31 Nights of Halloween: The Morning After

Another Halloween has come and gone, and Terror Titans slinks back into the crypt. Maybe there'll be another Scary Christmas Season, maybe there's be a few reviews or other posts... but generally things will be quiet around here until next October.


But there's one last mini-film before the crypt door closes....








See you next October, if not before!

31 Nights of Halloween: Yummy Meat

The Big Night is here! Remember to be nice to the trick-or-treaters... or you might find yourself in a situation like the one featured in this, our last (and one of the best) films for this year's 31 Nights of Halloween.



Yummy Meat (2015)
Starring: Miracle Laurie, Luke Albright, Lucas Jaye, and Lou Ferrigno Jr.
Director: John Fitzpatrick
Rating: Ten of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: American Witch

I'm not exactly a Rob Zombie fan, but I like his 2006 song "American Witch"... and I like the cartoon music video that goes with it even better. It seemed like the perfect choice to feature among the several items that are closing out this year's 31 Nights of Halloween!






If you're a roleplaying gamer, you can bring the action of this video to your gaming table with the d20 System supplement Secrets of the Witchkind, written and designed by yours truly! Check it out, let me know how your games go!

31 Nights of Halloween: Candy

The Big Night is here! At sundown, ghouls and goblins will be on the prowl--so beware! If you don't have any treats for them, those goblins may subject you to tricks! Like the unfortunate couple learns in this story, which is one of the best films I've featured this month.


Candy (2014)
Starring: Stassi Rebecca Pryce, Mykey Cooper, and Zach Beitel
Director: Nelson Vicens
Rating: Ten of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: The Cut

The Big Night for "tricks or treats" is almost here. Tonight's short horror film embodies the Halloween spirit, I think.

The Cut (2015)

Starring: Kirill Ermichev

Director: Alexy Treskov
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Welcome to the Circus

Tonight's offering doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but it's plenty creepy. Maybe someone out there in Halloweenland can explain it to me in the comments?


Welcome to the Circus (2016)
Starring: Adrienne Smith, Guilford Adams, and Miles Chandler.
Director: John Fitzpatrick
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Cam Closer

Lotta's unlucky streak continues in today's 31 Nights of Halloween offering. She keeps having these unfortunate run-ins with the supernatural...

Cam Closer (2013)
Starring:Lotta Losten
Director: David F. Sandberg
Rating: Ten of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Friend Request

The march of technology always brings to light new vehicles for horror. Think of all the scary scenes that could never have been made if not for a car (to break down) or a phone (for the killer to call on). In recent years, social media has given rise to scenes of horror... and entire stories. Take tonight's entry in the 31 Nights of Halloween mini-film festival for example....

Friend Request (2015)
Starring: Rob Hall
Director: Shiekh Shah-Nawaz
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: So Pretty

The big night of ghouls and goblins is less than a week away... and the monsters are coming out in force.

So Pretty (2015)
Starring: Jeremy Palko and Melanie Crim
Director: Al Lougher
Rating: Ten of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: The Black Hole

Tonight's offering reminded me of stories I read as a kid in DC Comics horror anthologies, or saw on television in series like Tales From the Dark Side. It's a cautionary tale about greed...

The Black Hole (2008)
Starring: Napoleon Ryan
Directors: Phil & Olly
Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Hammer Horror

This tribute to the classic monster movies and thrillers from Hammer Films fits nicely into the 31 Nights of Halloween on this Musical Monday. (The song was originally released on October 27, 1978.)




Hammer Horror (1978)
Starring: Kate Bush
Director: Unknown
Rating: Nine of Ten Stars



To read my take on some of the Hammer films, click here. You can also find reviews of Hammer's black-and-white films at the Shades of Gray blog. You still have time to rent or buy a few to watch on the Big Night when it arrives next Monday!

31 Nights of Halloween: Closet Space

Here's a film from a creative team that was featured several times during last year's 31 Nights of Halloween mini-film fright festival. I think they topped themselves with this one. (Lotta's streak of bad luck continues...)

Closet Space (2016)
Starring: Lotta Losten and David F. Sandberg
Director: David Sandberg
Rating: Ten of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Jungfrau

The shadows grow longer, and the monsters are coming out of play as the final 31 Nights of Halloween draws ever closer. Tonight's mini fright film tells of one such monster....

