Eric Butler's Blog, page 15

Plan a trip to Donn, TX

The Donn, TX Collection Volume 1 contains the first 4 ebooks of Donn, TX. You get Donn, TX 1952, 1969, 1865, & 1926. These stories are available on ebook & audiobook by the year.

The next installment of Donn, TX was released on 2/11. It takes us to 2002 and shows us a Donn, TX that is desperate and almost empty of life.

Get the ebook or audiobook:

Donn, TX 1952 – ,click here

Donn, TX 1969 - ,click here

Donn, TX 1865 - ,click here

Donn, TX 1926 - ,click here

Get the Paperback collection of the first 4 years:

Donn, TX Collection Vol 1 Paperback - ,click here

Get the ebook, paperback, or audiobook:

Donn, TX 2002 - ,click here

1999 - An odd mishmash of horror to end the 90s

1999 was a strange year, and I find it's reflected in the selections of movies that came out as the 90s ended. The onslaught of Scream-like films kind of ends here with The Rage: Carrie 2 & the horror-comedy Idle Hands. (Neither is going to make this list). What you had instead was an uptick in horror for more adult audiences: movies that tackled more adult themes, and used suspense or tension to draw in the audience. You also see the rise in CGI as a device for enhancing horror movies, although most of what came out in this time period still need a lot of work. I've limited the list to 15, not all are personal favorites but I believe they are important to the direction of horror as we move towards the 21st Century.

In the end, I'm not sure many would consider my top 2 movies actual horror. Yet, we can go back and see where other movies made lists that never considered horror so whatever. One of my favorite movies of 1999(no matter the genre) was Sleepy Hollow.

I've been a Tim Burton fan since his days at Disney ...

https://youtu.be/fxQcBKUPm8o

And I am a huge fan of Johnny Depp, and the unique roles he selected throughout the 80s & 90s. Add in Christopher Walken as the Headless Horseman with the backdrop of Sleepy Hollow and I was so excited to see this movie. It was the last film I watched with my buddy Chris before he moved from the DFW area, and I'm happy it delivered on its promise. You can stream it on AMC+.

Blurb - Ichabod Crane is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate the decapitations of three people, with the culprit being the legendary apparition, The Headless Horseman.

https://youtu.be/6RsKwn_Je1k

Coming off Deep Rising, Stephen Sommers's next project was a remake of the classic Universal film, The Mummy. Now I'm a sucker for a good mummy movie, and I was super excited to see this one. Again, I don't see this as a horror movie but more of an action-adventure movie with some light "horror" elements; something Rachel Weisz echoes in interviews about the movie.

This movie also does a good job of incorporating CGI and showing the audience things to look forward to in future movies. You can stream it on HBOMax.

Blurb - At an archaeological dig in the ancient city of Hamunaptra, an American serving in the French Foreign Legion accidentally awakens a mummy who begins to wreak havoc as he searches for the reincarnation of his long-lost love.

https://youtu.be/f7oKxlaUBac

The Blair Witch Project is in the Guinness Book of World Records for "Top Budget: Box Office Ratio" (for a mainstream feature film). The film cost $60,000 to make and made back $248 million. This is the best true horror movie of the year in my mind. It also began the subgenre of found-footage horror, which has some incredible hits and misses (we'll see many of them in the next couple of posts).

I know a lot of people who saw this movie at home don't find it to be scary or even a very good movie since they've most likely seen other found-footage movies before seeing this one. But if you were one of the lucky ones who saw it in a crowded theater, then you were a part of a phenomenon that simply can't be recreated at home.

I saw this with 3 friends, family really, in a packed theater on opening night. You could feel the tension building throughout the theater, and there was no doubt every person was invested and locked in as the film continued. When the ending played, the theater erupted with all the bottled-up fear and tension as people rushed from the theater; each group completely immersed in their retelling of what just happened.

Now while I say you can't recreate that rush of excitement, I still think it's a very well done movie, and should be enjoyed at home. You'll have to rent/buy this one though.

Blurb - Three film students vanish after traveling into a Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend, leaving only their footage behind.

https://youtu.be/a_Hw4bAUj8A

Next up is another favorite of mine, Lake Placid. It's not really scary, and when it comes down to it, you might think it's just another Jaws rip-off. Except it has something many horror movies lack, great characters & dialogue. I've already admitted to my love of Williamson's Dawson's Creek, but I'm not sure if I've included how much I love Tarantino - both men known for writing incredible dialogue. Another writer during the 90s known for that is David Kelley.

Armed with an incredible script, the studio landed horror director Steve Miner (House, Warlock, Halloween: H2o) who is experienced mixing comedy with horror. The cast is lights out, with a great balance of comedic and dramatic actors who make the script pop. If you love Betty White, you can catch one of her more blue roles as a dirty-mouthed old lady. It's on HULU.

Blurb - Three people attempt to stop a gigantic crocodile, who is terrorizing residents in Black Lake, Maine.

https://youtu.be/xNP_FyUjysk

After a row of action-adventure films, Renny Harlin(Nightmare on Elm Street 4) heads back to his horror roots and combines the 2 genres with Deep Blue Sea. This movie has a solid cast, and a fun over-the-top story as super-intelligent sharks run wild. It's rent or buy right now, but it pops up on Netflix from time-to-time.

Fun side note - this movie came out a little bit after Blair Witch. As I was walking by the Blair Witch theater, a guy was trying to convince his kid (I'm thinking he was around 8 or so) to go back into the theater because he really wanted to see the movie. The kid was not buying anything the dude was selling.

Blurb - Searching for a cure to Alzheimer's disease, a group of scientists on an isolated research facility become the prey, as a trio of intelligent sharks fight back.

https://youtu.be/oSz9MDN-iac

Ravenous got off to a rocky start as director Milcho Manchevski was canned after 2 weeks, but Robert Carlyle reached out to Antonia Bird who stepped in and helped provide us with an entertaining and scary look into man's hunger run amuck. This is my kind of movie, especially during the time it came out. It's got that independent film feel to it, but the cast is outstanding. I think if it had a better advertising campaign, it would have been a much bigger hit right out of the gate, but it does enjoy a cult-like following now. It's another rent/buy to stream.

Blurb - In a remote military outpost in the 19th century, Captain John Boyd and his regiment embark on a rescue mission which takes a dark turn when they are ambushed by a sadistic cannibal.

https://youtu.be/l7BDiNktrLU

If we were only using box-office success as the deciding factor then The Sixth Sense would be #1. I never thought of this as a horror film even though the previews kind of paint it in that vein. While it's a great movie, I never have the urge to revisit it. If you haven't seen it, it's worth the time but hopefully, you don't know the ending because that's a fun reveal.

