Classic-Horror.com | Reviewing the History of Horror Movies

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!

Review: Rabid (1977)

Submitted by Mikhail Skoptsov on Tue, 2008-03-18 01:33

Before ascending to Hollywood's A-list, Canadian writer-director David Cronenberg, much like Sam Raimi or Peter Jackson, started out making low-budget horror movies. After a strong debut with the slug-centric Shivers (1975), he crafted Rabid (1977), an unconventional vampire film that showcased his distinct aesthetic signature, which includes disturbing, highly memorable visuals that depict deformed human flesh, body transformation and/or mutation, bodily fluids, disease and a plethora of symbolic sexual imagery. The strength of the director's sophomore effort lies in his ability to use these unnerving visuals to not only frighten his audience, but to also express deeper themes and ideas within the story. Largely, he accomplishes this through Rose, the film's protagonist.(read more...)

David Cronenberg Week

David Cronenberg on the set of Videodrome

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Mon, 2008-03-17 11:37

Maybe it was merely coincidence that three of our writers were all working on reviews of films directed by David Cronenberg at the same time, but we could hardly ignore it. If we're thinking about Canada's King of Veneral Horror right now, it's equally likely that you are, too. It's not surprising that he's in our heads right now, since he has a way of sticking there. The myriad of bizarre themes in his films -- the body politic, the melding of man and technology, and the conspiracy of/against society, among others -- are like viruses that subtly infect our brain cells, making residence and changing how we view the world. Even though Cronenberg has moved on to the more Oscar-friendly pastures of the crime drama in A History of Violence and Eastern Promises, the legacy of horror he has left in films like Shivers, Videodrome, and The Fly (1986) continue to shock audiences at both the visceral and intellectual levels.(read more...)

Review: Shivers (1975)

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Mon, 2008-03-17 11:07

Although Shivers is not technically David Cronenberg’s first film (he had made some art films previously), it should be considered his debut. Shivers boldly announces the arrival of a creative mind able to concoct horror movies layered with subtext and commentary that don’t forget to entertain at the same time. One can clearly recognize the work of a mad cinematic scientist with preoccupations never seen before (and only imitated since). However, Shivers also betrays a shaky young gun whose bold vision is frequently undermined by his tenuous grasp of the tools at his disposal. The result is a movie that fares better when submitted to a literary critique than a standard movie review.(read more...)

Review: Faust (1926)

Submitted by Chris Justice on Fri, 2008-03-14 00:49

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.(read more...)

New Trailer for "The Strangers"

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Wed, 2008-03-12 12:12

When we interviewed writer-director Bryan Bertino about The Strangers in July (for an upcoming feature), we were impressed with his grasp on suspense and what made the horror genre tick. When his movie's release date kept getting pushed back, we started to worry that our faith had perhaps been misplaced. However, the trailer has just showed up on Yahoo Movies, and our fears have been dispelled.(read more...)

Review: Masters of Horror: The V Word (2006)

Submitted by John Dubrawa on Thu, 2008-03-06 13:15

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...)

Platinum Dunes Contemplates "Rosemary's" Remake

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Mon, 2008-03-03 17:46

Michael Bay's production company Platinum Dunes, responsible for remaking Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Amityville Horror, now turns its attention to Roman Polanski's seminal thriller Rosemary's Baby. According to ShockTillYouDrop.com, they're in talks with Paramount to produce a new version of the 1968 film. Dunes is also busy with remakes of A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Birds, as well as a revisit of the Friday the 13th mythos.

Doomsday Online Game

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Mon, 2008-03-03 12:51

In keeping with my editorial on balancing a love of the classics with an enthusiasm with future genre offerings, I thought I'd point out that Doomsday, the new apocalyptic thriller from Dog Soldiers and The Descent director Neil Marshall, coming out on March 14th. To promote the release, Universal has posted "Doomsday - Marauder Massacre", an online video game. You take the role of a commando in a shooting gallery style action game that's insanely difficult.(read more...)

The Horror of Availability

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Fri, 2008-02-29 12:02

Joseph Maddrey, author of the excellent "Nightmares in Red, White, and Blue: The Evolution of the American Horror Film" and occasional Classic-Horror contributor, has a thought-provoking post up at his blog about modern horror.(read more...)

The "Devils" in the DVD Details (UPDATED)

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Fri, 2008-02-29 11:00

UPDATE: There will be no release of The Devils in the near-future.(read more...)