A RUN-DOWN OF THE BEST & WORST HORROR OF 2012

Another horror year has drawn to an end. Safe to say that 2012 was a solid year for horror television. Not only did The Walking Dead offer us its best season so far - True Blood was, as usual, a delight to watch. I also stumbled upon the haunted mansion on Upper East portraited in 666 Park Avenue, which sadly ended abruptly when ABC pulled the plug and cancelled the show. Although giving the creators time to tweak the last episode it, didn't offer as much closure as it left behind unanswered questions.

American Horror Story: Asylum has this past season been the most disturbing and unnerving freak show I've ever seen. It successfully manipulates the mental elements in horror that so cunningly touches us in the most awkward and uncomfortable ways.

As for the horror movies of this past years there have been som treasures and some stinkers. A few have surely surprised us by pushing the genre boundaries and taken a new approach to storytelling. These following ten movies are my personal favorites from 2012.

10. CITADEL
Citadel brings you to dilapidated council flats and crumbling social highrises in a dirty British suburb, a dystopia called Edenstown. After the gruesome opening where Tommy Cowley's (Aneurin Barnard) wife is silently attacked by a gang of hooded children who stab a syringe in her highly pregnant belly, Tommy's left with their nine month old daughter and a severe agoraphobia. Convinced that the hooded gang is out to kidnap his daughter Tommy turns to the local vigilante priest (James Cosmo) who reveals to Tommy that the children aren't the result of a greater malaise - they're plainly a disease unto themselves and must therefor be extincted. And you're dying to know; are these unloved children from broken homes or creatures far more sinister than that? Together with the priest, and his blind son, Tommy sets out on a final battle to save his daughter. And his sanity.

9. EXCISION
AnnaLynne McCord does the convincing role of the disturbed and delusional high-school student Pauline, who daydreams of her future career in medicine and obssesses over her surgery-skills. While struggling with being an outcast in school and living up to the demands of her controlling mother (Traci Lords), Pauline plots how to lose her virginity and to save her younger sister from the effects of her cystic fibrosis. AnnaLynne McCord's gaunted sebhorrea face and awkward boyish appearances make for the perfect illustration of a flesh-obsessed fanatic who takes her visceral fantasies and self-diagnosed mind too far when planning the ultimate move to impress her mother.

8. THE PACT
When a young woman (Caity Lotz) returns to her childhood home after her mother passes away, she senses a mysterious presences disturbing the house peace. Unidentified noises and things that go bump in the night keep her awake, objects start moving and a picture of an unknown woman posing next to her mother in her younger years keeps falling to the floor. What starts out as a low-budget chiller turns terrifying with a shocker ending, turning the usual haunted house to an omnious cover-up that shows how far a person is willing to go to protect a loved one. Although not a pact per se, The Pact still shows that not all pieces need to fit together to make a surprising revelation, leaving you confused and creeped-out.

7. DARK SHADOWS
Yet another horror comedy from the master of modern fairytales Tim Burton, Dark Shadows is based on the gothic soap opera produced for television between 1966 and 1971. The master of Collinwood Manor, Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp), has everything a man during the 18th century could wish for; a wealthy fortune and appealing looks. But when breaking the heart of the town-beauty Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green) he's doomed to a fate worse than death as Angelique, who is a powerful witch, turns him into a vampire and buries him alive. Two centuries later Barnabas is unearthed and returns to his ancestral home, now inhabited by his dysfunctional descendants, amongst them the head of the household Mrs. Collins Stoddard (Michelle Pfeiffer) and the family doctor, Julia Hoffman (Helena Bonham Carter).

6. THE TALL MAN 
The small town of Cold Rock, WA, is struggling with economic hardships and growing class differences as the prospect for the town's recidents is slowly diminishing when the mine that has been the main source of employment is shut down. In the midst of battling poverty and lack of resources, the adults in Cold Rock are one by one experiencing yet another heartbreaking tragedy; the children keep disappearing from their playgrounds, their schools and even from inside their homes. Rumours surrounding the circumstances of the disappearances are widely spread; some believe it's a local child molester. Some say it's the Devil himself. Some talk about the town's own urban legend figure; The Tall Man - a mysterious man abducting children into the woods, after which they're never seen again. When the town nurse Julia Denning's (Jessica Biel) son goes missing the chase builds up in an intricate and inscrutable pattern, where The Tall Man's mysterious role decreases and the hidden role of nurse Denning slowly increases. The Tall Man is a heart-wrenching, shocking thriller that never fails to turn corners.

5. HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET
What feels like a 70's remake during the first 30 minutes, yet another high school-slasher during the next 15 minutes and a total "What the hell is this movie really about?" halfway through its running time; House at the End of the Street suddenly jerks into high-gear and presents a whole new side of the usual protective big brother.

Newly divorced Sarah (Elisbeth Shue) and her daughter Elissa (Jennifer Lawrence) move to a woodsy, rural town to get a fresh start from their hectic life back in Chicago, when learning that their neighboring house has been the home to a grisly double murder. Years earlier the supposedly brain-damaged daughter killed her parents in their bed and disappeared, leaving her brother Ryan (Max Thieriot) as the sole survivor, who bizarringly decides to stay in the murder-house. It's not long before the gentle, sad-eyed Ryan picks up Elissa in his car during a rainstorm on her way home from a party, and delivers her safely to her mother. Yes, the oldest trick of all times; making the audience side with the underdog. The teen melodrama aside, this is still more angst than chills until its final act delivers a suprisingly good twist that although not answering all questions, still leaves you satisfied. And yeah, I also have a girl-crush on Jennifer Lawrence.

4. THE WOMAN IN BLACK
The young lawyer Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe) travels to the marshy east coast of Britian to handle the paperwork of Eel Marsh mansion's recently passed owner. Still mourning the loss of his wife during childbirth, Kipps is faced with little welcome and no smiles in the little village of Crythin Gifford. Finding himself literally stranded at Eel Marsh when the island that the house is resting on is surrounded by the incoming tide from the nearby ocean, Kipps is suddenly confronted with the sinister and the supernatural. The apparition of a wraith in a black mourning dress catches his attention and the poltergeist acitivity that follows "The Woman in Black" is far too hair raising for the audience to not appreciate this as a more than qualified remake, and far too interesting for Kipps to leave uninvestigated.

3. THE CABIN IN THE WOODS
The Cabin in the Woods is a simple idea executed into a whole different story. It positions itself amongst all previous slasher movies, all character clichés and genre zones just to deconstruct these very components into what can only be described as a wickedly entertaining caricatur and a brutal genre exercise. The rythm of the movie skilfully maneuvers its audience between stereotype assortments and commited actors, from scares to laughs, from hoarder basements to social science labs á la 'DHARMA in space', from hilbilly zombies to canned Silent Hill monsters, from haunted old cabin to futuristic force fields á la The Hunger Games in a surprising transition. The Cabin in the Woods is a ritual sacrifice that'll require a lot more than just the blood of a virgin; it'll need its movie audience too. Because this is a playground for a completely new set of horror chess. A total game-changer.

2. V/H/S

V/H/S is basically divided into six different sequences, opening with a group of sleazy criminals filming their en route of harassment which includes attacking women and acting like complete jerk-offs. For those who've read some of my previous posts you might be aware of the fact that I loath any sexual brutality or female opressing behaviour. Which made the first couple of minutes of V/H/S intolerable to me. Luckily the storyline changes direction as the gang breaks into a house to steel an important VHS tape. Who ordered this job or why is never explained (or I just missed that part) but wandering around the house leads them to different tv-monitors and recording devices, from which each of the five found-footage stories play out for the audience. Containing dusturbing nasties, each hand-held horror story has you on the suspense delivering unique turns and surprises; with shaky camera work, partly doubtful acting and seemingly incomprehensive plots and storylines. But despite its low-budget effects and low-rent feel it flashes some very sinister images and has some disturbed visual tricks up its sleeve. Truth be told - this is one of the scariest and disturbing movies I've seen for quite some time.

1. SINISTER
Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) is a true crime writer who, with the plan of writing his next book, moves his family (his wife Tracy, his 12-year old son Trevor and younger daughter Ashley) into a new house in Long Island, where the previous family was hung from a tree in the backyard. All but one. Their youngest daughter, Stephanie, is still missing. With the purpose of solving the murders and find the missing girl, Ellison sets up his ordinary office with a cardboard box wall of clues and evidence and starts the material hunt for his new bestseller. With the help of the Sheriff's deputy and a local occult professor, Ellison starts to piece together a gruesome murder puzzle. A puzzle which effects the entire family. Ellison's son starts having his night terrors again, his daughter Ashley starts painting images taken from the 8mm films on her bedroom walls and Ellison himself leaves his wife on the verge of a nervous breakdown watching him fall into pieces due to his obsession battling his paranoia.

