The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Or, How The Mike Got His Slaughter Back)

Look, I've always been honest with you, Midnight Warriors.  Sure, there was that one time when I mentioned loving Day of the Animals, only to realize like two months later that I hadn't seen Day of the Animals yet and was actually thinking about Grizzly, but that wasn't dishonesty, it was stupidity.  So I'm gonna be totally up front with you all here, because you deserve it.

I like to think that I'm an expert on certain things.  Things like.....oh...I don't know....HORROR MOVIES.  And things like people who star in horror movies.  And things like classic horror movies.  I mean, I've spent decades studying everything I can about movies, connecting filmographies in my mind, and collecting as many pieces of cinematic dread as is humanly possible for my own perusal.  So when Joe Monster of From Beyond Depraved asked me to participate in his first ever Blogathon - The Tod Slaughter Blogathon - I was a) excited to join in to support one of my favorite horror hounds,  and  b) Wondering who the heck Tod Slaughter is.

I KNOW.

Seriously, I know.  Stop looking at me like that.

I....I'm not sure how this happened.  I've made horror, not to mention cinema in general, my passion.  I've thought about it, read about it, or (most often) watched it every freakin' day.  And yet here is a respected star of early horror cinema, and I've never even heard of him.  Truthfully, it made me flat out mad at myself.

So, after looking up the name of Tod Slaughter to find out who he even was, I peered upon his IMDB page.  My eyes were as wide as a kid at the Christmas tree the night before Christmas - because I didn't know what any of this stuff was! Heck, I didn't even own any of his movies.  That's saying something.  Name an actor or actress that anyone's ever heard of, and I probably own a movie they're in...just not this one.  But what to my wondering eyes should appear? The Demon Barber of Fleet Street! I've heard of that!

And so it came to pass that, by the grace of Netflix, I sat down with a copy of The Demon Barber of Fleet Street while wrapping Christmas presents on a chilly Iowa evening.  By this point I'd read a bit about Mr. Slaughter - I now knew that he was a star of stage and screen who was most known as a diabolical villain - so I knew him when he came on screen....and I instantly knew that I'd been wronged but whatever force conspired to hide Mr. Slaughter from me.

Of course, my experience with the Sweeney Todd story previously consisted of ads for the Johnny Depp film and the Ben Kingsley HBO version from the late '90s, so I wasn't too comfortably in my element.  What made me feel at home, however, was the tone of the film.  This felt like something I'd have seen Karloff or Lugosi in via one of those 50 Movies on 12 Discs Mill Creek DVD sets, and I loved it for that.  I wasn't surprised to read that director George King was a "quota-quickie" filmmaker - meaning he produced films quicker than you can say Jack Robinson - nor was I surprised that King and Slaughter collaborated on 14 films and plenty of shorts and TV episodes over a 20 year span.  The film wasn't anything extraordinary, but it was certainly a charming cheapie.

Then there was the star, Slaughter himself.  He chews the screen like few actors I've seen, and his evil grin and staged mannerisms reminded me greatly of the two horror legends I mentioned in the last paragraph.  As the famed villain, Slaughter is every bit as iconic as a fiend can be, and I was incredibly wowed by his sinister charm.  He was slimy, he was dirty, and he was truly vile.  He was what a villain should be, and I loved it.

I know that I've found something awesome this Christmas season, and I must thank Mr. Monster for opening my idiotic eyes with this Blogathon of goodness.  I wish I had something more interesting to say about the film itself - perhaps Slaughter will soon make another appearance at FMWL - but right now I'm just kind of letting this newly found horror superstar sink in.  In the meantime, I'm sure From Beyond Depraved will meet all your Tod Slaughter needs, and I can't wait to dive deeper into the posts by Joe and company as I become a true Slaughterholic in the future. 

FMWL's 12 Midnights of Christmas: 3 Part 3 Films in 3-D! (by Deadly Serious' Petunia Scareum!)

One of the few undead bloggers I've met is Petunia Scareum, aka Trick or Treat Pete, the diabolical host over at Deadly Serious - where she offers up plenty of unique and entertaining posts that are sure to tickle your macabre fancy.  She's also been a fine supporter of FMWL, and I'm excited to have her on board as FMWL's 12 Midnights of Christmas comes to a close.  I hope you've got your glasses ready, because Pete's got something special for you boys and ghouls....IN 3-D!!!!!!

 FMWL's 12 Midnights of Christmas presents: 3 Part 3 Films in 3-D!

By Petunia Scareum of Deadly Serious

On the third midnight of Christmas my Ghoul-love gave to me...

Three part 3 films in 3D!

For what ever reason, in the very early 80's three horror franchises all decided that their third installment would be in 3D. It was still the time of paper glasses, one eye red, the other blue, long before Avatar. 

1982

Jason, having barely survived a blow to his shoulder from his own machete, is back to revenge on all that visit "his" woods. A new group of friends come over to party at an area close to the campsite. This time, Jason will be stronger than ever! A victim provides Jason with his trademark hockey mask in this film.

Hey, guys...ugh, he stole my freakin' kidney!

Directed by Steve Miner
Cast:
Dana Kimmell, Paul Kratka, Tracie Savage, Jeffrey Rogers, Catherine Parks, Larry Zerner (the victim who provides the infamous hockey mask), David Katims, Rachel Howard, Nick Savage, Gloria Charles, Kevin O'Brien, Richard Brooker 

 "Ahhhh...that's better. Running around in the woods killing people, it can get hot under this thing!" 

1983

The sons of police chief Brody must protect civilians at a Sea World theme park after a gigantic 35-foot shark becomes trapped in the park. As Sea World is about to open a new attraction Sean Brody arrives to visit brother Michael Brody and girlfriend Kathryn Morgan when park owner Calvin Bouchard welcomes Phillip FitzRoyce to the park. With strange accidents in the park becoming a routine occurrence, they dive into a lagoon on the grounds and find a shark in it. After capturing the shark and putting it on display, it dies in it's first show. Unsure of how to carry on, they find the shark's mother still living inside the park and attacking the facilities. Working against the possible disasters, they race to stop the fix the attractions and shark before it destroys the park.

