Since 1984, Freddy Krueger has haunted the dreams of movie fans worldwide. The “Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise was the cash cow of New Line Cinema for quite some time and Robert Englund was the big star. The Springwood Slasher tore through the box office with 8 films and 2 television programs (though 1, a reality show, was never aired) up until 2003. For the past 7 years, horror fans have slept easy, but have wondered when, or if, there would be another Nightmare On Elm Street film.

The remake of “A Nightmare On Elm Street” opened this past Friday, taking in a whopping $32.2 million & staking the claim of the #1 movie in America. As a HUGE fan of the original franchise & someone who absolutely despises most remakes or horror films, I went into this one with an open mind & absolutely loved it. It is a much darker & more disturbing film than other entries in the series. One thing is for sure, this is NOT your daddy’s Freddy Krueger. If you haven’t seen it, you’re probably wondering how the story differs:

Original – The small town of Springwood, Ohio is terrorized by child murderer Fred Krueger. Krueger is arrested & put on trial, but a technicality sets him free. The parents of the town decide to take justice into their own hands & burn Krueger to death. Some time later, Krueger returns for the children he has yet to claim & begins haunting their nightmares. If Krueger killed you in your dream, you died in the real world. Scary enough plot.

Remake – After being burned alive by a mob of angry parents, a pre-school gardener/caretaker named Freddy returns for revenge against the children, now 18 years old, that accused him of sexual abuse. But was Freddy a child molester or was he falsely accused? This is the central question and main addition to the film’s plot. I found this to be an interesting twist in a classic story simply because of how messed up today’s society is. There are those out there who make these false accusations & it’s absolutely sickening.

Clocking in at a little over 90 minutes, the film felt like it should have went 2 hours. In my opinion, the lack of character development of the Elm Street kids is the main thing that hurt it. Jump scares were used quite a bit & a little bit too much was borrowed from “Freddy Vs Jason” (I love FVJ, but see the new NOES & you’ll know what I mean). The movie had enough nods to the original films to pay homage & didn’t go about bastardizing the story. In fact, it gives new life to it & makes it interesting again. There’s even a line from “The Dream Master” that you won’t be able to look at in the same way again after seeing this.

***SPOILER ALERT…STOP READING IF YOU DON’T WANT IT RUINED!!!***

Jackie Earle Haley’s portrayal of Freddy Krueger is downright disturbing. Once you find out what in fact Krueger is through flashback scenes, he easily reminds you of after school specials & the talks your parents had with you when you were younger about strangers. It is very chilling & he pulls it off so well. Unlike Robert Englund’s character, there’s really nothing funny about this Freddy Krueger. He is a sick, twisted individual who deserved the wrath of the townspeople. What he did to the kids is presented in a manner that’s, dare I say, tasteful & not too graphic. It was done very well & drove the point home in a way that wasn’t over the top.

Given the high opening weekend & the fact that Jackie Earle Haley and Rooney Mara (Nancy) are signed on for 2 sequels, it doesn’t come as any surprise that part 2 in 3D has been greenlit. As for how I’d rate the film, easily an 8/10. A classic story from unarguably the most successful horror movie franchise has been resurrected; it’s going to be interesting to see where it goes from here.

Sweet dreams!

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The costumes have been stuffed into the back of our closets, pictures were taken, candy was distributed and memories were most definitely made. In my house, as elsewhere, an austere feeling has set itself right next where my pumpkins once called home. In a perfect world, Halloween would be once a week. But for us who live here, the only reminders of Halloween are the classic thrillers created by director that understood the beauty that fear can evoke. My personal top four favorite scary films are:

Rosemary’s Baby: Okay, so this movie isn’t exactly going to make you jump out of your seats screaming, but this 1968 creeper fest has lived to become one of the most creepiest movies created. 41 years later, this movie not only included one of the most unique plots, it also had of the most convincing portrayal of the devil ever seen. Demonic Movies are rarely done right, and Rosemary’s Baby is the great exception.

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Nightmare On Elm Street: This movie is also one of the most depressing ones out there because a younger Johnny Depp gets devoured and as an avid supporter of the man, that scene is one I just need fast forward over. Anyway, the dreams, or should I say nightmares of children come to reality when a murderer named Freddy (have you heard of him??) stalks them until death.

