Category: Horrific

Haunt-Tober 2023 Day 2: When Evil Lurks (2023)

Posted on by Kstrouse

While horror movie watching is a year-round event, this is that time of year when all of us can flourish, embracing the weird.

So, come one, come all, beasties unite! It’s Haunt-Tober time!

This was an intriguingly twisted little indulgence. In the most unsettling way, it had me captivated, unable to tear my eyes away from the screen while wearing a visible grimace. Once When Evil Lurks establishes its rhythm, there’s no turning back; it devours characters without a hint of mercy, all in a brilliantly strange (and chillingly morbid) manner.

In the film, two brothers, Pedro (Ezequiel Rodríguez) and Jimmy (Demián Salomón), make a startling discovery in the nearby woods, setting off a thrilling chain of events. From its gripping opening to its stunning conclusion, the movie maintains an electrifying and suspenseful atmosphere throughout.

Soon, a small group of townspeople must grapple with the challenge of disposing of the “rotten ”, a demon that is afoot, and it must be cleansed to prevent danger to them all, but following the necessary rules for this task proves to be no easy feat.

This rotten is like a festering wound, gruesome and queasy. There are several unforgettable sequences and images that will burrow deep into your psyche. This isn’t a film for the faint of heart by any means. 

Pedro emerges as the driving force, desperately striving to rescue his children and his ex-wife as things take a dark turn. What unfolds is a tangled web of distressing and emotionally harrowing events.

source: IFC Films

Directed by Demián Rugna, this film has the potential to be profoundly terrifying. Its tension is established early and its palpable ferocity never wanes. The supporting cast, including Luis Ziembrowski, Silvia Sabater, and Marcelo Michinaux, are all terrific. Each scene builds dread and enhances the eerie vibe.

This possession movie successfully breathes new life into the subgenre of horror, daring to take risks and delivering the kind of audacious and innovative experience that we crave.

When Evil Lurks doesn’t shy away from the horrific, keeping viewers on edge with a surplus of discomforting moments. It’s a film where you never truly feel anyone is safe. It’s bold and intensely bleak, and it is one of my favorite horror films of the year.

Stay tuned for more Haunt-Tober articles (one a day in fact) and more giveaways!

Today’s winner:

Blood daughter: The Indie of Indies

Posted on by Crockett Houghton

When you have a deep love for the novel Dracula by Bram Stroker the obvious thing to do is to make a trilogy of films (started over thirty years ago) dedicated to a modern retelling of the tale. That’s exactly what writer and director Bryan Enk has done, starting with his first two titles from when he was still in college, 1993’s Dracula and 1994’s Dracula Returns. Of course both of these were made on a budget thinner than any thread known to humanity and shot on VHS using camcorders. When you have a love for storytelling, it doesn’t matter.

That brings us to this year and the film we are here to talk about, Blood Daughter, in a way a legacy sequel to Enk’s own films from the 90’s. The movie takes a few minutes to get going but once it does we learn that there is a cult that has been routinely recruiting people to be sent to the tower and become food for Dracula and the titular Blood Daughter (played by Alexandria Johnson). That’s just one of the many plots and subplots the film introduces us to, slowly bringing them all together at the end.

I Am All In A Sea Of Wonders

The film takes ideas and themes directly from Bram Stoker’s Dracula in order to inform the narrative of the piece, often taking lines directly off the page. At times the film had a very campy feel for everything that was happening until it hit me what I was watching. If you just let go and allow things to unfold (while reserving judgment) the movie is very much a stage-play. Sure, it’s filmed and the camera moves inform what it is that we are to be paying attention to but at the heart of Blood Daughter, it’s very much a play. An over the top one that didn’t take itself too seriously at times, but a play none the less. In a way, that’s what ended up making it fun for me.

The cast is extensive (all friends or favors that were called in by Enk) and included almost everyone that was involved in the original VHS epics from the 90’s. Returning for the conclusion of the tale were; Aaron Sinclair (Harker), John Klump (Renfield), Chuck Johnson (Van Helsing), and David Jarrell (Lord Henry). Whether you enjoyed the varying levels of acting talent from those involved or not, the one thing that you cannot argue with is, they were having a blast. It was like watching one of the home movies that we all made when we were younger but made by adults who haven’t yet forgotten how to have fun. We should all make at least one of these films if we truly love cinema.

