Eric Butler's Blog, page 16
January 12, 2022
Final Reminder - 2022 Splatterpunk Awards are nearing
I'm finishing up my final go through on the next chapter of the Donn, TX series before I send it off to the editor. Since I'm all tied up going over that, I figured I'd remind you that the opportunity to nominate a Donn, TX story is still open until the 16th.
So the 5th annual Splatterpunk awards are open for nominations. It was set up to honor the sub-genre of extreme horror and Donn, TX has 4 eligible items. Until 1/15/2022 you can send in your nomination for best of in a number of categories. Those will get tallied up and then the ballots will come out for voting ... or something. To be honest, I have no idea what happens as this is the first year I've paid attention enough to even try and get something on the ballot.
As you can see from the picture above, I have 2 eligible for Short Story, 1 novella, and a collection. Here's how to let the organizers know you think one of my works is worthy of being on the ballot.
You have to send it in e-mail form to splatterpunkawards@gmail.com. Put 2022 Splatterpunk awards nomination in the subject line If you think any of these 4 is worthy of a nomination, include the title, author name, and category. See 4 for examples ... Best Short Story -Donn, TX 1969 by Eric ButlerBest Short Story - Donn, TX 1865 by Eric Butler Best Novella - Donn, TX 1926 by Eric Butler Best Collection - The Donn, TX Collection Volume 1 by Eric Butler Don't forget Carver Pike, Daniel Volpe, Rowland Bercy Jr, Candace Nola, Ryder Kinley, Lee Franklin, and many others have stories, novellas, and novels available to vote for as well.Thanks for the help.
With multiple ways to enjoy, what are you waiting for?
Donn, TX Collection Paperback(all 3 years collected with a bonus story)
January 10, 2022
Horror movies in 1994 - The Struggle is real
So we've seen a real step back in horror movies so far in the 1990s, but a glimmer of hope shines through in 1994. I've only listed 10, and honestly, all these aren't great but there is hope. 2 of them may not even count, but if Silence of the Lambs and Cape Fear do, then damn it, they're going on the list. #1 was an easy choice for me, so let's get started.
No doubt in my mind that John Carpenter's In The Mouth Of Madness is the best movie in 1994. Coming off Body Bags, he finishes what he calls his Apocalypse Trilogy(The Thing, Prince of Darkness, & In The Mouth Of Madness) with a bang.
Sam Neill gets the lead after playing a supporting role in Carpenter's 1992 Memories of an Invisible Man. His first horror film since 1989's Dead Calm. He's terrific as he dives into this HP Lovecraft-inspired world. You have to rent/buy to stream this gem, but if you have the $ to spend, you should get the Collector's Edition Blu-Ray. There's a ton of special features.
Blurb - An insurance investigator begins discovering that the impact a horror writer's books have on his fans is more than inspirational.
https://youtu.be/AlugldzO9zY
Well as I've documented, the Nightmare franchise ended with a bit of a whimper. That said Freddy was still New Line Cinema's most important cash cow and they figured out a way to continue the character without having to reopen the world of Elm Street ... bring back the creator.
Wes Craven's New Nightmare was the idea Craven wanted to use for Part 3 The Dream Warriors before the project went a different direction. What we get is something that feels a bit more real than the others; something that comes across as both familiar and unique. Robert Englund says this is his favorite Freddy movie. I've watched this recently and it holds up. You can check it out on tubi.
Blurb - A demonic force has chosen Freddy Krueger as its portal to the real world. Can Heather Langenkamp play the part of Nancy one last time and trap the evil trying to enter our world?
https://youtu.be/AA038-CvN0c
Next up we have Wolf. This is a project Jack Nicholson spend around 11 years trying to get made as it was written by his friend, Jim Harrison. He had final say on the director, and after Kubrick passed, they grabbed Mike Nichols. Even though they never say the word werewolf, the audience is getting just that - a werewolf picture. It fits with the theme of 1994, the more familiar the better. This is a rent/buy to stream.
Blurb - Publisher Will Randall becomes a demon wolf and has to fight to keep his job.
https://youtu.be/HXcm1cfVIRc
Neil Jordon who directed a killer werewolf picture in the early 80s returns to the genre to tackle vampires in Interview With the Vampire. Originally written with Rutger Hauer in mind as Lestat, the studios were thinking more John Travolta but the glut of vampire movies at the time (1979) caused a delay with the studio. This delay caused everyone to "age" out of the role and the studio finally selected Tom Cruise. This infuriated Anne Rice so much she pulled herself from the project, refusing to see the film. After it was completed a copy was sent to her and she changed her mind, seeing that Cruise was able to handle her creation in a credible way. She even went so far as to write a letter of apology to Cruise and take out a 2-page ad in the NY Times declaring it a "Masterpiece."
While a lot worked with the movie, it does have an incredible cast and Jordon is a fine director, I never enjoyed this movie in theaters or at home. I just don't like vampires all that much. Even so, this does continue the theme of the familiar. Rice may be a new player in the world of book adaptations, but she provided us with a familiar and classic monster. You can watch it on Netflix.
Blurb - A vampire tells his epic life story: love, betrayal, loneliness, and hunger.
https://youtu.be/sCmYN6TLd8A
I met one of my favorite people, and a wonderful friend because of The Crow. Not the movie, but the graphic novel. I worked for a popular Comic Store in the DFW area not affiliated with Lone Star Comics, and he came into our sister store looking for the books and anything else like it. While I might not consider this one horror, he is a ghost or a zombie or something, so let me check with the judge ...
This is one of my favorite filmmaker's first US projects. Alex Proyas does a wonderful job translating the story of The Crow from the page to the big screen. This was supposed to be the movie that really launched Branden Lee into bigger and better things, but a tragic accident led to the actor being shot and killed on set. CGI-Special effects and body doubles were used to complete the film. You can stream it on Paramount+.
Blurb - A man brutally murdered comes back to life as an undead avenger of his and his fiancée's murder.
https://youtu.be/N5uPZ7ocsqA
Indie director John Waters tackled the serial killer with his satire, Serial Mom. Kathleen Turner is fantastic as the murderous mother. This movie is Matthew Lillard's debut and not the last one to make a top-movies of the year list. He will dominate the late 90s. You have to rent/buy to check it out, but remember if you do it is a John Waters' Production.
Blurb - She's the perfect all-American parent: a great cook and homemaker, a devoted recycler, and a woman who'll literally kill to keep her children happy.
https://youtu.be/Ut9GvlhB9f4
Phantasm II didn't make enough for Universal to bankroll another one, but they did say they would distribute it for Don Coscarelli if he happened to make another one. Enter Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead. Freed from the restrictions the studio placed on part II, he was able to bring back the original actor who played Mike in the first film (16 years previously). Once complete the movie was shelved for close to a year as the studio tried to figure out how to distribute it. It received a limited release in the US and Japan before going to video. You can stream it on tubi, Peacock, and Shudder.
Blurb - Mike and Reggie continue to hunt the mysterious Tall Man, discovering along the way that the invasion has already begun.
https://youtu.be/hcITGTx6SbI
So far everything has been something familiar, but the studios did try and give moviegoers a truly original idea. Brainscan mixed the thrill of the internet, video games, and a new monster named Trickster. It failed miserably - critically and financially. I've watched it within the last year, and the real reason this movie fails is Edward Furlong. By this, his 5th movie, he was reportedly too deep in the "Hollywood" lifestyle.
He couldn't act his way out of a paper bag - many times simply screaming his lines. The director hated working with him, and had to "slap him awake every morning". I feel like this would have worked better with a more mature actor in the role, and not someone spiraling out of control. I'd love to see it remade now, as the special effects would be much better for the game-play graphics. It's a rent/buy to stream so maybe wait a bit. Or head over and we can watch the Blu-ray and make fun of all the craziness.
Blurb - A teenager is part of an interactive video game where he kills innocent victims. Later, the murders become real.
https://youtu.be/ADfW-Meo0WI
Studios and TV Networks were still going to the King well and after the success of IT on ABC, they decided they needed to do one of King's most popular works The Stand. King and George Romero had been trying for years to make this into a feature film, but they couldn't get the length down for a feature film. They considered trying to split it (way before Peter Jackson showed everyone how to do it with LOTR), but then ABC came knocking and King accepted. It's not streaming anywhere I can find, so I'm guessing youtube must be the best place to look.
Blurb - After a deadly plague kills most of the world's population, the remaining survivors split into two groups - one led by a benevolent elder and the other by a malevolent being - to face each other in a final battle between good and evil.
https://youtu.be/qsMp2pZK-Cw
Love me some Kenneth Branagh but not a fan of De Niro, which causes Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to be pushed down to the bottom of the list. The final major monster to be showcased in 1994, we find Hollywood revisiting these characters and stories instead of creating new ones. However, since we saw how poorly the only original horror film was treated in 1994, I get it. You can stream this on HBOMax.
Blurb - When the brilliant but unorthodox scientist Dr. Victor Frankenstein rejects the artificial man that he has created, the Creature escapes and later swears revenge.
https://youtu.be/hnxFuPw0JIE1994 was a great year for comedies and had some good action flicks. I just returned to the states so I was ready for some good movies.
[image error][image error][image error][image error][image error][image error][image error][image error][image error]January 5, 2022
2022 Splatterpunk Awards are nearing
So the 5th annual Splatterpunk awards are open for nominations. It was set up to honor the sub-genre of extreme horror and Donn, TX has 4 eligible items. Until 1/15/2022 you can send in your nomination for best of in a number of categories. Those will get tallied up and then the ballots will come out for voting ... or something. To be honest, I have no idea what happens as this is the first year I've paid attention enough to even try and get something on the ballot.
As you can see from the picture above, I have 2 eligible for Short Story, 1 novella, and a collection. Here's how to let the organizers know you think one of my works is worthy of being on the ballot.
You have to send it in e-mail form to splatterpunkawards@gmail.com. Put 2022 Splatterpunk awards nomination in the subject line If you think any of these 4 is worthy of a nomination, include the title, author name, and category. See 4 for examples ... Best Short Story -Donn, TX 1969 by Eric ButlerBest Short Story - Donn, TX 1865 by Eric Butler Best Novella - Donn, TX 1926 by Eric Butler Best Collection - The Donn, TX Collection Volume 1 by Eric Butler Don't forget Carver Pike, Daniel Volpe, Rowland Bercy Jr, Candace Nola, Ryder Kinley, Lee Franklin, and many others have stories, novellas, and novels available to vote for as well.Thanks for the help.
With multiple ways to enjoy, what are you waiting for?
Donn, TX Collection Paperback(all 3 years collected with a bonus story)
January 3, 2022
1993 - I don't even know where to start
The early 90s have been a wasteland for horror movies. Something interesting here or there, but for the most part it's all just filler.
First up is Army of Darkness. For some reason, Universal sat on the movie for a year, something that upset Bruce Campbell. It might be the reason that this was the only studio film he ever starred in as the lead. On top of the delay, Campbell was frustrated with the studio's meddling in the final cut. In fact, there are 4 different cuts released - US theatrical, European, Director's, and US TV - each with different run times and order of scenes.
Another questionable decision by Universal was the distancing from the name Evil Dead. This is the final part of the trilogy, but Universal wanted the film to stand on its own and refused to include the name in the final title.
With all these issues, I still believe this is the #1 choice for 1993. It's another Evil Dead. It's one more movie Sam Raimi added to his impressive lineup on his road to making Spider-Man in 2002. It kept the humor of the series while continuing to push the envelope with killer special effects. Bruce Campbell is great as Ash. Check it out on HBOMax.
Blurb - A sardonic hardware store clerk is accidentally transported to 1300 A.D., where he must retrieve the Necronomicon and battle an army of the dead so he can return home.
https://youtu.be/UHZQEtG8xYo
Paramount no longer thought the Friday the 13th movies were money makers and sold the rights to New Line Cinema, home to Freddy Kruger. The title Friday the 13th, however, was not part of the deal so we don't get Friday the 13th part IX, instead, the first NLC movie is Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday.
While it is the 2nd lowest-grossing movie of the Friday The 13th Franchise, it did better than Part VIII and was the highest-grossing horror movie in 1993. I think this tells us all we need to know about the state of the genre. If you have Cinemax you can stream it.
Blurb - Serial killer Jason Voorhees' supernatural origins are revealed.
https://youtu.be/CSQXPQKxlSI
Bride of Re-Animator director Brian Yuzna is handed the director's duties for Return of the Living Dead 3 by Trimark Pictures. The first 2 are horror comedies, with an emphasis on the comedy, but Yuzna was told part 3 only needed one thing to carry over from the first 2 movies - the zombies' love and need for brains. Another one that needs Cinemark to stream.
Blurb - Having recently witnessed the horrific results of a top secret project to bring the dead back to life, a distraught youth performs the operation on his girlfriend after she's killed in a motorcycle accident.
https://youtu.be/h8-DVXVdtZY
Another Trimark produced movie in 1993 is Warlock: The Armageddon. The sequel was originally supposed to be directed by Frank LaLoggia but his vision for the film was deemed too expensive and the job was handed to Waxwork/Hellraiser 3 director Anthony Hickox. It can be streamed on tubi and VUDU free.
Blurb - An order of Druids train their children to battle an evil Warlock determined to unleash Satan upon the world by bringing a collection of five mystic rune stones together.
https://youtu.be/olMt35FE6pk
1993 is important as it gives us Guillermo del Toro's first feature-length film, Cronos. With a budget of $1.5 million that went over to end at $2 million, this was at the time the highest budget ever for a Mexican film. It took a little time for people to catch on, but in 4 years we will see his name on pop up again. You can check it out on HBOMax.
Blurb - A mysterious device designed to provide its owner with eternal life resurfaces after four hundred years, leaving a trail of destruction in its path.
https://youtu.be/22UrI0YdzEQ
Trimark's 3rd movie in 1993 is The Leprechaun. Maybe we are finding the central theme to why horror movies are so bad in the 90s. The biggest thing about this movie is it is the film debut of Jennifer Aniston and Warick Davis stars as the leprechaun. Stream it on tubi if you feel lucky.
Blurb - An evil, sadistic Leprechaun goes on a killing rampage in search of his beloved pot of gold.
https://youtu.be/pJ_TYkEyNIc
Dario Argento returns to the director's chair with his film, Trauma. After dominating Italian horror, Argento came to the US to direct. He continues his visual style of horror in this film, but it falls a bit flat compared to his earlier works. Stream it on IMDBTV to see for yourself.
Blurb - A young man tries to help a teenage European girl who escaped from a clinic after witnessing the murder of her parents by a serial killer, and they try to find the killer before the killer finds them.
https://youtu.be/gvMz_1SbGMs
Originally supposed to be the beginning of a Showtime Anthology series, John Carpenter Presents Body Bags ended up being a single anthology movie. Each segment focuses on a different sub-genre of horror. You can find this one on Peacock, shudder, tubi, and VUDU free.
Blurb - Three short stories in the horror genre: the first about a serial killer, the second about a hair transplant gone wrong, and the third about a baseball player.
https://youtu.be/P7SpFO50Ifs
There are 3 Stephen King movies from 1993, but only one makes the list. George Romero directs another King-based project with The Dark Half. This film was shot in 1991, but Orion Pictures had money problems and it delayed the release until 1993. This is considered to be one of the most faithful adaptations of a King novel. He was a close friend of Romero and many believe this to be the reason why. Find it on Cinemax.
Blurb - A writer's fictional alter ego wants to take over his life...at any price.
https://youtu.be/VEbRwwBVxMU
Dreamscape & The Step-Father director, Joseph Ruben, gives us the horror/thriller The Good Son. In my mind, I would probably put this with movies like Silence of the Lambs and not consider it a horror film, but man 1993 kinda sucks so here it is.
Breaking out of his comedic and heart-felt dramatic roles, Macaulay Culkin shins as the psychopath Henry. You'll have to rent/buy to check this one out.
Blurb - A young boy stays with his aunt and uncle and becomes friends with his cousin, a boy of the same age who shows increasing signs of violent and psychopathic behavior.
https://youtu.be/a5c05msxjE4
Is Ed and His Dead Mother a horror movie? Well, no ... not really, but man, 1993 just isn't even trying. It does involve a zombie, and it stars one of my favorites - Steve Buscemi. I'm a sucker for low-budget hard to find films and this was one of those. You can stream it on tubi, or come on over and I'll hook up the VHS player. I'm pretty sure I still have the copy I found a few years after it was released.
