Times change. The world stays the same.

 

(Thid drawing originally appeared in December of 1896, in the pages of German arts magazine "Jugend".

31 Nights of Halloween: Ghosts

The Big Night is here... and we're kicking it off with a brief cautionary tale!

Ghosts (2019)

Starring: Anonymous Actors

Director: Seppo

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Dracula's Bad Day

 Mondays. Even the King of Vampires has to suffer through them.

This cartoon is by Stan!... and he draws them live on his YouTube Channel. Click here to see what he gets up to.

31 Nights of Halloween: Open Casket

Open Casket (2023)

Starring: Jonathan Stephens
Director: Vincent Dormani
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A man unknowingly hangs a cursed painting in his home... and lives to regret it.

 

"Open Casket" is another excellent chiller from Vincent Domani. I could mention a few nitpicks about the film, but the good outweighs the bad so heavily that it would be unfair. The only real complaint I can make against this film is that it manages to maintain a creepy atmosphere and then turns outright horrorific at the climax... but then crashes and burns during the last few seconds. It's almost like Dormani was at a loss for how to end the film, so he went with the easiest no matter how nonsensical.

That aside, I still have to give this film the highest possible praise I can -- I want to know more. I want the backstory of the painting, why it is the way it is, and what happens with Stephens' character. Like I said above, despire my disappointment with tbhe ending, the good far outweighs the bad here.

31 Nights of Halloween: Ouija Wednesday

  
This is one of the better short films I've come across built around the trope "kids f--- around and find out" with Ouija Boards. It's a slow burn, but the payoff is worth it. In fact, I don't think I've seen a short film of this sub-genre present a more perfect ending. Behind the generic title, awaits an excellent student film! (It's ten years old, so I hope the people involved went onto successful film careers... they certain had talent!)

Ouija Board (2013)

Starring: Mia Vera, Shaun Sutton, and Hannah Halvorson

Director: Carris Lammers

Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

Tuneful Tuesday with Lily Allen

31 Nights of Halloween: Dr. Purge

Dr. Purge may well be the greatest horror movie (or novel, or roleplaying game scenario, or graphic novel) that doesn't exist, but should. Just look at this poster:

 That illo is a genuine ex-libris (with some very minor modifications to the featured text) that was commissioned during the early part of the 20th century for the private library of a Hungarian medical doctor who truly was named Purge. From the moment I saw it in the collection at the Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest, I felt that there was greatness to be brought froth from this turn-of-the-20th-century drawing.

If someone writes an RPG scenario (or even an outline of one) inspired by that picture and featuring a villain named Dr. Purge--I will release it through NUELOW Games!

31 Nights of Halloween: Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th (2023)
Starring: Amanda Worley, Sidney Gates, and 
Director: Alex Magana
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

It's not the greatest short film in the world, no. It's just a tribute.

In this two minute short, Alex Magana gives us a taste of the Friday the 13th slasher series, as well as a sampling of his own style... and some of the grisly humor that is often present in his films. I was having a hard time deciding how to observe a Friday the 13th during the 31 Nights of Halloween... and then this premiered on the ACM Official YouTube Channel!

It's just two minutes long, but you'll still get several great moments. Amanda Worley has the best of these, but almost everything here is perfectly timed. Check it out!

It makes sense that a filmmaker who's become something of a fixture during the 31 Nights of Halloween should be the one to provide the perfect tidbit, at just the right time! (Although I am starting to wonder how that parking garage stays open, what with the number of unsolved disappearances and brutal murders that happen there. It has to be the most dangerous place in the Maganaverse...)

And speaking of "Tribute"... after you watch the great Friday the 13th tribute, rock out to the song that the opening lines for this review are a tribute to.

It's the day before Friday the 13th...

... and witches and warlocks are on their way to spend tomorrow partying on Bald Mountain. (They've not going to have a Day of Rage like the pure evil people who walk among us, but will be having a Day of Rave!)

31 Nights of Halloween: It's Quija Wednesday!

Look for tales of Ouiji Board misadventures in this space, each Wednesday from now until the Big Night is here!

Quija (2022)

Starring: Marielena Rodriguez

Director: Alex Rendon

Rating: Six of Ten Stars

A girl (Rodriquez) learns why it's a bad idea to play with Ouija Boards when you think you alone.

"Ouija" is a decent entry into the "don't mess with Quija Boards" sub-genre of horror films. Sadly, it drops the ball at the end. Or so it seems to be. Take a couple minutes to check out the film and let me know in the comments if you agree or disagree.

This is the first time I've come across the work of Alex Rendon. I will be checking out more of his movies and see if one or two more need to be brought to you during this year's 31 Nights of Halloween. (Say... what is it with people named Alex and horror short films? I seem to be gathering a collection of directors with that name....)