Which makes me wonder if this movie would have been such a huge success in this day and age? The internet was around but nowhere near as prominent as it is now. People were just told not to share the ending so others could enjoy the ending for themselves and for the most part that's what happened. I can't remember anyone spilling the beans on TV or in entertainment magazines. I feel like today, some jack-hole would have told the ending a few weeks before the movie was even released. Something going on with the 1999 movies as this one is a rent/buy as well.

Blurb - A frightened, withdrawn Philadelphia boy who communicates with spirits seeks the help of a disheartened child psychologist.

https://youtu.be/3-ZP95NF_Wk

I'm a huge Vincent Price fan and love the original version of House on Haunted Hill. That said, I think this is a very well done remake. The cast is fun, the setting is scary, and the few changes help add to the vibe that Dark Castle Entertainment was going for in their first movie. I do think the CGI work is a bit spotty at the end, but as I said in the beginning, this was the time when many studios were just dipping their toes into the technology.

Another rent/buy to watch. Oh, and another great performance by Jeffrey Combs(Frighteners, Re-Animator).

Blurb - An amusement park mogul offers a group of diverse people $1,000,000 to spend the night in a haunted house with a horrifying past.

https://youtu.be/nfhy9nWG6Gw

So The Haunting isn't a remake of the 1963 classic film, but a movie based on the source material by Shirley Jackson. This is a movie that shows us that story is important, and even a big cast can't overcome a bad script. This movie was all about the special effects, and in the end, that is what ruins the movie. Steven Spielberg was so upset with the final product he requested his name be removed and there was no mention of him in the credits. If you want to see a train wreck go to HULU or Paramount+.

Blurb - A study in fear escalates into a heart-stopping nightmare for a professor and three subjects trapped in a mysterious mansion.

https://youtu.be/J4fWI5J4bEU

So, I'm not a fan of the torture porn subgenre of horror, and I'm pretty sure this is the movie that drove the wave of movies that dominated the genre in the early-to-mid 2000s. Loved by fans of the genre, and despised by its critics, Audition is considered by many to be one the best horror films ever. I don't think it's as bad as the stuff from the late 70s - like I Spit on Your Grave, but it's quite unsettling. Stream it on Amc+, tubi, and screambox.

Blurb - A widower takes an offer to screen girls at a special audition, arranged for him by a friend to find him a new wife. The one he fancies is not who she appears to be after all.

https://youtu.be/EBQHp2__AVQ

David Cronenberg returns to the horror genre with his first original screenplay since Videodrome. eXistenZ is a mishmash of science fiction and horror and showcases Cronenberg's skills at combining the 2. It's another rent/buy to stream.

Blurb - A game designer on the run from assassins must play her latest virtual reality creation with a marketing trainee to determine if the game has been damaged.

https://youtu.be/HAdbdUt_h9M

Based on Richard Matheson's story of the same name, Stir of Echoes is the 2nd film directed by long-time screenwriter David Koepp(Toy Soldiers, Jurassic Park, Mission Impossible). You can stream it on tubi, VUDUfree, and IMDB with Prime.

Blurb - After being hypnotized by his sister-in-law, a man begins seeing haunting visions of a girl's ghost and a mystery begins to unfold around him.

https://youtu.be/Daa5VOnUWsA

Stephen King continues to have his hand in the genre with this made-for-television mini-series Storm of the Century. Many, including King himself, think this is the best of his TV projects. I'm not sure where you can find it to stream.

Blurb - A dangerous blizzard hits an isolated town and brings along a mysterious stranger intent on terrorizing people for his own desires.

https://youtu.be/HeDnEi7DvN8

The director of the Relic keeps the horror vibe going with End of Days. Originally written with Tom Cruise in mind, the title role ended up going to Arnold Schwarzenegger's. It was his first film since the God-awful Batman & Robin. He had heart issues and no one would insure him. The first few weeks of shooting he had to convince the studio and insurance bigwigs he was up to the strain of filming a movie with action elements. Gabriel Byrne plays the devil in the movie, which is of note only because of the other role he had in 1999. Another movie that is rent/buy to stream.

Blurb - At the end of the century, Satan visits New York in search of a bride. It's up to an ex-cop who now runs an elite security outfit to stop him.

https://youtu.be/1PxCzgsQ7Oc

I haven't seen Stigmata since it came out in theaters, but I remember being disappointed. Gabriel Byrne plays a priest in this movie, so we get to see his take on both sides of the Catholic faith. I might check it out again and see if it's better than I remember. You can check it out on HBOMax.

Blurb - When a young woman becomes afflicted by stigmata, a priest is sent to investigate her case, which may have severe ramifications for his faith and for the Catholic Church itself.

https://youtu.be/rwsTYQ26QDQ

Donn, TX 2002 Available on Friday, 2/11/22

https://youtu.be/WQHxtjORcYA

The mythology of Donn, TX continues to grow this Friday as Donn, TX 2002 will be released on ebook and paperback. I'll send out links once they are live on Amazon - you can also get that info on my ,Facebook page.

I originally planned on these stories being somewhere between 5000 - 15000 words in length. They would be released as ebooks, and then, when enough were finished, they would be collected into a paperback collection. I estimated 45000 - 50000 words would be a good length.

The first 4 fit my plan exactly. 1952 doesn't count because as a short story, it only hit 2500 words but 1969 & 1865 both fit the bill as they both came under 9000 words. Then I finished 1926 and it was almost 35000 words. Added with the others, it does get me to the sweet spot I was looking for. So I collected them into the paperback, The Donn, TX Collection Volume 1.

However, Donn, TX 2002 ended up being around 36000 words. That's long enough for a novella, which is why I decided to scrap the original idea and release this installment as both an ebook and paperback. I'm pretty confident this will be the blueprint for Donn, TX from this point on. The good thing is the paperback looks amazing.

It's not required to read them in release order or in order by the year. You can read them however you want, but I feel if you read them in the release order, you will see how the story is growing with each installment.

Donn, TX 1952 (Free ebook on the site or $.99 if you find it on Amazon, free audiobook) - Click Here

Donn, TX 1969 (ebook(KU), audiobook) - ,Click Here

Donn, TX 1865 (ebook(KU), audiobook) - ,Click Here

Donn, TX 1926 (ebook(KU), audiobook) - ,Click Here

The Donn, TX Collection Volume 1 (Collects 1952, 1969, 1865, 1926 in paperback form) -

,Click Here

1998 horror cinema embraces the Scream blueprint

1998 is a special year for me since this was when I started dating my future wife. We met in 1997 in French class at the University of Texas in Arlington (UTA). It was an everyday class at 8 am and I was lucky to be awake, let alone very social. But in 1998, the class moved to 10 am, and by March we were dating. So many movies from 1998 - 1999 have a special meaning to me as some type of benchmark in our relationship. Not many of those will be horror since she is not a fan of the genre, but in the beginning, she tried to give it a go. It wasn't until we were a few years into our marriage when she finally said, "no more."