Blurb - A mourning son makes a deal to reanimate his one year dead mother, however things turn into an unexpected direction.
https://youtu.be/ypAO0-ES0fQSix non-horror movies that made a big impact or are important to me from 1993.
[image error][image error][image error][image error][image error][image error]December 29, 2021
For people who like stories but don't have the time to read ...
I know people have busy schedules and many like to listen to books while commuting to and from work or while running errands. You're in luck as all of my books can be found on audiobook. I have partnered with 2 incredible narrators to bring my book to life.
The Sins of the Past is a Victorian Supernatural monster mystery smash-up. Kind of Sherlock Holmes, kind of Cthulhu, with a dash of Robert Louis Stevenson. It is a stand-alone book, but it does exist in a world where there will be other books. I plan on releasing a collection of short stories that give the reader a peek into the main character's backstories, and the next novel in 2022.
The narrator of the book is the narrator on this book trailer.
https://youtu.be/yCzEnOgPxrEFind your audiobook copy here
All of my U.S. based book are narrated by Micah Cottingham. I don't think all my praises could do her justice. I think she is perfect for my brand of horror, and she gets these stories. The characters come alive.
The Shadow Within is my tribute to one of horror's greatest writers, Richard Laymon.
The narrator of the book is the narrator on this book trailer.
https://youtu.be/XyDMFl-re_QGet you audiobook copy here
The Pope Lick Massacre is narrated by Micah but I haven't updated the book trailer. All you need to know: Half Man / Half Goat / All Ax. Prepare for a bloody good time.
https://youtu.be/d1Mz13aR1LAGet your audiobook copy here
Enter the world of Donn, TX. Each tale focuses on a different year in the area known as Donn, TX. When it's harvest time, no one is safe as a number of monsters come alive to soak the corn in blood. There can be no rest once the harvest begins.
https://youtu.be/Y2NTvxGfqhIGet your audiobook copy here
https://youtu.be/N1tw3FG4U0oGet your audiobook copy ,here
https://youtu.be/OzQYMl_qSpgGet your audiobook copy ,here
December 27, 2021
1992 - A horror icon is introduced and studios deep dive Steven King.
So 1991 was pretty much a garbage year for horror movies, and while 1992 is better, it's not by much. I drew the line at 10 for this year but there will be an honorable mention at the end. With 1991 showing us how sparse the landscape would be without all the big names, it is refreshing to see a few movies pop up to give us hope. However, we also see how narrow-minded the people in charge can be when many of them decided the way out of the horror drought was to dig deep into King's library and scare up some new ideas. Fingers crossed 1993 is better.
A little backstory - 1991 & 1992 were strange years for me. My mother remarried and I went from my home in Alabama to an Air Force base in Panama, and then to live with close friends in Texas. This covered my Junior and Senior year in High School. So I say many of 1991's movies in 1992 in Panama and a ton-of-straight to video movies also. Everything is 6-12 months behind on a military base, and Panama proper was not really safe for Americans at the time so we rarely went anywhere off base. That said, I will attach certain memories or situations with the movies I saw at or around the time. This makes many of the movies stand out during these years because of all the upheaval in my life.
My #1 movie for 1992 is Candyman. I remembered it for being a violent, scary, and very fun horror movie. I rewatched it recently and while it is all that, it is so much more. The film is a time capsule of the early 1990s, the attitudes, beliefs, and the distinctive look of the time. If you want to deep dive and look for hidden meanings, you can. Or you can watch it as a horror movie, and leave all the rest behind. Either way, when you are finished you will have watched one of the best movies of 1992. Stream it on tubi.
Blurb - The Candyman, a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, is accidentally summoned to reality by a skeptic grad student researching the monster's myth.
https://youtu.be/CeLZMhkFTuU
Should Bram Stoker's Dracula be #1, maybe but truth be told, I'm more of a Team Jacob kind of horror fan than a Team Edward. That said, this movie pulls no punches as it finished #9 on the Box Office list of Highest Grossing Films. Francis Ford Coppola directs an all-star cast and while everything is great there is one sticking point - Keanu Reeves. He's so miscast in the role of Jonathan Harker. FFC remarks about it later in reviews and Reeves admits that he was so drained coming off a number of pictures back-to-back that he hates his performance in this film. Truth be told, I'm not sure if there's any amount of rest that would have helped him at the time. Stream it on Netflix to see for yourself.
Blurb - The centuries old vampire Count Dracula comes to England to seduce his barrister Jonathan Harker's fiancée Mina Murray and inflict havoc in the foreign land.
https://youtu.be/PlDbxogHPao
The 2nd Clive Barker-inspired movie of 1992, Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth is the first of the series to refer to the title villain as Pinhead. Tony Randal was removed from the director's chair as his vision was thought too bleak and while Peter Jackson was offered the chance, the final choice became Anthony Hickox, the director of the WaxWork series. Clive Barker was worried about the choice since he thought Hickox was more of a comedy/horror director but the 2 met and hashed out their differences.
Peter Jackson remarked he would never have been able to do a serious horror film, like the series demanded, and gave it as the reason why he passed. Stream it on Paramount +.
Blurb - An investigative reporter must send the newly unbound Pinhead and his legions back to Hell.
https://youtu.be/CbGozPL5BeA
So I consider the 1st one a horror movie, and the 2nd one a science fiction action movie, but I'm not sure what to make of Alien 3. No one hates this movie more than the first-time director David Fincher. Many people believed this movie would end his movie-making career before it ever got a chance to begin, but Weaver let everyone know just how heavy-handed the studio was in the making of this movie. Many people like the newer cut released decades later, but it's not a director's cut as Fincher refused to come back to work on it. They used his original cut as a guide and went from there for the newer version. All that said, the movie is a part of the Alien Franchise and it's not the worst one. Stream it on Prime or get the Blu-Ray with the updated cut.
