The Horror Show
THE HORROR SHOW - ROUND 6
This week we have new horror treats for you to read about in The Horror Show!
Tales of revenge come in the form of Blue Ruin and the mysterious Repentance. I review vampire horror film, Byzantium. We have the violent torture flick, Hate Crime from PJ. The two “legend” films of Owl Man in Lord of Tears and Big Foot in Willow Creek. Billy reviews zombie aftermath film The Returned.
In addition to our reviews, PJ Griffin has something to say about horror and I wanted to share it with all of you!
Stevie Kopas, Managing Editor HMS
Editorial by PJ Griffin
The horror community is made up of human beings and so, unfortunately, a lot of things boil down to a pissing contest. There will always be those who would prefer calling something “lame” or “weak” so they can look cool and to me that is not what being a fan is all about. Even worse than the flat-out hater “fans” however, is the simple “group mentality.” More often than not, this leads to the baby getting thrown out with the bathwater. I try to remind people that most things associated with crap, often started with something great and still have quality projects out there if you look for them. After all, cheesy painted-nails and emo music probably wouldn't be around if it weren't for The Cure. And I love The Cure. The same can be said about certain sub-genres of the horror world. Zombies are so trendy and accessible now that it's often forgotten that not only is the origin awesome (Night of the Living Dead, Return of the Living Dead series, etc.) but there are also plenty of “real” zombie flicks being made. The same can be said about the “Found Footage” genre. Bring up “Found Footage” to a mainstream horror fan or normal person and (after you explain what the term refers to) they'll probably go on about how boring the “Blair Witch Project” was or how the “Paranormal Activity” films keep getting worse. The truth is, there are a ton of movies in this genre. Several are enjoying mainstream success such as the V/H/S films and the aforementioned Paranormal Activity movies. The brand actually goes back quite a ways. This is relative, considering that prior to the 80's, home video cameras weren't all that prevalent but the subgenre still has a rich history. The earliest famous example I can give is the 1980 classic “Cannibal Holocaust”. Although it wasn't 100% “found footage”, it was a groundbreaking film for the genre. It also laid down a blueprint that all my favorite flicks of the variety follow. The cardinal rule is as simple as it is important: brutality is best. Sure, I'll throw “Blair Witch” some praise because it did so much with so little. But the films in the subgenre that have my respect are the really rough ones. I'm talking about “Cannibal Holocaust” and “Man Bites Dog”. I'm referring to my favorite trilogy of all time, “August Underground” and Toetag's other film “Murder Collection Vol. 1”. These are examples of what I believe works and Found Footage being tame is a waste of an opportunity. Whether we're talking faux snuff such as “Snuff 102” and “Flower of Flesh and Blood” or atmospheric stuff like “REC”, it should be dark and bloody.
PJ Griffin, HMS
Round 7
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