The Final Fear-filled Phantasm from Richard Sala

2022 is coming to an end, as is Terror Titan's year-long celebration of the works of the great Richard Sala. We're here with a few of Richard's phantasms, getting ready to party our way into the new year, and we toast and thank you for joining us!

Fear-filled Phantasms by Richard Sala

Richard Sala is back with Christmas Among the Creatures. 

In this drawing, he gives us a look at some of Santa's Helpers that are rarely seen, because they're not as pretty as ones we feature over at the Shades of Gray blog.

Ouija Board Wednesday: Ouija 2

Ouija 2 (2022)
Starring: Juliett Rojas and Eteri Coast
Director: Alex Magana
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

Two sisters (Coast and Rojas) receive a mysterious package containing a Ouija board. They decide to try to reach out to the spirits... with a dire outcome.

 "Ouija 2" is predictable but well executed and creepy. It's well-staged, well-paced, and stars a pair of talented child actors. It may not be one of Magana's best films, but he's working with confining material and trodding well-covered ground in a very traditional way... and he delivers what viewers should expect.

Fear-filled Phantasms by Richard Sala

 In the Spirit of the Season, we bring you "Krampus vs. Santa's Helpers"!

And if Krampus wins, then last Christmas will have been the last Christmas!

Tuneful Tuesday with Valentino Khan

What if Junji Ito (the guy behind these works, some of which inspired these films) created a music video? Well, it would probably be something like this:

Ouija Board Wednesday: Weeji

We're going to keep the short films coming until the next 31 Nights of Halloween come around. Stop by the second Wednesday of each month between now and October 2023 for some bone-chilling fun with demons and spirit boards!

Weeji (2017)

Starring: Matthew Scott Montgomery, Abbie Cobb, Emily James, Wes Aderhold, and Hayley Ogas

Director: Allisyn Snyder

Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

Four detail-obsessed friends (Alderhold, Cobb, James, and Mongomery) find themselves confronted by a demon (Ogas) who grows sick of their shit.

Making a good horror movie is hard. Making a good comedy is harder. Making a good horror comedy... well, that takes a lot of talent and top-notch work from writers, directors, actors, and pretty much everyone involved with a production. As such, good horror comedies are few and far between, and they are especially rare when it comes to short films. 

But, luckily for us, "Weeji" is a good horror comedy that may even be great. Click below, sit back, and enjoy!

The perfect song for this Tuneful Tuesday

 

We're bringing in the Day of the Dead (and an early start to the Holiday Season) with style... thanks for Lindsey Stirling and Friends!

Danses Macabre on Halloween!

The big day is here--Halloween 2022! We're going to be celebrating it with several posts both here at and our sister blog Shades of Gray. A running theme will be versions of the spooky classic "Danse Macabre", as we bring you thrilling interpretations of that great piece of music, along with exciting visuals.

If you just want to keep up with the music at Shades of Gray, click here. A post with a different version to of Danse Macabre will show up every few hours between now and when darkness falls across the land and Halloween begins in earnest!

Meanwhile, you'll also find tidbits of terror set on Halloween here, along with more versions of "Danse Macabre" sprinkled in every few hours. So join us here or at Shades of Gray whenever you need to recharge between preparing for party guests, or the waves of trick-or-treaters.

And so, here's the Tempus Quartet with an excellent rock-tinged version of "Danse Macabre" and a really cool performance video, featuring ballerina Elisa Montiel standing in for the dancing spirits.

Trying something new for Halloween!

 In September, the operator of Terror Titans decided to put his YouTube Channel to use. All he does over there is talk to the camera, so it's kinda-sorta like an audio/visual version of this blog.

On October 31, he's going to engage in the ambitious notion of uploading a video every hour, on the hour, that will see him reading a horror-themed poem, by the likes of Robert E. Howard, H.P Lovecraft, Emily Dickinson, and others!

Will he be successful? Time will tell... but the first one will go up at Midnight tonight. Join us at this link if you feel so inclined! See poems read by a guy with a face for radio and a voice for silent movies!

31 Nights of Halloween: Alone

All it takes is a minute to provide viewers with top-notch horror entertainment... as tonight's offering proves beyond a shadow of a doubt. (It can also be a cautionary tale; it's dangerous to be alone at night, this close to Halloween... because you may not actually be alone!)

Alone (2020)

Starring: Anonymous Actress

Director: Shane P. Liao

Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

The only complaint I have with this film--which is not related to the excellence on the screen--is the lack of credits. Yes, it's only one minute long, but there's a bit of black at the very end where at the very least the main actress' name could have been provided. I like giving credit where credit is due... but it feels odd to say this film stars "The Sushi", because that's all the information I have from the video's YouTube description.)

31 Nights of Halloween: The Do-Gooder

The Do-Gooder (2022)
Starring: Jennifer Buckley, Xhaania Wright, William Sibley, Azaa Sharavnyam
Director: Alexander Henderson

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

Two teenagers (Buckley and Wright) get drawn into an increasingly mysterious situation after witnessing a menacing old man (Sibley) abusing a young woman (Sharavnvam)

I'm at the point in my life where it's not easy for filmmakers to surprise me. I've watched hundreds upon hundreds of horror films and thrillers, and it's rare that I come across a twist I haven't seen before, or even a combination of twists.

