Kom till Casino 

Kom till Casino, which means “come to the casino” in English, is a classic Swedish film, which premiered at cinemas in 1975. It is a recording of the 1974 theater performance at the Intima Theater in Stockholm. The movie is set in a casino, but it is a far cry from Hollywood movies like Casino and Ocean’s Eleven. At the Swedish casino in Kom till Casino, guests gather to play the kinds of exciting games you can find at any brick-and-mortar casino or online casino live. However, the night takes an unexpected turn as the attendees begin to become victims of madness. 

The Hunters 

The winner of two prestigious Guldbagge Awards, The Hunters is one of Sweden’s biggest box office smashes. The plot of the 1996 movie, which is called Jägarna in Swedish, follows a Stockholm police officer who returns to his small hometown. He starts working on a reindeer poaching case, and it is not long before he discovers his brother is involved. In fact, the protagonist soon finds that everyone, including the local police force, is against him, and things begin to escalate in a disturbing and thrilling fashion. A sequel, The Hunters 2, was released in 2011. 

Let the Right One In 

Remakes are seldom as good as the originals, but the 2010 American film Let Me In, based on the 2008 Swedish movie Let the Right One In is nearly as good as the original. However, the Swedish film is still the best. The romantic horror is based on the 2004 novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist. The author also wrote the screenplay. The story is about a bullied 12-year-old boy who befriends a vampire girl in Stockholm’s suburbs during the early 1980s. The movie was critically acclaimed upon its release, and it won several awards, including the Tribeca Film Festival’s Founders Award for the Best Narrative Feature and four Guldbagge Awards. 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 

Another well-known Swedish movie remade as a successful Hollywood film is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The 2009 Swedish thriller is based on the novel of the same title by Stieg Larsson. It is the first part of the Millennium series. The other two parts, The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest, were also released in 2009. Both the original Swedish movie and the 2011 American remake were hugely successful, and both were nominated for and won numerous prestigious awards. 

The Seventh Seal 

If you do not know where the inspiration for Bill and Ted playing the Grim Reaper at games of their choice in Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey came from, you need to watch The Seventh Seal. But the classic movie is much more well known for other reasons than inspiring a scene from a juvenile comedy! Despite The Seventh Seal receiving a divided critical response when it premiered in 1957, it did not take long for the film to become known as one of the greatest movies ever made. Written and directed by Ingmar Bergman, the film is set during the Black Death. It tells the story of a medieval knight who plays a game of chess with a personification of Death, who has arrived to take the knight’s life. The title of the movie is a quote from the Book of Revelation in the Holy Bible. 

While there’s something deliciously evil about a neighbourhood serial killer, a family of cannibals, or vampires and werewolves, there have been other features of films that haven’t quite brought the scares as expected. Here are three we enjoyed – but maybe not for the right reasons. 

Troll 2 (1990) 

Troll 2 is a classic, and most people will recognize the film. Not for the plot or the troll-like creatures that feature as the villains of the film – but for the inclusion of one scene in almost every single list of the worst scenes in film history. 

Trolls themselves don’t lend themselves well to being fear-inducing specimens. In fact, it could be argued exactly what the creatures in the film were actually supposed to be. They could be goblins, or they could be some other woodland dweller. Woodlands creatures offer themselves to mystery, which could explain their inclusion in the film. Indeed, if you play Pixies of the Forest at Lucky Pants Bingo you can see how the mystery and illusion of woodland dwellers are incorporated into the slot gameplay (we wish we could say the same for Troll 2). 

Rubber (2010) 

Rubber claims that it is a satirical horror film directed by French director Quentin Dupieux, but there are some aspects of the film that indicate that it took itself a lot more seriously. The film focuses on a psychic tire that goes around traumatizing the standard group of horror film cannon fodder. While the film didn’t necessarily join Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, or Freddy Krueger in the horror hall of fame, it found itself a cult following of those who attempt to analyze the actual meaning behind the film. 

Surely it couldn’t be as simple as a psychic anthropomorphic tire hellbent on revenge? Or maybe it could.   

Reeker (2005) 

If a tire and a troll asked you to suspend belief, Reeker presents its villain in the form of a bad smell. And just like a bad smell, the film is difficult to shake even nearly 15 years since its release. 

The protagonists are actually being stalked by a decaying creature, and the film is a lot cleverer than it sounds. The premise is clever, but the film can’t be taken seriously with its connotations to the bad smell. Not least because viewers are unable to smell it and would instead replace it with smells that they associate as negative. The film is worth watching until the end to see how it all turns out. 

Sometimes horror needs to be shaken to check that it’s awake, and unconventional horror film subjects do just that. While Troll 2, Reeker, and Rubber might not make the Oscars list or be locked in the vault of the top films made, they do provide interesting talking points in the rich history of horror cinema.

Everyone says that remakes suck. Seriously, how often have you heard “remakes suck” muttered upon the lips of, well, everyone! For some reason, we all have this unbelievable hatred toward the remake or poorly done sequels (sorry Fantastic Four). Asian horror movies have, the last decade or so, been particularly violated and pimped out and remade into U.S. versions. From The Ring to Shutter to The Grudge it’s been done.

A lot of the Asian markets, unlike our own, do not go out of their way to translate their films for American audiences. We are all too lazy to go out and buy Rosetta Stone to learn a language just so we can have the crap scared out of us. The language barrier doesn’t change the fact that there are some stellar Asian horror movies worth watching. If you look hard enough, you will find most of them with U.S. subtitles because, you know, there is always some language nerd going for extra credit.

Korea, despite its f’ed up political system and tight control of everything that involves an imagination, is still producing some seriously kick ass horror. Korea is the new Japan when it comes to exporting terror. Luckily for all of us, South Korea has been loosening its garters to get some of these little gems stateside — and not as a crappy U.S. remake either. Nearly all the Korean horror movies take a very George A. Romero approach in that they all have some sort of a message to convey: a Geo-political stance, militarily, or educational.

Since Korean horror movies are so huge right now, and with the release of the Oldboy remake on the horizon, it is only fitting to provide you with a launching pad. What follows is, I believe, the top 10 of Korean horror movies. I am going to try to put them in order of importance.

No.10 Phone (2002)

A simple title for a complex film. A journalist writes about pedos and starts getting calls threatening her existence because, you know, everyone loves a pedophile! Right? Oh, dammit! In any case, she changes her number and moves to a house owned by some friends in order to escape the threats. The daughter of her friend answers a call (what is it with Asian horror and phones?) and becomes attracted to her father (eww) and pushes her mother away. Then the weird shit starts happening.

No9. Doctor (2013)

This movie is rated “19,” which means it’s pretty f’ed up. It’s like NC-17 in the U.S., but worse. A plastic surgeon’s wife is stepping out on him, which makes him go a bit nuts. Essentially he’s going around inventively murdering people with the tools of his trade all the while planning his revenge scenario. It will definitely make you rethink getting botox. The real moral of the story is to never hook up with a hot wife when you look like a soaking wet sheet.

No.8 Suddenly at Midnight (1981)

This is an old movie, having been made in 1981. If you can find it, then you should watch it. It’s entertaining. Shaman Priestess + burned alive + creepy doll = fear. Suddenly at Midnight is about a butterfly scientist who takes in a new housemaid. She feels sorry for the girl since her momma just done got burnt up. The girl brings with her a doll that she swears is trying to kill her.

No7. The Uninvited (2009)

Wait, what? No! Not that Uninvited… this is another one. Sort of. Well, yes, really. The actual U.S. version of The Uninvited is based on another Korean horror movie classic, which is on the list closer to the top. This is otherwise known as A Table for Four. Why? Don’t ask me. I don’t run South Korean horror. This cutesy tale is about an interior designer who, while on a train, encounters two young girls. They’re asleep and just chilling out. Until he sees the news later that both girls were poisoned. His girlfriend brings home a table, he hits his head, and now can see the two girls. Insert crazy friend who can see ghosts and you’ve got a recipe for Korean horror movie awesomesauce. It gets creepy, crazy, and hairy.

No.6 The Puppet (2013)

Koreans love their psychological middle finger to the rest of us normal people. The Puppet has nothing to do with puppets, dolls, or anything that mundane. No, not at all… instead it is about a psychiatrist who sees a friend’s lover as a patient. He hypnotizes the girl and learns all of her dark secrets then, to be a complete dick, decides to fall for her and makes her meet him for sex every Sunday. Definitely a thrilling ride and worth a look.

