While the horror genre has continued to wander in and out of our theaters, and Netflix streams, there have been very few lately that have the ability to leave any sort of mark for its fan base. Independent horror has seen a devoted increase over the last several years with many new filmmakers entering the scene if only for their film to be shown at one or two festivals. Zombie television is okay and possession scares on the big screen can grow old, but to take conventions from fifty years of horror thrillers that we love – I Saw What You Did And Know Who You Are, Black Christmas, When a Stranger Calls, Scream and Saw – and tie their principle elements (and best ones) into one recycled premise well then you have Don’t Hang Up.

Recycled as it may be, the film’s plot is actually refreshing; taking the simplicities of some of these earlier films, and working them into a pseudo-2017 era. With a limited theatrical run, but available on iTunes for rental or purchase, Don’t Hang Up has brought back something missing from genre fare. It has turned those horror clichés upside down and even succeeds in making the home phone, cell phone, computers, and our reliance on internet and Wi-Fi scary again! I can’t remember the last time a horror film was able to utilize all those things, even making a Smart TV scary when it turns on and off, while furthering the plot and enhancing the tension. In fact, the oldest trick, or should I say prank, in the book is turning the lights out. You think the dark can’t be scary anymore? It can always be scary especially in your own home. This film actually succeeded in drawing the viewer into it, laying the framework for your mind to start trying to figure out who the murderer is and how the characters actions influence their fates.

Keep reading after the trailer

Everybody has done pranks, phone calls, or other nasty jokes that ultimately ends up getting them in trouble one way or another. Enter our two main characters: Sam Fuller (Gregg Sulkin, Anti-Social) and Brady Mannion (Garrett Clayton, King Cobra, Hairspray Live – talk about diversity of roles! A future Zac Efron perhaps?); these two college frat pranksters are having the time of their lives along with their other two buddies in causing fear among many an unsuspecting victim. Running a successful feed of YouTube videos, these boys are drawing viewers in by the masses by preying on the fear they temporarily instill upon both guys and girls. While the film runs the risk of alienating the characters and making them unsympathetic, especially Clayton’s Brady, it takes enough time to show that Sam actually has feelings and dealing with relationship troubles with his girlfriend Peyton (Bella Dayne, The Goldbergs, Person of Interest) and even the absence of his parents. But it is the biggest dick of them all, Brady, who has the most baggage that is likely causing his behavior, when we learn of his lack of parental attention, failing grades, and wanting to escape it all by proving he can be something more to his parents by joining the Army. No sooner are they back in the prank calling action while chugging beer and munching down pizza when it is Sam’s phone that rings with an ominous male voice that has decided he’s going to turn the tides on them. If you think it is Scream all over again, you’re wrong, this guy literally toys with these guys – with that toying turning to torture once he reveals just how close he is to them, friends, and family. The fact that this film right away tosses the virginal-girl-in-trouble protagonist out the window and gives us two guys that are suddenly stripped of their egotistical masculinity, and made vulnerable, is grounds for immediate applause to Screenwriter Joe Johnson and the Directorial Duo of Damien Macé and Alexis Wajsbrot.

After the opening credits, one still has to wonder what they can expect from the acting especially when you have the fratboy, college nuances blatantly overacted at almost every turn. Turn it does though by fifteen minutes into the film, with Sulkin giving his most over to the part and finding that internal innocence that has now being violated. Despite the asshole that you do love to hate in Brady, Clayton’s teary puppy dog eyes when the character is at his most emotionally unstable, can’t NOT garner a bit of sympathy that yearns to help him and his friend out of this dire situation. That is yet another great thing about the film that it can warrant that type of response from the viewer where even though you know the guys deserve a good kick-in-the-ass and scare, the extremes they are put in now bring the fundamentals of their very humanity to the surface.

The cinematography is phenomenal, especially given the limited resume of the Directors, and the shots used immediately set the tone, environment, and pace; bringing us up close and personal in times of trauma for our characters, and far away for shots that make even the bravest viewer squirm not knowing where the killer is lurking. Sometimes with an independent production, certain values are compromised whether it is picture or sound but both are clean and crisp; the contrasts appropriate for the murky atmosphere that envelopes over the course of the film and the sounds from creaking floors and moving doors provide enough additional tension to keep an eye over your own shoulder.

Just when I thought that I knew what was going to happen, the film took a turn and gave me something more than I bargained for. Without spoiling it, I will say that even the experienced horror fan that could likely put the pieces together, won’t totally be sure until the final reveal and even small things, nothing original by any means, are placed just right where you are still clinging to the seat with your eyes locked onto the screen.

It is too bad that the film was not able to get a wide release, because it is exactly what the horror genre needs more of. It brings back the heyday of horror happenings. The tension is there. The horror is there. The blood is even most certainly there. There is no skimping on the carnage suffered by the victims or even the protagonists for that matter.

Lastly, it was a bonus to see Sienna Guillory (Resident Evil: Retribution) in the cast, with her part having an extremely vital role in establishing the storyline and more specifically, what the viewer and our characters are about to endure. It is with great pleasure that I say don’t skip it because when a genre entry like this comes calling, you don’t hang up!

