Classic Villain "The Reaper" Jeepers Creepers

A brother and sister driving home for spring break encounter a flesh-eating creature in the isolated countryside that is on the last day of its ritualistic eating spree.

Jeepers Creepers takes a welcome approach back to the old days of monster movies. It was this premise and presentation that made Jeepers Creepers 1 of my all time favorite films to watch. It also seems to have put actors Gina Philips and Justin Long on the map with their fantastic complimenting performance per brother and sister.

The film’s intro instantly focuses on the level of relationship that the 2 share with a back story of where they are coming from. An urban legend is planted in discussion with a mystery menacing vehicle not far behind. This road threat is only the begiining to the twist of events that are about to play out. Gina Philips stars as Patricia ‘Trish’ Jenner, the snappy sister who is getting over a relationship gone sour. Justin Long is her brother Darry Jenner returning home from college break. The 2 have opted for the scenic route which takes them thru the rural parts of the countryside. This countryside is also home to highway 9 which legend has it “claimed 2 victims” who to this day have gone missing.

The road trip is suddenly turned into a adventure when a extremely large menacing truck starts to play road games with them. Though it’s the passing of an old church that they spot the driver dumping dead bodies into a pipe that really ramps their interest. The film progresses into elevated levels of terror as they end up confronting this monster-menace of a stranger. The stranger is known by his pseudo villain name of “The Creeper” played by actor Jonathan Breck. “The Creeper” has an agenda and a mission that directly effects the 2 travelers. “Once he gets your scent, he’ll follow you to the ends of the earth”. “The Creeper” provides an instant villain with new surprises around every corner. His supernatural associations makes him an interesting mythical entity that seems to exist within the Jeepers Creepers world. Oh ya, the song “Jeepers Creepers” plays when trouble is brewing….take note

To date I believe I have seen this film 10 times. My attraction to this movie is the gradual build up of character on “The Creeper” character who transforms several times over the course of the movie. This transformation comes simple in a lack of full exposure that the director gives to us in portions. These portions being the redneck, the dirty old man, the monster, the villain and then at last the full fledged demon. In short we don’t get the full picture really all at once in explanation or visuals. We barely even know the origin of this thing which is hinted at thru script dialog. The 2nd film, tends to fill in those missing pieces a bit more, but there is something to be said for “lack of” and implication.

The movie was initially received with great response and a theatre showing .Jeepers actually exceeded its budget in returns by 49 million which made it a winner to “United Artists”, the studio behind it. Though somewhere along the line, some ass hole reviewer started to pick it apart and over criticize the film creating a wave of “it’s not cool to like “Jeepers Creepers” in motion. My research, determined that the film has a cult following that agree on its certain brilliance.

I say, stick to your gut instinct, as by my interests, this is not only a great film but an iconic addition to the genre. “The Creeper” should have been a icon it itself, though less than favorable reviews on its sequel sort of killed it’s motion. Director Victor Salva had his bases lined up in the original making it a classic by its own right. It follows the directorial “direction” of great filmmaking using a constant progression of events and tension culminating into it’s ultimate final confrontation.

Those who saw the film were not as pleased with its ending, which to me was more of an add on than a resolve. Though for those who might attempt to analyze it tighter would find that it provides a base for sequel, a follow up to the earlier foreshadow and a revolve on the main character of Darry Jenner. Even in it’s nastiness, there is a darker sense of humor left to consume as the titles roll by. Perhaps not the ending you were looking for, but original and unique. Upon review, a 3rd film has been announced that is currently under production.

Fun Facts – IMDB
Gina Philips (Trish) and Justin Long (Darry) were not allowed to meet Jonathan Breck before filming (in order to get a true reaction from them when they actually did see him with his full costume and makeup), nor did they see the BEATNGU truck before the opening scene was shot. When Philips first saw the truck, she said something to the effect of: “Is that the truck? Jeepers, that’s creepy.”

The original title was “Here comes the Boogeyman”.

At the time of its release Jeepers Creepers was the highest grossing film to ever be released during Labor Day weekend. The record would subsequently be broken by its own sequel,

The Exorcist Re Master Blu-ray

When a 12-year old girl is possessed by demons, a young priest takes it upon himself to selflessly save her at the behest of her famous movie-star mother.

The Exorcist Blu-ray Review
Warner is plotting to take over the world, one magnificent catalog release at a time...
Reviewed by Kenneth Brown, October 5, 2010

If the greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist, the greatest trick The Exorcist ever pulled was convincing audiences he just might. Can any film that's risen in its wake say the same? It never ceases to amaze me that some thirty-seven years after its original theatrical release, horror filmmakers are still desperately chasing director William Friedkin and writer William Peter Blatty's legacy, each one failing to deliver a more startling depiction of evil incarnate. Many have tried. To their credit, a small but frightening handful have even brushed greatness. But while these scant few have chipped away at The Exorcist in one regard or another -- be it storytelling, special effects, atmosphere, shock value or any one of the elusive elements that transform a horror film into a horror classic -- it's tough to name a single standout from the last four decades that bests Friedkin and Blatty's macabre masterpiece on every front. Owen Roizman's deceptively simple, utterly haunting cinematography. Steve Boeddeker's unnerving score. The film's unexpected yet flawless casting. Jason Miller's raw but restrained performance. Sweet, little Linda Blair's mangled, unholy face. Ellen Burstyn's unhinged terror. Blatty's searing screenplay. Pazuzu and its ungodly mindgames. Friedkin's sharp eye and steady hand at the helm. Ten Academy Award nominations... make no mistake, The Exorcist may just be a perfect genre storm.




The following is primarily a review of Friedkin's theatrical cut; in my opinion, the superior version of the film.



It all begins with one of the classiest, creepiest openings to ever launch a horror film. Archaeologist and veteran Catholic priest, Father Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow), examines a small stone carving in Iraq before locking eyes with a larger statue; a sneering, animalistic totem whose insidious face all but taunts the aging man. Dissonant music ascends to a feverish pitch, ravenous dogs battle to the death and The Exorcist, without much pomp or circumstance, announces its arrival. Elsewhere, in Georgetown, an actress named Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) grows increasingly concerned as her twelve-year-old daughter Regan (Linda Blair) undergoes a series of strange behavioral changes. Seizures, outbursts and inhuman developments leave the girl's doctors and psychiatrists baffled, unable to provide her mother with a viable physical or psychological diagnosis. When a personal friend, a grown man no less, is found dead outside of their home, Chris seeks advice from a dramatically different source: a nearby church. Its priest, Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), agrees to visit the MacNeil household and observe Regan. What he finds though -- a disheveled girl tortured by mysterious forces, claiming to be Satan himself -- leaves Karras reeling in doubt. Soon thereafter, the church orders an exorcism, Father Merrin flies in to perform the ritual, Karras struggles to reconcile his beleaguered faith and a showdown of the cinematic ages ensues.

But how does one begin to dissect the many, many elements that make The Exorcist everything it is? Why does it continue to resonate all these years later? How, in an age of CG-magic and seamless practical effects, can a horror flick from the early '70s leave such lasting scars? From the birth of Blatty's vicious soul-bender to the culmination of Friedkin's disturbing, stomach-churning vision, it really all comes down to one thing: the film's methodical approach to what might otherwise be a derivative, schlocky tale of good versus evil. Blatty taps into the mundane aspects of everyday life and, like every great horror maestro before and after him, places a small group of flawed but relatable protagonists into truly terrifying circumstances; unspeakable horrors that bend and break anyone and everyone unfortunate enough to be caught in Evil's snare. His story isn't just about a distraught mother and her possessed child; it's about a man struggling with a crisis of faith, a wise sage's willingness to reenter the veritable lion's den and the inexplicable victimization of an innocent. Blatty takes the time to examine Chris's unyielding love and powerless desperation, Karras's dance with his own personal devils and Merrin's exhaustion at the end of a long and eventful career. Each emotion is terribly familiar, each reaction genuine; each development organic, each revelation a shock to the system. All the while, Blatty pits mother, daughter and men of the cloth against an ancient entity so awful, so immoral, so unabashedly obscene that it seems unstoppable. Blatty didn't just create one of cinema's most vile villains, he pitted his bristling beastie against believable human beings.

