Spotlight on: A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

This Friday marks the return of horror's most popular modern day monster: Freddy Kruger, in the A Nightmare on Elm Street remake. Quite frankly I feel underwhelmed by it. Seeing as exact scenes are redone doesn't really do anything for me. But, I am a huge fan of Jackie Earl Haley as Rorschach in the excellent Watchmen, and I think he is a great choice to take over for Robert Englund. I also totally love the beautiful Katie Cassidy, and it's always nice to see her in a genre film, even if she is the remake babe. Will I see it? Eventually, if I hear good things, I'll see it sooner.
And, yes, I know there was a TV series, but man that show was pretty fucking bad...
Anyways, in celebration of Freddy's return, I will do quick reviews of the movies, including picking my fav kill. I should point out that of all the horror villains, Freddy is my favorite and the Nightmare series holds a very special place in my heart, as they helped me get into the genre.

All reviews are out of 4 stars.

- A group of teens are terrorized by a hideously burned man in their dreams. But, if they die in their dreams they die for real. Turns out said man, Fred Krueger, is a filthy child murder, whom their parents burned alive when the courts let him go. He now wants revenge on them by killing their kids.
Craven's best movie is my third fav movie, ever. A dark, scary and imaginative horror movie that features some great effects despite the low budget. Our heroine, Nancy (the lovely Heather Langenkamp) is one of the genre's best heroines.
BEST KILL: Johnny Depp dies as a geyser of blood erupts from his bed, in a classic moment.
RATING: ****


- Taking place several years after the original a teen moves into Nancy's house, but finds that Freddy wants to possess him.
Though dark, this first sequel is one that I have never been a fan of. I always found it to be strangely uninteresting and uninvolving. It does have a weird homoerotic feel to it, though. And, there are some really memorable moments. The best of which is definitely when Kruger enters the real world at the pool party and tells the kids, "You are all my children now!". A truly classic moment.
BEST KILL: Friend gets impaled on door by Freddy's glove.
RATING: **


- The last group of the descendants of the parents who killed Freddy are being offed one by one at a psychiatric ward. Nancy returns to help them and destroy Freddy.
A return to form for the series, this is the best of all the sequels and one of the finest horror sequels, around. The tone is a perfect mix of the seriousness of the original and the jokieness that would take hold of the series from hear on in. The special effects are truly awesome. Including the beautiful effect that is Jennifer Rubin, who looks delicious as a punk babe. It was also great to see Nancy return. And, the whole concept of dream powers is pretty kick ass. Also kick ass is the Dokken title track played at the end of the film. A classic! This holds a special place in my heart because it was one of the first R-rated movies I saw in it's complete/ non-TV form.
BEST KILL: Kid gets turned into a puppet by Kruger with his veins as puppet strings. A personal favorite kill of mine!
RATING: ****

- Freddy comes back to kill the surviving characters from the last film, but Kristen (this time played by Tuesday Knight) gives her dream powers to the beautiful Alice (Lisa Wilcox). Freddy uses her to get to the other kids, though.
This one is totally over-the-top and would and mark the series officially turning towards a more campy villain. Freddy cracks lots of jokes, but Wilcox makes for a great heroine and the pace is fast. On top of that the FX work is excellent. A fun little ride.
BEST KILL: A hottie is turned into a roach. Awesome!!!!!
RATING: ***


- Freddy wants to possess Alice's baby. Alice must stop him.
This one suffers from some pacing problems, but again Wilcox makes for a yummy and great heroine. The FX work is still awesome, but I don't like the way Freddy looks in this. The kills range from the silly (the comic book kill is terrible) to the awesome (most of the other kills). In all, this one is pretty decent, but definitely a let down from the the two that preceded it. It should be noted that this movie was given an X-rating by the MPAA, and the R-rated DVD is cut.
BEST KILL: The beautiful Erica Anderson plays a girl who wants to be thin and is forced to eat her own guts. One of the goriest kills in the entire series.
RATING: **1/2

- The last of the Elm Street kids are dead. Now an amnesiac looks for Freddy's daughter to battle him, kill him, and end this forever. We learn more about his past and how he got his horrible powers.
The worst entry in the series this "ending" to it is pretty silly. The video game death is ridiculous and a series low point. The only way to watch this is in 3D, for the climax, otherwise it is crap.
BEST KILL: Freddy makes a dude's head blow up.
RATING (in 3D): **
in 2D: *1/2



- Taking place in the "real" world Freddy tries to leave the cinematic world and enter ours, as he terrorizes Heather Langenkamp (the actress not the character of Nancy). She seeks out Craven and Englund for help.
Imaginative entry in the series marks the return of Craven to the series. While, the movie is a solid entry in it; it hasn't aged as well as it should have. Still, this ranks as the third best in the series and one of Craven's best movies. Great acting by Langenkamp, a solid script, and good FX work help this one be something truly worth seeing.
BEST KILL: Babysitter gets dragged up the wall and slaughtered by Krueger.
RATING: ****

