Connect with us

Editorials

5 Horror Films to Make You Feel Isolated from Chevelle

Published

on

There are some horror movies that make us feel like we’re part of a team, where, no matter what, there is someone by our side. Then there are the films where loneliness and desperation are integral in how we view and experience the story. Films like The Shining and Alien are built upon this concept, where isolation only fuels the terror we are witness to.

Just recently, Chicago hard rockers Chevelle released a new album by the name of The North Corridor, which they say was inspired by, “…the cold, dark winter months it was recorded during.” To really explain this sensation, frontman Pete Loeffler put together five films that he feels really capture the essence of their new release, specifically that frigid, both physical and emotional, isolation. Head on down to check them out!

You can order your copy of The North Corridor via Amazon.


Sunshine

A science fiction, end-of-the-world type movie that pulled me in really quickly. Not fully a horror flick, but with touches of horror toward the end. With the sun slowly burning out, they send a team of astronauts to reignite the sun using hugely powerful nuclear bombs, and of course being a long ass trip there’s plenty of time for a few entertaining inter-crew squabbles, fights, and one big freaky mystery along the way. Reminds me a little of being on a tour bus at times…but I loved all the close-up beautiful shots of the sun and the way I’m left wondering, will they succeed or go absolutely batshit crazy in the end?


The Fourth Kind

This movie is set partly in the faraway town of Nome, Alaska; it’s also supposed to be based on actual events and captured videos of alien contact, but either way—if you believe these things happened or not—this movie can scare the shit out of you. Dean (our bass player) and I have had more than a few late nights up talking about the creepy things that happen in this one. It kinda feels like you’re seeing inside someone’s nightmare. At one point after being abducted by aliens, the memory is replaced by a white owl. I liked this idea quite a bit, and strangely enough I have an owl that has woken me from atop my chimney sporadically over the last few years.

So, I splurged and had an owl carved into the door on the front of my house. It just seemed fitting. I’m also a huge fan of Milla Jovovich. who plays Abby Tyler in the film. She’s incredibly talented and being easy on the eyes never hurts—after first seeing her in the movie “The Fifth Element” I was smitten.


The Vanishing

In terms of isolation flicks, it’s hard to think of a more terrifying idea than being buried alive. If you have any claustrophobia this movie could bring it out.

A simple concept: a couple goes on a trip and the girlfriend goes mysteriously missing. The guy is obsessed with finding out what happened and devotes his life to finding out. Jeff Bridges plays the most psychotic evil type of person we all dread meeting while keeping a seemingly normal lifestyle on the outside. Almost a “Jekyll and Hyde” kind of character. You can’t help but be pulled in and root for Kiefer Sutherland’s character to finally come into contact with the killer and have some kind of closure, albeit with an absolutely gruesome and well-deserved ending I still to this day have to look away from.


Event Horizon

Few movies have left me visibly shaken and constantly glancing behind myself as I shuffle off to bed in a hurry—this movie does that. So twisted does this movie get that when I watched it recently again I said that’s probably the last time. The crew of the doomed spaceship “Event Horizon” is on their way to check out a distress call from a lost ship. Cue strange unexplainable demonic happenings, and couple that with time travel, and now anything is possible. So chaotic does it get that all you want is to whip your remote at your TV to end the suffering you’re feeling. But as far as horror flicks go it’s a must see.


Right At Your Door

A truly terrifying—yet believable—situation is what you’re hit with in “Right At Your Door”. Chemical bombs have gone off in Los Angeles and a husband and wife are separated, not knowing if the other is okay or not. Left at home while his wife heads off to work, the husband is told by the media to seal up all the windows and doors and stay away from anyone who’s been infected on the outside. I feel that if most of a movie is going to be shot inside of a small house, you’re going to need great actors to carry it through, and without a doubt this movie has them. Things are going haywire and there’s tons of pretty damn realistic emotions coupled with awkward conversations. You can’t help but try to imagine what would you do in this situation. There’s also a nice little twist at the end that sort of sums up an altogether shitty situation. Worth checking out if you feel you’ve got a thirst for this type of terrifying drama or if you’ve just been taking seemingly simple luxuries like clean air and breath for granted.


Chevelle

chevelleband2016

Chevelle online:
Official Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube

Tour dates:
07/26 – Indianapolis, Ind. – The Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn
07/27 – Columbus, Ohio – Express Live!
07/29 – Pittsburgh, Pa. – Stage AE
07/30 – Cleveland, Ohio – Roverfest (no Bush)
07/31 – Richmond, Va. – The National (no Bush)
08/02 – Huntington, N.Y. – The Paramount (no Bush)
08/03 – Boston, Mass. – Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
08/05 – Asbury Park, N.J. – Stone Pony Summer Stage
08/07 – Niagara Falls, N.Y. – Rapids Theatre (no Bush)
08/09 – Charlotte, N.C. – Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre
08/10 – Greensboro, N.C. – Cone Denim Entertainment Center (no Bush)
08/11 – Bethlehem, Pa. – Musikfest (no Bush)
08/13 – Portland, Maine – Maine State Pier
08/14 – Baltimore, Md. – Pier Six Pavilion

09/10 – Englewood, Colo. – High Elevation Rock Fest
09/11 – Wichita, Kan. – The Cotillion
09/13 – Louisville, Ky. – Mercury Ballroom
09/14 – Asheville, N.C. – The Orange Peel
09/16 – Norfolk, Va. – The NorVa
09/17 – Chester, Pa. – Monster Energy Rock Allegiance
09/21 – Birmingham, Ala. – Iron City
09/22 – Nashville, Tenn. – War Memorial
09/24 – Fort Worth, Texas – Texas Mutiny
09/25 – Houston, Texas – Houston Open Air
10/02 – Fort Wayne, Ind. – Piere’s

chevellethenorthcorridorcover

Managing editor/music guy/social media fella of Bloody-Disgusting

Editorials

Six Shot-on-VHS Horror Movies to Watch After ‘Frogman’

Published

on

Frogman VHS

Nostalgia is a funny thing. From the unexpected resurgence of vinyl to modern-day flip phones, it’s pretty clear that the technical limitations of the past can often inspire the stylish trends of the future. One of my favorite examples of this is the ongoing analog horror craze, as I find it fascinating how many of the genre’s major creators appear to have been born after the decline of VHS tapes and eerie PSAs.

It’s almost like there’s a subconscious understanding that some stories are best told through fuzzy visuals and heavily compressed audio, which is why I appreciate flicks like Anthony Cousins’s Found Footage throwback Frogman, a cryptozoology-inspired scary movie that dares to incorporate lo-fi aesthetics into its storytelling during a time when most studios encourage filmmakers to make their projects look as generically slick and polished as possible. And if you also enjoyed Frogman and are on the lookout for more VHS-based gems, Bloody-Disgusting has got you covered, as we’ve come up with a list highlighting six shot-on-VHS classics for your viewing pleasure.

As usual, don’t forget to comment below with your own favorite analog thrillers if you think we missed a particularly spooky one. I’d also like to give a shout-out to Bloody-Disgusting’s own long-running V/H/S series, which won’t be included here for obvious reasons.

Now, onto the list…


6. Zero Day (2003)

School shootings are one of the scariest realities of the modern world, but the complicated political elements behind these tragedies mean that most genre filmmakers don’t even try to tell stories about them. There are a few exceptions, however, and one of the most notable is Ben Coccio’s Zero Day, a deeply uncomfortable Found Footage character study that explores just how far ill-intentioned teenagers might go to prove a point.

Inspired by the real-world Columbine Basement Tapes, in which the mass-murderers kept a record of their plans and motivations, Coccio’s film follows a fictional video diary where troubled friends Andre and Calvin discuss their homicidal intentions. Another case where the gritty visuals make the story hit even harder, I’d recommend this one for discerning fans of True Crime media.


5. August Underground (2001)

Out of all the movies on this list, Fred Vogel’s August Underground is simultaneously one of the most fascinating and the hardest to recommend. A simulated snuff film following the exploits of a degenerate serial killer and his deranged filmmaker friend, the low production value and amateurish visuals make this shot-on-video experience even more uncomfortable as you begin to question if it really is just a movie.

And while Vogel would go on to expand on this controversial production with a series of slightly more agreeable sequels that boasted improved visuals, none of the follow-ups can quite compare to the raw thrills of the original. Just make sure that you don’t accidentally pick this one for family movie night if you dare to give it a watch.


4. WNUF Halloween Special (2013)

Frogman VHS list

The only entry on this list produced after the decline of VHS-based media, this 2013 classic still holds up as a convincing masterclass in authentic period-piece horror. A simulated recording of a public access show gone terribly wrong, the WNUF Halloween Special should be on everyone’s spooky season watchlist – though I’d argue that it’s best enjoyed as a background conversation piece during Halloween parties.

From the hilarious yet extremely believable retro advertisements to the not-so-subtle hints of the satanic panic motivating the story, this is a delightful experience even if you weren’t alive back when this kind of TV was still on the air.

And if you like this one, don’t forget to check out the Out There Halloween Mega Tape, which was made by the same director.


3. The McPherson Tape (1989)

Originally made popular by bootleg copies circulating the underground VHS trading scene, there’s no discussing shot-on-video horror without bringing up one of the grandaddies of modern-day Found Footage, the legendary McPherson Tape. Also known as UFO Abduction, this homemade thriller follows a birthday party gone wrong as the Van Heese family is visited by extraterrestrials.

While the flick works better as a terrifying hoax rather than a proper movie due to its odd pacing and general lack of traditional story structure, it’s still a must-watch for Found Footage fans. Just be sure to track down the gritty original, not the 1998 remake, Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County.


2. Ghostwatch (1992)

Frogman VHS movies

The term “made-for-TV” used to carry some seriously negative connotations in the world of film, with most audiences assuming that this kind of classification meant that they were about to watch low-budget schlock unsuitable for the big screen. However, there were plenty of clever filmmakers that managed to turn the limitations of broadcast television into storytelling tools, and a great example of this is Stephen Volk’s excellent mockumentary, Ghostwatch.

Starring real TV host Sir Michael Parkinson and borrowing details from the infamous Enfield Poltergeist case, this controversial TV special attempted to do for hauntings what Orson Welles’s War of the Worlds radio adaptation did for aliens. And while we’ve seen scarier Found Footage ghost stories in the decades since Ghostwatch premiered, I’d argue that the chilling authenticity behind the production makes it well worth revisiting in 2024.


1. America’s Deadliest Home Video (1993)

Jack Perez’s pioneer POV thriller may not be that well known these days, but this obscure little gem is actually responsible for many Found Footage tropes that we now take for granted. Telling the story of an amateur cameraman who finds himself being kidnapped by a group of criminals during a road trip, this video diary from hell still holds up as a horrific example of grounded Found Footage.

While some questionable acting and convenient story beats sometimes break the carefully crafted immersion, America’s Deadliest Home Video stands out by not only being one of the first of its kind, but also by embracing its amateurish roots instead of being embarrassed by them.


Frogman, which actually was released on VHS, is now available on VOD outlets.

Continue Reading