First up for me is Urban Legend. I don't know how I made it through 2 years of Scream(1&2) and I Know What You Did Last Summer without mentioning my complete obsession with Dawson's Creek(Kevin Williamson is responsible for all 4). Now we all know Dawson was a waste of space, and the real reason to watch the show was Joey (Katie Holmes) and Pacey (Joshua Jackson).

Urban Legend continued the blueprint set up by Williamson & the Scream producers - hot, young talent with well-written dialogue, tongue-in-cheek humor, and a good twist. The cast is a powerhouse of talent that would be around for years dominating both the big and the small screens. And even though he wasn't a main player in the movie, they did cast Joshua Jackson. Could there be any doubt that it wouldn't be my #1?

Brad Dourif(voice of Chucky) & Robert Englund(Freddy Krueger) both have fun roles and add some cool Easter eggs to the movie. You have to rent or buy to stream this classic.

Blurb - A college student suspects a series of bizarre deaths are connected to certain urban legends.

https://youtu.be/R4d1_D90BwU

Joe Chappelle, the director of Halloween VI, strikes next with Dean Koontz's Phantoms. This would have been my #1 if not for Urban Legend. Why you ask? Because Ben Affleck was the bomb in Phantoms, yo. While the movie is very different from the book, it does a great job of capturing the creepiness and emptiness of the story. And look closely, it's another group of young up & coming actors at the center of the film.

However, even if the movie was utter trash, it would still be high on the list since it is a major influence on the cinematic look and feel of Konami's Silent Hill game & franchise. It's another rent/buy to watch.

Blurb - In the peaceful town of Snowfield, Colorado something evil has wiped out the community. And now, its up to a group of people to stop it, or at least get out of Snowfield alive.

https://youtu.be/-fP0MsVr21s

The script for The Faculty was actually finished and floating around since 1990, but no one was interested in making the movie. I mean we saw how mistreated the genre was back then. However, with the success of Scream (the theme continues), Miramax snatched it up and brought in Kevin Williamson - aka Scream's creator - for a rewrite. Add in From Dawn til Dusk's director, Robert Rodriguez, and you get a fun, fast-paced, action-filled, horror movie.

And do I need to point out the cast? Josh Hartnett, Elijah Woods, Shawn Hatosy, Clea DuVall, Usher, & Jordana Brewster. The theme continues and works in this film. You can check it out on HBOMax.

Blurb - When Casey Connor, Herrington High School's newspaper photographer, witnesses the murder of a nurse and sees her alive again, he decides to investigate the bizarre happenings.

https://youtu.be/praQkvivkUE

Before Marvel ruled the movie world, before Sony released the very first Spider-Man or Fox introduced us to the X-Men, New Line Cinema gave us Blade. Marvel has a wonderful history of including monsters in their Super Hero comic lines, especially in the 70s and 80s.

Many of these characters saw a bit of a rebirth in the 90s, one of which was Eric Brooks, or Blade as he is known on the streets. His first appearance is in the Marvel classic Tomb of Dracula #10 as a secondary character, but he soon was leading the way in many of the horror-based storylines Marvel put out. He also was one of the first characters to come back in the 90s when Marvel began a push to "rediscover" its monster-loving past.

One of my favorite actors is Wesley Snipes. So you can imagine how excited I was when one of my favorite stars was going to be playing a Marvel Super Hero on the big screen. Snipes was interested in playing Black Panther - he actively campaigned for the role for years until he simply aged out of the role - but he saw the potential of the character and embraced the role of the Daywalker.

The soon-to-be-wife put up with being dragged to this movie on opening night, but was not as enthusiastic to get right back in line to see the next showing when we got out. You can stream it on Peacock.

Blurb - A half-vampire, half-mortal man becomes a protector of the mortal race, while slaying evil vampires.

https://youtu.be/kaU2A7KyOu4

It's a bit more commonplace for a hit show to get a movie nowadays, but it was a novel concept when X-Files got one after season 5. Chris Carter, the show's creator, wanted to end the show after completing the 5th season and then tell the story with a series of movies.

Fox saw $ and refused, instead telling Carter to bridge season 5 & 6 with the movie. The movie was shot during the hiatus of seasons 4 & 5 though, and reshoots would pull the actors away from the show during season 5. You can see episodes where one or the other is less prevalent because of it. You can see the movie on HBOMax.

Blurb - Mulder and Scully must fight the government in a conspiracy and find the truth about an alien colonization of Earth.

https://youtu.be/2Dauoy3H764

To be honest, I didn't see Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island until 2006 or so; it was around when my boy was 4 or 5. It's an amazing movie, and it is the reason there has been such a long line of successful direct-to-video Scooby-Doo movies these past 24 years. It's movies like this one that can introduce young people to the fun of a good horror movie without needing years of therapy afterward. Unless you have Boomerang, you will have to rent/buy to stream.

Blurb - The Mystery Gang reunite and visit Moonscar Island, a remote island with a dark secret. Daphne wants more than just a villain in a costume, and they get more than they ever expected.

https://youtu.be/RFeNB8IlPlc

Steve Miner (House, Friday the 13th Part 2 & 3, Warlock) gets back in the director chair to tackle Halloween H20: 20 Years Later. It had a treatment by Kevin Williamson that incorporated all the Halloween movies as set up for this sequel, but in the end, they decided to simply ignore everything after Part 2 - sound familiar?

And even though they used other writers, the Scream blueprint is front and center here. A young cast, some up & coming talent, and in the center an icon of horror. You can check it out on Paramount+.

Blurb - Laurie Strode, now the dean of a Northern California private school with an assumed name, must battle the Shape one last time, as the life of her own son hangs in the balance.

https://youtu.be/LKJCTI-967E

Disturbing Behavior is another movie following the Scream model. It also was supposed to be around 115 minutes long, but the studio just couldn't help itself and forced the director to edit it down to 85 minutes after some test screenings. They won't release the original cut but those who've seen it claim it is the superior film. I'd have loved to see 30 more minutes of Katie Holmes ... I mean this movie. Check it out on HBOMax.

Blurb - The new kid in Cradle Bay, Washington stumbles across something sinister about the town's method of transforming its unruly teens into upstanding citizens.

https://youtu.be/ipcvwwIoEHo

Stephen Sommers, the director of the live-action Jungle Book(1994), pops up 4 years later with Deep Rising. They lost about a year in production just working on the CGI effects on the monsters. They wanted Harrison Ford, but once he passed on the role the budget was downsized. Treat Williams stepped in as he often does when a non-de-script action star is needed for a role. It's a rent/buy to own. Be warned, if you watch it on TV you are going to miss about 30 minutes as they cut it down to fit in a TV slot with commercials.