Other mentionable additions to the stack of 2012's worth-watching
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Prometheus, The Possession, Lovely Molly

The total dissapointments of the year
The Apparition, Grave Encounters 2, The Loved Ones, The Devil Inside, Cassadaga

Yet to be watched
Paranormal Activity 4
Mostly anticipated for 2013
Carrie, The Lords of Salem, World War Z, Evil Dead, IT, The Host, Horns, I, Frankenstein, Warm Bodies, Dracula 3D, Haunt, Insidious Chapter 2

HALLOWEEN TOP 10: SEASONAL SERENADES

As always, I let music play a big part in my horror watching. Therefore I've decided to put together a little list of ten jingles from this year's movie releases I feel represent the 2012 Halloween season best.

10. Michael Rault - Call Me On the Phone (Grave Encounters 2)
I really had to do some digging to find this one. I remembered I'd heard something that caught my attention watching the sequel to what actually was a decent mocumentary. But Grave Encounters 2 was such a dissapointment for me. Obsessing over a movie showing a student obsessing over a movie that's obsessing over a haunted facility? Nah, not really my thing. But this featured track was a good distraught from the poor plot and even more poorly executed acting.

9. Foreigner - Feels Like The First Time (True Blood) If you would have to choose just one song from last season of True Blood it would literally be impossible. Each episode is filled to the brim with great new indie bands, southern tunes, old classic American rock and modern punk. And old classic I was reminded about when watching the first episode of season 5 was Foreigner's debut single Feels Like The First Time. Which is a good description of my giddiness every summer when the fang banging resumes.

8. Claudio Simonetti - Kiss Me Dracula (Dracula 3D)
Writer and director of cult classics Suspiria, Inferno, Phenonema and Opera, Dario Argentino, has now returned with a 3D remake of Dracula. Some people desperately wish Argentino would stop making movies and instead aim to preserve his legacy. I, on the other hand, am all for letting the old sports return to mix their cult minds with us mortals of the modern world. I haven't seen Dracula 3D yet but doing some research on trailers and teasers, I quickly came to like this song.

7. REO Speedwagon - Roll With The Changes (The Cabin In The Woods)
I'm all about old American rock and REO Speedwagon has produced two of my favorite rock songs from the 80's - Can't Fight This Feeling and Keep On Loving You. Avoiding mainstreamíng and making the obvious choice, The Cabin In the Woods chose one of the band's more low-key songs which I feel make a great atmospheric statue of the otherwise uncanny genre deconstruction.

6. Little River Band - Lonesome Loser (The Loved Ones)
Though released in its homecountry Australia back in 2009, I didn't come across The Loved Ones until this year. Apart from Wolfmother I've never really found any interesting classic rock from 'down under'. But Little River Band makes a good impression in the midst of the 21st century high school drama and sadistic prom theme.

5. Jessica Lowndes - In All My Dreams I Drown (The Devil's Carnival)
For a musical nerd like myself, what could be better than a rock opera? Saw II director Darren Bousman's experimental short horror film The Devil's Carnival has Aesop's fabels as its core, with the main characters each representing a fabel. Bousman has stated that The Devil's Carnival will be an ongoing project with chapter two and three already being written. With the intention of being more of a subversive experience rather than just a dark and enchantingly comedic movie, The Devil's Carnival set on a multi-city road-tour in April 2012 and with it released a 12 song album. From it I've chosen my favorite soundtrack; All In My Dreams I Drown sung by Jessica Lowndes.

4. Mozart - Requiem (The Lords Of Salem)
Being schooled in piano (Baroque, Classical and Romantic) it would be sinful not to have Chopin, Mozart, Bach and Beethoven as rolemodels and/or musical inspiration. Mozart's Requiem (in D Minor) is one of my favorite pieces. It was left unfinished by its composer upon his death and was completed by the Austrian composer Süssmayr within 100 days of Mozart's death. Whether the two men had discussed the Requiem during Mozart's last days is unknown, but Süssmayr took on the task of completing the score and his version is to this day the most played. The Requiem's well-contained complexity and the incorporation of many different musical elements and vocal forces in each bar and section makes this a triggered and atmospherical sequence to Rob Zombie's upcoming The Lords of Salem.

3. The Carpenters - On Top Of The World (Dark Shadows)
Featured in Tim Burton's latest horror comedy Dark Shadows (based on the 1960's gothic soap opera with the same name), is the 1972 song On Top of the World by the Carpenters. Although having listened to a rather large extent of 60's and 70's music during my childhood, this vocal and instrumental duo was never part of my favorites. Although this song belonged to the sibling's record-breaking run of hits, it's so far up the clouds with its cheesiness and 70's groove that it literally makes me cringe. That's why it's the perfect match for a 200 year old vampire indulging in interior design. 