February 2001 marked the start into a new venture of horror for me.

VHS Cover

The Scream franchise had concluded, Hall8ween: Homecoming (now Resurrection) was in development, Jason X was in limbo and no Elm Street entry anywhere in sight despite the Freddy vs. Jason rumors. But it was the likes of movies such as Cherry Falls which brought my young horror mind to the deeply vast multitude of slashers that were out there. I loved slashers and was familiar with the 80s boom but DVD was still new at the time and VHS were beginning to be sold off the rental shelves. This was where the magic happened as Jumbo Video (Dundurn) in Hamilton, Ontario began selling off previously viewed VHS. I must have spent almost an hour rooting through and there it was, calling out to me, Slumber Party Massacre 3. The rich red font with the picture of a drill coming down over three scantily-clad girls, and this yellow ribbon stating “UNRATED” felt like I was holding a piece of forgotten horror history. If that wasn’t enough, the VHS cover art quoted Joe Bob Briggs with such lines as “Nine breasts. Ten dead bodies.” That right there is an absolute classic! Modern horror just wasn’t cutting it when gratuitous gore-fests (relatively speaking) like this exist. It’s this reason alone that Slumber Party Massacre 3 will stand above all other 80s/90s B-Horror (even Popcorn) and the other two entries in the franchise.

The first driller killer kill of my life

The film starts with Jackie (Keely Christian), Diane (Brandi Burkett) and their friends playing volleyball on the California beach. When was the murder going to begin? Was there going to be a plot and if so, did it tie into the two that I had not seen? All this didn’t matter because then this random guy (Yan Birch), with a mysterious expression, walks up to them and this weird, off-kilter beat on the soundtrack plays. Weird! (Probably hence his “Weirdo” screen credit). They finish their game and set up plans for the rest of the day. One girl walks alone, gets into her car and there it is….the first driller killer kill of my life! Right through the car seat, grinding and thrusting – ah yes, the drill thrusting; clueing into the fact the drill was meant as a visual metaphor. I didn’t openly think this though or really care too much, but many critics of this franchise have. It’s a film for God’s sake, get over it.

The slumber party gets underway, with Jackie running into the neighbor, Morgan (M.K. Harris) who portrays one of the most interesting characters in the film and another red herring as a possible suspect. All the girls come over and do their girl things — and honestly, as a teenager, I didn’t know any different — maybe girls didn’t go to the bra and panties extent in real life sleepovers — with guys dropping by to be goofs and hook up. The weirdo even sneaks around, and we are never told why this guy wants to lurk; he was surely up to no good. You could assume he just had a paraphilia touch for voyeurism and was hoping to see action.

Keep reading after the trailer

If you need a spoiler alert for a movie released in 1990, here it is: SPOILER ALERT

As they get picked off, one by one, I was trying to figure out who the killer was. I love any slasher that has you guessing. After repeated viewings, I definitely picked up on the clues including the photograph shown during the opening credits. Proverbial horror-film handsome hunk, Ken (Brittain Frye), is revealed as the murderer as the climax ensues.

This is where the standard B-Horror movie fare really takes a turn to the dark side, and while a casual viewing will have the fan laughing and enjoying, a deeply thorough look shows the true darkness behind Ken’s killing spree: his retired Uncle from the Police Force is killed and this sets Ken off on a killing spree to honor his Uncle. Sound lame? Not exactly. When Ken was just a little boy, he had too much of a bond with his Uncle — not by his own choice — the film shows his memory as P.O.V. flashbacks to his Uncle getting awfully close. So I think you get the idea of the type of abuse that was going on here. Further evidence of the abuse and lingering shame felt by Ken is shown when he hooks up with a girl, and later in the most controversial and borderline rape/kill scene, with Maria (Maria Ford). As soon as physical touch is made, Ken withdraws in shame. Any stalker/slasher usually is thrown into a psycho-sexual troubled category but to go this route I thought was awfully daring.

The violence amps up with the girls getting beaten around, and drilled excessively — with the weapon I mean — and it falls to Jackie, Diane and Susie (Maria Claire) to take down their attacker. These girls aren’t stupid either despite the occasional opportunity to run out the door (before Ken locks it), and actually use the volleyball net and house accessories to trap Ken. The volleyball net and therefore, the scene itself, actually foreshadowed to what would help the girls! Brilliant. Ken gets one more kill before Jackie goes to town prior to the cops showing up (thanks to Morgan); clearly psychologically scarred, Jackie drills the ever loving shit out of Ken where there is no coming back for a fourth entry in the series. These closing moments, and the sheer blood splatter alone, left me in awe and loving every second of it.

