Category: Retrospectives

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Retrospectives Reviews

Retrospective -Tales from the Crypt (1972)

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The infinitely popular and highly respected Tales from the Crypt is a cinematic treasure whose history and legacy is a potent example of how horror films can last for generations and still remain as culturally influential as ever. This quintessential British horror is based on the EC comic series of the same name, which ran for twenty-seven issues between the early 1950s all the way through to 1955. The magazine was known for its ghoulish yet beautiful artwork and darkly humorous tales that captured every monster-mania story from whodunits and vengeful killings to ghosts and cursed familial clans. The enigmatic world of comics is infamously difficult to capture on screen, and yet director Freddie Frances manages to bring the pages to life in this 1972 classic. 

The filmic adaptation is structured as an anthology piece, chronicling five segments, which are all wrapped up by an overarching narrative. This larger connecting story follows a group of five strangers who happen into a dusty, haunting layer where the mysterious and magical Crypt Keeper (Ralph Richardson) tells them a story of how they will all meet their fatal end.

The first story begins with how a flashy woman, Joanne (Joan Collins) kills her husband (Martin Boddey) for his hefty life insurance payout before she comes under attack by a blood-thirsty killer dressed as none other than Mr. Claus. The second story follows married man Carl (Ian Hendry) and his secretary/mistress Susan (Angela Grant) who suffer through a disturbed case of retrospection and foreshadowing allegories just as they meet their demise. The third tale features the fate of James (Robin Phillips), an aristocrat who takes it upon himself to drive an older man, Arthur (Peter Cushing) to his death.

Little does the supposed nobleman know that Arthur dabbled in the occult. The penultimate segment closes in on businessman Ralph (Richard Greene) and his wife Enid (Barbara Murray), who undergo an awful fortune at the hands of their greed and foolishness. Last but not least is Major William’s (Nigel Patrick) ghastly end as he is struck down with a vengeful death by the impoverished members of his own care facility after they tire from the man’s cruel treatment.

These rich and dramatic narratives are the reason why Milton Subotsky fell for the series. Subotsky is better known for being one-half of the founders of the legendary British production company Amicus Productions. In their heyday, Amicus were known for their horror movies that thrived in stylish aesthetics and anthology structure, with their filmography often being compared as a previous rival and retrospectively as somewhat of a ‘compadre‘ to Hammer Studios. Subotsky’s adoration for the story was enough to convince business partner Max Rosenberg to green light production, leading to the soon-to-be hit being filmed at Britain’s own Shepperton Studios. 

Tales from the Crypt captivated from the very start with the film being both a commercial victory and a success amongst the film critic scene. As it stands, Tales from the Crypt remains as one of Amicus Productions’ most profitable films. One of the factors behind the film’s immediate triumph was the narrative’s dazzlingly elaborate, multifaceted and eerie nature. 

The moralistic undertones are a key element in defining the film. If it weren’t for the various cautionary tales that clearly distinguish their own lesson and principles, the film would not have the same beloved, urban legend-like quality to them. Tales from the Crypt recreates short, traditional stories that in some way or another have been passed down to us for centuries. The anecdotes surrounding greed, recklessness, selfishness, lack of empathy and so forth all establish a sense of poetic justice. In other words, the film mimics karmic retributions, adding a gravity to the plot that reinforces the ambiguous enigma surrounding the Crypt Keeper himself and his treasure-chest-like book of the evilness behind the human condition. 

As it stands, the film is a horror landmark, reigning supreme at the top of many movie-goers ‘must-see’ lists. The film has been donned as a trailblazer in British cinema, with the narrative’s pivotal cynicism and coldness speaking to the nation’s brilliantly nihilistic, dark humour that really is a one of a kind. If the lasting positive reviews were not enough, the film also sparked a cinematic multiverse-esque franchise that tied in an entire television series (Tales from the Crypt [1989-1996]), a radio series (2000), a sequel – ‘The Vault of Horror’ (1973), followed by further films ‘Demon Knight’ (1995), Bordello of Blood (1996), and ‘The Ritual’ (2002). 

Tales from the Crypt epitomises the sinister joy that Christmas horror brings, from the evil Santas, to the morbid deaths surrounded by a strange, macabre and obscure sense of reflectiveness. Last but not least, the film is brimming with the talents of many, particularly the bold dramaticness of Joan Collins playing a murderous housewife, followed by Peter Cushing, who excels in every manner – not that this is surprising at all! The superb aesthetics, theatrical nature and uncanny tales from the Crypt Keeper all make for an excellent, no matter how many times you may have seen this brutal, Yuletide gem. 

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Retrospectives Reviews

Retrospective – Black Christmas (1974)

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Bob Clark’s 1974 classic, Black Christmas is undoubtedly one of the most beloved Christmas horrors, a bonafide slasher must-see and more often than not hailed as a true genre forefather, cementing the tropes we all know and love today. To phrase it simply, Black Christmas is an exceptional feat. 

The chilling urban legend, often coined as “The Babysitter” or the more plot-revealing “The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs” is a campfire essential, the kind where a torch is held under the chin, creating ghostly shadows as the terrifying story bleeds out from the speaker. Its gravity is palpable, which Clark so impactfully captures within the plot of Black Christmas, based upon this iconic tale. Black Christmas opens with a Sorority house hosting a small soiree before the night is interrupted when Jess Bradford (Olivia Hussey) answers the phone to a disturbing caller, grunting obscenities. This is not the first time the unwelcomed caller has rung, earning himself the sorority-granted nickname “The Moaner”. Distressed by ‘The Moaner’s’ continuous threatening mumblings, student Clare (Lynne Griffin), retreats upstairs to pack for the upcoming holidays, however, she is soon suffocated to death by an unseen man lurking in her wardrobe. This first domino of Clare’s murder sets off a chain reaction of pure mayhem as the killer strikes again and again. 

Black Christmas’ prototype-like properties for horror cinema vary from the intimate cinematography, all the way through to the ‘final girl’ theory. Beginning with the visuals, cinematographer, Reginald Morris continuously plays with the film’s voyeuristic tones, whether that be through the recurring point of view shots, or the positioning of the camera to show the characters from the perspective of ‘the other’; think of long drawn out shots of the camera peering at the characters through a window, or static scenes of a character going about their business, with the camera lurking from behind an object, replicating a prying, hiding gaze from an antagonistic force. 

It is these sinister, foreboding visuals that were replicated in the likes of ‘Deep Red’ (1975) ‘Halloween’ (1978), and ‘Friday the 13th Part II’ (1981). Peeping into the privacy of others and watching in wait are common tropes that were not ‘invented’ from Clark and Morris’ work in Black Christmas,  but it was one of the kickstarter’s that forged an unforgettable flame that remains to this day the initiator of some of cinema’s most terrifying scares. 

Further elements that don Black Christmas as an iconic exhibition of genre cinema are its genuinely thought-provoking and intriguing politics that extradite the horror of reality and place it against an unnerving, tinsel-decorated background. Whilst the dramatic undertones have always been present within the reception that the film received, it is noticeable that over the fifty years (!) since its release, Black Christmas has been acknowledged as quite the feminist piece.

Professor Carol Clover cemented the idea of a ‘final girl’ in her 1992 book ‘Men, Women and Chainsaws’, with her work examining this idea of the surviving female in slasher films, a character that she describes as the one “who is chased, cornered, wounded; whom we see scream, stagger, fall, rise and scream again”. She is the one who lives to tell the tale, and in the case of Jess Bradford (alongside all the other established final girls), she is the catalyst that blurs the screen and the viewer personifies a sense of contagious empowerment and enforces a sense of active agency. 