Blurb - A group of heavily armed hijackers board a luxury ocean liner in the South Pacific Ocean to loot it, only to do battle with a series of large-sized, tentacled, man-eating sea creatures who had already invaded the ship.

https://youtu.be/bP_yWIcL2NY

The voice of Chucky. Brad Dourif says his personal favorite of the franchise is Bride of Chucky. This movie injected new breath into the franchise. You can stream on SYFY.

Blurb - Chucky, the doll possessed by a serial killer, discovers the perfect mate to kill and revive into the body of another doll.

https://youtu.be/I-WZYQ6nABA

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer should have been another Kevin Williamson vehicle but he was simply overwhelmed with Dawson's Creek, Teaching Mrs. Tingle, Scream 3, & The Faculty. So what you get is a movie that is trying its hardest to be the original and failing spectacularly. You can watch it on Netflix.

Blurb - The murderous fisherman with a hook is back to once again stalk the two surviving teens, Julie and Ray, who had left him for dead, as well as cause even more murder and mayhem, this time at a posh island resort.

https://youtu.be/Bm3-443K2V4

John Carpenter was supposed to direct Halloween H20 but he wanted $10 million and a 3 picture deal to do it. Once they rejected his asking price, he pivoted to direct his movie Vampires. While it is a horror movie, Carpenter admitted the reason he chose to do this movie was the Western Vibe. He had originally wanted Big Trouble in Little China to be a western and had missed out when they put it in modern times. Stream it on Starz.

Blurb - Recovering from an ambush that killed his entire team, a vengeful vampire slayer must retrieve an ancient Catholic relic that, should it be acquired by vampires, will allow them to walk in sunlight.

https://youtu.be/XCrtLhXcBQc

A remake of a Danish film, Nightwatch might be in the same vein as Se7en and Cape Fear - meaning I don't think of them as horror but some do. I think it's an interesting film that slipped by a lot of people. The cast is jam-packed with talent. You have to rent/buy to stream it but keep an eye out for it to pop up on tubi or Netflix.

Blurb - A law student, who takes a job as a night watchman at a morgue, begins to discover clues that implicate him as the suspect of a series of murders.

https://youtu.be/gH6a8DzjHI0

Strangeland is on here as more of a curiosity. Written and starring Twisted Sister's frontman Dee Snider, he based it loosely on the band's song "Stay Hungry". Another one you will need to rent/buy to see.

Blurb - A detective pursues a sadist specializing in body modification rituals who lures teenagers through the internet.

https://youtu.be/8KYGdpYnHAY

The director of Candyman 2 gave us one of my favorite movies, Gods and Monsters, in 1998. While it's not a horror movie in any way, it does show us the last days of Frankenstein director James Whale. The chemistry between McKellen & Fraser is perfect as we watch their mismatched friendship grow throughout the picture. Fraser's performance in this film is the reason he was allowed to be the lead in The Mummy in 1999.

I've always been a fan of discovering off-the-wall movies, hidden gems, and direct-to-video films for as long as I can remember. I think it may be part of the reason I love horror so much, many of the genre's films are ignored, forgotten, or just disregarded. This is one of those movies. When it came out, no one paid much attention, but I loved it. It's a rent/buy but it does pop up on Prime every once in a while.

Blurb - The last days of Frankenstein (1931) director James Whale are explored.

https://youtu.be/Nn2G6YrvibM

Donn, TX is growing on Feb 11th.

If you are a member of the Mothers of Mayhem: An Extreme Horror Podcast page on Facebook (click here to join) then you were teased with a peek of the cover of the next chapter of the Donn, TX story.

Tomorrow they will reveal the full cover (paperback version) and the book trailer I threw together. I'm pretty excited to get Donn, TX 2002 out and into readers' hands, as it expands on the mythology of the town folk from Donn.

The original plan was to have shorter works that would only be released on ebook until there were enough pages to garner a paperback. You can see this with Donn, TX 1952, 1969, & 1865 (All under 10,000 words). Then Donn, TX 1926 rounded out Volume 1 with about 35,000 words. As I worked on Donn, TX 2002, I realized it was also going to be longer (around 36500 words). So instead of waiting to make another collection, I've decided to release the next 3 years in paperback as well as ebook & audiobook.

I'll have more info soon, but here's a checklist of stuff you need to do to get ready.

Go to Mothers of Mayhem: An Extreme Horror Podcast page and join. That way you can see the cover reveal and the book trailer today at around 5 pm eastern. Click ,here for Facebook. Go to YouTube and subscribe to the Mothers of Mayhem podcast if you like passionate people discussing extreme horror - The Pope Lick Massacre and your favorite writer named Eric Butler are included on the first episode in the Top 10 reads of 2021. Click ,here to find the page. Catch up with the stories already out there; Donn, TX 1952, 1969, 1865, 1926. You can find them in ebook, audiobook, and paperback. See Links Below Buy Donn, TX 2002 on Friday, February 11th.

Donn, TX 1952 - Click Here

Donn, TX 1969 - Click Here

Donn, TX 1865 - Click Here

Donn, TX 1926 - Click Here

The Donn, TX Collection Volume 1 Paperback - Click Here

See the Trailers here:

https://youtu.be/Y2NTvxGfqhIhttps://youtu.be/N1tw3FG4U0ohttps://youtu.be/OzQYMl_qSpghttps://youtu.be/MR5DY_pEF4Q

Hope to see you soon in Donn, TX.

The horror genre is getting better movies in 1997

After a promising 1996, 1997 continues to build on that solid foundation with some really great additions to the horror film family. We are starting with one of my absolute favorites.

#1 is Event Horizon. I love everything about this movie; the director, the cast, the special effects, and the story. Sam Neill, who popped up a number of times in the 80s and early 90s, kills it as Weir. Whenever I write, I'm staring at this movie poster for inspiration as it is right behind my monitor. If you have a chance, grab the Blu-ray Collector's Edition. It has hours of behind the scenes footage. Or if you want to just watch the movie, you can get it on HBOMax.

Blurb - A rescue crew investigates a spaceship that disappeared into a black hole and has now returned...with someone or something new on-board.

https://youtu.be/2nlkEY-3CMI

So before he wrote Scream, Kevin Williamson had written I know What You Did Last Summer. It was snatched up as soon as Columbia saw how successful Scream was and they followed the blueprint. While it's not as clever as Scream, and it doesn't have a master horror director at the helm, I still find this movie both fun and satisfying as a horror film. Watch it on Netflix.