Yikes! Sea World! Swim away, Flugel Fish, Swim away!!

Directed by Joe Alves
Cast:
Dennis Quaid, Lou Gosset Jr., Bess Armstrong, Simon MacCorkindale, John Putch, Lea Thompson

 "I'm coming to get you, Lou Gosset Jr! Just try calling me Sugar-britches!"

1983

A man who is separated from his wife moves into the infamous Amityville House. Their daughter dies in a boating accident and now the mother sees her deceased daughter "alive" in the house. The father calls a paranormal investigator in to help and the investigator finds out the source of the household problems. A reporter moves into the ominous Long Island house to debunk it of the recent supernatural events and becomes besieged by the evil manifestations which are connected to a hell-spawn demon lurking in the basement.
Shun the non-believers...ssshhhuuunnn!!!

Directed by Richard Fleischer
Cast:
Tony Roberts, Tess Harper, Robert Joy, Candy Clark, John Beal, Leora Dana, John Harkins, Lori Loughlin, Meg Ryan,Neill Barry, Peter Kowanko, Rikke Borge, Carlos Romano, Josefina Echánove, Jorge Zepeda, Raquel Pankowsky,Paco Pharrez

 "I think the jacuzzi is a tad too hot!"

 

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Many thanks to Petunia for joining in the fun, and if you haven't checked out her brand of awesome over at Deadly Serious, get on it now!  With only two Midnights left till Christmas, the end of our festivities is coming at us just like these 3D terrors!  Let's end it in style, Midnight Warriors!

(Also, since we're celebrating the number 3 in our countdown, I'll throw out a video too...because that is what a nice guy I am.  BEWARE THE NINJA!)

FMWL's 12 Midnights of Christmas: 4 Evil Monkeys (By BoxOfficeBoredom.com's Jason!)

 I'd like to say that The Mike has always been as awesome as he is now.  Oh wait, he actually has been.  However, he wouldn't have gotten his trademark "The" - or his chance to write about movies on the internet - if it weren't for Jason of BoxOfficeBoredom.com.  Though one dorm room was far too small to hold both of our egos, the internet has become a great place for Jason to share what The Mike taught him about movies and for The Mike to first (and still occasionally) share his thoughts via Jason's nearly 10 year old website.  Though he doesn't have my natural charm or superior wit and guile, Jason succeeds in other areas by having intelligence and being mature and married.  Basically, we're the Rock & Sock Connection of Iowan Movie Freaks....if you smell what The Mike is cooking.

FMWL's 12 Midnights of Christmas presents: 4 Evil Monkeys

By Jason of BoxOfficeBoredom.com

I was given the honor of guest writing for From Midnight, With Love this holiday season as part of their 12 Midnights of Christmas event. The daunting task of writing of horror fun with a holiday theme was a welcome challenge. While I can’t promise that my horror expertise is any more wonderful than a 3 week old fruitcake, I can promise you today’s list will have you going ape!

I immediately thought of monkeys in horror; after all everyone loves a chimp, right? Despite my parents telling me there was not a monster under the bed, it was years later that I found out evil monkeys live in your closet! (Thank you Chris Griffin of Family Guy). As you get ready to celebrate the holidays, here a four horrific primates that will be have you shivering.

The Winged Monkeys from The Wizard of Oz (1939)

I know the Wizard of Oz doesn’t exactly lay any claim as a horror film, but who didn’t grow up having a fear of being whisked away by winged monkeys after watching this film as a child? If being carried away by a tornado and being stalked for your shoes by an evil witch isn’t enough to frighten you, then being carried to the witches clutches by winged monkeys should have you shaking in your ruby slippers. These horrific little creatures were the part of the film that frightened me the most as a child. Sure, winged chimps probably only exist in the land of Oz, but I live close enough to Kansas to fear that a tornado just might pass through Iowa and whisk me away to winged monkey land!

The Blood Monkeys from Blood Monkey (2007)

My first set of true horror monkeys comes from a DVD my 5 year old niece introduced me to called Blood Monkey. Starring acclaimed actor F. Murray Abraham, who's up for slumming it in a low budget horror ape film, Blood Monkey follows a professor and a his college interns as they travel deep into the jungle to observe some strange primates. Little do these students know that their professor just might be leading them into a trap with vicious monkeys who feast on human flesh. The blood monkeys just might be some of my favorite primates of horror because of their antics as they slowly taunt their potential prey. From tree top urinating on their victims tents to moving their map markers, the blood monkeys prove that in some cases it might be possible for apes to have more evolved brains than the average horror actor.

Link from Link (1986)

No list of horror monkeys would be complete if it didn’t include Link from the movie Link. Link is the primate pal of a strange animal behavior scientist, played by Terence Stamp. A one time circus monkey that was known as “Link: Master of Fire!”, Link now serves as Professor Phillips personal butler. Dressed down in his tuxedo best, Link has served the professor for years, but is creeping up on the old age of 45 when the professor brings in a young girl who is interested in his work to stay with him for the summer as a maid. This maid just so happens to be Elizabeth Shue, whom FMWL fans just might know happens to be a perfect sight for The Mike’s eyes. As Shue learns from the professor early on, Link may not make it to his 46th birthday since he is growing more unruly by the day. Problem is, Link isn’t planning on retiring anytime soon. Upset that he will soon be unemployed, Link begins terrorizing the Professor and his house guest.

If I haven’t got you excited about the 80’s cheese of a killer primate film yet, and you are like The Mike, it includes a great scene where Link tries to join a nude Elizabeth Shue in the shower. If nothing else, this primate flick teaches us that it isn’t just James Bond who has a license to kill in a tuxedo.