Latching onto this string of agency is the film’s exploration of bodily autonomy. A subplot of the film concerns Jess’ pregnancy and her possessive boyfriend Peter’s (Keir Dullea) reaction. Whilst Peter sings the positives of the situation and how the pair should settle down and start a family, Jess expresses her anxieties over the citation, leading to a receptive conversation about autonomy that is still ignited as a topic towards the film to this day. As such, Black Christmas is infused with an autonomy-tinged undercurrent that speaks to the entirety of the narrative.

To digress, the film was released one year after the landmark event ‘Roe v. Wade’ (1973), which by a Supreme Court decision dictated abortion should be legalised across the United States, formed upon the basis of the constitutional right to privacy. Incorporating a current subject into a narrative structure, only to forgo its significance is a disservice to the weight of whatever situation is at hand.

What makes Black Christmas still significant to this day is that Jess and Peter’s subplot did not fade into the midst, the story properly took hold of the matter and saturated its gravity into the film. For instance, Jess’ internal conflict is voiced with a maturity that does not deem her ‘irresponsible’ for wanting to terminate her pregnancy, nor bound to the patriarchy for wanting to keep the child. Black Christmas allows Jess room to breathe as a character, and to be morally multifaceted. The nuanced exploration adds a certain depth to the film that aids its transcendence as a true classic.

The slasher genre is ballooned with an array of treasured films including but not limited to: ‘Scream’(1996), ‘Friday the 13th’ (1980), and ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ (1984). Alongside this is a barrage of slashers that do not hold a flame to the key players, the ones that slipped through the cracks, and for good reasons why. To create a meaningful slasher there need to be the obvious, blanket positives across all films – a soundtrack with a dramatic flair that adds buoyancy to the tension, interesting story hooks that drop intriguing twists and turns, and a form of memorability that typically manifests within the main villain, often a masked, cunning and nefarious being. Black Christmas, ticks all of these boxes whilst still maintaining a unique, savviness that allows it to be a jolt to the expected elements, even on a contemporary watch. 

Unlike the famed cloak-shrouded, claw-gloved, hockey-masked monsters of slashers (with goodwill, we here at Dead Northern are massive admirers of the mentioned villains), the primary antagonist in Black Christmas, later known as ‘Billy’ (Nick Mancuso), is largely physically unidentifiable, with his motives, nature and complexities also being concealed. Billy’s anonymity is a large part of the film’s disturbing nature, with him not only naturally gaining an omnipresent aura of terror, but also an air of uncertainty as to how his reign of terror is resolved. There is no unfolding backstory over the whole course of the narrative where bread crumbs can be left for his capture, nor is there a resolute understanding of what he wants, the end goal, and what can make him stop. He is a force of chaotic and sporadic violence that can taunt anyone and everyone. 

The film’s conclusion nods to Billy still being on the prowl, despite the incessant ploys, fights and will to put an end to his madness. Billy’s unrelenting pursuit is demonstrative of Black Christmas’ legacy in cinema. The film marks the top of many slasher “listicles”. Its structure catalysed the subgenre that we know and love today. Black Christmas has spawned a desirable endowment to horror, with the film even spawning two further entries with the quintessential 2000’s ‘Black Christmas’ (2006), and the not as popular ‘Black Christmas’ (2019). Fans even joined together to make a mini feature titled ‘’It’s Me, Billy: A Black Christmas Fan Film’ (2021), which was followed by the sequel ‘It’s Me, Billy Chapter 2’ (2024). 

Bob Clark’s masterly composition of a Christmas-themed slasher is a seminal work that has stood the test of time for fifty years, with its impact surely lasting many more decades. The film is an emotionally complex touchstone of precisely what a festive, bloodied yule-tide bonanza should be – dark, mysterious, contemplative and a celebration of all things horror.

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Retrospectives Reviews Top Horror

Remembering Tony Todd

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Tony Todd’s extensive career traverses across film, television and theatre, with the actor surpassing over 100 credits. His remarkable decades-long career is a testament to his captivating, and at times chilling talents. His dedication for all things performance has crafted a devoted fan base who have followed his many powerhouse accounts in some of cinema’s most iconic roles. 

It was during his university days studying theatre that Todd honed in on his overt stage presence, learning to immerse oneself in the role and become synonymous with the script – a facet that would long follow Todd throughout dozens of performances. It was in 1986 that Todd would get his ‘big break’ in Oliver Stone’s Platoon, the Academy Award winning film that saw Todd play the emotionally grounded Sergeant Warren. Shortly after, Todd’s on-screen presence began to thrive, picking up countless, yet still meaningful and powerful roles that would cement him as the icon that he remains today despite his passing on November 6th 2024. 

In commemoration of who is unarguably one of horror’s greatest icons, Dead Northern presents a retrospective of Tony Todd’s career. 

Night of the Living Dead (1990) 

George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968) is one of the most pinnacle horror films to grace the screen, which consequently means that initially the 1990 remake was received with quite the touch of contention. Despite the mixed reaction, the film has blossomed into a fan favourite, with the similarities of the original and remake being continually referred to. The textual difference between the two is minimal with the script and plot points essentially being a mirror image. Another similarity is the emotional depth and commentary within the film, with both features being reminiscent of societal inequities and systemic qualities. Such an emboldened film with all of these crucial elements needs a strong lead, which in 1968 was headed by the character of Ben (Duane Jones), who proved exceptional as the pragmatic source of compassionate authority of the story. 

In other words, Todd had ‘big boots to fill’. Todd’s revisioning of the prominent ‘Ben’, infused that quintessential warmness and groundedness that Jones so brilliantly portrayed, but Todd added that theatrical flare of emotional intensity that spoke to his gravitas as a performer. He was a lead character in every sense. Todd’s ‘Ben’ dominated the screen, steering the narrative with his outwardly expressive acting that cinematically took over Todd; as if the two people, one fictitious and one real, fused to be one. Contemporaneous opinions towards Night of the Living Dead often cite Todd’s enigmatic spark that makes for an objectively entertaining watch. 

Candyman (1992) 

“Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candyman…” Todd’s biggest role is unarguably the titular, bee-swarming, dominating Candyman, the vengeful entity who viciously murders anyone who dares summon him by saying his name five times in front of a mirror. 

The premise of Candyman first appeared in notorious horror writer Clive Barker’s anthology series ‘Books of Blood’, in the entry ‘The Forbidden’ (1985). The story was originally set in Barker’s native Liverpool, UK. and emulating the British class system as a horror vessel, however, after the rights were obtained director and writer Bernard Rose began to recognise similarities between the urban areas of Liverpool and housing projects in Chicago, Illinois. With the new setting came new opportunities to expand the story and reflect the area more appropriately, just as Barker’s original narrative mediated on the specificities within Liverpool at the time. The Americanisation of the story saw the real housing project ‘Cabrini-Green’ become the primary setting for the film to play out. The estate was a largely impoverished area that was essentially abandoned of care by the state, leading to high crime rates. 

Through this modification, the lore behind Candyman changed. Candyman became the ghost of the 19th century born Daniel Robitaille, an African-American painter who was cruelly tortured to death by an angry lynch mob who cut off his hand with a rusted blade before covering him in honey and setting a swarm of bees on him. This death trap was the consequence of an interracial affair. Tragedy, injustice and ill-will anchors this story, consequently, whoever played Candyman needed an intrinsic aura of intensity, the ability to play a tarnished soul, one that is integral in its mission to inflict the most formidable of frights, whilst still maintaining a sincerity that is both hard and rare to achieve. 

