Our editor-in-chief Nate Yapp is proud to have contributed to the new book Hidden Horror: A Celebration of 101 Underrated and Overlooked Fright Flicks, edited by Aaron Christensen. Another contributors include Anthony Timpone, B.J. Colangelo, Dave Alexander, Classic-Horror.com's own Robert C. Ring and John W. Bowen. Pick up a copy today from Amazon.com!

Posts by Eric Miller

Review: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Submitted by Eric Miller on Fri, 2008-05-23 01:52

Remaking a classic can be a daunting prospect. The new film will be scrutinized not only by moviegoers and critics, but by people making exacting comparisons between it and the original version. A director must be careful to respect and honor the original film, while at the same time offering a new and fresh take on an already familiar story. On these terms, Philip Kaufman’s 1978 remake of Don Siegel’s 1956 masterpiece Invasion of the Body Snatchers succeeds magnificently. It does credit to the original while crafting an exquisite experience of terror and paranoia. This wonderful film is a must see of 1970s horror cinema.(read more...)

Review: Magic (1978)

Submitted by Eric Miller on Thu, 2008-04-03 01:00

Richard Attenborough is not typically a director that one associates with screen horror, his name usually calling to mind such sweeping epics as Gandhi, Cry Freedom, or Chaplin. However, in 1978, Attenborough broke tradition and directed a small, intimate horror film: Magic. Based on a novel by William Goldman (of The Princess Bride and Marathon Man fame), Magic is indeed a frightening film. It is not, however, the shocks that make it memorable. What makes this film special is the thought that has been put into it and the conviction of its performances. Boasting a sadness and a nasty sense of horror, Magic avoids the campyness that is usually associated with movies about living dolls.(read more...)

Review: Spiral (2007)

Submitted by Eric Miller on Mon, 2008-03-31 01:00

PG-13 horror films can be tricky affairs. They must walk a fine line, trying to be frightening and suspenseful without being too horrific or graphic. When not done well, they can seem bland, silly, or both. However, when done properly, the right director can take the MPAA-mandated limitations and turn them into strengths. Spiral, from directors Adam Green (Hatchet) and Joel David Moore (who also co-wrote the screenplay and stars), is an example of the latter. This film doesn’t rely on shocks or graphic violence. Instead, it(read more...)

Review: A Christmas Carol (1984)

Submitted by Eric Miller on Tue, 2007-12-25 01:01

There are many different cinematic incarnations of Charles Dickens’ 1843 classic holiday tale A Christmas Carol. It seems as if there are as many different versions, variations, and spoofs of this story as there are of Dracula and Frankenstein. One of the more memorable retellings of Dickens’ masterpiece is the 1984 made-for-television version, directed by Clive Donner and starring George C. Scott. While the direction of the film is fairly pedestrian, the overwhelming performance of George C. Scott vaults it to a marvelous level. This is this author’s personal favorite version of the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge.(read more...)

Review: Masters of Horror: Dream Cruise (2007)

Submitted by Eric Miller on Fri, 2007-11-16 01:43

Credits above are only for personnel unique to this episode. For credits relating to "Masters of Horror" as a whole, see the Masters of Horror review gateway.(read more...)

Review: From Beyond the Grave (1973)

Submitted by Eric Miller on Sun, 2007-10-14 01:54

From Beyond the Grave is an Amicus horror anthology that is a surprisingly disturbing experience. It is the rookie outing of director Kevin Connor, who delivers a film that, while not flawless, is able to offer some solid chills. Boasting such genre veterans as David Warner, Donald Pleasence, and the legendary Peter Cushing, From Beyond the Grave is a superior anthology film that is in the best tradition of the subgenre.(read more...)

Review: Scream 2 (1997)

Submitted by Eric Miller on Fri, 2007-10-12 01:59

Scream 2 is one of those rare sequels that reunites almost everyone from the original, on both sides of the screen. Horror master Wes Craven is again coupled with screenwriter Kevin Williamson, while Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, and Jamie Kennedy all reprise their roles. The script in this film is as sharp as, if not sharper, than the first film, and Craven still has a great skill at building fright and suspense. While its predecessor thoroughly interrogates the clichés and tropes of modern slasher films, Scream 2 brings this same wit to the exploration of sequels. It also look, briefly, into the debate over film's influence on real life. While it tends towards a convoluted plot, Scream 2 is nevertheless a worthy successor to its groundbreaking original.(read more...)

Review: Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)

Submitted by Eric Miller on Wed, 2007-10-10 01:29

Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street is a landmark film in the history of screen horror. Blurring the lines between dreams and reality, and introducing one of the genre’s most unique and frightening screen monsters (Freddy Krueger), the Nightmare films are fearsome and has laid the groundwork for a very successful franchise. The sequels, unfortunately, demonstrate a pointed drop in quality when compared to the original, and with the 1991 release of Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare, it seemed the monster was really gone for good. However, in 1994, New Line Cinema decided it was time to bring him back, and recruited series creator, Wes Craven, to make it happen.(read more...)

Review: Frankenstein Unbound (1990)

Submitted by Eric Miller on Fri, 2007-10-05 01:01

What if Mary Shelley was not a novelist, but an historian? What if Victor Frankenstein was a real person and not merely a character? What if a 21st Century scientist created a monster worse than Frankenstein? These questions are addressed in Roger Corman’s 1990 film, Frankenstein Unbound, an adaptation of noted sci-fi author Brian Aldiss’s novel of the same name. The film marks horror legend Corman’s return to the director’s chair after a nearly twenty year absence, but unfortunately, this is not a triumphant return, but a film with a reach that far exceeds its grasp. It grapples with some profound and disturbing themes, but it does so in a silly and unconvincing manner. Despite some solid moments and a few strong performances, Frankenstein Unbound is ultimately unsatisfying.(read more...)

Review: The Terror (1963)

Submitted by Eric Miller on Thu, 2007-10-04 01:01

When Roger Corman completed filming The Raven in 1963, it turned out that star Boris Karloff still had two days left to go on his contract for the picture. Not wishing to waste those two days, Corman, and four other uncredited directors, improvised a script and filmed a new film; thus was born The Terror. Corman used sets, crewmembers, and cast members from The Raven. The film itself is an interesting, but ultimately unsatisfying, trip through the familiar ideas of Corman’s Edgar Allan Poe films, with the tried and true motifs of the lonely traveler and the man with repressed guilt manifesting itself. Although it is well acted and directed, The Terror does not offer enough shocks to justify its name.(read more...)