Name your favourite opening credit sequence in a horror film.

Casey - Cinema Fromage

The opening of Jim Wynorski’s Not of This Earth carries on for a solid 5 to 7 minutes. In this action packed time frame we catch glimpses of large monsters, various explosions, fist fights with said monsters and various other trappings that make for a promising scifi/horror camp flick! It’s not until you sit through the entire 81 minutes of the movie that you realize that all of the action and monsters shown in the opening credits? None of it is in the movie.

Stacie - Final Girl

I’ve been thinking about opening credits a lot lately, because they seem to be getting more and more lengthy all the time. They’re becoming these overblown Adobe After Effects mini-movies and to me, they don’t often put me in the right mood.

For me, number one is Gore Verbinski’s The Ring…because it doesn’t HAVE a credit sequence. Maybe it’s the same in the original version, but I don’t remember. There’s no names, no distractions, nothing- the movie just starts. No one does that!

Sometimes films get it right, and I think when they take a ‘less is more’ approach, even credit sequences can be effective in setting a mood- I’m thinking the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre, with those blood red sunspots and subtle news report narration, and Halloween 1 & 2, with the pumpkins and Carpenter’s haunting music. They’re short and subtle and they suck you right in.

That said, of course, I love some of the Friday the 13th credit sequences, like in Part 2 where the logo explodes. It’s just plain awesome. And then there’s Creepshow, with those super sweet Bernie Wrightson- inspired drawings and the “scary” font…those credits tie into the whole comic book feel of the film really well. Man, when I was a kid Creepshow was the shit. It kinda still is.

Sean T. Collins - Attentiondeficitdisorderly Too Flat

The 2004 version of Dawn of the Dead. Probably the most effective use of popular music in a horror film I can think of, and part of the scariest 15 or so minutes of zombie movie ever filmed.

Jeff O’Brien

OMEN 2

The discovery of the daggers…

Nico - DVDTrash

Easy one this week, Dario Argento’s Suspiria, fantastic opening for a great film, and one I’ll be revisiting before going to Italy to watch the final chapter “Mother of Tears”!

Paul Corupe - Canuxploitation

I’ve always been partial to the proto-psychedelic opening sequences to the films of Roger Corman’s Poe cycle, which have always struck me as Saul-Bass-on-a-budget. The Pit and the Pendulum, I think, is the best of the lot, with constantly swirlilng multi-color oil paints and an almost atonal Les Baxter score that work together to foster an atmosphere of instability and insanity that thematically carries through the rest of the film. To me, they are the perfect intersection of the Gothic horror with the camp of ’60s pop art–both dated and timeless.

Dave - Rue Morgue’s The Abbatoir

Another tough one… . So many horror flicks, even bad ones, grab you off the get go. I’m gonna go with the first one that comes to mind: The Dawn of the Dead remake. Johnny Cash + apocalyptic zombie mayhem = awesome. I love the design of the actual credits themselves, the use of found footage and the way it’s all edited together to “When the Man Comes Around.”

Curt - Groovy Age of Horror

For me, it’s a toss-up between two Argentos: BIRD WITH CRYSTAL PLUMAGE and DEEP RED. Great music, great images, very striking in both cases.

JA - My New Plaid Pants

I have a real fondness for the opening credits of Final Destination, with all the cheesy over-the-top suggestions of “THE SIGNS OF IMMINENT DEATH!” , as if we’re supposed to be terrified that there’s a copy of Death of a Salesman on the kid’s desk.

Louis - Damaged 2.0

The remake of DAWN OF THE DEAD. The blood splotches mixed with Johnny Cash’s “The Man Comes Around” is spectaularily haunting and downright iconic. Running a close second would be the skuzzy 70’s style openin credits of THE DEVIL’S REJECTS, set to the Allman Brother’s “Midnight Rider”. I love the freeze frame and zoom in style. And, finally, it’s much longer than an opening credits sequence, but I really dig the first fifteen minutes of FEAST, when all the chatacters are introduced in one bigsnarky, horror-geek in-joke.

Thanks to all the cinephiles for this week’s Horror Roundtable. And thank you for reading. While you’re here, why not sample some of the fine horror blogs available above? It’s not like I posted anything this week.

Name your favourite Friday the 13th death scene.

Rony

Although I really love the “stab from under the bed through the persons neck” I think the one that made me happy and laugh for the longest time was when Jason used one kid in a sleeping bag as a bat and beat another kid (also in a sleeping bag) to death, DOUBLE KILL!!!! SWEET!

Bill Cunningham - DisContent

I’ve always been partial to to the wonderful scene in Friday the 13th 3-D where Jason shoots the speargun right into the audience then into the camp counselor’s eye. I remember ducking as the spear flew out into the audience…

(sorry for the lack of detail, but it was a long time ago)

Louis - Damaged 2.0

I like the one where Jason takes the machete and cuts that guy in half. But seriously…

I love death of the space marine commander-type in JASON X: Jason impales the dude on a metal corkscrew thing, and he says “You think that’s gonna kill me?” Ever the jokester, Jason tightens the screw, and then the guy says “Yep, that’ll do it.” It’s an extremely funny scene from–oh my God, blasphemy–the best entry in the entire series.

Billy

I’m quite partial to the scene with the guy driving around on the motorcycle screaming at his mom who’s in the kitchen making super. I forget what exactly he was yelling about, but it was just so nice to have him shut up on a permanent basis with a machete to the neck.

Jeff O’Brien

The head-crushing, eye-popping kill in Friday the 13th 3D !

Warren - 150 Days of Sodom

Clearly the ones in Part 2 that are ripped off from Mario Bava’s Bay of Blood. I can only imagine that this would be everyone’s answer.

The spear through the bed most specifically, I first heard about that scene at my little brother’s birthday party when I too was a very young kid. “Jason sticks a spear through a boy and a girl on a bed” said one of the cool kids at the table, the one with the least responsible parents. Of course I imagined the boy and girl lying parallel on the bed as I did not yet know what sex was.

Don May, Jr. - Synapse

My favorite F13 death scene is “double love skewer” sequence from FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2… Yeah, I know, it rips off TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE, but I still like it…

Kevin

Without a doubt, the one from Part VIII, where he chops that dude’s head off and it rolls into the dumpster. Must have rewatched that 100x as a kid. I think there was a nudie scene somewhere thereabouts, as well.

Paul Corupe - Canuxploitation

The one I always remember is Demon (Miguel A. Núñez Jr.) getting spiked in the outhouse in Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (yes, Jason purists, I know). It’s not so much for the rather vanilla kill itself, but everything that leads up to it–the bad burritos that give Demon a bad case of gut rot, his girlfriend Anita’s “hilarious” prank of shaking the outhouse walls while he’s doing his business, and his later singing to Anita while on the toilet. It’s probably the most brainlessly juvenile scene in the whole series, but at least it imparts a valuable lesson: if a homicidal maniac is on the loose, remember to eat sensibly.

Curt - Groovy Age of Horror

Ah, so many to choose from! A lot of fans might look askance at me for
making a selection from such a late entry, but I think the one in Freddy vs.
Jason when he totally stabs that kid to death before folding him up
backwards inside that bed is pretty awesome . . .

Brainbug - The Celluloid Cesspool

The machete-to-the-face kill from Part 2 has always been my favourite. It gets bonus points because the guy was in a wheelchair.

Honorable mentions: Kevil Bacon getting an arrow through the throat (Part 1), the sleeping bag slam (New Blood), and the tent whore split (unrated Goes to Hell).

Gary Wintle

“What’re ya gonna do? Knock my block off!?”

My memories of Friday the 13th are slowly fading, but that scene from Jason in Manhatten where he punches the dude’s head off was brilliant. I never laughed at decapitation so much as a kid.

David Z. - Tomb It May Concern

I have to take the dumbass walking on his hands who gets a nice upside down shot of a hockey mask and falling machete.

SHLOOP…and then we get a fun shot of him stuffed away to freak out his girlfriend.

What a doofus!

Casey - Cinema Fromage

Thanks to Steven’s handy dandy youtube link, my favorite is #53. I believe it was not Jason, but the ambulance driver in Part IV? (I’ll turn in my geek card if I’m wrong!) It’s where the kids frolicking in the woods, from behind a tree, he wraps a leather belt around the victim’s eyes, places a stick in the strap behind the tree, and starts twisting! Such innovation! Original use of materials at hand, and the creative use of leverage on the tree! The sounds of caving bones & such on the victim was pretty awesome too!

