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This is the spot where I discuss, and offer my opinions on, different topics (both horror-related and not) each month. I decided to create this page because I find that I often come across things that either interest me, excite me or maybe just bug me. For example, I'll often read about movie projects that I have a strong interest in, or opinion on, for one reason or another. This page gives me a forum to discuss these things. Anyone who has feedback concerning what I have to say here, feel free to contact me. I'd also like to point out that the following is just my opinion, and everyone is free to agree or disagree with what I have to say. ENJOY!
Click the links below to view each column in a separate window, or scroll down to read column summaries and first paragraphs:
This column presents a list of some of my favorite movies of 2005. The horror movies on the list are:
Cry Wolf, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, George A. Romero's Land of the Dead, and Malevolence.
The non-horror movies are: Batman Begins, Derailed, A History of Violence, King Kong (2005),
North Country, and Red Eye.
For my first Thoughts For The Month column of the new year I’d like to talk about some of the movies I enjoyed in the previous year. Below is a list of my Best Movies of 2005.Read More...
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SUBJECT: Movie Recommendation: "King Kong" (2005) February 2006
Filmmaker Peter Jackson brings us another masterpiece.
Peter Jackson’s remake of the classic monster tale King Kong features a superb cast, including Naomi Watts as famous damsel-in-distress Ann Darrow, Jack Black as obsessed filmmaker Carl Denham,
and Adrien Brody as theater actor turned reluctant hero Jack Driscoll. This film also has great action sequences, cinematography and special effects, including one particularly harrowing scene involving the cast and several hungry dinosaurs. And probably most importantly are the great moments between Kong (Andy Serkis) and Ann, which give this new incarnation emotional depth not seen in previous versions. Put simply, this update of King Kong is an absolute masterpiece on all levels of filmmaking.
SUBJECT: The Decline of the Theatrical Movie Experience April 2006
A sarcastic comment from a celebrity about DVD's on this year's Oscars got me thinking about how the movie industry is slumping overall as far as theatrical box office is concerned. I go to the movies quite a bit, however
I know people who say they haven't been to the theaters in years. Factors such as a rise in ticket prices and
the lack of originality and new ideas in Hollywood may be contributing to this trend. The popularity of DVD
and cable, as well as other competitors for attention like computers and video games, may also shed light
on the trend.
SUBJECT: What is a Horror Film anyway? - Some random thoughts. May 2006
Different types of horror movies have been doing well in 2006, from extreme films like Saw and Hostel, to more PG-13 horror such as the When A Stranger Calls remake. This lead me to reflect on the question of what exactly constitutes a "Horror Film"? Various types of movies are put in this category, including 80's slashers, monster movies, and the human terror of The Silence of the Lambs. Also lower-budget exploitation movies featuring lovely Scream Queens and plenty of gratuitous nudity and sex fit the bill too. Even some comedy-filled gore films such as Peter Jackson's outrageous Dead/Alive are members of our beloved genre. So then what is a Horror Film anyway?
SUBJECT: Highlights from my trip to the Chiller Theatre June 2006
Summer Extravaganza 2006
Here I discuss my trip to the Chiller Theatre show in 2006. Highlights included meeting the very friendly Annabella Lwin - lead vocalist for 80's pop sensation Bow Wow Wow, the NJ (New Jersey) Batman exhibit,
and speaking to veteran actor Tom Bower from The Hills Have Eyes remake. I also purchased some DVD's
at good prices, as well as a very cool Friday the 13th t-shirt. The convention really was an extravaganza, and
anyone who loves horror movies, television stars, famous wrestlers, models, etc., should head over to New
Jersey and check it out.
SUBJECT: Hot Summer Nights, Killer Robots, and Movies from July 2006
Back in the Day - A nostalgic look back at the 1980’s horror films
"Chopping Mall" and "Night of the Comet".
In this column I discuss the 1986 killer-robots-on-the-loose film Chopping Mall, and the Science Fiction-Horror hybrid Night of the Comet from 1984, after having gotten together with some friends for an outdoor
b-movie double feature night. Chopping Mall is a low-budget gem directed by exploitation filmmaker Jim Wynorski which I first saw on home video, while Night of the Comet is a creepy movie with some nice zombie makeup and an all-too-believable premise. Both films feature attractive scream queen Kelli Maroney.
