With that in mind, we’ve decided to celebrate the home release of M3GAN with a list of six other memorable killer androids in horror movies. After all, these man-made movie monsters evolved alongside Hollywood’s understanding of technology, so we’ve seen some pretty interesting homicidal automatons over the years.

Obviously, this list is based on personal opinion, but we’ll still be following a couple of rules. First of all, we’ll be excluding cyborgs from the list, as their human bits make them a completely different kind of character. Second, we’ll only be including one robot per franchise. And though he’s not actually featured here, I’d also like to give a shout-out to Lars Klevberg’s underrated reinvention of Chucky, who only didn’t make it onto the list because he’s not the character’s most recognizable form.

With that out of the way, don’t forget to comment below with your own favorite robot killers if you think we missed an important one.

Now, onto the list…

6. Silver Shamrock Androids (Halloween III)

The black sheep of the Halloween franchise, Tommy Lee Wallace’s H3 may not be a slasher flick, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have imposing stalkers pursuing our protagonists. Of course, instead of a masked bogeyman, this strange example of pagan horror features pumpkin-filled automatons that pursue Tom Atkins as he attempts to uncover the secrets of the Silver Shamrock company.

The Androids’ squash-like innards and goofy origins mean that they’re hard to take completely seriously, but when you couple them with that iconic John Carpenter score, you’ve got a memorable group of robotic villains on your hands.

5. Killbots (Chopping Mall)

Long before Paul Blart, Jim Wynorski gifted audiences with the true definitive mall-cop movie in the form of Chopping Mall. Chronicling the plight of a group of teenage employees who become the target of the mall’s new high-tech security system, the film introduced the world to a trio of lovable killer robots that look like Johnny 5’s militarized cousins.

Of course, this is a Roger Corman production, so the “Killbots” aren’t exactly brought to life by big budget effects work, but their janky movements and haphazard appearance actually helps with the film’s lo-fi charms. I just hope the proposed remake doesn’t stray too far from this silly premise…

4. The Gunslinger (Westworld)

While it’s kind of a prototype for Michael Crichton’s later Jurassic Park, 1973’s Westworld was a rare case of an author managing to write and direct an original movie for the big screen without churning out a massive flop. Depicting a high-tech amusement park populated by near-sentient androids, the film chronicles the mayhem that ensues once a robotic Gunslinger begins to malfunction.

Played to perfection by Yul Brynner, the nameless Gunslinger is the clear highlight of the movie, pursuing our protagonists like an 1800s-styled Terminator and looking cool while doing it. However, the flick is also remembered for featuring the first use of digital image processing on film, with the murderous android’s POV shots being painstakingly pixelized by early 70s computers.

3. David (Prometheus / Alien Covenant)

Ridley Scott’s Alien spin-offs may get a lot of flack for undoing much of the eldritch mystery that made that original film so captivating in the first place, but even the biggest haters have to admit that the British director was onto something when he cast Michael Fassbender as the charming David.

A lifelike android created by Peter Weyland, David’s quest to find meaning as his human companions face literal gods and monsters is honestly more compelling than any of the movie’s xenomorph-related shenanigans, harkening back to the plight of the Replicants in Scott’s Blade Runner. Of course, this doesn’t mean David isn’t above systematic murder and horrific science experiments, which is precisely why he ranks so high on this list.

2. T-800 (The Terminator)

You can’t discuss killer robots without bringing up The Terminator, so it should come as no surprise that this futuristic killing machine places near the top of our list. Allegedly inspired by a nightmare about a flaming skeleton (with a backstory likely influenced by an episode of The Outer Limits), the T-800 remains one of the best fusions of sci-fi and horror.

While half of the android’s memorability comes from a chilling performance by Arnold Schwarzenegger, the other half is due to the amazing design and effects work courtesy of the late great Stan Winston. And as Kyle Reese would say: “It can’t be bargained with, it can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity or remorse or fear and it absolutely will not stop… ever.”

Now that’s a good villain!

1. M.A.R.K. 13 (Hardware)

This is what you want, this is what you get!