Conclusion

Blood Daughter won’t win any awards, and it certainly won’t change the landscape of Hollywood for better or for worse, but that’s kind of the point. Enk rounded up the people he wanted to work with and went out and made the film that he wanted to make. It was a pure passion project by everyone involved and when you have art like that it doesn’t deserve to be ignored or ran into the ground, it should be seen and enjoyed for what it is. Someone’s hard work, finished and put on screen. It takes a lot to see something through from start to finish so for that alone it’s worth a view.

I will say that despite the fact that I wasn’t completely on board with the acting or the camera moves (or lack of camera moves) or the sound design and effects, the movie did exactly what it set out to do. It made a campy little conclusion to the films Enk made in college and even expanded on the lore a little. It had a definite beginning, middle, and end, and it was entertaining.

I do like stumbling upon movies like this, they’re like little secrets that only a handful of people are in on. In this case I think if you have just under two hours to kill, you should seek Blood Daughter out and give it a watch. Supporting Indie filmmakers is always important and this film can use the word of mouth. They all put in their time, you can give them a little of yours.

TIFF 2023: Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person

Posted on by Kstrouse

Under the direction of Ariane Louis-Seize, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person interrogates a novel premise: What if a vampire harbors an inherent distaste for consuming human blood? This unique narrative is wonderfully woven with elements of compassion, humor, and ingenuity.

The narrative orbits around the adolescent vampire, Sasha (Sara Montpetit), who finds herself wrestling with the morbid expectations of her lineage. Her vampiric pedigree necessitates a diet of human blood, yet she finds herself at odds with this gruesome reality. Especially when it comes to taking a life.

From the first frame, I was instantly drawn in by the film’s quirky introduction. Sasha forms an unexpected emotional connection with a clown at her birthday party, oblivious to the fact that he was intended to be her inaugural feast, a tradition anticipated by her vampire kin.

The film deftly navigates the tumultuous waters of emotional trauma and compassion. Sasha’s father (Steve Laplante) exhibits empathy for her quandary, while her mother (Sophie Cadieux) insists on adherence to their vampiric tradition. Sasha’s refusal to succumb to her nature threatens her existence, leading her to find solace in meetings for individuals coping with depression. Upon crossing paths with the suicidal teenager, Paul (Félix-Antoine Bénard), Sasha perceives a potential resolution.

Their relationship evolves into an unconventional alliance, with Sasha striving to circumvent the necessity of ending his life. She posits the fulfillment of a final wish – to retaliate against his oppressor, Henry.

Despite some of the macabre elements, it exudes an endearing sweetness, effortlessly dismantling the barriers of societal norms. It encapsulates the essence of adolescent romanticism and life’s tribulations through a lens of humor and poignant commentary.

source: Toronto International Film Festival

The film’s subdued color palette aligns with its tonal subtleties, while the remarkable performances of the young leads imbue the narrative with a sense of depth.

This melancholic dark comedy breathes new life into the vampire subgenre and emerged as an unexpected gem at this year’s festival, which I found utterly captivating.

Christine Doyon‘s script is a triumphant display of wit and deadpan humor. Sophie Cadieu delivers a stellar performance, her stoic resolve gradually unveiling a captivating expressiveness.

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person intertwines elements of romance and a profound exploration of humanity. The film is a heartwarming and inventive cinematic experience that offers a refreshing deviation from conventional vampire narratives, proving both enthralling and unforeseen.

Simultaneously presenting a tale of supernatural creatures and an exploration of the human psyche, it leaves a lasting impression.

With an artful blend of dark comedy, fantasy, romance, and humanistic exploration, it’s a beacon of inventive filmmaking and is certain to delight discerning viewers.

Let’s breathe new life into familiar tropes or rather… get some fresh blood.

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person had its premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

Comic Corner: Night Terrors: 13 Horsemen

Posted on by Crockett Houghton

What would you get if you bred the television show Sons of Anarchy with the movie John Carpenter’s Vampires? You would get the latest release from Storm King Comics, Night Terrors: 13 Horsemen. Packed with more demon slaying than you can shake a stick at thanks to a monster hunting band of outlaw bikers, this book calls for blood on every level.

Night Terrors: 13 Horsemen wastes no time jumping right into the action and introducing us to the core group of slayers lead by the grizzled vet in the game, James. His introduction into this world came years ago when he was forced to watch his wife’s murder at the hands of the demons from hell and it was then that he made revenge not only his goal but his purpose in life. Following a priest that everyone calls Father, the group are constantly on the lookout for who they believe is the main threat called Corbin. There is of course a prophecy that seems to be coming true and if they can’t stop it, it will mean the end of days.