"The Do-Gooder", though, kept me guessing until the end. The various pieces of the plot were familiar, but it became increasingly evident that they were either arranged in a very unusual way, or they were not the familiar elements I took them to be. By the time the final fade took place, I was generally happy with what had just unfolded... and I even found myself hoping there would be a sequel.

The film was not without its flaws, though. Many scenes are a little underlit, I would have liked to see some three-shots here and there, and the script is a bit flabby at points, but the strong and unexpected ending makes up for whatever technical weaknesses I feel like griping about. In the final analysis, watching "The Do-Gooder" is time well spent.

Fear-filled Phantasms by Richard Sala

 It's The Nightmare Before Halloween!

31 Nights of Halloween: I Saw It

I Saw It (2022)
Starring: Soha Sayied

Director: Michael Little

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

Sometimes, a shifting shadow is just a trick of the light. Sometimes, a shifting shadow is something deadly. A woman (Sayied) will learn that her life depends on knowing one from the other.

"I Saw It" is a straight-forward little chiller, featuring that rarest of horror movie characters: One that isn't an idiot. The film further benefits from effective lighting, nice use of soundtrack music and sound, and great camerawork. The creature effects are also very nice.

This short film is also a perfect PSA for this time of year. We should all be aware that with the lengthening shadows come a higher instance of Shadow People breaking through to our world. We should all be on our guard, so we can avoid becoming victims!

31 Nights of Halloween: The Drawer

"Everything comes full circle," Stuart Hamilton said of this 31 Nights of Halloween selection -- the final chapter in the Stuart Trilogy!

The Drawer (2022)

Starring: Stuart Hamilton

Director: Stuart Hamilton

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A man (Hamilton), who just wants a quiet night at home to read a book, discovers a drawer that is a gateway to parallel universe.

The third and final installment in "The Stuart Trilogy" sees our beleaguered hero facing his greatest mystery and most dangerous challenge yet. How will he fare? Well... it will only take a couple of (fun) minutes for you to find out.

These three linked short films from by Stuart Hamilton (see the first one here, and the second one here, if you didn't watch them already) are fine viewing for the Halloween Season, because they are a neat mix of the fun and the frightening--just like the Big Night that is just five days away now!

31 Nights of Halloween: Home Video

The filmmakers and troupe of actors at Burnt Mill Road have been releasing one horror short film a day for the month of October. Some of those have been better than others, but the good ones have been very good.

 

"Home Video" is one of the good ones. It's another film from Burnt Mill that is bone-chilling because it is far, far too close to reality. It's not just  about the horror next door... it's about the horror that could be waiting for you just outside the window of your home.

Home Video (2022)
Starring: Greg Rosenberg and Myra Vitel

Director: Jacob Arbittier

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

Tuneful Tuesday: Experiment IV

Here's a classic video and song from the great Kate Bush seems perfect for the final Tuneful Tuesday of these 31 Nights of Halloween.

By the way, I chose that particular portrait of Kate Bush, as well as to not to say too much about the nature and the horrors coming in the video for "Experiment IV", because I didn't want to spoil the experienced for those younger people who have discovered Bush's work through its use in the "Stranger Things" television show this year, and who may not have come across this masterful video and song yet.

While I have known and loved this song for decades, I don't think I'd seen this music video before coming across it while preparing this year's post line-up. While the song inspired an idea for a dark and sinister tale--like so many of Kate Bush's songs, this one sketches out a story and prompts the listener to fill in the details with his or her imagination--it wasn't the tale that unfolds in this short film set to music.

Whether it's new to you, or a return to an old favorite, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. And I thank you for visiting during this Halloween Season!

Experiment IV (1986)

Starring: Kate Bush, Richard Vernon, Hugh Laurie, Dawn French, Del Palmer, and Peter Vaughan

Director: Kate Bush

Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Missing

This Magana Monday offering is equal parts spooky and heartbreaking. It's something of a change-of-pace of Mr. Magana... and it's excellent! (It's also another of his films that works equally well if you view the ending as an ending-- or as the beginning of something entirely different. And it helps him keep a lock on his position as our current favorite creator of horror short films!)

Missing (2022)
Starring: Heather Clark
Director: Alex Magana
Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Cartoon Cat

Cartoon Cat (2021)
Starring: Jack Satish
Director: Raghav AK
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

An armed robber (Satish) escapes police pursuit by hiding out in an apparently abandoned building. He soon comes face-to-face with a strange creature that makes him wish he had surrendered to the police.

Cartoon Cat is an urban-legend type character that (I think) has been made Open-Source by its creator. This is one of several films that have been made over the past few years featuring the character, and it's one of the best. The effects merging live action and computer animation are great, as is the story. Jack Statish is also great as the robber who comes to regret his life's choices. 

"Cartoon Cat" is equal parts action film, horror film, and comedy... and each part is equally well executed. Heck, this may well be the near-perfect Halloween short film--it's full of tricks AND treats! 

