We are experiencing a golden era for the horror genre. Horror dominates the theater, and countless classics are getting remade for a new audience. Also, horror is taking over television. Just look at the past few years: The Walking Dead, Dexter, The Following, Hannibal, Bates Motel, True Blood, Being Human, American Horror Story, Todd and the Book of Pure Evil…

And if you think horror stops there, it’s in our video games, literature, music. Yes, horror has permeated just about every aspect of our entertainment.

Where would the genre be without women in horror films? The history between women and the horror industry is long, and the list of women in horror films who’ve made an impact is long: Jamie Lee Curtis, Debbie Rochon, Janet Leigh, Betsy Palmer, Heather Langenkamp, Brinke Stevens, Marilyn Burns, P.J. Soles, Lynn Lowry… and the list could go on. However, those are just some of the classics.

With a renaissance, comes an influx of new influencers. In this case, a new batch of women in horror who are making a name for themselves while delivering captivating and blood-curdling performances.

So, without further ado, here are the 15 Most Memorable Women In Horror Films – 2013 Edition:

No.15 Manuela Velasco

About Manuela Velasco

Primarily known for her role as Angela in [Rec], Velasco made quite a name for herself by starring in what would go on to be one of the best horror series in recent memory. Unfortunately, she hasn’t done anything major in the past few years and doesn’t seem to have much planned in the future. Still, her awesome performance earns her a spot on the list.

No.14 Sheri Moon Zombie

About Sheri Moon Zombie

Sheri Moon Zombie may have gotten her start because of her husband, Rob Zombie, and she may have never had aspirations of being an actress, but that doesn’t mean the unwitting scream queen is without talent. Her body of work includes a number of music video appearances for Rob (also Prong and Black Label Society), which then led to the big screen. Her debut role was in Rob’s House of 1000 Corpses, but her portrayal of Deborah Myers in the Halloween remakes (I and II), is without a doubt her strongest yet, cementing her in the annals of horror legend. We are excited to see her turn in Rob Zombie’s latest contribution to horror, The Lords of Salem, in which Moon plays Heidi Hawthorne, a radio DJ who plays an unsolicited record and unleashes something unholy in the process.

No.13 Morjana Alaoui

About Morjana Alaoui

Alaoui costarred alongside Jampanpoi in the film Martyrs. While the first half of the film deals primarily with Jampanpoi’s character, Lucie, the second half and resolution are all completely played out through Alaoui’s character, Anna. Alaoui faced a lot of the same challenges as her costar, and then some. Anyone who has seen the film knows how brutally the movie ends and it’s difficult to picture anyone else playing Anna. While Alaoui is also heavily into dramatic roles, she does have an interesting sci-fi film in the works called Scintilla!

No.12 Gretchen Lodge

About Gretchen Lodge

Gretchen Lodge made a pretty significant splash with her portrayal of Molly in Lovely Molly. While the movie itself got somewhat mixed reviews, I personally enjoyed it. And Lodge received almost universal praise for playing the unhinged title character. With her upcoming film, Stalker, set to release later this year, it will be interesting to see if she brings the same intensity as before.

No.11 PollyAnna McIntosh

About PollyAnna McIntosh

Feral people are becoming a widely explored topic in horror film. The release of Mama in mainstream theaters really opened up the doors of possibility. It was a small movie called The Woman, however, that first got me interested in the topic. The film is a horror that borders on very dark comedy. McIntosh plays the title character, a feral woman who is captured by a family. McIntosh brings such a creepy life to the role that it’s hard to believe she’s acting and not really from the woods. Few people can pull off that kind of feat and I am very interested to see if she does another horror film in the future.

Hit the jump to continue reading…

Evil Dead Series by Sam Raimi

We all know the real reason you clicked on this link: to reminisce about Bruce Campbell’s best one-liners. I hate to disappoint you, but this is going to be an in-depth, philosophical discussion about Sam Raimi’s defining body of works.

Just kidding. Had you going there for a minute, didn’t I?