While the movie’s origins are the subject of some controversy due to the script’s undeniable similarities to a 2000 AD spin-off comic, Hardware remains one of the best killer robot movies of all time. Sure, it’s a little too deliberately paced for some viewers, but how can you argue with a film that features Cyberpunk drug trips and futuristic gore, as well as appearances by both Lemmy and Iggy Pop?

Of course, most of Hardware’s charms are due to its metallic antagonist, an experimental military robot named after a Bible verse (no flesh shall be spared!). A spidery creation capable of self-repair and hallucination-inducing injections, the M.A.R.K. 13 is the stuff of dystopic nightmares.

Honestly, I think it’s a shame that this homicidal android only appeared in a single movie. However, there’s always time to amend that…

The post ‘M3GAN’ and Six More of the Most Memorable Killer Androids in Horror appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Tales from the Crypt

This 1972 Amicus Productions anthology featured five tales of terror based on stories from EC Comics, and the wraparound connected them with an ominous Crypt Keeper. Though unconnected, this spooky anthology was the precursor to the popular HBO series of the same name with a much funnier and more macabre version of the Crypt Keeper. Look for notable story, “…And All Through the House” to kick off the grisly proceedings. It doesn’t get much more essential than this film for horror comic adaptations.

Akira

Based on a 1982 manga, Akira isn’t technically horror. But this anime sure makes a strong case that underneath that cyberpunk exterior, it really is, especially thanks to the body horror insanity in the third act. That’s really only the scratching the surface of the hyperviolent story, which sees a biker gang member rendered a psychic psychopath thanks to a military experiment. Psychokinetic powers that corrupts to the core, betrayal, action, and have I mentioned body horror? A live-action adaptation has been rumored to be in the works for years. Until then, there’s always this classic anima and the manga on which it’s based.

Hardware

Surprise, a controversial choice. This underrated gem by the enigmatic Richard Stanley is a stylized sci-fi thriller that turns into a brutal slasher when a homicidal cyborg repairs itself and goes on a bloody rampage. It also happens to be based on a 2000 AD comic short, “SHOK!”. Unauthorized, that is. Fleetway Comics successfully sued for plagiarism, and full credit was added into subsequent releases. Controversial adaptation origins aside, Hardware is one intense thriller worth watching.

Cemetery Man

Comics and novel author Tiziano Sclavi is the mind behind popular horror comic series Dylan Dog, but its film adaptation doesn’t quite capture what makes the series so great. But the film adaptation of his Cemetery Man, aka Dellamorte Dellamore is. Though Rupert Everett stars Francesco Dellamorte, there’s an uncanny likeness to Dylan Dog as well. This quirky zombie film follows Fransceco, a caretaker of a cemetery, as he and his assistant Gnaghi take care of the dead when they return as zombies.  Strange, dreamlike, and extremely funny, Cemetery Man is the perfect antidote to more traditional zomcoms.

My Friend Dahmer

Based on the graphic novel by John Backderf about his friendship with Jeffrey Dahmer during his teenage years, My Friend Dahmer is more biopic than outright horror. That doesn’t make it any less unnerving, though. Starring Hereditary’s Alex Wolff as Backderf and Chilling Adventure of Sabrina’s Ross Lynch as Dahmer, the film follows their friendship, Dahmer’s troubled homelife, and the events leading up to his notorious serial killing spree.

Ichi the Killer

Director Takashi Miike’s notoriously gory and violent movie sets a sadomasochistic yakuza enforcer on a collision course with a repressed and psychotic killer, and devastating levels of pain ensue. This graphic movie happens to be based on a manga series of the same name. While Yakuza versus bizarre and unstable assassin doesn’t sound like a horror movie on paper, Miike makes sure that only fans of genre or extreme cinema will be on board with this one.

