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!

"Reaper" Pilot Premieres at SDCC 2007

Submitted by Emily Langton on Sat, 2007-07-28 00:55

Friday evening at the San Diego ComicCon, Kevin Smith (Clerks, Dogma) presented the new show Reaper. Slacker Sam Oliver (Bret Harrison) has always taken the easy route. But on his twenty-first birthday, he discovers his parents sold his soul to the Devil (Ray Wise). Now Sam is a bounty hunter for Hell, capturing souls that escape and sending them back where they belong.

Tara Butters and Michele Fazekas have created an irreverent horror-comedy show. In the pilot episode, directed by Kevin Smith, Sam discovers his destiny and develops supernatural abilities. Along with friends "Sock" (Tyler Labine) and Ben (Rick Gonzalez), Sam tracks down a fire demon with the help of a demonic Dirt Devil and a portal to Hell through the DMV.
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Hatchet promises "Old School American Horror" at SDCC 2007 PICS UPDATED

Submitted by Julia Merriam on Thu, 2007-07-26 22:54

Writer-director Adam Green is using San Diego Comic-Con 2007 to get the word out about his new R-rated slasher film, Hatchet, which is being touted to signal the return of “Old School American Horror”. With a planned theatrical release on September 7th to only 80 theaters nationwide, this Anchor Bay production is already making waves in the film festival circuit, winning awards at both Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal and the Austin Fantastic Fest.(read more...)

Lionsgate SDCC 2007 Panel

Submitted by Emily Langton on Thu, 2007-07-26 22:41

Lionsgate presented a look at Midnight Meat Train at their Comic-Con panel Thursday. Based on Clive Barker's short story from Books of Blood, the movie follows photographer Leon Kauffman (Bradley Cooper) as he stalks serial killer Mahogany (Vinnie Jones).

Mahogany works in a meat factory by day and on the subway at night, where he "gets victims on the train and takes them to a special place to feed people." Further research outside the panel clarified that Mahogany is turning his victims into meat to feed subterranean cannibals.

Director Ryuhei Kitamura says his goal was to "make something better than Hellraiser and Candyman." Apparently he has succeeded - Clive Barker says of Midnight Meat Train, "This is the best adaptation - and I'm including my own work - of any short fiction that I've ever seen."

Shooting for another Books of Blood short story, "Pig Blood Blues," begins in October.
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Poster Art for "The Strangers" at SDCC 2007

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Thu, 2007-07-26 22:12

In addition to the Doomsday posters, Rogue Pictures booth at San Diego Comic-Con had two new posters for Bryan Bertino's thriller The Strangers.

The Strangers

The Strangers is a terrifying suspense thriller about a couple (Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman) in a remote suburban house who are targeted by three dangerous masked strangers. The resulting clashes force the couple to go well beyond what they thought themselves capable of in order to survive.

Doomsday Poster Art at SDCC 2007

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Thu, 2007-07-26 20:57

The Rogue Pictures booth on the San Diego Comic-Con exhibition floor showed off four excellent posters for Neil Marshall's upcoming post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller, Doomsday:

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Spotlight on George Romero at SDCC 2007

Submitted by Julia Merriam on Thu, 2007-07-26 20:54

The horror highlight of San Diego Comic-Con's opening day of panels was Spotlight on George A. Romero. Hosted by Max Brooks, author of bestselling novel World War Z, George Romero discussed everything from why he makes zombie movies to the loss of the Night of the Living Dead copyright to his upcoming production, Diary of the Dead. The event even included a surprise visit by writer and producer J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5).(read more...)

Comic-Con International 2007 Has Begun!

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Thu, 2007-07-26 01:08

San Diego Comic-Con International, the biggest popular arts convention in the world, started its 2007 incarnation with Preview Night, where holders of the four and three-day passes were able to wander the Exhibition Hall before things launch properly tomorrow.

A couple pictures to tease you for the coverage we have in store throughout the next four days:

A faux Cherry Darling from Robert Rodriguez's "Planet Terror" segment of Grindhouse entertains onlookers at the Weinstein Company booth.

Resident Evil: Extinction Motorbike
A specially customized motorcycle used to promote Resident Evil: Extinction at the Sony Pictures booth.

Stay tuned for more coverage from Classic-Horror.com as San Diego Comic-Con International 2007 continues.

Review: Twice-Told Tales (1963)

Submitted by Julia Merriam on Wed, 2007-07-25 11:14

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...)

Review: Halloween II (1981)

Submitted by Robert Ring on Sat, 2007-07-21 17:45

Halloween is one of the most subtle and effective horror films ever made. Frightening and intriguing, it leaves a lot of questions to which we have very few answers, especially concerning the invulnerability of Michael Myers (or, more accurately, “The Shape,” as he is called in the credits). Halloween II is an attempt to explore these questions. Through camerawork and dialogue, the film analyzes the Shape as he continues to wreak havoc, picking up where the first film left off. Because this means we must focus more closely on a murderer whose horror comes primarily from our inability to see him clearly (or at all), Halloween II is not quite as scary as the first, but it does illuminate the nature of the Shape and thereby nature of evil. (read more...)

Classic-Horror at San Diego Comic-Con 2007

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Fri, 2007-07-20 13:40

San Diego Comic-Con International, the single largest, most important gathering of fans from across the world, runs from July 26th-29th this year, and Classic-Horror.com will be there every step of the way. Stay tuned to the Haunted Newsreel for daily updates on the hottest new horror movies, starting next Thursday.(read more...)