2. The Singing Nun - Dominique (American Horror Story)
Safe to say, the common room scenes are my least favorite in the second season of American Horror Story. It's impossible not to balance on the verge of insanity when constantly fed this high-pitched bird like jingle. And as AHS is all about the clues, the interesting fact is that Jeanine Decker (known as 'the Singing Nun') left her nun position at the church to live with her female partner (clue #1), with whom she eventually engaged in an OD suicide. The Express also notes that she was the daughter of a baker (clue #2) and that the song originally was praise to the Spanish-born founder of her order, St Dominic. Instead American humourist Joe Queenan has written: "The song would have us believe that St Dom­inic was a humble, lovable monk who fought valiantly against the forces of darkness (clue #3). In fact he founded the religious order that brought mankind the monstrous Spanish Inquisition.”

1. Doris Day - Que Sera Sera (American Horror Story)
With its usual creepy take on everything it touches, American Horror Story: Asylum is using Doris Day's classic Que Sera Sera as its teaser tune for the second season of the US' most popular horror show. What creeps me out the most is that this is a tune my grandmother used to sing to me when I was little. It has been one of my favorite tunes ever since.

TWO CRAPPY QUICKIES: THE DEVIL INSIDE (2012) & CASSADAGA (2011)

OBS! THE FOLLOWING POST MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS!

THE DEVIL INSIDE (2012)
A young American woman, Isabella Rossi, travels to Rome where her mother's been institutionalized for the past 15-20 years after killing three clergy people during what later turns out to be an exorcism. Trying to understand what happened to her mother all those years ago, Isabella brings with her a camera man in the hopes of making a documentary on her mother's case. When attending a seminar on exorcism in the Vatican City, Isabella meets two priests who explain to her that her mother's condition might not be medical, but could well be demonic possession. Together with the priests and the camera man she decides to perform an exorcism on her mother, which obviously goes horribly wrong.

US poster for The Devil Inside (2012)

Seems like a decent synopsis, doesn't it? Well... it isn't. In the range of exorcism movies The Devil Inside could be the worst example in years when it comes to storyline and acting, or rather lack thereof. Fernanda Andrade, who plays Isabella Rossi, is toe-curlingly embrassing in her lack of sensing the fine line of talking directly to the camera during a 'real' documentary and actually reading directly from the cue-cards, which in this case became extremely stilted. The two priests are the epitome of modern bad-acting crusaders; one a heavy American blabber mouth and the other a light weight British stiffness. Apart from some entertaining bone-breaking special effects this movie was just a huge waste of time.

CASSADAGA (2011)

What was time even worse spent was the 113 minutes watching Cassadaga. The deaf college student slash art teacher Lily Morel is devastated when losing her younger sister in a traffic accident. Being an orphan, Lily seeks solace in the spiritualist community of Cassadaga. Distraught by the recent tragedy of her sister's death, Lily visits a local physic together with some friends and her new hunky acquaintance (my long lost True Blood favorite Jesus). The seance is somewhat successful when the psychic manages to contact Lily's sister but also has the side effect of opening a passage for the ghost of a murdered young woman, whose hauntings soon start to jeopardize Lily's sanity and safety. 

Censored poster for Cassadaga (2011)

So far the story seems believable although Kelen Coleman has some difficulties tackling the deaf role. Having placed the spiritualist community of Cassadaga, FL, as the center point of a movie you would think that 'Psychic Capital of the World' would act a stronger foundation for the supernatural events of the movie. But these are suddenly pushed aside to give room for a serial killer plot, and that's how the movie starts go to awry. Although we learn that the ghost of the murdered young woman had fallen victim of a sadistic and sexually confused man who dismembers and reconstructs young women into marionettes, the two stories rather seem like incomplete sidelines than going hand in hand. Had the movie had a clearer sense of direction it might have been able to deliver on the tension it builds, but unfortunately it only left me with the sense that it actually didn't have much to offer.

WOMEN IN HORROR RECOGNITION MONTH: THE FEMME FATALE OF FEMALE VILLAINS

In honor of Women In Horror Recognition Month, I present my top 3 femme fatale of female villains.








BABY FIREFLY 
Portrayed by Sheri Moon Zombie (wife of writer and director Rob Zombie) Baby Firefly is a statuesque beauty with a childlike mind and youthful appearances, with a strong sadistic streak. Born as Vera-Ellen Wilson to parents Mother Firefly and Captain Spaulding, Baby Firefly soon became the perfect lure for the family victims. Even as a child Baby showed signs of mania and psychosis; at the age of seven she stabbed a school mate in the eye with a homemade knife, later on becoming an expert on knives and firearms.

