On the surface, Kevin Billington’s VOICES (1973) is an unusual supernatural thriller involving ghosts and a haunted house but if you take the time to look beyond its spooky exterior you might be surprised by what you find there. This fascinating horror film has a rich history that first took shape in 1953.

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Narciso Ibáñez Serrador’s horrific thriller THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED (1969) is often cited as one of Spain’s most important and influential horror films but its audience has often been restricted to genre fanatics. The highly sexualized content and graphic murders depicted in the film limit its appeal. But the commercial success of THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED during the late ‘60s helped pave the way for the post-Franco Spanish horror boom of the early ‘70s and its influence can be seen in the work of directors like Dario Argento (SUSPIRIA; 1976) and Massimo Dallamano (WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE?; 1972).

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Every October 1st I turn into a big weirdo. Well… more so.  READ MORE

Chicago has turned into a real movie-lover’s dream town. From mainstream theaters to art houses to midnight movie series to revival programs, cinephilia is spreading across the city. This Friday, June 3, marks the beginning of a new film program called Shock Theater, organized by Michael Phillips, former programmer of the Bank of American Cinema. On the first Friday of every month, Phillips will screen a double feature of classic-era horror films in Chicago’s hip Wicker Park neighborhood.

Nothing could be better than seeing films on a big screen with an appreciative audience, especially for the low price of $5.00, except for perhaps seeing them projected on celluloid. Each film will be projected from a 16mm print. The series opens with The House on Haunted Hill and Screaming Skull, followed by The Amazing Transparent Man and Beyond the Time Barrier on July 1. August brings two films from Roger Corman’s studio, Dementia 13 and The Terror, while September offers The Phantom Planet and Night of the Blood Beast. In October, Phillips will show two Italian horror flicks, Nightmare Castle and Caltiki the Undying Monster, while November brings Bloodlust and She-Demons. Finally, Shock Cinema celebrates the Christmas season with Lady Frankenstein and Frankenstein’s Daughter on December 2. Michael Phillips graciously agreed to be interviewed  about Shock Theater, the joys of programming, and the movie-going scene in Chicago.

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Recently, my good friend Maryann and I were discussing the differences between ghouls and zombies in the movies. She is also a film historian who teaches cinema studies, and our conversations are frequently about movie-related issues. I am sure that most girlfriends talk about clothes, shoes, cooking, kids, etc., but ruminating over just how the zombie of yore evolved into the ghoul of today is typical for us.  Maryann suggested that it would make a good blog topic, so I thought I would investigate.

As we both suspected, Night of the Living Dead proved to be the turning point. Director George Romero’s version of an apocalyptic infestation of flesh-eating, cannibalistic ghouls who relentlessly pursue humans into confined spaces provided the conventions of the modern-day zombie film, the guidelines for undead behavior, and the subsequent thematic changes in this subgenre.   Fellow Morlock RH Smith made this point about NOTLD in a previous post on a 1936 film called The Walking Dead, an unusual twist on the zombie subgenre directed by Michael Curtiz. (You can read his witty and informative post here.) Prior to Romero’s film, the zombie was not a flesh-eating ghoul but a sympathetic victim of circumstances that were beyond his/her control.

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In my last post I wrapped up my interview with Alex Cox by talking a bit about John Carpenter’s They Live (1988). Alex said: “They Live holds up for the first 45 minutes, and then there’s this long wrestling match between Roddy Piper and Keith David, and it never recovers. But those first 45 minutes are amazing. Pretty much the only good science fiction film I’ve seen post 2001: A Space Odyssey.” When I heard that, I thought for sure there would be a long tussle of words in the comment section to rival what John Carpenter claimed was “the longest fight scene in movie history.” To my surprise, only two people chimed in, both in support of the film in general. Where were the cries of bloody murder from the fans of THX 1138, Brazil, Videodrome, RoboCop, A Clockwork Orange, Tetsuo, Inception, Alien, and so on? There are plenty of bones to fight over here, but I’ll stick to They Live for the purpose of this post. As to the long fight scene, I’ve gotten into my own fights with people who dismiss it as ridiculous. Agreeing to some extent with Alex Cox is author and music journalist Greil Marcus who says of They Live that it is “a fabulous movie (except for the endless fight behind the building).” Again, I strongly disagree. READ MORE

While battling insomnia last week, I got involved in a late-night Facebook chat about Night of the Lepus, an eco-horror flick featuring giant killer rabbits. Some FB friends recalled being spooked by the idea of giant rabbits; others found the imagery of hundreds of bunnies hopping in slow motion unforgettable. Everyone acknowledged that the film’s premise, plot, and imagery were strange and ridiculous, but we all had vivid memories of the movie from catching it on television as kids. The Facebook chat prompted me to revisit Night of the Lepus to take a closer look–just in time for Easter!

Night of the Lepus opens with a faux news report about a rabbit infestation in the American Southwest. Hordes of domesticated bunnies have invaded the area and then multiplied. Not only has every blade of grass been eaten but acres of ranchland have been destroyed by burrow holes. Rancher Cole Hillman contacts university president Elgin Clark to help him contain the rabbit “explosion,” as the characters describe it. President Clark turns to scientists Roy and Gerry Bennett, who specialize in environmentally friendly pest control. Roy believes he can control the rabbits’ breeding cycle by injecting them with an untested serum. He injects a few rabbits in his lab, but when his daughter Amanda snatches one as a pet, the pesky “wabbit” escapes. Making like a rabbit, it quickly breeds dozens of offspring, which in turn beget hundreds and then thousands of huge, vicious, and carnivorous bunnies.

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I don’t know how many of you fell in love with the winsome and talented Jessica Harper back — well, back nearly 40 years ago, longer than many of you have probably been alive — but if you were among the legions of fans she garnered when she starred in 1974′s Phantom of the Paradise, you may not realize that she has metamorphized into something quite remarkable and wonderful.  More wonderful than she was in Phantom of the Paradise?  Probably not possible, but something maybe unexpected and totally delightful.  READ MORE

I have a special place in my heart for horror hosts. I grew up watching programs like Creature Features in the San Francisco Bay Area with hosts Bob Wilkins and John Stanley.

Creepy KOFY Movie Time is a throwback to the early days of live TV where hosts would show classic horror films and cult oddities late at night to an eager audience of fans like myself. The show currently airs every Saturday night at 11PM on KOFY TV20 or CABLE13 in the Bay Area and they’re about to kick start Season 5 of the show. Hosts Balrok and No Name introduce the movies and during breaks colorful guests including local bands, erotic dancers, comedians, magicians and ghost hunters entertain viewers. It’s a fun program and local artist Nicolas Caesar has been a guest on the show numerous times. He’ll be appearing on Creepy KOFY Movie Time February 19th and I recently had the chance to talk to him about the program as well as his art, which is often inspired by the movies he watches.

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