House of a Reasonable Amount of Horrors

The Death of Death: George Romero and the Church of the Latter-Day Dead

(How about that ridiculous title, eh? I tend to use fake titles while I'm writing something, and I figure I'd share this one since you should know what kind of maniac you're dealing with.)

A few months ago, I randomly wondered how George A. Romero's later Dead movies held up. I did some lazy Googling and discovered Survival of the Dead's 10th's (theatrical) anniversary was coming up, so I decided to pitch a revisit to Bloody Disgusting. While this is a simple topic, I agonized over this even more than my normal insecure writer neuroses, which is saying something. I think the issue was 1) I'm an enormous fan of George Romero, but it was important that I was honest about what I thought of the quality of the films he made in the twilight of his life. Trying to balance that can easily fall into wishy-washy playing-both-sides kind of writing, which is basically worthless to everyone and 2) Bloody Disgusting has a very large, very vocal audience, and Romero is unquestionably on the horror Mount Rushmore, were such a thing to exist. If I fumbled this, it could be kind of gross.

Thankfully, so far, people have been incredibly kind about the piece. Writing about George Romero zombies during pandemic sure is a damn experience, but I'm ultimately glad I did. Hot takes get clicks, so it's actually pretty meaningful to me that something that doesn't use hyperbole, either way, got published. Anyway! I appreciate your time in checking it out if you do, and Godspeed.

‘Land,’ ‘Diary’ and ‘Survival of the Dead’: George A. Romero’s Dead Reckoning

 

I Will Make You Mine is a Valentine

I reviewed Lynn Chen's I Will Make You Mine, which while it stands completely on its own as a wonderful film, is also the conclusion of the terrific "Surrogate Valentine" trilogy. I had this one locked and loaded on my SXSW app, so seeing a digital screener was kind of a bummer as this film (among so many others) really, really deserved to have that splashy debut. But hey! Good news! Technology means you can watch it *right now!*

Daily Grindhouse: I Will Make You Mine Does Just That (review)

You can rent/purchase I Will Make You Mine here

Rent/purchase the previous films, Surrogate Valentine and Daylight Savings, here.

STREAM WARRIORS at Daily Grindhouse

Spearheaded by editor Rob Dean, Stream Warriors is a fun new weekly column over at Daily Grindhouse. Each week, a different writer picks a small handful of movie recommendations (less obvious choices that are hopefully still crowd pleasers on some level) that are streaming from (US-based) services.

I was up this week, and narrowing down the seemingly endless choices out there was trickier than I thought it’d be! I stake my non-existent reputation on my choices being solid, though, and seriously: At the very least, check out that short Godzilla music video from my childhood public access heroes. 

Stream Warriors: My Picks for April 24... and beyond

April is John Waters' Birth Month to the Hilt, Baby

I'm not huge on celebrating every milestone for every movie, but I do love Daily Grindhouse and I really love John Waters, so the excuse to write about both CRY-BABY (30 years!) and MULTIPLE MANIACS (50 years!!) to sing their praises on these insane anniversaries was an easy and enthusiastic decision.

Waters is my favorite living filmmaker, one of my very favorite writers and speakers, and I love encouraging people to check him out if they haven't yet or go deeper into his catalog if they've only seen one or two. Among so many accomplishments, he's the king of a kind of satire he stylized all his own, which is such a rare accomplishment that it must be celebrated. So celebrate I did. Please check them out if you'd like, and for God's sake, RECYCLE.

Daily Grindhouse - You Got It Raw: Cry-Baby at 30

Daily Grindhouse - Multiple Manics - Half A Century with a Celluloid Atrocity

"Supplemental material:" Just the Discs: Female Trouble & Xtro, 26 Movies from Hell: "M" Show and Multiple Maniacs (podcasts) As Long As You’re Known For Something: Outlaw Fame & Friendly Infamy With John Waters (essay) 

Fangoria is Sick

I just received the latest issue of Fangoria (they're already on issue #7 in this new Volume 2 wave, which is both very impressive and doesn't seem quite possible) and I'm lucky enough to have a piece in there titled "Horror is Sick." This is one I'm extra proud of. I delve into my relationship with illness and chronic pain and how that connected me even deeper to the horror genre I was already crazy about, and I was able to share the viewpoints of a few other people I respect deeply as well.

Also in the issue, BJ Colangelo (amazing writer as everyone in the horror field knows, Screamcast royalty and cancer survivor) interviews horror community legend Kelly Barlow (Kreepazoid Kelly), who's been through hell and back with her health, and that's essential reading as well as a piece I'm honored to share the issue with.

Once I gave my pitch, it was accepted, but it was obvious there wasn't a 100% certainty it'd pull off as a fully realized article, especially one that might work for Fangoria's specific approach⁠—it really is an essay. I knew the only way I had a chance of it being in print was if I wholly put myself into it, even the parts I usually hide with jokes. Not to get too deep, but it really is the most personal writing I've ever published. I really hope readers enjoy it!

 

That Ain't the Way to Have Fun

Look up there! The right corner! That's me! That is to say, it's a very silly (but hopefully fun) piece I was lucky enough to write for Fangoria+, the online home for Fangoria magazine. Right now they're offering two free months of digital access to the site (normally it's 4 free articles a month if memory serves although it rarely does), and why not indulge now if you're not already a member? Mark Shostrom has a column there, for crying out loud!