This book moves fast from one blood and gore soaked scene to the next. From one rescue to another, always with the end goal in mind, to find Corbin and stop the prophecy. There isn’t a lot of downtime and never a chance to breath, the action is swift and intense because the 13 Horsemen can’t allow anything slow them down. The fate of the entire world is at stake after all.

From The 9th Circle

Night Terrors: 13 Horsemen is the brainchild of Nat Jones. He had double duty on this one, not only doing the amazing art (every page in this book is just as beautiful as any he has done in his many collaborations with Steve Niles) but he also conceived and wrote the story. So, let’s talk about the writing first.

This story is a very interesting take on the hunting genre of horror, whether that be monsters or vampires or in this case, demons. The element of the biker gang added a lot of flavor to a trope that we’ve seen a lot over the years, opening up the world to where there are no weak characters. Everyone is very capable of handling their business and that’s especially important here, with each turn of the page the problems literally become bigger and bigger.

The art, well, what can I say about the art of Nat Jones that hasn’t already been said over the years. He has a very unique style that is often imitated but never duplicated. The man is in a world of his own when it comes to how he renders a page. Everything is always in motion, I dare not ask the question “is he’s capable of doing a still life,” because he would probably draw a vase of flowers but place it in the bed of a speeding truck, or in this case, on the back of a motorcycle. But seriously, the art is once again amazing and there are many pages I would love to have as a poster in my office.

The other contributor to the book was the always amazing lettering of the one and only Janice Chiang. She was once again able to match the tone and feel of the artist and still find room for her own voice among the chaos. Dare I say, she never misses?

Final Thoughts

Night Terrors: 13 Horsemen was a thrill ride of a read. I consumed it in one sitting because putting it down just simply couldn’t be done. It made me want to grab my leathers and my crew and head out to battle the demons of the night until I remembered that I didn’t have any leathers nor a crew and as far as I’m aware the only demons of the night are my children when it’s time for bed.

I’m slowly starting to think that Storm King Comics doesn’t believe in publishing subpar stories because everything I get my hands on is top notch. Imagine that, a publishing house that puts out original stories and creator owned work, surrounding themselves with the best of the best. Night Terrors: 13 Horsemen just solidifies my hypothesis, it’s a fantastic addition to any graphic novel collection. Jones and Chiang knocked it out of the park.

Comics Corner: Night Terrors: Usher Down

Posted on by Crockett Houghton

Storm King has a rich and storied history of releasing unique and fun horror and sci-fi comics and that tradition continues in a big way in their new graphic novel; Night Terrors: User Down.

The story centers around Dana, a psychic who sometimes works with law enforcement by helping them to discover or find the bodies of the deceased. While she’s walking her dog a storm pushes them further into the forest and when Dana gets knocked into a rushing river, everything changes for her. Dana is sucked into a hole and finds herself deep underground, face to face with Poe’s fabled House of User.

Broken into two pieces (like the Titanic it is stated by more than one character) Dana finds it hard to believe what she is looking at. The house appears to be stuck in time and from all appearances, extremely haunted. Dana is fairly quickly rescued but immediately recruited to lead an expedition back to the house to explore and try to find out just what the heck is going on there by Bernice, a government agent.

Going back is a tall order for Dana but she agrees and quickly the team finds out that the house is haunted not only by ghosts but by time itself. Things are constantly changing, sometimes in horrifying ways, like something you would see in a Silent Hill video game. It’s very cool.

The architects of madness

Putting the pen to the paper was Jason Henderson. His writing really shines in several ways in Usher Down, the one that resonated the most for me was his ability to layer the mystery. Nothing is quite as it seems upon first glance and it is very clear that when he said he took inspiration from; The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting, and Rose Red, he meant it. It bleeds through in the best ways. Henderson never pulls down his sunglasses, sitting at the poker table and pushing his chips all in when he’s ready. His use of a strong female lead was refreshing in a genre the can sometimes lack such representation. My only question is, what does he have cooking next?

The art was quite masterfully done by Greg Scott who managed to put together a consistent look for the book that was somehow both realistic and stylized. It really pops off the page and forces you to look for the tiny details. Breathing life into his work was the colorist, in this case, Felipe Sobreiro who chose a pallet that was just muted enough that when he really wanted to draw your eye he would add a brighter splash to make sure nothing was missed. I loved the colors in this. Of course no story could be told without the words and the lettering here by Ed Dukeshire. Always easy to read, he gave each character their own style so that even if there weren’t dialogue bubbles, we would know who was speaking. Extremely well done, this team needs to work together, so many more times.