This article is going to cover the best and worst (if they exist) moments of the cult classic Evil Dead movies. The Evil Dead trilogy paved the way for many modern contemporaries in the “demon possession” horror sub-genre and have remained a mainstay in pop culture, appearing everywhere from video games to big screen releases. There’s talk of a remake on the horizon, but we’ll have more about that later. For now…

A Recap of the Evil Dead Trilogy

No.1 The Evil Dead (1981, 1983)

The Evil Dead (1981): Ash

After nearly being hit by a semi and falling through a rickety old bridge, you’d think that some people would have the intuition to turn their asses back around, and yet the plot of the first film in the Evil Dead trilogy doesn’t deter five Michigan students traveling on down to the rolling hills of Tennessee to spend a nice, peaceful weekend in a solitary cabin.

We have our sturdy chinned hero, Ashley J. Williams (Bruce Campbell); his weird bitch of a sister, Cheryl (Ellen Sandweiss); Ash’s sweetheart, Linda (Betsy Baker); Scotty (Richard DeManincor), the joker of the group whose jokes aren’t that funny; and Shelly (Theresa Tilly), Scotty’s non-descript, bland girlfriend. The only ones that you’re rooting for from the beginning are Ash and Linda, and even then, Linda is sort of iffy. We all knew from the beginning that Ash would be much more interesting without a girlfriend – but I digress.

Given the cast of characters, it’s naturally Cheryl, the weird and bitchy one, who starts to feel uneasy first, hearing strange chantings of “join us” coming from the forest and undergoing a traumatizing automatic writing experience.

The Evil Dead (1981)

The Evil Dead (1981): Cabin picture

After a bit of exploring in the cellar, the group finds an ancient Sumerian text that alternates between being called the Naturan Demanto and the Necromonicon Ex-Mortis in the Evil Dead trilogy. ((Necromonicon just rolls off the tongue a little better.)

Along with the book, they also find audio tapes that were left behind, containing demonic incantations. What would be the fun in leaving mysterious audio tapes alone? Of course they play them. We’re treated then to dizzying, chaotic shots of a thick, ethereal fog moving through the spooky woods of Tennessee, accompanied by guttural, brainless groans. Yes, you read that right. The forest literally attacks Cheryl, and it’s none too gently implied that the trees have their way with her. She’s naturally shaken up by these events, but it’s debatable if anyone actually cares too much – although Ash does make a valiant attempt to get Cheryl out of the woods, and is thwarted by his car not wanting to start up despite his earlier claims of just having had it tuned up.

Everyone cares a bit more and pays a little more attention when the demons possess Cheryl and she stabs Linda in the foot with a pencil. The pencil-stabbing scene remains one of the most cringe-worthy foot-trauma scenes in any film to date.

The Evil Dead (1981): Cheryl picture

Our cast manage to successfully lock Cheryl down in the cellar, though the rickety trap door prevents the saying “out of sight, out of mind” from taking effect. The group starts to lay out ill-fated escape plans amongst the normally occuring tensions when one’s dear friend is possessed and laughing maniacally at you. Soon, Scotty is attacked by Shelly, who in turn dismembers her with an ax.

Scotty, having a surprisingly intense moment of clarity, decides that they need to ditch Linda and go find help somewhere else. Ash does not abide by “bros before hoes” and stays with Linda, sending Scotty off into the woods alone. Luckily for Scotty, he doesn’t get violated by trees – well, at least not in his orifices. He comes back some time later to find that Linda is now also possessed (another good reason to fear pencil-foot penetration) and is suffering a boatload of injuries. Scotty tells Ash that there’s a path to freedom in the woods.

After being taunted and tormented by the deadites, Ash decapitates his girlfriend with a shovel and shoots his sister in the face. Sure, it’s the sort of thing that you joke about when you go on vacation with your friends, but never really expect to happen!

In the meantime, Scotty has died and and returned as a deadite. (I’ve always thought that Deadite Scotty looked like a weird puppy dog. Anyone else?) Scotty now has a bone to pick with Ash, who returns the favor by gouging his best friend’s eyes out. Yet another bloody, gory fight ensues and the Necromonicon is burned in the fireplace, along with Scotty, thus dispelling the demons from Linda and Scotty. Ash’s nightmare looks to be over for about three seconds as he exits the cabin before he’s engulfed in the ominous fog, the ending shot closing with Bruce Campbell screaming in terror.