Ella from Monkey Shines (1988)

Ella is the capunchin critter from the film Monkey Shines. This film about a crazed primate is directed by famed “____ of the Dead” horror director, George Romero. Romero decides to forget about the brain dead, brain munching zombie plot and go with a brainy monkey instead. Enter into the picture Ella, a trained monkey who is supposed to help a struggling paraplegic by helping him with common tasks. At first Ella seems to be the perfect companion chimp, but as her vast knowledge about her new owner grows so does her ability to want to please her master. And it just so happens a mad scientist trainer, Jeff, decided to genetically alter her brainwaves by injecting her with a strange serum that happens to somehow telepathically link Ella to her master. Ella’s bad monkey antics find her owner questioning just how far Ella is willing to go to please him and begins contemplating if she is capable of murder. What starts out as a happy chimp who does household chores turns into a evil little rage filled anthropoid who is wanting to kill everyone and everything.

Whether it's putting a dead parakeet in your slipper or threatening to light you on fire, Ella shows no mercy to her victims. Whether you can run, walk or crawl (or aren’t physically capable of doing any of the above), Ella is going to make sure you let her do what she wants. And if you don’t see Ella’s point of view, this is one primate who is going to terrorize you until you come around to her way of thinking.

Merry Christmas to all, and a very special thank you again to The Mike for allowing me to guest write on his site. I’d love to tell you I taught The Mike everything he knows, but this guy has been one of my movie mentors for the at least the last 10 years. Enough with the sucking up to The Mike and horror monkeys - Bring on Day 3!

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I couldn't have said it better myself.  Thanks to Jason for joining in, and for giving me the idea that words about movies belonged on the interwebs so many years ago.  In the meantime, head on over to BoxOfficeBoredom.com, because not only can you read Jason's stuff, you can read how awful The Mike was at writing about movies 8 years ago.  Win/Win, right?

FMWL's 12 Midnights of Christmas: 5 Dreaded Remakes (By Malice of Horrorland's Malice!)

 Though most of the folks I asked to join in on FMWL's 12 Midnights of Christmas have been long-time friends of FMWL, I couldn't resist inviting the hostess of one of the favorite young horror sites I've come across.  Her name is Malice, and she brings a wonderful balance of snarky humor and thorough knowledge to her blog, Malice of Horrorland.  And she knows that the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie rules, so you really have no excuse to not check out her ramblings, right?  Point is, I'm excited to have her on board as she presents five truly terrifying horror developments!

 FMWL's 12 Midnights of Christmas presents: 5 Dreaded Remakes

By Malice from Malice of Horrorland

Why horror has fallen victim to so many remakes as of late is a mystery to most. Is Hollywood trying to say something? No, they’re just too scared to take a chance on original thought. In this economy it’s all about the sure thing, the money-makers, the tried-and-true. Even if it flops. At least then they can shrug and say, “Well, it worked the first time,” rather than take responsibility for ruining a good thing.

Fortunately, fright fans lurking around cyberspace have succeeded in intimidating the hell out of Platinum Dunes with some serious distaste for their remakes of A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and Friday the 13th (1980), and possibly scared them away from plans to reboot The Birds (1963) and Rosemary’s Baby (1968). Here’s hoping it sticks.

However, we haven’t scared them all.

On the 5th Midnight of Christmas Zombie Studio Execs gave to me:

IT (1990, Dir. by Tommy Lee Wallace.)

By far, the most frightening work of Stephen King’s to date, this classic was originally released as a televised mini-series in November, 1990. Tim Curry as Pennywise is no doubt an image that has been burned into the vernacular of any self-respecting horror fan with an imagination and a few deep-seeded fears of their own.

Well, hold on to your rubber noses kids, Warner Brothers is hell-bent on consolidating the massive book into one single solitary feature film. Little has been discussed publicly about the plans, other than a few interviews given by proposed writer, Dave Kajgenich, in which he has discussed his approach to adapting the book into a film respectful of the original story. Basically, he’ll put everything and the kitchen sink in, and whittle it down from there. I know, I’m cringing as well. Kajgenich’s past writing credits include The Invasion (2007) and Blood Creek (2008) and is also rumored to be writing a remake of Pet Sematary (1989).

No release date has been announced as of yet. Let’s hope it stays that way.

Poltergeist (1982, Dir. by Tobe Hooper.)

You’d think the rumors of the Poltergeist curse and the tragedies that haunt the original production would stave off anyone from remaking this classic. But no, things seems to be moving along quite smoothly as of yet. It even has an IMDB all set up and ready to break the news.

MGM, the studio responsible for the original, seems to feel that this needs a reboot. A re-introduction, if you will, to new generations. You know, maybe it’s just me, but if the budding young generations following mine are so lazy they can’t put the original on their Netflix, then we are truly screwed. The future holds nothing. The end is nigh. Good game. We did our best.

Here’s some more frightening news about this one: The writers set to wow you at how awesome this movie wasn’t the first time around are Juliet Snowden and Stiles White. Their past work in the genre include such mind-blowing masterpieces as Boogeyman (2005) and the Nicholas Cage snooze-fest Knowing (2009).

Set to direct the remake is Vadim Perelman, who you may know as the director of House of Sand and Fog (2003).

This one is set to hit theatres in 2013. There’s still time. Feel free to write your congressman.

Child’s Play (1988, Dir. by Tom Holland.)

And you thought the failure that was Seed of Chucky (2004) would have spelled the end of the Chucky franchise. Silly horror fan. Just because it’s stupid doesn’t mean there won’t be more of it.

When confronted about his decision to continue the Child’s Play franchise that he, and only he, can be blamed for, Don Mancini says it’s time for Chucky to (you guessed it) be introduced to budding young horror fans the whole world over. *sigh*

The good news (grasping at straws, here) Brad Dourif will be reprising his role as the voice of Chucky. And Mancini promises a darker, more sinister film this time around. Oh okay, well that makes this totally necessary. *rolls eyes*

As of right now, the release is set for 2011 through Universal. There has been much delay in getting this little bad boy off the ground, as folks at Universal and MGM weren’t crossing their t’s or dotting their i’s and no one could seem to figure out who owns the rights for a remake. Hmm…so you really don’t have to be smart to run things. Awesome! To avoid conflict concerning this matter, Mancini has said, “It’s not a strict remake.”

Alrighty then.

Hellraiser (1987, Dir. by Clive Barker.)

While I respect Patrick Lussier as an editor in the industry, his directing has neither impressed, nor irritated me. But his choice in projects is starting to do the latter. He has a tendency to latch on to remakes and sequels. Thus far, we’ve had the tepid Dracula 2000 and My Bloody Valentine (2009). And in the near future, he’ll be helming Halloween III (2011).

Seraphim Films and The Weinstein Company have hired writer Todd Farmer, known for penning the screenplays of Jason X (2001), My Bloody Valentine (2009) and The Messengers (2007), to bring Pinhead back to the masses because (once again) that whole search mechanism on Netflix is really hard to figure out.

This one is set for 2012. I have combs to clean and a sock drawer to organize, but I’m sure I’ll get around to it eventually.

The Thing (1982, Dir. by John Carpenter.)

Whether this one is a prequel to John Carpenter’s 1982 remake, or a generic remake of a remake is unclear to me. I’ve heard it both ways. What I do understand is that it is set in the same Norwegian camp as the 1982 masterpiece and promises the same storyline of the alien that plans on world domination by means of paranoia.

It is set to release on October 14th, 2011. Written by Ronald D. Moore of Battlestar Galactica (2004) fame and Eric Heisserer, responsible for such original thinking as A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010), A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 (2011), and Final Destination 5 (2011).

So far, the only glimmer of hope that this thing won’t suck lies in the casting. We have something to look forward to in Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Final Destination 3, 2006 and Death Proof, 2007), Star Wars alum Joel Edgerton, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Lost, 2004), and Eric Christian Olsen (Not Another Teen Movie, 2001).

The estimated $35,000,000 budget indicates some fancy-shmancy effects. Lets hope it’s not to overshadow lame acting or lack of plot. Strike Entertainment has managed to deliver a quality remake before in 2004’s Dawn of the Dead. This may or may not be in good hands. We shall see.

Happy Holidays from Horrorland! Everyone hail to the Pumpkin King!

Love and Gore,
Malice

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Man, if that ain't five movies I don't want to see, I don't know what that is. (Even if I admit to kind of being curious about the Thing prequel thingy if only because I want to see what they do with it because....well, I don't know.)  Thanks again to Malice for joining our holiday fiesta, and if you haven't checked out Malice of Horrorland yet, do yourself a favor and DO IT!  Until next time, Midnight Warriors....Don't fear the remake!!!  </cuecowbell>

FMWL's 12 Midnights of Christmas: 6 Blobs A-Blobbing

I'm pretty sure The Mike's love of Blobs is the worst kept secret in FMWL's history.  Heck, I've got at least 16 posts that involve AWESOME BLOBNESS.  And now it's 17, because there's no way the 12 Midnights of Christmas are ending without a bit of blobtasticness. 

So, here's a look at 6 blobs I love, the films they appeared in, and their best blobby moments.  If you can't love a good blob, check your pulse!  (And, even if you can't, you should at least read on to see how many suffixes I can give the word blob!)

FMWL's 12 Midnights of Christmas presents: 6 Blobs A-Blobbing

By The Mike

The Blob from The Blob (1958)

OK, so it's a easy place to start, but that's exactly what it was for me...a place to start.  Alongside more "serious" classic fare, this was little The Mike's intro to B-Movie style Drive-In horror.  It was exactly what I needed, and I still love it entirely.

Of course, my Blob memories have to start with the film's first victim, the poor old farmer who poked a meteor with a stick and didn't think that the gelatin substance would be able to climb a stick.  This is also one of my favorite shots of our deadly Blob in its infancy, because it looks so bloody yet maintains its viscosity.  This is where it began for the creature from that molten meteor.

The Blob from Beware! The Blob (1972)

The Larry Hagman directed sequel to my beloved classic is an unfortunately silly film, which is probably why I barely even heard of it until I was an adult.  When I finally did get a look at it in the past couple of years, I'll admit to having fun with it, but mostly in a "Oh, wow, I can't believe they made this kind of way."  It's especially interesting considering the amount of Hollywood talent involved - usually briefly - in the film (Including cameos from Hagman and Burgess Meredith!).

After a sad intital scene between a unfrozen blob and a cute little kitten, the scene that most interests me occurs when the blob takes on the fisherman who recovered a canister of blob...who is actually watching The Blob.  I have never quite been able to wrap my head around what this means, but I like to think it's some kind of time-bending Terminator-esque turn that means The Blob happened for real, but the movie happened for real too, and now The Blob is back, but the movie exists, but wait....I'm just totally confused now.  Anyway, dude bites it watching McQueen try to convince old folks that blobs exist.  Weird.

That Oil Slick Lookin' Blobby Thing from Creepshow 2 (1987)

Creepshow 2 is also an unfortunate sequel, but the middle segement, The Raft, has stuck with me as a blobby classic for years.  In reality, this one's horribly acted and kind of silly (it definitely makes the original Blob look that much more legit), but it's still one of the more fun tales of a killing blob I can recall.  (And it's even better in short story form, thanks to our diabolical friend Stephen King.)

I thought about mentioning the first Creepshow's blobby segment, The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill, which stars King himself in a comedic tale that has more than passing similarities to The Blob, but give the edge to The Raft on its pure amorphosity and a cool final showdown between survivor and That Oil Slick Lookin' Blobby Thing.  Plus there's the weird sex scene, which makes sense in the story but seems kind of horrific in the filmed version.  I don't know why, but it makes me love this silly segment even more.

The Blob from The Blob (1988)

I know, I know, y'alllll love the remake.  I do too.  It's about as gory, interesting, and realistic as a blob tale can be.  I still miss my cheesy Blob when I watch it, and I personally feel the film loses a lot of the original's charm as it becomes an '80s horror filled with hair, leather, and well-drawn supporting characters.  But I can see its charm for fans of this era, because I'm one of them too.  It's one of those "different strokes for different folks" kind of horror flicks.

