gytrash

"Few genres have evolved as drastically as horror. We’ve come a long way from the old-school, practical scares of creature features and haunting psychological slow burns, but there’s still plenty to learn from the B-movies of old.

That’s especially true in an era that values IP above all; when it comes to finding the next franchise, no story is off-limits. Remakes and sequels are more prevalent than original ideas, and classics like William Castle’s House on Haunted Hill have joined a growing list of stories ripe for recycling. The 1950s film starred horror legend Vincent Price in one of his most famous roles, and has been remade before, with mixed results. Whether another addition to the franchise is necessary is, as always, a question worth asking, but the team behind a new adaptation might find a way to justify it..."

"Netflix has a tendency to release international horror films with no fanfare and often without even a trailer to promote them, but have no fear because we’re always paying attention.

On that note, the latest movie from Indonesian master of horror Joko Anwar (Satan’s Slaves, Impetigore, Nightmares & Daydreams), Grave Torture is now streaming on Netflix!

In Joko Anwar’s Grave Torture, “When a violent act kills her parents, Sita vows to debunk the idea of supernatural torment after death — a fixation that leads her on a dark quest.”

Here’s the full plot synopsis from the film’s Wikipedia page:-

“After both of her parents became victims of suicide bombings, Sita became distrustful of religion. Since then, Sita’s goal in life has been only one: to find the most sinful person and when that person dies, Sita wants to go into his grave to prove that the torment of the grave does not exist and religion is not real. However, of course there are dire consequences for those who do not believe”..."

"This post contains spoilers for "Harper's Island."

The horror anthology model is pretty commonplace in our current landscape, its core appeal lying in shifting tones and narrative motivations, along with a ton of variety to offer. Anthologies are not a brand-new phenomenon, as their enduring popularity can be traced back to shows like "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" or Rod Serling's "Twilight Zone" series, proving that even the earliest days of network television held space for such a format — on the condition that the show could sustain good ratings. When "Harper's Island" premiered on CBS in April 2009, it was marketed as a horror/slasher series that would go on to follow the anthology format in the second season, replete with new characters and a fresh setting. Unfortunately, these plans did not come to pass, as the 13-part limited event received dwindling ratings as the episodes progressed — with a season-wide average of 4.8 million — leading to its eventual cancellation..."

"There is something so enjoyable about watching a horror movie from the 1970s. Many have become so beloved and memorable that it only takes words or even to mention a few key characters to recognize which one instantly. These horror flicks were trailblazers of their time, and many of them still are. But, no matter what, they're perfect from beginning to end.

Some of the greatest, most rewatchable horror films ever are from the '70s. In a decade that saw the release of classics like Halloween, The Exorcist, and Jaws, is it any wonder why this decade is featured so often on many horror fans' lists of "favorite horror films of all time?" It was a fun era to be a horror fanatic, and it certainly had big hitters, many of whom are perfect right from the opening scene until it cuts to black. In honor of this thrilling decade for the horror genre, here are ten of the most perfect horror movies of the 1970s, ranking them on how compelling and entertaining they are all the way to the end..."

"Crouch End. It’s a weird name, when you think about it. Perhaps that’s what Stephen King did one day (or night). He thought about the name and was inspired to imagine terrifying things happening there. Perhaps he looked up the toponymy of the name, thought by some to refer to the point where the influence of a church parish expired. Whatever, King devised a version of the place where dark forces mustered and made visiting Americans disappear.

It starts like this:-

“By the time the woman had finally gone, it was nearly two-thirty in the morning. Outside the Crouch End police station, Tottenham Lane was a small dead river. London was asleep…but London never sleeps deeply, and its dreams are uneasy.”

The story was published in 1980. The version I stumbled across online informs us that it also appeared that year in a collection of short stories by various authors called New Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos, meaning it relates to a genre of fiction horror writer H.P. Lovecraft originated. Lovecraft subscribed to cosmicism, a philosophy that holds human beings to be insignificant.

How relaxed are you feeling so far…?"

"I think we can all agree that horror is one of the most fun genres to write and to experience. Horror takes you on a roller coaster of emotions and experiences.

There are lots of different kinds of horror movies and TV shows, and a diverse array of subgenres to examine. There are things that go bump in the night, and things that go bump from outer space.

Today, we're going to examine the cosmic horror definition and examples of it, as well. We'll dig into all the Lovecraftian monsters, aliens, and spectral forces. We'll also look at how these kinds of tales make it into film and television.