Blurb - After her last encounter, Ellen Ripley crash-lands on Fiorina 161, a maximum security prison. When a series of strange and deadly events occur shortly after her arrival, Ripley realizes that she has brought along an unwelcome visitor.
https://youtu.be/KUTaNMJJBa8
Brain De Palma returns to his horror movie roots to give us Raising Cain. This may be more like 1991's Silence of the Lamb or Cape Fear - movies I never thought of as horror films - but something about John Lithgow's performance drags it into the realm of horror for me. He plays 5 personalities/roles within the film and it's an amazing performance. Check it out if you have Starz.
Blurb - The oncologist wife of a prominent child psychologist suspects her husband has an unhealthy scientific obsession with their child, unaware of what - or who - is really going on inside his head.
https://youtu.be/jx2MeCjfP44
Braindead or Dead Alive as it was known in the U.S. is only on here because it's important to Peter Jackson's development as a director in his journey from New Zealand Horror Director to the creative genius behind The Lord of the Rings. It's considered the goriest/bloodiest movie of all time (taking the crown away from Hellraiser 2) but it's so campy and fun that some rating boards thought about not giving it an R-rating. In the end, the amount of blood won out and they went with more restrictive ratings. It's classic silly Peter Jackson and while I don't find the movie as fun as I once did, it still has its moments. I could only find it on youtube to stream.
Blurb - A young man's mother is bitten by a Sumatran rat-monkey. She gets sick and dies, at which time she comes back to life, killing and eating dogs, nurses, friends, and neighbors.
https://youtu.be/O8LIug1cP04
When I was a kid I loved L.A. Law on TV, and one of the characters on the show was a mentally challenged man played by Larry Drake. He was so convincing that I always assumed he was the same in real life until he showed up as the bad guy in Darkman. 2 years later he got the starring role as Doctor Evan Rendell in Dr. Giggles. I tell ya, Drake is a great actor and this is a fun (& funny) horror movie. This one is a rent/buy to watch movie.
Blurb - A madman who believes he's a doctor comes to the town where his crazy father was killed, and soon begins murdering people and becoming infatuated with a teenage girl who has a heart condition.
https://youtu.be/0QzF8zqe1sMWe are now entering the Stephen King Zone ...
First up we have Pet Sematary Two. Mary Lambert returns to direct the sequel to her hit from 1989, but her idea of centering the movie around Ellie, the only survivor from the original, was scraped and turned to a new character played by Terminator 2's rising star Edward Furlong. You can stream it on Netflix.
Blurb - A teenage boy and his father move to his recently-deceased mother's hometown, where they encounter the ancient Native American cemetery with the power to raise the dead.
https://youtu.be/hdn56hGq5O0
I saw The Lawnmower Man in theaters with a friend and we walked out unimpressed. If I recall correctly, we were downright disappointed. I don't think I ever saw it again, so I may need to revisit this film. While I am including this in the "King" group in truth, it is in title only. New Line Cinema had the rights to King's short story The Lawnmower Man and they had a script for a cyber movie they wanted to make. They slapped the title on their new movie and King was forced to sue to have it removed from the promotional material. They refused and ended up paying him a bunch of money. So every time I heard or saw an ad for this movie, Stephen King's name was used. It's on HBOMax to stream so let's check it out and see if the movie holds up or is as terrible as I remember.
Blurb - A simple man is turned into a genius through the application of computer science.
https://youtu.be/zzwPuJklv4w
We end with Sleepwalkers, written for the screen by Stephen King. It's the only movie to have King and Barker on the screen at the same time (both had cameo roles). This is another one I saw in the theater and left feeling indifferent about. Since you have to rent/buy-to-stream, I'm probably just going to go on living my life.
Blurb - A mother-and-son team of strange supernatural creatures move to a small town to seek out a young virgin to feed on.
https://youtu.be/X_DD7WWr4Sw
The original script for Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a much darker version than the comedy we got in 1992. That said, I believe this is the beginning of the High School/college horror movie run we will soon be seeing in the 90s. It's a rent/buy-to-stream, but it's worth it to see Paul Reubens play something other than Pee-Wee Herman.
Blurb - Flighty teenage girl Buffy Summers learns that she is her generation's destined battler of vampires.
https://youtu.be/pnZkV_aR_9wAs always here are some of the "didn't make it to the top of the box office that you need to see" movie I loved from 1992. These movies helped my love for cinema and story telling to grow and I enjoy revisiting them for inspiration and entertainment.
[image error][image error][image error][image error][image error][image error]December 22, 2021
Get your copy in a number of ways
I just approved the audiobook for Donn, TX 1926 and am busy working on the ebook for Donn, TX 2002. These are my lame excuses for not having a completely original post for today. That said I wanted to let people know I have signed copies available of all 4 paperbacks on top of the amazing ebooks, regular paperbacks, and audiobooks for your horror-loving pleasure. If you are interested in a signed copy, the best way to make sure I know is to message me on Facebook - click ,here.
The final chapter of Volume 1 of The Donn, TX Collection is here on ebook &
Kindle Unlimited.
