A Guide to the History of Horror

For newer fans looking to really understand and be a part of the genre, it can be difficult to figure out where to start and how to progress through watching the films. So, I've created this guide to help out new fans. Here we go.

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A Slasher Theater Editorial: The Scariest Movie I Have Ever Seen

As a long time horror fan, I've become a bit jaded towards actual scares in movies. Jump scares don't bother me, I know nothing is in my closet or under my bed and a guy in a mask in the woods is pretty unlikely around here. However, there is one film that actually managed to scare me...really scare me, and I don't even know why.

I, and most of my readers (judging by the poll), believe that John Carpenter is the greatest director in the history of cinema. He is an accomplished film maker in the horror AND action genres who has been around for years and years yet still remains relevant.

It isn't Halloween or even The Thing that truly scared me. In fact, it's one of Carpenters less known films that managed to make me feel uneasy.

In 1987, John Carpenter teamed up with Donald Pleasance once again. However, this time Pleasance was no longer playing Dr. Sam Loomis, he was playing a priest.

Shot in just over 30 days, Prince of Darkness tells the tale of a priest (Pleasance) who discovers a vat of green liquid in the basement of a rotting church. Confused, he calls upon a group of physicists to help him determine what exactly this green junk is. They soon discover that the goo is the essence of Satan himself contained in the tube. Soon, the evil begins seeping out and possessing the scientists. Before long, the priest must discover how to stop Satan from entering the dimension and take over.

The plot sounds a bit...silly, when read. Green goo? Priests? Isn't Alice Cooper in this movie? Yes. But that's not the point. For some odd reason, this movie terrified me when I first saw it, and continues to creep me out now. Certain things just stood out in the film. A computer screen that repeats "I LIVE!" over and over. A grainy video of a figure silhouetted against an open church door. The guy who sings Amazing Grace. That goddamn lady in the bed.

But why!? I still don't even understand myself. I guess that's what's really great about horror movies, sometimes, for some strange reason, one movie will really keep you thinking about it when you go to sleep at night and checking just one more time before turning off the lights.

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A Slasher Theater Weekly Top 10: Horror Novels

This weeks top 10 is for those horror fans who do just a little bit more than sit in front of the TV watching movies all day (not that there's anything wrong with that). Horror first began in books by the masters H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe. So, here you go, the Top 10 horror novels...

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Vintage Horror Review: Slaughter High (1986)

It's been a  while since a Slasher Theater vintage horror review, so I figured it was about time to check out an older film and review it.

As you all know, I have an undying love for horror movies from the 1980's, and Slaughter High is a cult classic when it comes to this time period. It tells the story of a shy nerd named Marty who is finally getting his chance to bang the hottest girl in school. It turns out, however, that this is a cruel prank by a group of popular students, because, as we all know from watching 80's movies, high school students were huge jerks in the 80's. After getting caught by the school's Coach, who apparently only speaks in sports puns, the group blames Marty for getting them in trouble and continue to prank him by messing with his chemistry experiment, causing Marty to become horribly disfigured and burned in the impending lab accident. The kids, who apparently thought messing with dangerous chemicals WOULDN'T cause a terrible accident, feel bad about they're final prank, which goes on to haunt them for years to come.

Fast forward 10 years. The kids are now adults and are coming together once more for their high school reunion. They arrive at their abandoned old school and head inside. They find a room with a strange little "Welcome Back" party already set up with a bunch of high school mementos and memories. For some reason, this doesn't freak them out and send them running for it, but, as we know, it's the 80's, and slasher characters are dumb. Pretty soon we're introduced to a masked madman wearing a Jester's face (a mask we saw previously during the first prank on Marty) who begins picking off students in classic slasher style, including one very graphic, very cool stomach explosion via poisonous drink. Could it be Marty, the phantom from the past?

Slaughter High is a typical 80's slasher flick with the typical amount of blood, gore an nudity. While not exactly a good movie, it is quite entertaining and enjoyable to watch. Like I say with most of my vintage films, it's a fun movie to watch with a group of people and laugh at the cheesiness, it is a bit dull to sit and watch alone.

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Jason Zinoman's Shock Value hit shelves and ebook markets today!

All horror fans should head out and buy Jason Zinoman's new book about the history of the modern horror film thanks to the likes of Wes Craven, George A. Romero, Tobe Hooper, John Carpenter, Brian De Palma and many others.

I started the book today and so far I'm really enjoying it. It's well written (taken from hundreds of interviews with the film makers) and very, very informational, offering insight into some of the greatest films that helped shape the genre as we know it. 

Jason Zinoman's Shock Value hits shelves and ebook markets today, go pick it up!

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Happy July 4th!!!

To all of my American readers and followers, Happy 4th of July! Time to fire up the barbecue, eat some burgers and hot dogs, and, if you're like me, kick back and watch some movies.

Happy Independence Day, America! and if you're from England, better luck next time!

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Jason Zinoman's Shock Value: A horror fan's dream book?

Jason Zinoman's new look at the rise of the modern horror films chronicles the evolution of horror movies through the 70's and 80's (the "Golden Age" of horror). It appears to be an awesome account of how horror really came to be and how some of our favorite films were created.


Taken from hundreds of interviews with masters of the genre like George A. Romero and Wes Craven, Shock Value has a lot to live up to in the eyes of horror fans and has the potential to be one of the greatest accounts in film history.

I'm extremely excited for the book, which hits shelves on July 7th, and have already pre-ordered my own copy. Look for the review of Shock Value by Jason Zinoman coming soon!

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