While I'm at it, I posit that Cartoon Cat entered our world in a fashion similar to the way Koko the Clown got here. (Click here to see the secret behind how an animated character crossed over from the animated universe to ours!)

31 Nights of Halloween: Selfies

On this, the 22nd Night of Halloween we bring you a two-part tale of terror, smart phones, and photo-bombing phantoms!

Selfie (2021)
Starring: Katy Ford and Rory Ross
Director: Alex Magana
Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

Selfie 2 (2021)

Starring: Riley Introcaso and Katy Ford

Director: Alex Magana

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

'The Hidden' is a fine horror genre mash-up from Richard Sala

The Hidden (Fantagraphics Books, 2011)
Story and Art: Richard Sala
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

Strange creatures, most consisting of stitched-together body parts, have overrun the world, destroyed all civlizations and societies, and are driving humanity toward extinction. A group of survivors, keeping just ahead of the monstrous wave of horrors, are on their way to a location in the desert where they will either find salvation or doom.

There are some books and movies and comic books/graphic novels where too much talk about what's in it will spoil the enjoyment that can be gained from it. The main element of those works is the mystery at their core, and the excitement and chills readers and/or viewers derive from those come in large part from watching that mystery unfold as it's revealed piece by horrific piece.

"The Hidden" is one such work. It's a mixture of elements taken from the very foundation of the horror genre (such as divine, end-of-the-world prophecy and 19th century Gothic literature) and modern horror (such as post-Dawn of the Dead zombie tales and demonic secret societies that are manipulating the course of history and driving the world toward destruction as they gain more wealth and power), and as the plot comes together and the mystery is revealed, Sala's main sources of inspiration likewise come into focus. In the final analysis, this is a tale that mixes end-of-the-world zombie survival horror with themes from Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein, A Modern Prometeus". Along the way, Sala puts his always unique spin on the story and the material, with his artwork being simultaneously cartoony and creepy... and very, very gory at times. It is, however, always dynamic and clear and the story keeps moving swiftly towards its dark conclusion.

If you're looking for some light Halloween reading that is still spooky and dark, "The Hidden" is well worth your time. I don't think it's the best thing that Sala did--that honor is the tied books "The Chuckling Whatsit" and "Mad Night"--but if you've liked any of the works that have been reviewed at Shades of Gray, or any of the art that has been featured here at Terror Titans, this is a book you need to read.

The bad news is that the physical book is out-of-print, and those who have copies for sale are asking ridiculous prices. Fortunately, "The Hidden" can be had at ComiXology or for the Kindle as a digital download, for about 2/3rds the price of what I paid for my hard copy a few years ago -- or even free if you're a subscriber. 

31 Nights of Halloween: Not Alone

Tonight's selection reminds us that the supernatural is always waiting to strike during the 31 Nights of Halloween!

Not Alone (2020)
Starring: Mariah Chileshe
Director: Skulo Banda

Rating: Six of Ten Stars

A young woman (Chileshe) is settling in for a quiet night in front of the television... but a mysterious entity has different plans.

Like the previous short film from Skulo Banda that we've featured here at Terror Titans, "Not Alone" could have benefitted from a little editing to make it tighter and tenser. Banda also made the odd choice of putting more opening and closing credits against black screens. This might be just a pet peeve on my part, but opening credits on short films like this one that are longer than just the title and maybe the names of the stars and the director annoy me. Frankly, when it comes to something this short, I really don't want to have to sit through the list of creators involved before I can get to enjoying their work.

With all this negativity out of the way, I will say that I enjoyed the aura of weirdness that permeates this film, and I think you will, too. Just be patient with those useless opening credits... or skip them. You'll get the same information (and more) at the end of the film.)

31 Nights of Halloween: The Changing Room

If a sign says an area is closed, it's always the intelligent thing to stay out; you never know what danger might be within. There is no time where that statement is more true than during the 31 Nights of Halloween... as the young shopper discovers in tonight's short film.

The Changing Room (2022)
Starring: Jamie Taylor Ballesta
Director: Sam Evenson
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: The Hamper

A recent survey established that folding sheets is the least favorite housekeeping chore of 28 percent of American adults. Given the events in tonight's short film, I think Stuart would be among those people... if he had been asked. And if he had been capable of answering.

 

The Hamper (2021)

Starring: Stuart Hamilton

Director: Stuart Hamilton

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A man (Hamilton) is enjoying a peaceful night at home when he receives a mysterious delivery...

(This is the second installment in a series of three short films that we've dubbed The Stuart Trilogy. Click here if you haven't seen the first one... and look for Part Three to show up on October 26 as we continue slouching toward the Big Night!)

Dance with the Dead on a Tuneful Tuesday

Every so often, I come across a short film or a music video where I will spoil the experience if I say too much about what unfolds in it. This is one of those. I recommend sitting back and enjoying the hard-rocking instrumental tune and the ride with a guy (played by Kirk Enochs) who has a need for speed and a car with a need for fuel!