Blurb - Four young friends bound by a tragic accident are reunited when they find themselves being stalked by a hook-wielding maniac in their small seaside town.

https://youtu.be/yiAlcLlJpQE

I'm a sucker for a werewolf movie, and An American Werewolf in Paris delivers the goods. It's nowhere near as good or influential as the original London version, but it is fun and Tom Everett Scott is great as the love-struck American. You can stream it on Peacock, tubi, and VUDUfree.

Blurb - An American man unwittingly gets involved with French werewolves who have developed a serum allowing them to transform at will.

https://youtu.be/pAOd02nJcSE

Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson return to give us Scream 2. You don't usually see the sequel so soon, but Williamson had so much for the first movie he was able to spread it out for the sequel. They were able to get into the 2nd one six months after the first one was finished. While more of the same as the first movie, I think I'm a bigger fan of this cast. You can stream on Peacock Premium.

Blurb - Two years after the first series of murders, as Sidney acclimates to college life, someone donning the Ghostface costume begins a new string of killings.

https://youtu.be/QXjofSo5Je0

Don't be shocked to see Anaconda this high on the list. It's a fun movie, with a great premise. Add in peak Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson not playing a funny man, and Ice Cube being Ice Cube, and you get the ultimate popcorn movie. You can stream it with Showtime.

Blurb - A "National Geographic" film crew is taken hostage by an insane hunter, who forces them along on his quest to capture the world's largest - and deadliest - snake.

https://youtu.be/zkX5t5ZJLEk

I was so excited to see Mimic when it first came out. This is Guillermo del Toro's first big American picture, and it was ruined by the Weinstein brothers and their need to get in the way of a master. They tried to force the director into taking shots, not in the script, and they ended up over editing the film. If you have the choice, get the director's cut. It's much closer to del Toro's original vision of the project. It's on HBOMax(probably the theatrical version).

Blurb - Three years ago, entomologist Dr. Susan Tyler genetically created an insect to kill cockroaches carrying a virulent disease. Now, the insects are out to destroy their only predator, mankind.

https://youtu.be/yYabTFZdVbs

I've only seen Alien: Resurrection once and that was on opening night. I don't remember loving or hating it, and I plan on sitting down to watch all 4 Alien movies soon to capture my thoughts now that I'm an older viewer. Weaver returns as Ripley, but she admits it was only because they gave her so much money to come back. We'll see where it ranks in the Alien franchise, but we know it can't get higher than #3. You can stream it on Prime.

Blurb - 200 years after her death, Ellen Ripley is revived as a powerful human/alien hybrid clone. Along with a crew of space pirates, she must again battle the deadly aliens and stop them from reaching Earth.

https://youtu.be/JjeGqQfBwWg

Listen, The Relic is fine as a movie, but you need to read the book. It's a part of the Pendergast series by Preston & Child, which is up to double digits by now. The books are so good, and the character is so entertaining and interesting to follow. Which is why it's so annoying he's not in the movie. Most of the other characters are in the movie, and if you take it as a separate entity, you will find Relic to be a fun monster film.

Funny thing, the studio thought it was going to bomb and tried to just slide it into a week to be done with it. There's no big-name star and it was going up against the likes of Scream at the box office, but people went and it outperformed the projection by 5x. You will have to rent/buy if you want to stream this one.

Blurb - A homicide detective and an anthropologist try to destroy a South American lizard-like god, who's on a people eating rampage in a Chicago museum.

https://youtu.be/bFbvUDpRBuo

The writer of Hellraiser 2 - 4, wrote Wishmaster. They slapped Wes Craven's name on the top as a producer to give it a boost and threw it out there in 1997. This is another one I saw the year it came out, and never again. I don't remember hating it so I guess that's something? You can stream it on tubi & VUDUfree. I think I will stream it to refresh my memory.

Blurb - A demonic djinn attempts to grant its owner three wishes, which will allow him to summon his brethren to Earth.

https://youtu.be/jdo9WxKndHs

You can't go a year without King popping up somehow, even if it's a remake no one asked for. It's no secret King hates Kubrick's The Shining so he got the network to do a miniseries like It & Tommyknockers to give him a closer version to his book. Enter ABC's The Shining, and exit one Eric Butler. Never seen it, and don't think I ever will. Kubrick's version is perfect, and I don't need another one out there muddying the waters. Add in the fact I have no idea where you can find it, and there you have it. Suck it up and watch the classic version.

Blurb - A recovering alcoholic must wrestle with demons within and without when he and his family move into a haunted hotel as caretakers.

https://youtu.be/NQSoHP7TGVU

Gonna limit myself to 6 favorite non-horror movies from 1997. All are very good and must-watch movies.

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Other Films from 1996 that you should know about.

I skipped the other movies of 1996 at the end of Monday's post not because I didn't have some to share, but because I am swamped with work. I decided to rectify that with a quick top 10 list of movies you really need to know about. Like Always, I'm avoiding the top Box Office winners, but if you haven't seen Ransom, you really should.

One of my favorite directors, Terry Gilliam brought together an amazing cast to give us this super creepy, super fun mind twist of a movie - 12 Monkeys. I can't believe there are people out there that haven't seen this film, especially since there is a show based on it to remind people it was made forever ago. But just in case, it is my #1. You have to rent/buy to stream.

Gilliam had such a bad experience with the Hollywood studio system on his movie Brazil, that he bartered with Universal for final say on the movie. They gave it to him but kept the budget small - $29 million. He rewarded them by making 5x that back in the box office.

In 1996, Willis was a pretty big name and an actor whose normal asking price was more than the budget could handle. He wanted to work with Gilliam so much, he did the movie for free - getting his money after it was released.

Brad Pitt signed on when he was relatively a nobody, but by the time the movie was released, he had exploded because of Interview With a Vampire & Se7en. This was the first movie where I actually thought he was more than a pretty face. He received an Oscar nomination for his role.

I wish I had an interesting fact about Madeleine Stowe from this movie. All I got for you is I had and still kinda do have a major crush on her. She checks all my boxes.

Blurb - In a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.

https://youtu.be/15s4Y9ffW_o

I've always been a Johnny Depp fanboy, especially when he took on bizarre projects that steered him away from mainstream success. Dead Man is one of those films. It's a movie of layers, and I feel like you discover something new or interesting with every viewing. The cast is spectacular, and the cinematography is stunning in this B&W "Western". You can stream it on HBOMax.

Blurb - On the run after murdering a man, accountant William Blake encounters a strange aboriginal American man named Nobody who prepares him for his journey into the spiritual world.

https://youtu.be/_64Qv0jV_PY

There was a time when sketch comedy was funny, and after a little while, they would be rewarded with a movie. Kids In the Hall got their shot in 1996, the result was Brain Candy. Kids in the Hall were more Monty Python than SNL, but they tackled both styles very well.