Check out the top 5 Korean horror movies after the jump…

Theater in the US has a proud tradition  

Theater is something that stretches around the whole planet but is particularly loved in the US. Theater sees plays or musicals performed live to an audience. Of course, the big attraction here is the Broadway district in New York City, which plays host to the best productions, actors and playhouses.  

Big-name producers including Louise Gund have made Broadway their home, and their sheer talent helps to keep it all going. Indeed, the Gund-produced play All the Way scooped the Tony Award for Best Play in 2014, which shows exactly the quality of shows on offer.  

Movies also demand worldwide attention  

Of course, we all know what watching movies involves as heading to the cinema to catch the latest blockbuster is a regular activity for many. Still the center of the global film industry is Hollywood in the beautiful city of Los Angeles in America. This is where all the big-budget films are signed off and where all the major studios still call home. It is also a mecca for both aspiring and successful actors, who all rub shoulders here, looking to bag that next great role. 

The very nature of what is involved in both makes for some similarities, which pulls the two art forms close together. But what exactly joins them both? 

Both involve actors telling a story  

The most obvious similarity between the stage and film is that both involve professional actors telling a story to their audience. Plays, musicals and films all have characters that the actors play and who help to get across what is happening on screen or on stage. Both art forms also involve some kind of plot, which is either interesting, shocking, funny or exciting to the audience watching. This also shows the range of productions they both cover from horror movies to rom-coms. Over the course of the film or play, the way that the characters interact and what they say reveals more of what is going on for us to enjoy. 

How else is screen and stage connected?  

Another obvious similarity between the two is the presence of a script in most cases. Both art forms normally have actors read pre-written lines, which they have to memorize and repeat when performing. This allows the writer to get across the exact points they are trying to make and also to ensure that the production has structure and coherence. 

Both art forms are are visual in their presentation. This means that we watch them rather than read or just listen to them. Whether it is a film at your local cinema or a musical at your local theater, the experience is highly visual, and this is something that binds them together. 

Are there any key differences between the two? 

When looking at the relationship between stage and screen, it must be noted that some startling differences also exist. The first lies in the very nature of what is happening and how the audience experiences it. Theater is completely live and happens in real time with the audience present to see everything that happens. Film, on the other hand, is pre-recorded and edited before being watched back at a later date – as such, we only see what the filmmaker wants us to see! 

You may not think it, but differences in the two also extend to how the actors themselves must approach their work. Theater is often performed in big arenas with the audience far away from the action in some seats. This means that theater actors have to give an over-the-top performance to reach everyone and be heard. When acting for film though, the opposite is true. Film actors have microphones to pick up their voices, and the camera is always close by. This dictates that they should act in a much more natural way. 

So near yet so far  

Although there are similarities between the two art forms, it is clear to see that film and stage productions are two completely different things. This is actually great news for the public as you get to enjoy both without ever getting bored. Whether it is catching the latest flick or enjoying some raucous live theater, you will always have fun. 

A seventeen year-old poster girl for her town’s purity movement is tormented by a supernatural presence, just as she fears her community will discover she has long had a secret boyfriend.

The finally was written and directed by Hannah Macpherson (based on a story idea by Macpherson, Paul Fischer, and Paul Davis), Pure stars Jahkara Smith, McKaley Miller, Scott Porter, Annalisa Cochrane, Ciara Bravo, and Jim Klock.

But it doesn’t all end this season. Into the Dark has been officially renewed for a second season by Hulu. The horror will happily continue in plenty more episodes. Keep your eye lids open!

Stay tuned to Yell! Magazine for more daily news in horror.

The film follows the story of Luke, a troubled college freshman who suffers a violent family trauma and resurrects his childhood imaginary friend Daniel to help him cope. 

The film is striking in so many ways, from visuals and performances to the incredible execution of psychological horror. We immediately recognized that Adam had crafted something special here and are excited to partner with Shudder and bring it to audiences everywhere. 

Following its successful festival debut, Samuel Goldwyn Films and Shudder picked up North American rights to Daniel Isn’t Real, with a theatrical and VOD release being planned for late this year.

Directed by Adam Egypt Mortimer from a screenplay he co-wrote with Brian DeLeeuw (based on DeLeeuw’s novel In This Way I Was Saved), Daniel Isn’t Real stars Patrick Schwarzenegger, Miles Robbins, Sasha Lane, Hannah Marks, and Mary Stuart Masterson. 

