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!

Christopher Lee Returns to Horror in Robert Englund's "The Vij"

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Mon, 2008-02-04 14:18

Variety.com reports that Robert Englund's horror project The Vij (previously reported as The Viy) is set to go with Englund in the director's chair and Christopher Lee in a lead role. The film is based on Nikolaj Gogol's novel, which follows a young priest who is manipulated by an evil genie into committing murder and falling in love with a witch who is not who she appears to be. The book was previously adapted as 1968's Viy and it also served as an inspiration for Mario Bava while he developed Black Sunday (1960).(read more...)

Review: Pulse (2006)

Submitted by Joseph Maddrey on Fri, 2008-02-01 10:44

"Do you want to see a ghost?" This tantalizing question mysteriously pops up on the computer screens of six hapless victims in Jim Sonzero's 2006 remake of the Japanese horror film Kairo. Without hesitation, each of the victims click on the link. Viewers who sit down to watch this film would likely respond the same way. After all, isn’t that why we watch horror films? For a glimpse of the unknown? (read more...)

New Line and Platinum Dunes Bring Back Freddy Krueger

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Wed, 2008-01-30 10:29

Bloody Disgusting first broke the news in January that New Line Cinema was considering a return to the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, but had no solid ideas. Today, The Hollywood Report brings the official word -- New Line will team up with Michael Bay's remake-machine production company Platinum Dunes for what appears to be a remake of the 1984 original.(read more...)

Romanek Off "The Wolf Man"

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Wed, 2008-01-30 10:12

Universal's remake of The Wolf Man is currently sans a director, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Mark Romanek has left the production due to disputes over the final cost of the film. Although the film is budgeted at a not-unimpressive $100 million, Romanek was requesting more money. Since Universal is aiming for an audience-limiting R-rating for the film, his requests were denied. The studio is currently seeking a new director, but due to the Writer's Strike, anybody coming on to the production will be unable to do any rewrites to the script. They will have to work with the screenplay developed by Romanek and Sleepy Hollow scribe Andrew Kevin Walker as-is.

Stars Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, as well as makeup artist Rick Baker, are still attached to the film. The Wolf Man follows a man (Del Toro) who returns home only to be bitten by a werewolf.

Review: Die, Monster, Die! (1965)

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Tue, 2008-01-29 01:50

Although HP Lovecraft is one of the most revered, recognizable names in horror – what other author has spawned both a table-top roleplaying game and a line of monstrous plushies – cinematic adaptations of his work are few and far between. Don G. Smith’s “H.P. Lovecraft in Popular Culture” lists a scant fourteen films directly taken from his stories and novellas (although more certainly exist). It’s not difficult to see why. Despite an amazing talent for atmosphere, Lovecraft’s stories approached horror from a subjective emotional experience. Locations and ghastly beasts alike were described by the effect they had on a character, and even that was often beyond the scope of mere words. While such a technique makes for an imaginative read, it also presents a peculiar challenge to the filmmaker looking to create a concrete visual out of it. Some choose to take only the basic concepts and attempt to make them fit with whatever was selling tickets at the time.(read more...)

Honoring Vampira - The Maila Nurmi Memorial Fund

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Fri, 2008-01-25 23:41

As you likely know by now, Maila Nurmi, aka Vampira the first television horror host, passed away January 10, 2008 of natural causes. Although she gave much to the horror community -- if the invention of the late night horror host concept wasn't enough, she also co-starred in the immortal Plan 9 from Outer Space as Bela Lugosi's dead wife -- she did not have very much money in the end. Currently, a number of fans are working to get Nurmi interred at Hollywood Forever cemetery, where she rightly belongs.(read more...)

Heed the "Storm Warning" on DVD

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Fri, 2008-01-25 23:17

A couple stranded by a storm find that the weather isn't their only worry in Storm Warning, a new horror-thriller from director Jamie Blanks (Urban Legend), coming to DVD on February 5th, 2008 from Dimension Extreme. Storm Warning received awards for Best Score and Best Special FX at LA Screamfest when it premiered at the festival in October 2007. The DVD will feature the unrated, extended cut of the film with a Dolby 5.1 English soundtrack.(read more...)

Review: The Ghost Galleon (1974)

Submitted by Robert Ring on Fri, 2008-01-25 01:14

Editor’s Note: This review covers the public domain Horror of the Zombies version, which is formatted to fit a standard television and features minor cuts for violence.

Although Horror of the Zombies is the third installment in Spanish writer-director Amando de Ossorio’s “blind dead” series, it doesn’t really appear that these zombies are actually blind. Never mind. His work is fairly well known among die-hard horror fanatics, but this movie is simply awful. From the production to the directing to the plot to the script, it is one big hour-and-a-half-long failure. And, yes, it is so bad it’s good. So, sit back, relax, and prepare yourself for the horrific (not horrifying) Horror of the Zombies.(read more...)

Nominees Announced for the 6th Annual Rondo Awards

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Thu, 2008-01-24 09:35

Sure, the Oscars are important, but they hardly ever honor horror films. The Scream Awards are fine, but they're geared toward modern horror. What's a classic horror fan to do? Luckily, there's the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards (or the "Rondos"), put together by David Colton over at the Classic Horror Film Board (no relation to Classic-Horror.com). Each year, classic horror fans nominate dozens of horror/sci-fi/fantasy films, television shows, DVDs, magazines, books, and websites to win a handsomely sculpted bust of horror actor Rondo Hatton.

This year's ballot can be found at http://www.rondoaward.com/. To vote, send an email to Colton at taraco@aol.com by midnight, March 8th.

Congratulations to all the nominees!

"Sweeney Todd" Nominated for Three Oscars, Including Best Actor

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Tue, 2008-01-22 09:28

Today, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced their nominees for the 80th Academy Awards (aka the Oscars). Although the Academy rarely honors the horror genre outside of Best Makeup, this year they've recognized Johnny Depp's turn as the murderous title character in Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd with a nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. The film also received nominations for Best Art Direction (Dante Ferretti, Francesca Lo Schiavo) and Best Costume Design (Colleen Atwood). Congratulations to all nominees.(read more...)