One of the scenes that sticks out to me from this version is the untimely demise of the restauranter played by Candy Clark.  A minor genre star from films like The Man Who Fell To Earth, Q: The Winged Serpent, and (former Midnight Movie of the Week) Cat's Eye, I always assume Clark is going to play a bigger part in the film's battle against blobness when I start watching it.  Plus, Jeff De Munn's Sheriff is into her, and we all love De Munn and want him to be happy, right?  Alas, it was not to be...and Clark's fate is a perfect example of the harder edge that this Blob brings to the screen.

The "Mood Slime" from Ghostbusters II (1989)

If you're like me (and God, I hope you're not) your top memory of Ghostbusters II is Peter MacNicol screaming "HEEEE IIISSS VVVVVVVVIIIIIIIGGGGOOOOO!!" every 24.6 seconds.  Seriously, dude needs to take some Prozac, or whatnot.  But once you get past that (which might not actually happen every 24.6 seconds, I haven't watched the movie in full in near 20 years) there's the river of slime living beneath NYC that seems to be feeding off the emotions of those around it.  As any good giant mass of slime should, this stuff occasionally takes on a blobish form.

There are several blobby moments, like the dancing toaster bit that would make the real blob shake whatever the blob equivalent of a head is in disbelief, but the best might come when Sigourney Weaver's Dana, while preparing a bath for her and baby Oscar, comes face to blob with it in the bathtub.  I gotta say, the rubber buckling of what I'd assume to be a plastic bathtub always kind of confused me (as does the sight of Weaver in a bra), but it definitely establishes the Mood Slime as a forceful bit of blob.  (Even if it looks like a giant condom in that screencap.)

The T-1000 from Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

OK, so it mostly takes on the form of Robert Patrick, and sometimes Jeanette Goldstein, and others too.  But the T-1000, under its human shaped exterior, is totally the most famous blob in modern cinema.  I mean, just look at it, there's no way you can call that not a blob. Is there?

Though it does some totally unblobby things, like becoming people or sharp objects - which suggests that this blob can take on a solid form - it's always capable of being amorphous.  And that's what the blob is too, right?  I say yes.  Terminator 2 is a blob film.  So it is written, so it shall be.

Got your own favorite blobs that I didn't list?  Go ahead and bring 'em up below!  And get ready for the last FIVE Midnights of Christmas!  Until we meet again, Midnight Warriors....stay blobby!

(P.S. - GO AWAY ROB ZOMBIE!  LEAVE MY BLOBS ALONE!)  

FMWL's 12 Midnights of Christmas: 7 Indie Dames-A-Slaying! (By Dead End Drive-In's R.D. Penning!)

The only horror similarly afflicted horror-freak I know in the real world, Mr. R.D. Penning, is also one heck of a champion of independent horror and a fine blogger over at his site, Dead End Drive-In.  I couldn't have had FMWL's 12 Midnights of Christmas without him, that's for sure.

Russ (as he's known to me) is a lot like New Zealand based duo Flight of the Conchords, as he just wants to do something special for all the ladies of the world - and tonight he's brought together seven stars of the Indie Horror realm to spread a little bit of their own brand of Christmas FEAR!  Let's check out what he, and these fine ladies, have up their sleeves!

FMWL's 12 Midnights of Christmas presents: 7 Indie Dames-A-Slaying!
By R.D. Penning of Dead End Drive-In

When I was first approached by The Mike for this particular piece I was extremely excited immediately. I knew what I wanted to do right off the bat, and while I didn't get to use Day 5 like I had originally wanted, Day 7 only allowed me to share more of what I was planning. Sharing is a big part of Christmas, is it not? With this said, I can think of no people in the independent horror world than these wonderful kind and giving women.

Women have been an essential part of horror for a good 30 years now, and they continue to hold strong as heroines, and occasionally killers. Mainstream horror has drifted a bit throughout the last few years, and that has led me right into the loving arms of independent horror. I have met some wonderful people, and had the chance to review some wonderful movies, including ones a few of these ladies have been in. For little to no money at all they put on wonderful performances time and time again, and you can really tell they enjoy what they are doing. I view them as the modern day Shelley Duvalls, Sissy Spaceks, Jamie Lee Curtis, and even Margot Kidders! So I put together a little bit of a Christmas Interview to help the rest of the blog world catch wind of their never ending achievements in the horror.

I won't spend alot of time introducing them, but rather list them, then let them do the interviews.

Monique Dupree (Satan Hates You)

Deneen Melody (Slices of Life)

Kitsie Duncan (Lethal Obsession)

Jessica Cameron (Death of the Dead)

Kelsey Zukowski (Psycho Street)

Tara Cardinal (Song of the Shattered)

Devanny Pinn (15 Til Midnight)

............and here they are!

Question #1 - What is your favorite part about Christmas? Traditions?
Monique - Well, I have a basketball team of children (my cute little way of saying lots of kids) I love watching my kids make cookies & leave a shot of brandy out for "SANTA" knowing that its me and laughing at the fact that I'm going to get drunk and wrap gifts! lmao. But seriously, I love watching them tear open their gifts and then put on some horror, drink some hot cocoa and have a little fun. Its our tradition.

Deneen - To be honest, I'm really not that big into the Holidays. I do, however, love all the classic Christmas movies! That is probably my favorite thing. I love A Christmas Story, The Santa Clause, Home Alone (the 2nd one is the best!), Trapped in Paradise, and so many others. Oh, and I cannot forget all the animated films from Rankin/Bass! Nestor, The Long Eared Donkey has always been a favorite of mine...it is so sweet and even a little sad! The Year Without a Santa Claus is also pretty epic, I have to watch it at least once every year.

And, while it isn't exactly Christmas, I absolutely adore and fan girl over The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. It came out while I was working at The Disney Store a few years back, which was during the Christmas season, so ever since...I just associate it with the holidays.

Tara - Christmas is (usually) the one day a year I get to take off. Those that know me, know I'm a workaholic. Last year I spent Xmas prepping for the Red Reaper shoot. We shot 4 days before, and 3 days after Christmas. I got to spend the special day in Orlando, with Patty Dunn (who played Quan Yin in Legend of the Red Reaper), and several of my cast and crew. I always hit the new year heavy and hard, so I'm usually on some hard core diet - but I always save room for Xmas pie. I love pie. :)

Jessica - My favorite part of Christmas is getting to spend time with my family.  My father is an endless source of knowledge and inspiration - and around Christmas is when I see the most of him.  MY aunts, uncles, cousins and grandma all get together and spend quality time together.  Its the one time a year that I put my laptop down : )

Devanny - What if I was Jewish huh? I'm not..actually so we're still cool. My favorite part about Christmas is that its like The Twilight Zone. Suddenly everyone gets cheery and pretends to want to hang with in-laws. People come together and all play nice simply because the calendar said so. Hell, even the New Yorkers are friendly. Weird.

Traditions used to be that I wake up early for the first time all year and sneak down with my little brothers to check out the presents under the tree. Now that I am a bit older and Santa n I don't hang as much, my tradition is to gain 5lbs via holiday snacking and spend the new year insisting that my ass isn't bigger.

Kelsey - Guess just that holiday joy. It was obviously stronger when I was younger, but no matter how things are in your life, typically for one day your troubles can be put aside and everyone just seems to be happy, making it kind of contagious. My favorite holiday traditions are definitely making (and eating) cookies with my sister and watching Christmas movies.

Kitsie - FAMILY FAMILY FAMILY! My life is so busy right now, It's hard to find time to go back home and visit the family. It's a long trip, but it is so worth it, to sit and relax with my sisters and mom. The absolute best part is watching the nieces, nephews and my kids have such a great time.

Question #2 - What is your favorite horror movie that takes place on Christmas?

Kitsie - A Christmas Carol..... Only because I think it's HORRIBLE! In all seriousness though I would have to say Gremlins, that movie still gives me the heebie jeebies.

Kelsey - I know it's not really a horror movie, but I have to say A Nightmare Before Christmas. It's one of my favorite films period and it's one I have to watch every Christmas. Well over a decade since it's release and I still love that movie more and more every time I watch it. As far as genre films go, I would have to say Silent Night, Deadly Night. It really takes the innocence and joy of Santa and turns it in to a life long torturous memory that triggers an uprising of evil. It perfectly twists the holiday :) Santa's Slay is always a riot too.

Devanny - I really liked Gremlins and Silent Night Deadly Night...although I am going to go ahead and say Elf. Will Farrel in tights is flat out the most horrifying display I have seen regarding holiday cinema. I still shake and pale at the thought.

Jessica - That is a GREAT question!

I have two that I really enjoy: Gremlins and Child's Play.  Both 80's classics. They were some of the very first horror films that I was allowed to watch and they really influenced my movie tastes!  I love the Gremlins since I thought they were cute and kinda scary at the same time. I really liked how they turned with a drop of water...

I have always had an aversion to those life like dolls as a child. Barbie Dolls and Cabbage Patch Kids were fine - but some of those other ones just seemed too real.

Tara - It's A Wonderful Life

Deneen - Gremlins!!!!! Of course! I always wished I could have a mogwai, they are just super adorable. I think I probably asked Santa for one for a few years, but the closest thing I ever got to one was a pony. Well, and my niece did get one of those evil Furbies one year, but we had decided it wasn't as cute as Gizmo and far more horrifying than the Gremlins. It kept turning on and talking to us in the middle of the night...

Monique - I don't know about on Christmas, but Gremlins it my Christmas favorite!!! I like festive, fun kills! I also like furry things..Its a win win for me!

Question #3 - Current and future projects? Plug away!!!

Monique - I just finished a project called Shadowhunters: Lost Ones...Its premiering soon and then will be available to view online. It was done through Darkstone Entertainment. I also shot a teaser trailer recently for Red Shirt in Maine. Future projects include Epitaph: Bread and Salt, Dead Woman's Hallow, Plan 9, on top of modeling for comics such as Gingerstein and playing the voice for AstroNoir's The Fixers and 12 other projects as well!

http://comicbookdivas.com/gingerstein/?page_id=2

http://www.astronoir.com/

http://www.freighttrainfilms.com/New-Red-Shirt.html

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1753788/combined

http://www.deadwomanshollow.us/

http://www.darkstone-ent.com/plan9cast&crew.html

Deneen - Western X, the highly anticipated web series I am involved in, has premiered the first three episodes along with an introduction by director Michael Flores and a coming soon trailer! (The trailer features a sneak peak at the upcoming episodes, including a little bit with my character.) You can watch the episodes on Koldcast TV or on the official Western X website: http://westernxtheshow.com

Anthony G. Sumner's Slices of Life (http://slicesoflifemovie.com) has also been completed and screened at a few festivals in the Midwest this fall. From what I have been told, we'll have some awesome news involving distribution soon, so keep your eyes open on that one!

In January, I am heading to Florida to film Joe Davison's Journey Into Hell (http://journeyintohellmovie.com), which I am very excited about since I will be rejoining many of the cast/crew from As Night Falls (http://asnightfallsthemovie.com). I can't say much about it at this point, but I think people are going to love it.

I have many other projects I would like to talk about, but don't want to take too much space, so I'll just list a few coming up for next year: A Midsummer Nightmare, Bloodstruck, Don't Look in the Basement!, Astro Noir, Mother's Blood (with the lovely Kitsie Duncan!), Prey to God, Girl Scout Cookies, Witches Playground, Dark Light, and Rose White, a fantasy film based off the story Snow White & Rose Red by the Brothers Grimm.

There is also this dramatic short film I did called Crestfallen that should be coming out soon. It was written by some guy named Russ Penning...maybe you've heard of him? Hehe. (Thank you for including me in this list with so many beautiful ladies, Russ!!)