Constantine

Maligned by critics and DC Hellblazer comics purists upon initial release, Constantine didn’t get a fair shake. Sure, Keanu Reeves’ occult detective John Constantine doesn’t look much like his comic counterpart, but he made for a great introduction into the strange world where God and Lucifer are waging war, and angel and demon half-breeds roam free. We’ve received a short-lived TV series since, and rumors have perpetuated on the possibility of a sequel. Even still, this comic book adaptation proves that we live in a world where we don’t have to choose one over the other; we can enjoy both.

Hellboy

In keeping with the theme that sometimes our favorite comic book adaptations borrow very loosely from their source, Guillermo del Toro’s take on Mike Mignola’s brooding gothic world is drastically different in tone. This Hellboy, played by fan favorite Ron Perlman, is all heart and lovesick teen, and it works. Del Toro’s iteration spawned a sequel and two animated films before Mignola received another crack at an adaptation that would more closely align with his vision. So, we have a lot of different options when it comes to getting acquainted with the big red demon.

Swamp Thing

This 1982 adaptation of the Vertigo/DC Comics character of the same name hasn’t aged as well, at least not when compared to modern superhero fare. Nor is it as overtly horror driven as the new series. But it is directed by a horror master, Wes Craven. It also features genre vet Ray Wise as the human form of Alec Holland, the scientist transformed into the monstrous Swamp Thing post incident when an evil group of paramilitary agents attack his lab. Of course, the best reason to tune in to this adaptation is Adrienne Barbeau as love interest Alice Cable- a variation of comic character Matt Cable.

The Guyver

What happens when Brian Yuzna produces an adaptation of a manga series, with special effects artists Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang serving as co-directors? You get a super fun creature feature. Even cooler is that it features Mark Hamill in a prominent role. As for plot, it’s simple; an alien device merges with an unsuspecting human, turning him into a monster fighting cyborg superhero. It’s pure camp, but it’s extremely entertaining camp with great creature effects.

Uzumaki

Junji Ito’s illustration style is as bizarre and nightmarish as his accompanying stories, which makes any adaptation a tricky, rare bird. Uzumaki is a pretty strong attempt at capturing the weirdness of Ito’s manga. The story is simple; a small town becomes obsessed and infected with spirals. That’s right. Spirals. It’s surprisingly effective and creepy. That obsession spreads like a virus, and leads to some pretty grisly demises.

The Crow

Based on the 1989 comic book, this gothic tale follows musician Eric Draven who’s resurrected with the power of the crow, post violent death, to enact revenge on those who murdered him and his fiancée. A visual feast and a gritty story that made Batman look like a trip to Disneyland, The Crow wound up being a sleeper hit upon initial release in 1994. It inspired three sequels and a TV series, though none could quite capture the tone, style, and immeasurably great cast of this film, led by Brandan Lee.

30 Days of Night

Directed by David Slade, this adaptation of the comic book miniseries of the same name brought vampires back to their monstrous roots. When the small Alaskan town of Barrow plunges into a month-long period of polar night, a savage band of vampires converge for an all-you-can-eat human buffet. It’s a ruthless slaughter that paints the snow red. Until the town survivors band together and attempt to fight off their inhuman attackers. It’s a high-octane thrill ride that isn’t afraid to get as dark as the town of Barrow.

Spawn

Todd McFarlane’s popular comic series received its feature length adaptation in 1997, with Michael Jai White starring as the eponymous elite mercenary murdered and then resurrected to be an unwitting solder for Hell.  A visual spectacle and hyper-violent, but the true scene-stealer of the film was John Leguizamo’s take on the demonic Violator, Spawn’s guide from Hell hiding behind a twisted clown-like façade. Sequels and remake rumors have been lurking ever since, but at least we have this late ‘90s feature and the comic series to lean on while we wait.

Blade

If ever there was the perfect merging of superhero and horror, Blade is the poster child. Based on the Marvel comic series of the same name, this action horror film stars Wesley Snipes as the titular character, a half-vampire half-mortal man determined to wipe every last vampire off the face of the Earth. His primary enemy is Deacon Frost, an ambitious vampire out to resurrect the vampire blood god for power. All of the action of a superhero flick, but with all the blood, creatures, and mythology of a horror flick. And with an atypical hero. No surprise that it earned two sequels.