Baby Firefly in House of 1000 Corpses (2003) and The Devil's Rejects (2005)

By the time of the first film (House of 1000 Corpses 2003) Baby was wanted for first degree murder, armed robbery, grand theft auto and prostitution. In the sequel (The Devil's Rejects 2005) Baby developed into a much darker character. Though having higher aspirations of Hollywood Stardom, Baby is stuck with her low-life family, taken out all her sexual aggression on her male victims and the jealousy of other women on her female victims.

Other trivia: Sheri Moon Zombie was also featured in Rob Zombie's remakes Halloween and Halloween II, based on John Carpenter's cult classics, as Deborah Myers, mother of the notorious killer Michael Myers. Apart from starring in her husband's movies, she's appeared in 15 of his music videos, including one of my favorites: Living Dead Girl.

SOPHIE-ANNE LECLERQ

Being the Queen Bee of HBO's hit-series True Blood, in a world where vampires have 'come of out the coffin' Sophie-Anne Leclerq is the five hundred year old vampire who reigns as the queen of Louisiana. Portrayed by Evan Rachel Wood, this vampire queen is the ultimate example of a femme fatale; she carries herself regally and respectfully.

Sophie-Anne Leclerq in True Blood (2009)

However, underneath that porcelain face hides the insecurity of childish mannerisms, self-indulgence and a slight attention disorder. Being obsessed with Yahtzee and lottery scratch tickets, her tendency to hyper-focused can suddenly become subject to changes in topics of discussion or even random ramblings without any specific focus. Sophie-Anne's quirky personality is enhanced in True Blood, compared to her more reserved and more mature appearance in Charlaine Harris' book series The Sookie Stackhouse Novels. 


MANDY LANE
All the Boys Love Mandy Lane is the disturbed tale of high school beauty Mandy Lane (Amber Heard), a porcelain goddess who manages to tempt every boy within her reach by simply batting her eyelashes or ever so slightly licking her lips. She's got an etherial allure so prominent it literally draws all men to their doom. She's the girl every boy wants to have and every girl wants to be. The only problem is that the fair Mandy Lane herself has the complete inability to recognize her own charms.

All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006)

The film opens at a pool party where Mandy's been invited, and decided to drag along her alienated friend Emmet (Michael Welch), much to the dismay of toddler-faced jock boy Dylan who has his sight set on Mandy. Acting on the only power that Emmet's knows he has, he talks Dylan into following him onto the roof of the house where he convinces him to jump into the pool to impress the clueless Mandy. Dylan takes a drunken dip and bashes his head onto the concrete, much to Emmet's pleasure.

Nine monts later Mandy's invited to join a group from school to a remote ranch for the weekend, which she reluctantly accepts. Despite her beauty, she's still an outsider much due to her struggling to relate to other people. Unsettled by Emmet's earlier manipulation that led to jockguy's death, Mandy decides to not invite Emmet this time.

The weekend plays out just as expected; booze, drugs and 'B-J's are exchanged and the sexual tension is buzzing. The girls are more than hormone exploding, but the boys only have eyes for Mandy Lane. What starts out to be demeaning looks from the other girls and hormonal advances from the boys, soon turn menacing. And so the drunken, selfish, horny teenagers start to get get picked off, one by one, in increasingly, almost torture kind of, ways. What's fascinating about the character development is that I found no interest in the stereotype teenagers as they were alive, but somehow felt empathy with them as soon as they got a gun pipe gagged in their mouths and their lifeless bodies wrapped in barbed wire. As the uninvited Emmet suddenly appears on the farm, craze-eyed and psychotic, it's safe to safe that the killer's identity is revealed fairly early on.

OBS! THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH CONTAINS SPOILERS! 

But.... there's a twist. A tragic but sexy one, as the femme fatale Mandy Lane seemingly tries to rescue the last surviving teenager from the death-crazed Emmet, only to be the one to stab the girl to death. The earthbound angel that had been courted by every man in the small Texas town who wanted to claim her virginity, showed to be a sociopath and a tempting murderess who doesn't skimp on the gore when it comes to revenge.

Other trivia: The sumptuous Amber Heard also stars as 406 in Zombieland (2009) and as Kristen in John Carpenter's The Ward (2010).

TOPLIST TUESDAY: BEST AND WORST VIEWED OF 2011

It's safe to say that 2011 was the year of television. Apart from being glued to Game of Thrones, The Big Bang Theory, Glee, Sons of Anarchy and Pan Am (yep, it's a nerd thing and an amazing trip down history lane for us within the aviation industry), my constant followers CSI, Criminal Minds and Bones, my less obsessive past-time activities like Gossip Girl, Revenge, Pretty Little Liars, Grimm, New Girl, The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle, I got to rumble in my three absolute favorite horror shows; True Blood, American Horror Story and The Walking Dead.