Read about Evil Dead II: Dead By Dawn as Jamie Lee continues her recap of the Evil Dead trilogy after the jump…

This is my first interview so I thank Mr. Stanze for taking the time to answer my questions. Enjoy!

What are a few of your favorite horror films?

THE EXORCIST, THE CHANGELING, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968), DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978), CREEPSHOW, VIDEODROME, THE SHINING, BLACK SUNDAY, BLACK SABBATH.

What are a few of your favorite non-horror films?

THE GODFATHER I & II, APOCALYPSE NOW, 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, NETWORK, SERPICO. Newer films, WINTER’S BONE, NEVER LET ME GO. Almost everything by David Fincher.

Who are some of your personal influences?

When I was very young and first trying to be a filmmaker, I was heavily influenced by Sam Raimi, George Romero, and Wes Craven. On a personal level, my grandfather was a huge influence – he was very supportive when I was making student films as a teenager.

What would you say is the mission or goal you hope to achieve through film?

Filmmaking provides amazing life experiences. I want this to continue, while I keep adding to my skill set as a director. I like to do something completely different with each movie I make. Each film is like a class – I become a more well-rounded filmmaker and improve my skills. You don’t get that when you keep making the same kind of movie over and over. Plus, the variety gives me a greater range of life experiences – shooting in new places, working with new people, researching new things.

Of all the films you have made so far, which one are you happiest with?

I tend to move on, emotionally, when I am done with each film. I’m always most excited about my next movie.

Continue reading the Eric Stanze interview on the jump…

What do we mean when we say these are movies with balls? Well, the majority of the films presented here are mainstream enough to be accessible to just about anyone on the planet, however, they got the old adrenal glands working and they pushed the boundaries of conventional cinema in some way.

So, let’s get on with the damn thing.

No.10 The Man With the Iron Fists

Starting the list off, we have RZA’s martial arts throwback film, The Man with the Iron Fists. RZA, known primarily as a member of the hip-hop collective Wu-Tang, has been doing more and more work in the film industry, mostly composing scores. The plot of this film is a bit lackluster, especially the warring gangs and stealing gold, but the movie is still a very fun exercise in ’70s- and ’80s-style kung fu. If you like stuff that is a little cheesy but still a ton of fun, this is the movie for you!

No.9 The Dark Knight Rises

Finishing off a trilogy with as much critical and commercial success as Nolan’s Batman is never an easy task. There was probably no other movie released in 2012 with as much hype as The Dark Knight Rises. While some people were divided in their feelings towards TDKR, we maintain that it is a solid ending to one of the best trilogies in movie history. Most people have probably already seen this movie, but if you have not yet seen TDKR ,or any of Nolan’s trilogy, we advise you to seek it out as soon as possible.

No.8 Skyfall

We won’t get into personal feelings about James Bond at the moment. That could be an article by itself. What we will say is that Skyfall is one of the most interesting Bond films ever made. Though it starts off as any normal Bond flick would, it quickly becomes something more. Heavily focused on characters as opposed to the usual action, it was refreshing to see director Sam Mendes (Road to Perdition) portray a personal take on the character. The film is far from perfect, and often times falls into generic. What makes the movie special, however, is some mesmerizing performances from both Daniel Craig (Casino Royale) and Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men). The fact that the film also decided to probe deeper into Bond’s history and childhood was an interesting choice. It may not always work, but it is never boring.

No.7 Killer Joe

Matthew McConaughey has really been coming up as an actor over this past year and Killer Joe proves McConaughey is becoming a more serious actor. Even if you don’t like the story, McConaughey’s performance as the title character is nothing short of mesmerizing.

No.6 Dredd

Who would have thought that a remake of Judge Dredd would end up being good? We were fairly skeptical upon our initial viewing of Dredd. The original isn’t really a movie we’re fond of. Really, we had no expectations at all for this film.

