Emanating from Jewish folklore, the legend of the “golem” has transfixed audiences for centuries. Although when used pejoratively the word “golem” describes a moronic person easily manipulated, the word often refers to any mythical creature animated from inanimate materials such as clay, sand, or stone.

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.

Before Regan MacNeil, Damien Thorn, and Louis Cyphre, there was Mephisto, short for Mephistopheles, Satan’s most notorious alter ego. Satan and his sentinels have captivated creative souls’ imaginations for centuries, but few artists have manifested those visions as powerfully as F.W. Murnau did in 1926.

Snakes are scary. Planes are scary. Therefore, snakes + plane = double scary. Right? The premise sounds like simple genius. The movie, however, is just simplistic.

There is no good way to categorize Michele Soavi's Cemetery Man (known in its native Italy as Dellamorte Dellamore). Yes, it's a zombie movie, with plenty of decaying flesh and bloody bite wounds. It's also a dark satire in the vein of Brazil (also a difficult film to define, genre-wise). Toss in a twisted metaphysical romance and lightly garnish with American Psycho-thriller, and you might come close. Maybe.

When I first heard about Frailty, I was a little taken back. Bill Paxton making his directorial debut with a horror movie?

Thirty minutes into Constantine, I was noticeably impressed and excited to be at the mercy of an original film. After an hour, I was confused. Three-quarters of the way through, I was excited and disappointed. By the film's conclusion, I was duly torn. Wrapped in a bow that dazzles with special effects and over-the-top histrionics, Constantine is really a traditional tale depicting a classic good vs.

The first rendition of the Marvel comic adaptation Blade, released in 1998, built up a cult following on video and DVD because of its entertaining combination of traditional comic-strip thrills and hard-edged action.

Creep is Britain's answer to the horror creature feature and an exercise in tension, atmosphere and gore. Taking on the horror genre can be a dicey affair. There are a variety of codes and structures that the movie must stay true to, while at the same time establishing itself as fresh and inventive. Many attempts have fallen at the first cliché. With Creep, debuting British writer/director Christopher Smith makes a fair attempt.

Creating a follow-up to the ghoulish spookshow feature House of 1000 Corpses would be a difficult job by anyone's estimation. While House is not without its own particular charms, it contains little of the depth, if you can call it that, of the 1970s grindhouse flicks it seeks to emulate.