JA - My New Plaid Pants

Definitely the chick who gets her face frozen and smashed off in Jason X. Yeah. Or the kid in the wheelchair pushed down the stairs in… whatever one that one’s in. Or the head-squished eye-popping in 3-D! Or the guy walking on his hands who gets the machete in the crotch. Or Kelly Rowland smashed against a tree. I do like the hitchhiker girl squeezing the banana in her death throes too. Lord I don’t know.

Tim - Mondo Schlocko

The character Judy being bashed in her sleeping bag against a tree. This occurred in FRIDAY THE 13TH VII and was later parodied in JASON X.

Stacie - Final Girl

For pure outrageousness, there’s a few kills that stick out in my mind: in Part 3, Jason squeezes some dude’s head until the dude’s eyeball flies out at the camera in three glorious dimensions; in Part VIII, Jason punches some dude’s head clean off on a New York City rooftop; and of course, the infamous repeatedly slam the sleeping bag into the tree gag from Part VII.

One of the more disturbing kills (which means I feel funny calling it a “favorite”…maybe I’ll call it “effective”) to me comes early on in the first film- it’s Annie, the hitchhiker. Really, it’s the first non-flashback kill of the series. We actually learn a bit about Annie as she attempts to get to Camp Crystal Lake- we follow her to the diner, etc. The audience is led to believe that Annie will be the lead character in the film- in 1980, the “kill off the first character” formula wasn’t used very often- and then suddenly she’s chased through the woods and her throat is slashed. Of course it’s an explicit sequence, but it was also shocking in its very unexpected abruptness. Suddenly all bets were off.

Kimberly - Cinebeats

When the kid in the wheelchair gets hacked in the head in Friday the 13th Part 2. It combines two of the most nasty bits from Bava’s Bay of Blood (a.k.a. Twitch of the Death Nerve) which are a wheelchair bound victim + a machete in the face. Too damn nasty! And I loved it of course.

Nothing brings ‘em out of the woodwork like a little Camp Crystal Lake mayhem. This Roundtable is brought to you through Final Girl’s Friday the 13th Blog-A-Thon. Make sure you check out all the participating posts. Thanks to all the mooks for this week’s edition of the Horror Roundtable, and as always, please leave a comment below.

Name the most drastic thing you did for something horror-related.

Bill Cunningham - DisContent

I ate ramen noodles for a month in order to go to a convention in Atlanta (The old Atlanta comics and Fantasy Fair).
I rode the bus to Atlanta from little Clinton, SC — a 4 hr.trip.
Hooked up with a girl at the convention so I’d have a place to stay that first night, then met friends that next day and stayed with them.

Gary Wintle

Using spirit gum for any Halloween costume

That stuff is so painful to get off, but so worth it.

Nathan - MicroHorror

Great question, Steven. I’ve got a few different answers for various interpretations of “drastic.” First, easily the most elaborate and labor-intensive thing I’ve ever done in the name of horror stems from one day early last year, when I was bored at the office and looking for some online distraction before getting back to work. My thoughts went something like this: “I like reading horror stories. I want to read some horror stories. I don’t have a lot of time, so they need to be short. I like reading short-short horror stories. I think I’ll read some short-short horror stories. … Why can’t I find a website with a big archive devoted exclusively to short-short horror stories?” The rest, as they say (as they say), is history: MicroHorror.com.

If it’s physically grueling you’re looking for, that would be the several all-night shoots I spent on Gary Ugarek’s “Deadlands: The Rising.” There’s a lot of hurry-up-and-wait on a movie set, even when it’s indy. You just have to sit around in makeup and stay awake and alert for hours, waiting for the call. No pay, of course. Lots of fun, though, and I hope I get to work with Gary again.

Finally, the most money I’ve ever dropped at once on anything horror was the first time I met Batton Lash at the Small Press Expo. Batton’s the creator of the terrific comic “Supernatural Law.” I hadn’t read any of it, but I’d heard great word-of-mouth, so on an impulse I told him that I’d buy the whole thing. You should have seen the look on his face. Good times.

Tim - Mondo Schlocko

Nothing too drastic, but I once gave up a car payment to buy an arm’s load of DVDs from a convention.

Dave - Rue Morgue’s The Abbatoir

Several years ago I drove three hours, from Edmonton to Calgary, in the winter, to check out a (totally crappy) horror festival in the hopes that it would be my first freelancing assignment for Rue Morgue. It wasn’t, but the trip wasn’t a total waste of time, as I used it to guilt Rod into letting me write a news story a short while later. I’ve been in every issue of the magazine since then, and, of course, it eventually led to a sweet job at the House of Horror.

Kimberly - Cinebeats

I regret paying ridiculous amounts of money for uncut Laser Disc versions of many horror films - often Japanese imports of Argento & Bava flicks - before LDs become extinct and the movies became easily available in the US on DVD The LDs are now worthless and I still feel like a sucker even though I was happy to see them films when I did.

Sean T. Collins - Attentiondeficitdisorderly Too Flat

I drove in Los Angeles so that I could visit Clive Barker’s three-house office/art studio/home complex in Beverly Hills. This was a horror experience in and of itself.

But far more horrifying was my internship at Troma Studios. It’s a wonderful thing to have done, but a nightmarish experience while doing it. Don’t get me wrong, Lloyd Kaufman is delightful and I have just as many hilarious memories as you might expect, but the annual turnover rate is something like 90% there, for good reason–the pressure is unbelievable. It got to the point where when I’d have to make innocuous decisions outside of the internship, like where to eat dinner, I’d be so wracked with indecision that I’d literally have a miniature nervous breakdown and start crying in the Applebee’s parking lot. It was like in Arkham Asylum when they wean Two-Face off the coin and onto a Tarot deck and he can’t make simple decisions about things like going to the bathroom before he pisses his pants. Tromatized indeed.

I was hoping this week’s responses would make me feel better about all the miles I clock travelling to and from various screenings, festivals and conventions, but it’s just not working. Thanks to all this week’s Knights of the Round, and while you’re here please feel free to relate your own tales of madness and obsession in the comments below.

Name your favourite David Z. moment.

Nick - DVDTrash

Definitely has to be the The Eurotrash Film Pinnacle Project, was great to see so many others like the same crap as me!

Warren - 150 Days of Sodom

When he posted all the posters he found online for the Italian film Tough to Kill, I definitely thought we were on the same wavelength.

Curt - Groovy Age of Horror

Haha–where to begin?!? How about with, “Hello David Z (I presume).” Congrats on the new arrival, David Z (I presuuume!), and keep up the great work!!

Kimberly - Cinebeats

I’ve gotta go with the ongoing They Call Her Archived project he’s been putting together. I’m really impressed with his focus and dedication. I find it all really inspiring and it’s great that he’s sharing all his stuff with his blog readers. Cheers to David!

Steven - The Horror Blog

I failed to win a contest David Z. held to give away copies of his excellent chapbook Ascension of the Blind Dead, but he sent it to me anyway for which I am incredibly grateful. I was already familar with The Blind Dead from years back, but David’s chapbook prompted me to obsess over the characters, leading to J. buying the set for me. Thanks, David!

JA - My New Plaid Pants

The word “GoonaHumpasploitation” rocks my world.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this week’s Roundtable tribute to David Z. of Tomb It May Concern. David is the only person to have participated in a full year’s worth of Roundtables, so we figured he deserved a week off.

Describe your most memorable Roundtable experience.

Curt - Groovy Age of Horror

I had tons of fun coming up with and posting that Hammer monster mash-up that never was!

Dave - Rue Morgue’s The Abbatoir

Hands down the April Fool’s Day post with the fake obscure films. Everyone took a different angle and the entries were hilarious. I was also quite happy to stumble upon a Google images pic to help sell mine.

Sean T. Collins - Attentiondeficitdisorderly Too Flat

Aside from the enjoyment I get out of being a part of this neato concept, I’d say it was discovering that I was a part of some weird untapped Monster Squad zeitgeist in the “name an underappreciated gem that deserves a DVD release” roundtable. “Well, Steve, but he doesn’t count!” “Doesn’t count?!?!”

Kimberly - Cinebeats

I really loved the April Fool’s Horror Roundtable. Everyone came up some great stuff for that. I ended up posting my own contribution in the comments section since I was late with it, but it was really fun to write.