SUBJECT: DVD Horrors Movie Review: “Night Train to Terror” August 2006
The 1985 horror anthology Night Train to Terror is a bizarre film featuring scenes on a train with God and Satan as passengers. The first segment is a bloody romp about a man trapped at a sinister insane asylum; the second is a story about a rich eccentric trying to control and keep a young woman from her lover; and the third tale is about a wealthy, handsome young man who may be a servant of Satan. This crazy b-movie is enormously entertaining and features lots of carnage, bare skin, stop-motion and claymation animation,
and dancing to boot! A "cheesy" 80's romp not to be missed...
SUBJECT: Movie Review - "Snakes on a Plane" September 2006
Snakes on a Plane is a fun mix of action and campy horror that also manages to ratchet up the tension
and scares along the way. It features effective blood and gore effects and an impressive combination of real snake shots combined with CGI visuals. Kudos to the always watchable Samuel L. Jackson for picking this fun
b-movie romp that proves (yet again) the good folks at New Line Cinema haven't totally lost their independent spirit.
SUBJECT: A Classic Horror Film revisited - October 2006
The return of “A Nightmare on Elm Street” to the big screen this past September.
In this column I discuss the classic horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street, after having gone to see it in its re-release to the big screen in 2006. I hope these kind of classic movie screenings will become a trend that lasts.
SUBJECT: A Classic Horror Film revisited - November 2006
The return of “Halloween” to the big screen this past October.
In this column I discuss the classic slasher film Halloween, after having gone to see it in its re-release to the big screen in 2006. I hope these kind of classic movie screenings will become a trend that lasts.
SUBJECT: Movie Review: “Deck the Halls” - A misguided holiday comedy. December 2006
The new holiday comedy Deck the Halls is an uneven movie that initially focuses on an uptight optometrist and his family members around the Christmas season. When a new family moves in next
door the wives and kids bond, and it looks as though these relationships between the neighbors will take center stage. But then the movie shifts focus again and highlights the escalating rivalry between the two husbands to be the "Christmas Guy" around town. However both of these men are hard to identify with,
for different reasons, and the movie as a whole falls short in its attempt to become a holiday classic like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
In keeping with the spirit of the season, this month I’ll review the new holiday comedy Deck the Halls. This PG-rated affair is the story of two families in a small New England town dealing with different issues around the Christmas holiday. Primarily it focuses on Steve Finch (Matthew Broderick), a mild-mannered, uptight optometrist who is intent on keeping his well-planned Christmas traditions alive in his household, and Buddy Hall (Danny DeVito), an often crude-talking, but effective car salesman who wants to make something big happen in his life. When Buddy and his family move in across the street from Steve’s family, it’s obvious that things are going to be stirred up in the once quiet neighborhood. After Buddy finds out on the internet that some houses can actually be seen via satellite from space, he becomes intent on making his home one of them. He begins plastering the outside of his house with increasing numbers of lights and other decorations, much to the chagrin of his bothered neighbor Steve. A good deal of the movie then focuses on Buddy’s ever-consuming quest and Steve’s increasing protests and attempts to stop his neighbor, while the other family members cope with the escalating feud between the two men as well as with their own problems.
Note: The following discussion of Halloween contains some plot details which could be considered spoilers.
This column looks very much like the last one you say? Well, that’s because it is very similar. Just a month after the two-night only re-release of A Nightmare on Elm Street to theaters came the same deal for Halloween.
It’s a funny thing that this happened, as a good friend and I had recently been discussing movies and remakes, and he mentioned the idea of re-releasing older films to theaters. And now it looks like this could become a trend. We’ll have to wait and see if more classic films follow these two, but I for one think this is a cool idea.
After all, it’s probably safe to say that most horror fans have a favorite film they either missed (for whatever reason) when it was originally out in theaters, or just haven’t seen on the big screen in a long time. I say put
those movie screens to good use. But I digress... Read More...
Note: The following discussion of A Nightmare on Elm Street contains some plot details which could be considered spoilers.
Those who have read through my Biography page know that I talk very fondly of the 1984 horror classic
A Nightmare on Elm Street. * In fact, to this day I still consider it my favorite horror film. I first saw the picture around 1986 on home video, about the time the second movie in the series (aptly titled A Nightmare on
Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge) had come out. Oddly enough, prior to seeing A Nightmare on Elm Street I can’t remember having had much interest in the horror genre. However this film about an average teenage girl fighting to stay alive and overcome a terrifying and seemingly unstoppable force captured my imagination. Soon after this I watched the second film in the series on video, and from that time on, starting with A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3: Dream Warriors, I looked forward to each sequel that debuted in theaters. As most know by now, the character of Freddy Krueger (played by Robert Englund) went on to become a horror film icon and is arguably one of the most compelling villains in cinema history. However for me it really was the drama and human element in that first film that made it so memorable. Now, over twenty years later, I’ve finally had the chance to do something I didn’t think I’d ever get to do...experience this 1980’s classic with an audience in a modern state of the art multiplex. Read More...
I have to admit I initially missed the boat on this film. By that I mean I wasn’t aware of all the internet hype, buzz,
or whatever one wants to call it, about Snakes on a Plane. Sure the movie trailer looked interesting, but not enough to have me talking endlessly about it before the film was released. However I’m happy to say that despite it not being a movie I was highly anticipating, I found the film to be a fun and (if I may say so) pleasant surprise. Read More...
When it comes to horror movies set aboard (or involving) a train, a couple films come directly to mind. Although a scan through The Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) might reveal more titles, off hand I usually think of the 1973 Christopher Lee-Peter Cushing film Horror Express and the very cool Jamie Lee Curtis slasher film Terror Train from 1980. While going through the offerings of a recently purchased “horror classics” DVD boxed set however, I came across another entry in this subgenre that I can now add to that list. The 1985 horror movie Night Train to Terror is an anthology film that features God and Satan on a train discussing the fate of a group of people. The stories of these mortals provide the bulk of the film, while discussions between the two higher powers about their souls and a 1980’s early MTV-style band singing and dancing in the next car round out the bill. If this short description already sounds bizarre, trust me it's just the tip of the iceberg. Read More...
* In previous columns I’ve talked about the merits of digital video and how this exciting technology has helped to begin democratize moviemaking. That is, it has given people the resources needed to produce video that is of professional quality. I certainly remember back about ten years ago, when I began pursuing my dream of making movies, how the main formats available to most consumers were VHS and 8mm video. A few of my early short films were produced using these consumer camcorder formats, and I also remember vividly the primitive “pause and click” method we used for editing these movies as well. Looking at these films now I’m often amazed at how well they turned out given our limited resources. After those first few movies things began to get easier of course, as digital camcorders, computers and editing software packages came into the picture. And now with the powerful presence of the internet, movies of all types, genres and lengths produced on low-cost video from all over the world can be viewed by audiences hungry for new content. As I’ve often said, it truly is an amazing time to be an independent filmmaker. However this makes me think how different things were when I was growing up as a teenager. Back in the 1980’s I was very much unaware of how it would have ranged from difficult to impossible to make my own movies given the lack of affordable equipment available. This was okay though because at that time I hadn’t even had my first inklings about the possibility of making my own movies. However
I was a huge movie fan, and I remember how exciting it was when VCR’s and pay cable allowed me to discover some of the memorable B-movies produced during that decade. I wax nostalgic for these movies from “back in the day” now after having gotten together with some friends recently for an outdoor, summer backyard viewing (via video projector) of a couple of 1980’s horror chestnuts. Oddly enough we watched a couple films starring a couple of the same actors. Our selections were the 1986 Action/Horror/Exploitation killer-robots-on the-loose film Chopping Mall, and the more straightforward Science Fiction/Horror hybrid Night of the Comet from 1984. Read More...
