the most entertaining movies ever made. I mean, how could it not be? It's got clowns!

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Insidious: Give ‘em hell, kid

Like I said in my original preview for this film, I had faith in James Wan. I loved the original Saw, and Dead Silence wasn’t too bad either. He’s a young film maker with a ton of talent and a lot to offer, and James Wan put it all on the table with his newest film; Insidious.

I’ll start with the film’s soundtrack. Joseph Bishara is known for his work on the soundtracks of Night of the Demons (2009) and Repo! The Genetic Opera and I can say, in full confidence, that this is definitely his best. The strange, ominous, unsettling noises and music that Mr. Bishara brought to the film were incredible, and really set the mood for the dream-like horror movie.

The next part of the film worth mentioning is the cinematography. David M. Brewer and John R. Leonetti used the camera to even further add to the creepy atmosphere of the movie. Cinematography is something that’s often overlooked with horror films. Most movies contain the simple close-ups, shaky running cameras and static angles. Insidious is different. It combines first person shots, suspenseful moving angles, incredible use of focus/out-of-focus shots, and a ton of other creative tricks that really brought the film to life.

The third and probably most important part of the film that really blew me away was Leigh Whannell's incredible story. Unlike most paranormal horror films, Insidious wasn’t the generic haunted house story with a nice little family in their nice little home that is also inhabited by some generic evil force that leaves you thinking “Why didn’t they just move out of the house?” No, Insidious takes it a step further by saying that it’s actually the son that’s haunted. Alright, not too bad but that seems like it’s been done before as well, and that’s where Insidious really succeeds. It goes way beyond the story about a little boy with some nasty spirits following him around. I won’t ruin it for those of you who still haven’t seen it, but trust me; the trailer doesn’t even explain half of it.

Overall, Insidious was incredible, and I’ll be the first to say that, at least so far, Insidious is the best horror film of 2011. That’s right, I said it. Not only because of how much I enjoyed it, but because of how it managed to actually be scary in a genre that's become a bit jaded in the actual real scare department (this does not include shock or jump scares), especially to a veteran fan like myself. So, if you’re a real horror fan, go see Insidious as soon as possible, I promise it won’t disappoint. 

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'Scream 4' on the cover of Entertainment Weekly

As most fans know, Scream 4 hits theaters next week and revives the 10 year old series. So, this week, Entertainment Weekly magazine ran a huge article on the franchise and every aspect of it (including actors, writer, director, etc). I haven't read the entire article yet, however, this is definitely a must-have for horror fans at a fairly low price. So, if you have the chance, check it out!

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So-Bad-It's-Good (or is it!) of the Month!

Leprechaun In The Hood

Every once in a while, a film comes around that is so horribly unwatchable that you simply can not look away. This month, I forced myself to sit through Leprechaun In The Hood and, to my own surprise, I actually enjoyed how bad it was.

The film starts off with Ice T and some other stereotypical 70’s black man (the racial stereotypes in this movie would make Spike Lee physically ill). For some reason the two of them are in the sewers and stumble upon a completely out of place leprechaun statue so, as racist stereotypes, they try to steal from it. It comes alive and kills one of them using an afro pick as a murder weapon (badass!). Ice T then pulls a baseball bat out of his afro (because afros are like backpacks, right?) and defeats the leprechaun with light or something. So, of course, instead of leaving the clearly evil and dangerous thing down in the sewers, he keeps it for years in his home. Years later, a group of modern day racial stereotypes are trying to start a rap group but, quite frankly, they suck. They break into Ice T’s house and let the Leprechaun free, unleashing a reign of terror.

While watching the film, I kept a notebook handy and wrote down any thoughts that popped into my head while watching, and here’s what I wrote for this film.

• Why is he wearing a Brooklyn t-shirt if this movie is supposed to be in L.A.?
• Well that was the easiest home invasion in history.
• So long to that “positive message” from two seconds ago.
• See leprechaun, immediately empty entire clip of every gun on it
• Ice T has no emotions other than anger
• Ice T just shared a joint with the evil leprechaun….
• “A friend with weed is a friend indeed” Stoners are going to love that quote
• Why is no one more concerned with the existence of an evil leprechaun?
• A cross dresser? How is that even necessary to the story?
• What the hell kind of church is this?
• “All kidding aside, it’s time to die” That did not rhyme….
• They do realize that they’ll still go to jail if they kill Ice T, right?
• Rapist priest, and this time it isn’t little boys!
• That guy is too white for this movie
• “The crowd were impressed”
• OH MY GOD HE SHOT HIMSELF
• Wait, what?
• So now he’s a pimp-leprechaun?
• I wonder how much they had to pay these girls to be half naked for this terrible movie
• Leprechauns for Dummies
• FOUR LEAF CLOVER WEED!?
• More cross dressing…did Ed Wood direct this?
• He looks like Janet Jackson
• He’s clearly not going to be okay
• That’s a crotch shot I didn’t need to see
• “you know da lep’ is the real OG”
• Wait…what?
• HE’S RAPPING, WHY IS HE RAPPING

And there you have it folks, Leprechaun In The Hood is a cross-dressing racist rap-musical rape-fest. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

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New images from Fright Night 3D

These images, although horribly low quality, are from Fright Night 3D, the remake of the classic vampire film from 1985.