JA - My New Plaid Pants

I’m still getting over Sean dissing Halloween. I’ll be sending you my therapy bills, Collins!

David Z. - Tomb It May Concern

I’m going to have to say that doing the drive-in night was my favorite-since I did that EXACT program for some friends a week later and it was as good as I hoped!

Bill Cunningham - DisContent

I’m just amazed we got this far…what’s next?

More of the same, Bill! We’re moving into Double Jeopardy, where the questions get harder while the stakes get higher. As always, thanks to everyone who has contributed and for sticking with it for one whole year! Not to mention all the people who have stopped by to read the responses and leave their own opinions in the comments below. Let’s get loaded!

Name your favourite horror movie sequel.

Sean T. Collins - Attentiondeficitdisorderly Too Flat

If you’d asked me a month or two ago, I’d have stuck with the franchise I touted last week and gone with Hellbound: Hellraiser II, no question. It’s a note-perfect continuation of the original’s themes coupled with an enriching expansion of the original’s mythos, with some of the most gruesome special effects ever committed to the screen. But the astonishingly powerful and harrowing 28 Weeks Later is a contender, most definitely.

Jeff O’ Brien

Aliens. I don’t consider that to be Sci Fi…

Nathan - MicroHorror

I’m not a big fan of sequels. There are a number of major horror franchises in which I’ve watched the first film but none of the follow-ups, including Nightmare on Elm Street, Child’s Play, Scream and Saw. That said, I’m going to name 1978’s Dawn of the Dead as the best horror movie sequel I’ve seen (I know I named Return of the Living Dead as my all-time favorite horror movie in last week’s Roundtable, but I don’t consider it a sequel). In Dawn, George Romero takes the universe of Night of the Living Dead and both opens it up and refocuses it. Night was a vicious representation of Cold War paranoia writ small, but Dawn takes a broader view and sets its sights on American consumerism and mall culture. Romero’s we-are-the-monsters commentary has been often imitated, but never duplicated.

Bill Cunningham - DisContent

Legally Blonde 2…

Be afraid. Be very afraid….

David Z. - Tomb It May Concern

It gets a lot of flak, but I really LOVE Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. It is a perfect mixture of black comedy and balls out gore-and features some memorable nasty bits (’it’s wet”) and great lines. “It’s a dog eat dog world…and from where I sit, there just ain’t enough damn dogs!!”

Kimberly - Cinebeats

I love all the Hammer horror sequels. Their Dracula and Frankenstein films are all fantastic in my opinion.

I also really like Inferno (1980), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Return of the Fly (1959), Dr.
Phibes Rises Again (1972), Dawn of the Dead (1978) Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), Halloween II (1981), Aliens (1986) and Evil Dead II (1987), even though it was more of a remake than an actual sequel. A few of the sequels I mentioned are better or just as good as the originals.

Tim - Mondo Schlocko

Favorite horror movie sequel would have to be RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD 2. As much as I love the hell out of the first, part two is the one that just sticks in my head more than the other.

Dave - Rue Morgue’s The Abbatoir

My fave horror sequels:

Dawn of the Dead is the obvious one but some other faves that spring to mind are Phantasm II, Return of the Living Dead Part II, Amityville II: The Possession and The Exorcist III. And it goes without saying that Leprechaun Back 2 Tha Hood is a masterpiece for the ages. Seriously, though, I watched it on Christmas day a few years ago and it proved to the be the perfect fun, stupid antidote to cloying holiday sentimentality. A recommended experience!

They said it couldn’t be done. Thanks to everyone who made this follow-up to last week’s Roundtable such a success. Make sure you pop by next week for a continuation of this exciting franchise. And if we’ve missed your favourite sequel, please let us know in the comments below.

Name your all-time favourite horror movie.

T Van - Tolerated Vandalism

Favourite all-time horror movie? I’m sure I’m mentioned a little movie called Halloween in the past. It’s one of John Carpenter’s masterpieces. It was one of the first horror movies I ever saw. My father and brother were watching it on TV in the early ’80’s and I happened to catch the opening sequence when young Michael kills his sister. I was terrified. The film still holds up 29 years later.

It’s the quintessential slasher flick that set the standard for countless knockoffs in the years to follow. If you haven’t seen Halloween, you’ve never seen a great horror film. I just hope that Rob Zombie doesn’t fuck up the remake.

Dave - Rue Morgue’s The Abbatoir

Oh come on, now! It’s like asking a parent who his favourite child is. Don’t even go there, Wintle…

Sean T. Collins - Attentiondeficitdisorderly Too Flat

This is an EXTREMELY difficult question to answer because there are a half-dozen or so horror movies I just love to pieces. But I’m going to say Hellraiser, because it fills my heart with a transgressive glee, like something different is flowing through my veins after I’ve watched it, a feeling just as strong now as it was the first time.

Jeff O’Brien

Dawn of the Dead

Nathan - MicroHorror

All-time favorite? Pick only one? You asked for it: 1985’s Return of the Living Dead. It has everything that I want in a horror movie. First, even though it’s a spin-off, it has its own original premise and mythos. Zombies demanding brains to eat is a trope of the genre, and this is the movie that started it all. Second, the script is smart, funny and endlessly quotable. It runs the gamut from comedy to terror to pathos, veering through some unpredictable twists along the way, and never misses a mark. I’d wax poetic about some of my favorite scenes and gags, but I don’t want to spoil the pleasure for any newcomers. Third, the special effects and makeup are creative and gruesome. The emaciated “tar-barrel” zombie is a particular standout. And finally, but by no means least, Return of the Living Dead has some of the best horror nudity I’ve ever seen. If you’re the sort of person who likes to look at naked women, and I know I am, Linnea Quigley’s graveyard striptease will haunt your dreams.

Some great horror movies make you break out in a cold sweat and dread the unknown. Other great horror movies make you ponder the depravity hidden in the human soul. Return of the Living Dead will make you grin from ear to ear. It’s just that much fun.

Rony

My favourite horror movie has got to be The Changling. That movie still scares the living crap out of me. Yeah it’s slow in the beginning, but the sequence with the wheel chair always freaks me out.

Louis - Damaged 2.0

LARRY THE CABLE GUY: HEALTH INSPECTOR. I no longer believe in a kind, loving God.

JA - My New Plaid Pants

Not just my favorite horror movie, it may be my favorite movie, period - Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby. I love every single thing about it, and have probably seen it upwards of twenty times. Most valuable lesson I have ever learned: Beware the chalky under-taste!

Brainbug - The Celluloid Cesspool

Right now, my favourite is Amando de Ossorio’s When the Screaming Stops. It’s a Spanish horror film about the legend of Lorelei, the Rhine River siren who killed sailors by luring them to the water with her beauty. The movie opens with a bride-to-be getting killed by a large lizard-like beast in a small sleepy village. The siren is beautiful by day but turns into a slimy monster by moonlight. The town is appalled by the murder and the local girl’s boarding school hired a professional hunter to keep them safe. This leads to more deaths, some romance and the inevitable showdown in an underwater cave. The movie is a blast and features frequent, blood-soaked murders. There are terrific close-ups of flesh being ripped apart and hearts being torn out. I also love the blind violin player who recounts the legend, the siren’s man-servant Alberic who likes whipping people, the abundance of lovely female students who spend all their time in bathing suits and revealing nightgowns, the rubbery beast that enjoys jumping through windows and eating human hearts, and the scientist who has sheep running around in his laboratory while he develops a way to kill the monster. Plus Tony Kendall is great as the burly hunter and Silvia Tortosa is simply gorgeous as the vulnerable boarding school teacher. This is an often gory, sometime unintentionally funny and always entertaining horror film. I can’t recommend it enough! It’s also known as The Lorelei’s Grasp, but I prefer the VHS version since it includes spliced-in red flashes of impending doom before every death scene.

Bill Cunningham - DisContent

I cannot answer this one!!!!!!! Aaaargh!

Doug Nagy

Hellraiser is my favorite horror movie. I love this film for many reasons, and it is scary as hell. I remember the first time I saw the film how freaked out i was when the hooks started to sink into the flesh after the puzzle box was unsuccessfully solved. The Cenobites are just badass, and a woman goes to bars, to entrap men to murder, so she can bring back her dead brother in law (to continue their affair).

Curt - Groovy Age of Horror

Hmmmmm . . . if I’m in a giallo mood, it’s BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, but if I’m in a gothic monster mood (as I happen to be now), it’s NIGHT OF THE WEREWOLF.

