Posts by Julia Merriam

Review: The House on Haunted Hill (1959)

House on Haunted Hill 1959 poster
Submitted by Julia Merriam on Fri, 2009-10-30 13:18
Shocktober Classics 2009: Staff Screams

The first time I watched The House on Haunted Hill I was impressed. It was creepy and captivating, Vincent Price was brilliant and the atmosphere and story-line were completely immersive.  I was in love. However, when I re-watched the film for this review, I made a startling discovery: my memory is a dirty, filthy liar. On second pass, Haunted Hill was far less opulent, the casting less appropriate, and the overall experience somewhat dull and stunted. While it's certainly not a bad film, this review, sadly, is tinged with bitter disappointment.
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Review: Dark Waters (1993)

Dark Waters DVD
Submitted by Julia Merriam on Fri, 2008-10-31 01:01

That was weird. Those were the first words that spilled out of my mouth as the end credits rolled on Dark Waters, a British/Italian/Russian co-production filmed in post-Soviet Ukraine. Directed and co-written by Mariano Baino, Dark Waters is a singular experience. Steeped in Lovecraftian influence, the film can be dizzying, even maddening, to watch. However, with the captivating direction and surprisingly engaging story, Dark Waters may actually be worth your time. It is not, however, a film for the feeble-minded.(read more...)

Review: Whispering Corridors (1998)

Whispering Corridors poster
Submitted by Julia Merriam on Thu, 2008-10-23 01:48

If I had to pick a word to describe Whispering Corridors, I think I’d have to go with quixotic. In many ways, Corridors is typical of 1990s Asian horror: one dead girl, creepy chilling atmosphere, and a fairly predictable plot. Unlike American films, which are almost always plot driven, Whispering Corridors is driven by mood, so much that, at times, the story only seems to exist to get the film from one tension filmed scene to the next. Unfortunately, the screenwriting isn’t necessarily up to the task.(read more...)

Review: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

Cabinet of Dr. Caligari 1920 poster
Submitted by Julia Merriam on Mon, 2008-10-13 01:01

Everything has to start somewhere. And, in Post-World War I Germany, a cinematic breakthrough was brewing: Carl Mayer, an Austrian scenarist and Hans Janowitz, a Czech poet, conceived the tale of a psychotic madman who could control another human being and drive him to murder. While that may seem rather common place these days, the concept, which influenced later films of the genre (such as Murders in the Rue Morgue, 1932), was positively novel in 1920. With the help of director Robert Wiene, a meddling producer, and a team of brilliant production designers, The Cabinet of Dr.(read more...)

Review: Dracula, Prisoner of Frankenstein (1972)

Dracula Prisoner of Frankenstein poster
Submitted by Julia Merriam on Mon, 2008-10-06 21:42
Spanish Horror Week

There are some movies that are avant-garde in their disuse of dialog. There are some movies that are brilliantly post-modern in leaving out most of the soundtrack. There are movies that are insightful because of their dubious logic and shifting plot. Dracula, Prisoner of Frankenstein isn’t any of those films. It’s possible that I might have missed something on the first viewing, some nugget of inspiration that I’d pick up on if I watched the film again. Unfortunately, you couldn’t pay me to watch Prisoner of Frankenstein a second time. I probably should have skipped it the first time around.(read more...)

Robert Englund (Zombie Strippers) interview

Robert Englund at the Jack Brooks panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2008
Submitted by Julia Merriam on Fri, 2008-08-08 00:27

Just as he did in 2007, Robert Englund sojourned to San Diego Comic-Con this year to talk about his latest projects, including Zombie Strippers and Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer. Zombie Strippers, a humorous and irreverent callback to 1970s exploitation cinema, will be released on DVD by Sony on October 28th. Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer, a horror-comedy about a plumber who fights monsters, will be out in a limited theatrical release starting this month.
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Costumes and Comic-Con Culture (The Comic-Con Experience 2008 #6)

Comic-Con logo
Submitted by Julia Merriam on Fri, 2008-08-01 02:47

One of the most amazing things about Comic-Con is the floor itself, and the people it attracks. The crowds are overwhelming, the enthusiasm is contagious, and the costumes are alternately impressive and terrifying. The sixth and final installment of the Comic-Con Experience is going to be mostly photography, since pictures speak much louder than words. Without further ado, we give you the 2008 Comic-Con Exhibition Floor.

All photos by Nate Yapp unless otherwise noted.(read more...)

Cory Glaberson and Reel Art (The Comic-Con Experience 2008 #5)

Banner at the Reel Art booth
Submitted by Julia Merriam on Fri, 2008-08-01 02:29

One of the trademarks of Comic-Con is its nostalgia for what has passed. While this mostly manifests in the plethora of comic book vendors dealing in rare and vintage comics, there are some definite highlights for those of a more cinematic persuasion. One such highlight is Reel Art, a dealer in vintage movie and pop culture memorabilia, and our Comic-Con Experience 2008 #5.

Cory Glaberson is a self-proclaimed pop culture enthusiast: cult television, classic movies, vintage comic books – he loves it all. He loves it so much, in fact, that he’s made it his business. You can’t help but notice the Reel Art booth, since the back of it is lined with posters, many of them beloved classic horror films, which, of course, drew us right in.


The wall of posters at the Reel Art booth

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Frank Darabont (The Mist) interview

Frank Darabont
Submitted by Julia Merriam on Wed, 2008-07-30 23:02

In November of 2007, Dimension Films released The Mist, a film adaptation of Stephen King’s novella of the same title written and directed by Academy Award nominated director, Frank Darabont. With a limited budget, a darker ending, and a talented cast, The Mist is a moody, thoughtful modern horror film without an annoying Pollyanna ending.
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Robert Aragon (The Comic-Con Experience 2008 #4)

Detail from Robert Aragon's Dracula print
Submitted by Julia Merriam on Wed, 2008-07-30 22:26

One of the many constants on the Exhibition Floor is Artists' Alley, a section dedicated to independent artists. Offerings in this section are mostly comic-book related, but can range from the beautiful to the bizarre. It is in this section of the exhibit floor where we find our Comic-Con Experience 2008 #4, artist Robert Aragon.

While many artists in Artists' Alley have horror-themed offerings, Aragon's pieces are one-of-a-kind tributes to classic horror films, with a particular emphasis on Universal and Hammer. Aragon licenses the likeness of many of his subjects from the actor's estates, including those of Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney, and his art accurately and artistically captures the spirit and images of the old films. You'll find no grotesque, trendily warped images of Dracula or the Mummy here, no modern gothic influences. After all, Boris Karloff's Frankenstein's Monster needs no embellishment.(read more...)

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