 

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The Evil Dead returns from the grave in the form of an iPod/iPad app

Much like the characters in the film, The Evil Dead simply will not stay dead. 

In recent years, we've seen Evil Dead: The Musical, Evil Dead: Fistful of Boomstick, Evil Dead: Regeneration, and now, in our age of Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja, comes The Evil Dead for the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad.

The game, which is played as a 3D shooter, pits the player in the middle of the action as Ash. The game contains over 30 levels, the first half following the events in the first film, and the second half introducing a new story and characters. 

The Evil Dead is one of those movies that will never truly go away, and with good reason. The 80's classic is one of the best movies with one of the lowest budgets, and continues to intrigue fans generation after generation. 

"Sam, Bruce and I have always been interested in finding ways to bring our 1980's Evil Dead into the digital age," said Evil Dead co-creator Rob Tapert. "And taking this first step with Trigger has been a great experience."

We'll likely see the app launch in the next month or so, so those of you with an iPhone or iPad, look for The Evil Dead game this spring!

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New image from Rob Zombie's The Lords of Salem

This new image, shown below, depicts a masked character, presumably one of the witches. From the look of it, the mask is a bit of an homage to a classic slasher that I'm sure you know.

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Glee creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuck take a stab at the horror genre with American Horror Story

The current kings of teenage TV, Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, are taking on the horror genre with American Horror Story on FX.

The Glee creators’ new show begins shooting its pilot right after the production of the high school series about a “glee” club wraps up production later this month. Murphy and Falchuk have already obtained Denis O’Hare (True Blood) and Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights) to play the show’s starring couple.

Although he hasn’t revealed any notable details regarding his character, O’Hare said that "The title is appropriate - American Horror Story– take from that what you will." And "It's not just about scariness, it's also about the psychology behind it,"

So can the same people that brought you a pop-obsessed, teen-drama show about singing tackle the horror genre and come out on top? Only time will tell.

The thing I’m most nervous about with this show is that the horror will be forced. The most successful horror show on TV right is definitely the vampire-sex-thriller True Blood. I used to be a devoted fan of the series, but in recent seasons, the inclusion of werewolves and other mythical creatures and turned it into a show that tries too hard to be a horror show, which eventually ruined the story.

American Horror Story is said to be a supernatural horror show, so we have to hope that it doesn’t follow down the path of True Blood and force itself upon us.

However, O’Hare assures us that " it's a very edgy script and that's exciting; it's not safe." So, for now, we’ll to wait and see how the show turns out.

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Rob Zombie's The Lords of Salem begins shooting this April

Cult icon, horror monster and shock-rocker Rob Zombie is the mastermind behind The Devils Rejects, House of 1000 Corpses and the remake of Halloween. In recent years, he has become a real break out in the horror genre, often out doing himself with each new release. And this spring, Zombie begins filming his new "big project", The Lords of Salem

The Lords of Salem tells the story of an ancient coven of witches returning to modern day Salem for revenge against the mortals who had them burned 300 years ago. The film currently has not revealed its cast, although we can assume Sheri Moon Zombie will play a part in the film and it's likely we'll see an appearance by Sid Haig as well; seeing as how it is a Rob Zombie film we're talking about.

Throughout the fall, Rob Zombie was extremely busy with his “Halloween Hootenanny” tour featuring Alice Cooper and the Murderdolls, the release of the Special Edition of Hellbilly Deluxe 2, and the “House of 1000 Corpses in 3-D ZombieVision” attraction for Universal Studios this Halloween. But now that the weather is warming up and the leaves are coming back to life, it looks like The Lords of Salem is finally in production.

Zombie is currently scouting out locations in the historical town of Salem, in an attempt to keep the sets as authentic as possible. "And so it begins... Great town, great locations...Much more to come since we are now moving full steam ahead." Zombie said in a recent blog post where he posted a few pictures of locations in Salem that will likely make an appearance in the film. 