David Z. - Tomb It May Concern

Favorite horror film has to be HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY. It captures everything I like about Eurohorror, Lucio Fulci (my gateway drug) and spooky house flicks.

And gore…lots of gore!

An amazing score, a crack director with a stacked deck of talent and a monster called FREUDSTEIN. How can you beat that.

Kimberly - Cinebeats

Impossible to answer. I’m going to have to pass on this week’s roundtable. I could put a Top 100 List together if I had more time or maybe pick a favorite “zombie” “ghost” “vampire” or some other sub-genre film, but I just can’t name one horror title that I love above all else.

Gary Wintle

Gremlins

It’s hard to even look at as a horror movie nowadays and I’ll probably think of another one after I’m done this. Gremlins scared and thrilled the hell out of me when I was a kid. From those cocoons opening, to the swimming pool scene and especially striped melting and bubbling with the skull underneath…holy shit, I love that movie. So many great moments of terror and twisted hilarity.

Not only is this the fiftieth weekly Roundtable, it’s also The Horror Blog’s one-year anniversary! Boy, it feels as if it’s been going forever, doesn’t it? Like it will never end. Thanks to all the hooligans above for sticking with it. Won’t you add your own favourite to the comments below?

Name a movie monster you feel hasn’t been given its due.

Dave - Rue Morgue’s The Abbatoir

Without a doubt, The Crawling Eye. This is one of the great unsung horror classics, mainly because the monsters kick so much ass. I just noticed it rates a paltry 3.9 our of 10 on the IMDb. WTF?

The Crawling Eye has a posse!

Nathan - MicroHorror

I hope I don’t lose any horror cred by naming Venom, from Spider-Man 3. Sam Raimi had a fantastic monster on his hands, and the visual effects to back it up, but he blew it. Eddie Brock, the cocky photographer willing to cheat his way into fame, is the dark mirror of Peter Parker, while Venom’s powers echo those of Spider-Man, but with added strength and brutality. Raimi squandered all this potential by cramming Venom into an already crowded movie, reducing him to little more than a cameo and cheating audiences out of a great movie monster.

Jeff O’Brien

BIGFOOT!!!!!

Sean T. Collins - Attentiondeficitdisorderly Too Flat

You know what was awesome? The Gorax, from the made-for-TV Star Wars spin-off The Ewok Adventure. I love me some giant monsters. And you know what else was REALLY awesome? The Watcher in the Water from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring–as my buddy Ken pointed out to me, it’s the best cinematic representation of Cthulhu ever.

Basically, I love monsters that aren’t from horror movies proper–from the garbage-chute creature, the space slug, the mynocks, the Rancor and pretty much everything else in Jabba’s palace in SW to the cave troll, the orcs, the Uruk-Hai, the ringwraiths, the mumakil, the fell beasts, and Shelob in LotR to such infamous examples as the flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz–because they get in under the radar and do lots of damage to children, and what goal is more noble than that? I think we buffs as a group underestimate the impact that non-horror monsters have on the imaginations of the viewing public.

Bill Cunningham - DisContent

Creature from the Black Lagoon…

Every creature in the Universal pantheon has been successfully remade except this razor-clawed, water-breathing, stealth amphibian man. Someone needs to make this movie happen! John Carpenter came close, but shuttered the project.

Imagine an intelligent creature that can swim anywhere, any depth, that goes up against a secret program of DARPA (The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of new technology for use by the military — courtesy Wikipedia) that is trying to capture the creature and create more “undersea agents” of destruction. (I hope you get the reference)

Mix THE DAY OF THE DOLPHIN with this creature and you have something that would rawk!

Kimberly - Cinebeats

After seeing photos of the “Monster Pig” last week I’d have to say that giant wild pigs have not been that well represented in horror movies yet. The Razorback (1984) movie was a pretty poor effort and I’d like to see a horror film where Monster Pigs are really used to good effect.

JA - My New Plaid Pants

The Spider Gremlin from Gremlins 2: The New Batch!

Cuz Gremlin + Spider = HARDCORE BADASS.

Too bad a muppet in a handkerchief headband took him out in his prime.

Rony

Now, I’m not too sure if this is classified as a movie monster or not but the sharks from “Deep Blue Sea”, you know, the movie with LL Cool J. Many people just thought that it was some stupid sharks but if you think about it those sharks where as smart as you or I (okay smarter than LL Cool J). If those sharks were actually real, I would never set foot in water, or even in a boat, because those things would just rip me apart. The first people to be killed would be those fish lovin’ hippies who will try and protect them, and then the hicks with guns will be next on the menu. You may say “Well, they’re stuck in the water. They can’t do anything on land. We’re safe here.” WRONG! Those jerks will find a way to get us. Maybe through the sewers, maybe through aquariums. You can’t trust a fish. Never trust a fish!

Tim - Mondo Schlocko

My answer would have to be the CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON. This poor guy got one fantastic film and a couple crummy sequels and a sure-to-be crappy remake. It deserves more. I would have loved to see the monster get some sort of Hammer treatment back in the day. After all they did Frankenstein’s Monster, Dracula, and the Mummy, but never a CREATURE flick.

David Z. - Tomb It May Concern

I think there is a shortage of Aswang horrors… that needs to be fixed-this Filipino Frightener rocks. There are some local Filipino productions, but very few in English. For example…

Also, have we seen any good hopping vampires lately?

Thanks to all the boils and ghouls who were up to this week’s Roundtable challenge. Make sure you check out their wares, and if you have a spare moment please leave a comment detailing your favourite overlooked monster. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to make a “The Crawling Eye has a posse” t-shirt.

Name a horror movie that you liked but everyone else seemed to despise.

Jeff O’Brien

Ummm… Insecticidal?

Paul Corupe - Canuxploitation

I’m going to go with The Horror of Party Beach (1964), which rests comfortably in the IMDB bottom 100, mostly thanks to its lambasting on Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Now don’t get me wrong, I enjoy MST3K as much as the next guy, but there seems to be some generally accepted assumption that the concept of “camp” wasn’t invented until the 1970s, and that every early horror movie was made with grim-faced seriousness no matter how ludicrous the monster or effects were. Well, The Horror of Party Beach is a straight-up blast, perhaps the ultimate teen drive-in movie with bikers, bikini babes, romance, fist fights, a garage rock soundtrack, and a slumber party. Sure the monster has floppy teeth and the sodium attack at the end is laughable–but they were supposed to be! I don’t know how anyone could hate such a fun, lighthearted film.

Dave - Rue Morgue’s The Abbatoir

Two films spring to mind. The first is more of one that splits genre fans in general but I pretty much the only one at Rue Morgue that likes it, and I like it a lot: The Dawn of the Dead remake. I think that film’s exactly what it should be, an action-horror flick taking Romero’s basic premise without pointlessly trying to duplicate his socio-political themes. Fast, fun and gory, plus the opening credits are wicked cool.

As far as one that’s more sort-of universally disliked, I’d have to go Jaume Balagueró’s Darkness, which, at least in the cut that made it theatres, is not a great film by any means, but better than it gets credit for. He’s one of those directors who should should stick to making films in his native tongue, as he did with The Nameless, which is creepy as hell, because he’s not so hot with dialogue. Anyhow, despite the Darkness’ flaws, there’s something genuinely transcendent about it. I feel the same way about The Ninth Gate, in that both films seem to have a genuinely tense, evil feeling about them, as if they’re scratching at a hell just off-screen, a madness beyond the celluloid. I saw a DVD of the director’s cut of Darkness at a convention one time, and I’m kicking myself for not snagging it, as I’m dying to see if it fares better. If anyone has a line on it…

JA - My New Plaid Pants

I wouldn’t say everyone despised it, but I’ve found myself in the position of having to defend the merits of Hostel too often… to the point, really, where I’ve begun to wonder if I’m sick in the head for finding any merit within the film. Same goes for Wolf Creek or Audition… and I’ve just listed off three of what I consider to be the finest horror films of the past ten years.

But the whole notion of “torture porn” as the in-vogue catch-all critique, along with the success and subsequent ripping off and franchising of much lesser films (cough Saw cough - yes, two weeks dissing Saw in a row!) means the head of the horror snake is probably about to swallow its own tail again and we’ll be finding something else scary soon. Perhaps “evil bagels from outer space” will satisfy those who don’t want to be disturbed by their horror films.