Final thoughts

Usher Down surprised me, it shouldn’t have because Storm King continues to impress with each and every release. It just solidified Storm King as the undisputed champion of horror publishing. The story was a quick read because it forced me to keep going, much like the characters, I was afraid to stop. I wouldn’t know what would happen if I did and I needed to know. The writing and the art are perfectly married in this book and there isn’t a single aspect that makes it anything but a pleasurable experience.

Also, selfishly for me, there aren’t many horror stories that are set in Virginia and as a Virginia boy myself it was quite fun to be reading something that took place in my home state. It made everything somehow that much more familiar and really raised the stakes.

Usher Down was just another perfect example of what is possible in the graphic novel medium, you don’t need to spend millions of dollars on an effect heavy movie when reading (in this house at least) is still very popular, cheaper, and sometimes for my money, more fun. Usher Down was like taking a guided tour through Henderson, Scott, Sobreiro, and Dukeshire’s collective nightmares and it was a dreamscape that I would be happy to revisit. You need to pick up a copy of this book.

Comic Corner: John Carpenter’s Night Terrors: Sour Candy

Posted on by Kstrouse

Sour Candy (great title) is a horror-filled story that keeps its finger on your pulse as it sustains its curated, perpetual unease.

In a twist of fate (perhaps) Phil Pendleton crosses paths in a grocery store one day with a young boy named Adam and his mother.

Soon after, his mother is in an accident and suddenly, he’s responsible for this strange child who refers to him as dad.

The story’s first page teases a troubling future for Phil and a promising page-turner as four months in the future, his teeth have fallen out. His face is weathered and it’s clear that this has taken a toll.

The life he knew is turned upside down and now he’s unsure if he’ll be able to survive at all. Who is this boy? What are his intentions? Is he even a child at all?

It’s a freaky little joy to find out these answers. Phil is a sympathetic and interesting character to follow which makes the journey an easy one to devour. There’s also some really fascinating lore built in that shows the level of creativity at play here. It encourages a variety of emotions while being genuinely creepy at times, which isn’t easy to do.

Nothing bad can come from eating candy, right?

The comic is nightmare fuel come to life as it takes the commonality of a shared dream most of us will have at some time and makes it a dread fest. What Phil soon learns runs deeper and darker than he could have ever imagined. First his teeth, but what’s next? When will he no longer be of use?

In many ways, the storytelling in Sour Candy feels more cinematic than some of the other comics I’ve reviewed. While it is easy to visualize because of the stellar artwork, it also leaps off the paper, hopefully luring someone, somewhere, to adapt.

Written by Kealan Patrick Burke, it flits by, becoming weirder with each scene that combines more intimate psychological thrills with the scope of gods and monsters.

The artwork is interesting. It isn’t always consistent, but it has moments that compel some very powerful imagery. This hellish trap that Phil gets stuck in is brutal stuff and the visuals and narrative symbiosis make it a winner.

It’s hard to put down, just strange enough to raise a brow and creepy enough to drop a jaw. Sour Candy is a compelling slice of chilling child fare that might just be effective enough to have you avoiding the candy aisle.

For more information on Storm King comics click here.

Bestselling Comics

Comic Corner: Tales For A Halloween Night Vol 8

Posted on by Crockett Houghton

Storm King Does it Again with: Tales For A Halloween Night Vol 8!

I’ve been a fan of horror ever since I first watched Candyman when I was a child. The movie crawled deep inside my brain and affected me for weeks. Since that time I’ve found many different ways to devour horror content, whether it be movies or books, or most recently: graphic novels. The latest is an anthology collection from Storm King Comics called Tales For A Halloween Night Vol 8, so join me on my journey into the horrors of it all.

Let’s Start in Hell

The first story in the collection is called Tartarus, written by the horror master himself, Mr. John Carpenter. It features the brilliant art of Luis Guarangna with an amazing color palette by Sian Mandrake. The story centers around a sanitation worker by the name of Junior who has been contracted by a very wealthy stranger.

When he arrives to do the job he is instructed to follow, he finds himself stuck in is a maze of staircases rising to the sky at every possible angle. When he finally reaches his destination he is led to yet another elevator that only goes down. Junior’s cleanup job will be in the basement, literally as low as you can go. Soon, he finds himself face to face with Hell.

The writing on this is fantastic, it hints to a previous job gone wrong and a story that has yet to be told. The art is fantastic and really made me want to see what else would come to pass. The colors were beautiful and really complimented everything that was going on. This was a fun one that left me wondering, was Junior dead and ready to face his afterlife or was this just going to be the hardest cleanup job of his career? You decide.