Sledge (2021)
Starring: Kirk Enochs, Danielle Victoria, Galen Howard, and Anuradha Senevi
Director: Djay Brawner
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

Dance with the Dead is a California-based duo who perform metal-tinged electronic music that's deeply rooted in darkness and horror. You can explore their catalogue here.

31 Nights of Halloween: Ouija

Ouija (2022)
Starring: Anna Mia, Keira Weiss, and William Sibley
Director: Alex Magana
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

Teen girls (Mia and Weiss) make the mistake many teen girls have made before them...

Every October, silly girls taunt the spirits and tempt Fate by playing around with Ouija boards. Will they ever learn by the dire results suffered by others?

If tonight's offering from 31 Nights of Halloween mainstay Alex Magana is any indication--no, no they will not. We pretty much know what's coming from the get-go, but Magana and his cast once again packs a whole lot of excellence into a small package! 

31 Nights of Halloween: Me and Me

Me and Me (2021)
Starring: Yuki Shinyokoyama
Director: Yuki Shinyokoyama
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A man (Shinykoyama) keeps having encounters with a man who looks just like him.

 

During the "off-season" this past year, we introduced visitors to the short ghost movies of filmmaker and artist Yuki Shinyokoyama. We think this non-ghost film is one of his best yet (as well as a nice upping-of-the-ante on the doppelganger myths.

We hope you enjoy "Me and Me"... and that you may avoid your doppelgangers during these 31 Nights of Halloween!

31 Nights of Halloween: Neighbours from Hell

Neighbours from Hell... (2018)
Starring: Paul Laight, Philip Wolff, and Jojo Georgiou
Director: David O'Brien
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A man (Laight) takes extreme measures to deal with his noisy neighbors.

"Neighbours from Hell..." is a film that I think anyone who's lived in apartments with thin walls and/or insufficiently padded floors/ceilings can relate to... even if we've never been pushed to the breaking point where tonight's protagonist ends up. And if you've got a dark soul like me, you'll be watching this with a Cryptkeeper style giggle... right up until the final moment. Enjoy!

31 Nights of Halloween: Facetime Call

Facetime Call (2022)
Starring: Jade, Mikayla, and Anthony
Director: Harrison Fraser
Rating: Five of Ten Stars

A student struggling with a homework assignment soon discovers she has bigger things to worry about after blowing off a friend during a Facetime call.

 For what it is--a film made by inexperienced filmmakers, with inexperienced actors, and a story that was essentially made up as production progressed--this is pretty good effort. The pacing is solid, the camerawork is good, the lighting is effective, the two girls playing the leads give decent performances. When compared to other student films I've found trawling through the depths of YouTube, this is pretty good.

There is no doubt, though, that this would have been even better film if it had been guided by a carefully written script. At the very least, all that is good about it would not have been nearly overwhelmed by the main character behaving in ways that are inexplicable (even if one assumes that she is the rudest person to ever walk the face of the Earth).

But go ahead and check out "Facetime Call" yourself. I think you'll be impressed when the inexperience of the creators involved is taken into account... even if you'll also be hoping the villain will drag the main character up to her room, sit her down in front of the computer, and teach her how to behave better when talking with people over video chat.

31 Nights of Halloween: Pen Pals

Pen Pals (2022)
Starring: Aniqa Mazumder
Director: Dominc Grose
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A young woman (Mazumder) communicates with an otherworldly pen pan through an enchanted notebook... but there is a slight problem...

"Pen Pals" is straightforward and to the point. It hits the ground running and doesn't let up until it's over. It's a lowkey film that relies more on what isn't shown that what is. It builds tension and mood the hard way... and the last minute-and-a-half of the run-time is absolutely perfect.

This film would have gotten an 8-star rating if not for one oversight. The opening moment of that perfect climax and dénouement to the film needed a little more finessing to be fully effective. It needed a shot of the girl heading for the door, and thump or two via the foley guy. The close-up of the woman's face, laying on the floor and staring at the camera with the wide eyes and blank expression that typically signals "I am dead" in horror films might also have been even more impactful.

That gripe aside, I found "Pen Pals" an excellent film. In fact, it is so excellent that it fed my imagination, and I created some roleplaying game rules for enchanted notebooks like the one in the film. Click here to check out a draft of those at the NUELOW Games blog. (But enjoy this cool movie first!)

31 Nights of Halloween: Not This Time

Can it be? Can we have found that rarest of horror movie characters--one that isn't stupid and has a tiny bit of survival instinct? Or is something else happening here? Check out today's micro fright film and tell us what YOU think!

Not This Time (2021)

Starring: Christina Morris

Director: Christina Moris

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

(Actually, we hope you got a big a kick out of the twist to this one as we did!)

Tuneful Tuesday with Kate Bush

Today's Tuneful Tuesday is different than anything we usually present during the 31 Nights of Halloween, in that it's 40 minutes long and it's a musical. Yes, a musical.

The Line, the Cross, and the Curve (1993)

Starring: Kate Bush, Miranda Richardson, and Lindsey Kemp

Director: Kate Bush

Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

A multi-talented musician and performer (Bush) is going through a crisis of confidence when a supernatural creature (Richardson) tricks her into putting on a pair of cursed pointe shoes. She must travel through alien dimensions and confront demons to remove the curse before she is compelled to dance herself to death. 

