Consumerism and Addiction
British filmmaker Simon Rumley's latest, Fashionista, is a strange and visually brilliant examination of deep obsession.
The Art of Stephen Jones’ Horror
Horror relies on image to promote terror and bring hideous ideas to life.
The Curse of Frankenstein (Devil’s Advocates)
A close analysis of Jimmy Sangster’s script and the differences between film and book.
Twisted Tales
Holland would be well advised to place the emphasis on stronger scripts and to dispense with his trifling on-screen introductions.
What’s Left of Us
Boasts edgy performances and a script which focuses on the here and now rather than excessive backstory.
Reinventing Grand Guignol
In conversation with playwright Carl Grose on his fast and loose tribute to Parisian theatre company, Le Théâtre du Grand-Guignol.
The Forbidden Door
Bleak and multi-layered, the performances are solid throughout, the film benefiting enormously from stylish cinematography.
FrightFest: Blood Moon
While undeniably quite remarkable in overall aesthetic, Blood Moon seems to build to a climax which never fully materialises.
FrightFest: The Sleeping Room
A half-baked, ambitious ending, but the film is effectively creepy and satisfyingly lensed, its shocks permeated with a melancholy calm.
Subversive Horror Cinema
An exhaustively researched, largely successful attempt to analyse the subversive qualities inherent in the horror cinema.
Halloween (Devil’s Advocates)
A joy to read; insightful and well researched, it serves as encouragement to return to Halloween once again.
Sheer Filth!
Sheer Filth was one of the more eclectic fanzines, covering not only cutting-edge exploitation but strange music and literature.
The Best British Horror 2014
Not all of the tales are memorable but overall The Best British Horror 2014 is an agreeable, worthwhile anthology.
Hatchet 3
The body count is huge, the dialogue abysmal, the story perfunctory at best, yet the enthusiasm ensures it's never tiresome.
The Thing (Devil’s Advocates)
An excellent study in its own right, well researched, informative and intelligently written in a clear, presentable style.
FrightFest: Rewind This!
Nothing but fun is to be had here, the film a catalogue of gore and nudity posing as a behind-the-scenes survey of SFX techniques.
FrightFest: 100 Bloody Acres
The upbeat tone is maintained so thoroughly that, even when the blood rises in gouts, it doesn't dampen the lightheartedness.
A Seasoned Descent
In conversation with Paul Hyett on his directorial debut, The Seasoning House, and the transition from SFX to directing.
The Seasoning House
A sense of conviction and commitment to realism prevents the film from seeming an exercise in exploitation.
Hellsing Ultimate Volume 5–8
Follows original events more closely and benefits from this with a much more coherent and progressive storyline.
Preserving Hammer History
We speak with Hammer historian Marcus Hearn about restoring Dracula in high definition for its incredible, definitive release.
Vampire Ecstasy
After I had viewed it as many times as I could stand, I had to put on Red Roses of Passion to restore my respect for Sarno.
Christmas Evil
A classic in its own unique way, embraced now for 30 years by those who savour off-beat films that foil expectations.
Grave Encounters
It's pure pantomime and about a decade too late, but with the lights down and sound up there's fun to be had.
Seance: The Summoning
Despite the potentially ominous setting, this is a lethargic outing augmented by lifeless direction and a leaden script.
666: The Prophecy
You would almost expect tongue planted firmly in cheek, yet this sagging clod of a movie takes itself quite seriously.
The Watermen
A stalk-and-slash film with very little stalking or slashing, little happens until the inevitably contrived conclusion.
Juan of the Dead
Zombie fans will enjoy the numerous genre references, but many will see the same old tired and perfunctory plot devices.
Season of the Witch
B-movie fluff at best, dull at worst, and not a patch on the films it tries to emulate. Fortunately, it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Dead Special
We speak to SFX maestro Greg Nicotero about the power of make-up and the upcoming series of The Walking Dead.
Evil Rising
The script really is slow, with nothing remotely interesting happening until the final few minutes. But what an ending.
Confessions
A cruel indictment on contemporary Japanese youth and their despondency, which unravels its cruel web satisfactorily.
Insidious
With huge jump scares and more subtle, creepy moments, this is a film which has mastered the whole spectrum of horror filmmaking.
Re-Cut
A great example of how the first-person horror subgenre works its magic, but it also highlights some of its core flaws.