The post 15 Essential Horror Comic Book Adaptations! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Tales of technology gone awry has made for great horror for a while now; there’s something inherently terrifying about the very thing that’s supposed to make our lives easier turning against us. It’s also attributed to the fear of the unknown- technology continues to evolve at a rapid rate that it’s difficult to keep up. Especially with the advent of A.I., programming robots with sentience just seems like a bad idea, right? In other words, it’s not hard to imagine that technology could plausibly be our downfall. Chucky might be terrorizing the Barclay family, but it could happen anywhere and everywhere. We look back at other terrifying tech gone wrong horror movies that make us rethink our overreliance on technology.

The Ring

It’s funny to think of VHS tapes as technology, but it was the definitive format of the home video market for over two decades. It changed the landscape of movie consumption. So, it’s not surprising at all that horror would eventually use VHS as a basis of fear. The Ring, and the original on which it’s based (Ringu), reign supreme. The plot is simple; a journalist embarks on an investigation of a mysterious videotape that causes death to those who have watched it, a week to the day. Of all the various ways to die in horror, few are as unnerving as the slow creeping dread of Samara/Sadako. The imagery of her crawling out of the well will embed itself in your mind like a nightmare that’s taken up permanent residence.

Videodrome

This surreal, mind-melting David Cronenberg classic sees its horror unleashed by way of intercepted television broadcast picked up by an unauthorized satellite dish. That broadcast is Videodrome, a show that doesn’t seem to have a plot- just brutal torture and murder. When sleazy cable TV programmer Max Renn (James Woods) orders unlicensed use of the show, he begins to suffer hallucinations. It’s only the beginning of his terrifying new reality. In an age where viral videos and mindless entertainment still holds relevancy, Videodrome’s horror still feels timeless. Long live the new flesh.

Evilspeak

Poor Stanley (Clint Howard). He’s an orphan at a military academy, and ostracized by both peers and staff. When forced to clean the basement, he discovers an ancient book of dark magic. Of course, he can’t understand Latin, so he does what any tech-savvy person would do- he uses his computer to translate it. Reading from Satanic books never ends well for anyone, and for the bullied Stanley, it means a lot of revenge and bloodshed upon those who have wronged him. And many of them really, really deserved it.

Brainscan

One of the earlier adapters of the killer video game concept, Brainscan follows Michael (Edward Furlong) an outcast and horror fan who orders a new game touted to be ultra-realistic. Of course, he didn’t grasp how realistic it would ultimately be. The game sees him playing as a psychopathic killer, only he discovers those murders are actually happening in the real world too. It gets trippy, and pure ‘90s horror. Especially with the memorably wacky character The Trickster.

Chopping Mall

In recent years, shopping malls have begun incorporating robots to provide information services or security. They clearly haven’t seen Chopping Mall. Three state-of-the-art high-tech security robots go on the fritz when lightning strikes during a storm, damaging the computer that controls them. For the group of teens that opted to stay after hours to party, this means certain doom, as the robots are out to slaughter any living thing roaming the mall. All that separated this tech from peacekeeper to murderer was a thunderstorm.

Shutter

What Ringu did for videotapes this 2004 Thai horror movie does for cameras, demonstrating that not even the most seemingly simple of tech can frighten. For Jane and her photographer boyfriend Tun, their lives are about to be upended in the most nightmarish of ways when mysterious figures and shadows start popping up in Tun’s photos post hit and run accident. Thanks to his camera, and investigating the mystery behind its unusual activity, Tun learns you can’t ignore your past. And it’s oh, so creepy.

The Den

A found footage horror film that takes aim at the dangers lurking on the internet, The Den follows a young woman using a webcam-based social media site as the basis for her sociology graduate project. In doing so, her account is unwittingly hacked and her webcam turned on without her knowing. When she witnesses a murder online, she soon realizes she’s in over her head. It’s scary for so many reasons, between our reliance on the internet, that our own tech can be hacked by others so easily, and that those hackers can use that info to invade our privacy with ease. And the police can do nothing about it.