Dredd stars Karl Urban (Lord of the Rings, Star Trek) as the titular character. For those unfamiliar with the comics, the story takes place in Mega City One, a giant city with some 800 million residents and a whole lot of crime. Dredd is a Judge, basically police that are able to execute criminals in the field. He is set to test a rookie, Judge Anderson, played by Olivia Thirlby (Juno) in the field. During a homicide call, the two judges get trapped in a giant skyscraper by an evil gang lord that controls the territory. The movie is pretty action-packed from beginning to end and a deliciously self-aware script. With a budget of about $45 million, it is surprising that Lionsgate didn’t try to market it better. It is a shame really, and part of the reason we recommend it to you now. Go see it!

In horror films, the cause of death usually seems pretty apparent. Knife in the chest. Rope around the neck. Hammer to the skull. But did you really see what you think you saw? Do you know the real culprit behind the grisliest of murders? That’s where I come in. I’m Daniel Dockery, Horror Lawyer, and I’m here with >The Murder Weapon, dedicated to solving cases that you think were already solved.

Today, we have a scenario from Texas Chainsaw 3D.

In the movie, a young hitchhiker, Carl, has his head bashed in with a sledgehammer by Leatherface. At first glance, it seems like Leatherface is the killer. In Texas, being cut in half with a chainsaw counts as a natural death. It happens so frequently that you get suspicious whenever someone dies without a power tool nearby.

But, if you look closer, Leatherface was just following his natural tendencies. He was simply a small cog in the grander machinations of the real killer:

Heather Miller’s stupidity

That, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, is what killed Carl in Texas Chainsaw 3D. Allow me to explain.

Heather has a history of being stupid and attracting stupidity. Her works of art consist of her slowly lining small bones next to one another in front of a piece of someone else’s art. When she and her friends hit a man in the rain with their car, their first response is to take the money that he offers, because getting run over doesn’t warrant a ride, apparently, and take him immediately to hang out in her grandmother’s house.

Carl (Scott Eastwood)

Carl was a thief, and you might say that that fact puts a strike against him. But this is a man that hitchhikes hundreds of miles to steal someone’s forks. He is either the worst thief in history, or what’s known as a kleptomaniac. He can’t help that whenever he sees something shiny, he wants to put it in his backpack. He struggles to fight the beast inside him every day. And on the sunny Texas day that the murder occurred, he was losing that battle.

The strike should really be put against Heather for allowing him the option of not sticking around when she and her friends went to go buy party supplies.

“We have to go get some liquor and steaks. Who should unpack the stuff. How about you, hitchhiker? Yes, guy who has said less than 10 whole sentences since the night we collided into him. You’d be perfect for the job.”

The Twelve Days Of Horror Christmas

Yell! Magazine hopes that you’re having a wonderful Holiday Season, full of movies about people having very poor, violent seasons in general. Because you’ve been such kickass fans, we’ve decided to compile a list of movies for you, using the ranking system found in a song that your grandparents turn off the radio for, “The Twelve Days Of Christmas.” We hope you watch them all, straight through, with no breaks. Because, honestly, your wife and kids can fend for themselves for a week.

On the first day of Christmas, Yell! Magazine gave to you…

Twelve Slashers Slashing

Friday the 13th Part 4: The Final Chapter

Rigor mortis is given its most scientific representation ever when an angry fat girl is stabbed and she squeezes the banana she was eating so hard that it breaks in half. Crispin Glover attempts to become less awful at sex. The mom is hot.

Black Christmas

Christmas and telephones are ruined forever.

The Hills Have Eyes

Dogs are proven to be natural heroes as they tear out mutant throats. Parents are proven to be natural targets. Teens are proven to be unnaturally good at rigging stuff to burn and explode.

My Bloody Valentine

A group of teens spend their time drinking and mining and dying. Someone gets a box of chocolates with a heart inside. They find this odd and are disappointed by it.

Prom Night

Prom night is a disaster. And now for the film’s description: Prom Night is a disaster.

The Slumber Party Massacre

Girls hang out in panties as a jacket-wearing guy drills them with a drill that’s actually a drill and not a visual metaphor for a penis and that last “not” is an untruth.

Hatchet 2

Victor Crowley has his home disturbed for the second time in a few days and he takes it very personally. Kills two people with a giant chainsaw and wrestles with the guy who played Leatherface in Texas Chainsaw 3. Is getting curb stomped on the edge of a table considered a TKO?