TOP 3 HORROR SHOWS OF 2011

3. THE WALKING DEAD
Picking up the pace, AMC's The Walking Dead returned (according to the comic book reading zombie lover I live with) to its roots during the second season, which was notable even to me who haven't read the comic books. Finally moving on from Atlanta the group experienced a member going missing and several being badly wounded during their encountering with both new zombie herds but also another group of survivors. Finally bringing in some raw meat and some character drama in between zombie hunting, The Walking Dead is shaping up for its coming season.

2. TRUE BLOOD
As always, the summer season of HBO's True Blood brings vampire sexy back! Being the vamp lover in this household I'm always rooting for some sassy and mouth watering vampire-human-werewolf-drama. And True Blood never disappoints!

1. AMERICAN HORROR STORY
Completely knocking me off my feet FX's American Horror Story deserves a first place for its remarkable and surprising first season. I had read about it, I had waited for it, I had been anxious for it to start and it completely tickled my fancy! Talk about opening Pandora's box!

What wasn't as amazing in 2011 was the horror movie industry's poor releases. A few good views and even more bad ones were added to my repertoire.

BEST VIEWS IN 2011

10. BAG OF BONES
Based on the 1998 novel by Stephen King, Bag of Bones is a two-part TV miniseries adaption. Although I truly can't feel serious about Pierce Brosnan since his soft and humble appearance in Mamma Mia!, I was surprised at how well he did the part of the best-selling NY author who suddenly looses his wife in a traffic accident. Returning to their summer cabin he soon learns the truth about himself, and the history of the town in a spooky manor. A bit slow at times, as the first of the two parts is a strong atmosphere builder and the second part delivers a rather predictable end, it's definitely worth watching. And even though it resembles Secret Window, the movie adaption of the King's 1990 novel Secret Window, Secret Garden it still holds its own.

9. GRAVE ENCOUNTERS
Having written a previous post on this movie, I'll just state that this is a movie that could have opened into anything it wanted; still it lacks that intrigue and imagination that could have made it completely terrifying. Instead of giving the viewer a genuine experience, this movie gives you rehearsed dialogue and not natural enough performances to make you believe in a ghost hunting show turning real. I had my hopes up for this movie, so I was a bit disappointed at the turn of events, especially the ending. All in all, it's a pretty good movie, though.

8. SCRE4M
What could be a better trip down the adolescent memory lane than a fourth movie in the Scream-installment? Entertaining and twisted. As usual.

7. THE WARD
Definitely not John Carpenter's best, but I still liked the 80's Girl, Interrupted style to it.

6. YELLOW BRICK ROAD
YellowBrickRoad delivers the absolute right atmosphere and leaves room for the viewers imagination to roam free over the subtle but chilling elements; such as the behavior of the group members that develops into disturbing violence. Or the music which plays a vital role in the atmosphere, being somewhat the element that manipulates the story and the reason why the environment of the woods is so dangerous.

5. FRIGHT NIGHT
Although I don't approve of the beige module housing and Las Vegas suburbian life style of Jerry Dandrige in this 2011's remake, I totally adore Colin Farrell as a sociopath vampire-beast. Hunkyliscious!

4. THE THING

There were a few scenes that were strikingly resembling sequences from the 1982 movie (like the human/alien group testing scene and the dog in the kennel, etc.), but for me these contributed more to the a prequel, although déjà vu, kind of feeling than being rip-offs. Most of all the 2011 movie is true to the basic premise; being absurdly sticky and icky. Apart from the computerized monster and digital effects this is a really good movie where the ending scenes intertwine with the opening scene of the 1982 movie in a really smooth and effectual way.

3. TROLLJEGEREN (TROLL HUNTER)
Yet another in the row of Norwegian horror movies. I liked this simply because I could watch it in its original language without disturbing subtitles, and because it's nice to have a break from the somewhat monotone American movies.

2. THE INNKEEPERS

Sara Paxton does the amazing and quirky role of Claire, on of the front desk employees, who decides to reveal the Yankee Pedlar Inn's haunted past during their last weekend of being open. Playing out very similar to one of Ti West's previous movies, The House of the Devil, The Innkeepers sets the atmosphere right from the first scene and develops into a frightening escape from the hotel's past guests.

1. INSIDIOUS
With probably the sickest dance scene ever, Insidious brings a whole new meaning to the word creepy.
Coming from James Wan and Leigh Whannell who previously kicked off the Saw franchise, this movie brings a different scare to the screen. With effective and spine-tingling scares, Insidious sticks to the traditional 'haunted house' genre of horror and mixes it up with both astral projection, demonic possession and other elements that would have come off as goofy, were it not for for the intelligent dialogues and serious tone of the film, and serves up some really good scares.

