2018-09-30 Scream

re & more! WWW.SCREAMHORRORMAG.
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d, guts, go
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The
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Issue 50
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MARGOT KIDDER
REMEMBERS GHOSTS!
ZOMBIE
FLESH
EATERS
NEW VIDEO NASTIES
COLUMN INSIDE!
TWISTEd
SISTER!
CORIN HARDY TALKS
THE NUN
h alloween
2018 MIChael MYeRS! JaMIe lee CURTIS TalKS
scream SEPT/OCT 2018
PLUS!
HAMMER HORROR, ROSEMARY’S BABY, THE PURGE TV SERIES, THE HOUSE
WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS, HALLOWEEN MOVIE FRANCHISE, PAPERBACKS
FROM HELL, VHS ATE MY BRAIN, BEHIND THE SCREAMS, DVDS/BLU-RAYS,
BOOKS, GAMES, COMICS, NEWS, REVIEWS, PREVIEWS & MUCH MORE! NOT FOR SALE TO MINORS
6
THE HORROR BIBLE FOR HORROR FANS

ISSUE #50, SEPT/OCT EDITION 2018
With all the doom and gloom on TV it’s a surprise any of us
get out of bed each morning. I read an interesting article in
my local newspaper recently that said our town’s high street
shops are suffering because the younger generation would
rather buy online instead. And then there was an article
published in the US last month that highlighted the troubles
book store giant Barnes & Noble currently were having and
they may well have to close all their 670 stores. When that
news went out a number of our US readers emailed and
facebooked us expressing their concern because if their local
34 36 78
Barnes & Noble store closed down how on earth would they
get the latest edition of SCREAM?
FROM BLACK CHRISTMAS TO AMITYVILLE
Of course, they could buy copies at one of the 250 Books A
Margot Kidder remembers ghosts... 6
ROSEMARY’S BABY
Million stores stateside instead or simply subscribe via our
website - saving money in the process! Who would have 50 years of horror parenthood 12
thought that it’s actually cheaper for overseas readers to THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS
subscribe and have us send your copies to you from England Eli Roth Talks Ticking Time Bombs! 22
instead of you buying copies off the shelves? It’s true!
THE POWER OF THE WITCH
But hopefully Barnes & Noble will rethink their business Reconsidering Hammer’s THE WITCHES 26
strategy going forward and continue on as America’s iconic HALLOWEEN 2018
book store. Jamie Lee Curtis & David Gordon Green talk 34
Michael Myers
Luckily for us, our worldwide print and digital subscription THE HALLOWEEN PRODUCER
base is so large that we do not need to rely on any newsstand
Malek Akkad talks franchises 38
sales to operate, so don’t worry, even if all the magazine selling
TWISTED SISTER
stores in the world end up closing down - you still get to enjoy
your favourite horror glossy! Corin Hardy Talks THE NUN 40
HORROR TV
I just realised I have spread even more doom and gloom in my On Set For The Purge 46
editorial, but this is a horror magazine after all...
PAPERBACKS FROM HELL
Grady Hendrix talks horror books! 52
And, finally, I would like to welcome you all to our big
THE NASTY FILES
BLOODY 50th edition of SCREAM! Enjoy! Here’s to the
next 50... Zombie Flesh Eaters 58
HORROR GAMING!
See you in 60 days! Revisiting the Quiet Horror of Asemblance 66
HALLOWEEN MAYHEM (PART 1)
40 years of Michael Myers 78
VHS Ate My Brain

The Mutations, Rolling Vengeance, Slugs and Macabre 74
DVD/Blu-ray Reviews
The latest releases examined 70
Behind The Screams
Gossip from the world of horror 88
Horror Book Reviews
The Good, The Bad & The Horror-ific 94
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in a magazine, in the middle of the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
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AWESOME! office@screamhorrormag.com
PEAKED! I will admit, this is the first of the
Dear SCREAM, Copy Editor
magazines you’ve produced that I have Rebecca Allen
Good Luck! Good luck SCREAM read cover to cover, word for word.
MAGAZINE on topping issue 49. I Fantastic job on issue 49, but I hope Submissions Editor
think THIS might just be my favorite you haven’t peaked with this one, so Alan Clayton
issue yet. I live all the way in Warren, good luck with issue 50 and beyond, submissions@screamhorrormag.com
Mi. USA (Detroit suburb), so your I’ll be watching.... Marketing Manager
horrors are far reaching. When I Anthony Bailey
opened the bag in the mailbox that Charles Zuber, Michigan - USA (By Email) marketing@screamhorrormag.com
said SCREAM on it, I was happy to
Press Manager
have another issue to read, to distract (Thanks for your email, Charles.
Marsha Harris
me from the social media trash Peaked too soon? Nah! Just keep press@screamhorrormag.com
everyone gets wrapped up in. watching! SCREAM just gets
When I saw the cover, I was elated! bigger and better (even if I do say Advertising
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1980’s Alligator! What a great under- so myself!). We always very much
advertising@screamhorrormag.com
rated entry into the genre, and a great appreciate emails and messages
Trey McGriff
article too. But, what’s this? Hammer from our lovely worldwide readers trey@screamhorrormag.com
AND AMICUS studios getting and your message particularly made
on the cover as well? Especially Publicity & Promotions
me smile! So, congrats on being
Tamzin Moores
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against Universal and Hammer? send you a signed copy of our new
WOW... and sneaking into the lower SCREAM BEST OF ANNUAL Central Scrutinizer
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few who LOVE the Italian Cannibal a copy and you hadn’t so that ought Alice Shoreland
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Design
REMAKE OR NOT TO REMAKE! American Werewolf In London, The Imran Kelly
Dear SCREAM, Entity,The Creature From The Black
Lagoon and Chucky). I doubt we’ll ever Contributors
Is it just me or is everyone else in the
see a JAWS remake though, I don’t Kat Ellinger, Kevan Farrow, Bryan Cairns, Lee
horror community sick and tired of all
think UNIVERSAL are that brave to Gambin, Rob Talbot, Iain Todd, Jon Towlson,
these remakes? I will be watching the
Jessy Williams, Kieran Fisher, Andrew Tadman,
upcoming HALLOWEEN film, of course, take on that one! - Richard)
Jon Dickinson, Sadie Hartmann
but I do wish those in the power (or
those with the money) could give us KEEP DRINKING THE WATER
The publishers make no representations,
some quality new productions. In the Dear SCREAM,
endorsements, guarantees or warranties
last couple of years we have seen some Just picked up the latest issue here in
concerning the products, services or events
gems such as GET OUT from Jordan the US and I am floored by the whole
advertised within this publication. We expressly
Peele, DON’T BREATHE from Fede thing. From the quality paper stock and
disclaim any and all liability relating to or arising
Alvarez and most recently A QUIET colors to the quality of writing, SCREAM
from the sale, manufacture, distribution, use or
PLACE courtesy of John Krasinski and is easily the best horror mag out now in
misuse of such.
Ari Aster’s HEREDITARY but surely there print (believe me, I have been reading
must be some amazing scripts out there many of them for years!). I don’t know All photographs, images and logos remain
waiting to be backed. I am surprised what they put in the water over there the copyright of the respective distributors or
we haven’t heard the news of JAWS in England but whatever it is, keep photographer. No infringement of copyright is
getting a remake after 43 years nor have drinking it! You’re covering the horror intended or inferred. The views and comments
we been sold on the idea of the classic scene like no other publication out there. expressed in these pages are not necessarily
HAMMER films getting remakes with a 100 pages! Damn! I even like the ads! I those of the editor or publishing group. No part
CGI Peter Cushing! discover more stuff I would have never of this publication may be reproduced, stored
Fingers crossed we get some new otherwise heard of in this magazine than or distributed or transmitted whatsoever without
delights in 2019. Keep up the incredible anywhere else. You have a loyal reader, permission from the Publishers.
work with SCREAM MAGAZINE, it truly is supporter and soon to be subscriber for
THE HORROR MAGAZINE on the market life! You guys rock! © SCREAM MAGAZINE 2018
today. ISSN 2045-2128
John Oaks, Colorado - U.S.A. (By Email)
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(Yes, plenty of remakes and reboots you are enjoying the magazine. Lots Warners Group
have come and gone and plenty on more incredible stuff on the way! Stay
the way, Sean, (Pet Sematary, An Tuned! - Richard)
Have something to say or ask?
Send us your thoughts and words via email or our social network!
Margot Kidder
talKs Horror
Words: Lee Gambin
She was the Man of Steel’s main SCREAM: You once stated that seeing
squeeze, the intrepid bulldog reporter OLD YELLER inspired you to become
Lois Lane in Richard Donner’s seminal an actress…what was is it about that
classic SUPERMAN, but for us monster film in particular?
movie devotees Margot Kidder will
always be remembered for her turn as MK: I think it’s all about being in a
Kathy Lutz, one part of the newlywed small town and getting out of a small
couple who moved into horror’s most town. That’s really all it is. You see,
infamous haunted house in THE my mother was an English teacher
AMITYVILLE HORROR and before and literature teacher and she always
that in maestro Brian De Palma’s encouraged us to read. She always
Hitchcockian psychological horror encouraged a healthy imagination and
opus SISTERS where Kidder got to I think in retrospect that fuelled a lot of
go nuts and do some serious damage my need to want to act. I loved stories
and BLACK CHRISTMAS as a drunken and I loved to explore characters and
sorority girl being stalked by a serial I wanted to get out; I don’t think you’d
killer. Kidder was also hugely integral ever find a young person alive today
in the ethos and formation of the New who grew up in a small town that didn’t
Hollywood. want to leave. And you put all that
Sadly Margot passed away on May together and mix that with my love and
13th but in the following interview admiration for not only movies but also
conducted a couple of years ago the movie stars and the world of filmmaking
lovely lady shares stories with SCREAM and my passion to work in that field
about her upbringing, passion for film just grew. I remember the bush pilots
and how she takes on various roles would give me movie magazines that
that have made her one of the most my mother never approved of. I used
recognisable feisty talented actresses to hide them and read them in secret,
of our time… thanks for the memories you see my mother didn’t want me to
Margot and RIP... read them or comic books, she thought
they were trash. Which is funny since I
SCREAM: You grew up in a town ended up playing Lois Lane!
called Satille in Quebec where there
was no TV reception, but you would SCREAM: What is your favourite thing
watch movies screened by priests and about acting?
watching these films got you interested
in becoming an actress. Can you talk MK: It’s the whole world of it! The first
about that? thing is that you get an instant family
from making movies. Also there is that
MARGOT KIDDER: I grew up in a reality of going into another world, the
lot of small towns! I went to thirteen world of someone else, the world of a
schools in eleven years! I was born in a character! I mean that is just amazing.
town called Yellowknife which is in the Also, there’s that wonderful dance
Northwest Territories, and where it was that you get to do with someone else
kind of pioneering for white people as in a scene, or to perform alongside
it was mainly an Eskimo area but there
was a mining community and that’s
where my daddy worked. Then he
would move my family and I to places
like Labrador and Quebec, wherever
the mining work was. Daddy was in
explosives, he used to blow things
up. Now as far as my introduction to
movies, well, that’s an interesting story.
You see in Quebec back in the 40’s and
early 50’s you couldn’t actually watch
movies at a theatre because there was
this terrible fire that started at a theatre,
so there was a total ban on children
being allowed in the theatre in fear of
another fire starting. So, instead, the
local priests would show movies in the
basement of the church. This is where I
saw my first movies.
www.screamhorrormag.com SCREAM 7
“My guess is that a few things
happened in the house and they over
draMatised these events”
someone else. Acting is not at all about finding your mark and doing this right
lying well, it’s about telling the truth. You go and saying this a certain way, it’s just all
to a place of great intimate truth with other completely organic and real. I still can’t
people, and you’re protected because your pass a movie set and not take a peek
character is the one going to that place in. I think the 70’s also was an amazing
and not you. And then when you are lucky time where we filmmakers thought we
enough to share that with another actor it could change the world, we could throw
becomes a dance. out the old ways and old methods and
invent new cinema. But sadly, there was
SCREAM: You were a prominent part of a lot of Icharuses. In that a lot of people
the New Hollywood, or what was coined flew too close to the sun and lost their
as the New Hollywood, what do you think wings, which was tragic. We were the
made the 70’s such a benchmark in cinema generation that wanted to break free
history? Was it the new talent arising, the from the oppression bought onto us by
new way people thought about making what came before and what our parents
movies…? thought. And when you translate that
into Hollywood terms, you can see that
MK: Well I was like many of the other the movies reflect these changing ideals;
people that made that happen, I mean movies were changing because the
we were all nerdy, awkward, too smart people making them were different. We
for our own good kids who finally met were the only generation that thought we
everyone else who felt like that on their could make it to the moon and when you
own and we merged and created this take that ethos and that mentality you
beautiful thing. It’s like as if something is end up creating great innovative work.
totally banned from being talked about at Also, you have to remember that we were
the dinner table and then finally you get to the first generation of moviemakers that
a banquet where everyone can talk about grew up with films as our bible, as things
that taboo subject! Acting and filmmaking we loved and lived! We also were not
is a fabulous thing and something that, at all obsessed with celebrity; we didn’t
when done right, is like skiing, you get lost think becoming famous for the sake of
in the movement and don’t worry about being famous was important. We thought
8 SCREAM www.screamhorrormag.com
it was embarrassing if we got famous for MK: Brian told me that he wrote SISTERS directors these days agonize over getting
terrible work! Nowadays these people specifically for me. When I found that out I those wonderful shots that were mastered
become famous for being on stupid reality had to laugh, I mean you thought of me to by the likes of Brian and his friend Martin
TV shows. Not in my day. We cared about play this woman who castrates men after Scorsese, but what they don’t get is that
the work. All the studios had departments making love to them! Well ain’t that nice! Brian and Marty were also extremely clued
to encourage young people to make new But I loved it! On Christmas morning Brian in to the fine art of acting and working with
works, this doesn’t happen now. came downstairs with the script and he actors, not just telling them where their
handed it to me and said, “There’s your mark was and whatever.
SCREAM: Can you describe your career Christmas present”. And then we went off
during the years leading up to SISTERS? and made the movie, and it was a lot of SCREAM: Was Brian precious about his
fun. It was one of his very early movies. screenplay? Did he let you ad-lib dialogue
MK: Well I was very young and working The money for it came from his mom who at all?
nonstop. I started acting professionally owned a toyshop and it was a wonderful
in Montreal and Toronto and then moved time to make a movie and a wonderful time MK: There is one major secret about Brian
to Hollywood at eighteen with a couple to be young. that many people just don’t know. And that
of hundred bucks on me and heart full of is he is one of the funniest people I know!
hope and then landed a role in a Norman SCREAM: What was Brian De Palma He loved to inject his scripts with strong
Jewison film. I was very young and naïve like as a director and what was the most humour that played nicely along with the
and thought, “Well of course I’ll get roles, influential advice he ever gave? horror or the suspense. He was always
I mean I deserve it”. Then I did a lot of low adamant as to what he wanted and why he
budget independent movies and then met MK: Brian being my boyfriend didn’t at wanted it and if you thought of changing
Brian De Palma who was one of these all influence the way he directed me, I it or altering the words or whatever, you
people making these interesting indie think the main brilliance of Brian is his true better also have a great reason to back
movies. He loved Hitchcock and you can understanding of actors and what actors you up. Also, the character I played was
see that in his work and he and I started can bring to the film. For an actor it truly supposed to be Swedish! But I couldn’t
seeing each other romantically. is a joy working with him, and it shows in do a Swedish accent! I tried learning the
all of his movies, he just has that knack Swedish accent but it was just too hard so
SCREAM: What did you initially think of the for tapping into something completely I said, “Brian, can we make her French?” I
story of SISTERS? honest and real. Some of the younger grew up partly in Quebec so I was always
around French-Canadian, and Brian was
cool with that, his response was, “Fine. I
just want her to be foreign.”
SCREAM: 1973 sees the release of THE

EXORCIST, one of the most successful
horror movies ever made, did that make an
impact on the success or even visibility of
SISTERS?
MK: I don’t know, I don’t know which one

came out first. I have no idea.
SCREAM: What are you most proud of in

regards to SISTERS?
MK: Oh I just thought there was the best

teamwork ever! All of us cast members
loved each other and really liked acting with
each other. And we all really liked working
with Brian. It’s that whole thing of enjoying
what you do, if you do enjoy it, then the
work is great and the results are even
better. Jennifer Salt was my roommate and
best friend and we all hung out together
and just made this great movie and it was
all very supportive and fun.
SCREAM: I love how lose and fun Barb is

in BLACK CHRISTMAS, was this a role that
you really enjoyed letting go in?
SCREAM: THE AMITYVILLE HORROR was wanted to talk about Russian actors. He told
MK: Well sure, but what character would produced by American International Pictures me that they were all very up themselves
you compare Barb to? I mean, you really and was their biggest hit ever, were you a and so serious and thought they were way
can’t compare the roles you do. It would be fan of the company and Samuel Z. Arkoff? above any American actor. All I could think
like comparing children or lovers, they’re of was “Mr. Steiger, don’t you understand
all different and acting is always a different MK: They were great! AIP couldn’t have that you were in a historically rich country?”
experience. That’s the beauty of doing been better! Remember they have an I totally understood the kind of man Rod
movies, you just never know what the next amazing history and an amazing amount was from that; he was very dedicated to
one will be like. of great work. Martin Scorcesse got to do the acting craft and that was the centre
BOXCAR BERTHA for them, and I am sure of his existence. Experience for him was
SCREAM: How did THE AMITYVILLE Brian did something for them too….But completely drawn from his work. He was
HORROR come about? yes, Roger Corman was great! He nursed great. James Brolin on the other hand,
along so many talented people. There was
MK: I have to say that firstly I think horror a wonderful writer, a novelist named Rita
movies are funny. Horror films make me Mae Brown who wanted to learn how to
laugh. I know that’s strange and I’m well write movies and it was Roger Corman who
aware that your magazine treats them with gave her that opportunity. She of course
great respect and takes them very seriously, wrote the screenplay for SLUMBER PARTY
but I just have fits of laughter watching them MASSACRE, so that was great. Directed
and making them is just as funny. While also by Amy Holden. So many great women
making THE AMITYVILLE HORROR I was came out of AIP and that is great.
laughing all the way through it! I just loved
the fact that it was fun and silly to make, I SCREAM: What was it like working with
mean there was that great scene where the James Brolin and Rod Steiger?
walls of the house are bleeding and me and
James Brolin are there standing in gallons of MK: I was so excited to be working with
blood and slipping all over the place, I mean Rod Steiger. I have a great adventurer
that’s funny! The director Stuart Rosenberg streak in me and one of the most exciting
used to hold up a fake pig and bring it up things about acting is that sometimes, if
close to me and go “Oink Oink!” to scare you’re lucky, you get to travel all over the
me! I mean, it was silly fun. I was offered the place. Now Rod had gone to Russia and I
film right after SUPERMAN. wanted to hear all about Russia but he just
SCREAM: THE AMITYVILLE HORROR
comes out around the same time as other
haunted house and ghost movies come out
such as THE SHINING, GHOST STORY
and POLTERGEIST. What do you think
makes it different to those?
MK: To be quite honest I have absolutely

no idea why THE AMITYVILLE HORROR
became a huge hit, I was completely
confused by its success. And what is crazy
is that hundreds of fans for years come up
to me and say “Oh I love that movie, it was
so scary!” and I just ask “How?” I mean it
was so silly and ridiculous! We were also
told by the producers to tell the press that
strange things happened while making the
movie and that paranormal events were
taking place in our lives while shooting.
“To be quiTe honesT i have absoluTely But as far as I’m concerned the whole
Amityville haunting thing is a sham.
no idea why The aMiTyville hoRRoR SCREAM: Are you a fan of film theory and
becaMe a huge hiT” analysis? The idea of THE AMITYVILLE
HORROR being an acute study on the
was a different story. I mean I came from to that, I loved to play on different energies, anxieties of home ownership and horrors
a goofy misfit gang of movie geeks and using props in different ways, taking cues about forced responsibility and the sins
these people and I were very, very different from various points. It was a different of the father… does this kind of analysis
to the kind of man, the kind of actor James approach but on screen it all works. interest you?
Brolin was. We didn’t get close at all. We
didn’t mix a lot. He just seemed much older SCREAM: Did you ever meet Kathy MK: I think horror movies are fun. But I
than me even though he wasn’t; he was Lutz? Was there ever any meetings or definitely respect that horror movie fans are
like the old Hollywood. I just loved working discussions with her regarding the role? the most savvy and smart people on earth.
on the spot, I used to love walking onto set They know their movies inside out and love
and finding accidents and making them MK: Yes. I met the Lutz’s and I thought them dearly and it gives me great pleasure
work! James was not like that at all. He they were very nice, but I also thought that to be in a few fan favourites.
was rehearsed and wanted to do things in they were definitely not at all intellectuals.
a set manner. It was very similar to the way My guess is that a few things happened in SCREAM: Thank you for talking to
Christopher Reeve worked on SUPERMAN. the house and they over dramatised these SCREAM. It has been an absolute pleasure.
These men were very similar in that they events and then convinced themselves
had to be rehearsed, have things sorted out that they were in fact supernatural and then MK: Thank you so much, this has been a
and then play the scene the same way all went from there. But let’s face it, it was a lot lot of fun for me.
the time, in every take. I was totally different of baloney.
ROSEMARY’S
BABY
50 YEARS OF HORROR PARENTHOOD…
Words: Jon Towlson
“What is this, some kind called DOWNHILL RACERS, but when controversial figure but there is no denying
of soap opera?” the diminutive director set foot in Evans’ that ROSEMARY’S BABY is an influential
Melrose Avenue offices after his vacation and masterful piece of filmmaking. Without
This was director Roman Polanski’s in Vermont, the novel of Rosemary’s Baby it, there would arguably not have been THE
immediate thought as he started to read was thrust into Polanski’s hands instead. EXORCIST (1973) or THE OMEN (1976)
the galley proofs of Ira Levin’s novel, “I got you here on a pretext,” Evans (let alone more recent fare such as the
Rosemary’s Baby, in the spring of 1967. admitted, “I want you to make this picture.” excellent STARRY EYES [2014]) nor any
Fresh off the disastrous production of Later, in his suite in the Beverly Hills Hotel, number of satanic horror films that have
THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS the initially sceptical Polanski ended up appeared since ROSEMARY’S BABY’s
(1967), a film eventually taken away from devouring the manuscript in one sitting. release on 12th June, 1968. ROSEMARY’S
Polanski and re-edited by its producer “By the time I was through,” Polanski BABY is taught in directing classes in
Martin Ransohoff, the Polish director of wrote in his autobiography, “my eyes were film schools internationally; and has
REPULSION (1965) had been looking popping out of my head”. The next day, been lauded by scholars and academics.
to do a little skiing and forget about the Roman Polanski phoned Evans and said Together with PSYCHO (1960), TARGETS
movie business a while when Hollywood yes to directing ROSEMARY’S BABY at (1968) and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
came calling in the guise of Robert Evans, Paramount. The result was a box office (1968) it ushered in a new age of modern
the wunderkind Head of Production at sensation and one of the greatest horror horror cinema built on filmic realism,
Paramount Pictures. The thirty-six year films ever produced. ambiguity, paranoia, alienation and a deeply
old Evans (who started his professional life Now fifty years old, ROSEMARY’S pessimistic view of traditional social values -
selling women’s clothes) hijacked Polanski BABY is considered by critics to be a religion, family, marriage and conformity. Its
with the promise of helming a skiing movie landmark of the horror genre. Polanski is a blurring of reality and nightmare still disturbs
today, as does its troubling sexual politics:
we witness Rosemary (Mia Farrow) slowly
transform from a happily married young
woman into an anxious, deeply confused
shadow of her former self as she loses
control of her own reproductive process to
the men around her, all of whom are using
her for their own gain. What makes the film
even more powerful is the way that Polanski
makes us see all of this through the eyes
of Rosemary; and he does this through
the brilliant use of cinematic techniques
to create a completely immersive and
subjective film experience.
As Jason Zinoman has noted, the
book’s author was a comic playwright
whose previous three Broadway shows
had flopped. Ira Levin was born in New
York in 1929. After college he started to
write scripts for film and television. His
first novel, A Kiss Before Dying (1953) was
made into a film in 1956 (and later in 1991);
it had been only a moderate success, but
with Rosemary’s Baby (written in 1967), Ira
Levin would finally strike gold. Essentially a realistic setting in which there is filmmakers who favoured realism over
modern variation on the ‘paranoid woman something that does not fit with the real’. the kind of gimmicky schlock that had
in genuine peril’ that often underpins the With ROSEMARY’S BABY, as Polanski become Castle’s own trademark, he had
classical Gothic novel, Levin’s Rosemary’s told French Film Magazine, Cahiers du originally planned to direct ROSEMARY’S
Baby cleverly keyed into a growing popular Cinema, ‘one enters another landscape BABY himself. No less a personage than
interest in the occult (as promoted by rock - the landscape of the mind’; it is exactly Alfred Hitchcock had already considered
groups like The Rolling Stones), mysticism the kind of psychological cinema that making the novel, and Castle hoped that
and psychedelic experience. Stephen King Polanski is known for. ROSEMARY’S BABY would help revive
has described Levin as a storyteller whose ROSEMARY’S BABY first came to his flagging career in the same way that
tales are constructed with ‘the precision of a Evans and Paramount via the veteran PSYCHO had boosted Hitchcock’s, by
Swiss watch’. Polanski realised that Levin’s producer-director William Castle (THE showing that he still had his finger on the
novel followed a cinematic pattern. It was, HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, THE pulse of filmgoers. Castle seized the chance
in Polanski’s words, ‘an outstandingly TINGLER [both 1959]). Looking for to bring Levin’s book to the attention
well-constructed thriller’, but more than a project that would bring him up to of Paramount, with whom his company
that, Polanski recognised in it ‘an extremely date with the new breed of Hollywood William Castle Enterprises had a production
deal. Paramount agreed to option the book
from Random House in advance of its
scheduled publication in April 1967, for the
princely sum of $100,000 ‘with escalation
to $150,000 via an additional $1 for every
hardcover copy sold over 35,000’, the LA
TIMES reported. Levin was also entitled
to twenty per cent of the producers’ profit
share, and ten per cent of the net profits.
At this point in time, Paramount was
doing badly as a Hollywood studio, “there
were eight companies and we were eighth”,
Evans recalled in an interview for ANATOMY
OF THE MOVIES conducted in 1981. “In fact
we were tenth, there was so much distance
between the seventh company and us.”
Like Castle, Evans also wanted to update
horror for a younger audience - but he
couldn’t see himself doing that with Castle
directing. Instead, Evans persuaded Charles
Bluhdorn, head of Gulf and Western (the
conglomerate that owned Paramount), to
take a chance on the little known Polanski,
whose films KNIFE IN THE WATER (1962)
Polanski be allowed to write the screenplay After working on the script for a month,
himself, which Paramount quickly agreed Polanski ended up with a preliminary draft
to. Polanski flew back to London, where of 220 pages. At industry standard, this
he was living at the time, and started the would have led to a four hour movie, so
lengthy process of adapting the novel Polanski set about whittling the screenplay
into a screenplay. He pencilled out the down to a manageable length. In his
irrelevant passages in the novel and dictated adaptation, Polanski wanted to stay as
a preliminary draft of the script to his close to the book as possible, so rather
and CUL-DE-SAC (1966) had so impressed secretary. Pacing the office of his two-floor than make any major changes to the story
Evans. It was certainly a bold move on mews house at 95 West Eaton Mews, just
Evans’ part, but perhaps less of a gamble off Eaton Square in Belgravia, he revealed
than it might first appear: REPULSION had in his autobiography: “I worked all day, day
already demonstrated Polanski’s brilliance after day. The rate of progress seemed
as a director of psychological horror and incredible”. Polanski was both helped
shared marked thematic similarities with and hindered by Levin’s impeccable
ROSEMARY’S BABY - both concerned sense of story craft. “There were none
a young woman’s isolation and paranoia of the grey areas that authors tend to
inside an apartment building. In fact the two camouflage with purple prose or tricks
films were so alike that Evans possibly saw of style when their storyline falters.” But
REPULSION as a dry run for ROSEMARY’S there was one aspect of the story that
BABY. And Evans no doubt reasoned that bothered Polanski: being an agnostic, the
if Polanski could achieve stunning results idea of Satan incarnate conflicted with
on a £95,000 budget - as he had with his rational view of the world. Polanski
REPULSION (which won the Silver Bear decided that, for the sake of credibility, he
Award at the 1965 Berlin Film Festival) - would leave open in filming the possibility
imagine what he could do with $1.9 million! that Rosemary’s supernatural experiences
Castle was disappointed not to direct were figments of her imagination: that it
ROSEMARY’S BABY himself, but as was Rosemary’s paranoia and suspicion
producer of the film could console himself during pregnancy and post-partum craze
with a sweetheart deal: $250,000 and 50% that made her believe that there was a plot
of the film’s profits. ROSEMARY’S BABY’s against her and her baby. Polanski sought
box office success would ultimately make to weave this thread of deliberate ambiguity
William Castle a rich man. through the film. In order to do this he would
In March 1967, Polanski signed use cinematic technique in such a way as
with Paramount to write and direct to tell the story entirely from Rosemary’s
ROSEMARY’S BABY. Part of his proviso perspective, with every event and plot detail
for accepting the assignment was that filtered through her paranoid consciousness.
there is no denying that
roseMary’s BaBy is an
influential and Masterful
piece of filMMaking
he tried instead to condense it without had reduced the screenplay to 167 pages with Warren Beatty in mind to play Guy
losing anything important. It was a slow, – still a long screenplay. He had kept Woodhouse, Rosemary’s husband,
delicate process and Polanski was reluctant many details of the book, including Levin’s and Polanski’s own wife, Sharon
to make any significant cuts, but tried descriptions. “I couldn’t see any reason for Tate, to play Rosemary. After some
just to eliminate a few things in order to changing it,” Polanski told Joseph Gelmis in procrastination Beatty eventually turned
preserve the careful construction of the 1969. “I assumed the writer was right even down the role as it wasn’t the lead – his
novel. Even then, Polanski would shoot a in the choice of the colour of a tie.” What parting shot to Polanski was “Hey, can
number of scenes that he knew might not resulted was one of the most faithful screen I play Rosemary?” There wasn’t much
make it into the final picture, just in case adaptations of a novel ever filmed. enthusiasm at Paramount for Tate so
they did turn out to be necessary. Three While Polanski worked on the script, he Polanski let it slide, instead opting for
drafts later, by 24th July 1967 Polanski and Castle set about developing the project Sharon’s friend, Tuesday Weld to play
Rosemary. The studio had other ideas,
though, and negotiated with Twentieth
Century Fox to loan out Mia Farrow,
who was under contract with Fox. Born
Maria de Lourdes Villiers-Farrow, Mia
Farrow is about as close to Hollywood
royalty as you can get. Daughter of
Hollywood director John Farrow and
Maureen O’Sullivan (who played Jane
in a number of TARZAN movies in the
1930s), prior to ROSEMARY’S BABY
Mia was, nonetheless, just another
jobbing actress, best known for her role
as Allison MacKenzie in the TV soap
PEYTON PLACE. But Farrow had a
haunted, waif-like quality that made her
right for the role of Rosemary, and she
would go on to give the performance of a
lifetime in the film. After auditioning every
actress under contract to Paramount
without success, Polanski agreed to
meet Farrow to discuss the role. Impressed
with her acting ability, he hired her on the
spot, without even a screen test.
Polanski’s casting methods for other
roles in the film were equally unorthodox.
As he had for his previous movies, Polanski
sketched the faces of the characters as
he pictured them in his mind, and gave
the sketches to the casting department
at Paramount, who set about matching
the faces to existing actors. This is how
stalwarts like Ralph Bellamy (who plays
Rosemary’s double-crossing gynaecologist
Dr. Sapperstein), Elisha Cook Jnr., and
Sydney Blackmer (who heads up the
Satanist cult as Roman Castevet) were
cast. The only character in the film to differ
greatly from the one in the book is Minnie
Castevet, Rosemary’s nosy neighbour, for
whom Polanski hired Ruth Gordon (HAROLD
AND MAUDE [1971]). She brings a comic
edge to the role, sorely needed in a film But the biggest challenge facing Polanski SHINING [1980]). Arguably just as rakish
that is otherwise dark and sombre. Polanski in casting ROSEMARY’S BABY was finding and sinister is John Cassavetes, the method
loved to cast interesting extras in his films, an actor to play Guy. After Beatty declined actor and director par excellence who
too. Like at the very end of REPULSION, the part, Polanski turned to Robert Redford, Polanski eventually signed up for Guy.
when the slightly strange neighbours in the who had the looks of a ‘clean-cut young The two would famously almost come to
apartment building all suddenly come out American’ as described in the novel. But blows during the filming of ROSEMARY’S
of the woodwork for the first time, the final Redford was in dispute with Paramount BABY. This was not necessarily due to
scene of ROSEMARY’S BABY is made after breaking his contract to star in a a clash of egos, but to a clash of styles.
all the more memorable and bizarre by western for them, and that brought his Cassavetes favoured improvisation, a loose
the unexpected visitors to the Castevet’s involvement with Polanski to an abrupt way of working, and a vérité approach
apartment, come from all over the world to end. Polanski also briefly considered the to filmmaking that promoted character
“Hail, Satan!” (This motley crew resemble young Jack Nicholson but, as he revealed exploration over plot development. Polanski
more a group of tourists arriving for a photo in his autobiography, rejected him as ‘too sought realism in a different way, through
opportunity at the Empire State Building than rakish and sinister’ (something which a slow and precise shooting style with
they do devil worshippers, something that evidently didn’t bother Stanley Kubrick rigorous attention to detail and multiple
makes the finale all the more grotesque.) when it came to casting Nicholson in THE takes. The two men bonded well enough
Farrow had a haunted, Bramford in both the novel and the film) for
waiF-like quality that made

exterior shots. Sylbert also helped Polanski
with shortening the overlong screenplay.
her right For the role oF It was Sylbert, too, who recommended to
rosemary
Polanski that they hire William A. Fraker
as Director of Photography. Fraker had
worked his way up from camera assistant
during rehearsals, and even did after-hours 1960s and the social and metaphysical to camera operator to cinematographer
boys’ stuff together like riding motorbikes, confusion that accompanied it (personified (on Curtis Harrington’s GAMES [1967]).
but Polanski would find Cassavetes in Rosemary herself). Sylbert brought He was experimental and open to using
increasingly difficult during the actual in his sister-in-law, Althea to design the wide angle lenses, available light, pre-
filming, and would later come to disparage costumes, and she captures the fashions fogged film stock and other cutting
him in interviews. Cassavetes would later of the time perfectly (it’s Althea Sylbert who edge techniques that were considered
look down his nose at Polanski’s type of originally designed that red frock with the unprofessional by the Hollywood studio
filmmaking, dismissing it as childish. frilly white collar that Kate Middleton was system, but which directors like Polanski
Perhaps this was partly because, for seen wearing for her recent maternity!) insisted on. Together, Polanski, Sylbert and
Polanski, the real star of the picture, and In fact Richard Sylbert became a Fraker shaped the look of ROSEMARY’S
key to its psychological effect, was always major collaborator on ROSEMARY’S BABY: “we worked as team,” Polanski told
intended to be the New York apartment BABY. It was Sylbert’s idea to use the American Cinematographer. “We would talk
where Rosemary and Guy go to live. After Dakota building in New York to double as over lunch in the cafeteria, or in a restaurant
he had said yes to ROSEMARY’S BABY, Rosemary’s apartment building (called The across the street from the Paramount lot.”
Polanski’s first step was to hire veteran
production designer Richard Sylbert,
whose previous credits had included THE
MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962), WHO’S
AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF (1966)
and THE GRADUATE (1967). After his
experience of filming REPULSION on a set
in Twickenham Studios, Polanski knew that
to achieve the effect he wanted he needed
a top notch set designer, and Sylbert was
considered the best in the business. Built
on the Paramount lot in Hollywood, Sylbert
designed the apartment set so that there
was a different atmosphere in every room;
there would be a change of light as you
moved from room to room. In the film,
the apartment transforms from a gloomy,
depressing place to a nice, bright and sunny
apartment, in direct contrast to the direction
of the story and Rosemary’s psychological
decline. From the start, Polanski wanted
realism in every detail of the film. “The only
way to seduce people into believing you,”
Polanski told Joseph Gelmis, “is to take
painstaking care with the details of your
film, to make it accurate.” Polanski’s main
concern was to create the specific mood
of 1965, the year in which the novel is set.
As background Polanski included glimpses
of the Pope’s visit to New York that year
on TV; Mia Farrow is given a Vidal Sassoon
hairstyle in the film; and Polanski sneaks
in a shot of the famous and controversial
cover of TIME MAGAZINE - “IS GOD
DEAD?” – an apt comment on America’s
shift towards a new age of atheism in the
was left wondering “why didn’t I think of
that?” In ROSEMARY’S BABY, Polanski
stages a number of complicated scenes
using short focal length lenses placed
close to the actors; the effect is to draw the
viewer into the scene, immersing them in
Rosemary’s increasingly frightening reality.
As well as camera angles, Polanski uses
the positioning of the camera itself very
deliberately to create a sense of intimacy
with Rosemary; often placing the camera
behind her, following her as she walks
through the apartment, so that we feel that
we don’t know exactly where she is leading
us, but that we are there with her, sharing
the experience of what is happening to
her. “Intimacy is not directed related to
the camera angle but to the place where
you put the camera,” Polanski advised a
group of film students at the American Film
Institute in 1969. “If you had Rosemary
walking into a bedroom and you put the
camera on the other side of the bedroom
Despite getting on well together,

and their informal working relationship,
Fraker quickly found out for himself
how exacting Polanski’s methods were.
Polanski insisted on using only 18mm or
25mm lenses for the film - wide angles
even by Fraker’s standards. At first Fraker
baulked at photographing close ups of Mia
Farrow using these distorting lenses, but
was won over when Polanski explained
his reasoning, as he told American
Cinematographer: “I want the apartment to
be another character in the story. I want it
to be always overwhelming Rosemary, to
have it even curve at the edges, so the walls
are enveloping her.” Impressed, Fraker
Polanski was eventually left alone to finish
ROSEMARY’S BABY his way. Evans
and the Paramount bosses, and William
Castle too, came to realise that Roman
Polanski’s brand of direction was achieving
extraordinary results.
By the time principal photography was
completed on 20th December 1967,
ROSEMARY’S BABY was four weeks
behind schedule and $400,000 over
budget. But, as Polanski later pointed
out, the cost of his overrunning to make
sure the film was as good as it needed
to be, was a trifle compared to what
ROSEMARY’S BABY ultimately earned.
Editing ROSEMARY’S BABY proved to
be equally challenging. First assembly of the
film revealed the movie that Polanski had
shot to be over four hours long
despite Polanski having
first assembly of the film trimmed down the

script. Now too close
revealed the movie that to his own vision,
Polanski had shot to be over

and to the story,
Polanski didn’t
four hours long know where to
start in making
and through the opening see her walking until Polanski got what he wanted. He a releasable
into the room, it wouldn’t be intimate. But refused to move on until he was satisfied movie out of the
if you put the camera behind, behind it all, with each and every scene, each and footage, and the
and the door opens and she comes in and every shot. By the end of the first week editor that William
you follow her, then it would be intimate.” of shooting, ROSEMARY’S BABY was Castle had hired
The effect on an audience could be already over schedule. Although William – an old hand from
powerful, as Fraker discovered when Castle would later publish an open letter
Polanski deliberately framed a shot of in Daily Variety praising Polanski for his
Ruth Gordon through a bedroom door so ‘talent, thoughtfulness, cooperation and
that half of her was obscured by the door technical skill’, at first he tried to seize the
frame. “But you can’t see her!” Fraker opportunity of the director’s falling behind
protested on the set. “Exactly!” Polanski to have Polanski booted off the picture.
replied. Later, when Fraker watched the Warning Paramount’s top brass that
scene projected, he saw the whole cinema Polanski was going to end up costing
audience unconsciously crane their necks them a lot of money, Castle urged
as they tried to look around the door frame. Bluhdorn to get rid of him. Evans
At that point, Fraker came to appreciate flew to the New York location
how skilfully Polanski could use the camera and urged Polanski to pick
to influence an audience’s perception of up the pace, but Polanski
events in a film. Polanski had in fact studied stuck to his guns.
the psychology of visual perception and Privately, though,
had very clear ideas about its cinematic Polanski was feeling
use. These theories he incorporated into the pressure of
his directing methods in very practical Paramount breathing
ways when it came to working with actors down his neck, and, as he
and the camera. “I always set up with the recalls in his autobiography, confided
actors first,” he told AFI students, “without to veteran director Otto Preminger his
thinking of the camera. I observe them worry that he would be replaced on the
while they rehearse, and then I observe film. “Are they happy with the rushes?”
myself when I’m watching, and just follow Preminger asked. “More than happy.
what I see when I close one eye, and then They’re delighted,” Polanski replied.
substitute the camera for my own eye”. “Why give a fuck, then?” Preminger
Polanski shot ROSEMARY’S BABY exclaimed. “They only replace a
slowly and carefully. Every scene was director when the rushes are
rehearsed, broken down into shots, lousy.” Preminger turned out to
then every shot rehearsed and refined be right, as it happened, and
for its release version. It’s still a long film for
a horror movie, but part of ROSEMARY’S
BABY’s power lies in its slow, steady build-
up of tension, as Rosemary’s nightmare
increasingly becomes reality.
Rumour has it that Paramount head,
Charles Bluhdorn, fell asleep when the film
was screened for him, but Robert Evans felt
sure he had a hit on his hands. Convincing
Paramount of that proved to be difficult,
though. The problem was that the publicity
department didn’t know how to sell the
film. For this reason, Paramount stalled
on releasing it, until Evans approached a
friend at Young and Rubicam, who came
up with the now famous poster of the pram
perched on a cliff and the tag line ‘Pray for
Rosemary’s Baby’. Polanski didn’t like the
slogan, thinking that some critics would
assume it was the name of the film (he was
right). But the advertising campaign caught
the imagination of the public. ROSEMARY’S
BABY opened on 12th June 1968, and was
an immediate box office success. In Los
Angeles it set a two-day box office record in
its first weekend. In its initial New York City
opening, the film set a first-week record,
grossing $141, 572 in its first seven days.
ROSEMARY’S BABY became Paramount’s
top-grossing film of the summer in 1968.
The film was particularly successful
with young audiences. William Castle and
Robert Evans had been right: in terms of its
attitudes to conformity, youth culture and
the sexual revolution, ROSEMARY’S BABY
spoke to a new generation. Rosemary
is a good girl at heart who does what is
expected of her. She marries young and
tries to be a good home-maker; she defers
to her husband, to her elders, and to the
authority of the medical profession. She
does what a good mother should do and
tries to protect her child. But in the end, she
is swayed by traditional attitudes towards
family that make her favour her maternal
duty over the knowledge that her child is
something diabolical. The ironic message of
ROSEMARY’S BABY seems to be that by
conforming to society’s mores, even kind,
his B-movie schlock days – wasn’t up to was able to take over. In order to regain decent people like Rosemary allow evil into
the task. Richard Sylbert talked Castle into some objectivity, Polanski left O’Steen the world.
hiring Sam O’Steen, a talented editor who to do a cut of ROSEMARY’S BABY by But whatever you choose to read into
had started as an assistant on Hitchcock’s himself. Bringing a fresh eye to the material, it, ROSEMARY’S BABY remains - fifty
THE WRONG MAN (1956) and had gradually O’Steen was able to reduce the film to two years later- a superb horror film; and this
clawed his way up to make his mark with and a half hours. Polanski was overjoyed is largely due to Roman Polanski’s skill
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLF, with O’Steen’s work (later calling O’Steen as a ‘psychological’ director. In the words
HOTEL and COOL HAND LUKE (1967). the most talented editor he’d ever known; of Robert Evans (in his Criterion DVD
The only problem was that O’Steen was O’Steen would direct the sequel LOOK commentary):
still finishing THE GRADUATE for director WHAT’S HAPPENED TO ROSEMARY’S “There’s no gun-play nonsense, no
Mike Nichols, and wasn’t available to start BABY as a TV movie in 1976). Rejoining him machinery. It’s in the mind. And Polanski
on ROSEMARY’S BABY straight away. So in the editing room, Polanski and O’Steen knew how to manipulate the mind. And to
O’Steen’s assistant, Bob Wyman, started then worked together to finalise the film, manipulate the mind on film and make it
the rough cut of Polanski’s film until O’Steen bringing it in a two hours sixteen minutes work is one piece of art”.
“AN INSIDIOUS AND DEEPLY UNSETTLING FOCUS ON
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WITH A SUPERNATURAL TWIST ”
DAILY RECORD
£7.99
OUT NOW ON DVD

The House
with A Clock
in its Walls
Eli Roth talks ticking timE BomBs!
Words: Bryan Cairns
Director Eli Roth first gained prominence September 21st release, HOUSE finds I can see it so clearly. I know exactly
in 2002 with CABIN FEVER. The stomach- recently orphaned 10-year-old Lewis what to do,’” continues Roth. “It was also
turning flick found a group of vacationing Barnavelt [Owen Vaccaro] moving in with something I had very much been looking
college students infected with a flesh-eating his enigmatic Uncle Jonathan [Jack Black]. to do. I’ve been wanting to do something
virus. Roth subsequently ratcheted up the Turns out Jonathan is an amateurish like TIME BANDITS or GREMLINS or
gore and graphic violence with HOSTEL wizard, while his next-door neighbour, Mrs. BEETLEJUICE, to do a real, proper PG,
and HOSTEL II. Those films – in addition to Zimmerman [Cate Blanchett], is a good and kids’ scary movie. The fact that it was
Roth helming THE GREEN INFERNO and powerful witch. Together, they must find a at Amblin and I got to work with Steven
co-starring in AFTERSHOCK – solidified magical clock constructed by the evil Isaac Spielberg was the opportunity of a lifetime.
his reputation as a horror maverick. They Izard [Kyle MacLachlan]. The timepiece I sent it to Jack Black and he loved it. Then,
also cemented the misconception that he possesses the power to bring about the we went to Cate Blanchett. Cate had read it
was only interested in blood and guts. Roth end of the world. Of course, the ticking and loved it. We started really fast. We were
maintains that’s simply not true. clock is hidden somewhere in Jonathan’s shooting in October because Cate had a
“Blood stains people’s eyes,” Roth ominous home. window for five or six weeks. Sometimes
explains over the phone. “Once you do “The project was brought to me by a when you have an actor who only has a
that kind of kill and you are known for one producer, Brad Fischer,” Roth says. “Brad limited availability, it really lights a fire under
thing, that’s the price you pay. If you do it and I have known each other a long time. everyone and miracles happen.”
well, and people respond to it, then that’s We had a separate project together, a Screenwriter/producer Eric Kripke calls
what they are going to remember you for. television project, that never got off the THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS
You can’t be surprised if people don’t ground. He brought this to me last June. I WALLS a “passion project.” It stands as his
know you for anything else. The nice thing knew John Bellairs because I have some of all-time favourite book from his childhood.
is that I acted in movies, so most people the original Edward Gorey artwork for THE Furthermore, Kripke credits HOUSE as the
who wouldn’t know I am a director would HAND OF THE NECROMANCER. But, I had inspiration behind creating the long-running
recognise me from those. They think that’s never read THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN TV series, SUPERNATURAL.
who I am. Then, to another group of people, ITS WALLS. Already I knew it was my taste “I found THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK
I’m the guy on SHARK WEEK who loves because it was Bellairs and Gorey. IN ITS WALLS in my elementary school
sharks. There are many sides to me. “I probably read the whole script in 45 library,” Kripke says in a separate
“My audience is pretty fractured,” he minutes and called Brad right away and conversation. “This book more than speaks
adds. “There’s not a ton of crossover. said, ‘I’m in. I have got to do this movie. to me. I would call it a lifelong obsession.
There’s people who know me from acting,
and people who know me from horror.
That’s OK. I feel like I am going to have a
long career. You are known for what you
are known for until you change it up. If I
want to be known for something else, that’s
completely on me.”
Roth intends to buck any preconceived
notions with this fall’s feature film, THE
HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS.
Based on the 1973 Gothic novel by author
John Bellairs and illustrator Edward Gorey,
the movie of the same name still contains
Roth’s signature thrills and chills, but on
a family-friendly level. Scheduled for a
It was the very first scary book I ever
read, and it has such a wonderful,
haunting tone. The scares in it were
legit. It was also the first time in a
fictional story where all the lore and
spells and amulets were based in real
folklore, which is something I brought
to SUPERNATURAL. In many ways,
HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS
was the origin of SUPERNATURAL.”
“So, a couple of years ago, producer
Brad Fischer and I were talking about
something we could do together,” recalls
Kripke. “I said, ‘I’ve always wanted
to write a HOUSE WITH A CLOCK
IN ITS WALLS movie.’ Sporadically, I
would check in to see if the rights were
available. The timing worked out that
he checked in and the rights from the
previous producer had just lapsed. He
and I snatched them up and bought
the rights for me to write and for us to
produce it together. This book means a
lot to me. This story isn’t just I wanted
to write it. I would have been seriously
depressed if anyone else had wrote it. I
could be the world’s biggest fan of the
book. It was an obligation and a labor
of love and a promise kept to chubby
10-year-old me to write this movie.”
Arguably, the most daunting task of
translating a novel into another medium
is whittling down the source material.
In fact, HOUSE served as Kripke’s first
attempt at adapting anything. He admits he when you are just trying to make them out However, what was considered spooky
went into the process “blissfully, ignorantly of ego… you try to do the former and avoid in 1973 might be labeled tame by today’s
confident.” That tune changed soon the latter. standards. Kripke reports the trick was to
enough. Roth refers to Kripke as “a fantastic not talk down to its audiences.
“I was like, ‘Great! I don’t actually have writer.” Nonetheless, the director offered his “We all remember being a genre fan and
to think up the story,’” explains Kripke own suggestions. After all, movie making being young,” says Kripke. “I was 11 years
with a chuckle. “I got smacked in the face is a collaborative effort. Roth thoughtfully old and sneaking into POLTERGEIST. I
with reality. Adapting is harder than writing considered what set pieces were required, loved GREMLINS. When we were 13 and
original material because, ultimately, a book the film’s dynamic style and whether 14, everyone was handing each other
is meant for a different medium. When lingering pieces of information absent in the videos of FRIDAY THE 13TH. We managed
you are writing a movie, and serious about novel should be addressed. to handle all of it. What I really tried to
writing it, it has a structure and necessity for “In the beginning, I said, ‘OK, this isn’t do in the writing of this is let the subject
visual storytelling and to tell psychologically in the book, but it’s set up in the book. matter dictate the tone. It’s a story about
what’s going on with your characters. A Bellairs didn’t need to solve it in the book. a kid trying to find a new family. Those are
book can say what the characters are But, now that we are doing a movie, we are inherently familiar and emotional themes.
thinking, and now I have to find a way to going to have to solve it, and we’re going Those are all very natural and organic to
show it. It was really challenging. You have to have to address it visually and we’re that story. And, yet, it’s legitimately creepy.
to impose a certain amount of structure and going to have to pay it off in a different What I was thrilled about when Eli came on
character movement in a way that movies way,’” Roth reflects. “So, it’s just a process board to direct is that he’s there to make
do without screwing with the things that going through it with Eric. And, I think, Eric a scary movie. He’s not going market
made you love the book in the first place. trusted me visually. Everybody loved the something as scary and it’s not going to be
“I actually found it a minefield, or a very ideas I brought to it. A lot of times, they scary at all. It’s not going to be some bland
precariously tall Jenga tower,” Kripke will bring on a director and say, ‘OK, this oatmeal. It’s all kid-appropriate, but he has
continues. “‘Can I move that piece because is the script. This is what we are shooting. some real jolts in there and a real sense of
that piece would be better served if I did it Here we go.’ But, when you are bringing in creepy tone. What we discussed is what we
that way. But, by doing that, am I bringing something very visual like this, and you are loved about those early Spielberg Amblin
the whole contraption down?’ It was a very world creating, you want a director with a movies. They didn’t talk down to their
carefully meticulous, agonising process of very specific point of view, who says, ‘It’s audience. We tried to capture that here.
trying to move as cautiously as possible. going to look like this. This sequence has to In his previous endeavours, Roth relied
Read the book and see the movie, there happen. That has to happen.’ That’s what I heavily on special effects make-up and
are definitely differences. Where to make did. Luckily, we were all on the same page prosthetics to pull off entrails spilling out
those differences and how to know when about what we wanted to do.” or bringing about immeasurable pain and
you are making them because you need to HOUSE contains its fair share of scares suffering to various victims. “I love practical
make the story fit into a movie structure, or and things that go bump in the night. make-up until it’s impractical,” he states.
Although HOUSE showcases phenomena we were shooting in October. We had to GOOSEBUMPS sequel – both Jack Black
that defy the laws of physics, those really race to get the sequences ready.” vehicles – will battle it out for moviegoers’
elements didn’t totally sway his approach. Kripke further praised Roth’s work ethic hard-earned dollars. Kripke doesn’t sound
“I want everything to look very real and and vision. the least bit concerned.
very hand-made,” Roth says. “That’s “From the minute he came on board… “The thing that makes HOUSE different
why I brought in Louie Morin, my visual sometimes you have a kindred spirit,” than most movies is those other ones
effects supervisor. He worked with Denis says Kripke. “He had such a brilliant eye. play first as comedies and haunted house
Villeneuve. He had done SICARIO and He was so in synch in terms of the movie movies second,” Kripke says. “They are
ARRIVAL. Louis is a perfectionist and an we wanted to make. It was an enjoyable more interested in a carnival ride of a
artist. We worked really closely with Adrien process. We had a version of the script. He movie, where kids can feel safe when they
Morot. Adrien had done DEATH WISH with has the best energy. Eli is so enthusiastic watch. I think what makes ours special is
me. He’s an incredible make-up effects and focussed and smart, all at the same there’s an incredible depth of emotion. I
artist. He created a number of props. time. That’s exactly how I like to work, think the characters are really thought-out,
Sometimes we could augment it a little bit when there’s a lot of fun, boisterous complicated and character-forward. But,
with VFX. conversations, where he calls and it’s like, it’s also a legit scary movie.”
“Mark Rappaport designed some ‘When do we do this? That’s great, but “I can take my 11-year-old to HOUSE,
fantastic things for us from Creature what if we add that? This is amazing.’ You but it’s scary,” concludes Kripke. “It
Effects,” he adds. “He built these amazing have to kick it around, back and forth. His captures a little bit of that hot sauce that
automatons that we could then scan, so if involvement vastly improved every set the early Amblin movies like GREMLINS,
we needed them to move in certain ways, piece. He came up with ideas for a bunch POLTERGEIST and GOONIES had. The
we could do that in CG. We sat down of set pieces that weren’t originally in there, tone and style… it’s a fun movie. It’s a
with the major effects sequences and I that were super-effective. We were all on funny movie. But, it’s a little bit dangerous,
broke them down, storyboarded them and the same page about the movie we wanted too.”
talked them through to people around. We to make.” THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS
planned it, as fast as we could. It was a very This fall is shaping up to be a crowded WALLS opens across worldwide cinemas
short prep. I got on the project in June and landscape for family horror. HOUSE and the from September 21st.
“The thing that makes House different than most

movies is those other ones play first as comedies and
haunted house movies second”
The Power of
the Witch
Reconsidering Hammer’s
The Witches
Words: Kat Ellinger
Former Hollywood A-Lister Joan
Fontaine stars as Gwen Mayfield, a well-
meaning and rather sheltered type of
woman who is working out in the colonies
on a mission in Africa. Whilst there she
is driven out of her mind by locals and
their superstitions. She is terrorised by
voodoo statues, and believes she is being
persecuted. Flash forward and Mayfield,
recovering from a nervous breakdown,
retires for a quieter life in the idyll of a
quaint English village. She takes a job as
a school mistress, and starts getting to
know her neighbours: the slightly eccentric
and effeminate Reverend Alan Bax (Alec
McCowen) — who is responsible for hiring
Gwen at the private school he runs with
his sister, a journalist, Stephanie Bax (Kay
Walsh) — Linda Rigg (Ingrid Boulting),
What’s the first thing you think of when THE WITCHES is different to much of the most developed girl in her class, who
you think of Hammer horror? The answer the formula film the studio were creating appears to be having a affair with fellow
is likely to be Frankenstein, Dracula, at the time. It had a distinctly different schoolmate, Ronnie Dowsett (Martin
vampires, monsters, cobwebs, creaky old energy, being a mostly female cast Stephens), to which the locals highly
castles. You are likely to turn to actors leading the narrative. In addition to this, it disapprove, and Rigg’s Grandmother
like Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee as is contemporary set, as opposed to the “Granny Rigg” (Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies),
a first port of call: two men who defined studio’s favoured Gothic period settings. an old cunning woman with an interest
the studio’s era in horror, playing against It doesn’t get enough credit for the way in old witchy medicine, who may, or may
each other as contrasting opposites, in which is dared to mix things up. In fact, not, be abusing her charge. It’s Gwen’s
time and time again. For example, like it doesn’t get credit at all (only rarely). interference, and concern for Linda,
in Hammer’s first true Gothic horror film, Instead, in light of the witchcraft boom that that leads her running head first into the
THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957), was about to hit the genre, ROSEMARY’S mystery. She starts to suspect that Granny
when Cushing featured as the infamous BABY (1968) in the US, WITCHFINDER Rigg and some of the other villagers are
Baron (in the first of many episodes for GENERAL (1968) in the UK, the film seems practicing witchcraft. Stephanie Bax, at
Hammer) the ultimate mad scientist, with a little dated, a little twee, even perhaps a the school, and the strange Reverend, also
Lee starring as his creature, clad out in little conservative. But, as with everything,
make-up effects that one critic saw fit it depends how you
to describe as a car accident; or as the look at things. Yes, the
ultimate good versus evil duelling duo: film lacks the violence
Cushing, stubborn and heroic as Van and sadism of Tigon’s
Helsing, against the towering menace that WITCHFINDER GENERAL.
was Lee’s Dracula. What you aren’t likely THE WITCHES is largely
to think of, at least not straight away, is a mystery driven mood-
women, witches, and folk horror. And piece. It has none of the
this is especially true for the so called barbaric cruelty that Vincent
“classic” period for the studio, which was Price displays, in his role as
dominated by male heroes and villains, the infamous Witchfinder
and where women were mainly relegated himself, Matthew Hopkins.
to fainting girlie type characters, or THE WITCHES also lacks
brainwashed evil minion roles. Of course, the contemporary cool
this wasn’t always true, there were chic of ROSEMARY’S
exceptions to this rule, at least in their BABY. Being largely set in a
thriller line that coincided with the horror, pastoral village in England,
with films like FANATIC (1965) or THE it is a million miles away
SNORKEL (1958), which both contained from the satanic apartment
strong female leads, or THE GORGON block, in New York, in Roman
(1964) and THE REPTILE (1966), their first Polanski’s aforementioned
in a line of female creatures. This said, shocker. THE WITCHES
these kind of roles during the mid-to- definitely has less psychedelic
late-sixties, these uniquely feminine roles, orgies too! But this doesn’t
had a fairly marginal presence in the mean that it isn’t transgressive
overall bigger picture for Hammer. And in its own way. In fact it is, very
because of this, Hammer’s 1966 film THE much so, as this article will
WITCHES is something truly special. show.
seem to be in on the deal. The more the teacher pokes her nose black comedy THE ANNIVERSARY (1968), where she appeared
into other people’s business, the more she finds out there are as the vile sharp-tongued and manipulative mother figure of the
dark forces at work. She begins to think she is being persecuted piece. Therefore, it isn’t strange that someone like Joan Fontaine,
by magic, and it isn’t long before she ends up in hospital again, another star who had made her fortune in Hollywood, should turn
after suffering another breakdown. What’s left of her memory up in THE WITCHES. Unlike Bankhead or Davis, she was British
tells her that something very bad is going on in the village. A too. But when you think of the actress’ previously association with
coven is at work, and they have their sights set on Linda Rigg as Gothic, her appearance here becomes somewhat special. She
their sacrifice. The problem is, she can’t get anyone to take her also channels some of that good old Gothic spirit, which she had
seriously. And with time running out, she has to go and face the acquired much earlier on in her career, into her role for the film’s
witches alone. heroine, schoolteacher Gwen Mayfield. THE WITCHES would be
The casting of Hollywood actors wasn’t really a new thing for her last in feature film, although she did continue on in television.
Hammer. They had been doing this since their early days, even There was a time, long before THE WITCHES went into
under the banner of Exclusive Films, when they were churning production, that Joan Fontaine was a fairly heavy hitter in
out quota quickies, cheap little thrillers, which often included Hollywood, especially in the realm of the Hollywood Gothic
at least one fading, or never-quite-made-it American star, in melodrama that reigned supreme throughout the 1940’s, and into
order to get investment Stateside. Even though Hammer have the early ‘50s. Fontaine’s sister, Olivia de Havilland (GONE WITH
always been considered a uniquely British unit, something for THE WIND), also made her presence known within this genre,
which they were awarded the Queen’s Award for Industry for, in films like THE HEIRESS (1949) and MY COUSIN RACHEL
in 1968, economic realities dictated that a lot of their product, (1952). Between them they would become the face of the Gothic
especially during their huge horror cycle, relied on American melodrama. Fontaine’s definitive role was in Alfred Hitchcock’s
investment. This practice continued into their horror boom, for REBECCA (1940) — one of the original films to kick off the
example, Hammer cast the former Hollywood hurricane Tallulah popular Gothic cycle, a series of murder mysteries, or thrillers,
Bankhead in FANATIC (1964), their own take on Robert Aldrich’s which contained dark characters and settings, alongside Gothic
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (1962), — the latter elements such as shadow and Rembrandt lighting, imposing
co-starred two Hollywood icons, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. and ornate mansion settings, or period costume. The actress
Davis herself would then turn up in Hammer’s THE NANNY (1965) was nominated for an Oscar for that role — the first of three
as she entered a new and interesting phase of her career, playing nominations during her career — where she starred alongside
matriarchs — some of them either scathing or sinister — like the Laurence Olivier, as his innocent new wife, who finds herself
evil babysitter in Hammer’s latterly mentioned film, or in their later alienated in her new home by the shadow of his previous wife,
now dead. Pressure starts to mount thanks to an interfering
sinister maid, Mrs. Danvers, and the brewing suspicion that this
wife may have been murdered. Within this role Fontaine became
the archetype for the Gothic melodrama ingenue: constantly
looking startled, intense, on edge, brimming with hysteria.
Fontaine added more of these roles to her weighty contribution
to Hollywood film as a whole; including playing the title character
(another innocent) in JANE EYRE (1944). She would play
somewhat against type as a femme fatale, whilst also exhibiting
these same hysterical characteristics, in IVY (1947).
What’s quite incredible about THE WITCHES and Fontaine’s
part specifically, is that the actress plays essentially the Gothic
melodrama ingenue, despite the fact that these roles were usually
reserved for much younger women. Fontaine was 49 when she
played Mayfield, hardly the usual type for a maiden role. And
yet, she is convincing and carries it off. This simply wasn’t done
in horror; although some of this was from bordering on the edge paranoia and
Norah Loft’s original book, which provided hysteria, but then incredibly tenacious too,
a context for the script, the original Mayfield with aspects of heroism. Despite her fears,
was much more of a spinster than the and the fact she is scared out of her wits,
regal Fontaine. Usually roles for older she will not let go when it comes to solving
women in the genre were the mystery. THE WITCHES
reserved for either menacing, also employs the Gothic
slightly unhinged characters, like melodrama staple of gaslighting,
Bankhead’s Mrs Trefoil in FANTATIC, or which stems from the two films, both
Baby Jane, or Davis’ THE NANNY. They called GASLIGHT (Thorold Dickinson’s
would also appear in positions as maids, British version, 1940, and George Cukor’s
like REBECCA’S Mrs Danvers (played by American version starring Ingrid Bergman,
Judith Anderson). And then there was the 1944), where an innocent woman is driven
other range of roles for older women, a host out of her mind by her new husband, who
of kindly aunts, concerned or well-meaning wants to get his hands on her inheritance,
mothers, etc, etc… Fontaine’s Mayfield is and made to believe she is crazy.
none of these, although she is somewhat Hammer’s film utilises this same theme,
stereotyped as a spinster teacher, however, quite efficiently (again some of this is down
conversely she is also given the potential to the book), when Gwen is send reeling
of a love interest of sorts. Yet, in carrying to yet another hospital and then the truth
out the role she summons the energy of her is wrapped up in the haze of a breakdown,
There was a time, long before The Witches went into production, that Joan Fontaine was
previous character Rebecca, an innocent, as those around her attempt to convince
a fairly heavy hitter in Hollywood, especially in the realm of the Hollywood Gothic
meant by this “charismatic hag-like (think Shakespeare’s Macbeth)
magus” is an occult coven meddling, superstitious and isolated. Their
leader who is learned, well knowledge relates to matters of the earth,
educated. intelligent, and old ways, cunning folk, herb medicine, and
independently wealthy, hexes. Witches represent a pagan past,
as well as highly ego which is often viewed as barbaric in light of
driven and callous in scientific advances. The magus contrasts
their motivations. The with this archetype by the fact that they are
character stems from largely urban figures, usually associated
cultural figures such as with scientific occult study like astronomy,
master of the dark arts and alchemy, freemasonry, and so on and so
chaos magick: Aleister forth. The magus comes from money and
Crowley — who was said education, and often lives in lavish a estate,
to have been the model surrounded by priceless ancient occult
for Somerset Maugham’s, texts and other artefacts. Witches tend to
The Magician, and Dennis live in shacks out in the middle of nowhere,
Wheatley The Devil Rides cut off from the wider community because
her she has been imagining things. What is Out — high ranking self-styled gurus who of their strangeness. Where the witch is
different about the way Hammer approach are well advanced in black magic and cunning, the magus is cold, calculating, and
this is that in the original GASLIGHT the occult knowledge. Ironically, another of logical. As a pair they stand as diametric
ingenue needs to be helped by a man, but these figures would really hit the map opposites, with the witch representing
Gwen needs no such assistance. Working in 1966, the year THE WITCHES was the past and the magus modernity. And
solely on her wits, alone, she challenges the released, when Anton LaVey founded the even though Hammer’s film is named THE
coven all by herself. Church of Satan in April that year, several WITCHES, with the original title changed
Fontaine’s Gwen isn’t the only character months before Hammer’s film would from THE DEVIL’S OWN (the title of Norah
in the film that breaks gender tradition. make its premier in London, in November Lofts’ original book from which Nigel Kneale
Kay Walsh’s Bax embodies a certain type (although it didn’t hit the US until February adapted the script; although this title was
usually reserved for men: a charismatic the following year). The magus is like an kept for the US release of the film) it doesn’t
magus. Never before, and never again, has enlightened counterpart to the witch. present witchcraft in a typical way. Instead
this been achieved in horror film. What is Traditionally witches were portrayed as the film aligns very much with the magus,
The Witches has much in common with The Wicker Man. And yet, Hammer’s film
rarely gets much of a mention in discussions about folk horror and its origins
and therefore can be named as a direct bar. In several scenes the magician is seen If we take all that into account it
descendent from 1957’s NIGHT OF THE confidently boasting about his magical becomes obvious just how transgressive
DEMON. prowess. He is aloof, well read, intelligent, THE WITCHES really is when it comes to
NIGHT OF THE DEMON was a film egotistic, and fascinating. Even though the breaking gender convention. Bax is not a
adaptation of MR James’ short story The original Karswell in James’ book was not typical witch. She is a powerful woman, a
Casting of the Runes, which was directed based on Crowley — James took inspiration journalist, she has means, she is educated.
by Jacques Tourneur. At the centre of the from an old teacher of his — he does do a The woman also has the ego the size of
story is a magician, Dr Julian Karswell (Niall good impression of Crowley all the same. a house, considering herself worthy of
MacGinnis), who ends up in a battle against From THE NIGHT OF THE DEMON there receiving the sacrificed body of another,
an American professor, John Holden (Dana were more films featuring these same because although that body is beautiful
Andrews), a man skeptical that the magic Crowleyesque black magicians, for example it doesn’t possess the power of her own
exists, who is investigating Karswell. Taking ROSEMARY’S BABY featured Roman intellect, which she feels must
this as an affront to his ego, Karswell puts Casavet; Hammer’s own THE DEVIL RIDES be preserved at all
a curse on Holden. The rest of the film OUT had the nefarious Mocata. By the costs. Bax is so
sees the professor not only slowly come 1970’s popular satanic boom, there were carried away with
round to the idea that curses and magic more and more of these characters. the idea of her
are real, but try and turn the tables on the Always male, with females, like say Ruth own importance
magician in order to save his own life. As Gordon’s character Minnie Castevet,
far as cinema is concerned Karswell, and taking on more of a supporting role as
MacGinnis’ portrayal of the figure, sets the minion or helper.
the folk horror fold, even those outside of
conventional horror like Ingmar Bergman
and Andrei Tarkovsky — what is widely
acknowledged is in order to qualify,
a film must have some aspect of folk
magic or ritual, and a rural setting (so
superstition can breed amongst local
residents, thus making them a threat to
outsiders). What isn’t acknowledged is
the fact that THE WITCHES has much in
common with THE WICKER MAN. And
yet, Hammer’s film rarely gets much of a
mention in discussions about folk horror
and its origins. Consider this: both films
feature an outsider ( who is sheltered
and somewhat pure) who ends up in the
middle of a mystery surrounding a rural
idyll and its residents, all of whom seem
to be caught up in pagan witchcraft.
The outsider acts out of concern for
a minor (Sgt Howie in THE WICKER
MAN arrives on the island to investigate
that she is knee deep in delusion, seeing this the possibility that Bax wants Mayfield the disappearance of a missing girl;
all others as pawns in her master plan for more than companionship too. There are Mayfield becomes concerned about
(narcissism being another key trait in the definite tinges of lesbianism lurking under the welfare of one of her students). In
construction of the charismatic magus). In the subtext, especially if you consider the the process of investigation the outsider
Lofts’ original book — which was ironically, way in which Bax is styled as a somewhat discovers the locals are dabbling in
in a little gender bending move of its own, masculine character. witchcraft, and as a result they become
published under the name of Peter Curtis In many ways Stephanie Bax could be increasingly worried about its effect
(originally as The Little Wax Doll) — the considered something of a prototype for on young people in the village, acting
character of Bax doesn’t enjoy these little Lord Summerisle in THE WICKER MAN more urgently under the belief they are
self-satisfied monologues which signal her (1973). THE WICKER MAN is now widely protecting young innocents. Each coven
own importance, and yet they become a accepted as one of the progenitors of the is headed by an aristocrat or person
key point in the Kneale’s script for the film, folk horror movement in cinema. The film of financial means who employs their
livening it up no end (although the film waters is often named alongside WITCHFINDER intellect as a source of power over the
down the orgiastic scene at the end of the GENERAL and BLOOD ON SATAN’S CLAW, unsophisticated, uneducated country
book). What becomes really risque about the as one of the three which helped defined folks in their dominion. Both coven
film though is the dynamic between Mayfield “folk horror”; a genre that has enjoyed a bit leaders are wrapped up in their own ego
and Stephanie Bax. When all is revealed of a renaissance of late. Although the term and narcissistic delusion, so much so,
it is indicated that Bax wants Mayfield is somewhat nebulous, and ever expanding that they fail to see the wider picture and
alongside her in her journey for immortality, in light of the renewed interest surrounding are willing to sacrifice others to get what
as an intellectual equal. Although it isn’t the genre — meaning that more and more they want, under the name of magic.
graphically spelled out, one can draw from films and filmmakers are being brought into Hammer wouldn’t return to the subject
of witchcraft again until their resurrection
in the millennium with WAKE WOOD
(2009). For the rest of the sixties and
seventies any talk of black magic was
strictly reserved for their vampire films:
TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA,
DRACULA AD 1972, TWINS OF EVIL
and THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA.
And therefore, THE WITCHES stands as
somewhat of an anomaly for its time and
place. But what a beautiful, strange, and
transgressive anomaly it is. And because
of that it deserves to be celebrated, as a
forerunner, as a breaker of boundaries,
THE WITCHES certainly is a hard act to
follow. It was only into the next decade,
with films like THE WICKER MAN that
others would finally catch it up and
only now that we can see just how truly
forerunning it really was.
halloween
2018
“How fucking crazy is tHis?”
Words: Bryan Cairns
Good question, especially considering the

source, namely scream queen Jamie Lee
Curtis. Back in February 2018, SCREAM
MAGAZINE ventured to Charleston, South
Carolina, where principal photography
was well underway for the eleventh
instalment in the HALLOWEEN franchise.
As expected, the unstoppable Michael
Myers is back to his old bag of murderous who came in on her day off in full Laurie
tricks. Then there’s Curtis’ Laurie Strode costume, wig and make-up, sits
Strode – the heroine in HALLOWEEN down with us and recalls the beginning
I, II and HALLOWEEN H20: 20 YEARS of her voyage into terror and what
LATER – who apparently perished in the consistently reeled her back in for more.
following sequel, 2002’s HALLOWEEN: “Here’s what you need to know,” Curtis
RESURRECTION. For all intents and says with a smile. “The truth of the matter
purposes, it seemed like that chapter of is I did HALLOWEEN I and II because
Curtis’ life was finally over. HALLOWEEN II picked up exactly where
However, the latest entry, simply HALLOWEEN I left off in that version of the
dubbed HALLOWEEN, ignores decades of storytelling. I felt I owed it to the people
continuity and picks up 40 years after the who loved the original movie, that it picks
original film. That allows Curtis to reprise up the second film where the last one
Front cover image courtesy of Dan Winters/
the role of Laurie for possibly her final ends. Even though other people didn’t join
Universal Pictures. All other images courtesy confrontation with Myers. On set, Curtis, in, I felt as the face of the movie, it was
of Ryan Green/Universal Pictures
my responsibility. But, I also recognised super-sad or violent, I react. So, it’s not a whole life. I’m not running, so it’s you or
by then, I had already done PROM NIGHT, genre I’m attracted to. I don’t look forward me. It’s us.’ For Jamie, that was a very
TERROR TRAIN, kind of a bad thriller called to it. I don’t understand the thrill of it. I important moment and a very important
ROAD GAMES, in Australia, and then I did respect it, but not my gig.” conclusion to that movie.
HALLOWEEN II. If I’ve known anything, I Nonetheless, Curtis next tangled with “Of course, what we learn, which by
knew anything, it was time to say, ‘No more’ Myers in 1998’s HALLOWEEN H20: 20 the way was not the original intention,
because if I hadn’t, I would never have been YEARS LATER. The idea behind the was that it was not Michael, that it was
able to do anything else and I knew that. movie came about after a lunch between an innocent man that Laurie had killed,”
It must be because I was raised in show Curtis, original director John Carpenter says Curtis. “So, what I said to them
business. I had some understanding that and producer Debra Hill. H20 takes place was, ‘If this is in fact how we are going to
even though I’m walking away from a bona 20 years after Myers’ initial killing spree. In conclude the movie, without the audience
fide career, I was willing to say, ‘I’m done.’ the aftermath, Laurie faked her own death, knowing, then I have to come back for
It had nothing to do with the genre. It had assumed a new identity and now worked one more movie, for a very short moment,
nothing to do with the pejorative attached. as headmistress of a private school. to conclude Laurie’s story. I’m not going
It literally had to do with if I wanted to do Eventually, Myers shows up to finish off to make H20 and leave it ambiguous.’ I
anything else I won’t get the opportunity to Laurie and her teenage son, John. said, ‘I will come in and finish my version
because the pigeon hole will be cemented “The movie was conceived and of Laurie’s story, whatever year that was.
closed, and I felt that HALLOWEEN II was there was a moment where John was For me, that was the reason I was in
the way to end that. going to direct it, but then he had other RESURRECTION. So, for me, I thought
“So, all those years later, the reason commitments and I ended up, kind of H20 was the correct thing to do at the
I have never returned to it is because I again, being the only representative,” time. I liked it, then I had to be in that
was doing lots of other things,” Curtis Curtis reports. “The idea of that movie other thing just to conclude the story and
continues. “It had nothing to do with a lack was to complete the story. But, of course, then I truly thought I would not return to
of respect for the genre. Very soon after I with the HALLOWEEN movies, there’s a this [role].
was in TRADING PLACES. Then I’m in A ‘completion’ and there’s a ‘completion.’ “But, life is sweet,” Curtis continues.
FISH CALLED WANDA. So, now I’m doing You know, the word ‘completion’ has many “I’m doing many things. Kids are raised,
work in comedy, a TV series, so I kind of interpretations and so what became clear and I was on vacation in June when I
never went back to it [horror] and never was that the way I wanted to end that got this phone call that [director] David
paid attention to it because it’s not a genre movie was the way we ended the movie. Gordon Green wanted to speak to me
I’m a fan of, with all due respect. I scare I wanted a concrete ending. I wanted for about this idea. They started to pitch me,
easily. I have a friend of mine who just Laurie, at that point, when she turns her and I said, ‘No, no, just send it to me.’ I
produced a documentary and she said, ‘Oh back at that gate with that axe in her hand, read it and right away, I was like, ‘Boom.
Jamie, you can’t see this movie.’ I scare she is saying ‘It’s you or me because I’m OK. That’s a very clever, modern way
easily. I’m emotional and so if something is not running anymore. I’ve been running my of referencing HALLOWEEN. I’m sure
everyone is coming up with the word. They
use the word reboot. It is not a reboot; it is
a retelling. It’s a very interesting take on the
movie because it references HALLOWEEN
I in every way it can: stylistically,
characterologically, visually, emotionally. It
follows very similar themes, but it’s its own
movie.”
Opening on October 19, HALLOWEEN
follows Laurie Strode 40 years after stab-
happy Michael Myers slaughtered her
friends in the small town of Haddonfield.
Ever since, Laurie’s been obsessed that
someday Myers will return to butcher
another crop of victims. Unfortunately,
her worst nightmare soon comes to
fruition and Laurie must do everything
possible to protect her daughter Karen
and granddaughter Allyson from this
unspeakable evil.
Green helmed the film, which he co- the ring of the Godfather and see how that property in order for it to survive and thrive.
wrote with Danny McBride and Jeff Fradley. goes. I was sweating bullets. The first time “I would rather have that approach
Carpenter serves as executive producer, so I sat down with him, he had the script in to Michael Myers than everyone just
the trio naturally asked for his input on their hand, flipping through it and he said, ‘Who continuing some storyline and just trying to
take on HALLOWEEN. is this Fradley,’ which I thought was a great regurgitate these things,” McBride explains.
“John’s advice was brilliant: “make it way to make him think.” “I think it’s more interesting to have
relentless”,” Green says. “He had notes, This HALLOWEEN marks the second someone like David or Rob Zombie, these
which is something I was extremely time, not including Rob Zombie’s two filmmakers that just come and put their
nervous about. We worked very hard on iterations, that Hollywood discounted the own stamp on it, for better or worse. I think
the script. We were all very excited. It’s one previous sequels. Indeed, the convoluted that’s a more interesting way for a franchise
thing for three movie nerds to geek out over franchise’s timeline confuses many to stay alive than to just continue to beat
the opportunity of manoeuvring within this moviegoers. McBride believe it’s essential the same drum over and over again.”
property. It’s another to basically go kiss for filmmakers to put their own spin on a
“Can you imagine how many

halloweens i’ve gone out? Can
you imagine how many miChael
myers i’ve seen?”
On a crisp sunny afternoon, we gathered moviegoers and critics failed to embrace
in a quaint home’s dining room to conduct Rob Zombie’s vision for the flicks,
interviews. The surrounding Charleston which means there’s a lot riding on this
neighbourhood stands in for Haddonfield, HALLOWEEN. It could either reinvigorate
Illinois… Myers’ stomping grounds. Next the dormant franchise or put it back in the
door, a harrowing sequence unfolds. grave. So, how much pressure is Green
Babysitter Vicky is putting young Julian and company feeling in regard to the final
to bed when she comes face to face with product?
Myers. He repeatedly stabs at her, as Vicky “You know, I think the most pressure I
raises her arms in an attempt to protect have is wanting John to be involved and
herself and Julian. Their fates remain enthusiastic and see what we’re doing
unknown, but Laurie doesn’t arrive on the and appreciate what we’re doing and the
scene to save the day. As it turns out, it support in those collaborative elements,”
wasn’t a masked Myers prowling the sets explains Green. “At this point, creatively, for
again that conjured up any intense feelings my own protection, I have to acknowledge
in Curtis. my collaborators. Everyone on this set is
“The truth of the matter is, the moment talent that is working for the passion of this
that completely slayed me was seeing movie. That’s interesting because you don’t
producer Malek Akkad because I knew often see a passion project as a low-budget
his dad [1978 HALLOWEEN executive can create a character. In some ways it’s horror film, but this particular one is.
producer Moustapha Akkad],” Curtis notes. like a film like JAWS. There’s not a lot of “We’re really lucky to have the people
“It brings tears to your eyes that he was personality in the shark. Technically, he’s that we have, these intelligent, technical
carrying on the tradition of his father. That very elusive in the way that he’s shot. We’re and creative minds around us,” Green
got me, when I saw him standing there, trying to keep that as our framework and concludes. “So, I’m looking at that as my
because I remember him as a little kid, and not get too much into who he is, why he shell, my place to hide and create, and
then the horrible story of what happened to is, what he’s been doing, but along the the support of these dozens of voices
his dad and that did it. way, I do think it’s really fun to imagine the is incredibly gratifying, but also a bit
“You know, I’ve worked with charities,” reality of some of the scenarios we visually overwhelming. If I was to, at this point in the
Curtis adds. “I’ve had masks signed for realise.” creative process, assume the worldwide
charities, for children’s hospitals. I’ve done It’s been nine years since any enthusiasm for this franchise, I’d probably
that, so the mask doesn’t evoke anything in HALLOWEEN crept into theatres. Many be very uncomfortable with that.”
me. I’ve raised two children to adulthood.
Can you imagine how many Halloweens
I’ve gone out? Can you imagine how many
Michael Myers I’ve seen? But, seeing
Malek, carrying on this great tradition from
a movie that was conceived by his dad in
1977… that connection was very moving
to me. I’m sure I’ll feel that way when I
see John. I saw Nick Castle, the original
Michael Myers. That was kind of whack. It’s
awesome, but the real emotional moment
for me was seeing Malek Akkad.”
In the HALLOWEEN franchise, a number
of actors have portrayed the bogeyman
known as Michael Myers. This time
around, Green tapped Castle for specific
moments. However, the majority of the
lurking, stalking and stabbing falls on
actor/stuntman James Jude Courtney’s
shoulders. What’s interesting is, similar to
Laurie, this incarnation of Myers is also in
his sixties, yet somehow, he still remains a
lean, mean killing machine.
“I think he’s been doing as little as
possible and I’d like to know as little as
possible about him, his history and his
abilities,” Green admits. “I think there was
a reason he was called The Shape. He’s
more of an essence than he is a traditional
character, finding that line between
natural and supernatural worlds, and this
mysterious and as un-verbalised as we
the producer Words: Bryan Cairns
Malek Akkad has a special connection to Michael instalment. I think there’s been dozens of different
Myers. His father, Moustapha, produced 1978’s original takes and pitches that we started and stopped. At
HALLOWEEN. As an eight-year-old boy, Malek visited one point, after Rob Zombie’s HALLOWEEN II, we
the set. Since then, he’s taken over the family tradition. were right back in production on HALLOWEEN 3D
Malek associate produced, co-produced or produced and a couple different incarnations. Then, the last
HALLOWEEN: THE CURSE OF MICHAEL MYERS, go around was HALLOWEEN RETURNS. There’s
HALLOWEEN H20: 20 YEARS LATER, HALLOWEEN probably about four movies that could have been
RESURRECTION, as well as Rob Zombie’s more recent done in that time. I think it was all for a good reason
HALLOWEEN I and II. Now, he’s once again wearing and the result, as you guys will see more and more
his producing hat and helping to shape the upcoming from the crew and what you’re going to see, it’s
HALLOWEEN film with director David Gordon Green. really great.
On the set of the highly anticipated horror movie,
Malek spoke with SCREAM MAGAZINE about capturing SCREAM: Since you’ve been involved with so many
the essence of the HALLOWEEN franchise and Michael other movies in the series, when you hear the pitch
Myers. from David Gordon Green and Danny McBride about
just starting from the first one, does that hurt you a
SCREAM: How did this whole deal come together with little bit? “We’re just getting rid of these things that I
you and Blumhouse? worked so hard on previously?”
MALEK AKKAD: Well, that’s a complicated question. MA: It does, and it doesn’t. First, a little bit,
Obviously, we parted ways with the Weinsteins. We had because you’re always wondering what the fan
done the previous five with the Weinsteins, so we parted reaction to that is going to be. To be honest, the
ways about two years ago. Some might say it was very franchise has taken a lot of left turns as you know,
fortunate timing. We were then with the original Miramax but when you hear it from filmmakers like David
again. So, Miramax and us, we started looking at who Gordon Green and Danny McBride, of course,
would be good partners for this, not only from their point that’s what makes you feel comfortable in doing it.
of view to help finance and distribute and that stuff, but For me, from the get go, what was really important
also to bring some new life into it. It just seemed like a was I didn’t just want to get another horror
natural fit and they’ve been great. director. The idea very early on was this franchise
should be able to attract an A-list director. That
SCREAM: Was the plan always to reboot the series or was kind of the mandate and even though the
was there talk of spinning off a new sequel off the last studio was sending a lot of horror directors, and
film of your series? they’re all very talented, but Jason Blum really
agreed and championed that idea as well. I give
MA: There’s always talk of everything, at some point him credit for bringing in a filmmaker like David
in time. Over the last seven years, since the last Gordon Green.
“PeoPle want to see various
threads of the story continued.
some PeoPle want it to Pick uP
after ii. some after six…”
SCREAM: After so many imitations, MA: Great question and a hard

incarnations and unofficial spinoffs, one, actually. I even ask that
how difficult is it to really come up with question of other fans. What is
something fresh when it seems like it about that mask, about that
everything has been done, just in the faceless killer? For me, I guess,
slasher film field in general? people can put the attribute of
whatever their worst nightmare is for
MA: Yeah, it’s always a challenge and that mask and I think in some weird way,
like I was mentioning earlier, the pitches even though you’re not seeing him, this got an audience that spans generations.
that we’ve heard have been so crazy. makes it relatable. You project your own It’s crazy how long I’ve been a part of it.
It would definitely be a good article just fear into it but, of course, I’m biased. I That’s exciting. I think this film will also
talking about some of the crazy pitches would say he’s also the coolest of all the broaden our audience out even more.
we’ve heard. That’s why I think what David serial killers, but that’s just my opinion. There’s probably the younger generation
and Danny are doing is fresh. It’s not who hasn’t seen even the original, or any
going to make everyone happy. People SCREAM: Why do you believe in the franchise, and I think the beauty of
want to see various threads of the story HALLOWEEN has endured over so many this film is it will be a stand-alone piece
continued. Some people want it to pick decades? of work by David, that you can take on
up after II. Some after six. Some people its own. You don’t have to necessarily tie
after RESURRECTION and some after MA: I don’t know. It all goes back of to it to the original. It will be a stand-alone
Zombie’s, but I think it’s doing it in a way what John Carpenter did in the original and a really strong film.
that will satisfy and really engage viewers, and I think he disrupted the space so
and hopefully be a really satisfying movie completely with this low budget film. SCREAM: Thanks for chatting with us,
for the fans. It was so terrifying and created this Malek.
iconic character in Michael Myers,
SCREAM: It sounds like an easy question which has now sort of become part of MA: My pleasure, Bryan.
but what makes this incarnation of Michael the American lexicon. That alone, new
Myers so scary? and younger generations, they’re all HALLOWEEN opens across UK, US and
gravitating towards that and now we’ve Canadian cinemas from October 19th.
Twisted
Sister Corin Hardy
Talks THE nUn
Words: Bryan Cairns
James Wan’s dark cinematic universe continues an unspeakable evil. The family consequently calls
to grow and grow. The SAW and INSIDIOUS for help and investigators arrive on the scene to
co-creator spooked moviegoers with 2013’s THE save the day. THE NUN apparently flips that trope.
CONJURING. The thrill ride about paranormal “We are drawn in by the priest, Father Burke
investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren gobbled [Demian Bichir], hired by the Vatican,” Hardy
up $319.5 million worldwide against a budget of reports. “His associate, Sister Irene [Taissa
$20 million. THE CONJURING also introduced Farmiga], is a nun in training. There is something
the sinister doll, Annabelle, which proved that has been reported that supposedly has to do
creepy enough to warrant two spinoffs, 2014’s with a nun who has committed suicide at an abbey
ANNABELLE and 2017’s ANNABELLE: CREATION. in the mountains of Romania. The Vatican feels
Now, THE CONJURING 2’s main antagonist, the
ghoulish nun Valak, is receiving her own unnerving
origin story in THE NUN. Actress Bonnie Aarons
once again reprises her role as the demonic
character, who last popped up in ANNABELLE:
CREATION. Set to be unleashed on September
7th, the project presented director Corin Hardy the
opportunity to sink his teeth into a new corner of
this shared universe.
“I got sent the script through my agents,”
Hardy explains during a phone conversation. “I
was familiar with James Wan’s work and THE
CONJURING movies that had come before it. I
was a fan, so I read it quickly. I wasn’t sure what
to expect. I didn’t know if it would be following in
a similar environment as the other movies, with a
family unit and the possession angle. I was actually
quite excited that it takes this new direction.”
Hardy credits screenwriters Wan and IT’s Gary
Dauberman for providing a distinct voice for THE
NUN compared to THE CONJURING and its other
entries. He maintains that many supernatural horror
films revolve around a household under siege from
there is something dubious enough to send
these guys over. They are taken by a guide,
who is based over there, a French-Canadian
delivery man, who delivers supplies to the
abbey and found the dead nun. It has more
of a sense of a group of heroes forming
to go uncover an evil than the other way
around. That’s what I mean by taking the
story both in a different physical territory,
but the storytelling is also different.”
Of course, Burke and Irene encounter the
titular character, who is up to her old wicked
ways again. THE NUN trailer finds this
twisted sister lurking in the shadows and
lunging at Irene. The pair must ultimately
risk their very souls in order to put an end to
the Nun.
Even before landing THE NUN gig, Hardy
believed the character deserved her own
tale of terror. He vividly remembers going
to the cinema for THE CONJURING 2 and
being deeply disturbed – and surprised – by
the Nun.
“The Nun isn’t in it for a great deal of time,
but when you come away, she’s stuck in
your memory,” recalls Hardy. “The Nun is
terrifying, and I guess she’s iconic as well.
I’m always looking for iconic characters,
particularly in horror movies. It’s rare, in
such a short space of time, to own the
movie like that. It reminded me of iconic
horror heroes such as Freddy Krueger or
the classic characters that Bela Lugosi or
Christopher Lee played.
“I used to draw these characters on my
school books all the time,” he continues.
“I drew a picture of the Nun and I found
instantly I could draw her really quickly. I
thought that was a tribute to James Wan for
creating things that get stuck in your brain
and visually you can identify them. You Even in the journey that Father Burke and
also don’t have any idea of her past in THE Sister Irene undertake, there’s a mystery
CONJURING 2, so it’s nice to have a movie aspect to their mission.
that suggests a little more.” “Some of the movies that inspired Wan
As Hardy mentioned, viewers only and Dauberman, when they decided to
received a small glimpse of the Nun in take the story this way, included in THE
THE CONJURING 2, when she tormented NAME OF THE ROSE, where a priest and
Lorraine in a chilling sequence. That brevity his apprentice travel to a remote abbey
proved to be more of a positive than a to solve a medieval murder,” Hardy says.
negative. It allowed Hardy to put his own “I don’t want to use this as an example
stamp on the Nun’s unnatural appearance or a comparison in any way, but certainly
and her heightened motions or movements. an inspiration and a film I always loved is
“She hadn’t been seen in a lot of detail, INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF
but I also wanted to preserve that,” Hardy DOOM. Along with the other INDIANA
says. “I’m sometimes disappointed when JONES films, they are fantastic adventure
a character gets too much exposure. We stories that have mystery and darkness in
were careful to not give too much away. It’s them. I felt there was an opportunity to be
also a movie that pertains to her origins. It inspired by that film when I approached
was a great chance to think more of who this film. DRACULA, as well. There’s an
this character was and why and make sure adventure aspect to DRACULA that isn’t
we continued her unholy terror.” just a straight horror story set in a house.”
Flipping the horror narrative further, Hardy For THE NUN, Hardy filmed on location.
notes there’s a greater sense of adventure. He says, “We got to shoot in Romania, for
a movie that takes place in Romania.” In shape, it’s a hood. Hoods throw shadows. fitting in, but in a slightly different way.
addition, he constructed some majestic, In horror, you look for iconic silhouettes. THE HALLOW was something I created
haunting sets. His goal was to achieve a You look for dark spaces where you can’t entirely myself. For THE NUN, I was
moody, Gothic atmosphere in the same tell what’s going on beyond them. The nun coming in to direct and collaborate with
vein as those old-fashioned Hammer films, habit has all of that built in. If you combine James and the team there. One of the
including DRACULA, THE MUMMY and that with other nun habits, then you can’t things I always try and bring is a serious
THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN. tell which one is the bad one. It’s like a devotion to the subject and a way of
“I’m really proud of the production design shark in the waters in the ocean.” translating that to all of the people I am
and cinematography,” Hardy says. “Jennifer No stranger to the horror genre, Hardy working with. It really is all about your
Spence, who was the production designer, made his feature film directorial debut with team and all about your collaborators
our cinematographer Maxime Alexandre the well-received THE HALLOW. The dark doing the best job possible.”
and Sharon Gilham, who designed the fairy tale revolved around an Irish couple These days, Hollywood’s biggest trend
costumes… When I got five pages into and their baby relocating to a remote involves cultivating a shared universe
the script and it was still in Romania in cabin, where malicious forest entities and between properties. Marvel, DC and
1952 and it wasn’t just a five-minute part creatures menace them. Even though THE Universal’s horror line have all taken a
of it before the movie shot into present HALLOW proved instrumental in fostering crack at it, with various end results. On
day…. It was like, ‘Wow. This is a classic Hardy’s moviemaking skills, he stresses the other hand, Wan’s cinematic universe
horror movie.’ ‘Classic’ is one of the words that “Every film is different, and every keeps thriving, with more to come. Next
I use to describe it. It has graveyards and setup is different.” year’s slate includes another ANNABELLE
cemeteries and hanging fog and forests at “THE HALLOW was something I spent sequel and the latest CONJURING 2
night and castles and gaslight and candles eight years developing, writing and spinoff, THE CROOKED MAN. So, what’s
and stained glass and spaces involving lots working through on a low budget,” Hardy the secret to Wan’s success?
of light, dark and shadows. explains. “It had a lot of challenges. I “He’s a clever motherfucker,” Hardy
“We did build a number of sets,” Hardy was trying to do a creature movie and I concludes with a laugh. “Wan is smart
continues. “We shot in Bucharest in really wanted to make sure the effects and he knows what he loves as well.
Romania, which is where our studio was. stood out. There was a lot of dedication He’s a fan of this stuff and he’s a fan of
We traveled seven hours up Romania into towards trying to get that done right. storytelling. It helps having someone who
Transylvania, where we found our castle THE NUN was a different structure and is a positive voice at the core of that. It
and a lot of the exteriors. With a script like it was my first studio movie with New was a luxury for me to have him as my
this, there’s a lot of geography in the castle, Line and Warner Brothers, who have a boss. It’s not always like that.”
which is actually quite difficult. It’s all very history with horror and with these James Photos courtesy of Warner Bros, Cos
well when you read it on the page, but then Wan CONJURING movies. I felt like I was Aelenei, Martin Maguire and Justin Lubin.
when you are on the real location, the layout
is completely different or doesn’t have half
the things that you need. The walls are too
claustrophobic, because castles weren’t that
enormous. It’s a combination of shooting
on location and bringing an authenticity.
We built a full cemetery by a convent up in
Transylvania. We did a lot of night shoots
up there. We would travel back and build
the interiors in the studios. We built a whole
church interior and a tomb room.”
The horror genre is often heavily
laced with religion. THE EXORCIST,
ROSEMARY’S BABY, FALLEN and many
more stand as prime examples. Spirituality
can be utilised as a story device, or a
weapon when wielded in the wrong hands.
In THE NUN, it touches on both aspects –
and serves as one freaky scare tactic.
“For me, anything that incorporates
reality, or real people’s beliefs, can be
eerier than something people can’t identify
with,” Hardy offers. “Because religion
itself has a lot of rules and different beliefs
and perceptions of what is and what isn’t,
it allows for an interpretation, especially
when you take a character like a nun, who
is meant to be pure and wholesome and
holy – and she’s everything but that. When
I become aware of the nun herself and
the look of that habit which is a triangular
h o r r o
On Set FOr
the Purge
r tv
Words: Bryan Cairns
It’s a sweltering June day when SCREAM

MAGAZINE visits the New Orleans set of
THE PURGE TV series. By now, audiences
should be well versed in the premise
behind THE PURGE movie franchise. Each
of the four popular instalments revolved
around a yearly event implemented by the
New Founding Fathers of America. Over
12 hours, all crimes committed, ranging
from theft to murder, are perfectly legal.
Citizens can act upon their most-twisted
desires or impulses without repercussion.
Now, THE PURGE is making the leap
from big to small screen with a television
series of the same name. Creator James
DeMonaco - who penned and directed all
the PURGE films, except for the recent
FIRST PURGE, which was helmed by
Gerard McMurray – remains on board as
executive producer. COPPER’s Thomas
Kelly serves as show-runner.
“When they approached me about
THE PURGE, the concept had certainly
pierced my consciousness, this one night
of lawlessness sanctioned by the State,”
Kelly says.“It was of those things on my
lists to do. ‘Oh, I’m going to go see those
movies some time.’ When I got the call
about this, I was intrigued by the concept
and watched the movies. I really enjoyed
them. As someone who doesn’t really
come from a genre background and more
so from straight-fiction drama, what really
appealed to me is the fact that in the first
movie, you’re 10 minutes in and there’s a
black guy being chased down the street
by a white mob. To me, right away, they
aren’t just doing a horror show or a genre
show. There are other themes being
addressed to the world we live in. That
intrigued me deeply.
“I met with James DeMonaco, who is a
lovely guy” continues Kelly. “We had a very
long lunch. We talked about the idea of
transforming the franchise into a television
show. I think he was excited by the idea of
what is right, which is also what sets
things in motion at the beginning of the
night.”
Normally, all hell would be breaking
loose on set. Masked crazies typically
spend the majority of PURGE screen
time stalking and slaughtering, with their
intended victims fighting back or fleeing.
However, today, it’s all quiet on the home
front. There’s no carnage in sight.
I get a peek at one of the sets, built on
a soundstage that’s been converted into
Pete’s Cantina. The venue, with its vibrant
blue and green colour palette, provides
a safe haven on Purge Night. Customers
can relinquish their weapons, grab a drink
and relax. Security guards located at the
front door keep the riff-raff out. Problem
is some unwanted guests have seated
themselves at the bar. OK, so it’s a string
10 hours of story time. In the movies, he’s environment she was raised in; Jenna of dummies wearing those freaky masks
the first one to say, ‘You have 10 minutes [Hannah Henderson] and Rick [Colin that will be on full display in season one.
of character and then it’s 80 minutes about Woodell], a married couple devoted to Upon inspection, the creepiest disguise
the night.’ For me coming in as a novelist, charities and possibly willing to cross belongs to the unheavenly “nuns.” The
I look at movies as short stories and the line for the greater good; Joe [Lee masks’ soulless eyes, ghostly pale skin
television is novelistic, because you have Tergesen], an average guy equipped and hellish glow practically scream
the time and space to dig into character. with a suit of armour and the guts to help murderous fiends.
That was a very exciting idea. We would those in trouble on Purge Night. Then, “The nun was something we did
tell the stories in the confines of the one there’s Jane [Amanda Warren], who best recently that was scripted,” explains
night, but, by using flashbacks, we would represents the viewers’ perspective. production designer Lauren Bott. “It was
really get to know the characters in a much Crushed by her boss and work situation, something our show-runner wanted in the
deeper way than the movie space allows. Jane makes one extremely unwise show. We had six of these guys dressed
“Right away, James had a pretty decision that she soon comes to regret. like this in various stages of black. The
contained vision of what the first season “We discover Jane, who happens idea for me was the lights are somewhat
would be, which was pretty much what to be a 32-year-old successful, driven, like a halo, but obviously an up-to-date
we executed,” Kelly offers. “We dropped a determined self-made business woman in version. We took real dentures and just
couple of storylines and really focused on white-collar, corporate finance,” Warren manoeuvred the teeth, like popped out
our main characters. It was nice to sit down explains. “She is about to close an a couple of teeth and moved them in
in the writers’ room and have a pretty good overseas deal, and it just happens to be different spaces, so that everyone’s
idea of what the franchise was and how we on Purge Night. mouth is different and very odd. None of
were going to expand the franchise. We “Jane is such a good-natured the teeth make sense. I don’t even think
had some characters we all felt invested in woman, with one of the strongest moral they can grow like that. We just wanted
and we were able to spread that over the compasses on the show,” she adds. them to be as scary as possible, as well
10 hours. I think what’s great about the “She’s strong-willed, but she goes after as keeping the face all white, but the
flashbacks is you get to know these people.
We want to give the audience a deeper
understanding of how these people act
and react under duress on the night of the
Purge. What is it about their background
that led them to being where we are on
the night of the Purge? And, what is their
background that informs their decisions
they make on the night of the Purge?”
Set to premiere this September 4th,
THE PURGE takes place between the
second and third movie entries. The year
is 2027. The pilot picks up a couple of
hours before the sirens signal the Purge’s
commencement and follows several
individuals living in a small community.
The core cast includes Lila [Lili Simmons],
a young, wealthy, rebellious woman
trying to distance herself from the corrupt
exterior black.”
Hours later, we take a van ride over to a
neighbouring studio. Outside, the stretch
between buildings serves as an alleyway for
a flashback sequence. When the cameras
roll, a hysterical Penelope [Jessica Garza],
another lead character, exits from a side
door. Her boyfriend, Henry, is in hot pursuit.
“Get away from me, Henry. Get away,”
shouts Penelope.
“Stop! Stop!” he responds. “Get back
inside. I love you so much. Please. Please.
I’ll never do it again.”
Henry’s pleas fall on deaf ears and in
frustration, he slaps Penelope across the
face. At this point, her brother, Miguel
[Gabriel Chavarria], enters the picture and
intervenes with a roundhouse punch that
sends Henry reeling backwards. Miguel
closes in for round two when the director
yells, “Cut!”
“We have Miguel, who is the young
marine,” Kelly says. “He doesn’t give a
shit about the Purge. He wants to save his
sister. He will commit violence before the
Purge. It’s almost meaningless to him. The
Purge is just another obstacle to saving
his sister. That was one way to look at
his family love and what would you do for
those you care about? We always want
the audience asking, ‘What would you
do? If you were stuck in this world, what
decisions would you make?’ Our characters
stand in for different viewpoints.
“Because of some tragic history, you will their sacrifice. Miguel is all about saving his show’s usage of flashbacks. It’s an
find out their parents were killed in the first sister. For Penelope, we get a really cool interesting storytelling device that can
Purge,” he continues “They had a rough journey with her. We delve into issues like advance character development or explain
life coming out of that, foster homes and what is a cult? Why do people get attracted what makes them tick. On the flip side, if
that kind of thing. We will see how Miguel to it? How is it a quasi stand-in for religion not executed properly, flashbacks can bog
and Penelope get separated pre-Purge. His and faith? What happens when you trust the narrative down.
sister joins a suicide cult. The idea is they yourself to a leader that may or may not “I’m a real skeptic about any kind of
are going out to offer themselves up, so have your best interest at heart?” gimmicks in storytelling,” Kelly says. “I feel
others can purge and get cleansed through The scene also clearly presents the sometimes when you see flashbacks or
hear voiceovers, it just means they didn’t
have enough story and they are cheating.
When we first sat down, it was like, ‘Can
we do this without flashbacks?’ It just gives
you the ability to jump out of time. I’m a
big believer in ‘What are the consequences
of someone’s actions?’ We all go through
life making dozens of choices and many
are tiny ones that become consequential.
So, the ability to jump out of time and
really show that… For us, it’s often a moral
question. ‘If I do this, what does that say
about who I am as a character? What does
that say about the environment I’m in?’
Again, those are the interesting questions
of the Purge. It’s not so much the genre
aspect.”
Let’s face it. Part of THE PURGE’s allure
involves the inevitable bloodbath. Purge
participants want to release their hatred,
“The premise is so sTrong you
can run Three or four shows
simulTaneously a season and They
would be ToTally differenT”
anger and aggression, and there never seems to
be a shortage of prey around. For PURGE fans
concerned the TV series plans to water down the
graphic images, Kelly points out, “The movies
aren’t full of gore. They are full of violence.”
“For us, obviously it’s a violent world,” reports
Kelly. “Bad things happen. We really try to treat
the violence with how it affects our characters.
So, there are some bad acts of violence, but we
mostly don’t see them. We are kind of shrewd
about that. There will be pops of, ‘What the hell
is that?’ We definitely don’t dwell on it. We want
it to inform the characters. We have two types
of violence. If you are driving down the street
and there’s this crazy bit of weirdness going on,
we just blast right by it. The stuff that’s more
directed at the characters, again, we make
it about how they respond to it, how they
try to avoid it and how it lands on them.
We feel deeply the show is a cautionary
tale and it’s anti-violence. ‘If we we’re
not careful, this is where we are going
to end up.’ We are very judicious
about that. Again, if you look at
the movies, I think there’s one
thing where they chop off a
guy’s head. James has always
regretted it. He said, ‘That is
the one bit of actual gore
that got through.’”
The Purge only lasts 12
hours and it’s a safe bet
some of the characters
will end up in body
bags. Kelly jokes,
“My head explodes at
the thought of another
season,” but the series
could easily reboot next year.
A new crop of faces. Another city.
Perhaps even an alternate timeline.
The prospects sound endless.
“We do chatter about it,” says Kelly. “Do we
do a PURGE heist movie? Does it always have to
be about murder? Is it a crew of cops that can’t
touch the bad guys, because the rules protect
the bad guys? We’ve talked about starting the
day after the Purge and doing the aftermath.
“The premise is so strong you can run three
or four shows simultaneously a season and
they would be totally different,” Kelly concludes.
“We started kicking stuff around, but we are
not in any way, shape or form ready to make
any decision. The only thing you worry about is
option fatigue. How do you pick the one?”
CREATURES IN THE NIGHT
The 2018 American Horrors Film Festival
SUBMIT YOUR FILM NOW

filmfreeway.com/festival/theamericanhorrorsfilmfestival
AMERICANHORRORS.COM
ALL DAY. ALL NIGHT. ALL HORROR.
Grady Hendrix
Talks Horror
Books!
Words: Kieran Fisher
If you haven’t read Paperbacks from Hell yet, you

aren’t prioritising your time as well as you should
be. The latest book by the acclaimed author Grady
Hendrix (My Best Friend’s Exorcism, Horrorstor)
is a loving ode to some of the most outrageous
horror paperback novels from yesteryear and is by
far the most entertaining read to hit the market in
recent memory. On top of that, it’s also an essential
purchase if you’re interested in our beloved genre’s
special history, as each novel covered is very much
a reflection of its time period. Horror storytelling
was an interesting place back then, and
these demented novels flooded the
market with their evil storylines and
nightmare-inducing cover art.
Needless to say, the novels
that Hendrix documents
are some of the strangest,
craziest, and most unique
treats to ever hit shelves.
By the time you’ve finished reading didn’t know any other way to make money, paperbacks featuring lurid covers and freaky
Paperbacks from Hell, you’ll want to scour so I started writing fiction and everything concepts. But I didn’t know a Bari Wood
the bowels of every used book store on the went downhill from there and now here I from a J.N. Williamson, and I couldn’t find
planet to uncover these oddities and read am, my virtue stained, my mind shattered, anyone who did, so I had no choice but to
them for yourself. None of these books and my good looks squandered. dive in and start reading indiscriminately.
were ever going to win any prestigious
literary prizes, and some people might even SCREAM: What inspired you to write SCREAM: How long did it take to track
mock them. However, Hendrix writes about Paperbacks from Hell? them all down? Did you find any in some
the schlock he covers with such a genuine, unexpected places?
unironic affection in a way that’s refreshing. GH: The second I saw the cover of John
His enthusiasm for this stuff is infectious, Christopher’s The Little People with its GH: The journey was the destination, he
and I defy you to read Paperbacks from Hell snarling Nazi leprechauns pouring out of an said, wisely. I’ve dug through boxes of used
without a big grin spread across your face. Irish castle like whip-wielding elves full of paperbacks stained with dried dog piss on
Recently, I had the opportunity to chat race hate, I knew there was a book in there city sidewalks, I’ve visited the legendary
to the author about the book and, of somewhere. After that it was just a matter Paperback Rack in Springfield, MO whose
course, some of the hellish paperbacks that of reading 356 horror paperbacks and then roof is more leak than roof, I’ve driven
inspired its creation. Enjoy. some typing and I was all done. hundreds of miles to check out a paperback
store based on nothing more than its name.
SCREAM: Can you tell us about your SCREAM: When did you first become a fan And, in some desperate situations, I’ve
background? What initially sparked the of these bizarre books? resorted to ordering on ABE Books.
writing bug?
GH: I’ve always loved paperback SCREAM: When these books were
GRAdy HEndRix: I never had a writing bookstores, the more disreputable the originally released, there was a horror boom
bug, to be honest. I wound up becoming better. I like to spend time in places where underway and some big societal panics
a journalist because it was a good excuse half the stock are romance novels and to complement it. What do you think were
to talk to interesting people. By the time westerns, because they always have a huge some of the main influential factors behind
journalism was dying like a dog in 2008 I horror section overflowing with mass market this paperback golden age?
GH: In a lot of ways, these books were the navigating by gut, and allowing their more tragic and horrible? Try Let’s Go
boom. Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist, and personal aesthetic to influence cover design. Play at the Adams’. Want the killer kid
Thomas Tryon’s The Other all appeared Once Sales & Marketing won, it all became to have supernatural powers and live in
between 1967 and 1971 and two of the about market research and statistics. 19th century Germany? The Moonchild.
three inspired movies that became cultural Need drunk bulls going on a rape/murder
touchstones. Once publishers saw that the SCREAM: Do you have a favourite cover? spree through Mexico? Taurus has the
books were selling movie tickets, and the bulls you’re looking for. Honestly, there’s
movies fans were buying books, it became a GH: I’ll always have a soft spot for the cover something for the whole family.
whirlpool of production, with more and more to Spawn, Shawn Hutson’s 1983 novel
horror paperbacks flying onto bookstore about undead aborted fetuses with psychic SCREAM: What are some of your personal
racks until those shelves, both literally and powers bent on revenge. The fact that no favourites?
metaphorically, collapsed under the weight one can ID the cover artist makes this one
of too much production in the early Nineties. that much sweeter. Whoever painted you, GH: For sheer writerly genius, Bari Wood’s
you’re beautiful, Spawn. The Tribe, Elizabeth Engstrom’s When
SCREAM: Another notable aspect of these Darkness Loves Us, Sandra Scoppettone’s
books are the covers. You just don’t see SCREAM: Is there a novel out there that Such Nice People, and Ken Greenhall’s
anything like them these days for the most you consider to be the quintessential Elizabeth are all top notch, and notice I
part. Why do you think that is? paperback from Hell? didn’t mention Michael McDowell once.
For pure batshit insanity, Toy Cemetery
GH: The secondary reason is that it costs GH: These novels are like snowflakes, no by William W. Johnstone, Miss Finney
too much. The primary reason is that back two are alike. Do you want some gut- Kills Now and Then by Al Dempsey, The
in the early Nineties, Sales & Marketing munching moth on human action? Then Orpheus Process by Daniel H. Gower,
Departments went to war with Art Directors Blight is for you. Prefer something more and Nightlife by Brian Hodge. If you’re into
at publishing houses and Sales & Marketing sedate and accomplished? Why not try witches being choked to death on three
won. They wrestled control of covers Elizabeth Engstrom’s Black Ambrosia. foot demon dicks, you don’t have many
from the Art Directors who had been the You like killer kids? The Sibling has got options other than Trevor Hoyle’s The
Don Draper’s of publishing for decades, your number. Want your killer kids even Stigma, however.
SCREAM: Have these novels inspired your The big difference is that a book is the final
own fiction in any way? product, whereas a screenplay is just a
terrible instruction manual for assembling
GH: Absolutely not. I love these books, but a movie, so with a book you have to make
they’re from another time. It would be a sure that your decisions are correct and
mistake to try to replicate them. final. And they never are.
SCREAM: What are you working on at the

moment?
GH: I’m working on my book after next.