Warren - 150 Days of Sodom

I’m gonna mention three movies, one recent, one from the bad times of horror (mid 90’s, early 00’s) and one from the early 90’s – also a bad time for horror.

This one sprung to mind first, Blair Witch 2: Books of Shadows (00). This movie was panned by the critics, ignored by crowds, and sunk the Blair Witch franchise, canceling plans for the third movie. Well, I don’t think people wanted a Blair Witch franchise to begin with. That movie was a one trick pony with a lot of hype.

Thank God Blair Witch 2 is not a camcorder follow-up. I swear it makes fun of the original movie and Blair Witch mania. Very funny and scary too, though the scares are no doubt dated now. The movie poster and video box suck, unfortunately.

Recent times, House of Wax (2005), great special FX and I was totally into the wax-town/fantasy world created in this movie. Dismissed by many for being from Dark Castle Entertainment and of course for its inclusion of a certain actress.

1990, this one is topical as it was directed by William Friedkin (The Exorcist) who has a new horror movie coming out today, Bug. I’m talking about the Guardian, where a nanny is sacrificing babies to a killer tree in the suburban Southern California woods. I guess that was a little hard to swallow for mainstream audiences. Yeah, it’s funny, but really well done with awesome effects and beautiful lighting.

Curt - Groovy Age of Horror

WOLFMAN NEVER SLEEPS aka FURY OF THE WOLFMAN. Even hardcore Naschy fans don’t give this much respect, but it’s the first of his werewolf movies I’ve seen, and I love it to this day!

David Z. - Tomb It May Concern

I’m a huge fan of Maniac Killer, the 1987 film from Eurocine-our crazy pals in France that cranked out more wonderfully demented films than I can find good copies of. I’m still trying though. Maniac Killer is a weirdy even for them, with cults and unbelievably bad shoot outs. Hey, it stars Bo Svenson, Robert Ginty, Chuck Connors, Stanley Kapoul (best known as the goofy bald dude from Golden Temple Amazons) and Olivier Mathot. Even though it is directed by Andrea Bianchi of Burial Ground infamy, it isn’t gory…but manages to be more bizarre than that classic.

Every person I’ve shown this masterwork too has not enjoyed it.

Strange.

Casey - Cinema Fromage

Not so much a horror flick, but a post apocalyptic alternate future… I absolutely love The Postman, even if it did star Kevin Costner. With the mix of life after nuke, the rebuilding of society, and the way the various towns built up around pockets of survivors, I eat it up every time I watch it.

Stacie - Final Girl

After last week’s responses, I’m a little afraid to admit that I…uh…*scuffs shoe on ground, bows head*…kinda sorta…umm…liked High Tension.

I knew about the much-lamented ending ahead of time; I wonder if I would’ve liked the film if I DIDN’T know. But as it was, I thought the twist was clunky but ultimately interesting. I put on my Analyzing is Fun! t-shirt and went to town on that movie, y’all!

The second time I saw it I didn’t like it nearly as much and I think I’m pretty much done with it, but I quite liked it the first time around.

Sean T. Collins - Attentiondeficitdisorderly Too Flat

If it’s not too late to add, my choice would be Jeepers Creepers, all though “everyone else” and “despise” are probably too strong–I do know a goodly number of people who liked it. But for me, the radical shifts in the “what kind of horror movie is this?” department are exactly what made the film interesting and scary, while for many others they ruined it.

Kimberly - Cinebeats

Call me crazy, but I like John Boorman’s Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977). Lots of people seem to hate this film and the critics bashed it when it was originally released, but I actually enjoy it. I think it has some really good stuff in it and I like Richard Burton’s performance as the crazy priest. I think all the bug/insect stuff in the film is well done and it has lots of creative camera work. The score Ennio Morricone composed for the movie isn’t half bad either.

Now you know better than to trust these peoples’ opinions on anything ever again. Take advantage of the comments to rassle with this week’s contributors and their choices, or take the time to let us know of a movie you love that everyone else seems to hate. And make sure you check out the various blogs and such of the assorted riff-raff seen above. Excelsior!

Name a horror movie that you disliked but everyone else seemed to enjoy.

Sean T. Collins - Attentiondeficitdisorderly Too Flat

I know it’s blasphemy, but John Carpenter’s Halloween. It’s not so much that I disliked it as that I simply didn’t see what the fuss was about. It’s certainly possible that seeing it relatively late in my horror-watching career diluted its impact given its legion of imitators, but for whatever reason it just didn’t click with me–or scare me, which is the most important thing. (I mean, wearing the glasses on the outside of the sheet?)

Jeff O’Brien

HIGH TENSION - which got raves despite a stupid twist that made no sense and sunk the movie.

Don May, Jr. - Synapse

Well, while it certainly has a few detractors (but more rabid fans than not), I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how ANYONE on God’s green Earth can find anything scary, unsettling or entertaining with THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT.

Bill Cunningham - DisContent

Maybe not so much a particular movie as a genre. I am not a huge fan of zombie movies. After Romero’s original trilogy, or Fulci’s twisted exercises in excess, I’ve found that the genre has little new to say or do. People try to escape the infection, they get eaten, they come back and eat…

End of story.

It would be nice if someone came along and really deconstructed the genre and reassembled it. I have hopes for CELL, but also have my fears that Eli Roth will eliminate some of the more genre-bending elements of the Stephen King’s story for the sake of a cleaner narrative. That, in my mind, would be a mistake. If the zombie movie is to survive it has to be re-thought.

Rony

There is one movie that comes to mind and that is The Devils Rejects. Why people think this movie is good is beyond me. I thought it was a little bit better than the other flop, House of a 1000 Corpses, but it still stank pretty bad. I don’t get why this movie is good in anyone’s eyes. Oh, well. If it wasn’t for people liking crappy movies, what would all the crappy writers/director do with themselves.

Dave - Rue Morgue’s The Abbatoir

Around Rue Morgue there’s a lot of love for Haute Tension, but I think the dumb-ass, logic-raping ending ruins the entire film. Sure, there’s a lot of good, gory stuff in there, but that’s no excuse to treat your audience like a bunch of morons with a cheesy it-was-all-in-your-mind ending.

Stacie - Final Girl

Freddy vs Jason. Most everyone I know really liked it, but man…I hated it. I thought it was mindless, which isn’t exactly shocking, I know, but more than that it felt like a really MEAN film. The premise was ok- by that, I mean I don’t know a more logical way to get Freddy and Jason to fight, anyway- and it had a moment or two that were ok. Is it because it was the last film I watched in my mega-Friday the 13th marathon? Is it because I don’t pop boners over questions like “Who would win- Jason or ASH?” and so the idea simply doesn’t appeal to me? I have no idea. I think I’m in the minority on that film, however, and it’s so lonely here.

T. Van - Tolerated Vandalism

The one horror movie that I disliked is The Exorcist. I’m probably going to get thrown out of the Horror Roundtable for admitting this. I had heard that it was the scariest film ever made but I didn’t see it until I was 18. It was completely uninteresting and not frightening at all.

JA - My New Plaid Pants

Can I say Saw? I know there are loads of other people who thought it sucked, but the thing made loads of money and has turned into a seemingly unstoppable sequel-machine and it has its defenders out there and I just thought it was the biggest heap of garbage and want to take the opportunity once more to say so. Saw is garbage. Thank you.

David Z. - Tomb It May Concern

I’m still befuddled by any positive reaction to Masters Of Horror: Jenifer directed by Dario Argento. I’d rather watch Phantom Of The Opera!!

Casey - Cinema Fromage

While I didn’t necessarily dislike the movie, I still fail to see what makes the US remake of The Ring so scary to everyone. Time and again I hear ‘wow! That was the scariest movie I’ve seen in ages!’ While it did have some creepiness, I don’t think I managed to even flinch once throughout the entire flick. But, maybe I’m jaded.

Kimberly - Cinebeats

The Descent - I was really excited to see it because I thought a horror movie featuring an all-female cast would probably be really interesting and the reviews were really positive. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I thought the movie dragged and not in a good way. When the cave creatures finally showed up I didn’t find them all that scary. But what I really hated about the movie was the the whole stupid Sarah vs. Juno thing. I couldn’t sympathize with Sarah at all and when she killed Juno (the only interesting person in The Descent), I just thought it was ridiculously handled. I could go on and on about why I don’t like this film, but I’ll end this by simply saying that The Descent is terribly overrated.