Jungfrau (2015)
Starring: Delainey Phillips
Director: Indiana Dunn
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

 

31 Nights of Halloween: It Had Pale Skin

Tonight's short feature reminds me an iconic scene in the original "Cat People." Ultimately, there's a very different payoff, though. The only complaint I have with this short film (and which cost it Two Stars) is that the scene needed better lighting. In several places, things are entirely too dark for the viewer to see what the woman being stalked is reacting to.

It Had Pale Skin (2016)
Starring: Bella Stewart
Director: Chris Ashton
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Wavelength

In tonight's mini-horror film, there's something strange going on in the land of console gaming....


Wavelength (2016)
Starring: Simon Owens and Giulio Caiti
Director: Jackson Owens
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Self Control

We're returning to the 1980s again on this Musical Monday for the 31 Nights of Halloween--being a GenXer, I suppose I have a particular soft spot for music from that decade. However that may be, the video for this song has all the elements of the great horror film--it's got mystery, supernatural happenings, creepy images, and startling events. Oh yeah--and creatures of the night.

Laura Brannigan: Self Control (1984)
Starring: Laura Branigan
Director: William Friedkin
Rating: Ten of Ten Stars



Speaking of the 1980s, it was suggested to me that I needed to feature the amazing John Landis video for Michael Jackson's "Thriller." Thing is--I already included it in the very first 31 Nights of Halloween celebration back in 2012. Not only that, but I included a whole bunch of cover version. Click here to check them out!

31 Nights of Halloween: Sloven

Slobby roommates can be the worst. Especially the uninvited ones....
Sloven (2016)
Starring: Baker Chase Powell
 Director: Marc Cartwright
Rating: Nine of Ten Stars
 

31 Nights of Halloween: Mr Creak

Tonight's mini-horror film is a great mood piece, but it raises so many questions, in particular why is the woman creeping around the house in the dark, with a flashlight? Why do so  many horror movie characters do that? Are they light-switch challenged?

Will we ever know?

Mr. Creak (2015)
Starring: Julia Damassa
Director: Liam Banks
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Selfie

A young woman documents her day about town... and something else...


Selfies (2015)
Starring: Jordan Streussnig
Director: Bradley Walkowiak
Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: The Water Ghost

Tonight's selection is short and to the point...

The Water Ghost (2016)
Starring: Andrea Ricca
Director: Andrea Ricca
Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: The Little Witch

The days are getting shorter, the air is getting chill. The monsters and goblins are definitely gathering in the shadows, preparing for their Big Night... so you might want to start checking under not just your child's bed, but your own as well.

But let's hope you don't find what the father in tonight's horror short film does....

 

The Little Witch (2016)
Starring: Eve Daggett and Kevin Elliott
Director: Alasdair McBroom
Rating: Nine of Ten Stars



In other bewitching, Halloween-related news, my latest game design effort for the d20 System is out. Titled "Secrets of the Witchkind," it's a neat supplement that introduces a new, highly magical player character race to your games. The book contains character generation rules, details on the unique way  the witchkind casts spells, and feats and talents to further augment their magic. It's all behind a great cover by Bradley K. McDevitt. which echoes the TV show that inspired the creation of the witchkind--"Betwitch."

"Secrets of the Witchkind" is sure to bring a little Halloween spirit to your gaming table. The book is available at RPGNow and DriveThruRPG. Click here to see previews or to get your own copy.

Art by Bradley K. McDevitt. Get the book here!

31 Nights of Halloween: Bounce House of Horror

Haunted houses embody Halloween, but bounce houses? After watching today's offering in Terror Titans' mini-film fright festival, you know that they do. (This one is a really fun monster movie that's full of the Halloween spirit!)


Bounce House of Horror (2015)
Starring: Sarah Scott, Michael Alperin, and Betsy Curry
Director: John Fitzpatrick
Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Me Myself and I

A couple years ago, it seemed like I ended up with lots of shorts with a "babysitter in trouble" theme when picking what to include in the 31 Nights of Halloween mini-film festival. This year, doppelgangers seem to be showing up a lot.