"The Line, the Cross, and the Curve" is the rarest of films: It's a musical that is also succeeds brilliantly at being a dark fantasy film. Given that Kate Bush is not only a highly skilled dancer, musician and vocalist, but also has a talent telling stories infused with ethereal spookiness and outright horror, she could well have been the only creator in the 1990s who could have pulled this off. Or the only creator, ever.

Partly inspired by a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen and a movie from the 1940s (both titled "The Red Shoes"), this film is built around songs from Bush's album "The Red Shoes". It was made as the music video was reaching its creative pinnacle as a format, and it deserves to be ranked among the very best of those efforts. (The film did win some awards Back in the Day, and it was also broken up into pieces to serve as videos for the songs featured.)

"The Line, the Cross, and the Curve" is beautifully shot and brimming with great music. It may be a bigger time commitment than items we generally offer for your entertainment during the Halloween Season, but we think you'll find this a very enjoyable.

31 Nights of Halloween: The Mime 2

Alex Magana is back for a second time this year! We're just going to make it official and declare Magana Mondays for the entirely of the 31 Nights of Halloween! 

The Mime 2 (2022)
Starring: Orion Smith and Isabella Moore

Director: Alex Magana

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A commuter (Smith) comes to regret slighting a street-performing mime (Moore).

 "The Mime 2" sees writer/director Alex Magana returning to a familiar set-up: An unfortunate Normie encounters a wrathful or inscrutable supernatural being on a deserted railway platform late at night. And it's a fine return to his old stomping ground. (As with most films this short, the more I say, the more likely I am to ruin the freaky spookiness of the piece... so I will stop typing and instead just recommend you click below. I assure you that, by the end, you will think twice about not tipping performers, as well as catching that late-night train.)

31 Nights of Halloween: Hello?

Hello? (2021)
Starring: Emmy James, Brian McGuire, and Jules Nurrish
Director: Tim Shechmeister

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A young actress (James) visiting Hollywood for a series of auditions rents a furnished apartment with a storied history. Unfortunately, she soon discovers there's one story the book isn't closed on.

"Hello?" is a creepy little film that goes in a different direction that its opening scenes led me to expect. It's a ghost story that features a character who tries to interact with the phantom menacing her on its terms as she tries to distract and appease it. I appreciated the fact the filmmakers presented us with a character who tries something other than hiding, fighting, or just screaming in response to the supernatural. I appreciated it even more, because it's also well-acted and well-filmed.

Another reason I enjoyed this film is that it incorporates real history into its fictional world--some slightly embellished facts about silent movie superstar Florence Lawrence is at the center of "Hello?" and this adds greatly to the entertainment value. (Click here to watch and/or read a review of one of Ms. Lawrence's films at the Shades of Gray blog.)

This element might have a stronger appeal for me than for many others, because I, too, have my fun with casting now-obscure but once-famous real-life Hollywood actresses in tales of the supernatural and horror. The main figure in such efforts on my part has been Bessie Love, but Joan Blondell has also been the subject of a flight of fancy or two.

Whether you like fictionalized versions of Old Hollywood or just well-crafted horror stories that don't go where you expect them to, I think you'll enjoy "Hello?"

Saturday Scream Queen: Jennifer Mischiati

Italian actress Jennifer Mischiati was born in 1986. Her early childhood was spent constantly on the move, living all over Italy and eventually in various places in the United States. The one constant for her wherever she lived was her interest in volleyball and studying dance. 

The family eventually returned to Italy, and, while they were living in Rome, Mischiati developed an interest in performing. By the time she was 15, she had resolved that acting would be her life.

After initially studying acting at Italian universities, Mischiati secured a student visa to the United States and relocated to Hollywood at the age of 20 to continue her studies. While in the U.S., she became fluent in English and worked hard to gain a natural-sounding American accent so she could more easily gain parts in American productions. Her athleticism and grace served her well as she learned her craft, as she also came to master stage combat and sword fighting. Eventually, she graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) at the top of her class. 

Mischiati returned to Italy in 2009 and launched into a busy international acting career that has spanned stage, television, and film. From working as a stuntwoman (including being a stand-in for Angelina Jolie); to leading roles in Shakespearean stage productions (such as Desdemona in "Othello"); supporting roles on several Italian television shows; appearing in short films and numerous music videos; and a number leading roles in independent films--mostly sci-fi, fantasy, and horror-- she gets busier with each passing year.

Among Mischiati's most notable horror film appearances are key supporting or starring roles in "Ex Inferis" (aka "Back From Hell") (2011), "Evil Things" (2012), "The Plan" (2017), "Curse of the Blind Dead" (2020), and "Fade Out" (aka "Succubus") (2021). Most recently, she played the lead role in "Dead Bride" (2022), and she is also starring in the soon-to-be released "The Follower".

31 Nights of Halloween: Playground

Playground (2022)
Starring: Wolfgang Fiegl and April Fiegl

Director: Jacob Arbittier

Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

A young boy (Wolfgang Fiegl) is led away from a park playground and into darkness.