Check out the Nightmare on Elm Street DVD collection by, clicking here.

Salem’s Lot: Besides being my all-time favorite Stephen King Novels next to Carrie, this is a great movie. Vampires suddenly move into a neighborhood and one by one suddenly begin multiplying and feeding on the townspeople. A great juxtaposition to all the new vampire love movies out there (*cough*cough* twilight)

Order Salem’s Lot on DVD by clicking here.

Saw: By Saw, I only refer to the first one. Although the other five are quite scary and are not short of any gore, the plot of them slowly revolves around the teenage cliché scary movie. This Saw follows the horrors that two men face while being held by Jigsaw, a serial killer. Quickly, this movie becomes one of physiological manipulation and a disgusting outcome.

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Read more from Haya on her blog at http://interprtationderue.blogspot.com/

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>Back in 2003 I started to hear rumblings from the underground about a horror movie that was so vile and had caused such an uproar, it was an immediate must see film, at least for me. Rumors of a blank tape containing snuff footage being left on subways was guerrilla marketing at it’s finest and horror fans were rabid for it. A film titled “August Underground” had made its mark on Independent horror. The group behind the sheer madness was ToeTag Pictures.

Since 2001, ToeTag Pictures has made a serious name for itself within the horror realm, both for bringing forth real brutality to cinema and creating a sickening realism in special effects. The August Underground trilogy (AU, Mordum and Penance) had touched a nerve amongst the real horror fans that had been only satisfied previously by films from Italy and Japan. Based out of Pittsburgh, ToeTag Pictures was created by Fred and Shelby Vogel, Jerami Cruise and Cristie Whiles, a young group of four friends who had figured out the formula to true terror.

I was lucky enough to gain their friendship and have been a loyal believer in the ToeTag name since 2003, enjoying the “August Underground” series, having a great honor to pre screen “The Redsin Tower” and witness the last masterpiece they created, “The Murder Collection, Volume 1″, I was extremely pleased to hear of the newest creation from Toe Tag Pictures “Maskhead”. I had a chance to talk to Fred Vogel, original founder, about ToeTag Pictures and his latest feature “Maskhead”. This will be a great way for some to be introduced to the ToeTag crew.

MASKHEAD tells the depraved tale of Syl and Maddie, a lesbian couple who produce extreme fetish and dark specialty movies. With the help of their sociopathic associate, The Cowboy, the ladies audition numerous up-and-coming talent to star in their top selling, stomach-turning fetish series: “MASKHEAD,” which features a large man in a bizarre mask who tortures and kills his “co-stars” on camera.

Everyone has a fetish. What’s yours? What turns you on?

Now, before I go any further…Toe Tag is serious horror. Some will be ready for these films, while others will not. Fred Vogel knows that he will offend many with his projects, but the fans that “get it”, come screaming back for more.

Rob - Hey Fred, thank you for taking the time to give me your thoughts on how things are going, your past and present and MASKHEAD. I have been with you guys, as a fan, for several years now. I couldn’t be happier of the success you guys continue to have. I appreciate your time.

Fred- It is always an honor to take a little break from the action to speak to the fans.

Rob - First, how would you describe what ToeTag is about? Who is ready to see what you guys offer and maybe what people can expect when watching any of your films?

Fred – Toetag is about Spreading the Sickness of course. We specialize in making shocking movies with a message. A great example is the idea behind Murder Collection v.1. Before we were off to last year’s Wasteland convention, I was sent a link to a video that showed a real snuff video. A man was dragged to traintracks, tortured, and murdered before my eyes. Sure it was on my computer screen, but that opened my mind even more to how sick this world is. It is disturbing that viewing a real life brutal murder is at the click of a mouse. I hate that it is available to the public. People shouldn’t see that shit, not even me. That really got my teeth grinding and inspired what was to become Murder Collection v.1. Between the clips of murders caught on recordings, the host, Balan, taunts the viewer and makes he or she think about why he or she is watching this. It’s MURDER! It hit me hard when we were at the BUT Film Festival this year in Europe. People really got where I was going with the movie, which filled me with pride. I think it is an important movie. In the end, it is an anti-violence movie. None of my movies are intended to glorify taking lives. These are evil characters doing horrible things. There is a message behind all of my films that runs deeper than simply skimming the surface of the story. Whether you loved or hated a ToeTag Picture’s movie, my goal is to make you think about it over the days to come and leave an everlasting impression.