The studio originally sought after Eddie Murphy (which is retrospectively baffling after Todd’s signature spin on the role), yet they were unable to afford the actor’s salary. Whilst the studio hunted for blockbuster stars, Rose had another actor in mind who he saw in the TV movie ‘The Ivory Hunters’(1990); in fact the filmmaker was so set on this performer that he did not want to see anyone else audition. To no surprises, the person in question was none other than the soon-to-be Candyman himself – Tony Todd. 

From day one Todd was dedicated to the role, he refused to make this ominous antagonist just another ‘boogeyman’, not another monstrous brick in the movie wall. Alternatively, Todd digested the heartfeltness behind the villainy and the stark, almightyness that came from Candyman’s reign of terror. Often, Todd would refer to his character as being tonally similar to ‘The Phantom’ from the famed and similarly artful, ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ musical – Todd really was ever the theatre fanatic! 

Todd continued to play Candyman for 29 years, from the very first screen adaption all the way through to its sequel, ‘Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh’ (1995), the third and trilogy-making entry ‘Candyman 3: Day of the Dead’ (1999), followed by the franchises latest feature ‘Candyman’ (2021). It is quite the rarity for the same actor to play the same major movie villain for every franchise feature, but it is definitely not surprising, particularly considering that Todd possesses the unique capabilities of capturing a melancholic ferocity with a sense of genuinity. Not to mention Todd’s notorious physical stature, with his 6’5” height and broadness immediately dominating the frame with an uneasy sense of authority, alongside his deep voice that makes that classic Candyman catchline “Be My Victim” sound so haunting and bone chilling. 

Final Destination (2000)

After the release of Candyman, Todd was adorned as a horror icon, amassing cameos in the likes of genre essentials ‘The Crow’ (1994) and ‘Wishmaster’ (1997), followed by a role in the first entry of the now major movie franchise ‘Final Destination’. Todd portrays William Bludworth, a mortician who can be described as one of the film’s critical players in the grand and complex lore behind the omniscient character of ‘Death’ within the films. Todd’s dramatic cadance and resonance transforms his role from being one of a simple ‘exposition teller’ to an amalgamated blend of a ‘voice of god’ being, a narrator and a cautionary figure, an oracle even. 

Although his physical screen time is not excessive, Todd’s performance was commended by the films fandom, leading to him returning to the role for ‘Final Destination 2’ (2003) and ‘Final Destination 5’ (2011). Although he does not appear as Bludworth in the fourth entry, he does make a sneaky cameo in ‘Final Destination 3’ (2006) as the voice of an animatronic devil for the film’s rollercoaster opening scene. As of recent years, Todd reprised his role of the ‘death teller’ in the upcoming and long awaited ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ (2025). Bloodlines is said to have a different approach to the typical setup of the previous instalments, with the film being not necessarily a sequel, nor a prequel, but a slight reboot. 

Todd’s character has been part of many Final Destination conspiracies, which include Bludworth being the evil mastermind behind the in-film ‘Death’s Design’ (which determines the entire plot device of one being unable to escape their fate). Lately fans have been speculating this theory even more in anticipation of ‘Bloodlines’ release, both due to it being revealed that the film will delve into Bludworth’s backstory, and due to the connection between Bludworth’s surname and the film’s title. Bloodlines? Bludworth? It’s a far fetched claim, but in the world of Final Destination, anything is possible. 

Hatchet (2006) 

Besides Final Destination, Todd made many appearances in a string of horror movies, including but not limited to: Murder Set Pieces (2004), Minotour (2006), Shadow Dead Riot (2006), Shadow Puppets (2007), The Eden Formula (2006), Dark Reel (2008), Bryan Loves You (2008), Nite Tales: The Movie (2008), Penance (2009) and The Graves (2009), and lastly, Adam Green’s, Hatchet (2006). 

Hatchet saw Todd play the swamp tour guide on the Bayou, Reverend Zombie, which Todd played with a brilliantly sardonic tone. His take on the tour guide was brief, but effective enough to return as one of the lead character’s in its sequel Hatchet II (2010). The sequel sees Todd in a larger role as Rev. Zombie. This time his actions are akin to that of a domino effect that sets the entire plot in motion. 

Todd’s capabilities as an actor has seen him lead diverse career that stands tall to this day, with his talents resembling that of a caldron mixing together the emotional sensibility of a stage actor who can dish out every line with such gravity, whilst also possessing that timeless physical dominance needed to play his in-depth characters. Despite Todd’s recent passing, it can be assured that his time on-screen will long live on. 

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Dead Northern 2024 festival review – The Blair Witch Project (1999) 25 year anniversary screening

The Blair Witch Project opens with the infamous title card announcing the disappearances of three student filmmakers. What follows is the discovered footage of what went on during the fatal trip, culminating in their mysterious and unexplainable vanishings. Legend has it, the trio’s bodies have never been found…

In 1993, film students Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez began to recognise a pattern – they found documentaries on the paranormal far surpassed the fear factor staged by traditional horror cinema. After years of passing the idea of a scripted supernatural documentary around, they (along with Gregg Hale, Robin Cowie and Michael Monello) started the production company ‘Haxan Films’, which, for those who picked up on this detail, yes, Haxan comes from the infamous docu horror Häxan (1922).

With the production company garnering a small money pot from producing corporate and commercial videos, the crew set ahead to get the ball rolling on the long-awaited pseudo-documentary. The premise of something strange, dark and mysterious being real, particularly within its presentation, is terrifying.

Fiction is escapable and, more often than not, non-threatening past the screen. However, the immersive, replicative, and first-hand perspective of vérité cinema can provoke the viewer to suspend their belief and mediate reality into the fictitious narrative. Whilst the contemporary commonality of reality-coded horror falters the chances of the cinematic events being perceived as real, in 1999, this was groundbreaking and convincing to audiences. As such, Myrick and Sánchez weaponised the diegetic camera brilliantly utilised by previous filmmakers such as Shirley Clarke, Ruggero Deodato and Satoru Ogura and created one of the most infamous horror movies of all time. 

At the start of production, the focus characters, Heather Donahue (now Rei Hance), Michael C. Williams and Joshua Leonard, were all informed that this was not an archetypal experience. The screenplay was 35 pages long, but the content was more stage directions, with the directors opting for the dialogue to materialise from improvisation. The footage was primarily shot by the three characters on a Hi8 camcorder, enhancing the amateur feel and consequently embedding the sense that these personalities on screen are genuinely filming a documentary. Further detaching the cast from the facets of their actions belonging to a broader project is the actions of genuine contention arisen by the crew behind the scenes.

As the actors would essentially be left alone to record the loose script, the cast would be given clues as to where their following location would be via secret messages located inside 35mm film cans. This would often lead to the trio becoming lost and hostile with one another about their directions. A few of these squabbles were left in the final cut of the film but cut around to match the context of being lost amidst the horror of the plot. The directing duo would also make the characters traverse extensive journeys throughout the day, heightening the already low mood and making them irate. As one last push to both blur the lines of fiction and reality and weaponise what the filmmakers coined ‘method filmmaking’, when the night drew close, and the cast could unwind, the crew would show up unannounced and play creepy pranks, all before whittling down their food supply each day. 