Friedkin, in turn, presents The Exorcist without unnecessary flash or spectacle. Regan's rotating head and projectile vomit may stick in audiences' minds, but the film's gory details are in short supply compared to its study of Miller and Burstyn's authentic reactions to the girl's torment. His camera lingers on their faces far more than it does on Regan's physical torment; his eye is drawn to the quaint conversations and meaningful bonds that connect Blatty's characters to the real world rather than the pulpy nature of the horrors that await them; his actors are given leave to dig as deep as they can and serve up their souls for all to see. The result? Miller, Burstyn, von Sydow and Blair invest every fiber of their being into their performances, making The Exorcist a nuanced multi-character study, a heart-wrenching drama, an intense supernatural thriller and a gruesome, altogether grim horror film. Those who believe in demons and their hellish ilk will find Friedkin's classic to be more paralyzing than they probably care to admit. Even those who scoff at the mere mention of fallen angels will feel the hair on the back of their necks creeping across their skin. Faith isn't required, it's rattled; suspension of disbelief isn't necessary, it's inevitable. Modern filmfans may be yanked out of the experience from time to time -- not every special effect that slithers into view is as petrifying in 2010 as it was to trembling cinephiles in 1973 -- but Friedkin nevertheless proves himself a timeless talent and The Exorcist proves itself a timeless tour de force.

High definition enthusiasts who pick up the Blu-ray edition of The Exorcist will be treated to two versions of the film: a 132-minute Extended Director's Cut and Friedkin's 122-minute Original Theatrical Cut (each one presented on its own BD-50 disc). Both are exceptional as far as I'm concerned, but the original still stands as the definitive version in my eyes. The extended cut features a number of notable changes -- some worthwhile, some less inspired -- but the bulk of the additions and extensions are more distracting than anything else. Only one reintegrated scene (involving a conversation between Karras and Merrick outside of Regan's bedroom) elevates the film, and even then, it only shoves an already underlying theme into the spotlight. But I'm sure there are plenty of people who adore Friedkin's more recent cut for equally valid reasons. Regardless of which version of The Exorcist you prefer, Warner's 2-disc Blu-ray release is a godsend. Two versions of the film, two incredible AV presentations and a slew of special features. I have a feeling we won't be seeing many complaints about this one popping up in the forum.



The Exorcist Blu-ray, Video Quality



My gratitude to Warner Home Video for presenting this high definition Blu-ray, which was color-timed by the cinematographer Owen Roizman and myself and represents the very best print ever made of 'The Exorcist.' Enjoy!

So writes William Friedkin in a gushing insert included with Warner's striking Blu-ray release of The Exorcist. Presented via two separate, comparably restored and remastered 1080p/VC-1 transfers (each version of the film has been granted its own BD-50 disc), Friedkin and Blatty's horror classic, be it the director's extended or theatrical cut, has never looked better. Roizman's atmospheric photography is teeming with stunning primaries, ominous shadows, stark whites and lifelike skintones. A few faces are slightly flushed (mainly during the first twenty-five minutes of the film) and blacks succumb to minor crush and inconsistent contrast leveling during the final showdown sequence, but the whole of both cuts rise above such fleeting shortcomings to deliver a fit and faithful rendering of each. Moreover, detail is nothing short of stunning, particularly for a film rapidly approaching its fortieth birthday. Fine textures are surprisingly well resolved, edges are crisp and clean (with only a hint of intermittent ringing), many closeups and midrange shots look fantastic, and delineation, though a tad problematic at times, is true to its aging source. I can't tell you how often I shook my head in disbelief. Not at any glaring distraction, mind you, but at the near-pristine quality of the print, the clarity of some of the thirty-seven-year old scenes and the disarming beauty of the transfers' most remarkable shots. Yes, softness abounds (as it does in most any film from the era), and yes, grain-haters will be aghast at the at-times uneven, at-times aggressive grain apparent throughout both presentations. But purists and diehard videophiles will cheer. Edge enhancement has only been employed here and there, and judiciously at that; DNR clearly isn't an overriding issue; artifacting and banding rarely make an appearance (although the film's opening sunrise does suffer from faint banding and a handful of establishing shots are home to some negligible digital clutter); significant print damage has all but been eliminated; and glaring anomalies -- macroblocking, aliasing, aberrant noise and the like -- aren't a factor.

Warner delivers yet again as The Exorcist, gristly grain and all, emerges as another exceedingly faithful, lovingly restored and deftly remastered Blu-ray presentation in the studio's march toward catalog dominance.



The Exorcist Blu-ray, Audio Quality



The Exorcist also arrives with two full-fledged lossless audio mixes in tow -- a DTS-HD Master Audio 6.1 surround track on the Extended Director's Cut and a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track on the film's Original Theatrical Cut -- both of which are quite good. (Again, particularly for a thirty-seven-year old catalog title.) Dialogue, though sometimes challenged by inherent environmental noise and reasonable hiss, is clean, clear and neatly prioritized. Several lines are buried beneath the ensuing demonic chaos, sure, but it rarely affects the overall experience. The LFE channel, meanwhile, doesn't miss a single opportunity to impress, all but assaulting the soundstage with powerful thooms, room-splitting crashes and guttural groans. The rear speakers make their presence known as well, transforming Regan's possession into an all-too-convincing 360-degree nightmare. Ambience, both quiet and forceful, skitters from channel to channel, pans are unnervingly smooth, directionality is eerily precise (and often caught me off guard), acoustics are believable and Steve Boeddeker's score inhabits the entire experience. That being said, the film's smartly crafted sound effects range from tinny to hollow, muffled to muddy, effective to strong, and natural to realistic. I know, I know. Certain considerations should probably be made for a film of its age, and most of the effects are spot on, but too many misfired clangs and bangs will strike casual listeners as stagey and a bit weak-in-the-knees. By no means should that scare filmfans away -- any quote-unquote mishap present in the mixes is most likely attributable to the condition of the original elements -- as even the most hard-hearted audiophiles will be thoroughly pleased.

Apollo 18 Thoughts

its The Blair Witch Project on the moon, Apollo 18 takes the found footage horror genre into outer space. story of a lost NASA mission hidden from the public for nearly 30 years, Apollo 18 somehow manages to seem fresh and exciting even as it recycles the edgy tensions of the Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity.

From official account, the Apollo 18 mission never happened. However, footage has somehow popped up on a conspiracy obsessed website and it reveals footage shot by three astronauts of a mission to the moon gone horribly wrong. In the course of 85 minutes we will watch what begins as any other mission to the moon, as it becomes a slowly unfolding tragedy.

The mission goes off without a hitch, from launch to the landing of two astronauts on the lunar surface as a third circles the moon waiting to drive everyone back to earth. Once on the moon however, strange things begin to happen. First, communications breakdown between the moon lander and NASA.


Then, in a shocking and unexpected twist, the astronauts find that they are not alone on the moon; another country has recently been on the moon and they left behind terror in their wake. I won’t spoil the surprise as many other critics already have; I will only say that there is blood and plenty of it on the moon.

Apollo 18 was directed by the ingenious Spanish director Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego who makes clever use of ancient camera technology, the film is set in 1974, to limit what we can see and reinforce the film’s found footage premise. The cameras that the astronauts were instructed to plant on the moon give us static images that when lingered on require audience members to search the screen for clues in what becomes a tense search for signs of life.

Actors Warren Christie and Lloyd Owen are cleverly cast as the terrified and confused astronauts. Both actors are vaguely recognizable but are not so well known that they take you out of what is supposed to be an assemblage of found footage edited into ‘documentary’ form. Cast Matt Damon as one of the astronauts and the movie-ness would undermine the notion of found footage.

Apollo 18 doesn’t break any new ground but the film is well shot, the scares arrive in a strong rhythm keeping the audience in a state of perpetual tension and the finale leaves no questions about the astronauts’ fates. Most importantly, Apollo 18 has one moment, one big scare, that will elicit more than a few terrified shrieks.

What Horror Movie Is your Favorite?

This is definitely a tough one I know. Even for me there are so many horror movies to choose from. But for me one movie stands a little taller than them all in my eyes and that the Original "HALLOWEEN”. Personally it’s such a rare movie.

First thing is that if you never noticed there is so little blood in the movie. Whereas now a days and the copy cat movies that followed Halloween used tons of blood to scare you and creep you out. John Carpenter instead used the creepy music and the element of surprise to get you Jumping out of your seat. Even love the funny flaws through the movie. Like Jamie Lee Curtis is walking home from school one scene its dry out and next scene ground is soaking wet. Again every movie has there screw up but all in all my favorite horror movie what is yours?

Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn Blu-ray 11/15/11 Release

Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn Blu-ray offers solid video and great audio in this excellent Blu-ray release

Ash, the sole survivor of The Evil Dead, returns to the same cabin in the woods and again unleashes the forces of the dead. With his girlfriend possessed by demons and his body parts runnning amok, Ash is forced to single-handedly battle the legions of the damned as the most lethal — and groovy — hero in horror movie history! Welcome to Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, director Sam Raimi's infamous sequel to The Evil Dead and outrageous prequel to Army of Darkness!

For more about Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn and the Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn Blu-ray release, see the Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn Blu-ray Review

Starring: Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks, Kassie Wesley, Theodore Raimi
Director: Sam Raimi

Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn Blu-ray Review
Groovy.
Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman, November 14, 2011

When is a sequel not a sequel? Well, take the case of Evil Dead II, also known as Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn. This second Evil pairing of writer-director Sam Raimi and star Bruce Campbell doesn't pick up from where the first Evil Dead left off, it instead reinvents some of the same characters from the first film, notably Campbell's daffy hero Ash and putative girlfriend Linda (played by Denise Bixler in this film), and plops them back in the same basic plot setup as the first film, in a kind of horror-comedy Groundhog Day scenario. Once again Ash visits an isolated cabin in the woods, turns on a tape recorder that has a professor spouting verbiage from the Necronomicon, and the next thing you know, all hell has broken loose, quite literally. Raimi is a director who may not win points for finesse, but he works in a manic, breathless style that is perfectly suited for the outré black comedy of the Evil Dead franchise, and that devil may care, throw caution to the wind spirit is what has made the Evil Dead trilogy (Army of Darkness was the third film, though there's evidently a Raimi-Campbell remake of the original Evil Dead in the offing) such a cult sensation and what continues to draw audiences to the films to this day. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn is an extremely gruesome affair, but it's also laugh out loud hilarious a lot of the time, with Campbell's intentionally arch delivery and wide-eyed crazed, cartoonish performance style making the most of Raimi and co-scenarist Scott Speigel's reinvention of the Evil Dead premise. While there are certainly a few shocks along the way, courtesy of typical horror film clichés like jump cuts and sudden LFE on the soundtrack, Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn is really a sly, if sometimes sinister, comedy, one blacker than, well, death, but which delivers some consistent guffaws mixed in with the more typical "avert your eyes" blood and guts which Raimi obviously loves and loves to exploit.


The relationship between Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell may not rise to the iconic level of, say, John Ford and John Wayne, but there is an undeniable symbiosis between the two that finds its near-perfect expression in the Evil Dead franchise. Campbell is frequently reminiscent of a live action version of something you'd see in a Chuck Jones cartoon, and Raimi and Spiegel's screenplay allows the actor to literally go a little (maybe more than a little) crazy throughout the film. Campbell's glaring, manic performance is the anchor of Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, as flippant as that anchor is. But the entire film is filled with absolutely goofy humor. Not to give too much away, but after Campbell's character Ash has to, um, deal with his right hand, which has become possessed by an evil spirit, he places the dismembered limb in under an overturned bucket, on top of which he piles a stack of books just to keep the bucket in place (for a second, anyway). The book on top of the stack? Why, A Farewell to Arms, of course. It's that kind of silly, but very smart, humor that makes Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn so much fun so much of the time.

The film is a veritable riot of practical effects, including puppets, outrageous make-up, and even some Ray Harryhausen- esque stop motion animation. It all gives Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn its palpable Looney Tunes ambience, even as some of the special effects are so over the top with regard to blood and gore that they virtually drown the film in rivers of blood. Some of the supplements included on this Blu-ray give us a peek behind the scenes at how many of these sequences were created, but even without that knowledge, the film is rather impressive within its lo-fi confines, with a wealth of effective, if not exactly current day state of the art, effects sequences.

The best thing about Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn is that it knows exactly what it wants to be. This isn't an exercise in gratuitous gore—well, it isn't just an exercise in gratuitous gore, it's a film which takes a whole series of horror film clichés and then bends them to Raimi and Spiegel's brilliantly funny revisionism. Raimi doesn't miss a beat in this film, wasting little to no time in setting up his premise and then delivering one horrific-hilarious sequence after another. The audience may well be dead by dawn after watching this film, but only because they've been laughing so hard.

Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn Blu-ray, Video Quality

Bruce Campbell is on record stating that this 25th Anniversary Edition of Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn sports a new AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1, supposedly much improved from the problematic original Starz/Anchor Bay Blu-ray release, but generally speaking, Evil Dead 2 has never really looked very good in any of its home video iterations. This was a film shot on the fly for a very modest budget, and it looks it. The stock here is quite grainy almost all of the time, only magnified by some of the optical effects utilized in several sequences. But a lot of this Blu-ray pops rather nicely, especially in the better lit sequences which feature close-ups, when the gash-filled make-up on Campbell's face offers some gruesome detail, and we can see everything from the pores in his skin to his flyaway hair. Some of the special effects sequences haven't aged particularly well from a technical standpoint, so some of the green screen and composite effects literally show their seams in this high resolution format. There's also persistent crush throughout this presentation which may be particularly troublesome for some videophiles as so much of the film takes place in darkened environments.

Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn Blu-ray, Audio Quality

Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn is presented with a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix that offers some fair immersion with a couple of really spectacularly effective surround effects. In a general sense, this track offers abundant LFE throughout the film, and while some might have wanted more consistent surround activity, when we get the evil spirits marauding through the forest or the cabin, and then, much later in the film, when the survivors hear a bunch of roars and crashes surrounding them, the surround channels are fully alive and nicely immersive. Dialogue (and screams—lots of them) are clear and well prioritized, and the wealth of sound effects also are presented with clarity and precision. There's not much dynamic range in this film, as it pretty much starts at "11" and then stays there for the vast bulk of the film.

B Movie Classic Killer Klowns From Outer Space

If the title did not get your attention, you probably have been riding the short electron on the Internet. This is a cult classic. Ray guns turn people into cotton candy wrapped corpses that the Klowns feed on, popcorn grows into little fanged Klown monsters, and there are even killer pies. Killer pies!

To start our story, all of the college students are at the "Top of the World," which is just a hill where kids go to park and make out. I am a bit confused about Mike and Debbie, and the other couples, because they are a little old for college students. Both of the main characters must be around twenty-five. Most people are not in college by then (you grad students shut up), nor are they forced to use their sole personal bailiwick, their vehicles, for romantic interludes. Anyway, Debbie and Mike are basking in the afterglow of deep kissing when a fiery object streaks through the night sky. What could it be? A meteor? It has to be a meteor, and it landed in the nearby woods! The two lovebirds go looking for the fallen star.

What are you two doing? Haven't you ever seen The Blob, Slither, or any other science fiction horror film? You do not want to find whatever it was that just arrived on Earth. Go home and arm yourselves with a shotgun and/or fire extinguisher.

Another individual watched the object fall from the sky: old Farmer Gene Green. He heels his dog (more like, "Come on, boy!") and plunges into the trees. Farmer Green does not find Halley's Comet fallen to Earth; he discovers a brightly colored circus tent in the middle of the woods. A weird glow radiates from inside the strange pavilion. By the time Mike and Debbie reach the circus tent of extraterrestrial horror, the farmer and his dog are gone. Mr. Green did not leave, nor did his dog run off chasing a rabbit; the Klowns got them.

Mike thinks that the circus tent is awesome, and I have to agree. A subtle beauty of "Killer Klowns from Outer Space" is the props and set designs. They are great! Cheap, but great all the same. Maybe that is the beautiful simplicity of making a Killer Klowns movie - you can create the sets and props out of just about anything, judiciously apply bright pastels, and voila! On the other hand, maybe the people who came up with all of this simply had a great idea and knew how to apply it.

Exploring the arcane alien artifact convinces Debbie that this is no mere circus tent. The neutrino power plant gives it away. Oh, and the dead bodies wrapped in cotton candy. Mike was prepared to argue with his hyperventilating girlfriend until they discovered the cotton candy corpses. After that grisly find, the two protagonists are frantic to find their way out of the Klowns' tent. Some of the painted alien horrors chase after Mike and Debbie, but the pair escapes with only a slight coating of popcorn on their clothes. The Klowns' balloon dog bloodhound is killed during the humans' escape (Mike runs over it).