But my next book is called We Sold Our
Souls and it’s a very intense heavy metal
horror novel about a power metal band
from the Nineties that never made it and
are wrestling with the implications of having
sold their souls back in the day. It’s coming
out September 18th of this year from Quirk.
SCREAM: Any final words?
GH: That bear was faster than he looked.
SCREAM: Your book has inspired many of

us horror fans to track down these weird
books. How does it feel knowing you’ve
made a lot of people want to read more
about evil babies and Nazi leprechauns?
GH: If I can get more people to read Ken

Greenhall, and Joan Samson, and Hugh
Zachary then that’s a win. On the other
hand, don’t order these books online where
the prices have gotten ridiculous. You’ll find
the coolest books, and the best deals, out
in this great nation of ours, digging through
mouse-infested bookshops.
SCREAM: You also co-wrote Mohawk. Is

film an area you’d like to pursue further?
GH: I’ll pursue film’s areas as long as film

is willing to pursue mine. If it’s set during
the War of 1812 like Mohawk I’ll be there,
typing about the Chesapeake Campaign
and Laura Secord. You can count on that.
SCREAM: Did you enjoy the collaborative

writing process on Mohawk, as opposed to
writing books which is more self-focused?
GH: For me, they’re both equally

collaborative. When I write, I’ve got my
editor giving me notes, I’m getting feedback
from first readers, I’m working with Publicity
& Marketing, I’m constantly navigating a
bunch of different opinions about my book.
DARK FOREST
ON BLU-RAY & DVD! STREAMING EVERYWHERE!
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AVAILABLE ON THESE PLATFORMS
darkforestmovie darkforestfilm darkforestfilm2015
www.darkforestfilm.com
THE NASTY F ILES Words: Iain Todd
Flesh Eaters
Title: Zombie
Prior to the Video Recordings Act of 1984, the
o Fulci
UK video market was awash with sex, violence and Director: Luci
y
gore, as unregulated video releases bypassed the Country: Ital
steely eye of the BBFC to bring uncut European ian/English
and US horror to the British public. This VHS Language: Ital
free-for-all allowed extreme content to be Year: 1979
d to DPP
distributed and consumed at the behest of video
Date first adde 1983
sellers and viewers, leading to a period in 30th October
horror history now known as the ‘video nasty’ ‘nasty’ list:
era. Each issue, SCREAM MAGAZINE starts taking
a look at one of the 72 nasties that caused such
uproar before the days of video regulation.
Two Officers with the New York to cross paths with Ann while
Harbour Patrol board an abandoned snooping around on the vessel
boat that has been spotted after it has been docked.
drifting along the Hudson. As A letter from Ann’s father
one of the officers searches below reveals he was last on the
deck, a sprawling zombie jumps Caribbean island of Matool,
out from hiding and bites a chunk which is feared by locals to be
of flesh out of his neck. The cursed as a result of its bloody
zombie then makes its way up top, history at the hands of Spanish
before being promptly dispatched conquistadors.
by a police revolver and falling Enlisting the help of boat
overboard. owners Brian, played by Italian
The boat, it turns out, is exploitation legend Al Cliver,
owned by the father of Ann Bolt, and Susan, played by Auretta
a young woman played by Tisa Gay, the four adventurers sail
Farrow, who is questioned by to Matool in search for Ann’s
police following the incident. father. There they discover
Ian McCulloch plays Peter West, Dr. Menard, played by Richard
a local reporter who happens Johnson, a physician who is
attempting to discover why the

island’s deceased are returning
to life and attacking the living.
Ann and Peter soon realise the
severity of what is happening on
the island, and as the ratio of
living people to members of the
cxd
undead begins to decline in their
misfortune, they realise they
must act quickly if they are ever
to make it off Matool alive.
Miracle Films initially applied
for a UK theatrical release of
ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS in January
of 1980, whereupon it was granted
an ’X’ certificate by the British
Board of Film Censors (as it was
then known) after cuts of 1m 46s
were imposed. The film gained superimposed onto a video cover for cinema, rebranded with an
notoriety amongst British horror bearing the image of a zombie ‘18’ classification. Subsequent
fans quite quickly due to its hand bursting through a grave cut versions were released
unrelenting gore and violent set would undoubtedly have attracted throughout the nineties, and
pieces. Its popularity in the horror fans. Unsurprisingly, it ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS wasn’t
early 1980s in the UK was also, also attracted the attention of successfully released in its
no doubt, thanks to the success the censorious, as well as police entirety until Anchor Bay
of George Romero’s DAWN OF THE forces looking for potentially Entertainment secured its uncut
DEAD, which had been released explicit material worth seizing. classification in 2005. It was
two years previous. The film did make its way also rereleased by Arrow Video
The success of ZOMBIE FLESH onto the Director of Public in 2012 in a lush, remastered
EATERS in UK independent cinemas Prosecutions’ now infamous Blu-ray format, finally giving
in the months that followed its list of 72 ‘video nasties’; this gruesome, visceral zombie
release led it to be selected horror films on VHS that had the masterpiece the attention it
for distribution on home video potential to be prosecuted under deserves.
by Mike Lee, owner of VIPCO the Obscene Publications Act. The history of ZOMBIE FLESH
(Video Instant Picture Company), ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS was found EATERS is typical of the
dxc
one of the first VHS distributors to be obscene and was banned, European exploitation cinema
in the UK to take advantage eventually resurfacing on video of the period. The Italians,
of the new movie format. VIPCO in 1992 after the 1984 Video perhaps more than any other Euro
released ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS in Recordings Act had been passed cine producers, were big fans
its full uncut form later that and the era of unregulated of producing low budget B movies
year, bearing the exploitative video had come to an end. off the back of more successful
faux warning: ‘Strong Uncut Unsurprisingly, this release was US titles. Although this is not
Version’. This stern promise the cut, theatrical version that to detract from the skill and
of violent and gory delights the BBFC had originally passed artistry evident in a wealth of
dxc c x xd
early scenes featuring Dr Menard
are not exactly in sync with
the latter half of the film, as
they present him in the ‘crazed
doctor’ role, while the rest of
the film operates as a more basic
zombie apocalypse story.
While the crux of Fulci’s film
contains no relation to Romero’s
other than its depiction of
shuffling, cannibalistic corpses,
the narrative is bookended
with the opening boat scene
overlooking the Manhattan
skyline, and the closing scene of
zombies making their way across
the Brooklyn Bridge on their
quest to infect the rest of the
planet. Whether an original part
of Fulci’s vision or a hasty
afterthought, these city scenes
contrast the vast majority of
the movie, which takes place on
a deserted island. As a result,
they almost present ZOMBIE FLESH
Italian horror films made during this was entirely legal and not EATERS as a prequel to DAWN OF
the 1970s and 80s, of course. in breach of copyright, and many THE DEAD: an explanation as to
ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS is in Italian productions during this the origin of the marauding
fact the film’s British title, period modelled themselves as corpses that haunt the shopping
but it was known in the States unofficial sequels to mainstream mall in Romero’s film.
as ZOMBIE, and in Italy, hits. But rather than the mindless,
confusingly, it was known as ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS did begin gawping, social allegories of
ZOMBI 2. Its Italian title is a life as a standalone island DAWN OF THE DEAD, Fulci’s zombies
result of the success of Romero’s adventure horror film, however, are violent, unpredictable and
DAWN OF THE DEAD, which in in the style of the Island of downright nasty, as shouldn’t
Europe had been edited by Dario Doctor Moreau, complete with come as a surprise to anyone
Argento and released under the its ‘crazy’ doctor carrying out familiar with the director’s
title ZOMBI. Argento’s cut was experiments on the island’s work. As is typical of Fulci’s
a veritable success in Italy native populace. Clearly, the films, ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS
and beyond, so it’s no surprise success of the zombie craze displays apparent glee in the
that Italian film producers were proved too much temptation for manner in which its characters
eager to replicate what DAWN, or Italian financers, and the zombie are killed off. As a result, the
ZOMBI had achieved. A loophole narrative was pinned onto the film can be at times be gloomy,
dxc
in Italian law at the time meant
60 SCREAM
film. As a result, some of the gory and extremely violent.
www.screamhorrormag.com
dxc Perhaps the most notorious
example of this is the infamous
eyeball-puncturing scene, in
which Dr. Menard’s wife Paola,
played by Olga Karlatos, is
ominous, droning score, which
manages to be both epically
grand, yet horribly fuzzy and
degraded, fitting perfectly with
the film’s cinematic quality and
violence. However, as the
attacker is a mindless, rotting
corpse, such a case could not
have been so coherently argued.
A lot of the fuss surrounding
cxd
attacked by a ghoul and has a downbeat subject matter. ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS could be
long splinter of wood forced In terms of the reasons ZOMBIE down to the fact that the film
agonisingly slowly into her eye. FLESH EATERS attracted the circled the underground cinemas
Later, she is discovered by the attention of British police of the UK before being released
protagonists as a half-eaten forces and warranted cuts on video, no doubt leading to
corpse of guts and entrails. by the BBFC, the film’s most mythicising regarding some of its
First-time viewers used to such obvious offending image is the notorious scenes. More often than
excruciating violence occurring aforementioned splinter-in- not, attempting to understand
off screen will be horrified eyeball-scene. Previous versions the logic of a group of people
by just how much the camera had been only passed once it who wanted to edit, censor and
lingers on this set piece, as had been toned down, and in ban works of film without having
Giannetto De Rossi’s exceptional retrospect the BBFC were making seen them is a fruitless task.
make-up effects show the lurid the violence occur off-screen in Too bad the censors hadn’t felt
tableau in all its gory glory. the same way that many mainstream the same way about the film as
For a generation raised on the horror films might do today. its international audience: it
Hammer Horror movies of the Other aspects of the film that made thirty million US dollars
1960s and 1970s, the extent of undoubtedly caused offence are at the global box office, making
the explicit violence in this the close-ups of blood spurting it one of the most financially
scene alone must have been quite from wounds and the general successful of the video nasties.
something to behold. focus on mutilation and gore. Luckily for UK viewers, ZOMBIE
Yet for all this, ZOMBIE As is always the case, whether FLESH EATERS is now available
FLESH EATERS is more than just or not such images could be to be enjoyed at leisure, and in
a violent, downbeat piece of argued to be liable to ‘deprave its entirety courtesy of Arrow
exploitation cinema. One of the and corrupt’, as was often the Video. Enjoy!
film’s more celebrated scenes is charge made
the incredible zombie-vs-shark against video
underwater battle, in which one nasties, is
of the living dead wrestles a another matter.
killer fish. It can be quite a ZOMBIE FLESH
surprise to see such a ballsy EATERS contains
stunt carried off so well in a no sexual
horror film of such obvious low violence, however
budget. in the preceding
There are also genuine moments leading
moments of atmospheric up to the eyeball
cinematography that beg to be gouging, Dr.
seen in widescreen HD. The film’s Menard’s wife,
setting is, lest we forget, an Paola, takes a
eerie, half-deserted island, shower and is
and Sergio Salvati’s stunning spied on by a
cinematography certainly takes lurking zombie.
advantage of that. A POV perspective
Praise must also be given invites the
to the sight of the zombies viewer to gaze
themselves. Apparently make- on a naked Paola
up artist Giannetto De Rossi’s in the shower,
budget was so low that he relied as a rotting hand
on clay dug from the earth, presses itself
smeared over actors’ faces to against the
produce their crumbling, rotting outside window.
visage. These are flesh-eating Perhaps if the
monsters with the appearance attacker had
of more classic horror, rather been a conscious
than the fresh-faced zombies of assailant donning
Romero’s movies. leather gloves,
The visual spectacle of ZOMBIE the nudity might
FLESH EATERS is topped off with have constituted
Fabio Frizzi’s fantastically as sexualised
horror
gaming!
Revisiting the Quiet hoRRoR of AsemblAnce
Close your eyes for a moment, and think games to the bloated ‘action-adventure’ time trudging through a game they are
of five great horror games. Chances are, category. Too often, this point of view entirely unlikely to enjoy. For those players
all of the games you just imagined fit a prevents players from considering more who enjoy thrillers or dramatic horror in
certain description. Zombies, demons, nuanced titles, causing them to miss out on books and movies, however, I’d like to
and other terrifying monsters put on a the fantastic experiences available in a few make an argument in favour of giving
chase through crumbling buildings and quieter games. Asemblance a chance. With Asemblance:
streets. Somewhere, their actions are There is perhaps no game more reviled Oversight freshly released as a standalone
controlled or caused by an antagonist that in the horror community for this particular game, there is no better time to jump in and
is unquestionably evil. Perhaps one title reason than Asemblance. Pared down try something new.
frames the origin of the monsters as a true controls and slow pacing have earned Asemblance released in June of 2016 to
mistake or fluke of nature. One may have Asemblance the dreaded tag of ‘walking very little fanfare. Outside of PlayStation’s
organised troops of awful humans as the simulator’, while a lack of obvious monsters online announcement, very little marketing
enemies. Overall, though, they stick to a has rallied gamers to call it dramatic non- was done. Despite this, Steam, YouTube,
formula; bad guys, monsters, jump scares, horror. Complex atmospheric puzzles toe and Reddit communities quickly formed as
chase scenes, stealth, and isolation win the the line between intricacy and convolution. fans searched for help solving the puzzles
day. Were this a movie, it would be a thriller, but within the game. This level of community
This formulaic approach to horror games this genre is almost wholly unrecognised in interaction was intended by developer
has the unfortunate effect of limiting what video games. NiLo. The triggers for each ‘shift’ forward
many people accept as horror. Omitting any It is an unavoidable truth that some were hinted at subtly, requiring players
one of these elements is seen as a failure to players will find no redeeming qualities in to work together outside of the game for
create ‘real horror’, relegating many spooky Asemblance, and should not waste their any hope of completion. This led to each
Words: Destiny Maddox
major accomplishment in the game being

broadcast live on streaming sites, each time
by a different player as hundreds of others
looked on. Together, players found each
clue and ending by capturing screenshots,
manipulating images, calling on outside
research and professional expertise, and
engaging in old-fashioned teamwork. While
few games have as many detractors as
Asemblance, even fewer can boast such a still managed to attract a large player base and locked away in the simulations. As
tight-knit, respectful community. within twenty-four hours of release. Within you explore, though, the AI questions your
Following nearly two years without any four days, all shifts had been achieved decisions and sanity, checking often to see
word of new development, the community utilising heavy teamwork on a fan-run that you do not stray from safe zones within
sprang back to life upon the announcement Discord server. memories. Time within the simulations is
of Asemblance: Oversight. While tied to Many gamers do not enjoy obtuse warped, and parts of each memory overlap.
the original game, Oversight is a complete puzzles, and do not care for community Scattered throughout are clues: research
game in its own right, and does not require involvement, but enjoy subtle horror. Those notes, bereavement pamphlets, audio
existing knowledge of the first game or the players should still give Asemblance some recordings, and emails litter the spaces.
alternate reality game carefully continued by consideration. The story of both games is Nothing is clear, and this remains mostly
NiLo developers in their down time. As with simple enough: You play a character stuck true at through the final credits. Leaving so
the original entry in the series, Oversight in a machine that simulates memories from much to the imagination, though, works to
was announced immediately before release, your own past. There has been an accident build suspense. Layers of tension develop
received very little marketing, and somehow of some sort, though the specifics are foggy as each simulation ends, creating the
strain needed to carry Asemblance’s few
moments of outright horror.
It is in those moments that Asemblance
earns its badge as a true horror game.
Though it lacks monsters and combat,
players encounter creepy, unsettling
images and sequences within the game.
Asemblance: Oversight is no different, using
the pretence of an ongoing emergency
mixed with disturbing images to fill players
with a keen sense of disquiet.
Death, a common underpinning of
horror games, is a recurring theme in the sentinel of relief. and memories corrupt at a pace that seems
Asemblance video games. In both outright One could make the argument that all too convenient for the computer’s goals,
and suggested forms, the question of who uncertainty is the main theme of the and constant interrogation about actions
has died and how they are related to your Asemblance universe. Throughout the inside the simulations ratchets up distrust
character is a constant distraction. Dubious entire first and second entry in the series, as the hours tick by. By the time players
loss takes the trope of secondary character players are taught distrust. Listening to complete the first ending, the computer
deaths and turns it around, leaving players commands and following orders is the most system is readily assumed to be neutral at
completely uncertain whether there is direct route to the ‘bad’ endings, giving best, and a bad actor at worst.
a continuing risk. In a game without solo players and easy way to hit their first It is worth noting that Asemblance:
visible enemies, the mere suggestion of set of accomplishments before scouring Oversight takes everything done in
danger adds much-needed exhilaration to online forums for clues. That first solo run is Asemblance and refines it to a much
otherwise flat gameplay. important, as it creates an emotional setting more enjoyable level. The controls remain
More specifically than death alone is without the constant interruption of online untouched, but more shifts in reality,
the ‘lost spouse’ trope, evident in every interaction. By the time players head to the more object interactions, and more non-
memory accessible in Asemblance, with a forums to search for answers, the sense player characters make for a much more
guest appearance in the flickering visions that nothing is right has solidified. immersive experience. While many avid
of Asemblance: Oversight. The computer in At the core of all of these problems is an gamers will continue to write the series
Asemblance mentions your wife repeatedly, ongoing fight with the artificial intelligence off as a bore, the sophistication of the
but at no point do players have any idea in charge of operating memory simulations. newest entry may help bring undecided
who she really is. She simply appears Asemblance is soft science fiction, with players into the fold. With more players
in different accessible memories at key the issue of malicious technology almost working together on the evolving ARG, NiLo
moments, serving as an eerie guide through taking a backseat to the personal emotional can focus on adding depth to the lore of
the decaying files. Her form is alternately issues at play. Nevertheless, the theme Asemblance in unique and unsettling ways.
inviting and unnerving, depending on the of self-aware AI and loss of control by its In an industry overrun with zombies, that
state of the memory she is visiting. At no creators is the basis upon which the entire diversification of methods can only be a
point, though, is she a welcome sight or story of Asemblance is built. Hardware fails good thing.
vhs
ate my
brain
COPYRIGHT WARNING... TRAILERS...
Words: Kevan Farrow
By the dawn of the 1990s, it seemed uncomfortable middle-ground between taking bullets to the legs. And as for
that almost every town in Britain and wonder and terror. I would stray from cinema’s greatest toxic waste death?
beyond had a video rental shop or three. my mum’s side as she did the shopping, Entirely absent in this TV cut (which I’d
Mine however, did not. But when you stealing glances at that most hellish of love to revisit; if anyone can point me
grow up in a moorside town in Devon in visages, and sometimes simply standing to a copy, hit me up on Twitter!). The
which every third building is an antique and staring. I was probably thirteen when tape was bought from the local electrical
shop (where nowadays ironically, one I finally watched HELLRAISER on TV, shop, which became one of the first
may actually find a video or two), such and was completely undeserving of the places in my hometown to actually
community essentials are all too often pleasure, insisting the film was cheesy sell videos. By the time horror had
out of one’s reach. Local businesses and stupid. It strikes me what a cynical monopolised my every waking thought,
were far from ignorant to the lucrative little bastard I was at that age, although budget retail video labels like Cinema
game of video rental however, and my I imagine I was putting up a defence Club or 4 Front had begun to spring up,
childhood viewing was often plucked against the film’s scares and shocks, buying up previously released films and
from the shelves of tiny greengrocers like a teenager who laughs loudly and building, in some cases, extraordinarily
and corner shops, whose thrifty owners forcibly in the cinema during gruelling large catalogues of titles. My initial
had eradicated half of their consumable horror scenes, just to let everyone know viewings of all three EVIL DEAD films
stock to make room for their own VHS that they’re like, totally not affected. came courtesy of 4 Front, and their
libraries. Needless to say, I recognised the genius cheap spine logo soon came to dominate
While my mother would happily of Clive Barker’s classic when I watched my bedroom video shelf.
rent EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, THE it again a few years later. The last time I visited the town in
GARBAGE PAIL KIDS MOVIE or, on The first time I was ever allowed to which I grew up, went to school, worked,
one massively exciting sick day from stroll into town unaccompanied was hung out, lost my virginity and became
school, TERMINATOR 2, it was the faces to purchase a blank E-180 to record a horror junkie, I popped into Spar just
staring from horror video cases that ROBOCOP, showing on ITV that night. to stand in the room that once housed
captured my attention and fuelled my That, and a TV taping of COMMANDO floor-to-ceiling VHS. It is now home to
nightmares. I was a horror kid before became two of my most watched films trays of vegetables that look as though
even I knew it, before I’d ever even as a kid, and I can quite clearly recall they’ve been there since the shop’s video
properly watched a horror film, and I the tweeks made to ROBOCOP prior rental days, but I could still just about
spent hours staring at the floor-to-ceiling to broadcast. Miguel Ferrer’s promise see Pinhead staring down from the walls.
displays in the little room opposite the that the titular law enforcer would be a The Happy Shopper is now a shop selling
fresh veg in Spar, or in the back section “bad mother crusher” was as ridiculous overpriced, ‘kooky’ home adornments
of the Happy Shopper. I remember being as the armed robber yelling “why me?!” and elsewhere, the town is still filled
a little obsessed with Freddy, despite in between shotgun blasts, but outright with antique shops, although they now
never having seen any of his onscreen baffling was Murphy’s completely re- seem to attract a somewhat younger,
outings, but it was Pinhead, glaring edited death scene, which saw him shot hipper clientele. Whatever, the march of
from the shelves that froze me in that in the head before staggering around progress and all. Here are some tapes.
The MuTaTions (1974) ridiculous plant puppet that looks like
Director: Jack Cardiff it started life on SESAME STREET, he
Writers: Edward Mann, Robert D. plays his part with utter conviction, and
Weinbach moments of boggle-eyed madness.
Starring: Donald Pleasence, Tom Baker, THE MUTATIONS is not all fun and
Brad Harris laughter and rubbery plant monsters,
though. The exploitative eye with which
Opening with a beautiful, super slo- it views the “human curiosities” of the
mo shot of droplets hitting water and sideshow is at times genuinely troubling.
time lapses of flowers opening and the The film shares much of its DNA with
like, THE MUTATIONS establishes a Tod Browning’s FREAKS, sometimes
thoughtful, ponderous tone which perhaps making direct references (“one of us”) and
unfortunately does not endure. I say sometimes shamelessly stealing. When
perhaps, because whatever the hell THE the freaks close in on Lynch for retribution
MUTATIONS is supposed to be it is, for it’s impossible not to think of Browning’s
the most part, a whole lot of fun. cast crawling through the mud and rain.
Donald Pleasence stars as university The scene is about 90% less menacing
lecturer/crazed biologist Professor Nolter, here, but it does the job. But it is when
who abducts students for use in his they are paraded for an audience that
experiments into human/plant hybrids. things get really difficult, particularly as
To do this, he employs the muscle of the supposedly cosmopolitan students
deformed thug Lynch (DOCTOR WHO laugh gaily and guiltlessly at the sights.
favourite Tom Baker) who, with his Things turn outright shocking with the
brilliantly swollen face and the hair of a reveal of a terrifyingly emaciated woman
mid-70s David Coverdale, polices the flick with its clipped, orderly dialogue, THE announced as “the human skeleton!”. The
carnival folk of a local sideshow. As a MUTATIONS wallows more in 70s British film may share a lot with Tod Browning’s
group of Nolter’s students close in on his sleaze. While the central students are as horror masterpiece but, despite coming
twisted secret, the ‘freaks’ of the carnival bland as can be, Pleasence is, as usual, to the screen 40 years later, it’s depiction
seek their own justice. a delight to behold. Whether cutting into of it’s ‘main attractions’ is far less
Feeling at times like a haughty Hammer a plant that bleeds or feeding a cat to a progressive.
Rolling Vengeance (1987) Pushed to the edge, Joey unveils the do the same to his sons, although most
Director: Steven H. Stern ‘project’ he’s been working on in the barn. of the money shots are bafflingly underlit.
Writer: Michael Montgomery What is described on the video’s back Thankfully though, we do get a daytime
Starring: Don Michael Paul, Lawrence cover as “the ultimate monster truck” chase culminating in two squished Doyle
Dane, Ned Beatty however, more resembles a metal shed brothers and one ruined car.
on some really big wheels. For his first As Joey, Don Michael Paul is, it must
ROLLING VENGEANCE is a revenge flick outing, Joey crushes all of Doyle’s cars be said, pretty terrible, and utterly unable
in which the tormented protagonist finds and then, night after night, proceeds to to convey grief. “I feel kinda empty,” he
retribution not with a hand cannon or a tells his girlfriend Misty after the funeral of
bat-suit, but a homemade monster truck. his mother and sisters, with half a smile
Yeah. Our hero is trucker Joey, who is on his face. Wisely, Paul stepped behind
following in his Dad ‘Big’ Joe’s trucking the camera later in his career, racking up
footsteps. For no real reason at all, they a number of directorial credits including
incur the wrath of vicious bar owner/ HALF PAST DEAD, LAKE PLACID: THE
used car dealer Tiny Doyle (the great FINAL CHAPTER and the two most recent
Ned Beatty, not squealing like a pig but TREMORS sequels. He spends most of
growling like a Rottweiler) and his sadistic his time here though, either squinting in an
sons. They’re the villains of the piece and attempt to look pained or exaggeratedly
boy, does this piece let you know it. First chewing gum in an attempt to look cool.
off, they kill Joey’s mother and young ROLLING VENGEANCE has more
sisters by driving them into the path of going for it than just its four-wheeled
a truck driven by Joey’s trucking buddy centrepiece, including cringe-inducing
Steve Tyler (not that one). When they dialogue, a by-the-numbers revenge plot
escape justice in the courtroom they jeer and Beatty as the angriest hick scumbag
and mock Joey and his pop, and a few ever. As with many films with just too tasty
days later throw bricks off an overpass, a premise however, it could really do with
making Joe crash his rig, putting him in going that bit further into realms of excess
hospital. They’re so pointlessly, mindlessly and insanity. Honestly, I’d be happy with
evil; onscreen revenge was never quite so another half hour of the shed on wheels
justified. doing its thing.
SlugS (1988) gonzo slasher freakout PIECES. The
first couple of kills are however, mostly
Director: J.P. Simon offscreen and bloodless, setting us at ease
Writers: J.P. Simon, Jose A. Escriva, before the blood really starts to flow. A
Ron Gantman standout scene sees old man Harold get
Starring: Michael Garfield, Kim Terry, a slug in his glove and writhe hilariously
Philip MacHale
around his greenhouse for a long while,
before resolving the problem with a
The Animals Run Amok/Nature Fights hatchet to the wrist.
Back film typified in the 50s by the likes of While Simón excels at gore and bonkers
THEM! or TARANTULA!, made a perhaps excess however, he’s got a horrible ear
inevitable comeback in the 1980s with the for dialogue, and the clumsy dubbing
advancements in icky prosthetic effects. doesn’t help. It all adds to the fun however,
Few entries in the genre though, are quite as does the score, which lurches from
as icky and sticky as 1988’s SLUGS, melodramatic horror to cop show pomp,
which sees the monstrous molluscs of with huge fanfares for establishing shots
the title munching their way through the featuring no action more exciting than a car
residents of a small American town. Having gently pulling up to a curb or a background
been enlarged and turned carnivorous character crossing the road.
by a local toxic waste dump, the town’s SLUGS comes highly recommended,
slug population is breeding in the sewer with its juicy mix of hilariously ropey acting
system, and the half-devoured bodies are and gross-out trash excess. It’s a touch
piling up. Luckily though, the county health The amount of gore on display in less gory with this 1989 New World release,
inspector Mike Brady (Michael Garfield, a SLUGS should come as no real surprise, which suffered some 42 seconds of cuts.
sole lead role in a sparse career) is on the being as it is the work of Spanish Lucky then, that the film was given the
case, teaming with sanitation worker Don exploitation director Juan Piquer Simón Arrow Blu-ray treatment a couple of years
(Philip MacHale, who looks off-puttingly like (credited here, as with most of his later back, and while the tape looks nice on the
Michael Ball) to put a stop to the threat. films, as J.P. Simon), the man behind shelf, it’s that disc that I keep close to hand.
Macabre (1980) Shot and set in New Orleans, CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST in the UK -
Director: Lamberto Bava MACABRE’s smoky jazz soundtrack released MACABRE in 1982 and while that
Writers: Lamberto Bava, Antonio Avati, and sprawling mansion setting ooze tape remains the more popular among
Pupi Avati, Roberto Gandus Southern Gothic, differentiating it from collectors, I’ll take this 1987 release from
Starring: Bernice Stegers, Stanko Molnar, Bava Jr.’s later, more typically ‘Italian’ Mogul anytime. I picked this one up when
Veronica Zinny works. It also takes its time initially, with I was about 15, enticed not only by the
little dialogue and lengthy shots of Jane maddening cover image but also the
Having been an assistant director on a moving around the house but, even dangerously bold red lettering, and it’s a
number of his legendary father’s films, without ominous music and with very cover - and a film - I still love today.
Lamberto (son of Mario) Bava made little explanations or expository scene
his directorial debut with this stylish setting, manages to be both engaging
psychodrama, the first of a string of cult and tense. Long scenes of Robert feeling
favourites from the director including his way through mundane tasks and
bloody giallo A BLADE IN THE DARK and navigating the halls are weirdly hypnotic,
bona fide splatter classic DEMONS. and a censor-baiting sequence which
Fitting snugly into the ‘Woman Wanders cuts between Jane banging Fred and
Around Big House Losing Her Mind’ Lucy drowning her li’l bro is deeply
subset of 70s/80s horror, MACABRE uncomfortable. As Jane, the unhinged
begins with New Orleans homemaker and unpredictable performance from
Jane sneaking out to meet her secret British TV regular Bernice Stegers goes
lover. Back home, her daughter Lucy a long way towards the film’s success.
drowns her little brother. Upon hearing Bava’s masterstroke though, is making
the news, Jane hops in the car with her Lucy crazier than her mother; where
lover (Fred), who is promptly decapitated Jane is schizophrenic and deeply
in a car crash. After a completely disturbed, Lucy is a remorseless,
understandable five year stint in a mental calculating psychotic. While MACABRE’s
institution, Jane is released and moves relaxed pacing may try the patience
into a boarding house owned by a young of some viewers, this murderous
blind man named Robert. Quite clearly melodrama rewards and then some, with
though, Jane is still not well, and when a deliciously twisted third act and an
manipulative Lucy begins her visits, the ending to die for.
film really begins to live up to its title. Go - the company who also put out
Only a truly broken soul can be
possessed by the ruler of hell.
Unfortunately for Adam, every
second of his life has molded him
into the perfect host.
“There are not enough adjectives available in my vocabulary
without the aid of a thesaurus to explain or understand the
mind that is Eric Kapitan.”
- William C Bitner
09/17/18
Warm
a book by
https://www.facebook.com/eric.kapitan/
HORROR STORIES
m
what’s hot in the world of dvd & blu-ray...
VOLUMES OF BLOOD –
THE FILM: The anthology Volumes of Blood:
Horror Stories delivers on what the title
promises, as gallons of grue and heaps of
gory special effects are on display throughout
the film’s tales. This sequel to 2015’s Volumes
of Blood also delivers some chilling content,
as well, with a group of talented writers and
directors joining forces.
This Owensboro, Kentucky-filmed
independent work starts off with a warning
that it is “a true labor love for the genre,
produced by horror fans for horror fans.”
Usually a disclaimer like this feels more like
an apology once movie is viewed, but in
this case, it is indeed the declaration of a
celebration. References and in-jokes are on
display, but not so much that they overwhelm
or wear out their welcome.
Most of the stories involve some level of
humour, usually of the dark sort, but this
Things can be a bit confusing at times.
For example, the framing arc “Killer House,”
directed by James Treakle and involving a
young couple touring a house that they are
corny, but overall, most of the performers
appraise themselves well.
The filmmakers behind Volumes of Blood:
Horror Stories obviously know their stuff as
fans, so make sure to keep a close eye and
ear out for references. They also know how
to put together an entertaining anthology
on a low-budget. If plenty of grisly effects
and a big-hearted approach to horror sound
enticing, you will want to seek out this movie.
Rating: 4 4 4 4 4
VOLUMES OF BLOOD – HORROR STORIES