The sick, twisted, and undoubtedly cruel tactics resulted in raw footage that, regardless of the scripted mythos of witchery, was an authentic portrayal of people reaching the brink, hitting their peak and unleashing wraths of turmoil and anger over the dreaded scenario. With such a defiant approach to achieving the filmic goal, it is no surprise that the immediate reception was primarily one of praise, with many outlets applauding the innovativeness and ‘less is more’ approach towards the antagonistic force.

On the other hand, the media also reported on the buzz the film received at its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival (1999), where audience members were fainting and vomiting at the dizzying handheld, motion-sickness-provoking cinematography. However, as any horror fan knows, festival drama and antics over the gruesomeness of horror is a good sign of quality gnarly, horrid and shocking filmmaking. As the film’s now notorious reception was building, a secondary force of conversation was budding amongst audiences. 

A key detail in The Blair Witch Project’s reputation is its marketing campaign. Prior to the premiere, the film launched a website which featured fake police reports and newsreel-esque interviews seeking to find the ‘missing’ students. However, the most ‘alarming’ snippet showcased a missing poster of Heather, Michael and Josh, complete with the standard height, age and weight typical to a genuine missing person flyer.

It was one thing that the film purported its diegesis to be one of pure authenticity, but if there were any ‘unconvinced’ spectators were not buying the ‘truth’, Myers and Sánchez would keep up the act off-screen, pretending that the film’s festival screenings were motivated by wanting to get the message out there about the disappearances; even going as far to distribute print outs of the missing poster to audience members. The final flourish regards how the official IMDB page listed the performers as “missing, presumed dead”! Although the internet did not have the colloquial sharing aspect nailed to a fine art in terms of sharing and speculating as it does today, the film managed to go ‘viral’. 

It took Myrick and Sánchez seven years from the initial idea to the premiere at Sundance, proving that whilst independent cinema can involve intensive labour that is a marathon, not a sprint, indie horror can turn passion and creativity into payoff. In the last twenty-five years, The Blair Witch Project’s reputation is still thriving, with the film spawning comic books, video games and two sequels, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000) and Blair Witch (2016), as well as an array of parodies, including the criminally underrated Scooby Doo Halloween Special – The Scooby Doo Project (1999).

What comes with such notoriety is a sense of familiarity. Even if a non-horror fan were to come across imagery from the film, they would immediately recognise where the callback originated. It could even be said that those who have never seen the movie can distinguish the continuous references made to the film in pop culture. Think of the infamous extreme close-up of Heather trembling with fear, looking straight into the lens, essentially saying her goodbyes, or the shot of Mike standing, staring at the wall as if in a trance, with Heather screaming bloody murder in the background. 


The Blair Witch Project is akin to a landmark, standing proudly in a brimming genre, with its history and legacy granting it a place against all of the greats before and many of the classics yet to come.

You can catch the film Friday 27th September at this years festival, tickets here!

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Retrospective – The Crow (1994)

The Crow is perhaps one of the best films of the mid-1990s. It wows audiences and critics alike and has cemented itself as a definitive classic for the ages. As the film celebrates its 30th anniversary, let’s dive into the turbulent world of grungy, vengeance-seeking chaos, gothic aesthetics, rocky sequels, and the tragic production of The Crow. 

On Devil’s Night, the night before All Hallows Eve, rock musician Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) is murdered after his fiance, Shelly (Sofia Shinas), is brutally attacked by a group of vicious men the night before the couple’s wedding. However, in a twist of events, Eric rises from the dead and embarks on a violent mission for vengeance. 

The idea for this twisted and gritty thriller was first conceived by comic artist James O’Barr in the early 1980s as a way of him dealing with his own fiancée meeting her demise at the hands of a drunk driver. Brimming with anger, O’Barr poured himself into this tale of revenge and hurt, which would eventually be released in 1989 after it was shelved for several years. With the burgeoning popularity of the series, O’Barr was contacted by studios hoping to adapt the story into a feature film. However, that idea was scrapped after executives wanted to transform the film into a musical starring none other than Michael Jackson. Whilst music did eventually play a large part in The Crow, the striking change in layout shut down any initial hopes of adapting the comic books. Eventually, The Crow resurfaced and was brought to the attention of writer John Shirley, who admired The Crow’s haunting style as O’Barr had originally envisioned, leading to a fleshed-out script that was ready to film. Although there were some bumps along the way, with Shirley leaving the production and David J. Schow being brought in for rewrites, the film finally took way. 

Casting the role of the lead, Eric Draven, was crucial to the film’s success. The character needed to be at equal levels of dark, mysterious, dangerous, and crazed, but whilst still remaining almost burdened with a deep level of empathy and emotional vulnerability. It was a challenge that the development crew had originally thought either big names such as Christian Slater or River Phoenix could tackle, but it was Brandon Lee who was graced with this career-defining role. Lee, son of legendary martial arts figure Bruce Lee, had appeared in a small string of feature films such as Legacy of Rage (1986) and Laser Mission (1989) prior to filming, but The Crow was his ‘big break’ into mainstream cinema.

It is well known how immersed Lee became in the role, dedicating his physical strength to losing 20 pounds to slim down for the character of Eric. As well as helping choreograph his own fight scenes with long-time friend and fellow martial artist Jeff Imada. The film was going full throttle, with its fantastic lead and a brilliant story shaping up to be a future success. However, on the 31st March 1993, tragedy struck as Lee was fatally wounded on set. During a scene which showed Eric being shot by the thug gang, a prop shotgun was fired by co-star Michael Massee. The revolver was supposed to be filled with commercially made and checked dummy cartridges that could not cause harm or injury. Devastatingly, the prop department forwent the cartridges purchase and made their own by extracting real bullets, ridding the gunpowder charge and then loading the magazine with the doctored ‘dummies’. The crux, however, is that the crew did not extract the primer, which meant that the bullet could detonate with substantial force, essentially acting as a normal, lethal bullet. 

The scene in question required Massee to stand about 11-15 feet in front of Lee and shoot him in the midsection. The actions were taken, the trigger was pulled, and director Alex Proyas yelled ‘cut’. Tragically, Lee did not stand up, and it was realised that the weapon was actually discharged. After great difficulty and negotiations, the film commenced after a break to mourn the great Lee, with the fatal scene being wiped and replaced. 

Upon its release, The Crow was met with favourable reviews, particularly concerning what was essentially Lee’s swan song in the industry. The prowess he held in playing such a multifaceted character spoke to the complexity of his talents and ultimately was one of the leading determining factors in the film’s long-running success. Further praise was garnered due to The Crow’s stylistics, which to this day is still as deserving of applause as it was then. The film has an aura of morbid, gothic grunginess that coats each visual with a textualness that can be described as a leather-clad, steampunk-esque and moody journey into darkness. Much of the film’s imagery is complemented by the scoring, which features music from The Cure, Rage Against the Machine, Stone Temple Pilots, Nine Inch Nails, and Pantera. The Crow’s central theme, ‘Burn’ by The Cure, summarises the film’s inspiration and subsequent influence on goth culture, with the edgy luridness emulating the film’s macabre and pained portrayal of vexed sorrow.

Seconding the dynamic power of the soundtrack is the costume and design, which showed Eric draped in his iconic black trenchcoat and the signature face paint, which Lee would actually do himself every day of the shoot. The cinematic origins of Eric’s appearance originate after he is resurrected from the dead, where he takes inspiration from a masquerade mask complete with blackened paint smeared around the eyes and lips, with vertical and horizontal stripes exaggerating the features, creating an eerie, cosmetic smile across his face. 

Throughout the years of success, The Crow has seen many sequels, which primarily have not been as well received. Just two years after the original, a sequel titled The Crow: City of Angels (1996) premiered, following another revenged paved story. After another two years, a TV series, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven (1998), was enrolled into the growing franchise. The year 2000 saw The Crow: Salvation hit screens with yet another round of generally unfavourable reviews. The final film until this year was released in 2005, The Crow: Wicked Prayer, which once again failed to live up to the triumph of its originator. All of the highs and lows of The Crow franchise lead us to 2024, where the tragic tale of Eric Draven is reignited in a remake directed by Rupert Sanders and starring Bill Skarsgård as the aggrieved widower. 

As the 30th anniversary of The Crow is honoured and the remake looms, it is crucial to remember just how prominent the film is. To say that the film has a cult fandom is an understatement. Instead, The Crow is unbelievably beloved by masses of viewers, many of whom agree that the film’s force is largely at the hands of Lee’s immersive, powerful performance that he was sadly never able to experience on the big screen.

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Retrospective: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

To say that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) helped shape the horror genre as we know and love it today would be an understatement. The film essentially tore through the screen and cascaded its way into the veins of genre cinema and aided in its stellar, magnetising and polarising reputation. Although its 50th anniversary is on the horizon, its reputation as a solid classic has never been more significant. 

The man behind the camera, Tobe Hooper, first conceived the idea for the film in the early seventies whilst he was working as an assistant director at the University of Texas at Austin. Enchanted by the mystery of rural isolation, darkened woods and the macabre nature of the human condition, Hooper took to sketching out film plots. His narrative would mould into shape over the years, but one focus that he kept true throughout was the aspect of real horror. One essence of storied evil came from the crimes by serial killer Ed Gein, whose reign of mutilation and murder gripped the nation since his attacks began in 1950s Wisconsin. 

With a rough idea in mind, Hooper enlisted his friend and fellow film creator Kim Henkel to flesh out what would soon be a titular force in the world of horror. Upon the trials and tribulations of funding, eventually, the pair eventually produced the film for around $140,000. Due to the scope of the project and the somewhat limited budget, the film developed an all-hands-on-deck mentality where the cast and crew gave themselves to a gruelling filming schedule and journey. With a dream of developing a contentious project for the time, the relatively unknown cast was deployed to Texas where they took over a farmhouse and its land where the southern humidity reached temperatures of 43°C; keep in mind that the shooting schedule consisted of 16 hour days, 7 days a week! 

In keeping with the authenticity of it all, the various horror paraphernalia seen throughout the film such as the copious amounts of blood, bones and gore were more often than not real. The blood seen splashed up against the walls in the dreaded farmhouse was real animal blood obtained from slaughterhouses. To further aid in the genuity of it all, the crew would often traverse the local gravel ways of the area to scour and collect the decomposing remains of roadkill and dumped cattle carcases to decorate the set. As if that wasn’t enough, a few scenes refrained from practical effects and opted for unstimulated violence, for example, during one scene a tube was supposed to secrete blood, however, due to technical malfunctions the tube failed, therefore, the lead actress, Marilyn Burns, and Hooper decided it would be best to instead slice her finger open with a razor blade to achieve the desired finish.

 Despite all the antics and devilment that ensued onscreen, the film managed to pull in a successful run at theatres, becoming the twelfth highest-grossing film of 1974. It has been reported that a large part of the film’s success and consequential issues with censorship regimes were owed to its misconception of factuality. The opening title crawl recounts that the film is a real account, based on a ‘true story’, leading to plenty of lore regarding its origins amongst cinemagoers. Eventually, the UK’s classification board, the BBFC, banned the film, citing that it advocated for “abnormal psychology”. It was not until the early 1980s that the film was released on video, however, due to the 1984 video nasties panic, the film was once again removed from public access. 

As the years rolled on and the censorship on horror loosened, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre became one of the most iconic pieces of cinema to exist. Featuring on nearly every ‘best film of all time’ list and garnering a protected and beloved status amongst all, Hooper’s once sordid feature has become a renowned classic. Many readings have circulated about the film, particularly surrounding the final girl philosophy, ‘urbanoia’ hysteria, and how the film spoke to the socio-political landscape at the time. Traversing back to the film’s title crawl – “the film you are about to see is true”, serves great significance in its diegesis. Hooper cites that the falsified warning was reminiscent of the misinformation of truth being spread to civilisation during the 1960s/1970s.

Hooper commented on how the news surrounding the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War led to many believing whatever agenda the press wanted one to believe, with society often overlooking the hidden atrocities at the time. In a similar vein, he also took to explaining how the horror in the film was of man’s creations, not a make-believe creature, again, taking aim at humanity’s own deadliness. As it stands today, fifty years on, this undertone of commentary still remains potent, with the film’s explorations of the transgressive speaking to many of the world’s events as of now. 

Moving onto a more creative framing, the film has served as a baseboard for the slasher genre. Many filmmakers have explicitly stated their inspirational admiration of Texas Chainsaw’, such as Rob Zombie’s Firefly trilogy. One rather obvious locus of devotion to Hooper’s classic is the film’s franchise expansion. The franchise boasts a whopping nine films, along with a successful video game spin-off, comics and books, leading to the series joining the likes of cinematic universes such as Halloween and Friday the 13th. Although some entries remain more successful than others, such as the brilliant Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), the original remains the undefeated champion. 

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s contemporary reception is living proof of its indefinitely popular reception, with the film even being admitted into the Horror Hall of Fame (1990), serving as a recognised exemplary piece of filmmaking. Even aspects that seem elemental in the film still hold great traction after all this time. Think of the iconic character of Leatherface, the great force of antagonism. His character has been under the spotlight for years, with his psyche being analysed and relayed multiple times. Many see his villainy as being a product of his environment, where his actions do not necessarily come from a place of banality, but from a place of misunderstanding. Regardless of his ethos, what stands for many is how he is at the root of much of the film’s stunning aesthetic.

The film’s concluding scene shows Burn’s character, Sally, fleeing from the farmhouse, escaping on the back of a truck whilst Leatherface breaks chase with his chainsaw flinging in the air. There is something so intriguing about the sunset tones and his gruesome mask made out of flesh, along with the understanding that although Sally has escaped, Leatherface and everything he stands for still goes on thriving.

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Twenty Years On – Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Believe it or not, it was a whole twenty moons ago that one of the best horror comedies graced the screen—(yes, 2004 really was that long ago). Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead is a bonafide classic whose edgy humour, offensive charm, and bloodied zombie mayhem have cemented its zealous reputation all these years later. 

Wright’s prized status began in the early 2000s thanks to his directorial efforts in Spaced, a British comedy series starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Jessica Hynes, all of whom feature in Shaun of the Dead. It was from Spaced where Wright and Pegg conceived the idea of their soon-to-be horror hit. It is based on an episode titled ‘Art’, which features Pegg’s character hallucinating a zombie invasion after a prolonged session playing Resident Evil 2. With the pair both being major appreciators of the genre, the duo took their idea of hilarious zombie antics to Film4 before the studio eventually overly condensed the budget and, therefore, broke down certain crucial plot points. With a dream in mind, Wright refused to quit his zombie feature and pursued various studios over a two-year period before Working Title Films finally invested.

The project soon gained traction, casting major names in comedy from television series such as Black Books and The Office. Actors included Peter Serafinowicz, Dylan Moran, Tamsin Greig, Martin Freeman and Lucy Davis, alongside major names in feature films such as Penelope Wilton and Bill Nighy. The star-studded lineup also included a mass of extras playing the ghouls, nearly all of whom were part of fan communities for Spaced that were contacted on their online threads to be a part of a production from the makers of their favourite TV show. With a solid cast and crew, the nine-week filming process began before wrapping up and premiering at a whopping 367 cinemas and staying in the box office top ten for a total of five whole weeks. 

It’s safe to say that audiences went wild for this raucous zombie flick, with its reputation only growing stronger yearly. As it nears its twentieth anniversary, Shaun of the Dead is still making waves, dominating the discourse of satirical horror and creating conversations in the landscape of cinema. In the world of scholarly research and film readings, Shaun of the Dead has dipped its toes into many analytical waters. A popular take is how the film joins the barrage of apocalypse-themed releases from the mid-2000s in response to world events that were becoming frequent in the home with the increasing access to media and news. 

Others suggest that the film is a poetic example of transnational cinema which is commonly found within the UK. The leading players of zombie cinema primarily originated from across the pond, with the likes of George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968) dictating the direction that zombie media followed for years. On the flip side, in Britain, there has been a constant ode to men in comedy who can’t help but make a fool of themselves as they go about gallivanting and making a ruddy nuance of situations – think the likes of Monty Python, Dad’s Army, Only Fools and Horses etc. The combination of Americanised scares and dramatic monstrous ghouls with two-bit but still chucklesome characters makes Shaun of the Dead attract an admiration that many budding filmmakers admire to achieve one day. 

Stepping away from the formalities, Shaun of the Dead thrives in its thematics and ideologies. Shaun of the Dead has a monotonous, gritty quality that takes a slice-of-life approach to an apocalyptic situation, reminiscent of the ‘Keep Calm and Carry on’ motto burned through the British mindset. It was through this niche characteristic that the film’s lampoon-like comedy was able to shine through. As a case in point, whilst writing the script, Wright took inspiration from his own sardonic attitude at times; after having his own late-night gaming session being immersed in the world of horror video games, he took to going for an early morning walk where it could be imagined that half of the public was either coming home dazed from a late night out, or exhaustively treading along, gearing up for the morning shift at work. It’s a scene of mundanity at its finest. With Wright’s brilliant, dry humour at hand, he couldn’t help but think how on Earth Britain would, with all of its chaos and caustic disposition, react if their early morning shenanigans were interrupted by a plague of flesh-hungry undead creatures. 

Discussing Shaun of the Dead without mentioning a certain dessert-named cinematic series would be criminal. This zom-com is the first entry into the acclaimed and fantastically named ‘The Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy’, followed by the ‘great er good’ Hot Fuzz (2007) and the sci-fi-esque The World’s End (2013). Ironically, the coining of the Cornetto only came to fruition long after Shaun of the Dead’s release; It was during the promotional stages of Hot Fuzz, where Cornetto’s were given as an aperitif, that led to Pegg and Wright wanting to include the beloved ice cream treat into further films. It may seem akin to a superficial, silly joke, yet the rambunctious nature of developing inside jokes led to the trilogy, particularly Shaun of the Dead, retrospectively developing an intriguing interpretation. The films are all comprised of out of their depth individuals tackling a massive issue at hand and growing as people, but not necessarily (and comedically deliberate) maturing in their adolescent-like ways.  

The development of Shaun of the Dead includes a comic strip titled ‘There’s Something About Mary’ for 2000 AD, the applauded comic magazine. Following this was IDW Publishing’s several-issue adaptation of the horror, with drawings from Zack Howard and writings by Chris Ryall. That’s not to mention the various special edition physical media releases and collectable action figures. Alongside this was Clark Collis’ book ‘You’ve Got Red on You: How Shaun of the Dead Was Brought to Life’ (2021), which details interviews with cast and crew, storyboards and behind-the-scenes insights.

Even just a few years back, the humble humour of Shaun of the Dead shone once again during the lockdown periods in the UK, with Shaun’s iconic ‘plan’ becoming somewhat of a motto for folks at home. For reminder’s sake, Shaun comes up with a simple action plan to tackle the ole zombie issue: “Take car. Go to Mum’s. Kill Phil-“Sorry”-grab Liz, go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all of this to blow over”. The short, snappy and quintessentially British dialogue resurfaced via Pegg and Frost themselves as they put a modern spin on the plan by putting emphasis on staying home (avoiding the Winchester this time).

Shaun of the Dead’s legacy speaks for itself, with nearly every ‘best of horror’ list devoting a spot to this must-see film. This immeasurably hilarious take on a monster movie still garners a laugh-a-minute reaction from viewers, no matter how many times they’ve pressed play on this unmissable, culturally significant, and pivotal piece of cinema.

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40 years on – Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter

Friday the 13th – genre-defining, monumental, and dare it be said, ‘totally iconic’. These are just some of the descriptors denoted to this mammoth of a horror franchise. With 12 entries to the series name, it can be challenging to define all of the films; however, amongst all of the slasherific and certainly unique films, there does seem to be an entry that repeatedly stands out. Joseph Zito’s Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984). 

A group of teens travel to Camp Crystal Lake for a weekend of debaucheries, but things soon go array when Jason Voorhees shows up to his stomping grounds to cause chaos. With this traditional storyline comes a shed of archetypal bloodshed where graphic kills and splatter-filled jumpscares dominate the screen. The Final Chapter is a bonafide classic, but it very nearly ceased to exist as Friday the 13th Part III (1982) was due to complete the Jason trilogy. That was until producer Frank Mancuso, Jr. became hellbent on killing off Jason once and for all. Mancuso worked on both Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) and Part III, where it was widely reported that he felt his complex and crucial inputs as a production assistant and then producer were not taken seriously enough. In response to this, he recruited Zito, director of the 1981 slasher The Prowler to end the series under his terms. With this, Zito along with Manuso’s backing ended up conjuring one of Friday the 13th’s best films. 

Complicit in this reputation is the film’s exceptional imagery that was made at the hands of legendary effects artist, Tom Savini. In The Final Chapter, Savini (known within the Friday the 13th universe for his visceral creation of Jason in the first film), tackled the likes of macheted necks, head twisting, pitchfork stabbings, crucifixion, meat-cleaver hackings and smashed faces. All of these were done with such vivid brutality that elevates the chaotic wildness of it all into genuinely intense, skin-crawling displays of pure depravity that show the brutish capabilities of Jason. Interestingly enough, the film’s evidential flare for the creativity of these depictions goes far beyond the surface, with the film’s primary protagonist having a spiritual tie to Savini. 

Although The Final Chapter chronicles the aforementioned quintessential motley crew of youngsters dying at the hands of slasher’s favourite boogeyman, the film has an interwoven secondary line of narrative following the Jarvis family. Residing next door to the teens is Tommy Jarvis (Corey Feldman), his sister Trish (Kimberly Beck), and their mother (Joan Freeman), all of whom must face the wrath of Jason. Tommy’s ability to think on the spot and get inside the mind of Jason has allowed him to become somewhat of a staple member of the franchise, with his character starring in a total of three Friday the 13th films. Throughout his first appearance, Tommy makes quite the impression thanks to his eclectic personality. Tommy has an affinity for all things practical effects, making masks and prosthetics out of anything he could get his hands on, just as it is documented Savini did during his younger years. 