Tara - Oh dear... the list.. I hate to plug future projects, because they can fall apart at anytime :)

Last year I shot leading roles in: Spreading Darkness (directed by the amazing Josh Eisenstadt, playing opposite Eric Roberts), Bite Nite (Vampire comedy), Song of the Shattered (I play a special needs girl opposite the beautiful Devanny Pinn and Brandon Slagle), Joe Hollow's Blood Struck (aka Diary of Death), Faux (currently playing festivals directed by Brenda Fies), Ripped Memories (opposite the legendary Debbie Rochon) and Legend of the Red Reaper, as the Red Reaper.

Next year, I'm attached to some amazing projects, in and out of the horror genre, including: Girl Scout Cookies (go Mark Cray!!!), Manos: Search for the Valley Lodge (opposite wrestler Gene Snisky), Sybil Danning's new untitled feature (it will be HUGE honor to work her!), and a wrestling movie (I do love my action films) called The Sessionist.

And.. I'm working on the Legend of the Red Reaper sequel, as well as a comic book. The amazing George Perez is consulting on the comic book, and the super talented Michael Schaefer did the writing on it. 2011 is going to be an amazing year. Although it sounds busy, I'm leaving lots of holes in my schedule for other projects, and a vacation to Hawaii :).

Here's wishing all of the super talented ladies, Russ Penning, and all of the fans out there very happy holidays, and a start to an amazing New Year.

Jessica - The Jersey Devil - For over 260 years, people living near New Jersey's Pine Barrens have been terrorized by a creature straight from the bowels of Hell. The Jersey Devil, said to be the offspring of a colonial witch and Satan himself. Though the creature has been reported by over 2000 people, there are still those who call it a legend, a fairy tale, a fake.  Samantha (my character), a young woman going through hard times after being laid off, takes a room at Mrs. Hammerstrom's boarding house, on the edge of the Pine Barrens. She soon begins to suspect that there is something out there, in the dark, watching her and the other women at the boarding house. Something monstrous. Something evil...

Prey To God - This is going to be an epic horror film. In my my character, Monica gets to kick some major butt! Four teenagers and a tag along little brother embark on a fun-filled camping trip, looking forward to a weekend of fun, adventure and, for four of them, a little beer-enhanced romance in the woods. While stopping at a diner, a waitress confirms the existence of a nearby graveyard, which is the source of several local legends and piques the curiosity of the young campers. The group sets out in search for this graveyard and the rumored loot buried there and set up camp somewhere near the graveyard and settle in for a night of fun and relaxation.  Soon, the teens become entangled in the local legend, realizing that the potential rewards were attached to terrifying risk from a twisted, backwoods family who want to cleanse the campers' souls through purification of their flesh.

Girl Scout Cookies (The Movie) - This is an action packed horror film that was written and will be directed by award winning film maker Bobby Jones about 6 couples that go on a weekend trip to the backwoods of MN for some fun, frolicking and good times. However, things turn out to not be as they appeared as the camping trip turns into a game of life and death when a group of women with animalistic natures decides to treat the group to the privilege of being their next big hunt.

The Hot Damn Cabaret - A comedy about a nice guy who's down on his luck and wins a property in a chance hand in a "friendly" poker game. This property comes with a bunch of funny characters, a pile of debt and its own challenges. He must work with his new friends to keep the property and prove to his parents that he has what it takes to survive in the "real world", while maintaining his sanity and falling for clumsy dancer with a heart of gold.

The Human Factor - This is an intense drama about a determined investigative Reporter and a renegade Detective who plan to uncover the mysterious disappearances of the Homeless population in Metro City... without risking their own lives.... This script blew me away when I read it, it was so intense, so fresh and so relevant. I can not wait to film it later next year!

Night of The Witches: The Beginnings - This film chronicles the life of a young girl and how she becomes an enchantress of the dark ways. Damiana Novella, a sixteen-year-old child from Spain is forced to flee for her life. Stowed away aboard a ship heading for Hispaniola, Damiana is soon caged like an animal. Her aversion towards life begins. Befriended by a group of slaves,Damiana is introduced to the practice of Voodoo, which she will soon fashion into her magic. Now faced with certain death or the opportunity of eternal life, Damiana is about to perform the most important sacrifice of her life.

Devanny - My baby is VIViD...we are currently filming the last few days and its just beautiful. I act in the film in addition to my first time as producer, story writer, assistant director, makeup/wardrobe and...well a lot more. Brandon Slagle has helped me really develop my filmmaking skills and I am so proud of it- it stars Rachel Grubb, Keith Kraft, Deneen Melody, Bill Oberst Jr, Barry Ratcliffe, Tawny Amber Young, Brandon Slagle and myself. Check it out the trailer and add the fan page on facebook!

Cut just wrapped production and Song of the Shattered and 15 Till Midnight are just starting to make festival rounds so look for those as well. Set to debut soon are the art slasher The Los Angeles Ripper and my own holiday horror film, 12-24.

Kelsey - The first feature I acted in, The Melon Heads, wrapped this fall and is set for a spring release. It's about a cult of satanists and it was really cool to be involved since I'm originally from the area where the origin of the Melon Heads myth began.

The slasher/mystery webseries, Echo Lake, which I co-created with Jonathan Moody began filming last weekend and is to be released on April 12. I also co-wrote a number of the segments for both of Moody's anthology series, Scream Queen Campfire and Trick or Eat. I'm set to play the lead of April in Wrong Number, where a texting mix up pins a deranged killer after me, leading him straight to my doorstep. In Ritual of the Dead, the segment that ties everything together in Trick or Eat, I will be acting as well as making my directorial debut, which I am very excited about.

Another upcoming project of mine is What They Say, starring and based on the short story by Heather Dorff. It's a dark drama about a girl who seems to have the perfect life, but she's in constant pain on the inside; a prisoner in her own skin. I will be playing Heather's sister, oblivious to the torment she suffers. Justin R. Romine is directing it, who I've worked with a lot recently between Afraid of Sunrise, Acceptance (Directed by Keith Romine), and a feature we are currently working on the script for.

