Posts by Julia Merriam

During the 1960s, there was a small explosion of literature adaptation in the horror genre, the highlight of which was Roger Corman's Poe Cycle, a series of films based on the work of American Gothic author, Edgar Allan Poe. Once the success of these films became apparent, more film adaptations of other 19th Century authors began to appear. However, while some of these productions remain pillars of classic horror cinema, many of the films that emerged from this era was nothing more than campy, obviously low-budget productions made simply to cash in on a popular trend. Twice Told Tales, directed by Sidney Salkow is one such example. However, despite being poorly written and directed, Twice Told Tales is a strangely lovable film, much like a retarded puppy that you just can't bring yourself to chase from the yard.(read more...)

Given the appropriate setting, many ordinary, innocuous things can be downright terrifying. Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds is a wonderful example of what happens when ordinary sea fowl go very, very wrong, while Lewis Teague's Cujo insinuates that the cuddly family pet may not be as cuddly as previously thought. Some things, however, just aren't scary. Unfortunately for Night of the Lepus, fluffy bunnies are one of those things.(read more...)

It's interesting to think that, with over a century of movie-monster history, one of the scariest creatures to grace the screen is still nothing more than a small child. Despite leaps and bounds in make-up and special effects, the sound of a young girl's voice singing a few haunting lyrics is still more than enough to send shivers up the spine. The Innocents demonstrates that with the proper atmosphere and a good story, children can be creepy little buggers.
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