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Malignant: Happy Giallo Days!
James Wan makes his second appearance on here with one of my favorite modern giallo-inspired movies: Malignant. During production, Wan discussed the influence Argento had on the look and feel of the movie, especially his films Tenebrae, Phenomena, and Trauma. Malignant is not a true giallo; it crosses over into supernatural slasher territory a bit…
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Return to House on Haunted Hill: Unrated Review
Your Fave Was In That: Jeffrey Combs I love House on Haunted Hill. I’ve seen the original, original with RiffTrax, the 1999 remake, and now it’s time to dig into what I’m sure will be a cinematic masterpiece, Return to House on Haunted Hill. I also love Jeffrey Combs. In addition to being a…
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The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh: Happy Giallo-Days #3
The Giallo-days continue with one of my favorite leading ladies, Edwige Fenech, in The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh; the “h” was added after a lawsuit from a deeply offended, real life Mrs. Ward. In this week’s movie, a sex fiend is killing women in Vienna, while an unfaithful diplomat’s wife becomes more unbalanced due…
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Smile 2 or When A Good Movie Doesn’t Work for Me
I hated the first Smile. So, why am I watching Smile 2? Objectively, I can recognize that timing may have played a large part in my reaction to the movie. The fact that the messaging centered on the contagious and cyclical nature of trauma that leaves death as the only escape didn’t sit well with me,…
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Happy Friday the 13th: Jason Lives Retro Review
Friday the 13th has long been a nostalgic favorite for me. I have an older brother, close in age, so as we grew up, we tended to split things. For example, we both were into Star Wars; he got Luke-themed things, it was Darth Vader for me. Yes, Leia would have made more sense, but…
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Bird with Crystal Plumage: Happy Giallo-Days #2
Today, we are celebrating with the directorial debut of Dario Argento and the first widely acclaimed and financially successful Giallo: The Bird with the Crystal Plumage. Plenty of Giallo were released between The Girl who Knew Too Much and Argento’s entry into the genre. Why did Bird resonate with audiences when earlier films failed to?…
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Blood And Black Lace: Happy Giallo-Days!
Something Different For Xmas To be honest, I find most Christmas-themed horror movies a bit underwhelming. They’re either a bit on the campy side, which for me is saying something, or they hit me as emotionally manipulative. The one exception is the original Black Christmas,a classic that helped define the slasher sub-genre. But I’m not…
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Terrifier 3 Review : More then Just Gore
Content Warning – This Review/Recap discusses Terrifier 3, an unrated horror movie that features extreme acts of violence towards people of all ages. While I will not go into too much detail, if the idea of children in violent horror movies, gore, chainsaws, or excessive blood is uncomfortable, please exit now. Okay, I can…
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Black Friday: Horror Movie Review
I don’t know if there is any year where I would enjoy watching Black Friday’s retail workers sacrificed in the name of pointless consumerism. This year however may have been a particularly bleak one for this kind of movie. The cost of living is rising, and corporate greed feels like it’s eclipsed basic human decency. …
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The Last Thanksgiving: Horror Movie Review
This week, I continued my search for Thanksgiving-themed horror films with the indie gem The Last Thanksgiving. As I settled down to enjoy this charming tale of a cannibal family punishing those who fail to properly give thanks, it occurred to me that there should be more Thanksgiving-themed horror movies. There’s so much overlap in…