Tuneful Tuesday with Voltaire

If someone ever makes a Disney-style cartoon centered on Hades and his Underworld, they need to hire Voltaire to write the songs. They should even hire him to do Hades' voice and songs.

You need no further evidence that I am stating as fact that what you'll find in today's offering will get you into the Halloween Spirit! (As an added bonus, the animated video by Daria Cohen turns this into a sequel of sorts to last weeks Tuneful Tuesday feature.

Land of the Dead (2016)

Music Performed By: Voltaire

Directed By: Daria Cohen

Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Wax

Wax (2023)
Starring: Tommi Aleman and Cielo Gomez

Director: Vincent Dormani

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A woman finds a walled-up, hidden room in her house that's full of life-like wax figures.

"Wax" is a brand-new release from family-run short film production company Buried Hatchet, and we're certain that you'll find the three or so minutes it'll take to watch it is time well spent. The only quibble I have with it is that I would have liked a wide shot of the secret room, and I would liked to see some profile two-shots of Aleman's character discovering and interacting with the main wax figure.

But my issues with the cinematography are minor when compared to the fact that this film has earned the greatest praise I can give to any short film or short story: I want to know the backstory of the secret room, the wax figures within it. (My desire to know more was made even stronger by the coffee cup Aleman's character examines in the room. Look closely at it and I'm sure you'll understand why.)

31 Nights of Halloween: The Nun

 

Over the past couple years, filmmaker and writer Alex Magana has become something of a mainstay of the 31 Nights of Halloween celebrations. I'm a tremendous fan of his work, and I hope to feature his work here at least once every week until Halloween. As the title of this one might imply, Sunday is the perfect day to bring this film to you!

The Nun (2023)

Starring: Erin Sunisa, Shaun Holmes, and Eteri Sher

Director: Alex Magana

Rating: Six of Ten Stars

While "The Nun" may not be the best Magana has brought us so far, it's still an excellent little horror film. It's only flaw, in my opinion is that Magana let the film run for one jump scare too many. I feel like he had a chance to give us a perfect and extremely creepy ending, but he blew it. (It's not just my general dislike of jump-scares at play here... it's that this particular jump-scare undermines the film's story.)

That complaint aside, I like everything else about "The Nun", especially the fact that it's a thoroughly modern film, with a couple of YouTubers making content for their channel by testing an urban legend. I also continue to be amused by Magana's blatant product placement in his films by having actors wear shirts with his production company's logo on the front. It reminds me of how many independent filmmakers and even large studios during the early days of silent movies would put their company logos somewhere on the sets of their films in an effort to stop unauthorized distribution and theft of their films through retitling/rebranding. I wonder if something similar is motivating Magana here, what with the way some YouTube channels do nothing but "borrow" from filmmakers and repost their films without so much as a link back to the source.

Maybe I'll drop him a line and ask some day. Although, it's probably a fact that the simple answer is the right answer: Characters wear the ACM-branded shirts because Magana wants to move the stuff for sale in his YouTube channel's merch store.

Saturday Scream Queens: Milla Jovovich

It's not the Halloween Season until Milla Jovovich hs been featured as a Saturday Scream Queen at Terror Titans! 

Born in 1975, Jovovich spent her earliest childhood in Ukraine, but came to the U.S. when her parent emigrated to the United States in 1981. A natural performer and lover of the spotlight, she began modeling and acting at the age of 11. She been delivering the goods in action films, horror films, and action-horror films (as well as a few historical dramas, oddball comedies, artsy-fartsy independent productions, music videos... and so on, and so forth from) ever since. Not all movies she's been in have been good over all, but she's always been great!

You can check out other posts featuring photos of and reviews of films with Milla Jovovich by clicking on her name below this post. You can see even more by clicking here and visiting the Shades of Gray blog.

31 Nights of Halloween: An Unexpected Guest

'Tis the season for old friends dropping in unexpectedly!

Yes... it's that special time of year! Get ready for what's coming!

Take One Step Beyond with 'The Clown'

"One Step Beyond" was a television series that was hosted and primarily directed by John Newland. It was similar to "The Twilight Zone" in content, but generally more lowkey and supposedly featured stories inspired by real-world paranormal experiences. Original episodes aired on ABC from 1959 - 1961, which were then later widely syndicated during the next two decades.

Today, we're giving you an opportunity to watch a complete episode of the series, right here, at Terror Titans. It's one of the more horror-oriented episodes of the series... and that's even before one takes the widespread fear people have of clowns into account. We're confident it will awaken the Halloween Spirit within you!