Event Horizon

Sure, the technology in Event Horizon doesn’t exist (yet?), but that doesn’t make it any less creepy. When a space ship with the capabilities of opening up a faux black hole to bridge two points in space and time disappears on its maiden voyage to a point over 4 light years away, its sudden reappearance prompts a rescue ship sent to investigate. The Event Horizon didn’t come back the same, and its determined to take the new crew back to the hellish dimensions of space where the last crew wound up. If ever there was a case that it’s better to leave well enough alone and forgo curiosity, this is it.

Christine

Of all the technology we wield on a daily basis, it’s our vehicles that consistently prove to be the most dangerous (and lethal). Leave it to Stephen King and director John Carpenter to take it to stylish yet chilling new depths. For Arnie Cunningham, his life changes when he buys a beat up 1958 Plymouth Fury dubbed Christine. The more he spends time repairing her, the more he transitions from awkward nerd to confident greaser. It turns out Christine is the jealous type, to the point of homicide, and anyone who gets in between Arnie and her should prepare to pay with their life. Hell hath no fury like a possessed Plymouth.

Hardware

Set in a post-apocalyptic future, a scavenger finds a robot buried in the desert. A former soldier buys and sells its parts, leaving the head intact as a gift for his reclusive girlfriend Jill, a metal sculptor. Both are unaware that the robot is a government created weapon programmed for genocide, one that’s as capable of self-repair as it is deadly. Written and directed by the enigmatic Richard Stanley, this tech-based horror delivers on the suspense and gore, which originally earned the film an X-rating. A stellar entry in tech gone wrong horror, Hardware is also worth watching to get ahead of the curve on Stanley’s upcoming adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s Colour Out of Space.

The post Batteries Not Included: 10 Tech-Gone-Wrong Horror Movies appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Based on a minor short story from the acclaimed comic series 2000 AD, Hardware was largely dismissed as a Terminator knock-off when it was first released back in 1990, but has since grown in popularity since rampaging onto home video (not to mention the internet). Much like 2000 AD itself, Richard Stanley‘s film masterfully disguises a poignant exploration of philosophical and social issues in a lovably schlocky and ultra-violent (not to mention ultra-entertaining) package, with a wicked sense of humor for good measure.

The original 7-page-long story, appropriately titled Shok!, was a simple tale of woman versus machine set against a familiar Mega-City backdrop. While Hardware is a somewhat faithful (though completely unauthorized) adaptation in that the main plot is still about a killer robot terrorizing an artist in her futuristic apartment, Stanley uses this as a jumping-off point to tell his own story about a dystopic future where life might not be worth living anymore.

The film expands on the characters and setup, giving us a better glimpse at this rundown, overpopulated world filled with radioactive deserts, terrifying scavengers and malicious government conspiracies as we follow Moses Baxter (Dylan McDermott) on his quest to find a suitable Christmas present for his metalworking artist girlfriend Jill (Stacey Travis). Unfortunately, Mo’s idea of gifting a pile of dilapidated cybernetic parts has disastrous consequences when the pieces begin to reassemble themselves into a self-repairing murderous robot.

Though the film doesn’t stray far from Jill’s cruddy apartment, Hardware somehow manages to make the world of 2000 AD come alive in a way rivaled only by Pete Travis’s Dredd 22 years later. Featuring a kick-ass soundtrack and cameos from the late great Lemmy as a ferry driver and even Iggy Pop as the memorable voice of W.A.R. Radio, it’s amazing just how detailed this cyberpunk dystopia feels, despite the low budget.

Of course, the killer robot itself, here referred to as the M.A.R.K. 13, is also a huge part of why the film works. Every second it’s onscreen is a feast for the eyes, with wonderfully suspenseful chase sequences, top-notch effects and what is without a doubt one of the best killer robot designs I’ve ever seen. Incorporating nightmarish elements like spider-like venom injectors under the skullish head, not to mention its creepy multi-armed stance borrowed from the death goddess Kali, help to make this one hell of a memorable baddie. The creature’s horrific nature is only worsened once you realize that characters refer to it as a cyborg instead of android, hinting at an even more sinister backstory.