Take tonight's offering as an example....

31 Nights of Halloween: Dimensions of Horror

I absolutely cannot stand the style of metal (death metal, typically) where the lead vocalist, at best, sounds like Cookie Monster from "Sesame Street" and, at worst, is impossible for me to make out a single lyric. The band known as Gruesome performs in this style--where the lyrics are growled more than they are sung--and they're the performers on this Musical Monday of the 31 Nights of Halloween.

Is the song in today's video in English? Damned if I know. But the mini-horror movie that makes up the video is far better than many of the ones you'll be wasting 80 or more minutes of your life on this month.

Gruesome: Dimensions of Horror (2016)
Starring Gruesome and Uncredited Actresses
Director: Unknown
Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Sleight

A late-night radio host becomes a believer in this multi award-winning entry in the 31 Nights of Halloween mini-film festival!


Sleight (2015)
Starring: Brent Black and Kurt Barretto
Director: Fiasal Hashemi
Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Call Girl

Tonight's short couldn't have been conceived without the latest communication technology. The horror genre always seems to be moving forward with society--just think about all the scenes, or entire films, that would not exist if not for cars or telephones.

The co-star of tonight's mini-fright film, Tristan Risk, reacts to Terror Titans.

Call Girl (2015)
Starring: Laurence R. Harvey and Tristan Risk
Director: Jill Gevargizian
ating: Ten of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: The Passenger

A dark night. A deserted road. A flat tire. This won't end well...


I hope you enjoy today's entry in the Terror Titans mini-film festival in anticipation of Halloween!




The Passenger (2015)
Starring: Mackie Lou Vigal, Kevin Tan, and Rachel Burnell
Director: Vick Krishna
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Camera Never Lies

Today's entry in the annual Terror Titans mini-film festival is a mystery about a mystery. It was made by 6Four6 Films, but that's all the information my weak Google-Fu was able to discover. Enjoy!


Camera Never Lies (2016)
Starring: Anonymous
Director: Anonymous
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

31 Days of Halloween: The Dancing Dead

While we focus mostly on horror here at Terror Titans, Halloween is more about having fun with, and making fun of, monsters when it comes right down to it. Today's short film is therefore in the true Halloween spirit!

The Dancing Dead (2012)

Starring: Oscar Orosco, Jaime Burgos, Tamara Levinson-Campos, Spee-D, and Daniel Cloud Campos.

Director: Danny Cloud Campos

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Breathless

Halloween draws ever-closer. Tonight's film is about a young couple trying to live to tell what happens after a person dies.

Breathless (2010)
Starring: Stirleen Gunn and Eric Mann
Director: Lewis Farinella
Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Wild Boys!

I'll be presenting a creepy music video every Monday as part of the 31 Nights of Halloween, because it's Musical Monday!

We're kicking off this sub-theme in the mini-horror film festival with one of several creepy Duran Duran music videos that are also mini-movies. This one, the video for "Union of the Snake" feels like you're walking into the middle of the movie, but it's still excellent.

Duran Duran: Union of the Snake (1983)
Starring: Duran Duran
Director: Russell Mulcahy
Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: That's Not Me

It's October, 2016.. and it's time for another mini-film fest here at Terror Titans. Every night from now until the Big Night of Halloween, there'll be a bite-sized chiller for you to enjoy, and none of them will be longer than 15 minutes! Our second offering this year is a tale of domestic bliss gone scary. There's a tiny bit of overproduction going on here, but Lyles freaky and freaked-out performance makes up for it!



That's Not Me (2016)
Starring: Shantel Lyles and William Watson
Director: Melvin Johnson
Rating: Eight of Ten Stars
 

31 Nights of Halloween: The Grinning Man

Terror Titans rises from the grave once again, bringing you another short film each and every day from now until October 31... because we want you to be in the right mood for the Big Night!

First up... a cautionary tale about making sure you aren't followed home while driving on lonely roads. And about not being stupid when a stranger is at the door in the middle of the night.

The Grinning Man (2016)
Starring: Adam J. Yeend, Dichen Lachen, and Grant Geller
Director: John Fitzpatrick
Rating: Six of Ten Stars