- Freddy uses Jason to escape from hell. They eventually meet and battle.
It took years for this one to be made, but it is fun enough to be worth the wait. Sure it's silly, but come on; what where you expecting? Hot babes, cool metal tunes, and lots of fucking gore. Works for me.
BEST KILL: Truth be told Freddy only has one kill, and it ain't the movie's best. But, this blog is about him and his movies, so... Anyways, his kill of a dude in the bathroom is pretty cool, nonetheless.
RATING: ***1/2




So, there you have it. Hope this brought back memories for you guys. I would love to hear your thoughts on the series. And, I also wanna know, are you gonna see the remake? What are your thoughts on it? Anyways, remember, WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T FALL ASLEEP!


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10 Awesome Gore Scenes, Vol. 1

Ahh, a good gore scene is always gonna make for a memorable moment in a movie, isn't it? This is a new, semi-regular post I am adding to this blog where I pick ten awesome gore scenes (duh!) and post them here.

Note that these films are in NO particular order whatsoever, nor are they meant to be. Whenever possible, I will post pics or the actual scene, if I can't get it, sorry. Go see the movie yourself to see it. Which, you really should regardless, of anything else.

WARNING: Spoilers are present. Anyways, sit back and enjoy the blood flow and carnage!

1. Friday the 13th (1980)- This is the best kill in the original, which remains one of the best slasher movies, ever made. A young Kevin Bacon gets an arrow through his neck after fucking some hottie and smoking weed. Oh yeah, this is the uncut version of that kill, which we finally got to see in the DVD released earlier this year.


2. Dawn of the Dead (1979)- Like the aforementioned Friday the 13th, this one has excellent FX work by Tom Savini. This scene where a dude opens up the door only to get his head blown off by a shotgun is one of the best exploding heads ever!

3. Ichi the Killer (2001) - One of the best movies from shock-master Takashi Miike this masterpiece has many gruesome moments, though the most shocking comes in the form of a women who has her nipples sliced off. It's a harrowing scene in a highly controversial classic.

4. Alien (1979)- Often ripped-off horror/ sci-fi movie has this often ripped off classic moment. One of the greatest gore scenes ever as a dude has a little alien come out of chest while eating. Fun times!


5. I Spit on Your Grave (1978)- Controversial rape-revenge film is one of the most disturbing movies I ever seen. This classic moment where a scumbag rapist gets his dick chopped off in the bath by the victim is one of the best and most unforgettable moments in the film. Not to mention utterly painful to watch!

6. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)- Wes Craven's highly original creepy classic has some really great moments, but the best part has to be when a young Johnny Depp is killed in his bed and geyser of blood erupts! Messy!


7. Jaws (1975)- To me this is Spielberg's best film. Quint is my favorite character in the movie so it does suck when he dies, but he does die in a truly memorable and utterly vicious manner as the deadly great white chomps on the bottom half of his body.

8. The Devil's Rejects (2005)- Rob Zombie's modern classic is pretty fucking hard for a mainstream release and this scene where a pretty girl seemingly escapes the psychotic family only to get splattered by a truck is pretty fucked up!

9. Vampyres (1974)- This cult fav is the single best erotic-horror film ever made. This scene where our lovely, lesbian vamps share a victim's blood is both highly erotic and sexy, as well as bloody and violent! The ultimate mix of sex and violence!

10. Suspiria (1977)- Argento's best film has one of the best murder scenes ever, in the history of cinema as TWO pretty girls are killed in a vicious, jaw dropping scene accompanied by amazing music by the Goblins.


And, that's it for now! Tell me what you think of these picks and if there are any gore scenes you would like to see mentioned here, in the next volume.

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The Top 5 Wes Craven Films

On March 13th the unneeded remake of Wes Craven's classic The Last House on the Left will be hitting theaters. The trailer seems to imply that they got it all wrong. So unless one of you has seen it and can tell they have done a nice job, I am thinking this one is more The Fog than Halloween or Friday the 13th as far as modern remakes go.

Craven has made some pretty shitty films, in particular in the last few years. I mean when your best recent film is Red Eye, well that says a lot or doesn't depending on your take on things. But, despite this the man has made some of the genre's most important and influence films. Here then are his 5 best movies:

5. - This movie bought back the slasher film, albeit in a much more Hollywood manner. While many of the films it inspired or that ripped off of it, or it's inferior Craven helmed sequels (the third one was terrible!), it still stands a solid film. The problem is that over the years the movie has not aged well and does not hold to repeated. Baring that in mind the opening scene is still a classic moment (in particular in the unrated cut, sadly only seen on laserdisc). There is some good acting and the climax is thrilling. I enjoy the deconstructing of the slasher film, but it has many faults. But, then you see a piece of festering and worthless shit like Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon and really appreciate this movie. A classic despite all it's issues.

