The Haunting Remake Substitutes Loud Noises For Atmosphere and Scares

Sixty years after its release, Robert Wise’s 1963 adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House remains a horror classic. In addition to Wise’s haunted house chiller, author Shirley Jackson’s Gothic novel provided the source material for the critically acclaimed Netflix series. Somewhere in between those two interpretations, action director Jan de Bont (Speed, Twister) delivered […]

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The Invitation Promises Gothic Horror, Delivers Tepid Scares

You’d be forgiven if you thought The Invitation was another quiet attempt at re-booting a ‘Dark Universe’ of classic monsters. The premise sounds like a contemporary spin on a ‘Brides of Dracula’ concept complete with its Gothic British manor setting. But this is a Sony Pictures release, not Universal Pictures, so if there’s vampires no […]

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House of Darkness a Dialogue-Driven Game of Cat-and-Mouse

Over 10 years later, Neil LaBute is still probably apologizing for his remake of The Wicker Man. Now he’s back in the horror genre – including some intentional dark comedy – with the ‘date gone wrong’ House of Darkness. Before The Wicker Man, LaBute has explored themes of misogyny, which looks pretty central to House […]

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What Josiah Saw a Disturbing Southern Gothic Thriller

After flirting with the horror genre last year and for the early part of 2022, Netflix seems to have once again forgotten about horror. Meanwhile Shudder continues to platform obscure old horror movies and new ones from across the globe. The platform’s commitment to smaller moves ensures that what we get week in and week […]

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Universal Monsters: Five Legacy-Defining Movies

Universal Studios and the Universal monsters of the 1930’s and 1940’s are the template for our Halloween. Mad scientists and hunchback assistants. Angry villagers with pitchforks and torches. Shuffling monsters with electrodes their neck. Full moons and werewolves. Aristocratic vampire in capes. During their nearly two decade reign over horror, Universal created much of the […]

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