WORST VIEWS IN 2011

10. PRIEST
Can Paul Bettany play anything other than a religious albino monk? Freaky!

9. THE RITE
Anthony Hopkins, when it comes to over-analyzed thrillers - I think it's time to leave your acting carrier behind?

 8. DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK

Haunted houses can be a bit 'been there, done that' theme. They're even worse when they have child actors AND Katie Holmes. (insert heavy sigh here)

7. DREAM HOUSE
Double on the Brits playing the American dream, only this one turns out to be a little different than expected. Soon after moving into their seemingly idyllic new home, the family learns of a brutal crime committed against former residents of the house. Basically a far-fetched Shutter Island twist gone boring.

6. 11-11-11
I couldn't even bring myself to watch more than a couple of minutes.

5. DYLAN DOG: DEAD OF NIGHT

Just disappointing, as humorous horror will never be my thing. Ever.

4. THE ROOMMATE
Horrible fatal attraction movie starring Leighton Meester, who I'll never be able to see as any other than the prominent Blair Waldorf. She holds the queen throne when it comes to the CW fan club, but for the horror audience? I think not.

3. RED RIDING HOOD
Who on earth took the amazing tale of Red Riding Hood, the wonderful music by Karin Dreijer Andersson and the hotness that is Shiloh Fernandez and turned into some corny wannaba-medieval chic flick? Well, none other than the eminent Catherine Hardwick who forever destroyed the visual stimuli that is a vampire.

2. SEASON OF THE WITCH

Seriously... no. First, I can't stand when they manipulate history into fitting the standards of a Hollywood movie. Secondly, I can't stand Ron Perlman's greedy face since his domestic abuse issues in the fourth season of Sons of Anarchy, and I haven't liked Nicholas Cage since... well, never.

1. RED STATE

I can't even begin to describe who COMPLETELY WORTHLESS this movie was. Sorry. It wasn't horror. It wasn't even some Southern church club gone bad. It was just useless.

MOVIES FROM 2011 I HAVEN'T SEEN YET
Paranormal Activity 3, The Awakening, The Whispering Dead, The Yellow Wallpaper, Mørke sjeler (from 2010), La casa muda


ANTICIPATED IN 2012

DUNDERLAND 

I'm so rooting for my neighboring country Norway in the battle of 'foreign movies'!

THE WOMAN IN BLACK
Yes, Harry Potter, bring us a remake worth watching!

THE RAVEN

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS

THE FEMALE FASCINATION WITH FEAR: A PERSONAL JOURNEY THROUGH HORROR HISTORY'S BAD BOYS

Frankenstein postet

Relating to the latest releases in the horror/fantasy/paranormal/sci-fi genre that is blooming within the movie and television industry, it's easy to recognize the ongoing trend that is 'forbidden love'.

From one of the earliest science fiction infused with some elements of the Gothic novel as well as the Romantic movement, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, first published in 1818, we have the author's vision of the "abhorred monster" being a version of the first man in Eden, as Mary Shelley herself referred to him as 'Adam'.

One of her greatest inspirations to creating Viktor Frankenstein and his 'modern experiments in the laboratory' was not only the electrical experiments on both dead and live animals conducted by Giovanni Aldini, but also the fragments of legends from the Balkan named Fragments of a Novel written by her friend Lord Byron, that later turned into John Polidori's The Vampyre (1819). Polidori transformed the vampire from a character of in old folklore into the form that it is has been recognized mainly ever since - an aristocratic fiend who prays among high society. And it is this vampire, his hunters and vile creatures alike, that has been remodeled to fit into the young girls' hearts, all the way into the 21st century.

"How I, then a young girl, came to think of, and to dilate upon, so very hideous an idea?"
- Mary Shelley

So what is it about these literal villains that rocks the female socks? For me it's a journey back to the the haunted aristocrats of my childhood, the two-faced knights in shining armor of my adolescence and the sexy sociopaths of my adulthood life.

Illustration of Heathcliff

Every since Mr. Darcy tore down the barrier of social classes in 1813, the brooding, the haunted and the lonely wolf characteristics became attracting. Still shunned by the aristocratic society but swooned by women nonetheless. In 1847 the outcasted and rebellious Heathcliff stole every woman's heart, followed by women's swooning over the thought-to-be-domestic-abuser Mr. Rochester, also in 1847, who continued the social criticism in the Victorian era with his moody and Byronic character.