Stay tuned to Yell! Magazine for much more daily news on horror. 

That’s just about to change. From Leatherface to Freddy Krueger, the horror video game Dead by Daylight has featured plenty of horror icons from the genre we love so much. Now Ghost Face is joining the killer ranks in the next chapter.

On Wednesday, a trailer was released teasing the upcoming add-on chapter, which previously included Saw, Halloween, and A Nightmare on Elm Street. Check it out right below!

Stay tuned for more news in horror video games.

That’s right! Hagazussa is Germany’s answer to The Witch, so expect April to be as sinister or even worse. Austrian director Lukas Feigelfeld managed to create a haunting pagan death trip— a creepy creation filled with just the right mix of moody atmosphere, brooding terror and supernatural dread to ignite the fire of slow-burn horror fans everywhere. 

In the 15th Century in the remote Austrian Alps, the orphan Albrun (Celina Peter) grows up to be a simple goatherd living in solitude…and a marked woman. As a scapegoat of ancient myths and monstrous misogyny, Albrun (portrayed by Aleksandra Cwen as an adult) finds herself tormented by the local townsfolk, driving her to unleash the inner darkness that swells within her. A self-styled witch, Albrun soon exercises her other-worldly birthright and conjures a plague that makes the surrounding human cruelty look pathetic and small by comparison. 

After researching old pagan beliefs and folklore about witches that were supposed to roam the mountain woods in those times, my interest was to develop a character that these folk tales would have branded as a witch,” says HAGAZUSSA writer/director Feigelfeld on his exploration of the intersection between ancient magic, faith and madness. “[I also wanted] to dig deeper into her psyche and see her as the traumatized, mistreated and finally delusional person that society constructed. 

For an early look at Hagazussa, horror hounds can check out the official trailer and poster, courtesy of Dailydead.com. Doppelgänger Releasing and Bloody Disgusting will unleash Hagazussa in select theaters across the US in mid-to-late April before bringing it to Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD on April 23rd. 

Below is the list of theaters. Enjoy! 

HAGAZUSSA — Theater locations and dates 
*Please check Doppelganger Releasing website for additional dates & info 
Los Angeles (Monica Film Center): April 19 
New York (Alamo Drafthouse Brooklyn): April 19 
Chicago (Music Box Theater): April 19 
San Francisco (Alamo Drafthouse New Mission) April 19 
Seattle (Grand Illusion Cinema): April 19 
Phoenix (Filmbar) 
Houston (Alamo Drafthouse La Centerra): April 24 
Washington D.C. (Alamo Drafthouse Winchester): April 26 
Portland (Hollywood Theater): April 30 

Us 

Us is the first movie to make our watch list thanks to comedian Jordan Peele being behind it. His film Get Out is one of the best horror movies released over recent times, performing admirably at the 90^th Academy Awards and receiving world wide critical acclaim. His follow up to that, which is set to drop on the 15^th of March, tells the story of a family and a family friend who visit a beach house to enjoy a relaxing vacation. And, as you’d expect, things take a turn for the worst. 

Grudge 

There’s already been a lot of talk suggesting that director Nicolas Pesce is intending on releasing Grudge in 2019, which would be a remake of the 2004 hit movie The Grudge. In fact, The Grudge was a remake itself, with the Japanese movie Ju-On: The Grudge which was released in 2002 being the original Grudge film. The Japanese original proved just how scary movies emanating from Japan can be, and there’s talk of John Cho and Lin Shaye both starring in the remake. 

Child’s Play 

Child’s Play, originally released in 1988, is one of the most iconic horror movies of all time and for one specific reason, Chucky. Child’s Play tells the story of a “Good Guy” doll which is owned by a little boy, but rather than it being good, it’s possessed by the soul of a dangerous and violent psychopath. With six sequels already to its name, 2019 is the year that Child’s Play will get a full reboot, bringing everything up to date, especially where technology is concerned. So, June could see a new look Chucky! 

