Welcome to my Nightmare

...or something like that.
It's my first post, so I guess I'll make it somewhat introductory.

I don't like writing reviews most of the time, although I am moved to do so once in a while. I'll likely just be sharing cool horror shit I come across, and my thoughts about it. Some flicks just need to be seen, and I'll let ya know all my top picks so your next movie night is a screaming success.

I've been fascinated with horror films since I was practically a toddler. My older brother was into sci-fi and horror, and so while I wasn't allowed to watch, I heard plenty of it from the other room. My dad had a part time job at a video store back in the early 80's, and while my mom talked to him, I would go check out the VHS tapes on the shelves. This place had them set up library style, with only the titles facing out. I would go to the horror section and let my imagination run absolutely wild as I looked at the names of the movies. I would get myself really psyched up about it and my morbid curiosity often got the best of me as I would slowly pull the most grotesque titles out of their places on the shelf to peek at the artwork on the covers. I would get such an adrenaline rush from looking at this stuff - it scared the crap outta me, but I just HAD to look! The one that intrigued me most, and subsequently gave me the most childhood nightmares, was this one:


Now keep in mind, the imagination of a young aquarius is pretty vivid. Trust and believe, in my young mind, this film would drive me insane with fear if I watched ANY of it. I read horror novels until I was 13, and then I started to actually watch horror movies, cutting my teeth on "A Nightmare On Elm Street 3" and going on to watch everything horror I could find. I didn't watch "Pieces" until I was 19. Now, if you've seen this flick, you can imagine my complete surprise at just how silly my imagination was when I discovered how insanely CHEESY and HILARIOUS "Pieces" really is. I mean sure, it's got tons of gore and the special effects are probably the best thing about this movie. But had I watched it when I was 7 years old and terrified of the Frankenstein girl on the cover, I might have seen things very differently!

At any rate, almost 14 years later, there is nary a horror film I haven't watched, including a lot of foreign stuff. I can't say I have had any nightmares from anything I have watched, not since I was a morbidly fascinated child pulling VHS tapes slowly off the shelves. I like most of the horror films I watch, but even the ones that are the most extreme barely affect my psyche. I don't get that adrenaline rush like I used to. Maybe it's because I can't watch a film without wondering how certain special effects are achieved, who knows? But I have a great appreciation for the genre and while I don't get scared, I still love to watch.

I love that so many horror films are really a reflection of where our society is, how we tick, what scares us. It's endlessly fascinating to see how filmmakers can tap into those primal fears and exploit them for our enjoyment.

Well, now you know me a little better. Now for the fun shit... I want to share with you a three part analysis of John Carpenter's "Halloween", created by Rob Ager. (http://www.youtube.com/user/robag88) Check out his YouTube page for analysis of other great horror films.







And, just for shits n' giggles, here is Siskel & Ebert's take on Halloween - in my opinion one of the most on point reviews of this film yet: