My First Time......(Oh the Horror!)

My story is not like most. The fascination I have with zombies and the whole horror genre in general was not some kind of escape from a twisted reality or some kind of abusive relationship. My obsession is a deep seeded subconscious need to be truly scared. It’s kind of like a drug in my case; I have been hunting for that first high, that first “Holy Crap” scream, that first running to my parents crying moment. My first time was so traumatic; I seriously don’t remember it…. I blocked it out. Maybe I had better just explain it.

When I was eleven, my family owned a house in Redlands, CA that had a very unique feature: It had a completely separate guest house about one hundred feet from the main house. It was basically a huge studio apartment. It had a kitchen and a full bathroom. It had big wood beam rafters and an open ceiling that paralleled the roof line. We moved there when I was five and at that time my two older sisters shared the guest house. As time moved on, my sisters moved out and only my oldest sister would sometimes stay in the back house when visiting. Technically, it was still her room. But when she was gone, it became my “play room”. I would never sleep out there, I wasn’t quite ready for that yet, but I would watch TV and play out there from time to time. One night I talked my parents into letting me sleep out there. It was my big moment!! I was about to be a grown up. It was going to be like having my own house, I couldn’t wait!!! I was ready to go. Since there was cable out there I knew it was movie night for me. HBO with no parents around!!

The following story was derived from eyewitness accounts, as I have no recollection of these events.

I do remember both movies I planned on watching that night. First up at 9:00pm was Star Wars, and I was pretty excited about that. My dad came out at one point to say goodnight and that’s what was on. The next movie, on at 11:30, I had never heard of, but that didn’t matter. The name alone was enough to entice me. It was not anywhere near as popular as it is now. But, it had only come out a couple years before that. The movie, in my opinion, is the one that started the zombie mania and really put the dead on the map.

The movie was called: The Return of The Living Dead.

Now I don’t remember the events leading up to “The Moment” nor do I remember ANY of the movie. All I know is what my parents have since told me. So picture this, if you will: An eleven year old boy, staying the night in a big guest house all by himself for the first time, watching his first scary movie, lights off, starting to get into the movie, laughing at the split dogs, staring in amazement at the flapping dead butterflies, jumping at the naked dead guy running out of the freezer and then laughing again as he ran around headless. Then watching in awe as there is a dead guy getting embalmed, and let’s not forget the whole “Rabid Weasels” moment. Then the fear of watching the dead come out of the ground. Apparently, from what I told my dad, it happened right as Tarman made his first appearance. So now go back to that boy, watching Tina see Tarman as he looked at her and gurgled “brainsssss” as the boy sits there, huddled under the blankets, on the floor, in front of the TV. As Tina turns to run, something hits the boy on the head…….something big. As he screams and looks around expecting to see Tarman standing behind him, he looks down and sees a huge dying rat lying in front of him. The rat seems to scream “Brains!!!” at him as he jumps up and runs full speed screaming in to the house, never to sleep in the back house again.

See, what I didn’t know at that time, was that my sister had seen a rat running across the rafters the week before. She told my dad, who put poison up in the rafters the day before I attempted to sleep out there. The rat had eaten the poison and hung in there for a while. But then it started dying and lost its balance. When my dad went to go check if I was just freaking out, sure enough, there was a still twitching rat lying in front of the TV, which had a zombie movie playing on it. Busted.

I didn’t watch horror for awhile after that, but when I finally did, it was Friday the 13^th Part 3. That’s how I became obsessed with Jason Voorhees. Now, at thirty four years old, I have one of the largest private F13 collections in the USA. I also am a reporter and reviewer for a horror website, own my own horror collectible store and just published my first zombie story. All because of Tarman and the rat.

Now that I’m aware of my “addiction”, I see that it’s like a meth addict or a heroin junkie: I am still hunting for that original high that I got in that back house. The closest I have come was the first time I watched Pet Sematary…….almost, but not quite there. So I will keep trying and I will love every minute of it. I just don’t know if I can ever top that moment. It will probably take me breaking down by an old camp ground and seeing a hockey mask wearing, machete carrying, guy stalking toward me. But even then, I don’t know. But I do know one thing……if he throws a rat at me; I will run and scream for my mommy, there is no doubt in my mind.

BY DAVE MINYARD

My religion that is Slipknot.- R.I.P. Paul

Some people like music. Some people just don't understand the connection
between music and someone like me. It is a level that can't be explained, you
either have it or you don't. I fully believe the cliche "Music is the
soundtrack of our lives" I can remember exactly where I was when I heard
some of my favorite songs. That being said.....let me tell you a story........

In 1999 I was a metal-head. I still am. At that time there was a new kind of metal coming around. Korn had released Follow the Leader the year before, and the Grunge era was coming to a close. Guitar's were starting to get heavy again. Ozzfest was THE place to be if you loved metal. In San
Bernardino, ca, Ozzfest '99 was such a killer lineup. Black Sabbath was headlining, Rob Zombie,Deftones, SLayer, Primus, Godsmack and
System of a Down were all playing on the main stage.
Fear Factory (my fav at that time) was headlining the second stage, along with Static X Hed (PE) Flashpoint......and a band I have not heard of...
...Slipknot.


I had been in the pit most of the day, so we went up to the lawn to kick
back and watch Godsmack. I was there with my fellow band members (Flatline)
as well as a bunch of our homies. My drummer Eric and I were sitting on the
grass when our buddy Tanner came running up to us. "Dude!!!!! You guys have
to come see this band, they are fuckin rockin out and they are all wearing
clown masks!!!!" So off we went. Now if you have ever been to Blockbuster
Pavilion you know you have to go over this small hill and then down the
other side to see the 2nd stage. I will forever remember going over the top
of the hill and seeing about 1000 people with their middle fingers in the
air, all chanting "fuck it all, fuck this world, fuck everything that you
stand for." My life would never be the same.


At that time, Slipknot was this enigma. These 9 guys took it to a whole
nother level. There had never been anything like them. A couple months later
we went and saw them at this small as place called The Glass House. It held
like 200 people. It was Slipknot, Mudvayne and Hed (Pe). During Spit it out,
Slipknot had the crowd sit down.... really.....we all sat down. When he told
us to, we unleashed hell. It was the most insane moment of my metal life,
and I loved every second of it. To this day when I hear a live version of
Spit it Out I get goosebumps.


Slipknot became a cult to me. If you were a "Maggot" you were a friend. I
followed them and their words everywhere. They were not Rockstars, they were
a unit. They were a higher power. They were me and you. There was a heart and soul in their music and it matched mine.
They were not Corey, Mick, Craig, Joey, Paul, Chris, Sid, Shawn, and James...... They were numbers 0-8, they were The Clown, The
Pig, The Jester, Kabuki Guy, Evil Pinocchio, The Dreadlocked guy, PinHead and the Big Scary Guy.
At that time they were Gods.


What made them so unique was they're ability to connect with you. They have
always loved and appreciated their fans just as much as we've loved them.
They have defended our honor just like any of us will defend theirs. They
were fans of us, and we knew it, and it made us love them even more.
Slipknot is and always will be a single "knot", if you will. Sure there are
threads and strings in the rope, but once that knot is tied. It is solid.
Some people do not understand the dynamic between them as a whole unit as
well as with their fans. It is a bond that can never be broken. It will
remain....til we die. Just like my tattoo. I got the tattoo because I always
want to remember the impact they had on me.


I am writing this because I just received word that Bassist Paul Gray from
Slipknot was found dead in a hotel room.


My heart is breaking and
my soul is screaming. Deep inside, I know, Slipknot is done. Never again
will they be able to be the original Unit. Never again will they take the
stage, as the 'knot. In my heart, I am sad, but I realize that is what it
must be. They are the 9, and they won't go on without one. I am okay with
that. If they didn't, then the brick that they are would be false
advertising. They won't replace Paul. They can't, it is not in their nature.
I will sum this up with a quote, and what I believe, is the reason why they
won't go on. I would like to tell Slipknot Thank you. You have definitely
changed my life and I will always remember Paul.

From the song "til We Die

I never stopped trying
I never stopped Feeling
like family Is much more
than blood
Don't go on without me
The piece
That I represent
Compliments each
And everyone

I've never known
Trust like the nine
Let it be spoken
Let it be screamed
They'll never ever
Take us alive

From a heart-broken Dave Minyard

My (unbiased) Nightmare on Elm Street Review

Ok I just walked in the door from seeing Nightmare on Elm St and this is my honest opinion about it.

There are gonna be a whole lot of people who agree and disagree but this is my opinion and I am sticking to it.

I believe you have to watch this as an original movie and I am going to review it as such. If you think its a "remake" then you are going to try to force it to be a remake. It won't work, there are very few similarities that made me think of the original. I think the film was definitely changed enough to warrant it a "re-imagining" or a "revisiting"

This will be the last time I mention the original.

So here is my view.