Yes, the Klowns make a balloon dog that barks as it follows Mike and Debbie's trail. The movie is full of fun little touches like that. What else would a Killer Klown from outer space use for a bloodhound? Okay, maybe an elephant would be fitting. However, elephants are not cheap. They might work for peanuts, but we are talking about an awful lot of peanuts here. Quantity can be a critical factor. Don't believe me? Give me a penny. Give me a hundred pennies. Now give me enough pennies to fill a football stadium.

Moving on.

When Mike and Debbie arrive at the police station they are faced with two problems. One is where to put the car, because Mike completely forgets how to parallel park and becomes a hazard to anything less than six inches from the curb. The second hurdle is convincing a police officer that the town really is under attack by Killer Klowns from outer space. Mooney is not having any of it. Impressively, Dave listens to the story and agrees to go check it out. Part of Dave's cooperative spirit comes from the fact that he and Debbie used to be an item. The young policeman still has feelings for his old girlfriend. Hearing that she was making out at the "Top of the World" with Mike catches Dave by surprise. However, kudos to Dave for not immediately tossing his romantic rival into a cell (especially one already occupied by a mother-stabbing father-raper).

Mike should thank Debbie for introducing him to Dave. "Oh, so this is your old boyfriend. The one with the pistol, wooden baton, and handcuffs. I was kind of hoping this guy would never know I even existed. Don't kiss me in front of him! Are you insane?"

The guys drop Debbie off at her place, then proceed to where Mike and Debbie found the circus tent. The tent is gone; the only thing that remains is a huge hole in the ground. That is because the Klowns are rampaging through the town and knocking off the residents in various clownish ways. Unfortunately, Dave does not know that. He thinks that Mike and his old girlfriend are playing a practical joke. Dave discovers the truth soon enough. Make-Out Point has been devastated. The only thing left is empty cars.

"It was as if dozens of canoodling twenty-somethings suddenly cried out in terror, and were replaced by honking clown horns."

Back at the station, Mooney has been swamped with phone calls from frightened citizens. The whole darn town is going crazy! Imagine if you were a police officer - a fat one, who hates the people you pledged to protect and serve. Now imagine what you would do if those hoodlums all tried to play a practical joke on you by calling in obviously false reports of Killer Klowns from outer space. Gets you a little angry, doesn't it?

I have a news flash for you: if the whole town hates you, maybe they are not the problem.

Mooney does eventually get what is coming to him (karma, thy face is painted with the reds and whites of slapstick). A Killer Klown turns itself in, and Mooney tries to commit a little police brutality on the frightful invader. So, when Dave arrives back at the station alone, having dropped off Mike en route, he finds the inside of the cellblock covered with Klown footprints, and Mooney turned into a ghastly ventriloquist's doll. It is by luck alone that the young officer shoots the alien in its weak spot: the nose.

Meanwhile, Debbie has been taking a shower. The whole time that Dave and Mike were driving back and forth, poking around the woods, and reacting with horror to the implied carnage on Make-Out Mountain, Debbie has been in the shower. She spends enough time getting clean that the strange popcorn which had covered her clothing turns into a bunch of Klown-headed serpents. Escaping those is easy enough (though her sweater sustains a pair of mortal wounds), but when she leaves the bathroom Debbie finds the Klowns waiting for her. The young woman is not embalmed in cotton candy; instead the Klowns imprison her in a giant balloon.

There is a great scene in here with the Klowns walking down the street, zapping people and turning them into pink eggplants, and then sucking up the cotton candy treats with a huge vacuum that is attached to the front of their Klown death machine. We also see where the Klowns moved their headquarters. The circus tent is cleverly hidden right in front of everybody's eyes - at the local amusement park! Of course they would disguise their spaceship (it is a spaceship) in an amusement park! It's genius, like a butler hiding in a penguin colony!

Have you ever watched one of those nature specials and thought you caught sight of a butler milling about among all of the penguins? That is what I am talking about!

Feel sorry for the lone security guard at the amusement park. He tries to stop the Klowns and they pie him to death. I guess Killer Klown Kreme Pies are made with graham cracker crust, vanilla filling, whipped cream, VX, and perchloric acid. Mike, Dave, and the Terenzi brothers avoid painful dairy death and infiltrate the Klowns homestead. Once again, the humans are forced to deal with unusual situations. There are progressively smaller sets of doors, ball pits, female Klowns whose breasts inflate, and other oddities that only make sense in light of the plot's context. The balloon-filled hallway sort of reminded me of my senior prom. Never have so many done so much with construction paper, streamers, and balloons, for so few who cared.

The protagonists finally reach the center of the ship, and encounter the overlord of the comic cosmic invaders: Klown El Grande. Whether they live or die will be decided by Dave's ability to slay a twenty-foot-tall monstrosity. If Dave is not up to the task, King Klown is going to use the trio as human whoopee cushions. I guarantee you that if a two-ton Klown sat on somebody, they would make a funny sound.

The BloB Remake Rob Zombie Style

Rob Zombie will be directing a remake of The Blob, a film about the monstrous jelly like creature from another planet. This remake of the 1950s movie will likely debut in 2011.

Rob Zombie is well known for writing and directing hair raising gruesome movies such as House of 1000 Corpses and Halloween. The Devil's Rejects, which he directed also had garnered almost $20 million dollar wordwide, that's not too bad for a low budget film. According to reports, Zombie will be directing a remake of the 1950s The Blob. The movie is about a jelly like creature from another planet which consumes everything on its path. It was believed that this creature is indestructible and unstoppable.
Via IMDB:

A meteorite falls in the country of a small town, bringing a jelly creature. An old farmer is attacked by the alien in his hand, and the youths Steve Andrews and his girlfriend Jane Martin take him to Dr. T. Hallen. The local doctor treats carefully the blister, and asks Steve to investigate the location where they found the old man. When Steve returns, he sees the blob killing the doctor. Steve and Jane try to warn the police and the dwellers, but nobody believe on them, while the blob engulfs many people, getting bigger and bigger.

According to some reports, Rob Zombie's The Blob remake will be ready by 2011.by john auriada

A Look Back at Jigsaw (SaW)

John Kramer, commonly referred to as "Jigsaw", is a fictional character and the central character in the Saw franchise. Jigsaw made his debut as the primary antagonist in the first film of the series, Saw, and he's later portrayed as an antihero in Saw II, III, IV, V, VI and 3D. He is portrayed by American actor Tobin Bell.

In the series' narrative, Kramer is a former civil engineer dying from an inoperable frontal lobe tumor that had developed from colon cancer. After a failed suicide attempt, Kramer experienced a new respect for his own life and set out to force others through deadly trials to help them appreciate their own lives by testing their will to live through self-sacrifice. The tests were typically symbolic of what Jigsaw perceived as a flaw in each person's moral character or life. The Jigsaw name was given by the media for his practice of cutting puzzle pieces out of the flesh of those who failed their ordeals and perished, symbolic of their missing survival instincts, but Kramer never took or used the name to refer to himself.

THE THING 2011 Version Thoughts

Where do I start? It’s Hollywood (well America and Canada, actually) fucking around with one of my all-time favourite horror movies. Rob Zombie made a dog’s breakfast of Halloween (1978), another all-time fave, and now a Dutch director and an American screenwriter are allowed to tamper with The Thing (1982), another John Carpenter masterpiece. The producers of Zack Snyder’s re-imagining of Dawn of the Dead (2004) got their mitts on the Universal rights to Carpenter’s remake (yes, a remake, but hell, so vastly different – and superior – to the Howard Hawks original), and with director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. on board helming his first feature, and screenwriter Eric Heisserer, who penned the tedious remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) and the recently released Final Destination 5 (2011), the pair pitched the idea of not a sequel to Carpenter’s movie (so MacReady and Childs remain freezing their nuts off not knowing if either is an alien), nor a remake (of a remake), but instead a prequel, telling the story of the ill-fated Norwegian base that MacReady and crew visit and find decimated.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Kate
The original prequel screenwriter, Ronald D. Moore, described The Thing (2011) as a “companion piece” to Carpenter’s. Moore’s draft was so extensively re-written by Heisserer, that he no longer receives a credit. Apparently Heisserer went back to John W. Campbell Jr’s original short story, Who Goes There? for inspiration, as well as studying Carpenter’s movie intensively so as to provide continuity, as the prequel ends with a segue scene that leads directly into Carpenter’s movie. But the irony is that The Thing prequel is as much a remake of Carpenter’s movie as it is a prequel, so as a companion piece it is very buddy-buddy howdy-doody. There are numerous scenes that mimic/replicate (ha, the irony!) Carpenter’s movie, so that it begs the question, what’s the bloody point? I felt the same way with the Hollywood remake of Let the Right One In (2008), Let Me In (2010).