In a world filled with bland CG monsters and uninteresting backgrounds, it’s refreshing to see a film’s memorable set and character designs contribute to the story’s themes, especially considering the limited resources that the filmmakers had to work with here. The movie is peppered with haunting imagery, religious symbolism and even classical art references that make it stand out from your usual slasher flick. All this attention to detail only enhances the subtle social commentary that permeates the movie without making the script feel preachy, allowing it to focus on the more entertaining aspects of the story.

In another break from tradition, even the added robot fodder characters are interesting and well-developed, which makes their gruesome deaths all the more impactful. It’s truly amazing just how much tension the film manages to squeeze out of a single location without ever becoming boring, though by the end of the flick, Jill’s apartment looks more like a robotic abattoir than a futuristic home.

While I love Hardware to death, even I have to admit that it’s nowhere near a perfect movie. The awkward pacing definitely isn’t for everyone, and things get a little bit too psychedelic in a few sequences. Personally, I find the engrossing atmosphere and quirky characters interesting enough to be able to overlook these flaws, and the soundtrack is awesome enough to make even a paint-watching marathon seem entertaining, but I get that not everyone feels this way.

Even so, I can’t quite condone Stanley’s treatment of the source material in the making of this film. I may consider Hardware an improvement over the comic-book story that spawned it, but that doesn’t excuse swiping another writer’s story with no intent of crediting their work. Fortunately, this unlicensed adaptation became official after a lawsuit forced the filmmakers into crediting 2000 AD, though it’s still hard to imagine why Stanley thought that no one would notice the similarities just because of a few altered names.

Despite its initial reputation as a bootleg Terminator, I’m glad to see more and more fans popping up online to share their love for this amazing movie. I honestly can’t think of any other Sci-fi/Horror films so utterly devoted to telling a meaningful story without compromising the sleazy fun in the process, which is why I think it’s a shame that we haven’t seen many Hardware-inspired Cyber-Slashers since then.

In any case, M.A.R.K. 13 is sure to live on as one of the best slasher villains of all time, but also a haunting reminder of humanity’s tendency to put collective progress ahead of individual human lives. This may be a grim and brutally honest vision of the future, but I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and insightful ride through a disturbingly plausible dystopia.

The post [Retrospective] No Flesh Shall Be Spared – Remembering ‘Hardware’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

More recently, there’s been a resurgence for films that didn’t fare well at the box office but have since built up a cult following, like In the Mouth of Madness, Cemetery Man, or Nightbreed. But there’s still a lot more great horror still waiting to be discovered…

Here are 10 overlooked ’90s films you might not have seen.

Man Bites Dog

Though technically a crime dark comedy, the humor is pitch black with razor-sharp teeth. Shot in black and white, this Belgian film plays out mockumentary style as a film crew follows a rising serial killer in his daily routine. Ben (Benoit Poelvoorde) waxes poetic on philosophy, giving an air of sophistication, before ruthlessly dispatching various kids, bystanders, and elderly people in shocking acts of violence. The film crew remain complacent until Ben’s murderous ways begin to affect them personally. It’s grim, nihilistic, and brutal. Overlooked, this twisted satire is a precursor to films like Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon.

Hardware

The feature debut by the enigmatic writer/director Richard Stanley, Hardware is a great example of low budget sci-fi horror done right. Set mostly in the single location of an apartment in the middle of a post-apocalyptic slum, a scavenger brings his reclusive girlfriend, Jill, the head of a robot he bought from a junk dealer. It turns out that the head belonged to a military grade combat machine capable of self-repair. The robot reassembles itself using pieces of metal from Jill’s apartment and proceeds to follow its programmed orders; genocide. Gritty cyberpunk horror with style, Hardware flips the bird at its minuscule budget.