The Clown (1960)

Starring: Mickey Shaunessy, Christopher Dark, and Yvette Mimieux

Director:  John Newland

Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

A murderer (Dark) thinks he is being stalked by the vengeful clown (Shaunessy) who witnessed the crime.

"The Clown" is one of the most intense episodes of the classic television series. With just a couple minor changes, it would even feel like something you might see on network television or some streaming service today.

The characters featured, and the actors portraying them, are what makes this episode so great. They.are ones that you love to hate, or which you just love. There's a possessive, abusive, cradle-robbing husband (played in a perfectly vile fashion by Christopher Dark) who moreso than most villains I wanted to see get what was coming to him; there's his young wife (played with believable innocence and self-unawareness by the underappreciated actress Yvette Mimieux in her second major role) who is old enough to recognize that she's beautiful but not mature enough to not delight in every bit of attention she can get; and Pippo the Clown (Mickey Shaunessy, in a performance that's gentle and completely sympathetic) who ends up paying dearly for his attempt to make the young woman happy. But not as dearly as she does...

When this episode was produced in 1960, the rules for what could and couldn't be shown on television were far more stringent than they are now. Because of restrictions on showing blood and violence, the murder that puts the story on track toward its climax is a little less horrific than it could have been, and even a little confusing. And that is the only thing that keeps this episode from getting a Nine of Ten Stars.

But don't just take my word for it. Click below... and take One Step Beyond!

31 Nights of Halloween: I could not stop for Death

The poem known as "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" or "The Chariot" is considered by many critics and linguists as one of the greatest works ever written in the English language. By Emily Dickinson, it was found among her papers after her death and subsequently edited and published (along with hundreds of other unpublished poems Dickinson penned) in a three-volume collection.

The image above features the first stanza of "Because I Could Not Stop for Death". I suspect that most of you reading these words are familiar with this very famous poem, but if you're not--or if you want to read it again--you can find it in its entirety below. In fact, I am bringing you both versions of the poem--the one that Dickinson left behind and the version published by her friends.

UNTITLED

(commonly known as "Because I Could Not Stop for Death")

Because I could not stop for Death —
He kindly stopped for me —
The Carriage held but just Ourselves —
And Immortality.

We slowly drove — He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility —

We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess — in the Ring —
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain —
We passed the Setting Sun —

Or rather — He passed Us —
The Dews drew quivering and Chill —
For only Gossamer, my Gown —
My Tippet — only Tulle —

We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground —
The Roof was scarcely visible —
The Cornice — in the Ground —

Since then — 'tis Centuries — and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses' Heads
Were toward Eternity —

THE CHARIOT
(first published version, edited by T.W. Higginson and Mabel Loomis)
Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste,
And I had put away
My labor, and my leisure too,
For his civility.

We passed the school where children played,
Their lessons scarcely done;
We passed the fields of gazing grain,
We passed the setting sun.

We paused before a house that seemed
A swelling of the ground;
The roof was scarcely visible,
The cornice but a mound.

Since then 'tis centuries; but each
Feels shorter than the day
I first surmised the horses' heads
Were toward eternity.

Tuneful Tuesday with Voltaire

Here's a fun animated video to a song by the guy who someone should hire to write the theme of Halloween. I hope you enjoy! (And make sure to stay for the twist ending!)

The Night (2016)
Song Performed by: Voltaire
Director: Daria Cohen
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Fear-filled Phantasms

You know what's scarier than the creatures gathering in the shadows in anticipation of Halloween? The fact that my life has been, and continues to be, so chaotic that I've not been able to properly get the 31 Nights of Halloween celebration prepared and going. So, this year, here at Terror Titans you'll be treated to a creepy selection of artwork every day while over at Shades of Gray you'll find some of the films and reviews you'd expect to find here.

Click here to visit Shades of Gray, and gaze below to sample the work of horror master Junji Ito!

 

 

Click here to read reviews of some of Junji Ito's books at Shades of Gray, and click here to see posts related to Ito's most famous creation, the immortal girl Tomie here at Terror Titans. 

 

The 31 Nights of Halloween are here!

 After laying dormant for many months, the Halloween Horde is gathering in shadows. If you pay a visit to this blog each and every evening until October 31, you will have built up the mental strength to face them when they emerge in force.

Each night between now and the Big Day of Halloween, you will find either a short film, some spooky art (and maybe even a poem or two) that will get you in the Halloween Spirit... and make sure you don't end up going mad from fright like poor George here:

(These are but two of the many drawings that you will find in the forthcoming art collection from NUELOW Games Stock Art Collection #25: The Halloween Horde. Look for it next week!)