Derek (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) and Carter (Joel Edgerton) defend themselves
But then I have to let the cynical reigns loosen a little and consider that there will be many who will watch The Thing prequel who haven’t seen Carpenter’s movie, and will no doubt find it to be an entertaining science-fiction horror, just as those who watched Let Me In, without having seen the Swedish original. Still, despite the telling of the Norwegian’s plight, there is not a lot of new material, it’s essentially re-telling the plight of the American base; hapless scientists are terrorised by a desperate, malevolent xenomorph that is able to absorb the human body and then replicate it, thus hiding and escaping detection, and creating paranoid and distrust amongst the surviving humans.

The ice is drilled for an alien tissue sample
Taking place three days before the events of Carpenter’s movie, young paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is recruited by scientist Sander Halversen (Ulrich Thomsen) and his assistant Adam Goodman (Eric Christian Olsen) to join a Norwegian scientific team that has stumbled across a crashed extraterrestrial spaceship buried beneath the ice of Antarctica. They discover the frozen corpse of a creature that seems to have died in the crash eons ago. A prologue sequence has three of the Norwegian team discover the crash zone when their Snowcat crashes through thin ice and plummets into an abyss, but becomes wedged. They shine their torches into the darkness and illuminate a giant spacecraft.

Kate and Halversen (Ulrich Thomsen) look on as the thing is autopsied
After recovering the frozen creature in a large block of ice, they transport it back to their base and conduct a tissue sample experiment, drilling through the ice. Kate is dubious about Halversen’s ethics. Later while they all toast their extraordinary discovery in the rec room Derek (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), one of the two American chopper pilots, goes and has a squizz at the alien beast silhouetted in the translucent, melting and cracked, ice block. Suddenly and violently the thing bursts out and smashes out through the roof. All hell has broken loose.

Kate and Carter trying to escape the thing's spacecraft
Kate ends up as a cross between a fearless Ripley and a re-imagining of MacReady’s character, with Joel Edgerton playing the other American chopper pilot who aids her in trying to stay one step ahead of the thing. The rest of the cast is thing fodder.

I admired Heisserer adhering to a high level of continuity (reverse engineering) to Carpenter’s movie, with the production design of the Norwegian base, and including Colin (Jonathon Lloyd Walker), who MacReady and crew discover had slit his throat as he started to change into the thing, and the blood-splattered axe in the wall. But I wasn’t so impressed with the reveal of the thing’s spacecraft interior. It these scenes, late in the movie, the production design looks cheap, like a Doctor Who set, and not very convincing. Especially as the suspense surrounding Kate a la Ripley is very reminiscent of the end of Alien (1979), and the alien interior is obviously echoing Giger’s work, but fails to impress. The thing’s analogue/digital block engine (?) core concept was curious, but in the end, only a distraction.

I did enjoy the use of Ennio Morricone's "heartbeat" cue, which bookends the movie. And similar reveal of the title credit, as well as the same font for the opening credits, including the establishing, "Antarctica, Winter, 1982."

The special effects are solid, with a fairly seamless integration of CGI and animatronic work, but I couldn’t get Rob Bottin’s masterful work out of my mind. There are several nods to his work in Carpenter’s. I was disappointed that the thing’s primary form was only revealed very briefly at the end. I thought we’d see it when it escaped the ice block, but that was a blur of movement. The overall effect of the special effects was underwhelming.

Director Heijningen has aimed at maintaining the suspense and strong character of Carpenter’s movie, but in doing so, he achieves a half-decent effect, but ultimately is walking in the footsteps of a master. The movie is by no means mediocre, but hollow comes to mind. It's tense without being truly frightening. The cast is solid, and nice to see Mary Elizabeth Winstead in such a serious role, but I wasn’t completely sold on Edgerton’s vague American accent, and how come he knew nothing of the American base, instead telling Kate they’ll head to a nearby Russian one … Well, I do know really, but that would reveal a possible sequel spoiler. And for once I’ll stay buttoned on that.

Fright Night (2011) is an example of a remake that takes the ball and runs with it. The Thing (2011) is an example of a remake, er, I mean prequel, which takes the ball, and throws it over its shoulder hoping someone behind will catch it. Hmmm, I’m not quite sure I understand my own analogy, but you get the drift.

Now, the question is, will Ridley Scott's Alien companion piece-cum-prequel, Prometheus, due out next year, be a stand-alone great movie, or will it remain trapped in the shadow of its masterful original?

10 Underrated Horror Sequels

There’s no shortage of horror sequels.

In fact, it’s probably the only genre in which the sheer amount of endless sequels outweigh originals.

But while many horror sequels often deserve thier reputations of being poor cash-ins which rehash and recycle the same scares of previous entries, there’s also many out there which have had an unfair reputation over the years. Despite being pretty decent films in their own right, they’re forever shadowed by the legacy of the first film or tainted by fan expectations.
by stephen leigh

Here’s my personal pick of 10 oft-dismissed horror films which are actually rather good.

Psycho II (1983)


Few sequels have attracted as much scorn as Psycho II, which had the nerve to follow up Hitchcock’s iconic classic. But while the mere idea of following up Psycho is fraught with danger, Psycho II is actually an enjoyable and effective thriller which manages to compliment the first film – rather than even attempt to outdo it – by further developing the character of Norman Bates.

Set 22 years after the first film, Psycho II sees Norman released from a correctional facility and back into society – although giving him the keys to the Bates Motel perhaps wasn’t the greatest idea. While it takes a few liberties with the back-story, the way in which Norman is depicted as a victim of his own torment makes him a surprisingly sympathetic killer – especially thanks to Anthony Perkins’ excellent reprisal of the role.

Psycho II is an admirable follow up and one of the best slasher films of the ‘80s. It’s also the only one that to my knowledge includes an OAP being smacked around the head with a shovel.

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1983)


With Michael Myers burned to a crisp during the climax of Halloween II, the future of the profitable franchise was up in the air. The solution was to turn the series into a yearly horror franchise which would offer a different ghoulish storyline with each entry. The result of which was Halloween III: Season Of The Witch.

Fans were outraged that Michael Myers wasn‘t anywhere in sight- having forgotten that it’s hard to recover from being incinerated to a crisp. Unable to accept this change in direction, the film confused many horror fans and left critics cold with its sinister plot which involved the mass murder of children on Halloween night.

There’s plenty about Season of the Witch that’s enjoyable, leading to it becoming something of a cult favourite. Tom Atkins is joyously sleazy as Dr.Challis, the plot is magnificently barmy and the whole affair has the great ominous feeling of John Carpenter’s early work – right down to a creepy synthesized score by the man himself.

Alien 3 (1992)


It’s up for debate as to whether or not this can be strictly classed as horror, but as a return to the darker tone of Ridley Scott’s original after James Cameron’s gung-ho Aliens, it’s a fair assumption.

It would also be an understatement to say that David Fincher had a tough job on his hands when he took on Alien 3 as his feature film debut. Not only was he following in the footsteps of two established and well respected directors but he was under constant pressure from executives at Fox, as well as endless script re-writes and budgeting cuts.

The result is a patchy and uneven film, but certainly not a bad one by any measure. Its biggest problem is the hastily rewritten script and difficulty in setting itself apart from the previous entries, but it certainly has its share of classic moments – most notably the shower scene as pictured above.

Nonetheless, with Fincher himself dismissive of the final result, as well as a subdued critical response, Alien 3 has a reputation of disappointment which it struggles to shake. Yet underneath the expectations is an interesting film which is perhaps the most distictive and unique of the entire series.

