vintage

Special effects may be lacking, but vintage horror films still manage to keep our palms sweating and blood pumping; a look back at retro horror films, stories, books and characters that prove everything is scarier in black and white.

The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
Halloween is fast approaching. Arrive it will, like a stereotypical witch on a broomstick, in just a few days. I've taken the liberty to revisit a few cinematic friends this month. One of them being the masterful Phantom of the Opera (1925), a definitive adaptation of the Gaston LeRoux gothic mystery classic, made in 1925, silent, and starring the late, great Lon Chaney Sr., the "Man of a Thousand Faces."
By Tom Baker3 years ago in Horror
51 Crow Street
Crow Street was Misty's favorite street. It was long and swerved like a snake as you drove along it. There were fields along the sides, while big barns and houses stood beside them. Rolls of hay covered the fields on one side while the other faced the water, laying out imagery so beautiful that people stopped to paint there quite often. At night it looked mesmerizing. There were barely any street lights so that you could see each of the stars above us. They twinkled in the night so bright you could see them over your headlights.
By M3 years ago in Horror
At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul!
At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul! Is reputedly the first "horror film" produced in Brazil ( beyond maybe some snuff porno loops produced by organized crime and bandied about in urban legends). It's the product of one José Mojica Marins, a.k.a., the legendary "Coffin Joe," a horror filmmaker of no small repute in his homeland, who has been the subject of countless films, television programs, comic books, songs, you name it.
By Tom Baker3 years ago in Horror
The Most Terrifying Paranormal Cases That Will Keep You Up Late at Night
In this day and age, there is no shortage of things that go bump in the night. Thanks to the internet and all the interesting information we have at our fingertips, it’s possible to learn about creepy things and strange phenomena almost any time you want. Some cultures have ghost stories passed down through generations, while others have people who claim they’ve had an encounter with something they can’t explain. The world is full of intriguing paranormal activity, but some stories are more terrifying than others. There are so many books and movies about paranormal activities that it can be hard to keep track of them all. There are frightening tales about sinister spirits lurking in hotels and spooky houses, vampires who stalk isolated individuals at night, and demons from another dimension preying on helpless humans. As such, we’ve put together a list of some of the most chilling accounts of real-life horror that will keep you up at night for months to come.
By PP3 years ago in Horror
In the Flesh
Ligiea is a fantom woman, a fantasy; a reanimated spirit, reincarnate to torment the opium-addled Unnamed Narrator with the supernal vision of perfect love. She is exceptional in every way; her voice, "low and musical," her forehead and pallor pale and pretty as porcelain, a nose of aquiline and delicate proportions, the likes of which the Unnamed Narrator has seen "only among the Hebrews." Even her reading and her studies are beyond what one would expect of a woman of the era.
By Tom Baker3 years ago in Horror
The Black Cat (1966)
One thing I'll say about the 1966 sleazoid film version of Poe's "The Black Cat" is that it doesn't deviate from the source material one iota. Since I dreamed last night of a woman transforming into said cat, and vice versa (I also dreamed I was eating rotten fish), I knew that, since I saw her transform and there seemed to be a movie poster behind her, that, well, I had to get right up and WATCH THAT MOVIE. And review. (Note: This is the kind of film, distributed by the same company, that Sandra Bernhard use to show, on her USA late-night extravaganza of monster, nudie, and cult film clips "Reel Wild Cinema." I'm not sure, but she may have even shown this particular film.)
By Tom Baker3 years ago in Horror
The Top Creature Films You Need to See
"Frankenstein" (1931) (Gene pick) The Frankenstein monster is one of the most recognizable characters in all of horror, subject of countless cartoons, films, comic books, and films. This was not the first movie adaptation of Mary Shelley's novel, but it is the most imitated, and most successful, and it made actor Boris Karloff an instant star.
By Gene Lass3 years ago in Horror
Goblin Bites: Scary Stories 15
There was one story I heard a long time ago, that I honestly don't know really happened or not. It is a very sad story, to begin with, but I will try to do it justice and recount it to the best of my memory. You have been warned, and I will not judge you should you decide to stop reading here. For those more curious souls, I will continue.
By Natalie Gray3 years ago in Horror
The Elephant Man (The Stage Play)
When I was a child I threw the tantrum of all tantrums because I didn't want to watch the stage play of The Elephant Man on television. I think the year may have been 1982.
By Tom Baker3 years ago in Horror
Goblin Bites: Scary Stories 11
It all began the night after the hanging of Tex Orley. He'd been tried and sentenced for robbing the Gold Valley bank a week prior, and shooting the bank teller in the back in cold blood. Up until the moment of his execution, however, Tex Orley loudly and vehemently proclaimed his innocence. When the judge asked for his final words, Orley vowed that he would wreak his revenge on the citizens of Gold Valley for this injustice, even if that meant returning from the grave.
By Natalie Gray3 years ago in Horror
The World's Most Terrifying Cases
In this collection of terrifying tales, you’ll read about real-life serial killers, haunted asylums, and ghostly apparitions that will make your skin crawl. You’ll also hear about some recent alarming discoveries in the world of science and medicine – not to mention genetic engineering, cloning, and other procedures that are opening new doors to mankind’s potential. From oozing sores and flesh-eating bacteria to mutant mosquitoes with a deadly bite, these accounts of scientific exploration gone wrong will keep you up at night. So prepare yourself for an intriguing – but also terrifying – peek into the macabre world of science gone awry...
By PP3 years ago in Horror
The Top Ghost Films You Need to See
"The Shining" (1980) (Gene pick) The film version of "The Shining" combines two masters at the top of their craft - writer Stephen King and director Stanley Kubrick. Based on King's second novel, King reportedly hated the film, and in 1997 wrote the screenplay for a TV mini-series that was more faithful to his vision. However, the mini-series has been largely forgotten, while the film stands out as a terrifying masterpiece of horror. Known to be fanatic about detail, and adept at working on subliminal levels, Kubrick does more than the viewer realizes to have an increasing sense of wrongness and dread mirroring the feeling the family living in the hotel has that at any time, they could encounter creepy twins in a hallway, or have a vision of elevators full of blood. To see exactly what Kubrick does to achieve this feeling, see the excellent documentary "Room 237."
By Gene Lass3 years ago in Horror