You may have missed this one in theaters because the Kids refused to remove the character of Cancer Boy at the request of a studio higher-up. This led to a limited release and almost no advertising. While the character is harsh to watch, the Kids hold firm that it was a necessary character as it showcased how famous people exploit the sick for their benefit. It's not available to stream anywhere, but keep your eyes out for this one. It's a good-good.

Blurb - A pharmaceutical scientist creates a pill that makes people remember their happiest memory, and although it's successful, it has unfortunate side effects.

https://youtu.be/sPFQE8VjAog

Nightmare on Elm Street 4 director, Renny Harlin quickly shifted to action director in the 90s and one of his best movies is The Long Kiss Goodnight. Written by Shane Black (Lethal Weapon, Iron Man 3, & Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang), The Long Kiss Goodnight gave us Geena Davis as an action star and Samuel Jackson as her sidekick. It's a fun movie filled with twists & turns, and Davis doing her best to show up all the aging action stars of the 80s. It's a rent/buy to stream.

Blurb - Samantha Caine lives in a small town with her daughter. Eight years ago she emerged, two months pregnant, from a nearby river with no memory of her past or who she is. However, she's getting closer to finding out about her past.

https://youtu.be/oDuma1M09B0

I have always been a big fan of low-budget movies, even those that went straight to video(which was a big no-no back in the day). Many of these types of films are still being made, but they show up on streaming services or cable instead of getting slapped with the dreaded straight-to-video tag.

The Last Supper is one of those art-house, low-budget looks at life that I think everyone should see. Hell, this movie is probably being acted out in real life as people fall more and more into their political bubbles. The cast is perfect, and the movie has the intimate feel one might get from a play. If you have DirecTV, they say you can stream. I'm thinking most people will have to rent/buy it.

Blurb - A group of idealistic, but frustrated, liberals succumb to the temptation of murdering rightwing pundits for their political beliefs.

https://youtu.be/jNPSHydODoI

So you should read the book by William Diehl before watching Primal Fear. That said Edward Norton's performance is mesmerizing - especially when you realize this is his debut motion picture. I love the book - if you think Silence of the Lambs is horror, you could easily find your way to Primal Fear as horror as well. This is another movie. I'd be shocked if you hadn't seen or at least heard of, but just in case I threw it on the list. It's on Cinemax streaming stuff.

Blurb - An altar boy is accused of murdering a priest, and the truth is buried several layers deep.

https://youtu.be/glWAjoDVH3c

One of my favorite sub-genre of action movies is the crappy High School vs Teacher/Principal. The Substitute delivers on this theme and then some. As I noted above with The Long Kiss Goodbye, most of the action stars of the 80s and early 90s weren't making movies and there was a vacuum forming for good action films. Plus if you really like it, there are like 4 or 5 sequels. You can check it out on VUDUfree, tubi, and IMDB(Prime with ads).

Blurb - Mercenary Shale's team is retired after a (not so) covert mission in Cuba. He becomes substitute teacher at his teacher fiancee's Miami high school to get those behind kneecapping her. His team helps him.

https://youtu.be/vsaUp6_jcJY

Everything comes back, and in the 90s there was a return to the big band & swing dance culture. Swingers captures this vibe while telling us the semi-autobiographical story of Jon Favreau(director of Iron Man, Elf, & creator of The Mandalorian). He was tired of being passed up for roles or being typecast as a "fat" stoner, so he wrote the script for Swingers. It's based on his time when he first arrived in Hollywood, and Vince Vaughn & Ron Livingston are basically playing themselves in the movie. You can stream it on HBOMax.

Blurb - A wannabe actor has a hard time moving on from a break-up, but he is lucky to have supportive friends.

https://youtu.be/nWCct8XbQD0

Tommy Boy was such a hit, that the studio wanted to pair the 2 SNL stars in another film. Sadly, Black Sheep was the last film David Spade & Chris Farley would get to do before Farley's death. Is it as good as Tommy Boy? No, but there is a charm and chemistry whenever you can see these two friends together. Gary Busey is great in his cameo role, and there are some laugh-out moments. You can check it out with Starz.

Blurb - A gubernatorial candidate hires a wormy special assistant whose only job is to make sure the candidate's well-meaning but incompetent brother doesn't ruin the election.

https://youtu.be/R4gn9JZCN-A

There wasn't an Adam Sandler movie I didn't love in the 90s (my first "date" with my wife was seeing the premiere of The Wedding Singer). An even bigger bonus for Bulletproof was the R-rating and Damon Wayans as the co-star. If you've listened to Sandler's comedy then you know how blue he can get, but we had yet to really see it on SNL or in the theaters since he was always getting PG-13 ratings.

James Caan plays the heavy in the film, and he is quoted as saying "playing the heavy between these two clowns took a lot of serious concentration." You'll have to rent/buy to stream the madness.

Blurb - Two criminals, Keats and Moses, end their friendship, when Keats turns out to be an undercover cop. Many years later, the two are forced to work together when Keats is assigned to protect Moses as a witness.

https://youtu.be/iOPXStM4blg

So there you have it. 10 films from 1996 to look for after you get done reading all my books.

1996 - The Revival of the genre

So after 5 years of questionable decisions by the studios, I feel like we are getting back on track. All because of my #1 horror movie of 1996 ...

Coming off the bizarre struggle that was directing Vampire in Brooklyn, Wes Craven was offered to direct Scream but turned it down. He was thinking of doing a remake of The Haunting or even distancing himself from horror altogether. A young fan confronted the director and accused him of going soft and selling out. That and finding out Drew Barrymore had signed on was enough to get Wes Craven to call Miramax and agree to do the film.

Getting Craven was important because the writer, Kevin Williamson, knew the director really needed to understand the nuances of the script to make the movie work. Romero, Boyle, Raimi, and Rodriguez were all approached about the movie, but Williamson stated none of them got it.

The film started a slew of copy-cats, but it also gave new life to the genre by paying homage to the heavy hitters that came before. It's a perfect movie to bring fans back to the genre, and introduce new fans to the world of horror films. You can stream it on Peacock.

Blurb - A year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl is terrorized by a new killer, who targets the girl and her friends by using horror films as part of a deadly game.

https://youtu.be/AWm_mkbdpCA

Peter Jackson teamed up with Michael J Fox (in his last leading role in a film) to give us The Frighteners. Filmed in New Zealand, Peter Jackson's digital company had to expand from its 1 computer to 35 to meet the demands of the CGI required to make the film work. This is a precursor to his taking on the heavy visual feet of the Lord of the Rings Movies. Jackson was shooting for a PG-13 rating, but no matter what he did, the MPAA kept it at R so he upped the violence to justify the rating. You have to rent/buy to stream this one.