Rob - What inspired you to make August underground? What was the original purpose of releasing only 200 copies of August Underground? Did you see immediate feedback from the horror community? What was some of the challenges that Toe Tag faced breaking into underground horror?

Fred – Making the sickest, difficult to watch, yet greatest horror movie ever seen was my intention of making August Underground. Every movie I’ve ever loved inspired it. I love a lot of movies. I just wanted to make a movie unlike anything any brain has absorbed. Originally, I had plans to drop them off unmarked, then the tragedy of 9-11 occurred and I couldn’t do that anymore, so I released the 200 copies. As a collector, I learned from that. I want to create collectibles for my fans. Amongst a plethora of film collectables, I own a signed photograph of Boris Karloff and that piece of memorabilia is priceless to me. Karloff is my idol. Now, when I do limited releases, it is for my fans. These are intended to be priceless in the eyes of the owner.

I was nearly black barred when the horror community got their first glimpse of August Underground. Then I noticed many of the things I did in my movies were showing up in mainstream horror. That is a great honor. Now people seem to understand my artistic vision, and my fans love my sick movies.

There are many challenges I faced breaking into the Underground. My movies have been banned in numerous countries, I’ve been detained at the Canadian border, and getting the gears in place to run a successful company is a constant work in progress. The challenges are countless.

Rob - August Underground Mordum, the second film in the series, has been labeled as one of the sickest films of all time. Does this put added pressure on you to deliver when making new features?

Fred – Not at all. I’ll aways admire that movie. People love it. People despise it. I’m still a young guy, so maybe the sickest is yet to come.

Rob - After the August Underground series, you changed your film “shooting style” for The Redsin Tower. I felt this film was received well by all who had seen it. Were you happy with the finished product? Was Redsin Tower a break through film for you guys?

Fred – My movies will always play with different shooting styles. I was very happy with Redsin, I think more of the mainstream took notice of the film, but that doesn’t mean shit to me. I’ve had adequate success with Redsin Tower and all of my movies. I always strive to gain more fans.

Rob - I noticed your last two films, Murder Collection and now MASKHEAD have been kept very quiet until they are in post production. Any method or reasoning behind that?

Fred –The main reason I keep my movies under wraps until post-production is because I am a constant thinker. There have been times where I changed the idea for a project we were almost going with at the last minute. It would be embarrassing to promote a movie that does not get made. Sometimes unforeseen circumstances occur and things just need to be put on hold. There are a lot of big ideas out there, but not all of them see the light of day.

I also enjoy adding a little mystery for the fans. It makes me laugh when people see a new trailer and make comments about how ToeTag is going to come with a knockoff August Underground. People are going to be surprised every time I release a new movie. My movies are original ideas and are not predictable.

Thirdly, I work hard to get my movies made in the most efficient amount of time. I don’t piss around. Usually, the idea comes, we do the pre-production in a timely manner, and the movie is shot, edited, pressed and released to the public. Everything is done carefully and well planned out with limited takes. It is a quick process. The public only has to wait about two months from when the idea was thought of until it’s on their screens.

Rob - What can you tell us about Maskhead?

Fred - That was a fun film to make. I loved the entire experience and have gained good friends from the cast and crew I worked with. They are talented people and each one of them made this a great movie. The fans will see this in the special features on the DVD. This movie has a lot of passionate blood and sweat behind it.

Rob - What made you choose Scott Swan or did he choose you?

Fred - Swan first contacted me and we had extensive in-depth conversations for a while. The collaboration was a natural decision by two talented artists. It is a no-lose situation. He is a very creative writer and storyteller. We are fans of each other’s work.

Rob - What can horror fans expect from MASKHEAD? Plus, will the ToeTag gore level remain high in this one?

Fred - MASKHEAD is something different from TOETAG, and you bet the gore level is high. Jerami Cruise had some brilliant Special Make-up Effects ideas, and he did some of his best work in this movie. I couldn’t be more pleased. One thing fans may not expect is the humor in this story and how it is delivered uniquely. The tone is very unusual. The audiences have been fighting laughing at it because it just feels wrong.