4. - Wes Craven and producer Sean Cunningham (who would go to direct the original Friday the 13th) gave us one of the most brutal and disturbing horror films ever made in this grindhouse classic. I think this film would be perfect if not for the stupid humor which is so out of place in a film like this. The villains are great in their role, in particular David Hess, who gave a career defining performance as scumbag Krug. The victims also give great performances, and the parents vengeance is highly satisfying. The brutal violence and degradation is still powerful, even after all my viewings and all the years that have passed. A film that is a landmark of it's time, it remains one of the greatest rape revenge films ever, topped only by Ms. 45.

3. - Before Craven deconstructed the slasher film with Scream he did it here. It's a great idea, that does work, but not as good as it could have. I have found that the film plays best the first time around, but regardless this a well written and acted movie. The lovely Heather Langenkamp gives a stellar performance. And, it is a blast to see Englund, Craven, Saxon, and Shay all playing themselves. The prospect of Freddy coming into the real world and terrorizing the lead from the original film is really an interesting. As is the involvement of such real life things such as actress stalking and the effects of violent horror on children.

2. - Continuing the more hardcore aspect of the horrors of LOTHL Craven wrote and directed this brutal, intense, and enthralling classic. The fact that both the villains and heroes are shown through their family life, adds an interesting dynamic to the proceedings. The attack on the family in the trailer remains one of Craven's strongest and most frightening moments. It is also highly satisfying when the heroes fight back. Avoid the Craven directed sequel or the sequel to the enjoyable, albeit inferior remake, as they both suck Micheal Berryman's asshole.

1. - Craven's best film is not only his scariest movie, but it is also one of the scariest horror films ever made. Like the early movies in his career this is an important and influential movie within the genre. ANOES took the slasher movie and added a new fantasy/ supernatural element that had not been present before. It is also a highly original and surreal movie that does a great job of presenting the world of our nightmares. The cast is good, with some classic performances. But, beyond all that it heralded a new horror villain in the form of Freddy Kreuger. While, the series would go down a more FX heavy/ pun filled style, the original remains a dark and terrifying movie and my third favorite movie ever.

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The Top 10 Horror Films of the '80s

The 80s were a huge time for horror. The success of the Halloween, Friday the 13th, and A Nightmare on Elm Street franchises saw an almost never ending batch of slasher films get released. Meanwhile, the birth of the VCR allowed more movies than ever to be accessible to viewers, many due to their graphic content could never play in theaters, expect for the most limited of releases, if it all. It also presented the genre with shit loads of controversy, as movies like I Spit on Your Grave, Maniac, Faces of Death, Silent Night, Deadly Night, etc spawned protests, outrage, and anger from critics, feminist group, and the right wing. Whatever the case maybe this is the era that sealed me as a horror fan for life, as by 1987, I was renting horror movies nonstop and reading Fangoria and Gorezone magazines.

10. - This is the greatest zombie film that is not Re-Animator or made by George Romero. Fulci's atmospheric mix of the supernatural and zombie films is his masterpiece. The gore set pieces are astounding, not the least of which is the little girl who gets the top of her head blown off. It also features two great leads in the beautiful Catorina MacCall and David Warbeck. Awesome stuff.

9. - This is the thinking man's zombie film, as Romero takes on the military and man being it's own worst enemy. The dialogue between the characters is classic. Rhodes (Joe Pilato) is a great villain, and, perhaps, worse than the zombies. He and his cronies' sexist words to Lori Caridelli's character (along with all the goings on in the movie) help seal this as the darkest entry in the series. But, beyond all of that DOTD also features THE best gore in Romero's movies, zombie or not. Savini's work is at top form, and the climax is completely and utterly jaw dropping. While, this film was dismissed upon it's initial release; it is now considered a classic. I have to say that I always liked this movie, and it has only gotten better with time. Oh, and Bub rules!

8. - While, this movie feels more like a remake of Sam Raimi's classic The Evil Dead, Raimi swears that it is a sequel, it's just Ash is so stupid he does the same exact thing twice (at least that is Raimi's explanation)! Regardless of what it is, Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn manages to top the amazing original. The mix of over-the-top gore and humor makes it one of the best "splatstick" films ever. It also insured that star Bruce Campbell would become a cult fav. Gotta love the whole, possessed chick gets her head stomped on, then has her eye sent flying into a pretty girl's screaming mouth! And, there is no denying the amazing camera work that Raimi incorporates in it. Regardless of one's feelings about crap like Spider-Man 3, Raimi will always be the guy who made the Evil Dead films!

7. - Cronenberg's biggest mainstream hit (up to this point) remains his best film, I think. The acting, writing, score, gore, heart, and amazing FX make this one perfect, in my book.

