Feature Article

Horror film history is filled with imaginary psychopaths whose exploits are based on real life maniacs. Classics like Psycho (1960), Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986), M (1931), and Targets (1968) were all fictionalized versions of genuine human monsters who had fascinating stories well-worth revisiting. To kick things off, we’ll focus on the inspirations behind the late Tobe Hooper’s …

In no other film genre is the musical score as important as it is in a horror or suspense drama. The score sets the mood (usually dark, creepy or mysterious), leads the audience down blind alleys, and then springs the jump scare on the hapless viewers when they least expect it. That’s the way it’s supposed to work, anyway. Some …

The following article is the third and final part of a three-part list of films featuring serial killers. I’ve deliberately avoided movies concerning ‘spree killers’, ‘obsessed fan’ films, and movies that contain supernatural elements. It is not intended to be a complete list nor terribly insightful, but a simple rundown of the best, worst and most interesting serial killer titles …

The human psyche is a complex thing. Not content with the status quo we fashion for ourselves, we seek to push the limits of our capabilities in the form of self-imposed challenges. This may be something personal, like weight loss, something educational like learning a language, or something elemental like climbing a mountain. Over recent months I have lost a …

I am a sucker for a good ghost story. In fact, I would go as far as saying that when it comes to horror films, it is quite possibly my favourite type of horror. There’s just something about dark, unseen forces that create a sense of dread that I simply do not get from stories about more tactile dangers. While …

Have you noticed how every brilliant, well educated, pillar of the community type of person seems to have an idiot sibling with nine DUIs, and a collection of eviction notices from local trailer parks? These two people may look alike and be organ donor compatible, but that’s where the resemblance ends. Well, movies are kind of like that too—for every …

The jump scare is an art itself. The masterful way in which a scene can transform from calm and tranquil into terrifying and tense. Few films have truly perfected the use of a jump scare, but when used successfully, your heart is guaranteed to skip a few beats. From films as early as Carrie to the recent films such as …

Ever since their release, horror films have been keeping us from sleep and making us wonder what goes bump in the night. But horror films have also been known to disgust us, showing classic scenes of teenagers getting random appendages sliced off, disembowelment or even torture scenes. The modern film audiences expect horror films to have gore in them, its just a …

You wake in an unfamiliar location. The smell of dirt surrounds you. The dark sky is an endless expanse above. You realize you’re lying in a fresh grave. Above you, the shape of a man appears. He cracks a crude joke and laughs, a high nasally sound. He helps you out of the grave, dusting you off as you gain …

As a fan of horror, and growing up in the 80s, I got to see a lot of fantastic horror movies. In 1978, John Carpenter captures what it meant to be afraid. When that piano strikes, and the title card that reads “Halloween” appears, the hair on your arms starts to rise. There is an electricity to it; a fear, …

With the upcoming release of Halloween on 19th October, it’s only fitting that we look through the evolution of one of the most iconic slasher stars, Michael Myers. Whether you’ve been there from the beginning or just starting to be introduced to the Halloween franchise, you’re doubtlessly well-acquainted with the masked murderer, who has been tainting large butcher knives for …

Henry Fuseli’s painting The Nightmare represents the earliest entry of the visual arts into the Romantic and Gothic movements. Painted in 1781, The Nightmare came at a time when the Neoclassical era was coming to an end. Due to Neoclassical’s connection to the Enlightenment, the artistic movement focused on structure, restraint and objectivity in its works. The painting A Philosopher …

2018 truly was a spectacular year for horror movies and movies in general. Laying host to some of the most exhilarating and intense horrors of the last 10 years, 2018 has provided us all with a brilliant roster of movies to keep us occupied all throughout 2019. Here are 10 horror movies which you should watch in the new year …

Don’t be fooled. 2018 has been a fantastic year for horror despite what any naysayers may try to tell you. The horror genre gained significant recognition with Get Out’s four Academy Award nominations and secured the Oscar win for Best Original Screenplay. Fangoria was resurrected with a quarterly magazine distribution and audiences were gifted a remake of Suspiria and continuation …

Greetings fell beings of the evening, today we’ll be discussing sex and violence in slasher films. What do they contribute thematically to the genre of horror? Can we have a slasher film without these two aspects appearing prominently in them? Let’s dive in and find the answers to our questions. Dim the lights and open your Necronomicon as we ascertain …