Tommy’s blossoming artistry and innovation is what beckons the film’s applauded conclusion. After copious events unfold, a hammer wielding Jason breaks into the Jarvis’, but just as he’s about to land a fatal blow on the terrified Trish, Tommy saves the day. It transpires that Tommy has found old newspaper clippings detailing Jason’s disfigured face and the horrid past that led to his vengeance. In a quick attempt to stir the psyche of the beast, Tommy hastily shaves his head, resembling a young Jason. Despite the grave risk, his plan roars triumphantly as Jason is captured and almost immediately gravitates with a childlike innocence towards Tommy, seeing his younger self alive and well. However, Jason’s fever dream is quickly interrupted as Trish brings down the machete to his head, knocking off his infamous hockey mask to reveal a horribly warped face before he stumbles to the ground as Tommy seemingly reaches madness and further pummels him into oblivion.

Tommy undergoes a terribly traumatic transformation to save the day. Essentially, he becomes one with the monster, which is only exaggerated by his rampant attack, overkill even, on Jason after the villain’s lifeless body flops to the floor. Prior to this scene Tommy discovers the tragic backstory that catalysed Jason’s descent; seeing this paired with his transformation of embodying the monster and then relishing in the demise all unleashes a beast hidden deep within Tommy that may have otherwise remained locked up. 

The film’s finale sees Tommy stare blankly into the camera with a chilling coldness that mirrors Jason’s exact dispassion for human existence. The figurative expression towards Jason and Tommy’s symbiosis opens the film up to a world of possibilities that rings familiar to the first Friday the 13th’s retrospective analysis with all of its discussion about the horrors of maternal devotion. The Final Chapter is steeped in a seriousness that is not easy to craft as efficiently and naturally Zito has. The film still has that primitive nastiness to it that has horror hounds howling at the screen, yet the film is not one long novelty act that aims to solely appease the senses. It does not over extend its analytical gravity to the point of pretentiousness, but it is not afraid of baring its teeth and taking a bite into the critical details.

Even from a retrospective point of view, the film exercises a balance that is notoriously difficult to achieve; it creates a world of lore and backstory without over complicating and propelling the film away from its slasher roots that everyone has come to know and love. As of this year, The Final Chapter completes its 40th year around the sun, and yet, the film seems to have only gotten better. It has been a solid 15 years since the last Friday the 13th film was released. Considering that the next entry would be the ‘13th’ number, a possibly brilliant jumping step would be taking inspiration from the absolute fan favourite classic that is Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter…

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Top Ten Video Nasties

Dead Northern picks its ‘Top Ten Video Nasties’, in celebration of our new monthly event ‘Nasty Video Club’!

10 – Tenebrae (Directed by Dario Argento, 1982) 

Throughout Dario Argento’s lengthy career, he has become synonymous with the Giallo subgenre of horror cinema, known for its hyper-stylised, theatrical films that focused on the fantasticality of the narrative. Whilst the video nasties have become heavily linked to slashers, an era of cinema that many forget is heavily twinned with the nasties is Giallo. One of the must-see films within this confine is Tenebrae, a stunning yet dramatically horrific tale of deceit and betrayal. Surprisingly, Tenebrae remained on the list until 1999; however, unlike many of the list’s entries, Tenebrae still managed to gain quite a reputation despite its censorship in the UK.

What propels Tenebrae into the video nasties hall of fame is the film’s most bloody and glorious scene, featuring a sudden axe attack which shows the victim flail her bloody, axe-wounded arm across an entire sterile white-coloured kitchen, painting the walls with bright red. As with many Giallo films, Tenebrae is a pure feat for the eyes, basking in the glory of beautifully morbid visuals and creating scenes that stand the test of time. 

9- Blood Feast (Directed by Herschell Gordon, 1963) 

Blood Feast is the oldest film on the video nasties list and one of the most underrated entries. The Herschell Gordon directed film is a junior feat from the early days of the splatter era. It is known for its pure bloodshed and frenzied chaos that focuses on heavy gore and violence, with the film’s storyline coming second to the visuals. Blood Feast fleshes out a myriad of themes, from cannibalism and ceremonial feasts to a whodunit mystery showcasing authorities trying their darndest to work out who is the culprit causing all of the murderous madness.

Whilst many video nasties have gone on to become outstanding classics, with burgeoning reputations following in its wake, Blood Feast has yet to reach this acclaimed status. Many horror icons, including none other than Stephen King, have gone on to declare their disdain for this film, yet, there is something so moreish about this 1960s classic. Indeed, the performances are not entirely polished, nor is the dialogue anything outstanding. However, Blood Feast belongs to that homegrown, grassroots string of horror that gives credence to independent filmmaking.

8- The Driller Killer (Directed by Abel Ferrara, 1979) 

The Driller Killer screams ‘video nasties’. Everything about the film is entwined with what the nasty list epitomises; it has a catchy name, countless instances of violence, and is an all-around whale of a time. The film had one of the more severe punishments during the nasty reign, with the slasher not being reinstated until 2002 and belonging to the prosecuted section of the list.

However, the gore is so overtly over the top that any form of realism is entirely stripped, yet it is within this fantasticality that The Driller Killer shines. The flagrant score overpowers the dialogue at times, and the animated acting that thrives alongside the ludicrous character decisions propels the film into typical ‘nasty’ terrain where excessiveness trumps quality. 

7- The Burning (Directed by Tony Maylam, 1981) 

During the early 1980s, there was a massive boom in the horror market, with slashers, splatters, and gorefests rallying in the crowds and making financial waves in the process. Studios were desperate to capitalise on the success, with The Burning’s campsite premise eventually gaining interest. Upon its release, reviews were mixed, with horror still being a critically contentious subject. Despite The Burning not capturing critics’ attention, the film drew interest from the censorship board, which made excessive cuts for the cinema release. As the nasty epidemic grew, The Burning caused further outrage despite the public being openly allowed to watch it in theatres years prior. It was not until 2002 that audiences could watch The Burning in its full glory, with all of its murderous mayhem.


6- The Funhouse (Directed by Tobe Hooper, 1981) 

Tobe Hooper is known for the one and only Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), the quintessential piece of horror history. However, The Funhouse still remains a criminally underrated diamond from his extensive filmography. The film is a terrifying circus of what happens when a carnival turns deadly, with the fairground antics collaborating with the multiple slayings, impalements, and electrocutions. Compared to its fellow comrades on the list, The Funhouse had an easy ride, obtaining a cinema release years prior and then being released uncut in 1987.


5- Dead & Buried (Directed by Gary Sherman, 1981)

For a gruesome video nasty with an abundance of visceral gore and ghastly frights, Dead & Buried has an incredibly gripping story that keeps audiences on their toes with immense amounts of suspense and tension. The writing duo Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett are at the hands of the grasping script. Amongst their credits are Return of the Living Dead (1985), Total Recall (1990), and the original story for Alien (1979). The film oozes relentless excitement, with each twist and turn complimenting the gnaly practical effects.


4- The Last House on the Left (Directed by Wes Craven, 1972) 

Prior to A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and Scream (1996), there was the utterly savage, brutal, and unforgettable The Last House on the Left. This 1970s classic based on Ingmar Bergman’s The Virgin Spring (1960) is a film that was deemed so barbaric that the BBFC did not release the full uncut version until 2008, not to mention the several post-nasties campaigns fighting against the release appeals made against the film for decades.

In decoding the film, there are a plethora of reasons raised as to why it remains just as disturbing now as it did decades ago, namely the realism that Craven applies to depict the horror. Despite the offbeat, out-of-place soundtrack and questionable acting, the events are beyond harrowing thanks to the unflinching camera that aims to show as much terror as humanly possible. 

