If your itching for a good read, then you’ve got to try “The Dunwich Horror” by H.P. Lovecraft. It may have been written in 1928, but this short story is fantastic and feels very scary. Lovecraft can wrap you up into his world with vivid descriptions and wicked storytelling. He admitted borrowing some of his story ideas from other horror writers such as Edgar Allen Poe, but most of his inspiration was from his own hellish nightmares as a boy. Cult horror movies such as Reanimator and From Beyond were both based on stories written by Lovecraft. As I read through “The Dunwich Horror”, I can’t help but wonder if other horror flicks used Lovecraft stories for inspiration. For example, when he describes the exploded timber that has a black tar-like stuff from Wilbur’s barn, I thought of the black tar in the basement of the house in the 1979 movie, The Amityville Horror. Coincidence? maybe… The description of the gateway where horrid creatures from the underworld enter to wreak havoc on earth reminded me of the 1987 movie The Gate. Even Wilbur Whatley’s physical description totally reminded me of Calibos from the original 1984 version of Clash of the Titans.

And of course there’s the Necronomican, (Book of the Dead) described first in this story, and totally borrowed for The Evil Dead series of movies. Definitely do yourself a favor and pick up this or any other H.P. Lovecraft story.

Quote: “It’s all psychological. You yell baracuda, everybody says huh? what? You yell shark, we’ve got a panic on our hands on the 4th of July.”

Hello out there! Hoping you’ve all had a wonderful year so far. I am excited for the Halloween season to begin. In the meantime, a suggestion for all of you. Re-watch the classic film Jaws! It is the perfect summer horror movie. Lots of beach scenes and it takes place over the 4th of July weekend. If you have a pool, rent a projector and host a Jaws summer movie screening party. Have all your guests watch it from the pool! A great excuse to grab some legs and get a good scream out of someone.

Quote: “There is a creature alive today who has survived millions of years of evolution without change, without passion and without logic. It lives to kill. A mindless eating machine. It will attack and devour….. anything. It is as if God created the Devil…and gave him… JAWS.”

Well I’ve been away from the blog for awhile with the Turkey day holiday just past. I’m still imagining all that wonderful food as I open my depressingly empty fridge. I was sick over the holiday (boo), and wound up watching way too much TV. However I did manage to go see a movie that you guys have got to see. I’m talking about Zombieland. This movie simply rocked! Especially since I’ve been on a zombie trip lately. (I’ve been playing Left 4 Dead for over 2 months now!) When it comes to blockbuster movies, I really have low expectations, but this one totally surprised me.

Zombieland totally has a video game feel to it. There are a plethora of shoot ‘em up zombie killings with a variety of weapons – both guns and melee. Post-apocalyptic America is now overrun with zombies, and our main character, Columbus, is quick to point out the rules one must follow in order to survive Zombieland. Click on the four images below to see four of the promotional posters created by Columbia Pictures for this film. They really look like zombie trading cards!

Basically the four characters in the movie must figure out how to survive the zombies (and each other) in order to cope with their bleak situation. Woody Harrelson plays an awesomely funny role as the tough-talking, fear-nothing Tallahassee. And there is even a surprise performance by Bill Murrey (as himself). This movie is complete with quick-wit, enjoyable characters, interesting situations, and great one-liners (hence the title of this blog). If your looking for something entertaining to see, go check out Zombieland!

If you haven’t seen this yet re-cut trailer yet on Youtube, you must. This is an example of the power of editing and how something as sweet as Disney’s classic “Mary Poppins” can become something as sinister and frightening as “Scary Mary”.

A great way to get into the spirit of Halloween is to grab some friends and host your very own Horror Movie Marathon. That means, making some popcorn, turning down the lights, getting really cozy, and indulging in some cinematic scare. Usually television networks begin programming lots of classic horror films all month long. Some networks package the movies for you in a convenient block such as AMC’s FearFest 09 (Oct 23-31). Just check your local listings. You may want to create your own list of select horror films. To help you, we will soon be posting a list of the 100 top horror films of all time. Continue reading for some other great ideas for your party!

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