The Exorcist III (1990)

The Exorcist II: The Heretic might be a confusing mess of a film, but it’s not quite as bad as some have made out, at least they tried to do something different. More sucessful however is The Exorcist III, directed by author of the original novel William Peter Blatty, and based on his follow-up book Legion. It’s not quite perfect, and the exorcism of the title was thrown in just to give the film a tenuous link to the original. Still, The Exorcist III is a creepy movie with some genuine scares and an engaging serial killer storyline.

One moment in particular has become well known for its ability to make horror fans jump out of thier seats, into the next room and out of the window. By golly is it scary, and if you don’t want it spoiled than don’t click here, but otherwise, check it out with the volume on loud and the lights turned off.

Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994)


Wes Craven returned to the Nightmare On Elm Street series in 1994 with a post-modern take on the horror film which allowed for Craven to kill his own creation in a distinctly unique way. Yet while the film is arguably one of the best films in the series and critically acclaimed, it’s also one which splits fans of the series.

I’m not quite sure why New Nightmare isn’t as well respected within the series as it should be. Perhaps it’s because Wes Craven went on to expand the concepts in the more popular Scream, or because it changed Freddy’s look dramatically – complete with leather trousers and shades of Nosferatu – or maybe because it savagely deconstructs the series itself.

Along with the equally awesome Nightmare On Elm Street Part 3: Dream Warriors, New Nightmare is a highlight of the franchise and a rare horror sequel which almost surpasses the original.

Army Of Darkness (1992)


In many ways Army of Darkness is the definitive Bruce Campbell movie – showcasing his unique B-movie style with awesome lines (“Hail to the king baby”) and ridiculous action sequences. Sadly, it’s still often seen as a disappointing entry to the Evil Dead series, probably due to its lack of the trademark gore and the campy, goofy humour coming to the forefront rather than the horror.

Part of why I’ve always loved the Evil Dead series is that even as a trilogy of closely linked films each one has its own distinctive style. Evil Dead is pure horror movie, Evil Dead II is a comedy horror and Army of Darkness is arguably all-out comic parody. Rather than making two sequels which boringly retread the same formula, Sam Raimi gave us three awesome films which are all unique.

The Fly II (1989)


Compared to David Cronenberg’s superb body-horror original, The Fly II is a simplistic and silly follow up. So while it’s not in the same league, if taken on its own terms as a schlocky monster movie – filled with gratuitous gore and fun effects – it’s really not that bad.

Directed by effects man Chris Walas – who gave us Brundlefly as well as Gizmo – the sequel focuses on the Seth Bundle’s son, Martin (Eric Stoltz) as he grows up with the mutated genes of his father and under constant watch by the sinister Bartok Industries.

Rather than replicate the tragic love story of the original, the sequel leans more towards gruesome effects and gross-out fly vomit sequences. While this led to it being poorly recieved, the decision to do something a little different is hardly a bad thing for a sequel.

It’s also liable to make you cry, with a heartbreaking scene involving a mutated pet dog.

Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)


The second Hellraiser has never been quite as well respected as the first, being the last film before the series shied away from the twisted deviancy of Clive Barkers film in an attempt to turn Pinhead into a quipping imitation of Freddy Krueger.

If you thought the first one was fairly bizarre, you’ve seen nothing yet – Hellraiser II is about as crazy a horror film as you could imagine. It’s also confusing, odd and deeply unpleasant – one scene in particular, involving a bloody mattress and an inmate with a razor blade is almost unwatchable.

So while it’s a patchy film, you don’t see horror films like this anymore. The dark atmosphere and its surrealistic depiction of hell as a labyrinthine maze of terror, as well as the gruesome and inventive special effects make Hellbound worth watching.

Land Of The Dead (2005)


Compared to George A.Romero’s original zombie trilogy of Night, Dawn and Day, Land of the Dead is a disappointment – even becoming the genre equivelent of The Phantom Menace for many horror fans. I myself left the cinema outraged, feeling like I had just witnessed a car crash. Yet as the years go on, Land Of The Dead is a film which seems to be improving with age.

It’s not perfect, it’ll never be – but compared to many of the recent films that have passed through the zombie genre, it’s far more intelligent, scarier and exciting. The depiction of an apocalyptic world which is divided between rich and poor – complete with a faux glitzy complex for the rich which resembles a shopping mall – is incredibly good fun.

You also gotta love Tom Savini turning up to reprise his role from 27 years earlier as Blades in Dawn of the Dead – that’s how you do a cameo.

Friday The 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)


The Friday The 13th sequels tread such similar ground that it’s easy to get confused about what happens in which movie. Still, some of the sequels stand out among the rest as fan favorites, such as the brutal and well directed, if misleadingly titled, The Final Chapter.

For me though Jason Lives is the sequel highpoint – injecting the tired proceedings with a welcome sense of humour and some truly inventive death sequences. Jason is also given some pretty iconic moments in this one – such as a Frankenstein style resurrection which leads into a spoof of the James Bond gun barrel credits. No other Friday The 13th includes a shot as awesome as that of Jason climbing out of a flaming camper van and standing proudly atop in admiration of his splendid handywork.

Hellraiser Remake Not Retelling Clive Barker's Story

During the rounds at today's Drive Angry press junket, Patrick Lussier and Todd Farmer, the men in charge of the upcoming Hellraiser Remake, offered new details about plotline of the upcoming movie. Lussier outlined the difference between certain horror remakes, and stated that they will not be retelling Clive Barker's story.


"I think the biggest thing is, and we talked about this a lot recently, is that we have no intention of remaking Clive's movie. Clive's movie is obviously not like remaking My Bloody Valentine, or Happy Birthday to Me, or Terror Train or Prom Night - those are all very specific movies at a specific time with a specific purpose. As fun as they are, and that's not to take away from them, they were clearly business ventures. Hellraiser, obviously, was not. It was a personal story for Clive and Clive is a true artist. It didn't feel right to us to retell Clive's story. That's Clive's story. At the same time, there have been a variety of Hellraiser movies and movies that play within the world that he created. And none of them have really gone behind the curtain of what that world is. So that was basically what we offered up to Dimension Films as something unique and different that stays true to Clive's originality, but, at the same time, pays no disrespect to it."

With that in mind, the duo described what is more suited to describe the Hellraiser film as a "reboot" of sorts, rather than remake.

"We're keeping it within the world of the box. What the box is and what the box does."

"Clive's film is very personal. That's a difficult story for us to come in and re-tell."

"To go in and tell the story of Frank and the family wouldn't be right. What we went in to pitch with at Dimension was to come at it from a different angle, but go into the same world and see things you haven't been able to see in the other movies. There have been so many films, how can we make this one different?"

In addition, despite online reports, the film will not be PG-13. Said Lussier,

"We had the contracts changed to specifically say we were delivering an R-rated film. The treatment we turned in, it was like, if you're expecting a happy ending, stop reading now."

1974 Filming Locations " Texas Chainsaw Massacre"

1974 Texas Chainsaw Massacre Film Locations


The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre film is widely regarded as THE
seminal horror/cult film by which all others are measured. This low-budget
high-intensity film has spurred 6 other major motion pictures, with the latest
high budget film to be released in October of 2006 by New Line Cinema.

The 1974 original also spurred a worldwide urban legend about the story,
which has become a phenomenon. Many people to this day believe that
such a tragedy did occurr in Texas and that there really was a chainsaw-
weilding maniac who wears human flesh for a mask and clothing.

Although the storyline is very loosely based upon Ed Gein, a cannibalistic
killer from the 1950's from Plainfield, Wisconsin, Ed never owned a
chainsaw and only killed two women before he was captured and died in
a mental institution in Wisconsin.

Never the less, the fictitional character, Leatherface, cut his impression upon
millions of people in 1974 and a Texas legend was born. People continually
search for the real answers to their questions about the story and wonder
about the house and other locations that were used in the cult classic film.

We offer you the chance of a lifetime to personally visit the house and other
locations so that you can feel more of a part of the milestone in Texas film
history that is the Texas Chain Saw Massacre!

The house used in the original film has been
restored to its original beauty with a few
added features. But any Chainsaw fan will
easily recognize the house, inside and out.

Drop in and relive your fondest memories from the
movie. Like the dinner scene, the meathook
scene, or perhaps where the first teenager falls
victim to Leatherface and slams the metal door shut!

Visitors are able to visit the grounds, walk inside
the house and take pictures.