Happy Death Day 2U 

The first instalment of this series Happy Death Day shocked a lot of people after performing impressively at the box office off a small budget and without any big-name stars. It was the storyline which really intrigued viewers, with a young woman’s life repeatedly ending in a never-ending cycle of sorts. Happy Death Day 2U follows up on the story, with the killer making his victim, as well as those around her, suffer at his hands. It’s horror meets dark comedy at its finest, and this will likely be another box office hit. 

2019 is set to be a year for some great horror movies, with many in the pipeline. There are a few remakes and reboots rumoured too, which have the potential to allow viewers to relive classic horror films once again, once they’ve been brought into the current era that is. 

Alas, this is Yell! and, here, we deal in all things horrific even when it comes to our favourite online slots. So, here we’ve listed some of the best horror slots available on the internet that you can play right now to get your thrills.

1. Universal Monsters Dracula

Let’s begin with one of the most iconic horror monsters in history: Dracula. It’s not surprising at all that the king of the vampires has an online slot – in fact, he has several – but this joint effort between NetEnt and Universal is particularly ground-breaking. The slot is based on the classic tale of Dracula by Bram Stoker, much like the classic 1930s Count Dracula movie.

From the get-go, you will see a rather poised-looking Dracula sitting atop his throne accompanied by one of his brides. He will offer you a number of free spins as well as the chance to activate the Bat bonus feature, during which, the vampire’s iconic bats fly through the reels to reveal matching symbols. Of course, the more matching symbols they unveil, the more likely you are to score a winning combination. Between rounds, you may even activate some of the video clips installed in the game, some of which feature terrified victims scampering through the streets of London. That is, if you can stomach the sound effects that pound eerily in the background from the moment you begin playing.

Dracula offers an astounding return to player percentage of 96.6%, as well as an amazing maximum jackpot of x200 your original bet, and can be found at Dunder.

2. Lost Vegas

Actually, it seems as though Dunder has a thing for horror games as it is the only big online casino we could find with an entire category dedicated to horror online slots. Lost Vegas appears in this category and certainly deserves its place there. Created by none other than Microgaming, this slot offers a fresh twist on the done-to-death zombie genre while also retaining all the grotesque, fear-inducing antics we’ve come to know and love.

From the beginning, players are shown the two opposing sides – the zombies and the survivors, both just trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic Las Vegas. You are then given a choice as to which side you would like to join and which you would like to fight on a 5-reel, 234-payline battleground. In addition to just rolling the reels, there are two free spins modes you can activate, with both giving up to 50 free spins and bonus features like Zombie’s Fist of Cash and the Blackout Bonus.

Similarly to Dracula, this game offers a return to player percentage of 96.5%, though the jackpot is much higher: 2,155x your original bet. If you’re interested in playing either of these games, it’s always a good idea to check out a site like Oddschecker to get the latest deals, such as top-notch welcome packages, free spins and other promotions.

3. Psycho

Finally, we have a NextGen slot inspired by one of the world’s best classic horror movies, Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 release Psycho. Available at all good casinos including LeoVegas, this slot’s only aim is to be just as creepy and chilling as the movie upon which it is based.

Right from the start, you find yourself in the iconic house where Marion Crane was brutally murdered in the shower – one of the most notable horror movie scenes in the history of cinema. Between spinning the reels, you may get the chance to win up to 20 free spins but by far the best part of this particular slot is the clear dedication to the visuals, the sound and the overall atmosphere that the developers have managed to create. Truly, it is an experience just to see how combining vintage horror classics and modern day, contemporary graphics can create such exhilarating, terrifying gameplay.

Honourable Mentions

Of course, there are plenty of other fantastic online slots that delve into the world of horror. There’s NetEnt’s The Creature of the Black Lagoon, for instance, based on the 1950s movie of the same name, as well as Blood Suckers, an eerie vampire-themed slot that is actually loads of fun. It even has all the vampire icons we’ve come to expect, including garlic and bibles, plus a Click Me Coffin Stabbing Bonus Feature, which really is as mad as it sounds. Microgaming’s Immortal Romance and Play’n Go’s Wild Blood are also pretty fun but, if you’re really looking to give ghost slots a ghoul (sorry), then we recommend Ghost Slider by Merkur Gaming.

Let us know if you’ve managed to find any particularly horrifying online slots recently, and tell us where we can find them to have a go ourselves! We’re always looking for better ways to spend our time between creepy movies and television shows, and we think that online games and slots may just be our new favourite spooky pastime.