Rob - Finally Fred, with Hollywood remaking everything they can, what do you think about the current state of horror in the US and how much better or worse is the Foreign films?

Fred - I think Hollywood is out of ideas and that’s why they are remaking everything. They don’t want to take risks and seek artists that are full innovative ideas. Innovative ideas fall into the garbage dump, because the polls and statistics are all Hollywood trusts when making a decision about what’s next. Plus, there are so many movies that come out every week and most of the good ones don’t get promoted or seen, so we end up going out and watching what the media commands, like the crapfest Halloween 2 or The Final Desination in REAL-D. It’s all about the money. Every time another classic gets made, I ache a little more.

Rob - Thank you Fred, Scott Swan and thanks to the entire ToeTag crew, I will continue to “spread the sickness” and for more information about ToeTag Pictures visit www.toetagpictures.com. Maskhead is officially released on October 2nd. These guys are the innovators of what true terror really is.

Rob Dimension has spent his life watching and enjoying Horror films of all types. From Cult classics, to the Underground, Foreign releases to the most Campy. Dimension will, hopefully , provide you with some potential watching suggestions and keep you away from the “not worth a watch” films. Rob Dimension can be found many weekends along side some of today’s upcoming stars and yesterday’s legends in the world of Professional Wrestling. He can be found at www.facebook.com/dimensioncollectibles , become his friend and tell him what you think.

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With Halloween right around the corner, discussing the Top 5 Zombie films of all times seems appropriate. Being a Zombie fiend, I normally try to keep my love of the fresh eaters to a quite whimper, but the timing seems to good to keep buried.

Now, by Zombie films, I mean the “Dead Shall Walk the Earth” Zombie, not the dreadful remake master Rob Zombie, whom was given the green light to remake the Blob. A Rob Zombie topic will be forthcoming shortly, but for now let’s jump right into the upcoming Fall season with death and destruction.

In the late sixties, a certain Zombie film changed the future of cinema and brought forth the “What If?” question that people will be asking for years to come. The Horror genre had exploded with the most terrifying threat of all time. What if the Zombie Apocalypse occurred? What if Zombies roamed the Earth? What repercussions would this have on Religion, would Earth truly become the new Hell? Questions became not could it happen but more to when will this happen. Are you prepared? What plan do you have in place when it happens? Hopefully, this list will catch you up to speed just in case, the event unfolds and you can thank me for saving your life.

Zombies are reanimated corpses who feed on human flesh, rumored through Folklore and possibly voo doo origins. Zombies hunger for flesh and brains but that depends on the films you choose to watch or stories you choose to believe. Zombies have no fear and stop at nothing until the hunger subsides, which will never happen. Their hunger will last as long as they continue to inhabit the Earth. Strength and power also depend on the film series you choose, I prefer to believe the Zombies would be slow moving and groups of Zombies would pose a larger threat since the belief would be there is strength in numbers. I refuse to believe that Zombies can run, real Zombies walk at a slow pace, but that’s just me.

This list will be a countdown, as if we are counting down our last days on the Earth as we know it.

5. Return of the Living Dead (1985) - Sure, this film was really more of a comedy that truly horrifying look at Zombies, but this film is so good it just has to be mentioned. The story follows Freddy, a young punk rocker type who is starting his first days at Uneeda Medical Supply. Frank is given the job to teach Freddy the ropes, while Freddy’s friends are in the neighborhood waiting to pick Freddy up for some partying later. Frank informs Freddy that the Night of the Living Dead series was real, they have a body downstairs in the basement in tank sealed by the Government. The mistakenly open the tank, releasing the dreaded gas called 245 Trioxin into the air. The Zombie outbreak begins and terror, mayhem and hilarity ensues.

Return of the Living Dead is a really fun movie with tons of action, gore and comedy that will please the biggest Zombie fan. Eighties Scream Queen Linnea Quigley has a great appearance as Trash and gets down and dirty, plus the soundtrack has been received well for years. Sure Zombies run in this one, but I am willing to let this one slide simply because this movie is so good. Check this one out.