The Pit and the Pendulum

Everyone is familiar with Stuart Gordon’s From Beyond, Re-Animator, and Castle Freak, but this loose adaptation of the classic Edgar Allan Poe short story is one that doesn’t get mentioned much. It’s also more of a combination of many Poe stories in one. Set during the Spanish Inquisition, horror vet Lance Henriksen plays the sinister Torquemada, the one responsible for deciding whether someone is deemed a witch or not. Atmospheric and gothic, it’s a more sedate horror story but features a lot of gruesome torture sequences. Frequent Gordon collaborator Jeffrey Combs does appear in a small role, but it’s Henriksen that shines in his villainous turn as the sadistic Grand Inquisitor of Spain.

Two Evil Eyes

This collaboration between Dario Argento and George A. Romero, with gory effects by Tom Savini, quietly slipped into home video release in 1991 without much buzz. Bringing their own take on Edgar Allan Poe (a seeming trend in the early ‘90s), Romero adapted Poe’s short story “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar,” while Argento (loosely) took on “The Black Cat.” Romero’s tale is mixed, but the true star and reason to watch is Argento’s mashup of Poe stories. In it, Harvey Keitel plays a creepy photographer slowly driven mad by a cat. The spiral into insanity with gory visuals is an absolute highlight.

Mister Frost

Another hidden entry of ‘90s horror made harder to find by being unavailable on physical media platforms, this supernatural thriller sees Jeff Goldblum in the titular role as a man arrested and placed in an asylum after committing multiple murders. After two years of silence, he finally speaks to Dr. Sarah Day (Kathy Baker), confessing to her that he’s Lucifer himself and plans to convince her to murder him. Naturally, she doesn’t believe him, but strange occurrences begin to happen around her. A slow burn cat and mouse game, this one favors atmosphere over overt, traditional scares. Jeff Goldblum’s chilling performance is worth the price of admission alone.

Popcorn

This wacky horror comedy slasher lovingly pays homage to the B-movie with its entertaining setup. A group of college film students decide to raise funds by setting up an all-night horror movie marathon in an abandoned theater, complete with William Castle-like gimmicks themed toward each film they’re showing. It makes for a perfect cover for the killer picking off the students one by one. The lead heroine is Jill Shoelen (The Stepfather), and horror vet Dee Wallace plays her mother. Though there are supernatural elements that are not quite fleshed out, the killer’s modus operandi of assuming his victims’ appearances add a level of fun.

The Resurrected

This direct-to-video adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s The Case of Charles Dexter Ward is not only faithful but boasts a really fun final act with gore effects. Directed by Dan O’Bannon (The Return of the Living Dead), the plot follows a woman who hires a private investigator to find out what her husband is up to in his remote family-owned home after his behavior becomes increasingly strange. Chris Sarandon is fantastic here, playing two major roles. Though this starts out a bit slow, stick with it as the payoff is absolutely worth it. The Resurrected makes for a great hidden Halloween gem with its fall and October setting.

Necronomicon

A Brian Yuzna produced and partially directed horror anthology based on H.P. Lovecraft stories got a direct-to-video release in 1993 and has since slipped further into obscurity. The wraparound features an unrecognizable Jeffrey Combs as H.P. Lovecraft, reading the three stories straight from the pages of the Necronomicon in the cellar of a library. Both the segments and the wraparound are a great display of special effects by artists like Screaming Mad George and John Carl Buechler, and consultant work by Tom Savini. This anthology is still stuck on VHS, only getting a proper DVD release in Europe and Asian markets, where it fared much better upon release.

The Nameless

Almost a decade before Jaume Balaguero teamed up with Paco Plaza to terrify audiences with [Rec], he proved his uncanny ability to scare with this underseen thriller that he wrote and directed. It opens with the discovery of a mutilated child who had been missing. It’s so mutilated that only a bracelet and a leg could be used to identify her. Five years later, her mother Claudia receives a phone call from someone claiming to be her dead daughter. This begins a twisted tale of Claudia trying to uncover who is actually behind the phone call. While Balaguero may not exactly stick his landing here, it’s an atmospheric, haunting story and the director nails the foreboding sense of fear. The creepy set pieces and cinematography is also a major highlight.