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

The best film in a series that has about three best films in it. Freddy rips out a kid’s veins and turns him into a puppet. The other kids turn into X-Men and, for the most part, lose their respective one-on-one fights.

Halloween 2

John Carpenter said that he was drunk when he wrote this film. Drinking is great.

Hannibal

Any of the realism in Silence of the Lambs is abandoned when Commissioner Gordon attempts to feed Lector to some giant pigs. He gets eaten instead. Gotham loses the hero it needs.

Asylum Blackout

Great first half until the filmmakers decided to wonder if the massacre actually happened or not. Guy gets his nose bitten off and is then burned to death. Asylum Cook and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

The Devil’s Rejects

Michael Berryman claims that he isn’t no chicken fucker. If you aren’t sold by now, you won’t be.

jen and sylvia soska – Credit: Jen Soska

Meet the Twisted Sisters (aka, the Soska Twins; aka, Twisted Twins; aka, Morally-Corrupt Underground Degenerates; aka, Jen and Sylvia Soska), two of horror’s most promising prospects. Together they write and direct visceral, intelligent, thought-provoking (if you’re capable of seeing their vision), and bloody awesome films with titles that sell themselves. Seriously, who doesn’t want to see Dead Hooker in a Trunk? Actually, who doesn’t want to see a dead hooker in a trunk? All rancid with gaping maggot-infested wounds?

The twins’ latest film, American Mary, was most recently screened at the Whistler Film Festival, and while we weren’t there to witness the repulsed audience slip on their own vomit as they ran for the exit during the screening of the film, we did see it, review it, and interview the sisters.

First and foremost, I have to apologize for the poor quality of the audio. To compensate, I’ve provided (below) brief explanations of the conversation for those shitty moments when it gets especially difficult to hear.

We could have talked for hours, but as these things often go, we were only allotted a certain amount of time. However, we covered a lot of ground, from feminism to rape, from superhero porn to monsters, from the subtext of American Mary to the Soska’s next project, Bob, and much more.

What’s refreshing about the twins and Twisted Twins Productions is the fact that, in an era of endless remakes and half-baked ideas, they’re making original movies that satisfy the visceral junkies and the more pensive types. These third-wave feminist chicks sure know how to make a decent flick and certainly have a future in the genre, if they don’t screw the pooch.

American Mary – Universal Trailer

Audio clarification:

At the very beginning, Jen is basically saying that the Whistler Film Festival was trying something new with a midnight showing and it was the first time that the festival showed a horror film.

8:11 Jen is telling us that she has a lot of superhero porn on her cell phone, and the reaction of those seated around her at the screening of American Mary as she viewed her erotica.

9:30 “When we’re publicizing our films we dress different…”
9:50 “We need to be dressed down…”

18:35 Sylvia and Jen are discussing their sensitive skin and how their back piercings and laced up backs in the film are actually prosthetics instead of the real thing. Because of their sensitive skin, the piercings wouldn’t have looked good on film. From there, they go on to discuss why their small roles in American Mary mark their retirement from acting.

20:12 Sylvia chimes in to say that there’s also no role for them in their upcoming monster project, Bob.

22:35 Regarding the new project, Bob will make an adorable plush.

25:03 Sylvia is promoting their comic book collaboration with First Comics.

Rock Hard \m/

Silent Night (2012): Interview With Director Steven C. Miller

Christmas is coming, and you better have been good otherwise Killer Santa will be coming for you. We love Silent Night, the remake of 1984′s Silent Night, Deadly Night, and we’re thankful to have had the opportunity to get on the phone to chat with the film’s director, Steven C. Miller. We got some great insight into the production of this film, such as the fact that it’s all done with practical effects (minus one effect) by Vincent J. Guastini and his team, that Steven would love to work with Tom Savini at some point, that he fought to keep the first kill scene in the film (and that he got to do pretty much whatever he wanted), and, last but not least, that Malcolm McDowell happened to come on board by chance.