Blurb - After a tragic car accident that kills his wife, a man discovers he can communicate with the dead to con people. However, when a demonic spirit appears, he may be the only one who can stop it from killing the living and the dead.

https://youtu.be/lKWiQLwr9Xs

Quintin Tarantino was supposed to direct From Dusk til Dawn but wanted to focus on the scriptwriting and acting as his character Richard Gecko. He had just been a part of a 4 director anthology film (Four Rooms) and he showed the script to one of those directors. Robert Rodriguez jumped at the opportunity. Stream it on HBOMax.

Blurb - Two criminals and their hostages unknowingly seek temporary refuge in a truck stop populated by vampires, with chaotic results.

https://youtu.be/6RF0hYk7tc8

In the same vein as Scream, The Craft introduced viewers to a fresh batch of faces. It also was trying for a PG-13 rating but because of the subject matter, they were slapped with an R. You can stream it on Starz.

Blurb - A newcomer to a Catholic prep high school falls in with a trio of outcast teenage girls who practice witchcraft, and they all soon conjure up various spells and curses against those who anger them.

https://youtu.be/SxEqB--5ToI

I enjoyed the 4th installment of the Hellraiser franchise, Hellraiser IV: Bloodline. However, it bombed in the theater and would be the last film in the franchise to get a wide theatrical release. The director, Kevin Yagher, had a falling out with the studio and disowned the movie, leaving before it was completed. The Director's Guild generic Alan Smithee was credited as the director - this is used when the actual director doesn't want to be credited. Stream it on Paramount+.

Blurb - In the 22nd century, a scientist attempts to right the wrong his ancestor created: the puzzle box that opens the gates of Hell and unleashes Pinhead and his Cenobite legions.

https://youtu.be/NoU_IizY9GM

Tales from the Crypt returns to theaters with Bordello of Blood. It was supposed to be the 2nd movie of a planned trilogy, but it bombed and the studio pulled the plug on the 3rd movie. From all reports, Dennis Miller was a nightmare on the film as he was also filming his TV show at the same time. They had to bend over backward to meet his demands, causing many on set to become resentful of the actor. This one is a rent/buy to stream if you want to watch Miller improvise most of his parts.

Blurb - The Crypt Keeper returns to tell the story of a funeral parlor that moonlights as a vampire bordello.

https://youtu.be/Ri-M79IU3To

Based on a Philip K Dick story and with a screenplay by Dan O'Bannon(Alien, The Return of the Living Dead), Screamers is a fun blend of science fiction and horror. O'Bannon had been working on the script since 1981. It was filmed in 1995 but released in January of 1996. You have to rent/buy it to stream.

Blurb - A military commander stationed off planet during an interplanetary war travels through the devastated landscape to negotiate a peace treaty, but discovers that the primitive robots they built to kill enemy combatants have gained sentience.

https://youtu.be/qrgAvr0TIr4

David Twohy, the writer of the first 2 Warlock movies, wrote and directed one of my favorite movies from 1996, The Arrival. Before Charlie Sheen went all crazy, he was a machine putting out 2-4 movies a year. This movie didn't do as well in the US box office as everyone was gaga for Independence Day, but I think this movie is a more chilling take on the whole alien invasion theme. Stream it on tubi & IMDB(Prime with ads).

Blurb - Zane, an astronomer, discovers intelligent alien life. But the aliens are keeping a deadly secret, and will do anything to stop Zane from learning it.

https://youtu.be/GOc01_Ty1eQ

Full disclosure - I can't stand Julia Roberts. Mary Reilly was supposed to be a Tim Burton project, but he pivoted and went with Ed Wood instead. John Malkovich and Roberts didn't get along, and you can see it in their performances. That said, you don't get too many Jekyll & Hyde adaptations so there's that. Stream it on HBOMax.

Blurb - A housemaid falls in love with Dr. Henry Jekyll and his darkly mysterious counterpart, Mr. Edward Hyde.

https://youtu.be/0jb87JTGoMg

After a series of made-for-TV projects, Tom Holland(Fright Night & Child's Play) returns to the big screen with Thinner. Based on the Stephen King story, Holland tried to be faithful to the source material, but the producers changed the ending after negative feedback from test audiences. Stream it on HULU and Paramount+

Blurb - An obese attorney is cursed by a gypsy to rapidly and uncontrollably lose weight.

https://youtu.be/p97ds4ZR7zM

Written & Directed by Eric Red (writer of Near Dark & Body Parts), Bad Moon tackles his vision of a traditional werewolf movie. It got little to no advertising when it came out, but has grown a cult following. Stream it on Peacock, amc+, and tubi.

Blurb - After being bitten by a werewolf in the jungle, Ted looks for a cure. His lawyer sister, with a son and dog, invites him to park his camper by her house in the woods and live out of her fridge.

https://youtu.be/xJJuCvWR9fM

I'm over the moon with the MCU

Still working on Donn, TX 2002 so today's post will be quick.

I know many people are starting to experience "Comic Book" fatigue but I couldn't be happier. I was a huge comic and movie nerd growing up, and to see those two finally merging in such a fantastic way really makes me happy.

So a little backstory, I grew up a Marvel guy. I've always loved Batman, but I found many DC characters a bit boring in my younger years. I've grown to appreciate some of those characters, but there's really no comparison between the 2 companies, especially in the 70s & 80s. The writing was simply better across the board at Marvel. The other thing Marvel had was a wide variety of characters that were both interesting and entertaining. Now in the 90s when the collector craze hit, all of the companies watered down the market. This led to a drop off in the stories, and sometimes artwork as there was not only an explosion of monthly titles being pushed out but a ton of new comic companies trying to compete with the big 2.

All that aside, this isn't a post about the ramifications of how comic publishers did the industry wrong but a simple post declaring my love for the best time to read Marvel comics in my opinion. The best argument for this point is the storylines being embraced in both the movies and the TV shows. They are primarily the characters and stories of the 70s, 80s, and early 90s with a few exceptions - I'm looking at you Civil War. Those stories resonated with fans back in the day, and those fans have grown up to be writers, producers, and directors of these movies.

For years, I dreamed of my favorite characters getting a live-action platform. Characters like Spider-man, Captain America, the Hulk, Scarlett Witch, Vision, Black Knight, and the X-Men. But we were lucky if we got them in some kind of animated show or every once in a while a made-for-TV movie. I loved comics so much, I read Comic Scene which was just a giant ad for comic-related items disguised as a magazine.