Burnt Mill Road has a thriving YouTube Channel that is full of the type of mini-horror films that have become Our Thing to cover in recent years here at Terror Titans. We've checked out their offerings on an infrequent basis, and we found them to be a bit erratic quality-wise, but there's been enough quality that we check out films when they show up in Recommended.

But this one is going to make us go back and take another look through their listings to see if we've missed any perfect, ghoulish gems.

"Playground" is one of the more terrifying films we've come across while selecting the line-up for this year's 31 Nights of Halloween. This film is so expertly done that the real terror hits when it ends. (I'll continue my comments below, so as to not spoil the film for those who check it out.)

Speaking of spoilers, I just realized the preview image for "Playground" is a bit of one. This goes double if you've been following the Burnt Mill Road channel, as it's actually part of a series featuring the same unseen camera operator, doing terrifying things. 

Coming to this film cold (not having seen any of the previous entries in the series), I think it was a smart move on the part of Burnt Mill and Jacob Arbittier to so, because it hides where the story is going until the Big Reveal. I understand the benefit to letting audiences know that there's another bit of something they like through titles, but I think that can sometimes work against horror short-shorts like this one.

Based on production quality and acting alone (Wolfgang Fiegl is a very talented child actor!) this is a Eight of Ten Stars effort on our 0-10 scale. When little touches like the dedication at the beginning of the film and the credits listings on the YouTube page are added in, it gets a Nine rating that is bordering on a Ten! Those little touches make this film scarier when it's over, because it feels all-too-real.

We hope we're not front-loading the great films too much, but "Playground" may well be one of the best horror shorts you'll see this Halloween Season!

31 Nights of Halloween: Ping

Ping (2021)
Starring: Becca Breitfeller
Director: Josh Breitfeller
Rating: Five of Ten Stars

After her cellphone goes missing, a young woman (Briefeller) tries to locate it by "pinging" it with her smart-watch.

Technically, this is a well-done film. The sound is good, the lighting is great, and the camerawork is excellent. The acting is good and the pacing is spot on. I really like what's here. Before the review continues, perhaps you should watch "Ping" so I don't taint your experience with the negativity (and minor spoilers) that are coming.

What is lacking in "Ping" is a proper set-up. I often comment on the slow-wittedness of horror movie characters, or their complete lack of  survival instinct... but I don't recall encountering a character quite as dim as this one before. Or so she seems, because there isn't a proper set-up for why she behaves in such an inexplicably dumb fashion.

Maybe it's a generational thing, but I can assure you that if I was alone in my home and my cellphone mysteriously moved from one part of the house to one I hadn't been in for a while, I wouldn't go looking. No, I'd leave the house and to borrow a neighbor's phone to call the police or a gun-owning friend or two. For most of "Ping", I was swinging back and forth between thinking "this is really well done" and "they didn't think this one through, did then?"

This very technically competent film is undermined by a badly constructed story. It needed to establish why the main character is so calm about her phone seemingly migrating from in front of the TV to a closet in an upstairs bedroom. This could easily have been done with perhaps a bunch of beer cans and liquor bottles around the living room and on the kitchen counter, and the character remarking to herself that she must have blacked out again (or something similar). Or maybe there could have been a minute at the beginning to establish there might be someone else in the house who is an annoying prankster?

This could have been a great little movie with just a bit more story/character development. As it is, it's still worth seeing, but it's not what it could have been.

31 Nights of Halloween: Dead Lyft

When us Gen Xers were kids, we were taught to never get into a cars driven by strangers. That admonition carried into adulthood, at least for young women. With the arrival of "ride-sharing apps" like Lyft and Uber, that warning has gone by the wayside... now EVERYONE gets in cars with strangers, and they're letting strangers get into their cars.

This can be a very, very bad idea. Especially during the 31 Nights of Halloween....

Dead Lyft (2020)

Starring: Orlando Suazo Jr.

Director: Steven Belcher

Rating: Six of Ten Stars

Tuneful Tuesday with Violet & the Melodicka Bros

The Melodicka Bros. and Violet Orlandi return again for this year's 31 Nights of Halloween with cover tunes and videos that turn pop classics into horror film tributes! 

 

First up, we have "Stayin' Alive" serving as the backdrop for a zombie saga on the scale of "Dawn of the Dead" or "Night of the Living Dead"!

Stayin' Alive (2021)

Starring: Dave Melodicka, Joe Melodicka, and Violet Orlandi

Director: Fillipo Borsini and the Melodicka Bros.

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

'Dead Bride' is a chilling tale of a family curse

Dead Bride (2022)
Starring: Jennifer Mischiati, Christopher Hulsen, Douglas Dean, David White, Sean James Sutton, and Luna Francavilla
Director: Francesco Picone
Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

After her biological father dies, Alyson (Mischiati), together with her newborn child and her husband (Hulson), moves back to the isolated mansion where she grew up. Here, as dark memories return, and her long struggle with sleep paralysis grows more intense, a supernatural evil stirs and a family curse returns in full force.

"Dead Bride" is a love letter to the classic horror films and ghost movies. It even runs slightly less than an hour-and-a-half, which, to me, remains the ideal length for a horror flick.