We covered a lot of ground in this interview and it became clear that Steven C. Miller is a young horror director going somewhere in the genre. We highly recommend you see his film Silent Night — don’t be naughty; just do as we say.

Halloween 2012 Horror Movie Guide

Note: This list of Halloween movies doesn’t just apply to the month of October. You should be watching these movies any time you see fit, because limiting your exposure to great horror films to a single season is something that genocide and cancer would do. And you don’t want anything in common with those assholes.

When choosing horror films to recommend to people on Halloween, I keep two things in mind.

The first thing is that I don’t want to choose films that seem obvious. I understand that Halloween is a great film to watch on Halloween, but I’d like to give them something a little different.

The second thing is that I don’t want to make a list of Halloween movies that are hard to find. I’m often a fan of films that are located at the bottom of a decomposing cardboard box in a video store, but most people won’t go searching for these, and thus, my list, fueled by years of poor spending habits and social anxiety, is all for nothing.

So what lies in the perfect medium between those two things?

Netflix.

Each of these seven movies can be found in the Netflix Horror category. If you don’t have Netflix, these films are all readily available to buy.

On to Yell! Magazine’s List of Halloween Movies for All Hallows’ Eve [2012 Edition]

Supernatural Horror

The Fog (1980)

John Carpenter’s follow-up to Halloween isn’t a flawless film. The costumes and make-up, along with some of the kills, come off looking a little goofy. But, it does have some awesome jump scares and Tom Atkins, who happens to kick so much ass in the film that he impregnates a woman by asking her friends to introduce him to her. Combine that with Hal Holbrook, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, and the assured hand of Carpenter and you have a pretty entertaining ghost story on your list of Halloween movies.

What other treats are on our list of Halloween movies? Find out next…

I find the dragon most of us are chasing is “the devil in 1080p,” or as dealers call it “Blu-ray.” I love ‘em, you love ‘em, and in the three-month stretch from August to the end of October we’re going to be treated to a veritable fuck-ton of Halloween Blu-rays (that’s on the metric system, by the way). But there’s really only one collection that has us bouncing off the walls this year. The films within are unquestionably classic, they’re old, revered, and fit right in with Halloween. Having them in the Blu-Ray format is like having the Papal Tiara — when you’re not the pope.

Whether you started your Halloween Blu-ray collection years ago or you’re just getting started now, no marathon vault is complete without The Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection. We’ve also included a little something extra, something not in the collection, for you to set your sights on.

Must-Own Halloween Blu-Rays In 2012

Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection

If I was going to recommend any one set for purchase this Halloween, it’s the Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection. This might be a hard sell given the dreaded quadruple dip the set represents. I’m sure most of us have been around the digital block with the Universal Monsters a couple of times now with the Universal Studios Classic Monster Collection, the franchise-packing Legacy Collections, and the 75th anniversary editions of Frankenstein and Dracula. Why is The Essential Collection a worthwhile upgrade?

One word: restoration. From a purely technical and aural standpoint, Universal is pulling out all the stops to makes sure its prestige monsters are getting the red carpet treatment they deserve. This, of course, comes at the cost of a $159.98 at Amazon (on sale for $139.99), but hey– you get what you pay for, and what you’re paying for is the cleanest, most detailed transfers of these films anyone has ever seen. Check out the video below if you don’t believe me.

Note that you’re also getting all the special features from the former releases and — finally– a version of Creature from the Black Lagoon on 3-D Blu-ray. If I was a richer man I would be fully tempted to go out and purchase a 3-D television and player for Creature alone.

However, impressive specs don’t necessarily justify a full purchase. If it did, Babylon A.D. would be considered a must-own. No, the proof is in the pudding, and the pudding here is eight of the studio’s all-time best Universal Monster movies: Dracula (English and Spanish versions), Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolfman, The Mummy, Phantom of the Opera, The Invisible Man, and The Creature from the Black Lagoon. Sure, the collection is missing a few unsung classics — Dracula’s Daughter and Son of Frankenstein — but the films included are absolutely seminal. Just hold on to your Legacy Collection DVDs if you want to have a complete Universal marathon this October.

What’s the first film up for inspection on our Halloween Blu-ray list? Find out after the jump…