is released on now on US DVD and Blu-ray
and Streaming. It was released by Dark Cuts
and is available for streaming on Amazon
Prime, iTunes, VHX, Vudu and Google Play.
REVIEWED BY JOSEPH PERRY
THE VIOLENCE MOVIE

DOUBLE BILL
THE FILM: No matter how painfully amateur
reviewer would stop short of calling it a horror considering buying, doesn’t begin until after Eric D. Wilkinson’s homage to 80s slashers
comedy. Some of the gore gags do lean the second story instalment. The device of is there’s no denying the love and admiration
toward the cartoonish, but there is enough going through the building and seeing what that he puts into every single frame of The
serious horror on display to keep things from horrifying secrets its rooms hold is a nice Violence Movie and its sequel The Violence
going overboard. touch, however. Movie 2. As a result, what we have here are
With a strong emphasis on slasher stories, The other segments are opener “Murder two fan-made horror films that were made
Volumes of Blood: Horror Stories worked Death Killer,” helmed by Nathan Thomas in the late 80s on a budget of $100 and shot
best for this reviewer when it stretched Miller, in which some small-time criminals
beyond that sub-genre and delved into more unwisely ignore the eerie tale of a local legend.
imaginative tales. For example, Justin M. It connects to the following story, P.J. Stark’s
Seaman’s “The Deathday Party” sees a senior (who also produced Volumes of Blood: Horror
couple celebrating the husband’s birthday Stories) “Haters,” which has a couple of highly
in a decidedly uncivilised manner, while Jon opinionated moviegoers irritating an usher,
Maynard’s “Blood Bath” explores a wildly with dire consequences. Sean Blevin’s “Trick
improbable — but very savage — situation or Treat” brings back a slasher character from
involving a deadly bathtub. John William the first Volumes of Blood film.
Holt’s “Feeding Time” is a monster-in-the- Everyone involved with special effects and
closet story with a nice twist, involving an make-up did a bang-up job, and gore-hounds
insurance salesman dropping his guard to will find plenty to love on frequent display.
help a young woman in distress. Nathan Body parts, both internal and external, and the
Thomas Milliner’s “Fear, for Sinners Here” red stuff are plentiful.
is a Christmas tale refreshingly not involving The direction is quite good throughout, and
a killer Santa. Rather, it serves up a revenge the screenplay by Blevins, Milliner, Starks, and
story involving a stabbing with sharpened Jason Turner is solid overall, though instances
candy canes, and it delivers arguably the most of weaker dialogue crop up on occasion.
chilling end of all the anthology’s segments. Performances range from strong to somewhat
on low-grade VHS. Don’t let this put you off THE ADDICTION and unique take on the idea of drinking blood
though. If you can look past the ultra-low- THE FILM: In Abel Ferrara’s 1995 artsy to live. It’s a slow-burner of a story and one
budget production values and awful home- horror-drama, a young woman called that keeps its audience at a distance, so
made special effects then there’s plenty of fun Kathleen (Lili Taylor) becomes addicted to will certainly only appeal to those that aren’t
to be had here at the end of the day. blood after being bitten by a vampire in New worried by a monster movie that lacks the bite
In The Violence Movie, a deranged York. Ferrara’s flick is sophisticated and of action.
murderer has escaped from prison and stylish, remaining a refreshing take on the Strange, fascinating and, surely, something
walks right into the home of a man where he vampire flick as it bears more resemblance to you’ll never want to watch again, The
straps on a hockey mask. Once the owner the modern classic A Girl Who Walks Home Addiction is bizarre, intelligent and inherently
returns home he is forced to fight for his life in Alone at Night than Universal’s Dracula. alarming, but fundamentally unappealing
order to stay alive. Meanwhile, in the sequel, Kathleen’s vampirism becomes a metaphor because of this.
the events of the first film turns out to be a for drug addiction and the film’s New York Rating: 4 4 4 4 4
recurring dream for our protagonist. However, City setting further emphasises the film’s
when he discovers that the killer is actually preoccupation with exploring modern SPECIAL FEATURES: There is plenty for
real he is forced to come to terms with his society’s fears of substance abuse and fans of The Addiction to get their teeth into
own fear and face up to the masked killer. drug addiction. It’s an obvious allegory, but with the extras. From an audio commentary
Both instalments of The Violence Movie one that is still impressive, mainly due to with Abel Ferrara to an Appreciation by
do a great job to emulate everything we love Taylor’s masterful performance as a graduate Brad Stevens, there’s a lot of opportunity to
about the slasher genre whilst taking a heavy philosophy student who finds her whole world learn more about one of the ‘90s strangest
influence from Friday the 13th franchise. In turned upside down. horror tales. The Talking With Vampires
both films Wilkinson is joined by his brother documentary is particularly interesting and
David E. Wilkinson (who plays the killer) and features interviews with Lili Taylor, Christopher
their friend Joseph Shaughnessy as the hero. Walken and composer Joe Delia.
Together they work hard to create one long Rating: 4 4 4 4 4
chase sequence in each instalment and both
films are surprisingly engaging as a result. THE ADDICTION is out now on UK Blu-ray
Although both instalments are light courtesy of Arrow Video.
years away from being halfway decent it is REVIEWED BY JESSY WILLIAMS
abundantly clear that a lot of work has been
put into their development. Both feature DOOM ASYLUM
fully choreographed fight scenes and stunt THE FILM: In Richard Friedman’s tongue-
work. Both films have plenty of inventive in-cheek comedy-horror Doom Asylum, a
cinematography and plenty of homemade group of teenagers trespass in an abandoned
effects. However, it is important to remember asylum and soon regret it when they are
that both films were created for the filmmakers targeted by man who survived his own
themselves to celebrate their love for the genre. autopsy 10 years prior. What ensues is a
So, if you can’t look past the amateur madcap tale of young people making terrible
nature of the film then this one is clearly not Shot in beautiful, sinister black and white, decisions, falling in and out of love, playing
for you! However, if you can look beyond its Ferrara opts for a subtle approach with his music, fighting each other and fighting a
low-grade production value and enjoy both horror and, rather than drenching his audience deranged sort-of zombie lunatic. Sound like
films for what they really are then you are in in blood, chooses to scare with a dread- your cup of tea? Well jump right in.
for quite an enjoyable treat! filled atmosphere, nightmarish imagery and Doom Asylum is a ridiculous lot of fun, but
Rating: 4 4 4 4 4 scenes that are even more overtly scary. The it’s bizarre humour will not be loved by all that
shocking nature of the film is complimented watch it. If you’re a fan of slashers and the
SPECIAL FEATURES: This special release by an unsettling score that will send shivers typical tropes they tread, you’ll appreciate this
from MVD visual comes with a bevvy of down your spine and a whispering narration films meta acknowledgement of what goes
extras. First, there is an audio commentary by Kathleen that becomes increasingly into recipe for the perfect killer movie. From
featuring the Wilkinson brothers who talk terrifying. Sounds like the beating of it’s flawed practical effects – keep an eye on
candidly about the making of each film. There Kathleen’s heart as she injects blood into her Mitch Hansen’s neat gloves and look out for
is also a bunch of fun outtakes for audiences system, heighten the film’s effortless unease Judy LaRue’s stray arm – to over-long scenes
to enjoy. Not only are these worth checking and help cement The Addiction as one of that need a good cut with a chainsaw, Doom
out but they give audiences further insight the most uncomfortable film’s you’ll ever Asylum is a B-movie through and through,
into how much fun the team were having experience. and almost a great one.
when making the movies. Rounding up the When people tell you that film’s like The The characters are knowingly two-
extras we have a trailer for the films, a bunch Witch, It Comes at Night and Hereditary dimensional, all slotting into their required
of behind the scenes photos and a featurette began the trend of horror being equally as roles as the idiot, the beauty and the jock.
‘Violence in ’03’ which sees the Wilkinson beautiful as it is scary, then be sure to remind There’s also an all-girl punk rock band led by
brothers return to the location of the first two them that The Addiction did this back in 1995, the ballsy Tina (Ruth Collins) and they inject
films to do re-shoots 15 years later. so it’s nothing new. There is no doubt that the film with an edge that is associated with
Rating: 4 4 4 4 4 this is an under-appreciated gem, but it is post-apocalyptic horror features like Dead
easy to see why The Addiction has slipped End Drive-In. Each character is as utterly
THE VIOLENCE MOVIE DOUBLE BILL is out under the radar for so long. It’s an oddity unbelievable as the last and they all make the
now on US DVD courtesy of MVD. that’s not made to be enjoyed, but instead, it stupidest decisions, but there is an awareness
REVIEWED BY JON DICKINSON will slap you in the face with its experimental in their dialogue, actions and characterisation,
so you’ll feel Friedman giving you a little wink into court to prove that they hadn’t made a a stomach-churning, scuzzy nightmare.
as they wander off to “save” someone who’s snuff film. Umberto Lenzi, who kicked off this We don’t see immoral trash like this these
gone missing. cannibal craze with his movie The Man from days, which makes Shameless’ release an
Doom Asylum is an imperfect mess, but its Deep River, never faced any criminal charges essential purchase for fans of the glory days
problems can almost be forgotten because for Cannibal Ferox, but with it he delivered of disreputable cinema.
the film is filled with so much love for this one of the most notable sleazefests to emerge Rating: 4 4 4 4 4
genre. This one proves that blemishes are from this boom.
beautiful and a big heart can go a long way, The story is simple: PhD student Gloria SPECIAL FEATURES: The extras make this
even if the final product is technically rather (Lorraine De Selle) has good intentions. She 2k restoration a worthwhile pick-up for fans of
atrocious. Is it so bad it’s good? Undoubtedly. wants to prove that cannibalism doesn’t the film. Included are rare interviews with Lenzi
Rating: 4 4 4 4 4 exist, which leads her on a journey to the and Giovanni Lombardo Radice, which are
Amazon jungle. Upon arrival, however, she highlights. There is also a tasty short film and a
soon discovers that her hunch was wrong featurette on the film’s restoration process for
after meeting a cocaine cowboy named Mike this release. All in all, very satisfying.
(Giovanni Lombardo Radice) who’s on the Rating: 4 4 4 4 4
run from some peckish locals. What occurs
afterwards is not worth the hassle of obtaining CANNIBAL FEROX is out now on UK Blu-ray
a doctorate. courtesy of Shameless Films.
In a sub-genre that’s populated with REVIEWED BY KIERAN FISHER
nothing other than movies out to push the
limit, Ferox is perhaps the meanest and DARK FOREST
nastiest of the bunch. To spoil the human THE FILm: “What do you call a wet bear? A
atrocities on display would be a disservice to drizzly bear.” If you found that joke unbearable
unacquainted viewers would be a disservice, (pun intended), then writer-director Roger
but this isn’t for the faint of heart. In addition Boyer’s feature-length debut, Dark Forest,
to all the unnecessary animal cruelty and might not be for you. On the other hand, if you
human mutilation you expect from a picture find bad jokes quite enjoyable, then the movie
like this, it’s also chock-full of unapologetic has enough juvenile dialogue throughout that
SPECIAL FEATURES: There is an array of racism and other shocking content that most may tickle you a little. Unfortunately, they do
special features on this Arrow Video Blu-ray filmmakers in their right mind wouldn’t go near little to enhance what is otherwise a bland and
restoration, which does justice to the under- today. Depending on your viewpoint, Cannibal forgettable slasher throwback.
appreciated cult classic Doom Asylum. From Ferox is either everything that’s right or wrong The set-up here is familiar; Emily (Laurel
lengthy interviews with Ruth Collins and with exploitation cinema; or maybe even a McArthur) has had enough of her psychotic
director of photography Larry Revene, you’ll little of both. boyfriend. She then heads out to the woods
be able to delve into the film with the cast and Still, it’s hard not to admire Lenzi’s for a weekend trip with some friends. They all
crew alike. There is also a stills gallery, archival conviction to cruelty. He set out to make start getting picked off by a homicidal maniac.
interviews and audio commentaries with exploitation that caused a shit storm and You know the drill. You’ve seen this movie a
screenwriter Rick Marx and the team behind succeeded. Ferox was supposedly banned million times in the past. And you’ve seen it
the The Hysteria Continues horror podcast. All in 31 countries, and while that “fact” has done much better.
in all, you can’t fault the extras like you can the been contested and is probably false, it still There’s nothing wrong with familiarity
film itself, so that’s a bonus. shouldn’t detract from the actual fact that the in horror. Slasher movies, especially, are
Rating: 4 4 4 4 4 movie was a ballsy little nasty for its time -- comfort food that go down a treat when the
and even today. simple formula is executed with style. Give us
DOOM ASYLUM is out now on UK Blu-ray Despite the levels of atrocity on display, characters to serve as meat for the grinder,
courtesy of Arrow Video. though, Ferox is also entertainingly cheesy at some suspense, and bloodletting and chances
REVIEWED BY JESSY WILLIAMS times. By no means was Lenzi out to make art are the target audience will lap it up. Failing
here. The script is charmingly laughable, but that, at least make the movie somewhat fun.
CANNIBAL FEROX it provides a light relief to what is otherwise The biggest issue with Dark Forest is that it
THE FILm: Once upon a time, Italian genre lacks all of the aforementioned qualities, which
cinema was a hotbed for controversy and makes the generic premise and adherence to
exploitation hucksterism as filmmakers sought common genre cliches feel tired.
to shock and appal their foreign counterparts For a start, there’s no suspense here. When
by releasing films that pushed the boundaries the characters eventually do start dropping
of good taste that little bit further. Cannibal there’s no reason to care about their plight,
films, in particular, were notorious as not only or feel threatened by the evil that stalks them.
did they revolve around the taboo subject of The kills aren’t spectacular either, though the
primal humans eating peoples flesh, but the blood does look good. When it comes to flicks
films often courted controversy by featuring made on a budget this small then you need to
real animal killings. Needless to say, these accept that the slaughter may not necessarily
films were very unpleasant, and banned in pop. But the moments between slaughter
several countries. are lifeless besides the odd joke about wet
The most notorious of this bunch is bears and other woodland creatures. Still, the
Cannibal Holocaust, which saw director slasher genre is littered with goofiness and
Ruggero Deodato and his colleagues called terrible dialogue, and it’s clear that Boyer and
format) scare tactics. the sombre yet striking cinematography by
Some frights work: Nyman and Dyson Ole Bratt Birkeland (American Animals) which
prove a dab hand at creeping out in the run excavates the vibrant moor greens and melds
up to big reveals and instigate jump scares them wonderfully with dense charcoal from
at unexpected moments, but do so using distinctly British skies.
tried and tested methods (a ghost suddenly Ghost Stories’ bleak, homebred feel is a
appearing in the foreground accompanied by factor that may have got lost had Dyson and
a loud sound, creepy children standing in the Nyman not been at the helm. British council
distance, lit up by a light beam etc). Ghost estate pubs and gothic forest shots also recall
Stories’ most effective frights derives from 1970s Amicus film/anthology horrors (The Vault
out of focus “figures” in the backdrop which of Terror, Tales from the Crypt, Asylum) which
resemble something far worse than what the its creators cite as key inspirations. Ghost
actually are. These moments also lend weight Stories is definitely one of the most refined
to the fitting moto: “the brain sees what it (production wise) anthology horrors in recent
wants to see”. years, but with stories not quite as ground-
Surreal sequences and complex characters breaking or diverse as those in the likes of VHS
Co. have an affinity for these films and were augment the three stories, which may and Southbound (it’s better than The ABCs of
embracing those elements here. In that regard, have otherwise seemed stale, slender Death). Ghost Stories’ tales are not quite as
it’s not a complete write-off and boasts some and weakened by sometimes slightly trite compelling on screen as one may have hoped,
minor charm if only the fact it comes from a performances. Goodman’s mention of how but are contained within an original concept
genuine place. his father’s religious beliefs destroyed their while providing enough twisted kinks, off-kilter
Of course, it’s not a modern 80’s horror family, provides an effective context to his creatures, skewered visuals and textbook jolts
throwback without synths to accompany character. This also connects well to how he to keep horror fans happy.
the slaughter. One of the few highlights responds to supporting characters’ fractured Rating: 4 4 4 4 4
of Dark Forest is the synthwave-inspired families. In the first segment: a humble night
score, which is worthy of your attention. The watchman/ alcoholic wrestles with unresolved SPECiAl fEATURES: “The making of Ghost
cinematography is also very well done, and grief (Paul Whitehouse). The second sees Stories” is a stock thirteen minute behind-
only enhanced by the backdrop of the cold, a “fragile young man from a dysfunctional the-scenes clip combo from key locations
Canadian wilderness. family, on the edge of psychosis” (Alex (warehouse, forest, house and moors) spliced
There’s not much to say here, though. Dark Lawther delivers the film’s best performance) with talking head interviews with the writer/
Forest is a very threadbare film; a neat idea in while the final tale follows a wealthy aristocrat directors/ key cast. It’s concluded with
theory, but lacking the punch to really drive it (Martin Freeman), his pregnant wife and a footage from the score recording session
home. I’m sure some genre diehards will find phantom in their stately home. where composer Frank Ilfman discusses
it passable, and Boyer showcases enough capturing the stage play’s essence and
raw talent as a filmmaker to suggest that retaining a theatrical feel.
there’s more to come from him down the line. This sifts nicely into “Recording Goodman’s
For now, this one isn’t essential viewing. Theme”: a five minute sequence back in the
Rating: 4 4 4 4 4 recording studio in which viola player James
Boyd discusses the score while Nyman and
DARK FOREST is out now on US Blu-ray, Dyson angrily (but jokingly) mouth swear
DVD and streaming platforms courtesy of words to each other behind glass then end
Zellco Productions. their spat with passionate mock snogging.
REVIEWED BY KIERAN FISHER “The Rorschach Test” sees the writer/
directors and cast drolly respond to the
GHOST STORIES classic patterned cards which makes for the
THE film: At what appears to be the end of most riotous disc extra. Watching Nyman and
an anthology horror resurgence, Andy Nyman Dyson crumble into hysterics after only a few
and Jeremy Dyson present the self-helmed cards could prompt mutual, explosive giggle
big screen version of their masterpiece stage fits in susceptible viewers.
play. Ghost Stories introduces Professor “The Brain Sees What it Wants to See” is
Goodman (Andy Nyman): author, psychic a short section of “before and after” snippets
fraud hunter and modern myth debunker, The absence of the “actually being there” from scenes that had to be digitally altered
who is given an envelope containing a tape element which was the stage show’s key in the film’s run up to release. Viewers are
from presumed missing colleague Professor strength, is hugely felt in the big screen invited to spot the difference between the
Charles Cameron. Cameron (another version, but Nyman and Dyson’s whip a shots. Nyman and Dyson have also recorded
specialist sceptic in the field) invites Goodman wonderful array of colourful sub-genre a commentary, providing further production/
to visit then presents him with three case components which combine to make idea origin insights.
files. The files detail instances of supposed Ghost Stories (on the whole) more than a Rating: 4 4 4 4 4
paranormal activity which Cameron could not middling spook fable. Anticipated pregnancy
discredit, so asks Goodman to do so for him. terror, mutant babies and forest monsters GHOST STORIES is out now on UK DVD
It’s a perfect, simple and unique set-up for dot the broth while eerie dream sequences and Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Home
an anthology horror that worked wonders on discombobulate. A rousing score by Frank Entertainment and streaming courtesy of
stage. But Ghost Stories suffers slightly in Ilfman (Big Bad Wolves, 68 Kill) makes slighter Prime Video.
its screen incarnation due to old hat (for the scenes fly, especially when combined with REVIEWED BY DANIEL GOODWIN
h alloween
M ayheM
40 yeaRS oF
MIChael MyeRS!
paRt 1
Words: Rob Talbot
was go. “You get worried when the budget
is high or low. I asked [Carpenter] about the
story,” Akkad said. “He told it to me in four
words... He said, ‘Babysitter to be killed
by the boogie man.’ The babysitter part
grabbed me because every kid in America
knows what a babysitter is. I told him,
‘Let’s do it.’ I was spending $300,000 a day
on [his own film] LION OF THE DESERT
(1980).” As director, co-screenwriter, and
composer, Carpenter was allotted $10,000
of this and 10% of any profits.
Carpenter belonged to the new breed of
American ‘Baby Boomer’ directors rising
to prominence at the time; think Lucas,
Scorsese, Spielberg, Coppola, Landis,
Romero, a whole new generation that
seemed to have great cinema just pouring
out of them. It’s Carpenter’s assured
film sense and insistence on creative
ownership that sets HALLOWEEN out from
Michael Myers. The Shape. The THE RESURRECTION OF BRONCHO the could-have-beens, and although he
Boogeyman. Evil on Two Legs. Whatever BILLY (1970), which in turn made possible wasn’t yet as well-known as those other
you call the man, you’ve got to admire his his directorial feature debut, the offbeat directors mentioned, he sure would come
staying power. Ever since appearing in a deep-space comedy DARK STAR (1974), close for some time afterwards. And none
humble low-budget independent horror film co-written with and starring future ALIEN of those guys did their own music.
in 1978, this marauding escaped mental (1979) scribe and RETURN OF THE LIVING
patient has gone on to spawn countless DEAD (1985) director Dan O’Bannon.
imitators and ten sequels (if you count the Starting life as a student film (Carpenter
remake duo), the latest of which will be quit the USC to finish it), DARK STAR was
released this October. And although The padded out from 45 minutes to feature
Shape has had a rocky relationship with length, with help from its distributors, and
critics and audiences over the years, it’s built up something of a cult following on
almost universally acknowledged that John its release.
Carpenter’s original HALLOWEEN (1978) Consequently, he was given full creative
remains a true landmark of genre cinema. control and $100,000 by producer
The HALLOWEEN story begins with J.S. Caplan to turn out a low-budget
Carpenter and the late Debra Hill. Carpenter grindhouse epic; the result was ASSAULT
was a University of Southern California ON PRECINCT 13 (1976), a stone-cold
(USC) film school student, as were the likes classic of violence and suspense modelled
of George Lucas and Robert Zemeckis. on Howard Hawks’ RIO BRAVO (1959).
He’d worked on James Rokos and John Debra Hill worked on this one as script
Longenecker’s Oscar-winning western short supervisor and assistant editor, and it was
here that her relationship, both personal
and professional, with Carpenter began.
After being impressed by ASSAULT
at the Milan Film Festival, indie producer
Irwin Yablans not only distributed the film HALLOWEEN (1978)
overseas, but also came to Carpenter with Shot in Pasadena in twenty days, on time
a new project he’d been cooking up. In and on budget by a young director and
his own words, Yablans aimed to “make a crew, HALLOWEEN changed everything.
picture that had the same impact of THE Sucking in a worldwide theatrical total of
EXORCIST (1973)”. Tentatively entitled $70 million box-office from that meagre
“The Babysitter Murders”, Carpenter and $325k budget, it sent every producer in
Hill were already well into co-writing the Hollywood careering off to make their
screenplay when Yablans suggested the own low-rent macabre tales of lumbering
added element of setting the story on lunatics. American horror films were back
October 31st and calling it HALLOWEEN. and a new sub-genre was born. Welcome
Enter also Syrian producer and director to the ‘Slasher Movie’.
Moustapha Akkad, approached by Surprisingly, Jamie Lee Curtis wasn’t
Carpenter with “The Babysitter Murders” Carpenter’s first choice for the role of
pitch. Akkad put up the $325,000 Laurie Strode, but since she’s the daughter
Carpenter requested, and HALLOWEEN of PSYCHO’s Janet Leigh, one can
imagine just how right this must have felt. This was to be
Carpenter’s PSYCHO (1960) for a new generation, inspired
also by Dario Argento’s recent SUSPIRIA (1977), another
film that tore away at the limits of what was possible within
the genre, although Bob Clark’s BLACK CHRISTMAS
(1974) has more obvious parallels. Curtis herself gives
a great debut performance that sees her propelled into
instant ‘scream queen’ status.
A further nod to PSYCHO comes with the naming of Dr
Sam Loomis, which without the ‘Dr’ part was the name
of the Janet Leigh character’s boyfriend, played by John
Gavin in the Hitchcock film. Carpenter had wanted an older
British actor to play this crazed psychiatrist hot on the heels
of The Shape, and both Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee
were offered the role. Both of those great Gentlemen of
Peter Cushing and ChristoPher Lee