This is also a film that relies more on mood created by lighting and camera angles and performances by the actors than special effects. What practical effects are present all serve enhance the plot as well as creepiness, instead of the movement in recent years toward the effects being present for their own sake more than anything else. The film is also perfectly paced, from its mysterious and creepy pre-credit sequence through the literally out-of-this-world climactic sequence when Alyson undertakes a spiritual journey to save her son. The final half-hour of this picture is among the spookiest and trippiest I've seen in recent years.

I have very few complaints I can mount regarding this movie, and most of them are nitpicky. As is my habit, I'm not going to bother with those, but instead just deal with major issues.

First, there are many examples of clunky dialogue in the film. The actors do their best with it, but it is just too stilted to work, no matter how well they deliver their lines. At its worst, this weakness distracted from and undermined a couple otherwise well-filmed and well-acted scenes.

Further, there are three major story elements that I feel were not properly developed or resolved, and I'm in two minds about the way "Dead Bride" wraps up--I both love and hate the horror of it. It fits well enough with the rest of the film--although it only exists because of a couple completely dropped plot threads--but it's not quite the ending I excepted or wanted. (Well, it is, in part. It really suffers because of a key story element that seems to get forgotten once the climax starts. I am borderline harping on that now, but it had enough of an impact that I waffled between giving "Dead Bride" a Seven rather than the Eight rating I ultimately settled on.)

I can't really say more about those undeveloped/unresolved story elements, nor the ending, without spoiling the film. And, since this movie is being released on streaming platforms on October 4, 2022, roughly around the time I am posting this review, I would much rather have those of you out there who love classic ghost movies and haunted house films (and we can even throw flicks featuring demons and demonic cults into the mix) check out "Dead Bride" and then come back and give their take on what might be lacking in the comments section below.

Actually, I'd much rather have all of you reading this go watch "Dead Bride" on Prime Video, iTunes, Google Play, XBox, and other streaming services including some local cable and satellite providers, and then tell us what you LIKED about it in the comments. I think you'll find it to be worthy of your time during this Halloween Season.

To further help in your decision-making, here's a preview of the film:

31 Nights of Halloween: Bloody Mary 2

Films by Alex Magana were a cornerstone of last year's 31 Nights of Halloween, and his Smiling Woman series kept us spooked as we waited for darkness to settle across the land yet again. And, this year, we will be bringing out more tiny terror tidbits from Mr. Magana, and we hope you find them as effective as we did!

For Magana's first 2022 31 Nights entry, we bring you his second piece chronicling foolish young ladies testing Bloody Mary. (It goes as well for them as you might expect...)

Illustration by Loran DeSore

Bloody Mary 2 (2022)
Starring: Anna Mia, Willow Leitner, and Sarah Ullerich
Director: Alex Magana
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: The Doppelganger

 

We feel this is the perfect treat for our visitors on this, the second of the 31 Nights of Halloween. It's the tale of a man who has his peaceful evening alone at home interrupted by... himself!

The Doppelganger (2021)

Starring: Stuart Hamilton

Director: Stuart Hamilton

Rating: Six of Ten Stars

(We also felt it was okay to that a trick came along with the treat... we hope you agree!)

31 Nights of Halloween: The Veil

Shower scenes and big knives have been a horror movie mainstays since at least the 1960s. We're kicking off this year's 31 Nights of Halloween with a film that features both. It also happens to be pretty damn scary! That final 30 seconds or so... truly nightmare-inducing!

The Veil (2021)

Starring: Allison McCormack

Director: Sam Evenson

Rating: Nine of Ten Stars 

Fear-filled Phantasms by Richard Sala

The old librarian asked Chelsea and Brittney to keep their laughter and cellphone chatter down. They didn't. So the librarian silenced them for good, with help from the spirits of previous young ladies who had disrupted the quiet of his domain of knowledge and learning.

Review Round-Up: The Xtro Trilogy

Buried in the many reviews on this blog are ones covering all three of the Xtro films. I'm going to collect and recycle them in this post (with minor revisions). I still think the first one is well worth checking out... the others? Well... 

Xtro (1983)
Starring: Bernice Steger, Phillip Seyer, Maryam D'Abo, and Simon Nash
Director: Harry Bromley Davenport
Rating: Five of Ten Stars

Three years after being abducted by aliens, Sam (Seyer) returns a very different man, and he passes his gooey, gory alien powers onto his young son (Nash).

When I first saw this movie as a kid, it freaked the heck out of me. The father coming back and spreading alien corruption throughout the household, the way the son was transformed, and the way he in turn went after the horny au-paire (D'Abo)... even the creepy way he made deadly things appear with his mental powers. It all seemed very, very scary.

I suspect someone watching the film with less jaded eyes than mine could still find "Xtro" scary. At this point, I find still find some of the movie quite disturbing--Sam's method of returning to human form was not something I recalled, and it is definitely creepy; the alien egg-laying scene; and the final scene with the mother... well, up to a point with that one--but in general, I now view this film mostly with a sense of frustration because there are two fundamental things that spoil it for me.

