By T.J. Tranchell Warning The following contains content about suicide. Suicide remains one of the most taboo subjects in our society. It’s uncomfortable even in horror films because all too often our maniacs are the ones who are mentally ill, not our heroes. As this taboo is confronted more and…

By Sara Century Warning The following contains a major spoiler. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is considered to be one of the most important surviving silent films and an essential foundation on which the world of cinematic horror was built. Themes of pacifism, anti-war resistance, and state control, all seen…

By Brian Keiper Practically since the release of the original film in 1984, fans have been calling for a prequel to A Nightmare on Elm Street. I would argue that one already exists. I am not talking about “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” the pilot episode of Freddy’s Nightmares directed…

By Justin Drabek ⬅ Previous SpectreWatch | ‘Open Windows’ and Our Use of Technology for the Wrong Reasons SpectreWatch is where writer Justin Drabek discusses SpectreVision’s horror filmography, the impact it has had on him, and the cultural relevance of the company’s commitment to making outsider art for the screen…

By Matt Konopka Welcome fellow monster kids to Misunderstood Monsters. This is where I, Matt Konopka, sink my fangs into all sorts of beasts, ghouls, and creatures from above while I search for the humanity behind their frightening exteriors. From monster favorites such as The Wolf Man to obscure monsters…

By Jerry Smith I look in the mirror and want to vomit every single time I see the stranger looking back. Over my 41 years of being alive, it’s something that has never gotten easier with time, age, wisdom, or life experience. One of my earliest memories is of my…

By Luke Beale “1408” perhaps isn’t the most famous Steven King story about a drunk writer staying in a strange hotel. While The Shining is rich with allegory, it is arguably much more open to interpretation than “1408,” which in this 2007 adaptation by Mikael Håfström clearly shows a man…

By T.J. Tranchell ⬅ Previous Teaching ‘The Twilight Zone’ | Part 1 The hairs on my arms stand up and I get a chill down my spine. It happened almost exactly an hour before, in my first section of English 101 for the day. …

By Sara Century ⬅ Previous The Students of Poe | Giallo Poe Poe’s work has had a sweeping effect on the generations of writers that followed him, but his life story has likewise been massively influential, obscured though the facts often are. Rarely are there direct Poe biographies, but he…