Where Horror Lives
Few things are better-suited for one another than horror, heavy metal, and Satan. Much has already been written about the Satanic moral panic that emerged in the 1980’s. Heavy metal bands that infused their music and public image with Satanic themes – Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Motley Crüe – drew the ire of moral entrepreneurs […]
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Timing is everything. And Canadian slasher Random Acts of Violence perfectly situates itself to address a divisive issue. Last year some critics accused Joker of celebrating toxic male rage and violence. Following George Floyd’s tragic murder, debate quickly turned to movies and television shows that glorified police officers. Now Canadian actor and director Jay Baruchel’s […]
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What do you get when World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and a former adult filmmaker come together to make a slasher movie? The answer – See No Evil. Since its formation, WWE Studios has largely produced low-budget action and horror movies headlined by their own professional wrestling stars. Fun fact – WWE Studios has released six […]
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Everything may be bigger in Texas, but that’s little comfort to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. After 40 years, Tobe Hooper’s original low-budget horror movie remains a disturbing classic. Even Hooper’s belated sequel has earned a critical re-appraisal. And about that 2003 remake – it’s better than most fans are willing to admit. Nevertheless, most […]
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Since its inception a few years ago, Shudder has done right by horror fans. Its ever-growing catalogue includes horror movies from just about every subgenre imaginable. Moreover, the horror-streaming platform has shown a commitment to a diverse range of original content. While it’s not new per se, Shudder’s recent Austrian slasher import, Party Hard Die […]
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Happy Canada Day! To celebrate the nation’s birthday, we’re re-visiting The Great White North’s contribution to the ‘Golden Era’ of slasher horror. Most horror fans know the original My Bloody Valentine was a Canadian export. Shortly after My Bloody Valentine scared horror fans, another Canadian slasher made its way to theaters – Happy Birthday To […]
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Wes Craven’s Scream led to an unexpected slasher revival … with a twist. First, these late 90s and early aught’s slashers lacked the explicit gore of their ‘Golden Era’ predecessors. And, by and large, they also lacked the self-aware humour of Scream. Oddly enough, it was Kevin Williamson himself who penned the first of the […]
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Not every slasher movie released in the ‘Golden Era’ of the 1980’s was ‘golden’. For every ‘hidden gem’ like a Just Before Dawn there’s a genuine trash bin offering – a Don’t Go in the Woods or Offerings. While some filmmakers took advantage of low-budgets to innovate, others had lower budgets and less imagination. As […]
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By the mid-2000’s, audiences were wise to horror rules and conventions. Wes Craven’s Scream pulled the curtain on tired tropes and re-invigorated the genre. But Hollywood was slow to change and the slasher-lite renaissance that followed recycled the same narratives without Craven’s self-awareness. And remakes and ‘Torture Porn’ characterized horror for most of the aughts. […]
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Canadian slasher movie, Girl House, made a “blink and you’ll miss it” debut at a small film festival. Afterwards, the Entertainment One slasher made a quiet transition to VOD platforms where it faded into obscurity. On one hand, Girl House was a relatively straightforward approach to the subgenre. Additionally, its “camera in every room” premise […]
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