\ Shriek Theatre – Blog /

i watch a lot of movies. i buy a lot of movies. some of my favorite movies are from the ’80’s and one of my favorites from the ’80’s is Night of the Creeps. Night of the Creeps is a  movie about sluglike alien creatures that turn their hosts into zombies. When it was on VHS it was in heavy rental rotation, i even had the poster on my bedroom wall.  For years I’ve been waiting for it to be released on DVD. So when i started hearing rumors last summer about a DVD release i was uberexcited. last night i ran across a copy and plunked down my money.

Night of the Creeps DVD is awesome, with two commentaries, plenty of interviews, and the original (better ending). the movie holds up well over time, despite the big glasses and bad sweaters. This was Fred Dekkers first movie but it doesn’t look like a freshman effort. He went on to direct The Monster Squad, another underestimated horror movie. Night of the Creeps had a crappy ad campain and came and went at the theatres without notice. on VHS it developed a cult following, it’s nice to see this movie getting recognition it deserves.

    i didn’t have anything going on today so I’ve camped out watching movies. i started my day with “The Fifth Element”. i know it’s not a horror movie but i like it. When it ended i still wanted more Milla Jovovich so i proceeded to watch the first three “Resident Evil” movies(i haven’t seen the forth one, i heard it blows). these are entertaining movies with zombies and even zombie dogs and birds but somehow i really don’t see them as horror movies either. After watching “Resident Evil, Extinction”, which takes place in desert, i wanted to watch my favorite desert movie, Richard Stanley’s “Dust Devil”. that is one strange movie. i recommend it if you haven’t seen it.

    Last week i read “The Strain” by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan. most modern vampire novels don’t tickle my fancy. Don’t get me started on the “Twilight” books. “The Strain” is well written and was really hard to put down. the vampires reminded me of the vampires in “Blade 2″(the cool ones with the split jaw and the snakey tongue). it’s an amazing book but it’s frustrating because it’s the first in a trilogy. i don’t want to wait til next year to continue the story.

       The horror movie biz in America is in a sad state.   i am a self-professed horror dork and it’s Halloween. i should have lots to choose from at the theatres and on DVD. instead i have “SawVI” and “The Stepfather” at the movies.  On DVD there are better options with “Dead Snow”, “Hardware”, and “Drag Me to Hell” out this month.

      Right now the French are making us look bad.” Martyrs”, “Inside”, and “Frontiers” were all better than all the mainstream horror put out in this country last year.

      Horror wont die, it’s been around since Thomas Edison made his version of “Frankenstein”.

     I’m just tired of remakes getting large scale releases  when there are so many original ideas out there that can’t get two nickels to rub together to get made.

                      Gargoyle

i treated myself to a double feature last night. went to see Pandorum and Paranormal Activity. Pandorum was a good movie, fairly original. It was The Descent set in space. The monsters even looked the same. i felt like i got my moneys worth, no complaints.  I knew nothing about Paranormal Activity before seeing it. i had heard some reviews that were mighty glowing but nothing concrete. i also won’t tell you much about it, don’t want to spoil it .

       i was genuinely creeped out, hair standing on end, the works, about four times while watching it. This movie plays on some very basic fears and plays them well. i think some wont get it and there will be the comparisons to Blair Witch Project. if you were one of those kids who was concerned about what may come out of the closet  while you slept, Paranormal Activity will bring those fears home again.