So get ready for take-off..."

"The UK government is planning to appoint a special envoy for nature for the first time, as the foreign secretary, David Lammy, seeks to put the UK at the centre of global efforts to tackle the world’s ecological crises, the Guardian has learned.

Labour will also appoint a new climate envoy, after the Tories abolished the post over a year ago, a move that dismayed foreign governments and climate campaigners..."

"A sculptor has commemorated a popular Isle of Wight myth with a statue of an alien.

David Jones, from Goldsmith's University in London, spent nine months creating a full size figure of an alien alleged to have visited the Isle of Wight.

The Sandown Clown is alleged to have been sighted on the footpaths around Sandown Airport and on Lake Common in 1973.

The sighted alien was encountered by two holidaying children, who described the being to be part alien, part robot and part clown..."

"There used to be a very big difference when talking about independent horror and mainstream horror. The latter would often be much more tame, with a goal of maximizing the audience, therefore maximizing Box Office. Indie horror would often be darker, going for moments that would stick with you long after the credits roll. But as society has shifted into this different entertainment landscape, there’s more of a desire than ever for something wholly unique. Mostly in the sake of profit. Thinking outside of the box is rewarded as it’s all about grabbing attention. It’s why a film like Longlegs can come out and absolutely light the world on fire. Because filmmakers are being forced to take risks in an attempt to get people to the theaters. Audiences are tired of the same old, same old..."

"In the modern age, Lovecraftian or eldritch horror has become more and more popular, with increasing numbers of films representing this particular subgenre of scary movie. Named after the works of H.P. Lovecraft, Lovecraftian horror refers to stories that lean on the specific tropes emblematic of the writer's work, including forbidden knowledge, cosmic dread, the insignificance of humanity, and creatures or entities that exist outside the boundaries of human perception. Also referred to as eldritch horror, this particular brand of scary movie has become incredibly popular in recent years.

The best Lovecraftian horror films delve heavily into the themes of Lovecraft's original works, or at least have a superficial surface-level relation to them on the grounds of imagery like Cthulu, the cephalopod-like entity and famous horror antagonist. Some eldritch horror movies are direct adaptations of Lovecraft's stories, whereas others simply take heavy inspiration from the genre while still ultimately creating something new. Whatever the case, many of the best Lovecraftian horror movies are relatively recent films..."

"Dark Sky Pictures has revealed the official trailer for an indie horror film titled I Will Never Leave You Alone, the latest feature from the indie genre filmmaker DW Medoff. This premiered at the Telluride Horror Show and FrightFest and will be available to watch on VOD in October for horror season.

After being released from prison, a brooding man with a dark past is forced to stay in a haunted house to clear it of any spirits. If he leaves early, he returns to prison, but the witch-ghost he encounters there may be more of a punishment than even he can withstand. Exploring themes of grief, depression and isolation, director DW Medoff says, "Writing and directing this helped me deal with mental health issues, that suffering can spiral out of control. I made a horror movie, but it is also a warning: please ask for help when you need it." This horror stars Ken Trujillo, Katerina Eichenberger, Emma Anne Wedemeyer, and Chris Genovese. This one looks extremely scary and disquieting - tread carefully folks.

Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for DW Medoff's I Will Never Leave You Alone..."

"Putting a horror twist on popular children’s story characters who are in the public domain has become a popular trend these days. Multiple Mickey Mouse horror films are making their way out into the world since the earliest Mickey cartoons are now public domain, filmmakers are working on horror versions of Goldilocks, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella, and a whole cinematic universe is being built out of horror movies based on the likes of Winnie the Pooh, Bambi, Peter Pan, and others. Another project in this line-up of films designed to tarnish the reputation of childhood favorites is The 7 Dwarves, which puts a terrifying twist on the story of Snow White and is scheduled for release in March of 2025.

Promising a spine-chilling ride that will leave viewers on the edge of their seats, The 7 Dwarves has the following synopsis:

In The 7 Dwarves, Snow White narrowly escapes the clutches of the evil witch, only to find herself lost in the eerie depths of the dark forest. But her nightmare is far from over. She soon becomes the prey of a sadistic group of dwarves (Cranky, Jolly, Drowsy, Meek, Snuffy, Wheezy, Chief, and Ditzy). Far from being her protectors, these sadistic dwarves hunt her relentlessly, forcing Snow White to fight for survival. As she outwits and eliminates each dwarf one by one, the tension rises to a blood-soaked climax in this spine-chilling horror reimagining..."