Or you can get the paperback collection of the first volume. It includes 1969, 1865, 1926, and the short story that started it all - Donn, TX 1952
The Donn, TX Collection Volume 1 - Paperback
The Sins of the Past is now available on audiobook. Joff Manning does an incredible job of making my characters come alive.
https://youtu.be/yCzEnOgPxrEHere's the prologue for you to check out ...
https://youtu.be/k-TI90ie8W0,The Sins of the Past Audiobook - Click Here
Don't forget you can order all my novels as a paperback, audiobook, or ebook. Plus all my ebooks are on Kindle Unlimited.
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December 20, 2021
WTF happened to horror movies in 1991?
So the point of the "year in horror" review was to highlight the best and most influential horror movies every year I've been alive. It's been a battle to keep the number of movies highlighted under 20 most years - sometimes I've been forced to split years into multiple posts. The 70s and 80s have been a hotbed of incredible and entertaining horror films.
And then 1991 appears and I could only come up with 8 movies and 2 of those I've never considered to be horror. I'm curious if this was influenced by the Gulf War or a writers' strike. Or is it more of a horror burnout as companies continued to pump out sequels instead of introducing new ideas to the genre? I think the next few years are going to be interesting to see where my favorite genre is headed.
After Shocker bombed in 1989, Wes Craven did the made-for-TV movie Night Visions. He came back to the theater with what I think is the best horror movie of 1991, The People Under the Stairs. It's such a quirky and fun movie that is filled with a ton of WTF moments.
I love when bigger directors aren't watched by the studios and left to their own devices. Without the constant input from producers and the studio executives, a movie that would never be made slips through the cracks. It's even better when said movie makes money. Craven made a movie with a bit of a message, much like he did with The Serpent and the Rainbow. While The People Under the Stairs is a classic horror story about being trapped in a house with psychopaths, it is also a movie highlighting the social & economic injustices between the haves and have nots.
Get ready for some crazy scenes, impressive performances, and the trademark Wes Craven wit when you stream it on tubi.
Blurb - Two adults and a juvenile break into a house occupied by a brother and sister and their stolen children. There, they must fight for their lives.
https://youtu.be/gx4jKIzvVUo
So I didn't consider The Silence of the Lambs a horror film when it came out, and I didn't realize others did until about a year ago. I don't think the book is horror, and I don't see Thomas Harris as a horror author. This is a serial/procedural movie/book. Yet, when I take a step back and squint, I can see how people might think find the content horrific.
It was the 5th highest-grossing film of the year, so I guess you could argue it should be #1 on my list. You'd be wrong, but you could do it. Nothing about this movie is unique or inspirational to the horror genre, and since I never looked at it as a horror film, it simply can't be too high on my list. The best argument I can make is my wife has seen it multiple times and she refuses to watch horror. Stream it on Prime and tubi to see for yourself.
Blurb - A young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.
https://youtu.be/W6Mm8Sbe__o
And the other film I didn't consider a horror film when it came out was Cape Fear. Martin Scorsese leaves the worlds of New York and the mafia to do a remake of the classic Gregory Peck film from the 1960s. This was originally supposed to be directed by Steven Spielberg, but he talked Scorsese into doing it - after only a year of bugging him.
This movie was a box office success, hitting #9 for the year, but I'm not a fan. It's filled with actors I don't like which makes it an unbearable watch for me. I'm not saying they aren't good in the film because they are, but I just don't care for any of the family or the De Niro role. I think of this as more of a suspense thriller but some people classify it as a horror film. Stream it on tubi.
Blurb - A convicted rapist, released from prison after serving a fourteen-year sentence, stalks the family of the lawyer who originally defended him.
https://youtu.be/NNw_ar7XVyQ
Stewart Gordon tackles Edgar Allen Poe with his film The Pit and the Pendulum. The director with 2 H.P. Lovecraft-inspired movies, Re-Animator & From Beyond, under his belt, and coming off a few flops and a made-for-TV movie, needed a hit to re-establish himself as a top indie horror director.
Unlike the Vincent Price/Roger Corman Pit & The Pendulum, this version stays a touch closer to the original story and focuses on the Spanish Inquisition. Although Lance Henriksen stayed in character throughout the production and scared many around him daily, the movie doesn't play as well as Price's version. Stream it on tubi to see for yourself.
Blurb - Horror film set in 1492 Toledo, Spain, depicting the cruel deeds of a monk named Torquemada, Grand Inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition.
https://youtu.be/3g76LwvbBEI
Popcorn was a box-office bomb but it has gained a cultlike status with horror fans recently. Stream it on Flix Fling to see what you think.
Blurb - A master of disguise deranged killer begins killing off the college students who are organizing a horror-movie marathon in an abandoned theater.
https://youtu.be/W0FbB0Y9NV8
Rachel Talalay's directorial debut is the final Nightmare on Elm Street, Freddy's Dead The Final Nightmare. She was the production manager on the first 2 Elm Streets and a producer of parts 3 & 4. She didn't have anything to do with part 5, and she murdered the franchise in part 6. This is probably a good thing as the franchise felt stale after part 4, but Freddy was New Line Cinema's #1 franchise so they continued to force movies out there. Much like Jason, Freddy needed to take a step back and catch his breath. Stream it on HBOMax.
Blurb - Dream-haunting Freddy Krueger returns once again to prowl the nightmares of Springwood's last surviving teenager, and of a woman whose personal connection to Krueger may mean his doom.
https://youtu.be/sO-vn_x3YWY
Before Child's Play 2 was finished filming, the studio commissioned creator/writer Don Mancini to write Child's Play 3. Mancini felt rushed and out of ideas and feels like this was the downfall of this part of the franchise. The voice of Chucky, Brad Dourif, says it is his least favorite, and the movie-going public must have felt this vibe as they did not go see this in droves. In fact, this movie put the Chucky movie franchise on hold for 7 years. Stream it on Peacock to see what you think.