In the back was a section where they put all the Hollywood rumors for every comic property out there. Every month, I would read each one desperate to see if my favorites were going to see the light of day on the big screen. They were always rumored to be a few months away from starting but never did. And while we were given some amazing movies in my youth - Tim Burton's Batman - and some huge misses - Dick Tracy anyone? - there didn't seem to be any real truth to the rumors found at the back of the magazine.

When technology finally caught up in the early 2000s, and we were given the X-Men & Spider-Man I was so excited. But these were the big boys of Marvel, and they were being handled by traditional movie studios who "know" what they are doing. Never in my wildest dreams did I think the MCU would be able to pull off what they did when they released The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man. I mean here were characters I loved, and hated if I'm being honest. (I loathe comic book Tony Stark - I am Team Cap always and forever.) More importantly, these were the springboards to get us closer to the goal of an Avenger's movie.

That was my holy grail as a kid - a movie starring my favorite comic book heroes. All these movies could have been terrible, and I would have handed over my cash and watched them in awe. Except, this wasn't a bunch of made-for-TV movies with character actors and crappy special effects. No, this was my youth, my imagination, some of my happiest memories caught on film and slapped up on a huge screen.

And with the addition of the streaming networks, Marvel is continuing to push the envelope and bring back characters that many outside of comic books don't recognize. WandaVision, Loki, Falcon & Winter Soldier, and Hawkeye have been wonderful branches of the MCU. And I'm excited to see how they handle their newest character, Moon Knight. We'll see in March, but if they handle his story correctly, he will be an important addition to future stories.

https://youtu.be/x7Krla_UxRg

Stay tuned for more info on Donn, TX 2002 and other projects I'm working on for 2022.

1995 - The horror continues

I don't consider Se7en a horror movie, never have. I guess it would be #1 on this list if you did, but since this is my list I'm going in a different direction. 1995 has better original ideas but it is still trying to get horror fans into seats by bringing back old characters or remaking earlier hits.

Hands down my favorite horror movie of 1995 was The Prophecy. First-time director Gregory Widen(writer of Highlander, Backdraft, and The Prophecy) is gifted with a wonderful cast in this religious horror movie. Christopher Walken is perfect in his role as Gabriel. Check it out on tubi, Peacock, or VUDUfree.

Blurb - At the scene of a bizarre murder, L.A. homicide detective Thomas Dagget discovers a lethal heavenly prophecy now being fulfilled on earth. In his fight to stop the forces of evil, he finds an unlikely ally in an elementary school teacher.

https://youtu.be/C7PSZ7NDEgU

5 years after directing Nightbreed, Clive Barker returns to the chair to give us Lord of Illusions. I didn't see this movie when it came out, but I did make time for it in 2021. It's always fun to see Sam from Quantum Leap play a not so wholesome character. I'm a sucker for Famke Janssen, and I love when movies cast actors against type, so Daniel Von Bargen is a treat as the bad guy Nix. You can stream it on tubi.

Blurb - A private detective gets more than he bargains for when he encounters Philip Swan, a performer whose amazing illusions captivate the world, but they are not really what everyone thinks.

https://youtu.be/kc2Itjvupf0

The director of Cocktail teamed up with the writer of The Golden Child to give us Natasha Henstridge's first role in Species. Her debut is enough to get her on any list, but this movie is fun, scary, and every man's dream turned on its head. Check it out on tubi.

Blurb - A group of scientists try to track down and trap a killer alien seductress before she successfully mates with a human.

https://youtu.be/ECe9Yqltw_w

Tales from the Crypt released Demon Knight on Friday the 13th, looking to tie this and future releases with the scary date. Billy Zane claims this is his favorite movie performance. This is a rent/buy to own video.

Blurb - A man on the run is hunted by a demon known as the Collector.

https://youtu.be/40bOBBbjbIQ

Fear of a Black Hat director tackles horror in the projects with his 2nd film, Tales from the Hood. This was his tribute to the original Tales from the Crypt movie and paid homage to the anthology horror films of the 60s & 70s. Another one you have to rent/buy to check out.

Blurb - A funeral director tells four strange tales of horror with an African American focus to three drug dealers he traps in his place of business.

https://youtu.be/dOO-A59c4C0

Halloween the Curse of Michael Myers's biggest claim to fame is it is Paul Rudd's film debut. Another note of interest, Donald Pleasence passed away just before re-shoots. This would end up not being as important since the director edited out many of his scenes. If you feel like you need to see this, you can stream it on Pluto.

Blurb - Six years after Michael Myers last terrorized Haddonfield, he returns there in pursuit of his niece, Jamie Lloyd, who has escaped with her newborn child, for which Michael and a mysterious cult have sinister plans.

https://youtu.be/rAaPBxBxaV8

The writer of the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre returns to his roots to direct The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation. Matthew McConaughey & Renee Zellweger star in this low-budget re-imagining of the original film. You can stream it on HBOmax.

Blurb - A group of teenagers get into a car crash in the Texas woods on prom night, and then wander into an old farmhouse that is home to Leatherface (Robert Jacks) and his insane family of cannibalistic psychopaths.

https://youtu.be/jmyDMs3ec5w

TV movie director Bill Condon enters the world of horror with the sequel Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh. The original Candyman director originally wanted to make the sequel about urban legends, and not include Candyman, but his idea was rejected by the studio. He was allowed to pen a script, but it too was rejected and Bill Condon came in. You can stream it on Prime and Paramount+.

Blurb - The Candyman arrives in New Orleans and sets his sights on a young woman whose family was ruined by the immortal killer years before.

https://youtu.be/jpInUUDkZwo

Coming off the brilliant In the Mouth of Madness, John Carpenter takes a remake with Village of the Damned. He made this to fulfill a contractual obligation, and it was not a passion project. He was supposed to remake The Creature from the Black Lagoon for Universal after this, but the movie bombed at the box office which killed the project. This is the last movie Christopher Reeves filmed before his horse-riding accident. It's a rent/ buy to stream.

Blurb - A small town's women give birth to unfriendly alien children posing as humans.

https://youtu.be/qSIRK3MtIQ4

I'm thinking this was supposed to be a remake of Blackula from the 70s, but Vampire in Brooklyn is missing the heart and soul of the Blaxploitation film. Eddie Murphy made this movie to end his contractual relationship with Paramount and to get them to release the rights to the Nutty Professor to him. He was a big fan of Wes Craven's work and requested him to direct. In future interviews, Craven would imply Murphy did not take direction well. You can watch it on HULU.

Blurb - A ship docks in Brooklyn with all its crew dead, but someone gets off and the killing continues on land. A Caribbean vampire is searching for a specific woman, half-human half-vampire. Rita is the detective investigating the many killings.

https://youtu.be/1u9ZGB5F3MI

Nine non-horror movies that I loved from 1995.

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