Horror Movie Talk Blog Posts

The Most Frightening Zombies that Movies and Games Have Brought Us Mostly I just enjoy hugs What are your favorite types of zombies? Specifically, which variants of zombie or zombie-like creature in your anecdotal experience are the most memorable, and how so? Do you prefer one that is the scariest, smartest, deadliest, most tragic, most challenging, most entertaining, most original, etc? Here are my personal Current Top 10 Favorite Zombie Types (in descending order, by date & alphabetically). Comment below what your favorites are and why feedback is welcome: Note: No disrespect or condescension intended, but please spare us pedantic arguments as to why one or more of these are "not actually zombies." It does not have to be undead or eat flesh, so long as it at least shares zombie-like traits and/or fits conventions of the genre. To quote Max Landis (foreword writer of 2014’s Zombies on Film: The Definitive History of Undead Cinema): “A trope is a trope. If it’s … [Read more...] about My Top 10 Zombie Types

Pitting Michael Myers against Jason Voorhees Everyone loves a good rivalry. If they didn’t, we wouldn’t see those obnoxious “Team (insert name here)” t-shirts all the time. We can thank Twilight for giving us something we never asked for with their Team Jacob and Team Edward nonsense.  However, if it proves one thing, it's this. People love competition between a few solid options. So we ask the question, "Who wins in Halloween Vs. Friday the 13th?" … [Read more...] about Halloween Vs. Friday the 13th

Comedy and horror? Can they actually go together? In fact, yes they can, and it makes for interesting funny horror movies. Sometimes the storyline gets lost, and people enjoy it for the comedic laughs it can provide, because you need that break from jumping, haunting, and the rest. … [Read more...] about Funny Horror Movies

A Chronological Look at Scary Dolls and Puppets Birthed by Horror Movies Dolls and puppets, every little girls’ favorite toy to play with, ask for at Christmas. However, she might not realize that every doll and puppet has a history and story behind it. There are legends, myths, stories, and tales told about certain dolls and puppets coming to life or being possessed by the devil himself! … [Read more...] about Scary Doll & Puppet Horror Movies

When Do Remakes Go Too Far? Sometimes, dead is better This is a question that, like many in the subjective domain of art, has no simple answer: “When do remakes go too far?” By what metrics do we determine when they veer too off course from their respective source material? Where are the lines drawn, if any, when setting out to recreate an iconic work? How do we constitute the terms of said boundaries? Chances are, if you ask a hundred different people, no two responses will be exactly alike. Make sure to listen to our podcast reviewing the original Pet Sematary (1989) https://www.horrormovietalk.com/2019/04/03/pet-sematary-1989-review/ As vigilantly as some consumers & critics try to be impartial, ultimately, even the most experienced film veterans or "experts" cannot realistically set or enforce a universal consensus for 100% objectivity. To quote World War Z author Max Brooks: “That's not stupidity or weakness, that's just human nature.” So, how then … [Read more...] about Pet Sematary: Original Vs. Remake

If you were hoping for a review, then I’m sorry to disappoint. Truthfully, there’s little I can say about 1982’s divisive (to say the least) Halloween III: Season of the Witch that hasn’t already been said regarding the film’s quality or lack-there-of. Countless critics have already covered this movie in more depth than I ever could in a single blog, both to defend it and/or systematically tear it apart. However devoted its cult following has grown over the years, the fact remains that it was a critical and box office flop that was directly responsible for the series’ decision to return to Haddonfield and resurrect the cash cow of Michael Myers, much to John Carpenter’s dismay. Over years of sequels, remakes, and reboots, however, the brand that was once a household name has stagnated to the point that many fans now agree Season of the Witch was a better direction. For all its infamy over the alternate universe, convoluted plot, acting, antagonists, new music, socio-political … [Read more...] about Halloween III: Were the Fans Wrong About Season of the Witch?

Before anyone jumps to conclusions, let’s be clear: I do NOT prefer 2010’s Nightmare on Elm Street over Wes Craven’s 1984 original. To me, it was at best a mediocre, formulaic slasher with moments of quality. At worst, it was a thoroughly disappointing, uninspired homage filled with wasted potential and overused obnoxious jump-scares. It made money but crashed & burned overall in living up to its predecessor’s legacy. To be fair, that was no small task to begin with. If you would like to watch A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) or the remake A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) please click through those links to watch them on Amazon and it will support the podcast! Some argue that the project was doomed from the start due to Robert Englund’s retirement after an irreplaceable performance as the franchise’s icon, poorly timed debut near the Blu-ray anniversary re-release of earlier entries (according to Englund’s speculation), and a history of development + production problems such as … [Read more...] about A Nightmare on Elm Street: Original vs Remake

When enough examples of a specific outcome about a topic or action occur, it can become understandable to generalize about it. One common example of such stereotyping in horror is the jump-scare. While exceptions of course historically exist in which this trope is utilized to a quality result, the majority (particularly in recent years, as many would attest) are over-saturated in what amounts to a shortcut. Executed at its best, a jump-scare’s function within a movie generally demonstrates how the experiences of a character can disarm or lull the audience into a false sense of security in a variety of scenarios, which in turn leads to a sudden event inciting surprise or fear. These can include a calm scenario where danger is perceived as not currently existing or having yet built up, such as with a character in everyday activity. It can be suspenseful when you’re aware danger is present or in the process of playing out and anticipate it but cannot accurately foresee what form, time, … [Read more...] about Art of the Jump-Scare: Film vs. Video Game

Saturating media today probably more than any monster, zombies have so persistently infected pop-culture not only through fear of their countless variants but what the creature represents: The personification of death & the unknown. Outside generations of varying socio-political commentaries, the undead have from one perspective always symbolized death's creeping inevitability, possibly the most primal fear we can connect with regardless of cultural differences. Whether it's the suspense of not knowing if/when/how they'll catch you, how long you can stay a step ahead, debating what the point of it all is, or whether to end it on your own terms, the Hollywood zombie’s unique approach thoroughly embodies this. Moreover, what better, more natural, relatable vehicle for this concept than a plague? Be it viral, fungal, bacterial, radiation, supernatural, or aliens, the base-concept of "If it gets you, you become one of them" works. The simple but cruelly brilliant psychological … [Read more...] about Slow Zombies vs. Fast Zombies: How Have They Influenced The Genre?

When we originally started the podcast, I thought we had picked a pretty good, well-defined niche. However, as David and I started discussing what kinds of movies we could watch and review on the podcast, we ran up against an interesting question: what counts as a horror movie? It seems like a simple question, but when you start thinking about it, many of your assumptions about what defines a horror movie can be easily challenged. Does a Horror Movie Need to be Scary? For example, does a horror movie have to be scary? What about comedic horror movies? I wouldn't be scared during many comedic horror movies, but they still use the same tropes and are considered legit horror movies because of it. Does a Horror Movie Need to be Supernatural? Some say that a defining characteristic is that there is a supernatural element. Well, not always! Many slasher movies are just a guy with a knife. Is Scream supernatural? One of David's favorite recent horror movies is The Invitation - … [Read more...] about What Counts as a Horror Movie?