Blurb - Chucky returns for revenge against Andy, the young boy who defeated him, and now a teenager living in a military academy.
https://youtu.be/CQGEYF3XkY0
The director of Friday the 13th Park 6 takes a shot at directing a Stephen King-inspired script, Sometimes They Come Back. It's got an R rating and a theatrical trailer, but this movie was made-for-television so I'm not sure exactly how it came out in 1991. Stream it on tubi to see what you think.
Blurb - A man and his family return to his hometown, where he is then harassed by teenagers who died when he was a kid.
https://youtu.be/jcsw-zZMd7oThat's it. Nothing else was worth adding to the list for 1991. A few of my favorite movies from 1991 that didn't make the top 10 Box Office are ...
[image error][image error][image error][image error][image error][image error]December 15, 2021
A Ghost Story Like No Other...
Every Christmas, I like to sit down with the family and watch a handful of movies that capture the spirit of the holiday season. They don't have to be Christmas movies per se, but many of them are. And mixed within all the movies there has to be a version of one of the greatest ghost stories ever told, A Christmas Carol.
For those unfamiliar with the Dickens' tale...
An old bitter miser who rationalizes his uncaring nature learns real compassion when three spirits visit him on Christmas Eve.
Even if you've never read the book or seen the movie, you know who this bitter miser is...Scrooge. While there are many versions of the man, the one I call my Ebenezer Scrooge was played by George C. Scott. A tremendous actor who with just a look encapsulates all it means to be Scrooge. Growing up this movie ran on one of the big 3 networks (ABC I think) and I made sure to watch it - and Oliver - every Christmas season. I can't promise it will be on network TV or even regular cable but you can stream it if you have Hulu, Paramount+, or tubi. If you haven't seen it, it is worth the watch as they capture the spirit and time of the story very well.
https://youtu.be/sVObHkzoFPgOf course, you may have a George C Scott phobia or a deep personal hatred for all things Victorian...so I'm going to give you a few alternatives to get your A Christmas Carol fix...
For those with a very short attention span(around 26 minutes) and Disney+(or YouTube)...
See Scrooge McDuck and all your Disney animated favorites in Mickey's Christmas Carol
https://youtu.be/jNfzL9r1DIoIf you want more of a story and more muppets than animated characters tune in to Disney+
See Michael Cain transform into Scrooge as if on a Shakespearean stage...
https://youtu.be/euz-682_mjoOkay, okay...no traditional animation and no muppets...stay on Disney+
A traditional retelling of the story but in complete CGI with Jim Carrey playing a number of roles including Scrooge.
https://youtu.be/VZ3lr3urgDUOr maybe you'd be interested to see how the story came about? Slide over to HULU and check out Dan Stevens as Charles Dickens as he struggles to come up with the story that becomes A Christmas Carol. Christopher Plummer is Scrooge.
https://youtu.be/UxcnYR3mcPUIn all honesty, if you make time for one Christmas-themed movie this season, make it this one...
However, if you just can't handle a traditional telling and need to see Ebenezer in a more modern setting...you're in luck. One of the best adaptations came out in 1988 but it's going to cost you unless you have PlutoTV. $3 to rent and about $10 bucks to buy - I always suggest Amazon but YouTube and VUDU have it as well...
Bill Murray plays Frank Cross - a modern Scrooge in his own way. This funny and thoughtful film follows the same structure but with some modern twists...
https://youtu.be/3OLRQfMOXOwI just want to say thanks to everyone who checks out my weekly nonsense on here or Facebook. I have big plans for 2022, and I hope to see you there. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone out there...
December 13, 2021
1990 Trimming the fat and a Stephen King Comeback
There's a surge in the creation of horror movies as direct-to-video/direct-to-cable becomes a moneymaker for some studios. So I'm just going to pick 10 movies that were important to me or influential to the genre. Some decent movies may be left out, but man there's a bunch of garbage out there.
While this is a strong year for Stephen King adaptations, my #1 horror movie from 1990 is The Exorcist III.
So The Exorcist is an amazing movie based on an equally amazing book by William Peter Blatty. Exorcist II was a terrible money grab and when William Peter Blatty was offered the chance to direct a movie based on his book Legion, he fought the studio on naming it The Exorcist III. He wanted it titled Legion or at worst Exorcist 1990 so no one would recognize part 2 as anything other than a mistake.
They refused his request knowing that the name would attract the fans of the original. Weird thing about the book it's based on ... there are no exorcisms. There are characters from both movies, all though they needed to be played by different actors since #3 took place almost 20 years later. The studio decided that wasn't enough and forced a new ending on Blatty, and they added a full-on exorcism in act 3. For years, the studio said all the footage of the original scenes was lost but the year before Blatty's death, they found it and produced a Director's cut.
I love George C. Scott. He is one of my favorite actors, and when he is interested in a role, he always delivers. Brad Dourif lends a hand in this movie as the Gemini Killer as Jason Miller couldn't handle all the duties of playing Father Karras in this film - he was suffering from alcoholism and couldn't memorize the large monologues. Stream it on peacock, amc+. and tubi.
Blurb - A police Lieutenant uncovers more than he bargained for as his investigation of a series of murders, which have all the hallmarks of the deceased Gemini serial killer, leads him to question the patients of a psychiatric ward.
https://youtu.be/BXsj26KH4jk
Considered by many to be Creepshow Part 3, Tales from the Darkside: The Movie is one of my favorite anthology pictures. They were in negotiations with Romero to make a part 3 but decided to change the name - using the title of a horror anthology show from the 80s.