The gas station was always a real gas station to
people in central Texas and it has changed owners
over the course of time, as it does to this day.

Visitors are guaranteed a stop at the gas station
and can walk the grounds. Walking in and taking
pictures is an option if the building is open
for buisiness.

Of all of the locations to change or disappear over
the years, the cemetery remains virtually unchanged
since the opening of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre
film was shot at this location back in the summer of
1973.

Visitors are welcome to walk the grounds and take
pictures

Quick Hill is the tract of land the house used to
reside upon since its construction in the late
1890's until 1998. It also served as the primary
setting for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre film.
Fans remember Leatherface's infamous
"Chainsaw Dance" at the end of the film.

Today, a highway blazes through the hill near
where the house used to stand, and the La-
Frontera business developement will soon take
over the area.

Visiting this location is by request only. You can
drive by or park near the hill and take pictures.
Trespassing is strictly prohibited.

Real Truth Behind Blair Witch Project

The 1999 film The Blair Witch Project was produced in documentary style, but how much of the story was actually true?



Since its introduction in 1999, people have wondered how much of the Blair Witch Project was based on a true story. Was there ever a Blair Witch? Was the footage of the students actually found in the woods after the three novice documentary-makers turned up missing?

The Blair Witch Project: Background and Storyline

In The Blair Witch Project, three students trek into the Maryland woods to investigate the legend of the Blair Witch. They never return. The film consists of footage from their video equipment, which was found abandoned in the woods a year later.

Before they set off, the three had explored local legends in the town of Burkittsville, which was formerly named Blair. Townsfolk appear reluctant to talk, but stories slowly emerge about a hermit, Rustin Parr, who kidnapped and murdered seven children in a house in the woods. Parr turned himself in and confessed to the crimes, but told the police that the spirit of a witch executed in the 18th century caused him to commit the murders.



The shaky webcam documents the story of the three students getting lost in the woods. Heather, Michael and Josh begin to hear spooky sounds at night and discover strange objects left outside their tent which leads them to believe something supernatural is out there. The trio grow more and more terrified as they become even more lost, cold, and hungry. One member of their group, Josh, suddenly disappears. The remaining two hear screams but cannot find him. A bundle is discovered outside the tent which contains human teeth. The two follow anguished cries to an abandoned house in the woods. The footage abruptly stops after what appears to be an encounter with the Blair Witch within the basement of the house. The camera then fades to black.

The Blair Witch Legend—Intentional Confusion

So, how much of the Blair Witch is true? Not much, except the town of Burkittsville. There is no Blair Witch legend and there never was a Blair Witch Project. The entire story was fabricated. The hoax was well-planned from the beginning, and part of an extraordinary marketing ploy which included the intentional filming of a phony documentary complete with a website devoted to the legend's backstory and the making of a faux documentary which was presented as true.

The film, directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, was one of the first to be marketed on the Internet. The website, which contained false newspaper reports and pages from Heather's fake diary, was a real first of its kind. It is no wonder that when the website appeared, many people took it for a true story. After the film came out, the little town was encroached upon by curiosity-seekers and souvenir hunters.


Read This Next

Two Different Horros: Catfish and The Blair Witch Project
Five No Budget Horror Movies to Avoid Part 5: Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Phenomenon

Inspiration for the Blair Witch Film and Similar Legends

Though there may be some tales of witches and hauntings around Burkittsville, none are matched to the fictional Blair Witch or the Blair Witch Project. The filmmakers drew from many sources to create the Blair Witch legend, including the Salem Witch Trials, the play The Crucible, and inspiration was also drawn from the Bell Witch, a prominent legend of a haunting in Tennessee.

The 1999 independent film The Blair Witch Project was a huge box-office success, whose gross sales far exceeded its very low budget. A 2000 sequel, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 did not share the success of the first film.

The "shaky webcam" and faux documentary effect spawned a whole host of films directed in this style, such as Cloverfield and Paranormal Activity.

The Craze Behind "American Horror Story"

Believe it or not, the title of FX's new series, "American Horror Story," is actually an understatement.

Grotesque, terrifying, brutal, and kinky, "American Horror Story" makes "The Shining" look like "The Waltons."

"It's really amazing to me that this is on television and not on film," says horror expert Marina Levina, an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Memphis. "I've been really surprised at how far they've been able to take things. In the first episode, they killed children, which is shocking."

The plot revolves around the Harmons, a fractured couple (Dylan McDermott and Connie Britton) who move with their teenage daughter (Taissa Farmiga) to Los Angeles for a fresh start.

Turns out they got a good price on that rambling Victorian for a reason: It's the featured stop on a popular "Murder Tour" in the City of Angels.

The real estate agent didn't see fit to tell the Harmons that everyone who has ever lived there met a violent end. They had to find that out from the spooky Blanche DuBois-type who lives next door (Jessica Lange).

With the housing market in the dumps, the Harmons can't unload their chamber of horrors.

Soon they're besieged by the emotionally disturbed, the developmentally disabled, the physically disfigured, and other creatures who defy explanation.

There is, for example, a figure sheathed head to toe in a shiny black bondage suit. We're pretty sure he/ it has impregnated Mrs. Harmon. Don't even get us started on the hideous monstrosity in the basement.

Even the most benign-seeming characters carry wickedly toxic luggage. And in this vile villa, it's impossible to tell the living from the dead, the haunted from the haunting.

The series carries a "mature audiences only" rating, and each episode carries an additional warning for two or more of the following: indecent language, explicit sexual activity and graphic violence.

Faced with this sick spectacle, viewers have two options: shield their eyes and reach for the remote, or fasten their seatbelts. Increasingly they are harnessing down for the ride.

Last week's episode, the first of a two-part Halloween extravaganza (the conclusion is Wednesday night), saw viewership jump 15 percent to 3 million.

Precisely what is it that they're experiencing in this series produced by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk?

"It's all the horror of being in a relationship and being in a family and being in a marriage," says "AHS" star McDermott. "It's a metaphor."

Hmm, interesting theory. Anyone else?

"It's the haunted-house genre taken to an extreme," ventures Levina. "Everything is coming at them from inside the house. It's terror internalized.

"We've seen these type of stories in films since 9/ 11. We're living with terror that you simply can't solve, in an America where things are going terribly wrong."

If you have the stomach for it, "American Horror Story" works pretty well as pure entertainment. (On Monday, FX gave "AHS" an early renewal for next season.)

"It's a very well-done, even innovative way to tell a scary story on TV," says Ken Tucker, editor at large at Entertainment Weekly and former TV critic at The Philadelphia Inquirer, via e-mail. "On the other hand, it's one of the creepiest, most depressing shows to come along since "The Real Housewives of New Jersey."

"Jessica Lange has the tone down best, and when Jessica Lange is your barometer of emoting, you know the show might go over the top at any moment."

Over-the-top is the specialty of the house for producer Murphy. His TV creations have veered from the catty and funny high school soap "Popular" to the emphatically outrageous adult plastic surgery drama "Nip/ Tuck" to the high school show choir sensation "Glee" to the gnarly, envelope-tearing "American Horror Story."

Not an easy guy to pigeonhole.

"Ryan gets bored easily," says Dylan Walsh, who starred in "Nip/ Tuck." "Before he's done, he will have created some of the most unforgettable series in TV history. And they'll all be different."

Calling "American Horror Story" "different" - that's definitely an understatement.
by david hiltbrand

3D Horror Movies

SAW, Dawn of the Dead, Reanimator and more are getting not just redone... but in 3-D.So without to much hoopla here is my list of Upcoming 3D Horror Movies.

SAW 3-D: When you run out of ideas you used to go into space with your characters. Twisted Pictures is considering doing SAW VI in 3-D instead. I am a big fan of the SAW franchise but I really do not see how 3-D is going to work. The producers haven't decided if they will do Saw VI in 3D or do a seventh movie. But, I should stress, the producers are just mulling over the idea of a 3D movie, nothing has been made official.

Re-Animator 3-D: Producer Ray Haboush and Producer Brian Yuzna (who also produced the original as well the two sequels and directed them as well) will be developing a 3-D version of Re-Animator. Its too early to see if Combs will return or if they'll find another West. Unlike a SAW movie in 3-D Re-Animator might actually work because of the nature of the movie.

