I spend a lot of time on Slasher Studios updating the site, promoting upcoming horror movies, and writing reviews for slasher films that hope other horror fans will eventually have the time to enjoy. One thing that I normally do not do is talk about myself. Well, today that is about to change. I figured it would be interesting for those of you out there to get to know the face behind Slasher Studios. The following are ten very random horror facts about me in no particular order. Read them and hopefully enjoy…maybe we are more alike than you may think.
1) My favorite horror movie is the original Black Christmas. Don’t quote me on this however because it tends to change on an almost monthly basis. This, however, is the one that I recommend to everyone whether they like horror or not. It’s a great starter horror film as well as a good first date movie. If your date doesn’t like it, make sure there is no second date.
2) My favorite scream queen is Heather Langenkamp. I adored Heather as Nancy in the three Nightmare on Elm Street films that she appeared in. She brought strength and humanity to the role. She was one of the first Final GIrls to actually put up a fight and destroy evil…at least for the time being. It’s a shame she never broke out because she is one fine actress.
3) I don’t understand the love for Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. I know this is many fans favorite of the Friday the 13th series but I always found this installment to be mean spirited (this film seems to hate women—almost every woman in this movie is either a slut or needs the assistance of a man) and I hated Corey Feldman’s performance as young Tommy. Just annoying and the deaths aren’t even all that great.
4) On the flip side, I don’t understand why more horror fans don’t love Wes Craven’s New Nightmare. A smart, cutting edge horror film that was ahead of its time, this movie is seriously scary and asks the burning question that most horror movies are afraid of—What impact does a horror movie have on those watching it? Scream toyed with this idea a few years later but I think New Nightmare is even better.
5) I don’t understand the love of supernatural horror movies. Don’t get me wrong, these can be done and done well (see Poltergeist and House of the Devil) but normally these types of films just leave me cold. You know you are going to get some doors that slam on their own as well as some creepy music but little else. I don’t mend tension but these films have just become an open invitation to make a bad, cheap horror movie.
6) If I’m not a fan of supernatural horror movies then I really hate found footage horror. I love Blair Witch, I think the first Paranormal Activity features some decent shocks, but…that’s about it. These are cheap, insulting movies that pander to a horror audience that want to see “the real thing”. They are also incredibly lazy and an excuse to feature poor acting (These are real people!). Case in point watch “The Devil Inside” or, better yet, don’t.
7) My first horror movie experience was when I was 6. I watched the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre with my parents. I stayed up all night because I was so scared out of my mind. As soon as I got over my initial shock, I went back for more. Twenty+ years later and I’m still looking to recapture that wonderful experience.
8. I obnoxiously quote horror movies that I’ve seen a million times to friends who haven’t seen them and don’t know what the hell I’m talking about. The biggest offenders: Scream (all four movies), Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, Poltergeist III, Slaughter High, and Black Christmas.
9) I have never seen The Exorcist. There is no excuse for this one.
10) If I could meet one horror movie director, it would be Wes Craven. He created at least a dozen of my favorite horror movies and I’d ask him for both advice and tips of the trade. I’d also ask him to see the original cut of Cursed with Mandy Moore.
That is all. Hope that was informative. What are some random horror facts about you?
Halloween and Scream are very close for me. Haha. I fear the fate of slashers as well. There’s too much found footage/supernatural crap being released. Unless it involves ghosts killing people off in slasher form (like 7500 will) ghost flicks just stink.
Great top 10! I was surprised to see Halloween as your favorite horror movie. I thought for sure it would have been Scream. Keep the love for slashers alive for the next generation of horror fans. I fear the subgenre is dying some days. :(
1) My favorite horror movie is Carpenter’s Halloween
2) My first horror movie was I Know What You Did Last Summer when I was 6.
3) Ghostface is my favorite horror movie killer.
4) My favorite scream queen is Scout Taylor-Compton.
5) I prefer slasher flicks over any other horror subgenre.
6) The opening scene from Scream is my favorite horror movie scene.
7) The worst horror movie I’ve ever seen so far is The Wicker Man remake.
8) If I could compare myself to one horror movie character I would be a male version of Kirby from Scream 4.
9) My favorite final girl is Sidney Prescott.
10) my favorite horror director is Wes Craven.
I really need to get back into Italian horror. I love Suspiria and Stage Fright but I haven’t warmed up to much else. Probably because I watched it when I was too young to appreciate the art of it all. My favorite horror movie this month, still Black Christmas. Next month it might go back to The Burning. Hard to say. haha
Bringing TCM was my first horror flick too! I feel the same about found footage but I view it as an obsession to see each one…the only two I liked were original Blair Witch and Last Broadcast. Random fact about Mack: I love Italian horror. The more incomprehensible and fever dream like the better! I see this was a bit ago, what is your favorite horror movie this month?
I definitely understand your apprehension towards New Nightmare. It’s a love it or hate it film for many horror fans. It’s almost an “art house” horror film if you want to call it that. Interesting that you compare Miko to Corey, I know that a lot of horror fans get rubbed the wrong way by this film as well as Miko’s performance. He can come off as shrill and a bit grating, I will give you that. I just loved the relationship between him and Langenkamp. They felt like a real flesh and blood mother-son team to me. You don’t see that too often in horror movies.
If you like excellent movies, than you will love The Exorcist (hype or not).
I am in agreement with you generally on supernatural horror (there are a few greats) and totally agree with you on “found footage”, shaky-cam horror. However, I found Blair Witch to be appallingly awful, as well as its many successors. It provided neither the thrills nor comedy that I seek in horror.
Other notes:
You are correct, Wes Craven is a master.
Black Christmas is a criminally underrated slasher and one of the very best I’ve ever seen.
I know that feeling that you are trying to recapture from TCM. My earliest horror memory is A Nightmare on Elm Street and I’ll love that movie until I die.
Good article, by the way.
Now to the disagreement – I feel that Friday IV was a terrific example of what I look for in a slasher. It was not my favourite of the Friday series (III!), but it was fantastic nonetheless. I find the whole series to be mean-spirited in general, and I suppose that absurdity is part of its charm for me. As for Feldman, I don’t think I would have it any other way. His role provides a lot of unintentional comedy.
Also, New Nightmare was a bit of a letdown for me. I adore the concept and I really like the film, but there’s just something about it that never sparked for me. Maybe it’s because I always watch it as the end of a larger Nightmare viewing. Miko Hughes is a big failure for me, as well. I’m sure this is similar to how you see Feldman as Tommy.
The Exorcist has been on my need to see list for years and I honestly don’t know why I haven’t watched it yet. I’m afraid after twenty five years of hype, it isn’t going to live up to expectations.
For the record, i never really understood the love for F13th Final Chapter either, and i do worship New Nightmare, too! Also, i feel for you on supernatural horrors. I dunno, I prefer my villains and fears to be more…tangible. And warm. Red warm.
Are you telling me you never saw the Exorcist?! Dude, supernatural or not, you got to see it at least once!
The Exorcist is the movie that started it all for me. I didn’t like horror until my teen years when I started babysitting for a horror fan. The Exorcist was the first movie that I saw that actually scared me. It was one of my first times babysitting at night. She didn’t have cable so I popped in a movie after her son went to bed. During a particularly climactic scene, the kid woke up and came downstairs screaming like he was possessed. I would suppose the image on the screen may have been a bit disturbing.