The cast is terrific with Debbie Harry, Christian Slater, Matt Lawrence(Joey's younger brother, Steve Buscemi, William Hickey, Alice Drummond, Rae Dawn Ching, James Remar, and introduced Julianne Moore (who I can't stand but won't hold it against this movie.) Add in stories by Conan Arthur Doyle, Stephen King, George Romero, and Michael Mcdowell and you have a perfect mix of talent providing 4 segments of terror. There are 3 main stories and a story that weaves them together as the 4th. You can stream it on Max.
Blurb - A young boy tells three stories of horror to distract a witch who plans to eat him.
https://youtu.be/pFNl7YEAof0
Kevin Bacon has said the single most fun movie to make for him was Tremors. You can see it on the screen. It's a fun movie with cool monsters and lots of action. You can stream it on Netflix.
Blurb - Natives of a small isolated town defend themselves against strange underground creatures which are killing them one by one.
https://youtu.be/liJfZvXdiTE
The first of 3 Stephen King-based movies in 1990(not including what he added to Tales of the Darkside) is the made for TV mini-series IT. This was a pretty big deal when they announced it and they secured an impressive cast of Television stars & up-and-comers for the event. Most important was the casting of Pennywise, and as he almost always does, Tim Curry shines as the murderous clown. He was so creepy in fact, that the other actors did all they could to avoid him outside the set while filming.
Tommy Lee Wallace (Fright Night 2, Halloween 3) returns to the director's chair to steer this movie in the proper direction for both the kids' section and the adults. Something the remake fails to do. Even though this one was made for regular TV, I think it's superior to the remake as a whole. Both movies do the kids' half well, but Wallace does a much better job with the adults' section of the story. Even though he felt the adults were a weaker part because the kids simply outshine them on the screen. You can check it out on HBOMax.
Blurb - In 1960, seven pre-teen outcasts fight an evil demon who poses as a child-killing clown. Thirty years later, they reunite to stop the demon once and for all when it returns to their hometown.
https://youtu.be/m5JO8wtNnzQ
I think Rob Reiner is a moron but the man can direct. He proves this by stepping from his comfort zone of comedies & dramas to give us one of the best adaptations of Stephen King's works, Misery. Kathy Bates is hypnotic as the fan and James Caan nails the role of the writer. This movie controls the tension and tempo that shows Reiner was paying attention when he deep-dived Hitchcock to pick up on how to direct a real thriller. You can stream it on HBOMax.
Blurb - After a famous author is rescued from a car crash by a fan of his novels, he comes to realize that the care he is receiving is only the beginning of a nightmare of captivity and abuse.
https://youtu.be/XHQ9CPRfDsw
King's final contribution to 1990 is The Graveyard Shift which in the end he disliked and names it one of his least favorite adaptations. This movie was forced to go through a number of cuts to get to an R-rating but it's still one of the bloodiest of the King movies. Stream it on HULU & Paramount+.
Blurb - In a very old textile mill with a serious rat infestation, deadly accidents start happening, but the corrupt foreman continues to put his workers in danger, until they discover a horrifying secret deep in the basement.
https://youtu.be/Efm4as5zedI
Child's Play 2 picks up where the 1st one left off. The writer of part 1 steps into the director's shoes and produces a good sequel. Most importantly, it helps keep the Chucky mythos going. Stream it on Peacock.
Blurb - While Andy's mother is admitted to a psychiatric hospital, the young boy is placed in foster care, and Chucky, determined to claim Andy's soul, is not far behind.
https://youtu.be/QQ578YDz-sQ
To get Society done, director Brain Yuzna had to agree to direct a sequel to Re-Animator the next year - Bride of Re-Animator. Jeffrey Combs & Bruce Abbott return to reprise their roles and continue for ways to conquer death. Combs really shines as Herbert West. It's worth watching just for him. This one is a little more humorous than the first, and still has a ton of gore. Watch it on tubi.
Blurb - Doctors Herbert West and Dan Cain discover the secret to creating human life and proceed to create a perfect woman from dead tissue.
https://youtu.be/E6wlp5-M0_E
Clive Barker returns to the director's chair to tackle another one of his books, giving us Nightbreed. The studios didn't get it and released a cut-up version that had no direction or real identity. The director's cut that gets released much later is a better film. Look for that one. Stream it on tubi, peacock, and VUDUfree.
Blurb - A troubled young man is drawn to a mythical place called Midian where a variety of friendly monsters are hiding from humanity. Meanwhile, a sadistic serial killer is looking for a patsy.
https://youtu.be/gKXnT8FVleY
While I struggled with who to put #10, in the end, I went with the more unique movie, Jacob's Ladder. I think the movie is so different from the typical horror movie of the time is director Adrian Lyne. He was the guy who did movies like Flashdance, 9 1/2 Weeks, and Incident Proposal so he gives a fresh perspective to this particular horror film. If you like a slow burn horror film that deals more with psychology than straight-up slashers then you should check it out. Stream it on pluto or if you wait a bit, it should pop up on Prime.
Blurb - Mourning his dead child, a haunted Vietnam War veteran attempts to uncover his past while suffering from a severe case of dissociation. To do so, he must decipher reality and life from his own dreams, delusions, and perceptions of death.
https://youtu.be/rJztRnDxdM8Just missed - The Night of the Living Dead Remake, Arachnophobia, Brain Dad, Buried Alive, Flatliners, Frankenstein Unbound, Gremlins 2, and Predator 2.
6 non-horror movies that I think people should see.
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