Cats Always Know

The Caretaker was written by Alec Worley with the art duties being handled by Tim Foster. It opens on the new caretaker’s first night on the job while he’s trying to figure out who broke into a poor elderly woman’s unit. Nothing was taken, but a vase that was important to her was broken and the caretaker promises to fix everything.

After a ghostly vision in the bottom of the vase (the caretaker attributed it to a flashback from his wilder days), he decides to call it a night. The caretaker believes all the trouble is coming from a group of teens that keep hanging around and that night while he is sleeping the same thing happens to his apartment. It’s overturned with no sign of a break-in. He notices a cat in the courtyard and follows it to the boiler room where the teens confront him while the cat coughs up a toe. The caretaker is driven to madness and it is then revealed that the previous caretaker had murdered the teens and they were just searching for their heads.

The art works perfectly to compliment the story in this short burst of horror brilliance. The way the story slowly unfolded and gave us the tiniest bits of info trickling in was done very well. The poor caretaker wanted nothing more than to do a good job and ended up paying for the sins of the person who previously held the job. Hopefully, the cat and some therapy can help him bounce back but I imagine vengeful ghosts looking for their heads would be hard to get over.

Welcome to Club Vampire

The Night The Lights Went Out In Brooklyn was written by Frank Tieri with art by Cat Staggs and tells the story of a journalist trying to get to the bottom of the Millennium Massacre that took place during a blackout in 1977. The journalist finds himself not welcome at an apartment building until he mentions the massacre and is allowed to come up for an interview by the only person known to survive the event. As the man dives into the story of that night in ‘77 it becomes clear that during the blackout the club became under attack from vampires. Our journalist finds this believable and wonders how he made it out alive. As it turns out, our survivor was bitten and transformed that night.

This story had some amazing artwork and I really enjoyed how the vampire was at times toying with the journalist as he told his story. The twist wasn’t completely a surprise but it was fun to see this take on the old “the calls are coming from inside the house.” When the pizza boy finally did show up, he made the proper choice and got out of there fast.

A Cottage in the Afterlife

Beautiful Beast was written by Elena Carrilo with art by Jaime Carrilo and colors from Michelle Madsen. It tells the tale of what happens when you die.

Our lead is found in the woods by a beast that leads her to a warm and inviting cottage. While investigating the beast’s garden she discovers that the scarecrow is actually the bones of a dead police officer. As she makes her escape time begins to feel funny to her and back in Central Park she discovers the bones of her rotting body. She recalls looking at her phone and feeling a strange sensation in her head, which turns out to be an aneurysm. She decides to return to the cottage and spend her afterlife with the beast.

This story had some of my favorite art from the entire book, and a compelling story. The art really brought the little story to life and I loved the design of the beast. Part fantasy and part the horror of facing one’s mortality, you can’t really ask much more from a short piece that this didn’t provide. It was actually quite beautiful for a horror story.

They Came From the Corn

The One Night Of The Year was written by Kealan Patrick Burke with art by Tom Mandrake and colors from Jack Mandrake. It tells the story of Halloween night for a farmer and his dog named Rufus. Every year three monsters come from the corn to torment the old man, taking the form of his dead wife and his two children. This story even features a cameo from John Carpenter himself, working on a film with the farmer’s grown son. Both children are alive and it seems that the family kind of fell apart after the death of the farmer’s wife and his drinking problem. Every year after the creatures show up to further torment the farmer.

This was a very cool short, the designs on the monsters from the corn were fantastic. I love anytime someone wears a sack for a mask, it’s always creepy and the dead wife sporting a pumpkin head with glowing candlelight coming from the eyes and mouth was a very nice touch. It’s a touching story about a man dealing with the demons of his past while trying his best in his present.

Look Both Ways Before Crossing the Street

Sweet Dreams was written by Sean Sobczak with art by Conner Doyle. The story revolves around a couple very much in love who are about to return to Paris for the first time in years. Before they are able to leave, Harold (the husband) is in a horrible accident when he’s hit by a bus and put in a coma. Tilly (the wife) is devastated and doesn’t know what to do. Soon she begins to see Harold in her dreams as he is trying to convince her that he can’t return to his body, that he’s too far gone but they can be together in the dreamland. Is Harold really looking for peace or is something sinister at play?

This visuals matched the writing well, complimenting each other. It wasn’t so much of a horror as it was a sad tale of love and loss and how far someone will go to be with their person. This was my favorite short in this anthology and I personally think it would make a fantastic film. It’s very moving with just the right amount of horror.