The last time I wrote a column about the Chiller Theatre Toy, Model & Film Expo was May 2003, so I thought another one was due. This past weekend (the first weekend in June) I attended the Chiller Theatre Summer Extravaganza 2006, and I must say that an extravaganza is definitely what it was. The twice-a-year Chiller Theatre show is usually unmatched in sheer number of guests, and the lineup this time around was especially impressive to this film aficionado. The guest count totaled around 75 and featured actors, musicians, models, wrestlers and more, including Michael Gross, Michael Rooker, Megan Gallagher, David Hess, PJ Soles, Kane Hodder and Star Trek: The Next Generation alumni Jonathan Frakes and Brent Spiner (just to name but a small few). This show also marked a change of venue for the convention, with the proceedings being moved to the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Secaucus, New Jersey, and a change from the month of April to June. The festival organizers had a good setup for the dealer & guest rooms in this hotel with everything being easily accessible, and I especially appreciated the fact that the Crowne Plaza has a large two-story parking garage which made parking quick and easy. I’m told that many years ago this hotel was actually the original location for the convention, so this change in venue was probably just a return to a familiar place for many convention devotees.
As 2006 rolls along horror films continue to do big business at the box office. It seems that the horror film revitalization which arguably began with the Wes Craven/Kevin Williamson collaboration Scream in late 1996 still shows no signs of slowing. For the past few months just about every weekend has seen the debut of a new fright flick, and upon checking the box office numbers the following Monday, more often than not each of these movies has sat atop the chart for opening weekend gross. Actually, horror movies have been especially strong since around the second half of 2005 and have continued to gain momentum into the New Year. And it doesn’t seem to be limited to just one particular type of horror film either. Unlike in the years following the success of Scream, when self-referential horror films and movies centered on fresh-faced teen television stars were all
the rage, more recent films have been a bit more diverse. For example, the first two entries in the incredibly popular Saw movie franchise have taken blood and gore to new extremes for mainstream releases, while the recently successful release Hostel added copious amounts of nudity and sex to the mix as well. On the other end of the spectrum, a movie I really liked was the remake of the 1970’s classic When A Stranger Calls, which was definitely one of those films in the less is more category. Here we didn’t get a look at the killer until the very end of the movie, after a long series of tense, foreboding and bloodless scenes. This film also did extremely well at the box office, suggesting that no one single approach to the genre is the only formula that can be effective.
This year I did something I haven’t done in a long, long time. This year I actually sat through the entire Oscar Awards show. Being a filmmaker and huge movie buff I suppose I have a special obligation to watch this show, considering it is a ceremony honoring the best movies, actors, directors, etc. of each year. However the fact of the matter is that I usually find it to be too long and drawn out for my tastes. Some of this probably has to do with being accustomed to the MTV-style pacing of so many programs, movies etc, and just the overall fast-paced society we live in. Another reason is that the show always airs on a Sunday night, which means Monday morning and the start of the work week is just around the bend. For whatever reason though, this year I did somehow manage to make it through the whole show, and I’m glad I did. While overall the telecast was about what I’ve come to expect from these shows, complete with emotional acceptance speeches and drawn-out musical numbers, this year I heard something that made my ears stand up. I heard comments about the merits of seeing movies on the big screen, as well as a rather sarcastic comment referring to DVD’s. If memory serves me correctly, this latter comment was about nobody considering how great some part of a movie would look on the DVD. Now normally I might not make too much of this, because everybody, including celebrities, has their opinion. However I think these comments were specifically targeted towards the increasing awareness that the Hollywood movie industry is slumping as far as theatrical box office is concerned. This is something I’ve heard
a lot about and something I’ll talk about in this column. Read More...
SITE REDESIGN IN MARCH - THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH RETURNS IN APRIL
It’s funny how quickly things can change sometimes. In one of my early Thoughts For The Month columns
I talked about how I rarely use this space to recommend or criticize movies. As regular readers of my column have seen however, over the past couple years I’ve begun writing more movie reviews and recommendations. This is partly because I’m such a big fan of movies, and talking about them is often just too hard to resist. Having a website makes it especially hard to resist. Another contributing factor to my writing more reviews has been because over the last five years or so more and more horror movies have been remade. As I’ve mentioned previously, I generally have mixed feelings regarding this trend, not wanting to see classic (and sometimes not-so-classic) Hollywood horror films be tarnished with a bad remake. Fortunately (and surprisingly) some of the more recent remakes have been better than expected. This brings me to the topic for this month’s column. Read More...
