If I were to write the next great pop horror novel, what would it have to be about. Are vampires still fashionable enough to withstand another retelling? Is the world doomed to endure werewolves for the next few years? The problem with werewolves is that they are not sexy, and I am convinced they cannot be sexy. The zombie trend was fine in that there is a certain element of fun and coolness that resides within the trend. However, coming off of the vampire trend, werewolves are going to have to be at least as sexy as vamps to be effective, I believe. Is there some other monster that I am forgetting? Don’t say the mummy because I think that zombies are close enough. I guess what we are left with is a Frankenstein-ish monster. Something that is an amalgam of different traits. A creation that can be molded into whatever its creator wants. The opportunity for sexy is there. Werewolves are too hairy to be sexy. Werewolf females are especially off-putting. It’s like the hairiest hippie chick times 12. Tell me what you think.

I have risen from the grave to once again contribute to this little blog. Okay, so I didn’t actually rise from the grave, but I did finally transcend the chaos, obligations, and doldrums that are the holiday season. Thanksgiving turned into Christmas. Christmas turned into New Years. The new year brought with it a hectic schedule for yours truly, and I have shirked my duties to this site for quite some time. I apologize to my few loyal readers. I have been neglectful to the blog I have worked so hard to build up. Most importantly, I have forsaken the genre that has brought me so much joy, intrigue, and hours upon hours of entertainment. I am back as regularly as possible. What I need from you are ideas for blogs. I will eventually dry up my well of new ideas, and I would like to sustain this site as well as write what you would like to read.

Horror films often push the envelope when it comes to subject matter. Horrible things must be dealt with if they are going to horrify; it only makes sense. Last House on the Left is the first American film to portray graphically brutal rape. There are countless films about family members killing family members. Even a parent attempting to kill their child—a la The Omen—has been done. Horror movies have been blamed for years for desensitizing the youth and making murder, torture, and other unpleasantries look cool or appealing. Is there anything that is off limits, something so awful and damaging that it cannot be put on screen? Is there a subject matter that won’t be broached because it would be in to poor of taste? If so, what? While you are pondering this question, pop in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)—I hear it is the 35th anniversary of the film—and pay attention as an overweight, handicapped, arguably developmentally disable or emotionally disabled young man gets slaughtered. Also pay attention to the fact that you are glad he is finally dead. Happy Turkey Day you sick, sick people.

What is horror? Aside from the way it is marketed and what IMDB tells us, how do we define a horror film? Do the films simply have to frighten us or at least have the purpose of frightening to be horror? In that case Braindead a.k.a. Dead Alive shouldn’t be considered horror, though it is generally accepted as such. What do we do with the Evil Dead trilogy? They are more about slapstick comedy (especially the last two) than scares, yet they are usually found in the horror section of the video store. Netflix has Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness categorized as horror. Can any movie that deals with the supernatural that has a serious tone be considered horror? As utterly horrifying as it is, Ghost (yes the one with Patrick Swayze (R.I.P.), I cannot believe I am referencing this) is not a horror flick. I know that the line that is supposed to be toed is that categories don’t matter. While there is some validity to this argument, I cannot totally abide by it because I run a HORROR site.  Read more... (506 words, estimated 2:01 mins reading time)

Even more than usual, there is a spate of apocalyptic films coming out this month. 2012, The Collapse (An indie documentary predicting the end of the world as we continue to exploit the Earth), and The Road are all being released to theaters this month. 2012, which was released just this past Friday, brought in $60+ million and scathing reviews. It has enough explosions and CGI to engross the most ardent of ADHDers, but what is the social commentary that it is providing.  Read more... (345 words, 1 image, estimated 1:23 mins reading time)

Fast zombies or slow zombies? While Romero has created the modern zombie (though the word zombie is never used in Night of the Living Dead) there has obviously been some deviation from the archetype in the last several years. 28 Days Later helped to introduce the world to the fast-moving zombie. There is just one problem with that—there were no zombies in 28 Days Later. They were humans infected with a Rage Virus. They were able to move fast because not only weren’t they dead, but they were filled with uncontrollable anger. Zombies by definition do not emote. Nonetheless, from that point on, however, zombies became very quick and agile.  Read more... (414 words, 1 image, estimated 1:39 mins reading time)

With vampires being the latest creature to find rejuvenated popularity in horror, one must wonder what the next trend will be. I propose that the latest film in the Twilight Saga will be a nice segue into newfound popularity of the werewolf. Not since the mid-eighties with Michael J. Fox dancing on top of his buddy’s van in Teen Wolf have the opportunities for the lycanthropes been so good. Sure, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans attempted this very feat, and the werewolf has never really disappeared from the genre, it will take a blockbuster like The Twilight Saga: New Moon to really reintroduce the hairy ones back into pop culture.  Read more... (283 words, 1 image, estimated 1:08 mins reading time)

THE FACELESS THING – Mr. THING, by a random integer generator you have been chosen as the winner. Please contact me with your shipping information. Enjoy the series, and thank you for taking part in the giveaway. I hope to hear more from you.
And to everyone else, thank you for making the giveaway a success. I truly enjoyed the comments. I hope to see you back at Mr. E’s Horror Weblog. There is always something new to discuss in the world of horror, and there will always be more giveaways.
E

Here is a very cool link with some of this season’s best Halloween displays. It is definitely worth a looksee.