Never Look a Cat in the Eye

Purr was written and illustrated by Sara Richard and tells the tale of a man in the 1800s who is visited in the early morning hours by a cute kitten he affectionately names bright eyes. After the man promises the kitten a home and good food to come he is sucked into the eye of the cat. What was once a joyous morning turns into a living nightmare as he discovers the horrors that wait just behind those bright eyes.

This was probably the quickest of the shorts and was carried by visuals alone. There was very little dialogue but it was effective that way. The story has some of the best art in the book as far as having its own style goes and as a quick read, it was a fun and creepy proof of what I’ve said for years: Cats are cute but they are secretly demons sent to take us out.

Don’t Drink and Drive

Gutted was written by Neo Edmund with gorgeous art by Jason Felix. It tells the story of a young lady who had too much to drink at a Halloween party and died in a car accident only to wake up on the table during her autopsy. She flees the scene and runs into other people in a place that’s sort of in-between worlds. A child explains to her what happened and that her heart was going to be used to help her live a very long life. She must have been a donor.

The short starts like many horror shorts of the past, on the table but it quickly takes a left turn into something original. Her spirit not quite passed on gets to meet others who are in transition, and one who clearly is going to get to leave that plain and make it back to the land of the living. I enjoyed that little twist quite a bit.

Cheaters Never Prosper

Proof was written by Amanda Deibert with art by Cat Staggs. For a short piece, it really takes us on a roller coaster of events. It opens with a murder followed by a news report that a serial killer is on the loose. As the story unfolds Chloe (our main character) slowly discovers various clues that she discusses with her best friend that all point to him being a big cheater. Slowly as each clue is found we begin to think that he is the murderer and Chloe is next but hang on… could it really be that simple?

The art really knocked it out of the park and the story had a great twist, making me truly believe it was the awful boyfriend. Of course, some of the details used to convince us made the reveal a little confusing. Still, it was a fun ride.

Holidays Are Scary

Red Meat Flag was written by David J Schow with art from Andres Esparza and centers around a detective who is searching for a serial killer who likes to work on the holidays. They dubbed him Mister Tweezers due to the way he managed to never leave any clues at all to his killings. The detective eventually finds himself in the killer’s sites and realizes he was outmatched. The killer kills on.

This is another that would make a really interesting feature film. The insanely smart killer and the determined detective on his way out of the business are prime for an adaptation. The creative way in which each person was killed added to an already visually exciting piece, especially in the horror space. This was noir meets horror in the best of ways. I want more of this.

Horrors of the Past

Hound Out Of Mind was written by Jennie Wood with art from Richard P Clark. The story begins with a loving couple, Holden and Wade, adopting a new puppy. Very quickly Wade begins to have memories of his past causing him to hallucinate and break a bit from reality. His childhood was full of fighting parents and bad times and the puppy is reminding him of that, even seeing the puppy as a demon hell-bent on killing him. Holden tries to reason with him and that sends Wade on a trip down memory lane where he’s forced to battle the demons of his past before he can be ready to live happily ever after.

The star of this one was definitely the art. I feel like if they had more pages then maybe the story wouldn’t have felt a little rushed. Overall, it was a good reminder that now isn’t then and we can live happily even if how we grew up wasn’t the best. We can confront those demons and find peace in the here and now.

Cosmic Horror Time

Dark Sky Park was written by Michael Moreci with art from Scott Hampton. We find our lead, Ted, in search of a mysterious Alex who has information about the disappearance of his father. When he arrives he immediately begins to get bad vibes about the very cult-like nature of the people he has found. Alex confirms that his father was there for two months and then he left, much like Ted would. That night, as Ted tries to escape after rightfully being mega, crept out, they knock him unconscious and tie him to a rock facing the night sky. Soon we learn what happened to Ted’s father and what fate awaits him.

Cosmic horror is something that I’ve only recently started getting into, it isn’t that I didn’t like it before it’s that I was unaware. This is a really good short that takes the stranger in a cult trope and adds in that cosmic element. The art is fantastic and meshes with the writing perfectly. The ending was unexpected.

Following a Feeling

The Gangster’s Grave was written by Duane Swierczynski with art from Heather Vaughan. It centers around the descendant of a murdered police officer coming home after another family tragedy. As a writer, he thinks it would be a good idea to try and crack the 100-year-old case. First, he has to find the grave of the gangster that killed his relative all those years ago in an abandoned and forgotten cemetery so he can make peace with the past.

This was less a horror story and more of a gothic exploration of what one will do for a story. The art and writing were terrific as a very subdued “listen to what I have to say” trip down memory lane with beautiful visuals. I really enjoyed it.

Don’t Mess With The Van Fleet Women

Buried Deep was written by Sandy King with art from Trevor Denham and colors by Ryan Winn. It begins at a funeral and tells the tale of the latest Van Fleet woman moving back into the family home. The home is haunted by the ghosts of all the women who have come before and they all have a confession, their husbands were NOT lost at sea. They were all murdered by their wives. There’s only one more murder to go and that is to get the last standing Van Fleet woman to be single again. Will the ghosts telling their stories be enough to convince her to murder the man who has been trying, for better or worse, to court her?

I can see so many of these as film adaptations, and this is another to add to the list. The suspense could be played out nicely. The fact that it was just a long line of murderous women was a really fun twist. Have to keep that family tradition alive!

Final Thoughts:

This was a fantastic collection of horror shorts and really what could we expect coming from the King and Queen of Horror, John Carpenter and Sandy King. Their stories book-ended an assortment of stories that range from regular serial killers to ghosts to vampires to the past to space, everything that one might find frightening. There’s something in this volume for everyone and I can’t recommend it enough.

Storm King Comics have been doing this for years and if you haven’t browsed their shelves, you really need to get on that. Horror movies are great but there’s just something about holding a scary book and it making you turn the pages when you could very well just set it down. The choice is yours but I for one am looking forward to Vol 9.

For more information on Storm King Comics click here.

Cinematic Nightmare Candy: Becky & Evil Dead Rise

Posted on by Kstrouse

Welcome to Cinematic Nightmare Candy. Providing your horror sweet tooth its (hopefully) terrifying fix.

For this Cinematic Nightmare Candy, I catch up with two films with festival origins, one from 2020 and one from this year. Each are fairly short, with their own flair and full of savage delights.

Becky (Jonathan Milott & Cary Murnion)

source: Quiver Distribution

With the sequel coming out soon, it seemed time to dig into this violent foray!

Becky (Lulu Wilson) is a stubborn, grieving teen who doesn’t make it easy for her father (Joel Mchale) when he takes her and their two dogs to a remote cabin to spend some quality time.

To make things worse, he doesn’t let Becky know when he invites his girlfriend Kayla (Amanda Brugel) and Kayla’s young son Ty (Isaiah Rockcliffe). What starts off as an awkward familial situation quickly turns dire, when the worst situation imaginable becomes a nightmare.

While relationship discord spikes, escaped convicts and white supremacists Dominick (Kevin James), Apex (Robert Maillet), Cole (Ryan McDonald), and Hammond (James McDougall), show up in search of a mysterious key. What the Key is or does remains a secret, but this group is willing to do whatever it takes to find it.

They take the family hostage, but Becky, having retreated to her childhood hideout, is on the loose. When she realizes what’s happening, the anger that she’s carefully held deep down is released in a fury of blood and vengeance.

In other words: don’t fuck with Becky.

The Key to Carnage

They underestimate the scrappy 13-year-old at every brutal turn, and she makes their mistakes, fatal.

Kevin James is quite convincing as the menacing lead villain. It’s a funny, vicious turn for the commonly portrayed family man. Their rapport makes for some interesting comedic moments and biting scenes of disarray. One in particular, with the cutting off of a dislocated eyeball, will have you squirm.

For its simple premise, Becky has a lot of meat on its bones. With elaborate kills and resourceful survival skills, this young badass doesn’t shy away from a cumulation of assaults. The fast pace bodes well as this home invasion premise becomes an intelligently written and vicious tale of vengeance.

Becky is by no means a horror/thriller that lives in reality or seems entirely original, but the revelry imbued in its core makes it a worthy watch. With a terrific lead performance and an overall energetic mood, there’s more than meets the eye.

Evil Dead Rises (Lee Cronin)

source: Warner Bros. Pictures

Evil Dead Rise, the newest of the franchise, hopes to connect a built-in fan base with new horror lovers. While it doesn’t quite reach the epic commune of horror and comedy as its predecessors, it has some fun and deliciously twisted shocks.

I admire what the film set out to do. It aims to carry the torch, but also add some new, gory flames.

This focuses more on family. Facing an upcoming eviction, Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) and her three children are visited by her younger sister Beth (Lily Sullivan). Beth is a music technician who, after discovering she’s pregnant decides to visit.

Evil Dead Rise teases a cabin-lake story but instead settles into an apartment building that’s on the verge of being destroyed. The inhabitants come across a vault that contains some ancient, insidious text.