6. - Joe Dante's masterpiece is the single greatest werewolf film ever. Sure it spawned horrid sequels, but fuck e'm. Let's concentrate on this classic. The cast is amazing, as is Bottin's FX work. The first transformation scene is one of the finest moments in the genre. The love for the genre just drips from this movie. There are so many nods, winks, and tributes to the horror film, that it only makes it better in each viewing. And, what about the scene where the lovely Elizabeth Brooks gets it on with Christopher Stone and wolfs out? Or what about the classic ending? Or... well you get the idea!

5. - Sean Cunningham's classic may have gotten ripped by critics upon it's release, but the movie went on to make a shitload of money and spawn a total of ten sequels! It introduced horror villain, Jason Voorhees (but only as the freaky mongoloid in the water), and along with Carpenter's Halloween helped define the slasher film, i.e. they were ripped off a million times. But, the fact is this classic works where it others fail, because the characters are likable and well written. Also, the movie builds the suspense all the way till the exciting and violent climax. But, of course it is impossible to talk about this film and not mention Savini's astounding FX work. The gore, even though cut to get an R (by the way, fans rejoice, the movie is, along with the first two sequels coming uncut, finally, to DVD in February), is hard stuff, with the pretty girl getting the ax to her face, Jason's mommy losing her head in slo-mo, and most classic of all, Kevin Bacon getting an arrow through his neck, all shining as great moments in slasherdom.

4. - British writer Clive Barker had already made a name for himself with his sexually and violently explicit works of fiction, like his seminal Books of Blood, when he made the jump to write and direct this adaption of his novella The Hellbound Heart. One of the most exhilarating debuts by a director since The Evil Dead or Re-Animator, Hellraiser was gorgeous to look at and highly original in a genre where ripping off Friday the 13th, Gremlins, Jaws, etc was the norm. It gave us a new villain in Pinhead and the Cenobites, and featured some great acting from the cast, was sexy thanks to villainess Claire Higgins, gave us a horror goddess in the stunning Ashley Lawrence, and awashed in gore. The S&M images of the leather clad Cenobites and the whole hell is where pain and pleasure meet set it light years ahead of it's competition. The ending with villain Frank saying "Jesus wept", right before getting ripped apart by the hellish hooks is a classic horror moment.

3. - With slasher films already filled with Halloween and Friday the 13th wanna-bes, Wes Craven's defining masterpiece breathed new life into the slasher film. Surreal and scary Craven made the most of the low budget story of child-murderer Freddy Kruger who returns from the grave. The whole fact that he then invades teen's dreams, and if you die there you die in real life was wonderfully original. Freddy would go to become the single most popular horror villain of the era, followed very closely by Jason and Michael, but whereas the sequels, injected more humor in the films, the original has but a few one liners from Kruger. Mostly he is kept dark and scary. The FX work is stunning, moreso when one thinks of how little the film cost. Johnny Depp's classic death, where his bed shoots gallons of blood is yet, another defining moment in the genre. And, beyond of all that one of the genre's greatest, and prettiest, heroines was introduced in Nancy (Heather Langenkamp). In all one of the finest horror films, ever made.

2. - James Cameron had a tough job in front of him. He had to make a sequel to one of the most famous, influential, and downright scary sci-fi/ horror films ever made. But guess what? He succeed! Not only that but he totally blew away the original classic. Stan Winston's godlike work on the FX ranks as the best, EVER. The Alien Queen is one of the greatest monsters in film history. The pacing is adrenalinized and rip roaring, and the movie perfectly mixes action, science fiction, and horror. But, while it is a very gung-ho and exciting film; it also has a lot of heart. At, it's core is the story of this woman, left without a child, who now has this little girl she has to care for. It succeeds it making you care and does not turn into some wimpy mush. Of course, the movie does not forget nor abandon the horror genre. Witness the nail bitingly intense scene of Ripley (Sigorney Weaver) and Newt trapped in the room with the facehuggers, or absolutely amazing splatter moment, where good android Bishop (Lance Henrikson) gets ripped in half by the Queen (after impaling him in her tail) spraying white, milky robo-blood everywhere.

1. - This my absolute favorite film ever. I have been in love with this film since I saw it at about twelve years of age. Every single thing about this film is perfect. The characters are played by great actors, with Jeffery Combs and David Gale giving amazing performances. The script is fun, whitty, and funny, and very over-the-top. Babara Crampton, as Megan, is one of the most beautiful women to ever grace our beloved genre. Her scene where Dr. Hill (Gale) gives her head, with his decapitated head is truly one of horror's greatest and most infamous scenes. Despite the very low budget, the gore and zombie FX are fucking flawless. Stuart Gordon's debut adaption of H.P. Lovecraft short story is truly one of the most fucking kick ass movies ever made. Watch it, if you never have. Watch it again if you have!

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