Rather than focusing on horror news, I figure now would be a good time to relax a bit and let you all in on an often overlooked aspect of horror movies that I find as interesting as the films themselves. I’m talking about the posters that are created to advertise them.
All film posters are meant to grab the attention of movie goers and entice them into wanting to see the film. However, I feel that movie posters are lacking the creativity that they once had.
There has always been a beauty in these forms of advertisement because they are a way for artists to capture the feeling and mood of the film without having to simply cut and paste a scene from the movie (which is what I feel is being done nowadays). All cinema posters, especially for horror films, are an art form that deserves a lot of respect because of the time and effort that go into them. Some convey just as much suspense or horror as the movies do while some of them only show just enough to peak the interest of the potential audience.
Because of my enormous respect for the art that goes into horror film posters, I have compiled a slideshow with a list of my top 20 favorite horror posters of all time. I have many that range from the 1930s and all the way to now.
So, take a look at what I have and if I’ve forgotten or overlooked any that deserve to be noted, feel free to comment and let me know.
Starting Tuesday, March 8, I will be starting a section of the site devoted entirely to fan-films. I will be combing the entire YouTube landscape to find the best of the best when it comes to horror fan-films.
For those of you wondering what exactly a fan film is, let me explain. A fan-film is a movie that is made by, well, fans. There are countless fan-films out there that add a new spin to such classics as:Batman, Halloween, Friday the 13th, The Punisher and many others.
Though, when I say best of the best, I do not necessarily always mean professional quality, full-length films (but if I can find some, I will). I am looking for the best when it comes to story, writing, direction and creativity both in front of and behind the camera. And that is exactly what you’ll find here with the series.
This is not meant to be a competition or to see who is better than who else. I am merely just doing this to give those fans/filmmakers a chance to have their creativity showcased for more people to see.
With “Fan Film of the Week,” you will see a wide variety of films, ranging from low-budget, completely improvised shorts to full-length feature fan-films. I have already done some research for the series and I can already say that it is going to be a very fun and exciting experience.
This is an awesome way to showcase the talent of people that can often get overlooked and passed off as just some cheesy YouTube videos. These films were made by people who genuinely care about the genre and have put their effort and creativity into doing this because they have nothing to lose.
I firmly believe it is the fans that know what horror movies should be and after watching some of these films, that belief has stayed true.
The fan-films I have seen have shown me that there are people out there that, even if they are just doing it for fun, put serious effort into doing what they can to make their work good. That is very respectable and I want to get their names out there because they deserve it.
So, on March 8th, be prepared for some of the most raw, real, BEST horror fan-films that are out there!
I’m not trying to be cynical or anything, but didn’t Texas Chainsaw Massacre come out in 1974?
Apparently, that doesn’t matter.
Over the past decade, it seems that more and more filmmakers in the genre are turning to the same types of ideas for what they are calling “original” horror movies.
What I mean by this is that a large number of the popular or mainstream horror films that have been coming out are all using close to the same ideas, despite how different from one another those films may be.
With that all being said, I just saw the trailer for the new movie Madison County and I must say, it looks a little familiar. The movie looks to be nothing more than a straight forward “freak-show slasher” flick that follows the same format as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Hills Have Eyes, Wrong Turn and House of 1000 Corpses.
Not to be insensitive or rude, but Madison County (like the previously named movies) is about a small group of college students getting lost in the backwoods on their way to someplace. While on the trip, something goes wrong and the group eventually comes face to face with a psychopathic “redneck” that chases them around with a large axe.
I respect the desire to put together realistic horror movies, but there have got to be hundreds of more themes to use than this one. This same type of film has been being produced since the early 70s and it is getting worn out because of all of the exposure we have had to it for so long. It just isn’t scary anymore. I think people are too used to it.
However, my skepticism is breeding a growing curiosity. While I am not fond of the worn out, over-used “freakshow” horror flicks, I do enjoy the creation of a new horror movie monster.
Like I’ve said before, the horror genre is a world flooded by remake after remake. I don’t think I can handle seeing Michael Myers stalking the kids of Haddonfield in another sequel. It is time for the cycle to begin again.
We saw this surge in the early 70s where movie monsters were being redefined. Instead of the Universal Studios monsters like Franskenstein and the Wolfman, we were blessed with the likes of Michael Myers and Leatherface. That proved to be enormously successful for the decades that followed because it made the villains more human. Which, in turn, made them scarier.
But recently, movie-goers are being disrespected with the constant remakes and sequels to tired out franchises. Instead, horror fans should be spending their hard-earned money to see something completely original and creative. Fans deserve a new face for the genre. That is what intrigues me about Madison County. While it could prove to just be the same old ripoff of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, it could also be bringing forth a new face of horror that will once again start the cycle of originality that is desperately needed.
Madison County currently has no release date posted for the U.S., but if you’re interested in seeing what I saw, watch the trailer below and tell me what you think.
Okay, so while I was searching the almighty Internet this past weekend, I stumbled upon a trailer for an upcoming film known as Rubber. For those who do not know what this movie is about, let me inform you:
Rubber is a not so heart-warming tale of a lone car tire named Robert (yep! it has a human name) that suddenly comes to life after being abandoned in the bleak, hot desert. As if this movie doesn’t sound strange enough, “he” soon realizes that he has the power to telepathically kill anything that he wishes without even having to roll their way.
When he rolls upon his new-found ability, Robert begins to destroy small creatures or animals he finds during his travels, along with more random, non-living objects as well. But, like any run-of-the-mill, homicidal tire that we’ve seen in the past, Robert cannot stay focused on the smaller things so he turns his attention to humans with his main focus being on a specific woman.
While the plot alone sounds absolutely ridiculous, I am extremely impressed with what I saw in the trailer. We are living in a world where the horror genre is being dominated by remakes. Fans are starving for original ideas that find new and exciting ways to scare and captivate. With very few horror flicks that have been doing that lately, Rubber shows signs of hope for the future.
Its over-dramatic, retro, grindhouse-type style is something I think movie-goers can appreciate now. Retro is in and many young, independent filmmakers are capitalizing on that.
Look back to 2007. Robert Rodriguez and and Quentin Tarantino released their own grindhouse-inspired double feature with the films Planet Terror and Death Proof. To me, those two movies resurrected the originality in the horror genre; taking it back to what it used to be.
Director Quentin Dupieux seems to be attempting to do the same thing with this film. The horror genre has never been about keeping realistic integrity, so a story about a murderous, living tire is not something that should be dismissed right away.
There has always been a type of novelty value to scary movies that I believe is what makes them so enjoyable. So, I suggest watching this trailer. It’s fun and interesting and maybe you’ll be surprised by what you see.