What I didn't like about it:

Very few things actually. I think a couple of the deaths should have been dragged out a little more. They seemed too quick. They portray Freddy as a molester....kind of. But definitely a torturer. He liked causing pain, that is clear, so why would he kill quick? Like Jesse (the kid in jail) it was very fast. And yes, they insinuate that Freddy tortures him afterwords, but did he? Also, there were a few parts that could have been better done. The first is the bathtub scene, it was kinda anti- climactic. I was waiting for something very cool to happen that didn't. The next was Freddy coming out of the wall above Nancy. It wasn't as creepy as I wanted it to be.....(or I am just comparing it to another movie I have seen.....see how that a skews your view)


Here is what I liked about it:

The story was great, The actors did an awesome job and the dialogue was good. It moved at a perfect pace and I was never waiting for something to happen. I loved the plot as well as the back-story on Freddy. The whole was he or wasn't he idea was very well thought out and I think added a great deal of intrigue into the Freddy character. Is he doing it to be avenged or as revenge? Very interesting.

Now on to the characters.

Lets start with Freddy;

I had seen the make-up in full (cgi included) long before the movie was released. I have always though the same thing, amazing! He looked real. The only issue I had was the lips, it would have given more expression. But it was still great! Jackie Earl Haley was so near perfect I can't find a fault in his performance. I was nervous about his voice because in early trailers he had a slight accent. But, I think it was just those damn lips!! (or lack thereof) I liked the realness to his voice. It wasn't garbled with deepening effects or made to sound gruff. It was just normal. All in all, I was scared of Freddy (Thanks JEH) He was callous and he didn't over think or over do anything. He was there to torture and then kill you, not to tell jokes......(oops sorry)


Now Nancy:

A pretty damn good performance. Innocence mixed with a small bit of loner toughness. Perfect for that character and perfect for an adversary to Freddy. I think she might have been a little to ......um... UN-scared :)
I guess. I mean, she is being chased in her dreams by a maniac killer..... I think most people would be a little more scared than she acted. But, that is a really minor flaw. She was a very good actress and played the part well.

The rest:

I think every cast member was awesome. There were a few rough spots in the acting but nowhere near enough to hurt the movie. Katie, (the blond) was great and really had me believe she was scared, as well as Jesse, (the kid who goes to jail) and Quentin (Nancy's bf?) who were all great actors. Very surprised that the cast was so good. I think the acting was better than a lot of movies that have been coming out.


The cinematography was pretty good as was the directing. I think there could have been more Freddy shots, as well as gore, but I think all together, it was good. So my final words.......Nightmare on Elm Street kicked ass!!

I loved it and can't wait for the sequels.

I want to take this time to thank Jackie Earl Haley for making it scary to fall
asleep.......again.


One last thing..... To all those people who want to compare this movie to another film.....I think Freddy says it best...

"You think you can turn back time ?"
"You Think You Can BRING THE DEAD BACK TO LIFE ? "

Well, do you?

By Dave Minyard

Is Friday the 13th Pt 2 "not happening"?

That's the answer you'll get if you ask Platinum Dunes producer Brad Fuller what the chances are of us seeing a sequel to their hugely popular remake of Friday the 13th: 'It is dead'.

An avid 'tweeter' producer Brad Fuller will often spend hours on end replying to fan questions on Twitter. Last night Fuller gave what appears to be a definitive answer when asked for a status update on a sequel to Platinum Dunes Friday the 13th reboot. 'It is dead- not happening' Fuller responded to one question, following up with answers to several other tweets with answers like: 'i simply can't get one made right now', '
nothing is happening right now', ' i am fighting for it, and have been- i love that movie, but right now- there isnt any movement.' and 'the reason they are not going forward has more to do with the fact two studios are involved-more than anything else'.

So is a Friday the 13th sequel dead? Perhaps for now, but I suspect the success (or lack there of) of Platinum Dunes A Nightmare on Elm Street reboot on April 30th could certainly help to renew (or kill) any immediate interest there might actually be. What do you think? And for the full story, follow Platinum Dunes producer Brad Fuller on Twitter.

Source: FEARnet

BODY OF WORK REVIEW

BODY OF WORK REVIEW

Written by Shayla Beesly & Alex Bram (Alex also directed and produced the film along with Renee Pezzotta & Leah Cevoli) Body of Work premiered at the Carnival of Darkness Film Festival at the Crest Theater in L.A. on August 8th along with some other great short films.

The film opens with Vogler, a deranged artist, who hires models to pose for his paintings, and then he kills them and finishes the painting with their blood. After the brief, but splatter-satisfying intro, our story begins ten years later and follows a husband and wife, who have moved into their dream house only to find paintings that have a dark history.