I'm really looking forward to working with Kevin Jamison on a few projects coming up, including Dead Light District (the first film I was actually cast in) and Serial: Girl's Night Out with Deneen Melody, Colleen Miller, and Christopher Howell, reprising his role as the deceptive and vicious serial killer, Trenton Bracks. Serial started out being a series of shorts, showcasing different stages in Bracks life, understanding the killer within. Girl's Night Out shows the second stage. We have recently gotten the funding for a feature, opening up so many more possibilities. It's going to be a brutal and intriguing character study of the unleashing of a mad man.

Kitsie - Lethal Obsession was released this year to rave reviews. This was my first feature film and is for sale at www.LethalObsession.com. Projects I have worked on and are currently in post production: Crestfallen (written by the wonderful Russ Penning), Cthulhu Key: Legacy, and Good Night. Projects I am slated in for 2011: Mother's Blood (www.mothersblood.com), Lycanthology, The Collective, Closed Casket, Reverie, Girl Scout Cookies, and Idiot Gore. Not to mention I am always looking for new projects you can contact me at www.KitsieDuncan.com.

Thank you once again to these beautiful, amazing, talented ladies, and keep doing an amazing job, and I look forward to seeing more of your work!

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Holy tons of great information, Batman!  Thanks again to Mr. Penning for putting this together for FMWL, and thanks to all of these ladies for taking part.  If you ever need a genre-lovin' writer to take a look at your films, I might know a guy named The Mike who's more than willing.  Here's to a Merry Christmas in the indie horror world, and to Mr. Penning and Dead End Drive-In!

FMWL's 12 Midnights of Christmas: 8 Kids-A-Creeping (By The Quest to Watch Every Movie Ever's Emily C!)

One of the most ambitious and knowledgeable bloggers I've come across is Emily C. of The Quest to Watch Every Movie Ever.  If you need a reason why, just look at the name of her site - she wants to watch freakin' EVERYTHING!  In the immortal words of B.A. Barracus, "She crazy, foo...like Murdock!"  But in a really good way; because her gleeful admiration of all kinds of cinema - especially horror, of course - is terribly infectious.  

That said, I'm incredibly honored to have Emily on board for FMWL's 12 Midnights of Christmas celebration.  She's put together a rockin' list as we count down to midnight on the 25th, so let's get at it!

FMWL's 12 Midnights of Christmas presents: 8 Kids A-Creeping
By Emily C. of The Quest to Watch Every Movie Ever

There are few things in horror films that bring me more joy than super-creepy kids. Maybe it’s because traditionally children are supposed to be innocents, and thus, when they are evil, it delivers more of an impact. Maybe it’s because kids can so easily make themselves seem cute, thus cutting through your defenses and in the process becoming a more dangerous weapon. Whatever the case, creepy kids are the bomb, and so in the spirit of Christmas, here are eight creepy kids, the likes of which will hopefully fill you with the Christmas spirit… if they don’t kill you first.

Gage in Pet Semetary

Clearly one of the cutest kids to grace the movies, but a lethal little fella too, Gage was the product of a devastated father who just couldn’t let go of his dead son, and so did the logical thing, which was to bury him in an old Indian burial ground, rumored to bring the dead back to life. As he wields his deadly scalpel, you still can’t help bust say “Aww” when Gage speaks, even as he’s coming after you with murder in his eyes.

Samara in The Ring

Samara was evil in life, and in death is now even more lethal. Just the fact that she can project strange nightmarish images on a videotape which when watched kills you is scary enough, but to actually have her be able to project herself into the television, and then crawl out of it to kill you is blood-curdling.

Damien in The Omen

Being the Antichrist is a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it, and Damien’s just the kid for the job. Beware getting in the way of his master plan though, or you will die a shocking and painful death (even if he doesn’t necessarily know he is causing the deaths). His evil, penetrating stare is one of the most menacing ones out there.

The children of the corn in The Children of the Corn

These crazy corn worshiping children are some of the most chilling out there, with their banning of anything that isn’t corn-worship related- even innocent music and board games, the massacre of their parents, and their capture of any outlanders. Malachai is just a miserable and awful kid, but Isaac creeps me out the most, with his preaching, and raspy voice, and piercing eyes.

Miles and Flora in The Innocents

While they may or may not actually be evil in this film, there is not doubt that Miles and Flora are some creepy kids. They seem innocent, and sweet, but their “pranks” and nighttime excursions, and secrets that they keep, are enough to make you wonder whether Miss Giddens is right in her suspicions about them. Are they being possessed by the dead employees or are they only innocent children?

Rhoda Penmark in The Bad Seed

On the surface she seems like the perfect child- prim and proper and well spoken, but lurking underneath is a conniving, malicious, and murderous psychopath. She won’t settle for less than getting her way all the time, and if that means a few people have to die, so be it.

The children in Village of the Damned

While easy to pick out in a lineup, the strange children in the village of Midwich are not easy to stop, especially since they can cause others to do their will, which often is committing suicide. Their odd appearance- platinum blonde hair and piercing eyes, their extreme intelligence, their telepathic ability, and their cold and unfeeling nature, makes them incredibly sinister.

The children in Who Can Kill A Child?

Like the children in Children of the Corn, the children on a small island off the coast of Spain have decided to kill off all the adults on their island, but for an even creepier reason than religion. These children seem to have undergone some type of mutation, or caught a virus, that has made them decide that all adults need to die, as adults have caused major problems in the world- war, famine, etc. They can transfer this mutation to other children just by staring at them…. And they don’t want to be confined to their island, but rather want to spread throughout the world.

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Thanks again to Emily C. for joining our late night Christmas party, and for reminding me that I still need to see Children of the Corn.  (I know, I'm from Iowa, and I haven't seen a movie about corn.)  Head on over to The Quest to Watch Every Movie Ever to follow her epic quest; I'm sure you'll enjoy following her cinematic journey!