3- The Beyond (Directed by Lucio Fulci, 1981)

Another giallo classic to round off the list is The Beyond, a certified Lucio Fulci must-see. With The Beyond being the second entry in his ‘Gates of Hell’ trilogy (also including City of The Living Dead [1980] and The House by the Cemetary [1981]), its of no surprise that the film induces a blood-curdling, white-knuckled ride into delightful frights.

The Beyond’s contemporary cult reception is a warm welcome considering its contentious release, with the film not receiving an uncut release in the UK until 2001, as well as it not being available for public viewing until 1996 in the U.S.

2- Possession (Directed by Andrzej Żuławski, 1981)

Known as one of the most unhinged horror film’s from the eighties’ due to the infamous ‘tunnel scene’ is Possession, a European, graphic horror with an art-house flare that can only be described as eccentrically bizarre. Unlike many films that have a beginning, middle, end, rounded up with a solid conclusion, Possession ends with even more questions raised. To add to the narrative connundrem is the aforementioned tunnel escapade, which is a stunning exercise into how crucial performances can be in attaining affect. The film is definitely not for the faint of heart, eyes, or mind!

1- The Evil Dead (Directed by Sam Raimi, 1981)

Considering The Evil Dead’s contemporary reception, it can be easily forgotten how controversial the film was at the time of its release. Raimi’s deadite adventures has not faltered at the hands of time whatsoever, with every inch of the film being just as entertaining now, if not more, than when it first hit the screens.

Everything, from the chilling dialogue sung and screamed by the evil creatures, the unforgettable tree sequence, the first word read from the Necronomicon, and Ash’s (Bruce Campbell) iconic catchphrases is an essential part of horror film history. If there was the ultimate entry from the video nasty list, The Evil Dead will always be crowned winner.

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Retrospective – Fifty years on – The Wicker Man (1973)

One of genre cinema’s biggest classics meets its 50th anniversary this year. Within these past five decades, the already beloved hit has managed to soar further than ever and gain a reputation that many films can only dream of. The grand slam in question is none other than Robin Hardy’s The Wicker Man (1973). 

The Wicker Man follows Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) as he lands on the grounds of Summerisle, a small Scottish island, to investigate the disappearance of a child. Howie’s puritan ways are tested after being shocked at the Islander’s worship of pagan Celtic gods and behaving in an open frivolous manner, leading Howie to suspect that something suspicious lurks around the corner. 

This eerie, dark, and bewitching descent into the greatest monster of them all, humanity, is a momentous feat in the world of folk horror, the genre responsible for creating the most haunting of films. In an ode to classic folk horror, The Wicker Man battles with evil grounds, sordid land and its lust for sacrifice. The 1970s hit thrives in these quintessential folkloric themes that have been utilised and weaponised for decades, yet rather than the film weaken overtime with multiple watches; it manages only to get better, which is equally thanks to the stellar performances and the film‘s unique method of building fear. 

Production began in the early ‘70’s after the film’s screenwriter Anthony Shaffer and acclaimed actor/ Hammer Horror legend Christopher Lee began discussing the potential to collaborate on a film that went against the grain of the popular trend of ‘monster movies’. Soon joining Lee and Shaffer was the eventual director Robin Hardy, who was more than on board with creating a horror film surrounding cult and mythology. Looking for inspiration, Shaffer brought David Pinner’s 1967 novel Ritual to the table, which chronicled a religious police officer who travels to a small village looking to solve a sacrificial murder. After negotiations, Pinner sold the rights and production ensued. 

For any ‘Ritual’ fans, it may be noted that The Wicker Man is not a direct adaption of the book, but more of a starting point, with the film, eventually forming into a tale about the woes and intrigue of paganism. The Wicker Man poses that the screen did not need to be filled with blood, guts, and gore to obtain a genuinely horrifying response from its audience. Instead, the terror alludes to the animalistic and horrific nature of the Summerisle residents. The film raises its atmosphere solely through methods of intent and interpretation, letting the viewer’s imagination conjure it. Despite how unnerving The Wicker Man’s conclusion may be, the lasting atmosphere is not one of disgust but deep-seated fear and trepidation that the most peaceful environments hold the darkest secrets. 

With Lee already on board, they needed to cast the role of Sergeant Howie, the hard-mannered officer. When actors Michael York and David Hemmings declined the role, the reputable television actor Edward Woodward was welcomed onboard. With a solid story and an even sturdier cast under its belt, The Wicker Man began filming mainly along the Scottish coast before wrapping up and editing, which is a whole story within its own right…

From a contemporary perspective, many can confirm that The Wicker Man is a ‘perfect’ movie with no noticeable flaws. However, the post-production indeed travelled across rocky terrain. The studio, British Lion Films, had bought the film, and after seeing the ‘burning man’ conclusion, they demanded heavy cuts to the ending as Howie’s death was too horrid to put on screen. They suggested that the scene should continue, but instead, halfway through, a sudden downpour should occur in which the rainstorm puts out the fire. Luckily enough, the crew outright refused to make this edit and instead negotiated to cut out roughly twenty minutes of build-up scenes. 

Adding to the turbulent release journey was the film’s lost footage. After the film had been released, Hardy was determined to restore his vision to its original edit, seeking the complete, original footage to restore it fully. However, he was informed that the negatives were lost, that is, until director Roger Corman (and one of the previous potential distributors) still had a copy, saving the day and leading to a ninety-six-minute version being released in 1979. As time has gone on, multiple versions have been released – an extended cut released by Canal+ in 2001, a limited edition signed version from Anchor Bay in 2005, and most recently, The Final Cut from StudioCanal, which Hardy described as one of the most accurate representations of what he wished The Wicker Man was when it was first released. Unfortunately, the exact carbon copy and precise original cut still have not been found, but that does not hinder what we already have.

With all of the commotion and re-edits, where does The Wicker Man stand 50 years later? 

The Wicker Man boomed onto the scene with reviews from prestigious outlets, including Variety, The New York Times, and Los Angeles Times, all praising the film’s slow-burning dread and evocative atmosphere. Decades later, distinguished sources such as Empire and The Guardian ranked the film as one of the best horror movies ever, and for a good reason. The film is not only a genre-defining piece of cinema, a folk horror classic, and a definitive part of British film and media; it is also an intense, burdensome, and wholly unhinged example of how aura and a menacingly slow buildup can leave a lingering mark of fear that does not rely on jumpscares, but our own worst enemy – the imagination. 

There are multiple ways to read The Wicker Man, which are all equally frightening. There’s the aspect of nurturing nature, feeding the land souls to prevent disruption. Then there is the religious perspective, where one could comment on how the film elicits fear based on the infatuation of high powers and cults, leading to the abandonment of moralities to serve a spectral being. And then there is the more sinister realisation – forget about individualising fear within the sins of the land, forgo the collective power of cult thinking. What truly makes The Wicker Man claw at the viewer’s skin and then nestle its horror within their being is how mundane the film portrays monstrosity to be. Recalling back to early production stages, Lee, Shaffer, and Hardy wanted the uncanny to thrive amidst a background of sincerity where there were no ghosts, zombies, or knife-wielding maniacs. The horror needed to come from within the Summerisle residents’ souls, not via a weapon or some dressed-up ghoul. The film’s manifesto speaks to the horror within the everyday, an apparent typical atmosphere that holds unearthly secrets. The Wicker Man makes you uncomfortable and on edge from the very first moment. However, it is not until the very last scene that our suspicions are confirmed, and an epiphany reveals itself.

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