The film stars Yazmine Zapp, the amazing Leah Cevoli, Joe Russell, & Justin Dray. All of the actors are great but Leah Cevoli is a scene stealer. She plays her role perfectly and gives the lead character depth. When you are dealing with short films, it is real hard to give any back-story on certain characters. You don’t need to see her past, you can just feel it. Like I said, amazing.

The cinematography is some of the best I have ever seen in a short film, especially in a horror short. Alex Bram (remember that name, trust me) has a great eye for angles and location. He is going to be big; he has already produced and edited the Westwood Film Festival Winner for Best Documentary: “By the side of the Road” and with Body of Work, he shows he has the skills to direct also.

All in all, Body of Work is a film I highly recommend for all the right reasons; great acting, amazing directing, and an original, terrifying story that will have you peeking thru your fingers until the very end.

You can watch the trailer here or below and please leave a comment below. I would love to hear your feedback.

Dark Woods review

Dark Woods is the kind of movie that starts out kind of depressing, then gets intriguing, then scary, and back to an intriguing depression.

Dark Woods is the story of a loving husband Henry (John Muscarnero-who also wrote the film) and his dying wife Susan (played to an eerie perfection by Tracy Coogan) who travel far away from the city life into the secluded woods so she can die in peace. Sound depressing enough yet?

As Susan drifts in and out of consciousness, Henry, out for a jog stumbles across a terrifying scene; a teenage girl is getting attacked. He quickly jumps in and rescues her and thus begins the creepy interaction with Alicia (Mary Kate Wiles) and the eventual breakdown of it all.

The acting in Dark Woods was definitely better than I expected. Every one played their parts perfectly, but Tracy Coogan and Mary Kate Wiles stole the film. The contrast between the two of them was amazing. It was like a battle of good and evil. As I mentioned before, Tracy Coogan really made you feel the sickness that was eating her. A sign of a very talented actress, I guarantee you will be hearing more about her in the near future. Mary Kate Wiles’ role kept making me think of Alicia Silverstone in Crush. Seemingly innocent yet, there is a scary knowledge underneath. Another sign of good acting and again, keep your eye on her. Director Michael Escobedo did an amazing job of placing you in the right spots and the cinematography was great.

The movie was lacking some back-story especially with the very creepy Rand Larch (Mark Shady). The character was intense and a lot was left unexplained with him. It didn’t take away from the movie; I just think it could have added to it.

Dark Woods is a psychological thriller that will leave you breathless. I definitely recommend seeing it.

Check out the trailer below:

Dark Woods - Trailer
Uploaded by dreadcentral. - Watch feature films and entire TV shows.

Give Jackie Earle Haley a chance to win you over

Ya know… I am really getting sick of all these people saying that the new A Nightmare on Elm St. is gonna suck because Robert Englund is not in it. Yes, people, he is the epitome of Freddy Krueger. He is an amazing actor with a great personality and the perfect demeanor to play Freddy. That being said, he is not playing Freddy, Jackie Earle Haley is!

Jackie Earle Haley is getting so much crap about how he will never live up to Robert Englund. I really hope he doesn’t take it to heart. I am sure the late, great Heath Ledger heard the same thing about Jack Nicholson’s Joker, and look what he did. Now like I said, Robert is classic, but that Freddy is dated. In the last couple of movies Freddy became a parody of himself. I want the scary Freddy back, like in parts 1 & 2. Come on, when he busts out of Jesse’s body and tells the kids at the party “You are all my children” that is absolutely terrifying!!! But it all went downhill after that.

I am really looking forward to the “reimagining” of another classic. These are not remakes!! Friday the 13th, (of which I am a HUGE fan of the franchise) was a great take on the original and I can’t wait to see where the Jason franchise is going this time. I was pretty pumped up about Nightmare on Elm St.

But the comments from producer Brad Fuller’s blog on May 18th got me really hyped:

“So last night was one that I won’t forget. We’ve been shooting in Chicago for two weeks and I’ve got some great stories to tell, but last night was the first time we filmed Freddy - the first time that we saw Jackie with all his wardrobe and make-up.”

“It was insane.”

“Jackie is playing to role with incredible intensity. His Freddy doesn’t tell jokes, he is simply terrifying. His make-up is so awesome - obviously there will be elements that you all know so well, but there have been advances in make-up and he truly looks like a burn victim.”

“It is challenging to have a normal conversation with him because he looks so scary. And if that’s not enough, he talks with his hands a lot and at one point he pointed to me with the glove and it was terrifying.”

So please everyone give Jackie Earle Haley a break!

Let him give back the Freddy we all want to see.

Please scare me again!!!

Thanks to Horrorbid for these images.