Both Mr. Darcy and Heathcliff have jumped on the bandwagon and been 'monsterfied' and 'manlified' in the lastest wave of horror/sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal literature; the classical adaptions. The half man, half vampire Mr. Darcy fights his destiny of being born as a dhampir in Regina Jeffer's Vampire Darcy's Desire from 2009. Heathcliff fights of vampires out on the wuthering heights in Sarah Gray's Wuthering Bites, only to be revealed as a vampire himself.

Influenced by Emily Gerard's Transylvania Superstitions (1885), Bram Stoker took the 15th century Rumanian vojevod Vlad Ţepeş and turned him into the literal character that came to rock the role of women in Victorian culture and challenge the sexual conventions. Although not many adolescent women were, in 1897, taken by Count Dracula, the book became more significant to modern readers than it was to contemporary Victorian readers. The literal Dracula is on one hand described as his monster self; the beast like creature taken directly from Balkan folklore, and on the other as the charming aristocrat who easily attracts women. (This is what I call a real vampire!)

The post-colonial vampire who preys on higher society can be found in several characters in Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles; amongst them the 200 year old Louis de Pointe du Lac and the even older French nobleman Lestat de Lioncourt. Interview with the Vampire (1976) presents Louis telling his 200-year-long life story which has been filled with inner struggles between right and wrong, and the remorse that comes with following his primal instincts. The common theme between the bad boys who actually are attractive is their

Stefan Salvatore and Edward Cullen

The same struggles are found in Stefan Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries, written by L.J Smith, originally published in 1991. Stefan is the 500-year old male protagonist with an old soul aura but at the same time a fresh and youthful appearance. With an inner darkness that hides a rather violent past, Stefan is deeply angst and tortured by his vampirism and everything surrounding his dark, mysterious past, however, he has a strong hold on his humanity and strongly believes in justice, morals, values and doing the right thing. Anyone recognizing these traits in yet another modern vampire? Perhaps the sparkling Edward Cullen?

Basically ripping off the food consumption idea from The Vampire Diaries, Stephanie Meyer created a vegetarian vampire clan with the Cullen family in the Twilight series, first book published in 2005, re-planning their entire existence to fit into the world of humans and seeing them as their brother kin and not their prey. Totally boring? Yes.That's why I'm rooting for the viscous brother Damon Salvatore. Being scorned and betrayed by history's events in his literal self, Damon is much more arrogant and hateful towards his brother Stefan, having no attempts to be conciliatory with the latter. And how could you not love this anti-hero when he statues his love for Elena by draining Stefan half to death, telling him that Elena is his and that if Stefan ever comes between them again, Damon will kill him? Quite the romancer!

Alexander Skarsgård as Eric Northman

My favorite struggler in the modern world of socially adapted vampires, however, is the to totally charming character of Eric Northman in The Southern Vampire Mysteries/The Sookie Stackhouse Novels, portraited by the adorable Alexander Skarsgård in HBO's television series True Blood.

This ruthless vampire is the poster boy for bad attitude with no remorse. His 'joie de vivre' is culminated by his confidence and calculating mind, though he has a great capacity of not only loyalty, but affection, demonstrated with his progeny Pam. Eric's ruthless personalty is over-shown by his own conscience as he is faced with 'his true self' during the period in which he looses his memory and displays a soft side that would make any catholic school girl shiver under her plaid skirt.

The merciless killing definitely works for Jerry Dandridge - being aristocratic and wordly-looking like Chris Sarandon or simply sexy as hell as Colin Farrell totally floats my boat. Anytime. Showering with a complete sociopath is totally worth risking your life (and sanity) for if that psycho is named Patrick Bateman. And who could ever refuse the 'deer eye charm' from Tate Langdon, especially when he spices it up with with a rubber suit. Yummy!

FEASTY FRIDAY: 4 X SEXY POSTERS

American Horror Story Season 1, 2011

Although they remind a bit of the simplicity theme used by HBO for True Blood promotion, they've still got their own little twist of bizarre sexiness.

 

 

Fright Night, 2011

Skipping the overall remake which usually incorporates a poster cloning gone bad, this poster series has a modern kind of tv-series version of Zombieland-feeling to it. Despite that the layer and color editing has somewhat gone over the top, I really like them. Plus, Colin Farrell is HOT! YUM!

 

True Blood

Yes, I'm a Truebie! And as always, HBO brings vampire sexy back with their inventive and imaginative season premiere posters.

 

The Vampire Diaries
Usually taking the gothic approach a little too serious and making it awkwardly modern and hormone raging, this seasons Halloween inspired poster series is really sexy!