Louis - Damaged 2.0

THE DESCENT. I know this is going to ruffle a few feathers, but to me, because it was a film about women, who weren’t of the dumb “scream queen” variety, it was like saying you’re going to vote for Obama: it’s the politically correct thing to do. The movie is boring for the most part, with creatures that are pretty needless–you’ve seen this shit before, but slap some sort of political brand on it and all of a sudden it’s the second coming. Give me THE HILLS HAVE EYES 2 anyday of the week–at least that flick has the guts to know exactly what it is.

Warren - 150 Days of Sodom

Funny, I was just writing about this. Great question, there are so many. Most recently Pan’s Labyrinth and 28 Weeks Later. Before that… the Dawn of the Dead remake and the Texas Chainsaw remake, though I am not completely alone on those.

I did not like 28 Days Later either. Again, I found that a few people would agree with me on that one. When House of 1000 Corpses dropped and everyone loved it I was really scratching my head, but as time passed quite a few people popped out of the woodwork to express their dislike for that film.

Not too crazy about Haute Tension/High Tension. Good moments, but a lousy ending.

I absolutely hate the Toolbox Murders remake by Tobe Hooper.

I was really unimpressed by Wolf Creek despite all its accolades. Looking back at my blog I’m finding more examples. Hmmm, the Machinist and Jim Van Bebber’s The Manson Family, both of those are well liked, but not be me. Good directors, but oh well.

As for the classics, I seem to like most of them, so no controversial opinions there. There are some that I have grown to dislike due to over exposure, but those were probably films that I enjoyed at some time in my life.

Please let next weeks question be “Name a horror movie that you enjoyed but everyone else seemed to dislike.”

We’ll see, Warren. We’ll see. Thanks to all the participants of this week’s Horror Roundtable for putting their necks on the line. If you have a movie you’d like to add to the list, or you disagree with one of this week’s choices, let us know in the comments below. Fight!

Good, bad or ugly, describe the last horror movie you’ve watched.

Sean T. Collins - Attentiondeficitdisorderly Too Flat

It was Hostel, and I’ve described it aplenty…

Don May, Jr. - Synapse

THE REAPING… with Hillary Swank.

While watching it, I was so bored I almost wished that God would start the Rapture on Earth and end my pain at the time!

Paul Corupe - Canuxploitation

Monster on Campus (1958): Jack Arnold’s final genre effort for Universal is far better than you might expect for a film with this title, but it still pales in comparison to his earlier work, hampered by some rather poorly executed effects. The film involves a prehistoric fish that accidentally infects a science professor played by Arthur Franz, reverting evolution and changing him into a savage, murderous neanderthal. Worth it just for the unexpectedly violent scene of a ranger getting an axe in the head.

Bill Cunningham - DisContent

Phantom of the Paradise.

As weird and twisted as I remembered it as a kid.

Tim - Mondo Schlocko

SISTERS OF DEATH. At first after watching it I thought it was a great flick, until I realized how much the ending reminded me of what made HAUTE TENSION not work. So now, I would have to say it’s a great flick if you are spared the “twist ending.”

Stacie - Final Girl

Ugh, sadly enough it was Knight Chills, a really terrible
vengeance-from-beyond-the-grave story about people who play role-playing games. Awful, awful. I need to watch a classic to metaphorically wash the metaphorical bad taste out of my mouth!

Dave - Rue Morgue’s The Abbatoir

The last horror movie I watched was Uwe Boll’s original slasher movie Seed (Rue Morgue got a sneak peek at it). I didn’t necessarily expect it to be good, but I was hoping that it was an improvement over previous efforts. Unfortunately, it’s bad, it’s ugly and in no way is it so-bad-its-good. I don’t want to bash his stuff for the sake of it (really!) but this movie is so nonsensical, illogical, uninteresting and poorly put together that the most positive thing I can say about it is “at least it’s not House of the Dead.” To give you an idea of just how ludicrous it is, the horrible killings take place in the town of…wait for it…wait for it…”Sufferton.”

Warren - 150 Days of Sodom

Does the Condemned starring Stone Cold Steve Austin count as a horror movie? I think it does. Yet another twist on the old Most Dangerous Game story. A lot of people are calling The Condemned a remake of “Battle Royale”, mostly because they want to show the world that they are hip enough to have seen Battle Royale, but also because they don’t understand what the term “remake” means. Has anyone else seen people use this term too liberally? Check the imdb message boards.

Ok, The Condemned IS like Battle Royale (timed explosive devices attached to the contestants) but of course the story is nothing new. Lots of hilarious rhetoric here about violence and entertainment and of course it’s so hypocritical coming from the exploitative WWE, not because they produce violent entertainment, it’s pretty tame, let’s face it, but because the company exploits its own talent so badly - those wrestlers give theirall get taken advantage of by Vince McMahon’s only wrestling game in town.

Yet is it hypocrisy or expertise? The villain here is a media mogul, who is far more fun too watch than the action sequences, which reviewers will tell you were not directed all that well. Watch this movie for the dialogue and the speeches and prepare to laugh - hopefully with the movie and maybe even along with Vince McMahon, I don’t know what they had in mind, but I had a blast.

Rony

The last Horror movie I watched was Demons, I love that movie! I only need to say one thing about that movie and that’s when a Pimp is kickin ass then you know you have a winner on your hands. If you haven’t seen it then you should bow your head in shame.

Curt - Groovy Age of Horror

Yesterday my brother and I did our own little grindhouse double-feature: ZOMBIE and VANISHING POINT.

JA - My New Plaid Pants

Vacancy counts, I suppose, with its snuff-film storyline and masked murderers. Decent little aggressive B-flick, I guess; I would’ve probably enjoyed it more if I weren’t in a late showing in Times Square where one raucous asshole decided it was his job to literally run back and forth in front of the screen screaming for minutes at a time every time a single scare happened. Ugh.

David Z. - Tomb It May Concern

Emmanuelle And The Last Cannibals… while surely not an epic cannibal film, the crossing of the two genres (Sex And Cannibals…GoonaHumpasploitation?) and Laura Gemser’s presence make it a treat. Look for Dr. Butcher, Donald O’Brien, in a very silly bisection sequence!

Don’t be an A-Hole! make sure you check out all the fine blogs and assorted sites the Horror Roundtable faithful have to offer. But before you leave pop into the comments and tell us about the last horror movie you’ve watched. No cheating!

Name your favourite no-to-low budget horror movie.

Paul Corupe - Canuxploitation

I’ve been an unabashed fan of Ted V. Mikels’ The Corpse Grinders ever since I first saw it on Off Beat Cinema years ago. Naturally, the film involves a cut-rate cat food company who use an unorthodox source of meat for their products, at least until the human hungry kitties decide to make fancy feasts out of their owners. It’s famously no-budget, featuring a meat grinder fashioned out of a cardboard box and roughly three sets, but it’s also just saturated in an ultra-cheap and sleazy 42nd St feel that takes it beyond the realm of most poverty row horrors.

Jeff O’Brien

The Evil Dead.

Sean T. Collins - Attentiondeficitdisorderly Too Flat

The Blair Witch Project, duh. Scariest movie I’ve ever seen.

Don May, Jr. - Synapse

Well, my first choice, obviously, would be EVIL DEAD… but, lately, of all the “new” filmmakers, etc., I’d have to say the best one I’ve seen is THE REDSIN TOWER.

Bill Cunningham - DisContent

SEX MACHINE written by Christopher Sharpe and John Oak Dalton and directed by Sharpe. Available May 1st at better retail outlets or direct from the distributor www.anthemdvd.com.

I liked the movie so much I decided to represent the producers and get them a distribution deal.

For more info go to www.sexmachinemovie.com.

JA - My New Plaid Pants

I was gonna say Blair Witch - the ultimate - but there’s another one that’s been on my mind the past few days - Wendigo, by Larry Fessenden. The monster turns out to be a little… silly, in the end, honestly… but the sense of dread the film acheives in its first half by exploiting a fear of stray bullets from hunting accidents is impressive… something I, being from a town of good ol’ boys, can appreciate only too well.

Louis - Damaged 2.0

SEX MACHINE, muthafuckers! The low budget tale of a man out to get revenge on the evil scientist that has turned him into a Frankenstein-like freak! It finally came out on DVD last Tuesday and well worth it!