PuppetMaster 3-D: Charles Band is working on bringing Puppet Master into 3-D and this one doesnt surprise me at all. Charles Band is well known for following trends and capitalizing them and his films definitely would be campy and fun in 3-D. The problem I see for PuppetMaster is getting the money to do it in 3-D. It cant be cheap to do a low budget 3-D movie.

The Eye 3-D: The Pang Brothers are going to be directing a new film titled The Childs Eye in 3D which is basically The Eye 3. The only other information we have on the project is that it will star Elanne Kwong and Rainie Young. Asian Horror in 3-D... betcha all that violence coming off the screen in 3-D will be very disturbing.

Piranha 3-D: Piranha is a classic movie about little killer fish that make lunch of people. Over the top gore master Alexander Aja is slated to write/direct/produce this remake which he says is more of a retelling and will be done in 3-D. This may work since the idea of small fish swarming off the screen snapping at my face creeps me out.

Dawn of the Dead 3-D: No we are not talking about Zach Snyders remake. We are talking about the Romero classic. Producer Richard Rubinstein is redoing the film in 3-D with the help of In-Three Inc of Aguoura Hill California. They plan the release the film in 'true 3-d'. Little side note they are also working on a direct sequel to Romero's Dawn of the Dead.



The Gate 3-D: This one we have little on other then we are told its happening. The synopsis of the first one is as follows; Two teenagers come across a special rock with a beautiful crystalline center in their backyard. The rock enthralls them and they dig up the family's lawn in a search for more of the precious stones.The removal of an old tree in Glen's backyard reveals a large and mysterious hole, a gateway to somewhere dangerous. It's a hidden underground chamber that holds the secret of centuries and the vengeance of eternity. Left alone for three days, brother and sister must contend with the creatures that rise up from "The Gate".

Final Destination 3-D: This one is actually coming pretty quick. The 4th film in the film franchise is being done in 3-D and once again I think this is a great film for 3-D. The script is done by FD2 co-writer Eric Bress. The film will also open up against Rob Zombies Halloween sequel ( to his remake ).

Horror Films Loosely Based On True Stories

Creep

Horror films based on, loosely based, or inspired by true stories. Some of these I think suck, I know, but I'm still just listing them because they're somehow based on a true story. The one's I haven't seen are the newer ones that haven't yet been released, or were just released recently.

creepfreak's Rating

1
The Amityville Horror1979, R

2
The Amityville Horror2005, R)

3
Amityville II: The Possession1982, R)
A truly chilling creep fest of a movie. This one sends chills down my spine. Way more frightening then the original Amityville! Watch this one alone in the dark.

Highly Recommended!

4
Dahmer2002, R)

5
The Secret Life: Jeffrey Dahmer1993, Unrated)

6
An American Haunting2006, PG-13)

7
Baat sin faan dim ji yan yuk cha siu baau (The Untold Story) (Human Pork Chop)1993, Unrated)

8
Cannibal2008, R)

9
Rohtenburg (Grimm Love)2007, Unrated)

10
Death Tunnel2005, R)

11
The Girl Next Door2007, R)

Paranormal Activity 3 Brings Goose Bumps!

The most startling shot in "Paranormal Activity 3" is something even the film's determined unbelievers would concede to be damnably effective.

Suburban San Diego three-story home, 1988, in the middle of the VHS tape era. A homemade surveillance camera attached to an oscillating floor fan scans left, then right, and we see a mother (Lauren Bittner) of two girls (Chloe Csengery and Jessica Tyler Brown) walk out of the kitchen.



She is alone. The kitchen seems to be its usual self, each appliance and bowl and fork and spoon in its place.

A few seconds later she re-enters the same kitchen just as the video camera pivots to reveal that everything has disappeared. And then ...

Modest, low-fi horror continues to find a friend in the cheapo but very shrewd "Paranormal Activity" franchise, which consists now of three films designed for single-use, one-time consumption. But you know what? They work. Like its predecessors, the new "found footage" lark builds tension and dread slowly and sticks it to you just when you need something to happen.

Like the whining dolts in "The Blair Witch Project," the key character with the camera, a wedding videographer played by Christopher Nicholas Smith, finds reasons to film all his own worst experiences with the supernatural and the paranormal and the oogly-boogly. It's a ridiculous conceit getting slightly more ridiculous by the film. But I have been entertainingly spooked by the results each time. And since these films played a significant role in killing off (for now) their aesthetic opposite, the vicious-spirited and dreary "Saw" franchise, it's hard not to feel warmly toward the little ghost stories that could.

In this prequel, we get to know "Toby," the unseen demonic frenemy of preteen daughter Kristi (Brown). The cross-cutting between three surveillance camera set-ups in "Paranormal Activity 3" – one near the kitchen, one in the girls' bedroom upstairs, one in the adults' bedroom – is more aggressive than the rhythms in the first two. The directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman made the recent mystery-documentary "Catfish," and their weaselly fake-naturalism proves a fine fit for this project.

By MICHAEL PHILLIPS / Chicago Tribune

Jason Voorhees Friday the 13th

Jason Voorhees is a silent, undead and effectively unstopable killing machine, Jason is an iconic madman who haunts Camp Crystal Lake and the surrounding area, driven to slaughter anyone he encounters by a burning need to avenge the death of his beloved mother, Pamela Voorhees.




Born in the small town of Crystal Lake on the 13th of June, 1946 to Elias and Pamela Voorhees, Jason was afflicted with severe facial deformities, had an abnormally small brain and large heart and as such, was mentally disabled. Raising Jason on her own, Pamela kept the boy isolated from the community, not letting him attend school and presumably educating him (or at least attempting to) in their home on the outskirts of Crystal Lake.

In the summer of 1957, Pamela, unable (or possibly unwilling) to get a babysitter for Jason, resorted to bringing him to Camp Crystal Lake, where she worked as a cook. Bullied relentlessly by the campers due to his handicaps, Jason, trying to escape his tormentors, fell off a dock and into the lake, where he drowned due to the counselors who were supposed to be supervising the children being too preoccupied with having sex in the woods. Though Jason's body was never found, the camp briefly closed as a result, but reopened the next summer, only to be closed again when Pamela, mad with grief, murdered Barry and Claudette, the counselors she blamed for Jason's drowning. Pamela was never suspected of the murders and all subsequent attempts to open the camp ended in failure, presumably due to sabotage on Pamela's part, resulting in the camp being nicknamed "Camp Blood" by the locals, who came to believe the area was cursed.

Who is Behind Freddy Krueger

•Born: 1984
•Birthplace: Hollywood, California
•Best Known As: The scary guy from the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise

Movie villain Freddy Krueger is the wise-cracking central character in the movie franchise that started with filmmaker Wes Craven's 1984 A Nightmare on Elm Street. Krueger's costume is a cruddy fedora, a red-and-charcoal striped sweater and, most importantly, a leather glove with razor claws attached to the fingers. He has the supernatural ability to visit the dreams of others -- usually teenagers -- and commit violent acts that simultaneously occur in the real world. The success of the original film led to several sequels and a variety of merchandise, from action figures to Nike shoes. Krueger was played by actor Robert Englund in eight films all told: A Nightmare on Elm Street; Freddy's Revenge (1985); Dream Warriors (1987); The Dream Master (1988); The Dream Child (1989); Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991); New Nightmare (1994); and Freddy vs. Jason (2003, with the villain from the Friday the 13th series of horror films). A new actor, Jackie Earle Haley, took over the Freddie Krueger role for the 2010 series reboot A Nightmare on Elm Street, which was described as a "reimagining" of the original.

Michael Myers Description

"I met him, fifteen years ago. I was told there was nothing left. No

reason, no conscience, no understanding; even the most rudimentary

sense of life or death, good or evil, right or wrong. I met this six-year old

child with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and the blackest eyes, the

devil's eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another

seven trying to keep him locked up, because I realized what was living'

behind that boy's eyes was simply and purely...evil"

---Dr. Samuel Loomis

Welcome To Horror Movies Villains And Screams

I want to know what gets you to jump off your chair during scary movies. Is it Michael Myers coming after you? Jason’s Voorhees mask? Freddie Kruger chasing you down with his knife glove? or even the thought of even being in the peoples shoes like the movie" Hostel" or is it the thought of living in a possessed house like” Amityville horror HOUSE. We will talk about our feared villains in our favorite movies places where the where filmed and everything in between