This Week in Horror: May 31 - June 6

May 31
1975 – Sienna Guillory (actress in Resident Evil: Apocalypse) born
1977 – William Castle (director of numerous horror films) dies (b. 1914)

June 1
1979 – Phantasm released theatrically
1980 – Alien Dead released theatrically

June 2
2006 – Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors in Burbank, California

June 3
2006 – Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors in Burbank, California

June 4
1982 – Poltergeist released theatrically
2006 – Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors in Burbank, California

June 5


June 6
1949 – Robert Englund (the actor who portrays Freddy Krueger) born
2002 – Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance released on the Game Boy Advance in Japan
2006 – The Omen (2006) released theatrically




Source: wikipedia Portal:Horror/This day in horror archive

Please leave a comment with any additions/corrections. Thanks.

This Week in Horror: May 24 - 30

May 24
1995 – Tales from the Hood released theatrically

May 25
1967 – Poppy Z. Brite (author of gothic and horror short stories and novels) born
1979 – Alien released theatrically
2001 – World Horror Convention in Seattle, Washington
2007 – Bug released theatrically (US)

May 26
1913 – Peter Cushing (actor known for his portrayals of Abraham Van Helsing) born (d. 1994)
1964 – Caitlin R. Kiernan (horror author) born
1990 – Friday the 13th: The Series ends its run on television
2000 – Resident Evil Code: Veronica released for the Dreamcast in Europe
2001 – World Horror Convention in Seattle, Washington

May 27
1911 – Vincent Price (actor in many horror films) born (d. 1993)
1922 – Christopher Lee (actor known for his numerous portrayals of Dracula) born
1934 – Harlan Ellison (author of numerous novels and short stories) born
1973 – Night Gallery ends its run on television
1988 – Killer Klowns from Outer Space released theatrically
2001 – World Horror Convention in Seattle, Washington

May 28
2001 – World Horror Convention in Seattle, Washington

May 29
1912 – John Gilling (director of many Hammer Films) born
1953 – Danny Elfman (composer of scores for The Frighteners, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, and Tales from the Crypt) born
1957 – James Whale (director of many horror films) dies (b. 1889)

May 30
1943 – Dennis Etchison (author of horror fiction) born
1967 – Claude Rains (actor in many horror films) dies (b. 1889)
2003 – Wrong Turn released theatrically




Source: wikipedia Portal:Horror/This day in horror archive

Please leave a comment with any additions/corrections. Thanks.

This Week in Horror: May 17 - 23

May 17
1946 – F. Paul Wilson (author of several stories in the Cthulhu Mythos) born
1973 – Matthew McGrory (actor in several horror films) born (d. 2005)

May 18
1924 – Priscilla Pointer (actress in Carrie, Twilight Zone: The Movie, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, and C.H.U.D. II - Bud the Chud) born
1971 – The Abominable Dr. Phibes released theatrically
2006 – The Breed released theatrically

May 19
1989 – Fright Night II released theatrically
2002 – The X-Files ends its run on television
2004 – Angel ends its run on television

May 20
2003 – Buffy the Vampire Slayer ends its run on television
2005 – Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist released theatrically

May 21
1992 – Carnosaur released theatrically

May 22
1922 – Christopher Lee (actor known for his portrayals of Dracula) born
1992 – Alien³ released theatrically

May 23
1980 – The Shining released theatrically
1986 – Poltergeist II released theatrically
2003 – Silent Hill 3 released on the PlayStation and PC in Europe




Source: wikipedia Portal:Horror/This day in horror archive

Please leave a comment with any additions/corrections. Thanks.

Friday Night Frights: Battle Royale (2000)

Welcome to tonight's episode of Friday Night Frights.

Tonight's feature, Battle Royale, is a Japanese film based on the book by Koushun Takami. Many members of the Japanese Parliament tried to get the novel banned, but to no avail. When the film was released, they attempted to ban it also. Both efforts resulted in the novel and film becoming even more successful as people bought the book and went to the movie to see what the fuss was all about.

In a future where society is on the verge of collapse, the government takes drastic action against the problem of rebellious teenagers in this violent sci-fi opus from Japan. In the year 2002, Japan's economy has taken a dramatic turn for the worse, and massive unemployment and inflation have thrown most adults into a state of chaos; the nation's youth culture responds with unprecedented violence, delinquency, and truancy. Desperate to restore order, the Japanese parliament responds by creating the Millennial Reform School Act, in which groups of junior high students are selected at random, sent to an isolated island, and forced to play a rigorous war game, in which all but one of their number are killed. Kitano (Beat Takeshi) is an embittered school instructor who guides the 44 students of the Zentsuji Middle School's Class B through the deadly game known as "Battle Royale," as they struggle to survive against the elements and each other. Battle Royale proved to be both successful and highly controversial in Japan, where it set box-office records and prompted political leaders to call for stricter controls on violence in Japanese entertainment; the film was initially rated R-15 (no one under 15 admitted), unusual for violent films in Japan, though director Kinji Fukasaku later prepared a re-edited version that earned a more lenient classification. Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This Week in Horror: May 10 - 16

May 10
1947 – Caroline B. Cooney (author of horror directed at teenagers) born
1994 – John Wayne Gacy (serial killer, partial inspiration for the prevalence of evil clown imagery in horror) executed

May 11
1936 – Dracula's Daughter released theatrically
1955 – Revenge of the Creature released theatrically
1984 – Firestarter released theatrically
2001 – Ginger Snaps released theatrically
2006 – World Horror Convention in San Francisco, California

May 12
1930 – Jesús Franco (director of sexually-charged horror films) born
1961 – Lar Park Lincoln (actress in Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood) born
2006 – World Horror Convention in San Francisco, California

May 13
1935 – Werewolf of London released theatrically
1988 – Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood released theatrically
2006 – World Horror Convention in San Francisco, California

May 14
1265 – Dante Alighieri (author of The Divine Comedy) born (d. 1321)
1983 – Amber Tamblyn (actress in The Ring and The Grudge 2)
2006 – World Horror Convention in San Francisco, California

May 15
1961 – Katrin Cartlidge (actress in From Hell) born
2000 – Shadow of the Vampire released theatrically

May 16
1836 – Edgar Allan Poe marries his 13-year-old cousin Virginia
1960 – Peeping Tom released theatrically
2001 – Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare released on PC




Source: wikipedia Portal:Horror/This day in horror archive

Please leave a comment with any additions/corrections. Thanks.

Friday Night Frights: Burnt Offerings (1976)

Welcome to tonight's episode of Friday Night Frights.

Tonight's feature is a chilling offering from the 70's I made reference to in a previous post about Karen Black.

Burnt Offerings (1976) was directed by Dan Curtis and stars Karen Black and Oliver Reed as summer caretakers moving into a gothic house with their young son. The catch? The house rejuvenates a part of itself with each death that occurs on its premises.

Check out the creepy chauffeur, and beware an ending that will give you nightmares.

Here's the full movie, in a playlist: