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!

Hey You! Get Outta My Soul!

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Fri, 2005-07-15 00:00

With the September 9th release of Lakeshore Entertainment's The Exorcism of Emily Rose coming up, I thought it'd be a good time to take a look at the history of exorcism in the modern horror film. My research revealed something that I really should have figured out sooner -- with few exceptions, every single exorcism film made after 1973 is either a rip-off or blatant cash-in on The Exorcist.

No country put out more of these rip-offs than Italy. The following is just a brief listing of the Italian exorcism films that came in the wake of The Exorcist. This is by no means definitive, and I encourage any oversights to be e-mailed to me through our contact form.

The Original:(read more...)

Review: Hands of the Ripper (1971)

Submitted by Jenn Dlugos on Tue, 2005-07-12 00:00

One of the things that is so intriguing about Hammer Films is that they were never afraid to take risks or to deviate from the norm. Most of them times we damned them for it, but sometimes we praised their trailblazing. Hands of the Ripper is an example of one of their “deviations from the norm” that Hammer got oh so right.(read more...)

Review: The Shining (1980)

Submitted by Chris Justice on Mon, 2005-07-11 00:00

Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is one of the best horror movies ever. Just look at how frequently it ranks on "All-Time Best Horror Film" lists. It is a Rorschach test reflecting one's relationship with terror because it serves modern audiences a complex visual and narrative metaphor that represents the struggles individuals, institutions, and nations suffer when they overlook their own terrorist impulses. The film literally bleeds with impressionistic, atmospheric gloom. That's what you get when you throw into the blender the ideas of three talented artists at the top of their game: Stephen King, Jack Nicholson, and Kubrick.(read more...)

Review: The Evil of Frankenstein (1964)

Submitted by Jenn Dlugos on Sat, 2005-07-09 00:00

Superficially, The Evil of Frankenstein is a great addition to the legendary Hammer series. Superficially, the acting is sublime, the story is engrossing, and the film is action-packed. Superficially, this movie is a masterpiece not unlike its predecessors, The Curse of Frankenstein and The Revenge of Frankenstein. But I didn't get the title The Queen of Classic Horror for being superficial. And looking underneath the surface of the seemingly perfect The Evil of Frankenstein exposes a couple loose wires.(read more...)

Review: The Mystery of the Mary Celeste (1935)

Mystery of the Mary Celeste (Phantom Ship) poster

Submitted by Jenn Dlugos on Sun, 2005-07-03 00:00

Also going by the name The Phantom Ship, The Mystery of the Mary Celeste is one of the more sought-after, hard-to-find Hammer horror films. As one of the very first films by Hammer, and more importantly as the only time Bela Lugosi has been involved in a Hammer production, The Mystery of the Mary Celeste automatically sets itself a very high bar. While unforgivable flaws make this film fall well short of this bar, it proves to be not a bad way to spend an hour.
(read more...)

Review: In the Mouth of Madness (1995)

Submitted by Chris Justice on Sat, 2005-07-02 00:00

Many peaks and valleys punctuate John Carpenter's directorial career. The peaks are capped with classics such as Halloween (1978) and The Thing (1982); underachievers such as Ghost of Mars (2001) and They Live (1988) haunt the valleys. In the Mouth of Madness is a film that struggles for a place in either category. While by no means a failure, the film is far from a success.(read more...)

A "Totally" Cool Chat with PJ Soles

Submitted by Jenn Dlugos on Thu, 2005-06-30 00:00

You know her voice instantly, especially when she says "Totally!" PJ Soles made her mark in two of the best horror films of the late 1970s, Brian de Palma's Carrie and John Carpenter's Halloween. She took some time out of her busy schedule to chat with our very own Jenn Dlugos about those films and her experience with Rob Zombie while filming a part in The Devil's Rejects.(read more...)

Review: Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972)

Submitted by Jenn Dlugos on Wed, 2005-06-29 00:00

In a desire to reach the young market, Hammer Films put out the movie that many consider an atrocity in the Hammer Dracula series. Dracula 1972 A.D. was meant to breath new life into the classic horror monster, even though there was nothing really wrong with him to begin with. What we are left with is a film that can’t decide whether it’s a teen flick or a serious horror film, but still has enough likeable aspects to make it an enjoyable Hammer Dracula flick.(read more...)

Review: Land of the Dead (2005)

Submitted by Nate Yapp on Mon, 2005-06-27 00:00

I'm not a huge rap fan, but the latest slew of zombie flicks (Resident Evil, House of the Dead, the Dawn of the Dead remake) kind of reminds me of that Dr. Dre song "Forgot About Dre." With all the undead brouhaha, seems like Hollywood forgot about the progenitor of the modern zombie film - George A. Romero.

Well, now he's back with a brand-new film in the Dead series, Land of the Dead. The good news: it's a welcome addition to the genre, especially in an era where American horror has become so watered down and unexciting. The less-good news: it's not as successful as I'd hoped.
(read more...)

Review: The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)

Submitted by Jenn Dlugos on Wed, 2005-06-22 17:26

The second of the Hammer Frankenstein dynasty, The Revenge of Frankenstein has been revered as one of the best Hammer films to date. A suitable, and in some ways superior, follow-up to The Curse of Frankenstein, The Revenge of Frankenstein is required viewing for any classic horror fan.(read more...)