Unbeknown to many, Salem holds a special place in the singer's heart, and is a nostalgic location he is glad to be working with. "“I grew up in Massachusetts, so the Salem witch trials and all that was always very prevalent. Even when I was a little kid, you take a school field trip and go to Salem to the witch museums and watch re-enactments of the witch trials. I always found it fascinating.” 

Zombie has also recently stated, in a Billboard interview, that he has possible plans to also compose the score of the film with members of his band. “I've been thinking about the music in this movie early on. We'll probably do the score this time out... not rock music, but a score. I know I want music to play a large role.”

 For updates on the film, check out Rob Zombie's film blog at http://rzfilms.blogspot.com/ and stay tuned in to Slasher Theater for further news!

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Rubber: No reason, no reason at all

Ridiculous, strange, absurd, all of these words could easily be used to accurately describe Quentin Dupieux's film about a killer tire. 

Rubber tells the story of a tire (named Robert) that wakes up and discovers it has the power to make things explode. Yes, that's the real plot of this film, and it even lets us know in the beginning that this is a movie dedicated to the "No Reason" response to common questions like why characters in certain Tobe Hooper films aren't shown going to the bathroom or washing their hands.

Throughout the movie, more and more ridiculous and unexplainable things continue to happen, making the viewing experience both campy fun and confusing at the same time, which will have you answering your own questions about the film with the classic "No Reason".

Overall, Rubber is a fun movie, however, it lacks a real plot, which may leave some viewers a bit bored towards the end.  Just know that you will be watching a film that is about an hour and a half of a tire rolling around in a desert exploding people's heads, which, surprisingly, can get a little bit old.

On the other hand, if you enjoy the absurd and the strange, Rubber is a must-see that is destined to become a cult icon once it's released on DVD and Blu-Ray, enabling a wider audience to see the film. It takes special skills to give subtle-yet-at-the-same-time-obvious emotions to a circular hunk of rubber, and this movie definitely possesses them, to the point where you may even develop feelings for the little guy towards the end. 

But just why would you ever care about seeing a movie about a tire that kills people in the first place? No reason.

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Hobo With a Shotgun: This year's "most quotable"?

Now, I know this movie isn't technically a horror film but I feel it's the type of film that should be covered on this blog. It may not be "horror" but there are certain films on here that may not fall directly under the horror genre but certainly are not far from it. This is one of those films.

Anyone who saw Grindhouse a few years back is probably familiar with the name Hobo With a Shotgun and the fake trailer that told the story of, well, a hobo wielding a shotgun. Unlike the other Grindhouse trailers, it wasn't created by a big-shot director and featured no one you've ever seen before. This is because Hobo With a Shotgun was the winner of Robert Rodriguez's fake trailer contest, and was therefore featured in the film as a result.

Fans loved the trailer, to the point where now, in 2011, Hobo With a Shotgun comes to theaters this May!

Much like both Grindhouse films and fellow trailer spin-off Machete, Hobo With a Shotgun is a film that knows it isn't supposed to be taken seriously, and constantly pushes the limits of the ridiculous and the absurd. 

So, of course, I invited all of my friends over, bought some snacks, and watched Hobo With a Shotgun, which is the best way to watch any film, especially schlock-fests like this one.

The story, sticking to the general idea of the original trailer, although bringing in some more recognizable talent and expanding the plot, begins with The Hobo (played by Rutger Hauer), a new resident of a town filled with crime, murder, and the homeless (just like Detroit!). He is disgusted by the things he sees after arriving via train, in classic hobo style. Soon after he gets there, he witnesses a grisly public murder at the hands of Drake and his two psychotic sons, Ivan and Slick. The sick trio run this ass-backwards town and will easily do away with anyone in the way of their plans. The Hobo wants to clean the town up in the most peaceful way he can think of: mowing the lawn! He heads to a local pawn shop after obtaining money in some less-than-respectable ways to buy the lawn mower, but is caught in the middle of an armed robbery. The Hobo fights back by grabbing a nearby shotgun and defending the victims. He goes on a killing spree, attempting to fix the crime in this city, that brings him all the way to Drake himself in the film's climactic final battle.

To put it lightly, this film was insane, and I loved it. It piled on the gore, tossed CGI out the window in favor of more 70's style special effects, and was definitely a true grindhouse movie. If you're like me and you love the ridiculous nature of old 70's and 80's horror and slasher films, Hobo With a Shotgun is the movie for you this spring, as long as you go into it knowing that you're about to see a self-aware, vintage-style, blood-soaked gore-fest that's so quotable you'll be laughing your head off while yelling lines like "MOTHER TERESA IS A SAINT!"

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