Dark Waters

A surreal atmospheric horror film that feels like a throwback to the earlier works of Lucio Fulci and Mario Bava, this dreamlike story follows a woman who travels to an isolated island to find out why her father funded a monetary there before he died. Director Mariano Baino’s first and only feature length film, Dark Waters doesn’t always make much sense, but it’s visually stunning and weird. Occult horror with a demonic presence, the setting alone also makes this feel akin to something H.P. Lovecraft would’ve created.

The post 10 Great Horror Movies from the ‘90s You Maybe Haven’t Seen appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Hardware and Dust Devil‘s Richard Stanley attended the Belgian Premiere of Lost Soul (review), the documentary about his doomed attempt at making The Island of Dr. Moreau for New Line Cinema back in 1994/95.

During the post screening Q&A he divulged some interesting information on future projects.

The Island of Dr. Moreau: The reception of the doc has put The Island of Dr. Moreau back in pre-production. In two or three years the whole thing will happen again, he said. Since January this year he has completed a new draft of the movie and has also been approached by Humanoids, a French comic company, to adapt the screenplay into a three book graphic novel! This will be hitting shelves next year.

Stanley is now more optimistic in bringing his vision to the screen citing Guardians of the Galaxy the Apes movies as paving the way for dogs with machine guns.

A “R” or “X” rating might be unlikely to attain, but at least the graphic novel will be unrated.

Hardware 2: The script was written the year after Hardware and is something he would like to revisit as advances toward drone soldiers are very timely in the real world. Projects such as DARPA developing robotic dogs and other creatures seem to have caught his attention, and he foresees these beast patrolling hostile zones. Hardware, along with his other film Dust Devil, currently belong to Disney after they took control of the Miramax catalogue. Working with the mouse seems unlikely so a non-direct sequel might be the only option available.

The Colour Out Of Space: Stanley is also set to make the old ones terrifying again for a younger generation. First announced at Fantasia Festival’s Frontiere’s market in 2013 was H.P. Lovecraft’s The Colour Out Of Space, which will be made by Elijah Wood’s SpectreVision. He wants to take the source material and make it scary again, not cute and funny as most translations to screen. He has had talks with Bruce Spaulding Fuller who might be doing the main creatures using a combination of physical and visual effects. Shooting is set to go ahead at the beginning of next year.

The Gardner family move to a remote country locale to leave the hustle of the 21st century. All is well until a meteorite crashes into their front yard. Rapidly the curious qualities of this mysterious visitor from the stars starts to infect the properties of space and time around them. Overnight the water turns brackish containing an oily rainbow sheen. The crops ripen early and new forms of flora sprout from nowhere. Most disturbingly the members of the Gardner family are changing too! Whatever is contaminating their farm is mercilessly transforming them into the living manifestation of their darkest fears.

The post Richard Stanley Developing New ‘The Island of Dr. Moreau’ Adaptation! (BIFFF) appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Directed by Michael Soavi, Stage Fright‘s IMDb synopsis reads:

A troupe of struggling stage actors is rehearsing for a small-town production of a play. Everything seems to be as it should until one of the cast members turns up dead. In a panic, the others try to get out, only to find they are now locked in the theater with the killer! Which one of them committed the murder, and who will get out alive?

Check out the trailer below.

The post Limited Edition Picture Disc Vinyl For Simon Boswell’s ‘Stage Fright’ Now Available To Pre-Order appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Per the official press release, “The edition presents the original soundtrack on one disc/vinyl with fx and voices of Iggy Pop, Lemmy and others. The other disc/vinyl features the entire musical score in order of the movie with new previously unheard versions and takes. Bonus tracks include music with newly recorded voice-over by director Richard Stanley (including extracts from the never made sequel script to Hardware 2 and Richard’s readings from the Bible).”

You can pre-order the double LP here.

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The post Limited ‘Hardware’ Remastered Vinyl OST Coming Very Soon appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.