It's an honor, and I owe a huge, massive thanks to Phil Nobile Jr. for reaching out to me to see if I can pitch something that will hopefully be worthy of the site's readers. Of course, only you can really judge that! Here's my look at how isolation may not be quite as bad as you think when you look at the history of parties showcased in horror movies...

Pandemic pieces. What a world.

Horror Movies Were Right: Large Gatherings Can Be Deadly

I was just going to post a review link but it turned into a SXSW thing

The world is going through a special kind of hell now, but the first taste of it I personally experienced was SXSW being canceled.

Last year was my first year attending, and it was an incredible experience. The mix of Austin, my life being about movies and only movies for nearly two weeks (having your schedule and conversations being 98% dedicated to film talk is amazing, and I've never had that before), meeting friends from Twitter, attending my first film premiere (US), conducting my first in-person interview (with Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer the night after PET SEMATARY's premiere, with Brad Henderson as my favorite wingman. Side note: I really didn't like the film, but I'm a huge STARRY EYES fan, and I was a bit nervous about having to stick to questions about the movie I didn't connect to. I discovered that you can ask plenty of questions without having to lie about anything to creators about their work, which was a great lesson and relief. Anyway!), and just feeling like I was part of something.

It was my first film festival, I had a press pass, it was exhausting, and I knew I was addicted thanks to the heaviness in my heart when I flew back. I was determined to return and attend as many film festivals as I could afford and manage. Since then, I've attended Fantastic Fest, which is a wonderful blast, but SXSW really takes you around downtown Austin and you see a lot more genres. FF is centered around one theater, and while it's a great one, I loved checking out all the other beautiful ones screening films.

I somehow got press credentials again this year, and I was buzzing to get back there. Once talk of the coronavirus built, however, I knew there was about a 90% chance that SXSW would be canceled or postponed, and I readied myself for disappointment while holding out hope for a happy turn somehow. Looking at everything now, it seems so crazy and myopic to have expected it to stay open, but the full scope of how horrific things are just wasn't completely in focus yet.

As much as it sucks for a nobody jerk like me, the real reason for the festival—artists!—share my real sympathy along with the economic hit local workers took with its cancellation. Especially for debut filmmakers, getting a film in SXSW is a huge honor and chance for exposure... and now it's kind of a messy VOD situation for everyone. 

In the months leading up to SXSW, writers, critics, and really anyone who gets the world out are inundated with emails about screening links, schedules for interviews, parties, Q&As, you name it. One film that stood out to me right away was TOMBOY. I dreamed of being a drummer as a little girl, to the point I had Zildjian ads posted on my bedroom wall next to whatever celebrity I was in love with right then. I was also a huge fan of the band Hole, so when I saw this was a documentary about female drummers/percussionists, and one of the subjects was Sam Mahoney, who drummed for Hole during the Celebrity Skin tour, I knew I had to see it. I planned on watching the screener, writing a rough draft, seeing it at the festival proper, finishing the review, and hopefully interviewing some of the women from the film.

Best laid plans and all that.

It's a great film. Old-school hands-off documenting about a little talked about arena of music and art. I'd love it if you'd read my review (no spoilers, even by documentary standards) and keep it in mind for its eventual release⁠—however and whenever that may be. 

‘TOMBOY’ DOC BOLDLY MARCHES TO THE BEATS OF ITS OWN PERCUSSIONISTS [SXSW 2020]

Invisible Agents Need the MOST Attention

To celebrate the theatrical release of Leigh Whannell's THE INVISIBLE MAN, Daily Grindhouse devoted a week to various invisibility-centric movies. I covered 1942's propaganda bonanza INVISIBLE AGENT. (Yes, the one with nazis.) The United States had no doubts that the SS was a major, serious evil at this point, but the full scope of the excruciating horrors of concentration camps wasn't yet known to the wide public, so this falls right in that pre-satire goof-on-the-nazis Hollywood era.

How pop culture responds to civilization's worst evils and upheavals is always fascinating to me, and even a monster movie sequel can be a valuable glimpse into how society and businesses (especially those built on art and pleasure) grappled with intense fear and uncertainly while still desperately trying to live life as close to normal as possible. I didn't get deep into that in this write-up or anything, but being able to chat about it a bit is one of the reasons I have this blog.

Punch nazis.

INVISIBLE AGENT Dissolves in the Air but Not in Our Hearts

The Night Has Its Price

I joined the lovely Heather Wixson and Emily von Seele again to talk about Kathryn Bigelow's wonderful NEAR DARK. This is the second time we recorded and I hope we make a habit of it as they're an absolute blast to talk with. Happy Women in Horror Month!

Corpse Club: Kathryn Bigelow's NEAR DARK with Heather Wixson, Emily von Seele, and Stephanie Crawford

Scream and Scream Again... at 50!

Over at Daily Grindhouse I did a write-up of 1970's SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN for its 50th anniversary. It's a fun movie but nigh on incomprehensible, and I want to give a shout-out to the great commentary on the Twilight Time Blu-ray for helping me out.

‘SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN’…AGAIN: 50 YEARS OF CONFUSION