Two of my favourite genres are horror and comedy and occasionally when those two unintentionally intersect it can result in an unexpected treat. Such is the case with Birdemic: Shock and Terror, the 2010 (very independent) film which contains neither shock nor terror but does induce many unintentional laughs. The film’s marketing promises a horrifying... Continue Reading →
The Wicker Tree Burns Down
In honour of Burns Night which celebrates Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns, today we look at Scottish horror film The Wicker Tree. Unfortunately, unlike the Scot’s famous bard, this film is nothing to be proud of. The Wicker Tree’s story is loosely tied to the classic The Wicker Man which was also directed by Robin... Continue Reading →
Twas “The Nights Before Christmas”: A Santa to Dismember
On the surface, Horror films and Christmas might seem to make odd bedfellows, but the contrast of a murderous rampage set against what is supposed to be a joy filled time of year just seems to amplify the fear. Case in point, the original Black Christmas (1974), which stands as one of my all-time horror... Continue Reading →
Toronto After Dark in the Spotlight
Next stop on Maniacs and Monsters' tour of horror events is the Toronto After Dark (TAD) Film Festival. Founded in 2006, the event showcases new and independent films, bringing together fans and filmmakers for a nine night extravaganza of horror, sci-fi and cult genre films. The 14th edition of this growing event is set to... Continue Reading →
The Young and the Satanists: A Review of The Visitor (1979)
When a film has a cast that includes Hollywood legends such as John Huston, Shelley Winters, Glenn Ford, and Sam Peckinpah you expect you are in for something great. Sadly, such is not the case with The Visitor (also known as Stridulum) which has more in common with a schlocky soap opera than the classic... Continue Reading →
It’s Alive! The Art of Horror and Sci-Fi on Display
Our next stop on Maniacs and Monsters’ tour of horror hot spots in the Great White North takes us to the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) in Toronto. With its exhibits of Rembrandt paintings and historical artifacts, the ROM is not normally known as a hangout for horror fans but it has become the temporary home... Continue Reading →
Fear in the North: Not to be Missed Horror Events in Canada
The Fall is fast approaching and with it comes a wide variety of events to keep horror fans busy. Those who live in Ontario, Canada and surrounding area are especially spoiled with a non-stop list of events in the days leading up to Halloween and beyond. Let Maniacs and Monsters take you on a tour... Continue Reading →
The Devil’s in the Detail: The House of the Devil Review
Directed by Ti West (known for The Innkeepers and, most recently, the Netflix series The Chambers), House of the Devil is a moody homage to 80s horror. Filmed in 2009 and set in the early 80s, the filmmaker did such a good job capturing the look and feel of a horror film you might have... Continue Reading →
Misery Loves Comedy – Amityville: Mt. Misery Rd.
Watching truly frightening horror films is one of my favourite things. A close second is watching B horror movies that were intended to be frightening but unintentionally end up becoming a comedy due to poor production values, horribly written scripts, amateurish acting, and often all of the above. A prime example of the B horror... Continue Reading →
Bite Size Hammer Horror
For those who like their horror bite size and British, Hammer Films produced an anthology series in 1980 under the banner “Hammer House of Horror”. The series, which lasted only one season, was broadcast on the ITV network in the UK. A total of 13 standalone episodes were produced and covered a gamut of horror... Continue Reading →