Tim - Mondo Schlocko

My all-time fave would have to be Eric Stanze’s out-of-print THE SCARE GAME, just for the sole reason that it introduced to me the world of indie underground films. Not to mention the idea that I or anybody else could make their own flick.

Casey - Cinema Fromage

For no to low budget, I enjoyed The Red Skulls quite a bit! It’s a long long haul from Hollywood fare, but the story was fairly original, some genuine laughs in there, and if nothing else the crew’s passion for the genre and making movies was great.

David Z. - Tomb It May Concern

So many of the eurohorror films of the 70’s had tiny budgets… I find it hard to nail down what I consider low budget. That said, when I think of good and cheap movies the classic Deadbeat At Dawn comes to mind. Microbudget but long on attitude and action, Jim Van Bebber carved a legacy in cheap action film history with this film and every bit of his energy shows on screen.

Kudos to the cool cats of The Horror Roundtable for plugging such fine low-budget gems. Now you have no excuse! Get out of the sunshine, into a dim room and catch some Z-movie gems.

Name the one horror-related item you couldn’t bear to part with.

Sean T. Collins - Attentiondeficitdisorderly Too Flat

It’s a tie between my big gigantic Complete Books of Blood hardcover, containing each and every one of Clive Barker’s BoB short stories, which is out of print and awesome, and my advance readers’ edition of Barker’s Coldheart Canyon, which is autographed and contains an original Barker sketch AND a bunch of real-life character names that had to be altered to avoid litigation upon the book’s actual publication. Sweet stuff both.

Billy

CHAINSAWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don May, Jr. - Synapse

I have one of the rare sculpted “Re-Animator” head in a tray paperweight-chachkis given out by Vestron Video when it was first released on home video. It was only given out to stores that ordered a certain minimum quantity of the original VHS version. I still have it and won’t part with it even though Brian Yuzna himself wanted it and tried to buy it off of me! So far… it’s NOT for sale!

Nick - DVDTrash

It would have to be either my Beyond Limited Edition Tin or my Ingrid Pitt signed DVD’s. In fact all my Anchor Bay Tins are very precious to me!

Jeff O’Brien

Wow… I don’t go for memorabilia but I have an old dog eared copy of Danse Macabre by Stephen King that I read and reread time and again for enjoyment and inspiration.

Bill Cunningham - DisContent

My Brain….

Dave - Rue Morgue’s The Abbatoir

That’s an easy one. I’ve got a dusty plastic Frankenstein model that sits on my desk at work. It’s all black except for the head and hands, which glow. One of the earliest memories I have is putting it together with my dad. It fascinated me as a kid and led to Frankenstein toys, pictures and T-shirt that I wore ’til it fell apart. Probably sparked my love of horror.

Curt - Groovy Age of Horror

Uuuhhh . . . my collection? Seriously, how can any horror enthusiast narrow it down to a single item?!? I’ll be interested to see how others respond, because I’m totally at a loss. If you put it in terms of saving stuff if a fire broke out, I’d probably start with the top milk-crate of paperbacks I haven’t read yet.

David Z. - Tomb It May Concern

I have a big list of things I’m quite attached too, but the number 1 thing I would not part with is my lobbycard of The Frankenstein Monster signed by not only Jess Franco but two of his “co-conspirators.” Quite an amusing autograph to say the least and a great image from a fun movie! Jess Franco…he isn’t just one guy with a pen in his hand!

Stacie - Final Girl

Damn you and your “one item”! I mean, which movie do I choose? Which book? Which autographed picture? This is too difficult.

I¹ll just go with my beloved Freddy Krueger candle. I think it’s probably irreplaceable, unlike mostly everything else.

Or should I say my blog? Does that count? Maybe I’ll say my blog. That’s sweet and non-materialistic.

But I love my Freddy Krueger candle! That’s it…I’ll just take my blog and my Freddy Krueger candle.

And my Polaroid picture of me and Marilyn Burns.

And my copy of Shark Attack III: Megalodon.

And my autographed photo of Christopher Lee as Dracula.

But that’s it!

Oh, and my autographed photo of Claire Bloom in The Haunting. And my copy of Black Christmas signed by Margot Kidder. But I swear, that’s it! No, really, before I turn into The Jerk, that’s really it.

Louis - Damaged 2.0

The corpse of Mr. Belvedere that I keep in the spare bedroom.

And my autographed by Lucio Fulci ZOMBIE 2 one-sheet.

Kimberly - Cinebeats

That’s a tough question, but I’ll have to say my Frankenstein monster doll collection. The monster from Frankenstein has always been my favorite “creature” and I love my collection of monster dolls.

A hearty thanks to all of this week’s incredibly materialistic participants. Make sure you check out their respective blogs for even more filthy capitalism. And come back next week when I ask everyone for their address and the security code to access their building.

Name a non-horror director you would like to see take a stab at the genre, and explain why.

Dave - Rue Morgue’s The Abbatoir

I’d like to see Rian Johnson direct a horror film. Brick blew my mind and it’d be great to see him bring his strong sense of character, setting, plot and dialogue to something even darker than a noir pic.

Plus, he’s worked with Lucky McKee, editing May and Roman, so the dude knows a thing or two about what makes a great horror movie.

Jeff O’Brien

PETER BOGDANOVICH because TARGETS is one of the most suspenseful and smart thrillers I’ve ever seen. He should take that innate skill and try a horror pic.

Rony

I seems to me that every director that I want to see make a horror movie has already done at least one early in their career, and it’s so hard to think of directors that would make an awesome horror movie. But if I had to pick fresh meat, I think I would like to see Mel Gibson Make a horror movie because that guy is already messed up as it is and he’s very graphic when it comes to violence in his movies. In recent movies, the directors seem to cut away from the violent/fast paced scenes too quickly and you are always left wondering about what you just saw, where Mel Gibson lets you see it all like in Braveheart and Apocalypto. When you put a crazy man in charge of a horror movie, the movie will most likely come out crazy as well and that’s what I’d like to see. Mel Gibson + crazy = insanely awesome movie.

JA - My New Plaid Pants

Well they’re two of my favorite directors so I may be biased, but I’d love to see what Mike White or Todd Solondz would make with a horror film. I mean, there are moments of discomfiture in their films that approach a level of social horror, especially in Solondz’ films (the imagined gun massacre in Happiness… hell, roughly 7/8 of Happiness is a horror show… likewise, I’ve always thought of Welcome to the Dollhouse as an horror-comedy). But really, you’d just have to take one of their beloved misfits one tenth of a degree further and you could have something very interesting indeed.

Curt - Groovy Age of Horror

I’d rather not see anyone take a stab at horror if they don’t already love and understand the genre. I’d much rather see a total newcomer with a fresh vision emerging out of a long, heartfelt, and comprehensive engagement with horror.

Tim - Mondo Schlocko

For me that would have to be P.T. Anderson, because I am a unabashed fan of his work. It would be interesting to see how he would use characters and dialogue the way he does in a horror maybe supernatural setting.

Joakim - Mexploitation

A lot of my favorite horror movies are actually by what most people consider “non-horror directors”, The Shining is an obvious one, but also Adrian Lyne’s completely brilliant Jacob’s Ladder, and a couple of Lynch movies (I think most people don’t consider Lynch a horror director).

So given that the non-horror directors I’d most like to see have already done horror movies, I’m going to try something a bit out there that I think might work. Baz Luhrmann, director of Romeo+Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, etc. I’d want him to do a large, stylish, 70s type giallo/supernatural horror in the vein of Argento’s Suspiria. Hell, just let the man remake Suspiria. The acting will certainly be better, and we could have musical numbers about people being stabbed, falling through skylights, and being hanged, or falling into a room full of razorwire. And the blood will be super-saturated red instead of 70s orange.

Seriously, though, I think it would work. He has the right sort of over the top stylized aesthetics that would work for horror, especially the more gory, slasher-oriented stuff. It’s basically baroque art in motion, and baroque is definitely a term that could easily be applied to the detailed and inventive deaths typical to slasher movies. And yeah, the over-saturated red thing…

David Z. - Tomb It May Concern

Once upon a time I would have said Neil Labute, but we saw how that turned out. W.D. Richter would be my choice to get back into directing by doing an all out Alien Invasion film…but without the Hong Kong Cavaliers to save us. Buckaroo Banzai(etc.) is one of a kind and it would be fun to see how unconventional a horror film could come from the same creators.