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4. Zombie (1979) - Released in the United States as Zombie, Lucio Fulci’s popular Cult Classic has also be released as Zombi 2, Island of the Living Dead and Zombie Flesh Eaters. At the time of it’s release Zombie was labeled as excessively gory, that statement alone thrust the film into the wide open arms of Horror lovers world wide. Italian film maker Lucio Fulci became an Icon to Zombie fans.

The film’s plot mostly takes place on an Island but is best well known for two specific scenes. In one scene a zombie fights a Tiger shark underwater. Cheesy but original, this scene alone needs to be seen to believe. The second scene has been etched in the minds of everyone who was witnessed it, since it would be everyone’s worst fear. A zombie impales a characters eye onto a splinter of wood, very slowly and what seems to be painfully. The special effects are decent enough to enjoy the film and I feel, without a doubt, this film belongs in ANY top five based on zombie and horror.

Order Zombi 2 (25th Anniversary Special Edition 2-Disc Set) by clicking here.

3. Day of the Dead (1985) - George A. Romero’s third installment into his Dead series takes place well into the Zombie Apocalypse. I feel this film is more of a psychological horror film that just a gore fest since the remaining survivors are left to deal with mental breakdowns and the breakdown of their inner society.

Taking place in an underground military shelter, our survivors are all Government employees consisting of soldiers, internal help and doctors. Lead by Captain Rhodes who is a dictator using power to force others to maintain day to day operations is an over the top, selfish, demented leader. Temptations and pure insanity rule the day while Zombies rule the Earth. Trying to connect with the zombies (Bub) may be the last hope of survival.

Romero proves why he is the Zombie King providing the viewer with a real glimpse at social disorder and martial law. Plenty of gore to satisfy the biggest gore hound. I highly recommend this one.

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2. Dawn of the Dead (1978) - In my opinion, this might be the film that really made people aware of zombies. The original George A. Romero classic, not to be confused with the Zack Synder remake, was originally given an X rating upon release and still today is regarded as one of, if the THE greatest Zombie films of all time. Released numerous times in various forms of box sets, special editions on VHS, DVD Blu-ray and Laserdisc, DOTD was highly profitable for Romero and all involved. Released also as Zombi internationally by Italian horror director Dario Argento and has an AMAZING soundtrack by Goblin.

Taking place in both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, the Monroeville Mall is the setting for this classic. Our survivors hold up in the greatest, plush mall I have ever seen. Battling zombies, a biker gang and themselves makes you think of your percentages of survival in this situation. Due to the setting of this film, Malls would be everyone’s first place to head to making the malls probably the last place you would actually want to head to.

Special Effects master and wizard Tom Savini heads the task of giving the Zombies life. Great kill scenes, plenty of gore, a great script and good acting makes Dawn of the Dead an obvious choice to watch, this time of year. One a zombie scale based on an overall great time, I give this film a 10.

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1. Night of the Living Dead (1968) - “They’re coming to get you, Barbra!”. Yes, the original zombie classic takes the number 1 spot on my countdown. Yet another George A Romero film leads the pack and rightfully so. The Independent black and white thriller is the story of a group of 5 people trapped in a rural Pennsylvania farm home. The sheer horror of the public, for the late sixties was the launching pad that Romero needed to become a success.

In 1999, the Library of Congress placed it on the National Film Registry as a film deemed “historically, culturally or aesthetically important”, not to shabby for a zombie film.

While not the first zombie film, Romero’s vision was the one that captivated the viewers. Being remade, re released, mocked and re-imagined Night of the Living Dead also had it’s share of problems. The film lapsed into the public domain because the original theatrical distributor and was released through several companies attempting to cash in on the film. George Romero felt “ripped off” but stayed true to his Zombie roots. Romero has since released numerous zombie films including a soon to be released “Survival of the Dead” based on an island off the coast of North America, where local residents simultaneously fight a zombie epidemic while hoping for a cure to return their undead relatives back to their human state. Looks like George still has some left in the tank.

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Rob Dimension has spent his life watching and enjoying Horror films of all types. From Cult classics, to the Underground, Foreign releases to the most Campy. Dimension will, hopefully , provide you with some potential watching suggestions and keep you away from the “not worth a watch” films. Rob Dimension can be found many weekends along side some of today’s upcoming stars and yesterday’s legends in the world of Professional Wrestling. He can be found at www.facebook.com/dimensioncollectibles , become his friend and tell him what you think.

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