“I gotta kill the creepy crawlies that I got inside my tummy.”

Lee Cronin brings some new context to the story but doesn’t utilize it as much I had hoped. What transpires is an adrenaline rush, to be sure, and will undoubtedly please most looking for an onslaught of deaths and disturbing visuals. I admire the decision to shift the locale and I think it has shining elements that showcase creativity. If I separate myself from my love for the previous entries, I can appreciate this horror for its disturbing take.

Alyssa Sutherland‘s Ellie and her performance as the misery-loving deadite is one of my favorite aspects. She has some killer lines and distorted moves, which are increased by the limited space and isolated apartment floor.

There’s no shortage of chaos or kills, or blood. Some characters seem like fodder and don’t have much depth. While others garner more screen time, but still aren’t as fully fleshed out as one would hope. Flesh though, there’s plenty. It also features some throwbacks to the originals, including a voice cameo from Bruce Campbell and a showing of the versatility of a chainsaw.

If you have a weak stomach or are faint at heart, most likely you won’t be tuning in. It veers into disgusting as often as it can. While sadistic and amusing, pacing issues stifle some of the enjoyment of watching one of the worst family reunions on screen.

After an opening that effectively sets the tone, the film takes a few plotted steps back. The creepiness is shelved for gory exploits. A real misstep was the lack of the campy humor that the originals had in spades. There are moments of humor entwined with entrails and special effects, but it feels at odds with the other serious tones. The camera work is impressive, but even that is eventually ratcheted up to a frenzy.

Evil Dead Rises is a formidable yuck-fest which some tricks up its bloody sleeves, but it doesn’t quite nail the groovy nature of its predecessors.

Both are available digitally.

A Woman Kills (1968)

Posted on by Kstrouse

Restored by Radiance films, written and directed by Jean-Denis Bonan, and emerging over 40 years later, A Woman Kills is a stylish and gritty French new wave noir that taunts and disturbs in equal measure.

The city is at unease as prostitutes are being found murdered in a similar fashion to crimes already seen. But, serial killer Hélène Picard has already been caught and executed. Is it a copycat?

source: Radiance Films

It follows investigating officer Solange (Solange Pradel) who is having a relationship with the strange, executioner Louis Guilbeau (Claude Merlin). With his regaling of executions, mysterious Louis gives off a twisted vibe from the onset, but as the film unfolds, we see how far that goes.

A Woman Kills feels psychological, social and political. It encapsulates the era and the strife of the time. The film feels unencumbered by one defined genre, instead burgeoning into a unique hybrid that feels procedural and experimental simultaneously.

The Psyche of a Killer

With narration (Bernard Letrou) that feels calculated and indifferent, and camerawork that aims for claustrophobic and dizzying, one of the most memorable elements of A Woman Kills is its unyielding presence. Monochromic filming and genre blending make it a unique presence in cinematic history.

The unsettling songs written by Daniel Leloux add an intriguing layer to an already unnerving jazzy score. With a temperament that’s Avant Garde yet borders on imperceptible at times, the film carries itself boldly and confident which makes the feat admirable, especially for 1968.

source: Radiance Films

Any disconnected or disjointedness that it suffers from further invokes curiosity. The film’s format, which is odd to say the least, plays like a series of distorted snapshots that infuriates and unbalances the audience.

As a surreal portrait it still holds onto a tangible embodiment, simmering with the strife of the May 68 movement. The historical discord is felt in each step, while the music and narration orchestrate a discomforting journey. Visually and sonically, A Women Kills is masterful. It’s got wry commentary that marries words and images to alluring effect.

The work of cinematographer Gérard de Battista is playfully bleak, following the victims through the street like a documentary. It pairs well with the 68 minute runtime and never over stays its welcome. A Woman Kills chooses visual prowess over narrative substance, with the mystery weak in comparison to the presence of its visage.

While it draws comparisons to other French New Wave films of the time, as well as masters of psychological horrors like Hitchcock, A Woman Kills paves its own path.

I would have loved to have seen more of Solange Pradel, who was compelling but didn’t get enough screen time. Otherwise, the acting works, even if some of the plot points don’t always click as some of the choices, including the “reveal” haven’t aged well.

Despite any narrative concerns, a perceived lack of confidence in the script, and perhaps a product of the controversy and dismay of the time, I was hooked. A Woman Kills was tucked away for many decades and in ways, it has become crystallized.

There’s a beauty in the madness that makes this bizarre piece resonate. A Woman Kills is a bold undertaking, and it’s worth discovering.