‘Sweet Kill’ (1971): Are you ready for The Arousers? How about A Kiss from Eddie?

It’s true: you mellow as you get older. For instance, I remember flipping out a few years ago when Shout! Factory released a fullscreen—fullscreen!—transfer of Tab Hunter’s cult serial killer flick, Sweet Kill. Now granted…it wasn’t like the time I suffered a massive breakdown and had to be locked in my office, ranting and raving… Read More ‘Sweet Kill’ (1971): Are you ready for The Arousers? How about A Kiss from Eddie?

‘Poltergeist II: The Other Side’ (1986): Other side of what? Where’s the fright? Where are the scares?

So apparently there’s this sci-fi Smurf cartoon sequel out there right now in theaters that’s cleaning up at the b.o., but I swear I don’t know anyone who’s seen it. Why would they? Of course there’s no accounting for taste (for instance: Dwayne Johnson), but sequels are a favorite topic of discussion for fans (particularly… Read More ‘Poltergeist II: The Other Side’ (1986): Other side of what? Where’s the fright? Where are the scares?

‘Frankenstein: The True Story’ (1973): Mary Shelley’s classic monster comes alive on TV

It’s Shock-tober, everyone! That’s right—time to take out a second mortgage to pay for your groceries this week. So, let’s lighten our loads by doing what I’ve been since I was in a playpen: escaping reality by obsessively watching TV. And what better way to block out the possibility of six more years of the… Read More ‘Frankenstein: The True Story’ (1973): Mary Shelley’s classic monster comes alive on TV

‘The Evil’ (1978): Solid, fun genre offering despite silly ending

Apparently, my editor dodged rehab again (you ain’t gonna catch that jackrabbit in the scrub), so while he’s hiding out, he shot me an email, telling me Shout!’s Scream Factory label will release a Blu-ray double-header of Twice Dead and The Terror Within, which splits up two older Shout! DVD releases from their fondly-remembered Roger… Read More ‘The Evil’ (1978): Solid, fun genre offering despite silly ending

‘Willard’ (1971): Part animal horror flick, part adolescent drama – mostly twisted fairy tale

A few years ago, Shout! Factory’s Scream Factory line released on Blu-ray one of the most highly-sought MIA 70s cult titles among home video enthusiasts: Willard, the 1971 tear-em-up indie horror hit from Bing Crosby Productions (distributed by Cinerama Releasing), based on Stephen Gilbert’s novel, Ratman’s Notebooks, directed by Daniel Mann, scripted by Gilbert A.… Read More ‘Willard’ (1971): Part animal horror flick, part adolescent drama – mostly twisted fairy tale