were offered the roLe. Both of
those great gentLemen of horror
PoLiteLy deCLined
Horror politely declined.
Yablans then suggested veteran character actor Donald Pleasence,
not then a ‘horror star’ in the same sense, but a very familiar face for
audiences nonetheless, up until then best-known for his turn as 007
nemesis Ernst Blofeld in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967). Post-1978,
Pleasence was as good as synonymous with HALLOWEEN. The actor
always claimed that he didn’t understand the screenplay, and only agreed
to appear in the film because his daughter was a fan of ASSAULT ON
PRECINCT 13 and its “cool soundtrack”.
Of course, the main draw of HALLOWEEN is the Boogeyman himself -
Michael Myers. The character itself was the result of Carpenter and Hill’s
fleshing out of Yablans’ “Babysitter Murders” concept, but the look of
Michael we see up on the screen is the work of two of Carpenter’s USC
classmates. Co-editor and production designer Tommy Lee Wallace
picked up a 1975 Don Post Studios Captain Kirk mask (Post has been
dubbed the ‘Godfather of Halloween’ for his pioneering latex masks of the
70s and 80s) for $1.98. Based on the features of actor William Shatner, it
must be said this mask looked pretty damn creepy already, but spraying
it blue-white, darkening the hair, and widening the eye-holes transformed
it into the chilling Myers-mug that we’re familiar with today. A unique and
eerie horror creation, closely following the script’s description of a mask
with “the pale features of a human face”.
The other classmate? That’ll be Nick Castle, who’d also worked with
Carpenter in various capacities on BRONCHO BILLY and DARK STAR,
slipping on the boiler suit and mask to become The Shape for $25 a day.
Castle’s performance would define the look and ‘robotic’ movement
of Myers for all his cinematic misadventures to come, not to mention a
thousand rip-offs. However, Myers’ face for his brief unmasking would
be that of Tony Moran (the brother of Erin “Joanie” Moran from the series
‘Happy Days’), and Tommy Lee Wallace filled the suit and mask for some
later insert shots.
Debra Hill had hailed from Haddonfield, New Jersey, and hence
Michael’s home town became the fictional ‘Haddonfield, Illinois’; which
meant an awful lot of Pasadena palm trees had to be kept out of shot.
Not always successfully. As they were shooting in the spring, dead leaves
had to be brought in from elsewhere and blown about with fans to make it
appear to be fall/autumn. CHEERLEADERS (1977), but it was his
These leaf-strewn streets, and the sublime work on HALLOWEEN and
jack-o’-lanterns on their porches, bear several subsequent Carpenter capers
silent witness to the sinister action of that led to JURASSIC PARK (1993),
HALLOWEEN. The opening sequence APOLLO 13 (1995), and his remaining
remains astonishing, as on “Halloween, solidly in work to this day.
1963” we follow the point of view of a After the now-iconic title credits
heavy-breathing murderer in and around have rolled, we’re transported 15 years
a darkened house through the eye-slits later to October 30th, 1978, where the
of a mask, in what appears to be one adult Myers escapes the Smith’s Grove
continuous shot. Inspired by a similar Sanatorium in Loomis’ car as the good
continuous take in Orson Welles’ TOUCH doctor attempts to take him to a court
OF EVIL (1958) rather than anything from hearing. Myers heads straight back to
a previous horror film, this kind of bravura Haddonfield, where we’re introduced to
POV steadicam work wasn’t nearly as Laurie and her friends Lynda (P.J Soles
familiar to audiences then as it is today. The of CARRIE [1976] and the Ramones film
stabbing of his near-naked sister comes as ROCK ‘N’ ROLL HIGH SCHOOL [1979])
a shock, but not nearly as much as when and Annie (Nancy Loomis, returning from Andrews) saved in the nick of time by the
Carpenter’s camera pulls out to reveal that ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13), a ‘normal’ arrival of Loomis, who pumps seven shots
the killer is a six-year-old boy (Will Sandin), group of teenage girls preoccupied with from his handgun into our marauding
clad in his Halloween clown costume hanging out, boys, and saying “totally” a maniac. “Was that the Boogeyman?”
and clutching a breadknife. We have just lot. Soon a desperate Loomis is in town mumbles the shell-shocked Laurie. “As a
witnessed Haddonfield’s first Michael and joining forces with Sheriff Leigh matter of fact, it was,” is Loomis’ famous
Myers murder. Brackett (Charles Cyphers, also back from reply. But, when Loomis looks out of the
Equal credit for this sequence surely ASSAULT) and The Shape is stalking the window to ensure the threat is ended, The
must go to cinematographer Dean Cundey. girls ready for his big Halloween night Shape has vanished. One last montage
The young Californian DoP had worked blow-out. of the deserted nearby streets and
on a couple of fright flicks previously, The ensuing Halloween night of nail- houses shows that he is nowhere… and
including ILSA, HAREM KEEPER OF biting terror ends with Laurie and her everywhere.
THE OIL SHEIKS (1976) and SATAN’S babysitting charge Tommy Doyle (Brian The fact that the virginal ‘good girl’
Laurie survives the film, while her sex-and-
booze-happy friends and their partners
all die horribly, led almost immediately
to HALLOWEEN being wrongly thought
to have a prudish, ‘small c’ conservative
morality at its heart – thanks to its hordes
of blindly following imitators, ‘sex equals
death’ quickly became a much-jeered-at
horror cliché. However, none of this was
intentional; it’s a creation of the film’s critics
rather than the filmmakers themselves.
Carpenter has since stated that he simply
wanted to establish Laurie as a lonely,
introspective character, that survives
because the others are far too busy having
fun to see what’s really going on.
Unlike most of its imitations and sequels,
HALLOWEEN is sparing with the old claret
and light on the gore, generating fear
and suspense instead through mastery
of atmosphere. Style over substance?
“We only had the style because we had
a very slim plot,” Carpenter later said.
“An escaped lunatic comes back to this
town and starts killing these babysitters.
A lot of horror can live or die on visual
flourish. Horror requires mood and tempo.”
Correct. And a damn good soundtrack
doesn’t hurt either.
It was and still is unusual for directors
to also create the musical scores for their
films, but Carpenter had already pulled this
off, with excellent results, for DARK STAR
and ASSAULT. His legendary score for
HALLOWEEN, especially the immortal main
theme, is an indispensable element of the
film’s texture. For anyone familiar with the
film it’s unthinkable that it could have any
other kind of music than these synthesiser
cues from Carpenter. Hill maintained that
Carpenter already had the themes in his
head while filming the action on set, but
Carpenter himself has said that it all came
in post-production, inspired in equal parts
by Goblin’s score for SUSPIRIA and Mike
Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells”, famously heard in
THE EXORCIST.
Along with the score, it’s the smaller
touches that tend to linger in the memory;
the shot of Myers standing between
billowing sheets hanging from washing
lines, the creepy jack-o’-lanterns, the
camera panning along the streets,
and Myers’ curious tilt of the head as
he admires his gruesome handiwork,
reportedly improvised by Castle on set.
The original HALLOWEEN is still the best
by an Illinois mile. Like, totally.
HALLOWEEN II (1981)
“Is this a joke? I’ve been trick-or-treated to
death tonight,” burbles Tommy Doyle’s next
door neighbour, as Loomis stands on the
front lawn ranting and raving about Myers
getting away. “You don’t know what death
is!” is Loomis’ hilarious reply, as he turns
away and lopes off in search of Michael, Hill would want to get their financial dues
and the HALLOWEEN theme strikes up from the phenomenon they’d created,
again for the opening while dozens of lesser filmmakers were
credits. Welcome to still gleefully cashing in. Hence, Carpenter
HALLOWEEN II. refused to direct the film, instead handing
With not only over the reins to Rick Rosenthal, but he
HALLOWEEN but and Hill remained on board as producers
also imitators and screenwriters. “I will say that what
like FRIDAY got me through writing that script was...
THE 13TH (1980) Budweiser,” he once said. “Six pack of
cleaning up at beer a night, sitting in front of the typewriter
the box office, saying, ‘What in the hell can I put down?’
producers I had no idea. We’re remaking the same
Yablans film, only not as good.” As far as Carpenter
was concerned, this was to be the final
Myers mash.
The budget was set at $2.5 million
this time. Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald
and Akkad were understandably keen Pleasence were back to reprise their roles,
to see a direct sequel go into production Cundey was back as DoP, and Carpenter
ASAP. Carpenter was less so. Not only he was once again on soundtrack duties, this
had completed two original films since, time with help from synthesiser wiz Alan
THE FOG (1980) and ESCAPE FROM NEW Howarth. Likeable young actor Lance Guest
YORK (1981), but he also considered the joins the cast as a possible love interest
Myers story to be already told. Done and for Laurie; he would go on to take the lead
dusted. It was all there in the original, and role in THE LAST STARFIGHTER (1984),
any attempt to elaborate on or continue directed by none other than Nick Castle.
the tale would water down and corrupt Picking up at the exact moment where
the concept. And he was probably right, the original left off, we find Michael (this
but it’s also understandable that he and time played by stuntman Dick Warlock) still
involved at least the ‘Carpenter-Hill-vibe’
is still present and correct. It does have its
problems, though. Haddonfield may be
a small town, but no hospital is ever that
quiet. Laurie seems to be the only patient
and there’s only five or six staff members
– and the place is huge! As for Laurie,
it’s understandable that the girl would be
in deep shock, but she’s given so little
dialogue aside from moans, groans, and
screams, that it just seems like a waste
of a good actor (by this point Curtis had
also appeared in PROM NIGHT, TERROR
TRAIN, and Carpenter’s THE FOG [all 1980],
and the next few years would see her reach
the big leagues). As with many a slasher
flick, the wafer-thin plot depends on most of
the characters acting like complete cretins.
We also have a STAR WARS-style
revelation wherein it’s revealed that Laurie
is fact Michael’s sister; meaning Myers is
back in Haddonfield just for her, to finish
the job he started with his other sister. The
problem with this being that Michael was
much scarier when he seemed to have
Where Carpenter had brought the no motivation – or no human motivation,
at any rate. He’s not the ancient evils of
Chills through sheer filmmaking Halloween made flesh any more, he’s a
aCumen, the imitators relied on person with motives. Not ‘The Boogeyman’
shoCkingly gory murders to stand out after all, but another Jason Voorhees,
despite coming first. Nevertheless, this plot
loose in Haddonfield, and a shell-shocked business without them, but they do also point would become an important one to
Laurie being carted off to the local hospital. give the film a mean-spirited edge. One future sequels.
Before long he’s on his way there to finish nurse has her head repeatedly submerged In the final showdown, Loomis just about
what he started in the first film, giving the in boiling water, another is slashed with a manages to save Laurie, before causing
old ‘Myers treatment’ to anyone else he scalpel, a doctor gets a needle in his eye. a gas explosion that blows both himself
runs into in the process. Can Loomis save Near the beginning we briefly see a young and Michael to kingdom come. Michael
Laurie in time? boy brought into the hospital with a razor shambles out of the explosion in flames,
Plot-wise, that’s about the size of blade stuck in his gums, a victim of the only to drop down dead and continue
HALLOWEEN II. Again, since the first one hoary old apple-bobbing urban legend. burning. The nightmare is finally over for
we’d had FRIDAY THE 13TH, FRIDAY THE While not nearly as good, HALLOWEEN Laurie. And for John Carpenter, because
13TH PART 2 (1981), PROM NIGHT (1980), II does feel like a valid continuation of he’ll never have to work on a Michael
TOURIST TRAP (1979), GRADUATION DAY the first film, and thanks to the personnel Myers movie again. Or will he?
(1981), MANIAC (1980), NIGHTMARES IN
A DAMAGED BRAIN (1981), and more.
FRIDAY THE 13TH and George Romero’s
DAWN OF THE DEAD (1979), both with
virtuoso gore FX by Tom Savini, had
triggered the early eighties ‘splatter boom’.
Where Carpenter had brought the chills
through sheer filmmaking acumen, the
imitators relied on shockingly gory murders
to stand out from the crowd. This being
the case, Carpenter and Hill knew that the
‘subtle approach’ wasn’t going to cut it
this time out. To Rosenthal’s credit, he had
doggedly stuck to the spirit of Carpenter’s
original and left the murders largely to the
imagination – only for Carpenter to come
in afterwards and shoot some gory murder
inserts to beef things up.
A wise move, as one imagines the film
would be an incredibly limp and bland
direct. However, Dante would soon jump plot is uncovered wherein Cochran,
ship in favour of pastures Spielberg, in fact a Druid, has had all the masks
working instead on, ironically, TWILIGHT fitted with electronic devices, powered
ZONE: THE MOVIE (1982) and GREMLINS by a stolen part of Stonehenge, that
(1984), and Tommy Lee Wallace stepped cause the wearer’s head to painfully
into the breach. Wallace had turned down metamorphoses into snakes and
the job of directing HALLOWEEN II because insects! As the nation’s kids (including
he was uninterested in helming a Myers Dan’s) hunker down to watch Silver
flick, but this was to be something very Shamrock’s “Big Giveaway” wearing
different. He and Carpenter also made the lethal masks, Cochran’s team of
significant revisions to Kneale’s concept, lab-coats prepare to activate them as a
some of them at the request of the film’s mass sacrifice, with the goal of ushering
uber-distributor Dino De Laurentiis, causing in a new age of witchcraft. Whoah.
the writer to take his name off the project. Oh, and those guys in suits? They’re
Where to start with this one? It’s coming ANDROIDS.
up to Halloween, and Dr Dan Challis (Tom Although HALLOWEEN III has a fresh,
Atkins of THE FOG) enters a whole world compelling feel and a wicked sense
of crazy when a patient is assassinated by of humour, with that quintessential
a mysterious suit-wearing assailant (H2 Carpenter vibe coming on strong,
Myers Dick Warlock), who proceeds to audiences just didn’t go for it and
climb into his car, pour gasoline all over neither, for the most part, did the critics
HALLOWEEN III: SEASON himself, and flick a lighter. The next day, – not that they were all that keen on
OF THE WITCH (1982) the patient’s daughter, Ellie (Stacey Nelkin), HALLOWEEN II or anything. It
With Myers and Loomis safely killed off, turns up and she and Challis resolve to grossed a relatively measly $14.4
Carpenter and Hill were freed up to go investigate his murder. Their quest soon million; compare this with
ahead with their own conception for the leads them to the small burg
HALLOWEEN series. They’d envisioned it of Santa Maria, a ‘company
as an anthology franchise with a different, town’ almost exclusively
unrelated tale of terror to be served up housing employees of Silver
every Halloween, like a big-screen ‘Twilight Shamrock Novelties. The
Zone’ or ‘Night Gallery’; an approach also company’s TV ads for their
briefly considered in the early days of the line of Halloween masks
FRIDAY THE 13TH series. Despite any have been causing a stir
possible misgivings about a Myers-less nationwide, making said
threequel, once again Akkad and Yablans masks the #1 must-have
exec produced, putting up the same budget item for any cool kid.
as for HALLOWEEN II, $2.5 million. It soon becomes clear
None other than legendary British that the answers Dan and
QUATERMASS scribe Nigel Kneale, one Ellie seek lie with Silver
of Carpenter’s heroes, was brought in to Shamrock owner Conal Cochran
create the scenario, and THE HOWLING (veteran Irish actor Dan O’Herlihy,
(1981) director Joe Dante was slated to of ROBOCOP [1987]). A sinister
resume the role of Dr Loomis.
That’s right, turns out Loomis didn’t die
in the explosion after all, despite the fact
that nobody could have possibly survived
that blast. Now, ten years on from the
events of H2, he’s just sporting nasty burns
on his face and hands and having to use a
walking stick – when he remembers to, that
is. So, guess who else is still alive, in that
case? Got it in one.
On a stormy October 30th night, an
attempt to transfer the seemingly comatose
Myers (George P. Wilbur this time) back
to Smith’s Grove ends in disaster when
one of the medics lets slip a mention that
Laurie Strode has died in car crash but
left a daughter, Jamie (Danielle Harris), in
Haddonfield. Wonder where they got that
name from? Curtis herself, of course, was
well out of the franchise’s reach by this
time, appearing in the high-profile likes of
the same year’s Voorhees-fest FRIDAY A FISH CALLED WANDA (1988). Anyway,
THE 13TH PART III, which grossed over it goes without saying that those medics
$35.5 million. This disappointing box- don’t last thirty seconds after The Shape
office performance not only put paid to jolts back to life.
the ‘anthology’ concept, but also made it Eight-year-old Jamie is living with a
appear that the HALLOWEEN ‘brand’ had foster family, the Carruthers, with the
run its course for the time being. teenage Rachel (Ellie Cornell) all set to take
HALLOWEEN III continues to divide up Laurie’s mantle of Chief Babysitter.
fans; some are irritated by this Myer-less After Loomis and Myers engage in a
entry, others think it’s the best in the entire genuinely exciting skirmish at a gas station
series. Most agree that it should just be (no prizes for guessing said gas station
called SEASON OF THE WITCH and be ends up exploding), the latter escapes to
considered a standalone film. But who can Haddonfield, picks himself up a fresh Don
forget those gleefully annoying ‘Eight More Post Shatner mask, and resumes the old
Days ‘til Halloween, Halloween, Halloween’ heavy-breathing-behind-trees and net
jingles? Those great masks, created by – curtains routine. Obviously, Jamie is the
yes! - Don Post Studios? One of Carpenter number one item on Michael’s murderous
and Howarth’s finest scores ever? The agenda, but he’s more than happy to mess
film is every bit as crazy as it sounds up anyone else that crosses his path; in his
and all the better for it. Despite the lack book randy teenagers are desirable but not
of Myers, some unintentionally hilarious essential.
dialogue, and plot-holes you could fly a With HALLOWEEN 4 we get a post-
broomstick through, it’s easily one of the no interest in this, Carpenter and Hill sold TERMINATOR (which owes its own debt
best, most inventive films to hang under the all their rights to the HALLOWEEN name to HALLOWEEN) conception of Michael
HALLOWEEN banner. and characters to the producer, and that as an even more unstoppable killing
It seemed that Carpenter and Hill were was that. HALLOWEEN was now Akkad’s machine, and the emphasis is far more
finally done with the franchise they had baby all the way. on action-packed sequences than subtle
generated. But Moustapha Akkad certainly Dwight H. Little, who’d go on to make the chills and atmosphere-building. At one
wasn’t… Robert Englund-starring PHANTOM OF THE point Myers massacres an entire station full
OPERA (1989) and Rasta-bashing Steven of cops (off-screen), adding to an already
HALLOWEEN 4: THE Seagal vehicle MARKED FOR DEATH huge body count so far only matched by
RETURN OF MICHAEL (1990), was brought in to direct from a HALLOWEEN III (for stat fans, there’s seven
MYERS (1988) screenplay by Alan B. McElroy (RAPID FIRE murders in H1, ten in H2, twenty three in
While Carpenter and Hill did undertake [1992], WRONG TURN [2003]). Carpenter’s H3, and nineteen in this one). He’s now so
some initial work on a possible soundtrack compadre Alan Howarth was unstoppable that there’s no actual need
HALLOWEEN 4, hiring the services of wisely brought on board to create the score, for him to lurk in the shadows anymore.
horror author Dennis Etchison and talking and good old Donald Pleasence returned to Adding to the general chaos we also have
to Joe Dante again about the possibility
of directing, Akkad wasn’t convinced by
the treatment, wanting to see Myers back
THE EMpHASIS IS FAR MORE ON ACTION-
in Haddonfield and up to the same old pACkEd SEqUENCES THAN SUbTLE CHILLS
schtick as in the first two movies. Having ANd ATMOSpHERE-bUILdINg
Carpenter’s original it’s also a reasonably emotionlessly, holding a bloody blade, and
entertaining romp. Put simply, it’s fun. in the very same creepy clown costume
It also has a decent shock ending. After her Uncle Mikey wore all those years ago.
Myers has been shot to hell once again Would young Jamie further continue
(and inconclusively fallen down a disused the murderous Myers work? Would the
mine shaft), Loomis and new sheriff increasingly bonkers Loomis ever go and
Ben Meeker (Beau Starr) take a terrified see a shrink himself? Was Myers really
Jamie home. Suddenly, we have POV dead this time? We don’t even have to
shots moving around the house, looking ask that last question, because audiences
out through the eye-sits of a mask just would only have to wait one short year for
like in the iconic opening of the original. the imaginatively titled HALLOWEEN 5: THE
Foster mother Darlene (Karen Alston) REVENGE OF MICHAEL MYERS.
is suddenly attacked with a knife, and
Loomis and Meeker dash upstairs to be TO BE CONTINUED
the local good ole boys forming a shotgun confronted with the sight of Jamie, staring NEXT ISSUE…
posse, and accidentally killing at least one
innocent person in the process.
Although Dwight Little fails to muster that
authentic Carpenter atmos, HALLOWEEN
4 remains a very popular entry with many
serious fans of the series. It had been
ten years since the first film, and this
represented the first time many of a new
generation would see Myers on a cinema
screen – revivals notwithstanding, of
course. The upstarts Jason and Freddy had
stolen a march on The Shape, with FRIDAY
THE 13TH PART VII: THE NEW BLOOD
and NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 4:
THE DREAM MASTER also being released
in 1988. This was Michael re-joining the
running for the last gasp of the Slasher
Olympics.
Although mauled to death by most
critics, HALLOWEEN 4 went on to hoover
up the best part of $18 million at the box
office and do similar big business as a
VHS rental title. While it’s a far cry from
Behind the
screams
The laTesT news and gossip
from The world of horror…
ZOMBIELAND 2 IS OFFICIALLY
GO! WITH RUBEN FLEISCHER
l
l
Words: Jessy Williams
Better late than never! Keep your

eyes peeled for news surrounding
her role as final girl Laurie Strode.
It’s certainly not going to be an easy task
and when speaking about the “baggage”
that came with crafting this sequel, he said:
“Well it came with a lot of baggage. We
never worked on a project that there have
been this many of [laughs]. Paranormal
Activity I think was the most there were only
five before. In Halloween there were like
nine, depending on how you count. So, I
think there was a whole lot more emotional
baggage and weight to it. So that made it
more fraught and more fun.”
The trailer for Halloween was extremely
exciting, but I guess we won’t know how
it compares to the Halloween’s before it
until we see the final product. Our fingers
are tightly crossed that Halloween delivers
the scares we all crave when it is released
on 19th October; just in time for the 40th
anniversary of John Carpenter’s much-
loved, chilling original slasher.
CHUCKY TO SET SIGHTS ON LIV

TYLER IN CHILD’S PLAY REMAKES
The world of Chucky is expanding at an
incredible rate with the 1988 film franchise
still being added to and the beginning of a
new TV series in the pipeline. That’s not all,
because a Child’s Play reboot is also in the
works over at MGM and it looks like their
leading lady has now been confirmed.
The Strangers and Wildling star, Liv Tyler,
is currently being eyed by MGM who may
possibly want her to play the new version of
Karen. In the 1988 original film this role was
DIRECTING Zombieland 2.
It’s been on the cards for a while, but it has
now been confirmed that Zombieland 2 is JASON BLUM TALKS THE
officially happening. Ruben Fleischer will “BAGGAGE” THAT CAME WITH
again direct and the original stars Emma MAKING A NEW HALLOWEEN
Stone, Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg The idea of making a new Halloween
and Abigail Breslin will also return to reprise film is probably daunting to many
their roles from the 2009 original. directors, producers, screenwriters and,
Not much has been revealed in terms of of course, the fans. But, one man has
the story for Zombieland 2, but it will take stepped up to the task with director
the group to the “American heartland as David Gordon Green: Jason Blum.
they face off against new kinds of zombies Jason Blum and his Blumhouse
that have evolved since the first movie, as Pictures have breathed fresh life into
well as some new human survivors.” studio-friendly horror films, helping
I’m surprised it’s taken this long to get a to bring exciting franchises, Oscar-
sequel off the ground, because Zombieland nominated original tales and re-imaginings
was a hilarious, refreshing take on the of much-loved classics to the big screen.
comedy-zombie genre and few films Next on his list is Halloween, a direct
can match it in terms of its humour and sequel to the 1978 classic that will see
interesting set of characters. Scream Queen Jamie Lee Curtis reprise
l written by Annabelle’s Gary Dauberman.
MALEVOLENCE 3 GETS A KILLER