First, there's the fact that there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of rhyme or reason to what the characters do, alien or otherwise. In fact, some of the things that happen are pure "Stupid Character Syndrom"--a character does something just to make sure the plot doesn't come to screeching halt, even if a vaguely intelligent person would take any one of numerous different options.

Second, the director and/or scriptwriter simply doesn't know when enough is enough, and this spoils a number of what otherwise would have been excellent, very scary moments. The movie's ending is the ultimate example of this. I won't go into details, because I would spoil it, but suffice to say, the filmmakers ruin a perfectly good ending. If they had been smart, the film would be about 5-10 seconds shorter.

On the upside, we do get to see D'Abo prance around in absolutely nothing, and the acting is uniformly bland (not quite bad... just flat) so no one stands out as good or bad. Gorehounds might also be impressed with a number of scenes in film. The "Return of Sam" scene is a standout in that sense. "Xtro" also features a well-done electronic score, and those are few and far between.

Nonethless, this is a film that clocks in at the low end of average... although I admit my reaction may partially be due to it not living up to my memories of it. (Maybe I'll get the courage to watch "The Exorcist" again. It's the only movie I walked out because it scared me too badly.)

XTRO II: The Second Encounter (1991)
Starring: Jan-Michael Vincent, Tara Buckman, and Paul Koslo
Director: Harry Bromley Davenport
Rating: Three of Ten Stars

Deep underground, American scientists discover how to open a portal to another world...but, surprise-surprise, something goes wrong and murderous critters come across the dimensional void to run amuk. How will the best-and-brightest of the Mad Science Set stop the invasion and save themselves?!

Picture a bad "Aliens" rip-off and cross it with some of the lamest plot elements of a bad "Stargate SG-1" episode, and you have "XTRO: The Second Encounter."


Not only does this "sequel" have absolutely nothing in common with the first movie--the creatures don't even seem to be related--but it's also devoid of good acting, competent direction, and anything that even approaches originality.

For all its faults, the original XTRO at least delivered some genuine weirdness and horror, and it did so with a certain flair. This "sequel" brings absolutely nothing worthwhile to the table. It is a study in complete mediocity and unoriginality.

Xtro 3: Watch the Skies (1994)
Starring: Sal Landi, Andrew Divoff, Andrea Lauren Hertz, and Robert Kulp
Director: Director: Harry Bromley Davenport
Rating: Three of Ten Stars

A group of Marine demolitions experts are sent to a remote, deserted island to disarm explosives left over from WW2. As will happen, something goes wrong and they unleash an alien that has been trapped in a bunker for several decades. Gory mayhem ensues.

I've read in several places that director Harry Bromley Davenport says this is his favorite entry in the "Xtro" series. I can't for the life of me figure out why. As flawed as it was, the original "Xtro" is far more interesting on every level than this one... and far more competently made.

It's actually a shame that "Xtro 3" turned out as a textbook example of what happens when a low-budget film is made with a slip-shod attitude, because there was a lot of potential here.

The setting--a deserted jungle island that once housed interned Japanese and a secret research facility could have been a character unto itself and filled the movie with atmosphere if the cinematography and direction hadn't been as lifeless as an instructional video on how to navigate the Dewey Decimal System. The story of Marines stalked by a murderous alien creature could have been engaging if the script writer had taken time to research actual military protocols and behaviors, had spent some time making the characters interesting and distinct, and bothered to actually bothered to do more than one draft so the dialogue didn't sound like something written for a cheap voice-over of a Japanese sci-fi movie.

And speaking of characters, perhaps if the actors all didn't seem like they had been handed the script pages right before cameras started to roll but instead seemed like they were in character instead of simply delivering the bad lines, the audience could perhaps develop attachment to one or more of them. Although decent acting would not make up for the fact that illogical, plot-dictated behavior governs every action they take, because no one seems to have bothered to think scenes through.

Similarly, if someone had paid attention to costuming and continuity on the production, maybe generous-minded or entertainment-starved viewers would be able to suspend disbelief and engage with the film, despite the incompetent direction and script. However, the appearing and disappearing gear on characters and less effort put into costuming than you might put into getting dressed for lounging around the house on a Saturday when your friends are all out of town, make that impossible.

Finally, although the alien has possibilities to rival the creepy creature of the original "Xtro," it ends up more laughable than scary due to badly executed special effects and the aforementioned illogical, plot-dictated character behavior. Is there anyone reading this who has seen this film who didn't think like I did: "Why run when you can just kick it really hard?"

"Xtro 3" continues the decline of this series into crapitude. The only thing that keeps it from sinking to a Two Rating (and thus earning a place over at Movies You Should [Die Before You] See) is the alien's back story. It's a cool idea... and it's too bad that it is wasted in a movie like this one. (I won't give it away here, because it is one of the few decent story elements in the film.)

If your looking for something to round out a Bad Movie Night line-up, "Xtro 3: Watch the Skies" might be what you're looking for. You might, however, be better off actually watching the skies and identifying shapes in the clouds.

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For a profile of Maryam d'Abo, check out her entry in the Saturday Scream Queens series of mini-bios!