M.R. Gott's Blog, page 42

Horror Smorgasbord

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Where The Dead Fear To Tread

My debut novel is now available






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Horror Films...And the Women Who Love Them!

Horror Films...And the Women Who Love Them! By Christine Spines

Chicks dig scary movies -- A surprising look at why women buy more tickets to slasher pics than men — and how that's changing what we see on screen
The trailer for Jennifer's Body has everything a teenage boy could reasonably expect, as well as some things he probably wouldn't dare to dream of. Megan Fox playing a cheerleader, for instance. Megan Fox having a sleep-over with Amanda Seyfried. Megan Fox swimming nude, lighting her tongue on fire for kicks, and — talk about a transformer — turning into a snarling beast with fangs. But the strangest twist to the movie may be that it's a supernatural bloodbath made bywomen (Girlfight director Karyn Kusama and Juno scribe/EW columnist Diablo Cody) and, in large part, for women. ''My primary reasons for writing Jennifer's Body were that I knew about the female horror audience and am a fan myself,'' Cody says of the movie, which slashes into theaters Sept. 18. ''Growing up, I was absolutely mesmerized by the horror section at the local video store. It wasn't a particularly feminine compulsion, and my parents didn't want me watching that crap.'' 



Cody's parents — and the parents of young women everywhere — have lost the battle big-time. For decades, it seemed the sole purpose of movies in which masked and/or disfigured men hunted down lusty young damsels was to give guys a 90-minute outlet for their own aggression and hormones. Today, however, the genre's biggest constituency of die-hard fans is women. Name any recent horror hit and odds are that female moviegoers bought more tickets than men. And we're not just talking about psychological spookfests like 2002's The Ring (60 percent female), 2004's The Grudge (65 percent female), and 2005's The Exorcism of Emily Rose (51 percent female). We're also talking about all the slice-and-dice remakes and sequels that Hollywood churns out. 
Click Below for the full article.  

Stake Land

Stake Land directed by Jim Mickle is a post apocalyptic vampire film that combines western and road trip conventions.  While this seems like an overburdened concept it is executed superbly by the director and co writer Nick Damici, who also stars as Mister.  The focus of the narrative is the paternal relationship between Martin and his surrogate father Mister.
In the first scene when we learn how Martin met up with Mister and two things are very clear.  The character of Mister is total bad ass and this is a gritty and violent film, with an emotional core.  After Mister rescues Martin the two proceed north to the fabled New Eden, somewhere in Canada.  During their travels Mister trains Martin to survive in the world he inhabits.  Over the course of the film the size of the group fluctuates as travelers come and go.  


Scares in the film come from the vampires, who share many characteristics with zombies, and religious cults dedicated to worshiping the creatures.  While the writers' political views are very clear, it never overwhelms the story and characters.  At its core Stake Land is a movie about its character's journey, both physical and mental.    
Despite the limitations of its budget, Stake Land manages some very impressive set pieces.  The film harkens back to the early days of John Carpenter, combining western and horror elements flawlessly while never sacrificing its characters' development.  Throughout the running time there is a constant sense of dread.  Each night mister set the traps in case the group's campsite is attacked, yet it is not always.    During the day the characters are still not safe, needing to avoid the cultists roaming, searching for sacrifices for the night stalkers.More than phenomenally executed horror scenes, there are some incredibly poignantly emotional scenes in the film, moving Stake Land beyond mere horror conventions.  Nick Damici deserves credit for turning a clichéd character into a fully developed person.   One highlight is a brief and incredibly poignant scene in the film with Danielle Harris' character Belle.  Other notables in the strong supporting cast include Kelly McGillis and Michael Cerveris.
Small reflective moments move Stake Land beyond a good gritty horror film.  The haunting score with recognizable themes by Jeff Grace helps move the feel of the film beyond low budget tropes.  While this review may seem over shadowed by the strong cast performances, this is still a horror film.  Genre fans will not be let down.  At no time does the movie go soft, or pander.  I highly recommend you discover this little gem for yourself.  

What Spooks the Masters of Horror?

A Great Article from The New York Times
What Spooks the Masters of Horror?By JASON ZINOMANPublished: August 19, 2011 ONE of the great things about childhood is how easy it is to access the distinct delight of being scared out of your mind. Adults just have more trouble getting goosebumps. That's because experience is the enemy of true terror. You may shriek the first time you see "A Nightmare on Elm Street," but the second or third time you might only shudder. That's why dedicated horror fans sometimes have a hard time finding a really nerve-rattling movie. They've already seen it all. (click below for the full article)