POSTER
July brought us the first look at Steven
Mena’s Malevolence 3: Killer, the final
film in his trilogy that additionally features
Malevolence and the prequel Bereavement.
Released in 2003 and 2010 respectively,
this finale has been a long time coming.
The poster is sharp and simple, centring
on a woman’s scream to emphasise the
shock and drama that has been prevalent
in the franchise so far. The trailer touches
on ideas surrounding the cycle of abuse, as
a victim of kidnap and torture becomes a
murderous villain himself.
It’s an important topic to explore and
shines a bright light on questions around
nature and nurture; was the boy born with
the need to kill or was this triggered by his
own suffering?
Malevolence 3: Killer stars Adrienne
Barbeau, Ashley Wolfe, and Kelsey Deanne;
look for it on Blu-ray/DVD and VOD
beginning this 12th October.
DAVID AND MARIA LAPHAM’S

LODGER TO RELEASE THIS
OCTOBER
Courtesy of IDW Comics, David and Maria
Lapham’s Lodger is to be released this
October 2018. The series, described as a
“pulse-pounding game of cat-and-mouse”,
will follow a murderous drifter who hides
beneath a travel blogger guise, known only
by Lodger. Lodger has the skill to change his
appearance and uses this to his advantage,
travelling around America satisfying his urge
to kill. Unfortunately for him, he’s not alone,
because a survivor of one of his rampages
is hot on his tail, determined to avenge her
murdered mother and the wrongful framing
of her father for the crime.
Black Crown, IDW’s creator-owned
played by Catherine Hicks and she was a interest of Adrian Mellon, who will be played imprint, made the announcement at San
single mother who, unwittingly, brings the by Xavier Dolan in the upcoming film sequel. Diego Comic-Con. Coming from the
possessed Chucky doll into her and her It: Chapter 2 will take place 27 years creative team behind the Eisner Award-
son’s lives. Big mistake. after the events of the first film, seeing the winning Stray Bullets and the writer of
The film has been described as a Losers Club return to Derry to put an end to Crossed, we’re expecting this to be a
“contemporary” reboot and will have Pennywise’s torment once and for all. thrilling and, at times, terrifying portrayal of a
Polaroid’s Lars Klevberg at the helm. Story The child actors from Chapter 1 will also woman’s desire for revenge, coupled with a
details are being kept under-wraps for the return, so expect to see more from the disturbing look at one man’s lust for death.
time being, but rest assured that this film ‘80s setting in flashback sequences. Bill When asked about the project, Stray
will not impede on the upcoming series. Skarsgard will also be returning to play the Bullets’ Maria Lapham states:
2019 is going to be one hell of Chucky- role of Pennywise the Clown. Newcomers “David and I rarely have time to work
centric year! to the film will be Jessica Chastain as on stories that don’t fit into Stray Bullets
adult Beverly, Bill Hader as Richie, James continuity, but Shelly Bond and Ricky
TAYLOR FREY TO PLAY DON McAvoy as Bill, James Ransone as Eddie, Toledo had other ideas. Lodger is a twisted
HAGARTY IN IT: CHAPER 2 Andy Bean as Stanley, Isaiah Mustafa as love story – dark and grimy — like all the
A late cast announcement has just been Mike and Jay Ryan as Ben. best crime noir. We can’t wait for readers to
made for It: Chapter 2, with Taylor Frey It: Chapter 2 will be released on 6th see it.”
(Gossip Girl) joining the cast as Don Hagarty. September 2019 and will again be directed This is exciting news indeed, so look out
In Stephen King’s novel, Don is the love by Andy Muschietti, who directs a script for Lodger this Halloween season.
l
l
THE WALKING DEAD SEASON 9
WILL FEATURE THE WHISPERERS
The Whisperers are finally making their way
to The Walking Dead, so we can expect
to see the mysterious corpse-wearing
survivors soon. They’re an intriguing set
of characters in the comics who choose
to disguise themselves as the undead
to live among them, rather than harming
the walkers like so many characters have
already been seen to do.
This will be another strange deviation
from the comics, however, because
Carl Grimes is an important part of this
storyline, but *SPOILER ALERT* he’s a bit
dead. Additionally, his father Rick Grimes
(Andrew Lincoln) and Maggie (Lauren
Cohan) are set to depart the series in the
middle of season 9.
Lincoln and Cohan will only be filming a
few episodes, so will not make it to the end
of season 9. Whether the pair will vacate
together or separately, alive or dead, is
yet to be known. Audience numbers have
been dwindling for The Walking Dead, but
with Cohan and Lincoln’s exits – plus the
return of Jon Bernthal’s Shane announced
– and the new addition of The Whisperers,
perhaps viewers will start to tune back in to
the show in their [zombie] hoards.
Season 9 will arrive this Autumn.
BUFFY TO SLAY AGAIN IN A

REBOOT WITH JOSS WHEDON
Big news to end this edition, because Buffy
the Vampire Slayer is to return in a brand
new rebooted series for Fox 21 TV series.
This is the cable/streaming division of 20th
Century Fox TV who brought the original
series to life. The showrunner will be Monica
Owusu-Breen, who previously collaborated
with Joss Whedon on ABC’s Marvel’s
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, so she’s no stranger
to bringing strong female characters to
life. Time will tell how she tackles a show
WHACKY POSTER FOR THE will hit small screens in October; the 30th dedicated to horror and the supernatural.
SIMPSONS’ TREEHOUSE OF season of The Simpsons begins around The original Buffy ran from 1997 -2001
HORROR XXIX September 30th. It will feature a voice and starred Sarah Michelle-Gellar as the
The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror cast that includes Dan Castellanta, Nancy title character. The series was created by
episode special has become a tradition for Cartwright, Julie Kavner, Yeardley Smith, Whedon and he will return to executive
Halloween and, aside from trick or treating Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer and plenty more. produce this new re-telling. Details are
and watching a hell load of horror films, Can you believe The Simpsons began sparse at the moment, but there are
should be on your to-do/watch list this 3 decades ago? We’re hoping to see rumours circulating that the new Buffy will
spooky season. something exciting to celebrate this epic be African-American. This would be a step
The brand new, whacky poster is epic milestone. in the right direction and will fix the original
and teases a horror story that will poke fun show’s problem of under-representing
at the monstrous Jurassic World, the sci-fi ethnic minorities. It was a wonderfully
classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers feminist piece, but certainly lacked in
and everyone’s favourite 80s-esque this area, so an improvement would be
horror series Stranger Things. One of the welcomed with open arms.
segments will be called “Intrusion of the The show is in the very early stages
Pod-Y Switchers”, so we know which one of development, so don’t expect to see
that will be parodying. anything soon. Keep an eye out for more as
The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror XXIX it comes.
METROPOLIS FACE METROPOLIS POSTER PLAN 9 FROM OUTER THE UNDEAD
PH11143 PH11142 SPACE - PH11141 PH11140
NIGHT OF THE LIVING VLAD DRACULA ILSA SHE WOLF OF GODZILLA

DEAD - PH11144 PH11145 THE SS - PH11146 PH11147
EARTH VS THE FLYING GROTESQUE ATTACK OF THE 50FT THEY CAME FROM WHITE ZOMBIE
SAUCERS - PH11148 PH11149 WOMAN - PH11150 BEYOND SPACE - PH11151 PH11139
NOSFERATU FACE LUST FOR A VAMPIRE ASYLUM POSTER THE EARTH DIES THE LAST MAN ON
PH11152 PH11153 PH11154 SCREAMING - PH11155 EARTH - PH11156
horror book review
the good, the bad & the horror-ific...
author’s work, she specialises in action-
packed adventurous fantasy sagas which
take places in worlds where all manner
of creatures roam. And even though their
target audience is predominantly young
adults, they make for some fun reading if
you’re in the mood for some imaginative,
escapist entertainment. Her latest is no
different.
In the latest outing, we’re treated to a
time travel saga with apocalyptic stakes on
the line. Following a threat which enables
supernatural creatures to live in harmony,
the emergence of an undead outbreak
threatens to annihilate humanity. The story
follows a group of characters -- Logan,
Parish, Mia, Picasso -- amid the chaos as
VOICES they contend with demons, evade hunter
AJ BROWN, STITCHED SMILE clones, and venture between Ancient Rome,
PUBLICATIONS contemporary London and elsewhere to
retrieve notable historical figures. There’s a
Few things are as terrifying or powerful as lot of fantastical surprises here as Lambdin
the human mind. It’s where our darkest the anxieties that arise from being bullied lets her imagination soar, but it makes for
secrets, phobias, and most troubling and unable to fit in with your peer group. quite the thrilling page-turner.
thoughts reside, which could spell harm “The Scarring”, meanwhile, is concerned Bloodlines: Exordium contains a
to ourselves or others if they’re allowed to with child abuse and the harrowing effects smorgasbord of influences that will
fester for too long, unattended. While the which follow in its wake. “A Memory Best undoubtedly appeal to fans of fantasy pulp.
mind motivates us to achieve our goals and Left Alone” is about a woman who self- Imagine the epic elements of J.R. R. Tolkien
form our greatest ideas, it’s also capable of harms… you get the idea of the type of and Raymond E. Feist sprinkled with
inspiring dark deeds and taking advantage subject matter Brown is fascinated with. the sensibilities of Anne Rice, with some
of our paranoias and fears when we’re at This isn’t poolside reading. Arthurian legend and Norse mythology
our most vulnerable. Every horrible atrocity That said, the author handles each story thrown in for good measure. Lambdin’s
in human history started with a sinister with sensitivity and respect to difficult
thought or an impulse stemming from a topics and themes while simultaneously
damaged psyche after all. As such, the mining the real horror humanity
complexities of the mind has always lent experiences to craft bold and devastating
itself perfectly to horror tales. scare fare. In lesser hands, this anthology
AJ Brown’s latest, Voices, is a collection could be exploitative or schlocky, but
of short stories rooted in psychological Brown’s exploration is nuanced and all the
torment and the horrors that can unfold better for it. By no means will this book be
as a result. Each story is rooted in the for everyone, but those who dare open its
darkest elements of humanity that, when pages may find it rewarding.
broken down, don’t seem too far-fetched REVIEWED BY KIERAN FISHER
at all. These are tales inspired by domestic,
sexual, and mental abuse, as well as
RATINg: 44444
neglect, bullying, death, sorrow and the
harm they can cause. It’s not a light BLOODLINES: EXORDIUM
collection by any means, but it’s certainly SUSANNE L. LAMBDIN,
effective and deserves your attention if CREATESPACE INDEPENDENT
you’re willing to confront terror rooted in PUBLISHINg PLATFORM
reality.
The first story, “In the Shadows They Bloodlines: Exordium is the sixth entry
Hide” taps into a socially-awkward in Susanne L. Lambdin’s Dead Hearts
teenager’s fear of shadows, coupled with novel series. If you aren’t familiar with the
world, while a unique creation unto itself, is Being a ferocious fan of horror, I’m
reminiscent of those aforementioned works regularly faced with genre stereotypes.
to an extent. However, like all great fantasy, For example, a friend was looking at my
the author has spent time crafting a unique personal collection and she says, “So much
mythology and history that’s rich in its own Stephen King.” I said, “Well, he’s been my
right, populating it with characters who favourite author since I was like thirteen.”
are fun to spend time with. Lambdin also She scrunches up her nose and says,
juggles multiple character arcs with aplomb “Ugh! Why? He only writes scary stuff
and the story transitions smoothly. right?” I try not to take offence to these sort
Overall, Bloodlines is bound to please of ignorant statements (I say ignorant not
burgeoning YA horror and fantasy to be insulting but truly because they just
enthusiasts the most, but it’s still a don’t know).
worthwhile read for more seasoned readers I can’t fault them for what they don’t
who appreciate a good action-packed know. But it’s the same sort of ignorance I
yarn. If you’re new to the series, though, find in bookstores EVERYWHERE, among
it’s recommended that you read the five people who should actually know better.
previous instalments first. Horror authors are usually shelved in
REVIEWED BY KIERAN FISHER general fiction. If you’re lucky, a bookstore
might stuff some mainstream horror in
Rating: 44444 with SciFi and Fantasy. On the off chance
there is a horror section, it’s usually a whole
IN THE RIVER prepared: This story doesn’t allow you to bookcase with King and Koontz because,
JEREMY R. JOHnSOn, LaZY sit on the sidelines, a mere observer to the well, they have a lot of books and they
FaSCiSt PRESS events unfolding, no. Johnson challenges write in the same genre so...voila! A horror
you to participate in the horror and engage section! But horror is so much more than
I’m an avid reader and my favourite genre with it. King and Koontz and “bloody, scary stuff.”
is horror. I started my “Season of Horror” in Around forty pages or so into the Take Paul Tremblay’s books for instance.
September of last year and it was supposed novella, I was feeling uncomfortable A Head Full of Ghosts, at face value, is a
to end at Christmas but it didn’t. I’m now on with the level of intimacy. I put it aside demon possession book? “Scary stuff”
my ninth month of non-stop horror and I see to allow my heart and mind to rest from as contemporary fiction readers would
no sign of growing faint or weary. the unrelenting anguish the protagonist say. But it’s so much more. It breaks
That being said, immersing oneself in experiences in waves. Each, new down lots of horror stereotypes. Tremblay
a niche genre such as horror, I began to isolation focused on the different ways expertly tells his tale with young, female
see the plot tropes, cliches and patterns humans respond to tragedy and it was protagonist narratives and short, punchy
emerge fairly quickly. The upside to gut punching me over and over again. chapter breaks. He also weaves in some
garnering that knowledge is that I can Eventually, I was drawn back. The story is pop culture influences that add an urgent
spot originality with eagle-eye precision. overwhelming in its magnetism. relevancy that will still read fresh and
Sometimes, it’s the very first line that grabs Horror like this requires nerves of steel modern in years to come.
at me. but the payoff is rich; it’s all the unexpected I was so pleased that this sort of “out of
Earlier this year I read Jeremy R. touches that make this a must read. You’ll the box” storytelling seems to be a lasting
Johnson’s collection of stories, Entropy in be able to read this in whatever summer trend for Paul Tremblay. The Cabin at the
Bloom. The first line of every story, sixteen context you find yourself in where you have End of the World lives right on the edge
in total, smacked me square between the the luxury of spending time devouring it in of a familiar plot trope, A small family are
eyes; it was slightly jarring to read stuff so one setting. Don’t expect to dip your toe ‘unplugging’ in a remote location when
exotic and unique. into the current, plan on recklessly throwing their peace and quiet is interrupted by
While some authors do one thing very, yourself into the deep end. an unexpected visitor with a strange,
very well and it becomes their signature In the River is a brilliant offering; the pain threatening message. But this description is
voice, other authors have a mixed bag and the strange beauty of it will wash over really where all the familiarity ends.
of gifts and that’s what sets them apart. you and sweep you away. Tremblay’s family in crisis is a beautiful
Johnson’s narrative wheelhouse is... REVIEWED BY SADIE HARTMANN snapshot of what a family in today’s
anything and everything. This makes him America looks like. The subject matter,
a chameleon for the horror genre. Readers
Rating: 44444 the horror that shows up at their door is
never know what they’re going to get. the catalyst or the vehicle per se, for our
In the River, is no exception but it’s THE CABIN AT THE harrowing story but its Paul’s lovingly
maybe the darkest of his unique brand of END OF THE WORLD crafted family and their relationships tested
horror. This tale plumbs the depths of grief PaUL tREMBLaY, WiLLiaM under duress that make this book so
and loss in a way that forces the reader MORROW successful.
into some unexpected and slightly jarring We, the reader are emotionally invested
moments of introspection. So this book, The Cabin at the End of the from the moment we catch grasshoppers in
We are sucked into a nightmare that World by Paul Tremblay is going to be my the weeds with seven year old Wen all the
unfolds during a father and son fishing new ‘go-to’ recommendation for any reader way through to the book’s final scene. And
trip. This torment reaches out beyond that still thinks horror is only “blood & guts this is exactly what Paul Tremblay intends
the pages of the book, into your heart, to and scary stuff”. But hang in there with me to do with his writing. He’s not just out to
probe at buried and unspoken fears. So be a little bit while I explain why. exploit your fears (although he does that
too!) he’s really after that lump of flesh in vanishing and Ben’s constant mission to
your chest we try so hard to protect--your find his whereabouts. Eric’s presence is
heart. Fans of Tremblay’s work will already there, and as tension mounts, Ben knows
know this after reading, Disappearance that he’s getting closer to his lost brother.
at Devil’s Rock. You already know these As the clock strikes closer to the end,
words are designed by a master to punch the shroud of mystery doesn’t let up. Is
you in the guts and leave you hollowed out there a presence in the store to be held
with a nasty book hangover. responsible for Eric’s disappearance?
So it’s my recommendation to fully What untold things of narrator Ben’s past
embrace horror for what it really is: A full can be held into account or the past of
resignation of all your emotions. Paul those around him? What part does the
Tremblay invites you to go all in with this mysterious Blackwater school have to do
one and it is pretty uncomfortable but with the missing boy?
worth every sigh and every tear. While stunningly spooky in many
REVIEWED BY SADIE HARTMANN aspects and with haunting imagery
that will be recalled especially in a walk
Rating: 44444 through the woods, there are many loose
ties untold in author Auebach’s summer
WE SOLD OUR SOULS release. Story lines mentioned but not
gRaDY HEnDRiX, QUiRK BOOKS resolved, mysteries and histories brought
up that seem to serve no purpose to the
Fresh off the huge success of his last book, and alongside Kris, the music is the star. general outcome. With these criticisms
Paperbacks From Hell, Grady Hendrix is Hendrix does use some music related aside, BAD MAN, is a great fun summer
back with a new novel. Kris and her band tropes from horror history, as you can read. It’s absorbing and surely unsettling.
mates in Dürt Würk had slowly climbed in see from the book title, but gives them a Dathan Auerbach might be an unfamiliar
the music scene and their brand of metal revitalised look. Grady has some broader name to most, but he’ll be on the radar of
was about to hit the big time. Then there statements to make about materialism and horror fans from here on out.
was a betrayal. The band and the dream what people will do for fame. REVIEWED BY ANDREW TADMAN
collapsed - for everyone except the singer, This book is throbbing with riffs and is a
Terry. He reached mega stardom at the joy to experience. It’s a bit of a cliche, but
Rating: 44444
expense of the rest of the band. The name describing the book as a tour de force is
of the band changed to Koffin and the very appropriate. It’s vibrant and fun and has MEDDLING KIDS
music style switched from metal to nu everything you’d want in a summer read. EDgaR CantERO, anCHOR;
metal - truly horrifying already. Something REVIEWED BY ANDREW TADMAN REPRint EDitiOn
happened the night the band fell apart but
Kris and her band mates can’t seem to
Rating: 44444 The meddling kids brought to us in
remember. this tale are some familiar former teen
Decades have passed and Terry and his BAD MAN investigators and their dog. It’s been
band are going to put on a massive festival DatHan aUERBaCH, DOUBLEDaY years since they were cleaning up crime
called Hellstock in Las Vegas with fans and unmasking criminals pretending to
feverish to attend. Kris decides to get the In a Florida grocery store, three year old be monsters in the small town of Blyton
rest of the band together to confront Terry. Eric disappears from older brother Ben’s Hills. They’ve grown up and grown apart
She quickly discovers not everything is as it sight in just a matter of seconds, seemingly but are all haunted by their last case. They
seems and there are some very dark forces vanishing into thin air.
at work. Five years later, the disappearance has
The first half of the book revolves around left the family in shambles. A step-mother
Kris putting the pieces together to figure who won’t leave the house, a mourning
out what happened to the band. Plenty of father struggling to pay the bills while
crazy things happen and it’s fast paced. Ben continues searching daily for his little
Around the midway point, the story really brother. While Eric is still a subject of a
ramps up on the horror as more of the missing children’s case, Ben finds a job
true nature of what is being dealt with is as a graveyard-shift stocker in the very
revealed. Kris is put in some extremely grocery store his brother went missing.
terrifying situations that will have the At first the menial job seems routine but
reader’s heart racing. Kris is a really likeable Ben quickly begins to sense an eeriness
and determined character who goes and feeling that something at the store is
through a lot. If I have one gripe, it’s that wrong. A verbally abusive boss. Phones
Hendrix brings us some genuinely scary ringing in the middle of the night, distant
monsters, but I really wanted to see more ghostly voices on the other line. An elderly
of them. baker who talks to herself. The closed off
As you would expect, music plays a mysterious rooms upstairs. A toy of Eric’s
crucial role in the story. Each chapter from the day of his disappearance appears
is a song title. Music flows throughout out of nowhere. All strange occurrences
the book. It’s like reading a metal opera, that feed into the mystery of Eric’s
appeared to catch the criminal in that give the author credit for coming up with genre and a look at the roots of this fear of
case, but they all subconsciously knew dozens and dozens of disgusting chat- nature turning against mankind. We’re used
there was something darker at play. This up lines. Just like in a zombie tale, the to being top of the food chain. To have that
has messed them all up considerably in survivors band together to make sense of not be the case is a frightening prospect.
different ways. To cope, each one has things and to figure out what to do. Following on from the introduction, it’s an
turned to something negative, whether it’s alphabetical run through of 70 creature
booze, drugs, or violence. One of the gang features from the amazing Alligator (1980) to
was even driven to suicide. We join them Zoltan: Hound of Dracula (1978).
15 years (and a couple of dog generations) Each film is covered in an essay by
later. They decide to acknowledge and someone in the horror business - a writer,
face the fear that is ruining their lives, and critic, or filmmaker.
reopen the investigation. The essays are very personal, aside from
The book is a balance between nostalgia discussing the plot and technical aspects.
for Scooby and the gang, and a more They describe the impact that movie had
modern mystery. on the individual viewer. Horror really is
The same tropes are there: following subjective. The exact way that each film
clues, masked villains, elaborate traps and affects the viewer can have as much to
intrigue; but it’s also darker. These sleuths do with where you are in life as the plot
now feel like real people, with real problems of the film itself. The passion for each
and without the inevitable conclusion that movie comes through strongly and makes
everything will work out fine. The safety net it engaging to read. Each review begins
of whatever evil they confront - it’s really with the movie poster or in some cases,
a man in a mask - is no longer there. The the really killer VHS cover art. I like this
dynamic has shifted. The charm is still there approach better than a best of list.
with these familiar-ish characters. They The movies that had the most impact
are not officially the same characters we on me growing up (and that I recommend
remember, but an homage. It’s a fascinating It’s very on the nose about the #metoo you watch right away) are Alligator (1980),
concept to bring them back as adults and movement, turning it up to an extreme
to give such one-dimensional characters level. Turning up the aggression really lays
some depth. Some of the best parts are the out the entire toxic masculinity discussion,
discussions they have away from the action, removing the subtlety with which it is usually
watching how these characters interact experienced. This is not a preachy book
during the down times, and how their though, and it’s got some gruesome horror.
relationships work. The most interesting of It’s published by Grindhouse and there is
the characters is Andy, the updated Velma certainly the characteristic sexually explicit
of the gang who is the most developed and and violent feel to it. There are some horrific
colourful character from the teen version. scenes that would not have been out of
There are twists and turns throughout place in an 80s grindhouse film. It also has
as you would expect in any good case. It’s some grindhouse staple nunsploitation
a nostalgic blast, horror light in keeping which was one of the most insane parts of
with the show, but plenty of monsters. If the story.
you didn’t grow up with Scooby-Doo, this Cockblock is guaranteed to offend in the
probably won’t appeal as much. The story best ways. No spoilers, but the conclusion
is good, but it’s the nostalgia that carries might be the most satisfying I’ve ever read.
it home. REVIEWED BY ANDREW TADMAN
REVIEWED BY ANDREW TADMAN

Rating: 44444
Rating: 44444
WHEN ANIMALS
COCKBLOCK ATTACK: THE 70 BEST Arachnophobia (1990), Slugs (1988), The
C.V. HUnt, aMaZOn DigitaL HORROR MOVIES WITH Swarm (1978) and Ticks (1993).
SERViCES LLC KILLER ANIMALS In When Animals Attack, you’ll find a
VanESSa MORgan, MOOnLigHt nice spread of titles. These include critically
The world has gone mad. Overnight, men CREEK PUBLiSHing acclaimed movies like Jaws to the slightly
have been reduced to sexually aggressive less acclaimed Jersey Shore Shark Attack.
almost-zombies by a message which is I’ll admit that animals gone wild is one of This book is a good introduction to some
being continually broadcast from the White my favourite horror movie sub-genres. great, or at least so bad they’re good
House. Callie and Sonya bear witness to There aren’t enough of these movies movies. Check it out.
this and from there it’s a battle for survival. nowadays if you ask me. So, I was REVIEWED BY ANDREW TADMAN
These male zombies don’t want to eat delighted to discover When Animals Attack
women, but rape them to death. and dig into it. Ants, frogs, sheep, slugs,
Rating: 44444
As the males amble around they are snakes, sharks... they’re all in here. It’s a If you have a book that you would like submitted for
constantly verbally abusing any woman dangerous world out there! potential review in an upcoming edition of SCREAM
they meet with sexual lines. You have to The book starts with an introduction to the please email us: press@screamhorrormag.com

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re & more! WWW.SCREAMHORRORMAG.

scream SEPT/OCT 2018

THE HORROR BIBLE FOR HORROR FANS

VHS Ate My Brain

SCREAM: 1973 sees the release of THE

MK: I don’t know, I don’t know which one

SCREAM: What are you most proud of in

MK: Oh I just thought there was the best

SCREAM: I love how lose and fun Barb is

MK: To be quite honest I have absolutely

waiF-like quality that made

Despite getting on well together,

first assembly of the film trimmed down the

Polanski had shot to be over

OUT NOW ON DVD

“The thing that makes House different than most

Good question, especially considering the

“Can you imagine how many

SCREAM: After so many imitations, MA: Great question and a hard

It’s a sweltering June day when SCREAM

SUBMIT YOUR FILM NOW

If you haven’t read Paperbacks from Hell yet, you

SCREAM: What are you working on at the

GH: I’m working on my book after next.

SCREAM: Any final words?

GH: That bear was faster than he looked.

SCREAM: Your book has inspired many of

GH: If I can get more people to read Ken

SCREAM: You also co-wrote Mohawk. Is

GH: I’ll pursue film’s areas as long as film

SCREAM: Did you enjoy the collaborative

GH: For me, they’re both equally

attempting to discover why the

major accomplishment in the game being

VOLUMES OF BLOOD – HORROR STORIES

THE VIOLENCE MOVIE

Peter Cushing and ChristoPher Lee

Better late than never! Keep your

CHUCKY TO SET SIGHTS ON LIV

MALEVOLENCE 3 GETS A KILLER

DAVID AND MARIA LAPHAM’S

BUFFY TO SLAY AGAIN IN A

NIGHT OF THE LIVING VLAD DRACULA ILSA SHE WOLF OF GODZILLA

REVIEWED BY ANDREW TADMAN

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