Thanks to everyone who came out this week for the Roundtable. Make sure you check out their blogs for further horror goodness. And if all goes well, I’ll be back next week with regular Horror Blog posts.

Share a favourite horror-related website.

David Z. - Tomb It May Concern

One great resource on the web is zine pioneer Willam Connolly’s great Spaghetti Cinema / Martial Arts Movie Associates page. I used to live for M.A.M.A. when I could pick it up in my favorite poster shop in Cambridge, MA many many many moons ago, and I didn’t really find this site until a year or so ago thanks to a friend forwarding it. Very no frills, it is loaded with amazing information, great stills and contains an excellent database of Italian and Spanish cinema of many groovy types. Go here and enjoy!

Also, just because I like them, I made a little gift for the site if they ever see this post…

Curt - Groovy Age of Horror

I don’t know about “obscure,” but my favorite horror-related website is Eurotrash Paradise. It’s a very lively group with a ton of knowledgeable contributors. The discussions there have really crystallized a lot of my tastes and ideas about horror, and pointed me down paths I might not have explored otherwise. That’s where I learned to love the Groovy Age, and I doubt I’d have my blog if it weren’t for that group. The folks there are remarkably civil, considering how much they care about the topics generally under discussion. I’ve had the privilege to meet a lot of them offline, and consider them true friends.

Jeff O’Brien

Fred Olen Ray’s site although I almost hate to let that cat out of the bag… more pro than fan and LOT’S of horror talk.

Kimberly - Cinebeats

I’d like to mention a great site called Black Horror Movies.

I came across the site by accident a few months ago while I was looking for reviews for the great horror film Ganja & Hess and added the link to my own blog right away because I thought the site was really interesting. It was created by a writer named Mark H. Harris who also writes for Pop Matters and he offers great insights into the role of black actors in horror films while still managing to keep his sense of humor. He also reviews lots of interesting and sometimes obscure horror movies and I’ve gotten interested in a few films thanks to his site.

JA - My New Plaid Pants

Just a little shout-out to CampBlood.org, which covers the queer end of the horror spectrum pretty commandingly.

Sean T. Collins - Attentiondeficitdisorderly Too Flat

You know what site I really love? Leviathan: The World Serpent. This little stand-alone web mockumentary about the biggest sea monster EVAR was an early discovery of mine on my journey through the scary section of the Internet, and it’s stuck with me. In part that’s because of the way its subject matter–the horrific potential of immensity, with the whole water-monster thing itself–are right down my alley. But it’s also because it’s clearly the work of someone who knows what he likes, if you will, and created a horror project that celebrates his personal idiosyncracies regardless of how that affects the viewer/reader’s experience of or belief in it. So it’s both fun and, in its way, courageous. And yeah, it’s scary.

Billy

The sheer horror and terror that comes out of this website will go down in the history of mankind as one of the chief reasons for the fall of western civilization. If only there was a silver bullet for this monster…..

Louis - Damaged 2.0

Although I am a huge fan of just about everyone who participates in this here forum, probably one of my favorite horror-sites isn’t a blog per se, but a podcast, which is really just a blog you can listen to, right? It’s the gang over at NIGHT OF THE LIVING PODCAST, who are the funniest fuckers ever, making up for what they don’t know about horror with one-side-splitting aside after another. They’ve been in battles with FEAR OF CLOWNS’ Kevin Kangas and LIVE FEED’s Ryan Nicholson, have a segment that reviews gay horror porn and makes fun of some of the best of the worst straight-to-video crap. Listening to their show is a regular Sunday night ritual for me and I think that most of you here would dig it, as long as you’re not pretentious about how serious you take your horror.

Gary Wintle

That one’s a given. The Horror Blog is my only source for horror news and goodness.

I’m not a guy that really learns about horror movies beyond watching and digging them and all that, but I’ve always been a fan. I first started checking out this site obviously because it’s my brother’s, but now I check it everyday. Brother be damned, it’s rich with small news bites, which I like and multiple opinions from the Roundtable which I really like. It’s cool being able to fly through it and stop wherever there’s something of interest. No clicking necessary, but I do click on the comments part a lot, seeing other people’s opinions on everything. It’s a horror site that a non horror guy like me can sink my teeth into, that’s why it’s my favourite; not because I love you, Steven.

Casey - Cinema Fromage

The majority of the horror sites I read are already on the Weekly Roundtable, so I’ll try not to reiterate those!

Outside of that, for general news on what’s coming down the pipe theatre wise I generally check in on Arrow In the Head at Joblo.com. Sure, it’s prone to fanboyism every now and them, but we all are from one time or another! That aside, he’s always pretty up to date on news tidbits on horror flicks. And he likes to post pics of hot chicks. Hard to top that eh?

For entertainment value, the flash toon Xombie was a fun way to while the way the hours at work. Revisiting now, looks like I have to hit the comic shop as I didn’t realize it was a print comic now as well!

T. Van - Tolerated Vandalism

There are a lot of absolutely fantastic horror sites and blogs out there. I’m such a lazy blogger most of the time, I’m always amazed with Fatally Yours. If you are looking for insightful reviews of indie horror films, Fatally Yours is the site to visit. Check it out and you won’t be disappointed.

And your source for all things horror - Night of the Living Podcast. A group of friends from Ohio [that Southern state known for pig fucking], gather each Sunday to pontificate on bad movies, comic books, and all things horror. Shows have been running long lately [almost 2 hours in length] but each week brings a series of nonsensical ramblings from Freddy, Amy, Andy, Kelley, Matt, Chiseck, and Ryan.

Dave - Rue Morgue’s The Abbatoir

I don’t think it qualifies as “obscure,” seeing as the man behind it is part of the Round Table, but it’s always fun to cruise over to Louis’ Damaged 2.0 for cool soundtrack downloads, entertaining movie reviews and the odd piece of inspired vitriol. Otherwise, I guess I’d have to go with Box Office Mojo, which isn’t obscure as much as it is an odd choice for horror content. The site lists box office earnings and I’m obsessed with tracking how well certain fright flicks are doing in comparison to other movies. For example, it was here that I first realized /Land of the Dead/ had bombed in North America, and then I later found out it was doing much better in foreign markets. I’m really not sure why I care so much, though.

Tim - Mondo Schlocko

That would have to be THE GROOVY AGE OF HORROR. There are two reasons behind this. The first being that I am in a constant state of awe and amazement at how Curt can crank out article after article including reviews on a almost daily basis. It’s as if he is a machine set to blog.

The second being is that Curt always seems to find the grooviest and sleazy best that the horror genre has to offer.

Doug Nagy

For Horror news I usually go to three different sites. The first would be The Horror Blog, which is focused on horror delights alone. Film Junk is the second - It is a general film site but also covers quite a bit of horror related news. The third is Twitch which is chock full of foreign, indy and horror related goodness. Todd at twitch always hooks me up with crazy Asian films that are always kickass.

Warren - 150 Days of Sodom

My favorite non-blog site is Critical Condition. It’s got a wealth of information for video collectors and the back story is awesome. It started as a print bi-monthly newsletter in 1982! This guy Fred, he’s been into these movies for a long time and I’d say that’s pretty amazing. Think of all the past fans who have turned their backs on horror. They are probably pretty quick to say “It’s crap, I should know, I used to write a newsletter about it…”. Not Fred.

I suppose Fred saw a lot of the reviewed films in the theater, but on the site we’ve also got a wealth of information about video releases and no small share of scanned cover art. I bet a lot of these images exist on the web only on this site, or perhaps they occasionally pop up on ebay to later disappear into broken-google-images oblivion.

Fred hates shot-on-video and shot-on-vhs features, but he’s got a buddy who reviews those for the site in the FILMS ON THE FRINGE section, which is very amusing. If you only check out one thing on the Critical Condition site, check out the intro on the front page. It’s a great read.

Also this site features old-style web design, reminding me of my early html work with lots of scrolling down and blue-hyper linked text.

Also… Fred delivers the news on the deaths of b-movie stars and directors, really not news to the mainstream media or even on the radar for most horror sites. Did you know the director of Last House of Dead End Street died March 6th at age 58? RIP Roger Watkins.

Thanks to all the Roundtable participants for divulging their secrets. Fools! Bwahaha! Make sure you check out their recommendations.

And I just assumed it was a given that The Horror Blog would be exempt from this Roundtable. How embarassing.