A financial success

DVD Cover

Shot on a low budget of $350,000 from New Horizons/New Concorde, produced by the legendary Roger Corman, directed by Sally Mattison and written by Catherine Cyran, Slumber Party Massacre 3 wasn’t even meant to be a part three but just another film hence why the original storyline following sisters Valerie and Courtney was discarded. The film had a theatrical release in 1990 earning back four times its budget! Not too bad if I do say. The VHS was released in both Rated R and Unrated versions (I scored the latter), and then later as the Massacre Collection, released on DVD. Interestingly, fans rejoiced because seven additional minutes over and above the previous unrated edition were added — making it a true-to-form ultimate cut which adds further character development and humanizes the girls even more so that the viewer cares for them. Outlets like Media Play or Suncoast were the only places to find these DVDs and thank God for that. Now with the help of Shout! Factory and most recently, their sub-labelled Scream Factory, all three Slumber Party Massacre films are available in HD and in all theatrical, unrated, and unrated/extended forms.

The horror franchise fanbase also continues to grow and I am proudly one of them; websites such as www.hockstatter.com led by Tony Brown, pays homage to the series and their sister series Sorority House Massacre. In 2003, I was even on the hunt to find Slumber Party IV, and I eventually did, as it was known then as Cheerleader Massacre. Didn’t have any real resemblance to the rest of the series but with the inclusion of original SPM star, Brinke Stevens, I keep this fondly in my VHS collection. Speaking of Sorority House Massacre, SPM3 was shot just after SHM2 including the use of the same house set and later, the use of screenshots from SHM2 used on the back of the SPM3 VHS and DVD cover art. Imagine that!? Certainly threw me even back when I first got that VHS wondering what these images were actually from. Mystery revealed the more I educated myself and SHM2 kept eluding me until a few years later when I got a copy and voila, there were the scenes. Those errors aside, I say that Slumber Party Massacre 3 remains the best in the series, of all the Slumber Party and Sorority House Massacres out there, with its portrayal of strong female characters, better-than-average dialogue, obligatory red herrings and low budget gore (better than CGI any day).

I will never get rid of my VHS, DVD or Blu-Rays, and I encourage any horror fan that has not seen the series, let alone this entry, to go find the Driller Killer before the Driller Killers finds you.

Which Slumber Party Massacre is your favorite in the series?

Reflecting on the possession story that breathed life into the sub-genre

In the horror genre, especially in the era of remakes and sequels, creativity sometimes wears thin. About 44 years ago, a movie came onto the scene which is still talked about as being one of the, if not greatest, scary movies of all time. The Exorcist launched one of the most overused, sometimes abused, tired and played out subject matter that is still going today.

Finding a movie about possession is about as easy as looking for something with ghosts in it. But when I stumbled upon The Last Exorcism a couple of years ago, I fell in love. Now granted, I haven’t seen every movie about satanic possession, but I have seen a big handful which is why I liked this one so much!

Keep reading after the trailer

Being a professional wrestler, you become a skeptic of everything. Ever. You learn that just about everything in life has some amount of “fake” poured into it. So you take everything with a grain of salt. That exact skepticism is what made me love this particular movie.

Basically, the Cliff’s Notes are as follows: Reverend Cotton Marcus (Patrick Fabian), who was raised in the church since childhood, learns the ways of performing an exorcism and proceeds to help people for years with the spiritual guidance of God. Until one day, his own little boy is born with complications and is saved only by the doctors. The Reverend then realizes his belief in God had no part in saving his son — it was all science. From that point onwards, his belief is gone yet he continues to help people who are possessed via placebo type methods; inviting a documentary crew to film his process.

Tricks of the Exorcism trade

The routine works rather well until he visits the Sweetzer family.

Now let’s be honest, as different as this one is, it does have a few classic possession style movie tropes in it. But it sprinkles its own unique style of salt and pepper to keep a little variety on that sub-genre plate. The obligatory sweet, innocent girl in need of the exorcism (Ashley Bell) tows the line between cute and creepy. The family is as sketchy as possible; constantly making you rethink everything you’ve just seen. Even the Reverend fighting his own battle of beliefs the entire time adds to the delicacies of the story playing out as the movie progresses.

My personal favorite scene is at the beginning of the movie when the Reverend is showing the film crew all his tricks of the exorcism trade. This is where the viewer gets to see all the tools, “gimmicks,” in which he uses to convince the families that his exorcism is working though in reality, it being all smoke and mirrors.

It’s a neat mix of found footage, satanic possession, mystery, horror and even comedy; not taking itself too seriously early on to not knowing where it will end later. A small cast of very interesting characters added a compelling mix for the viewer. Each character was given some depth to them as a ploy to keep you thinking. I honestly love this movie and every twist and turn it takes.

The Devil Commands

Originally released in 2010, this one kind of flew under the radar. While making a good amount of money, there are many fans out there who don’t remember it. I will sum this up to the fact that one or two of these kinds of movies were released around that same time. Or perhaps it seems that the formula is used in at least one movie a year? Eventually they all blur together from an advertising perspective. Who really knows? The Last Exorcism is definitely worth seeking out to watch. Then watch The Last Exorcism: Part II for good measure. Don’t take my word for it. I only ask….The Devil commands.

What did you think about The Last Exorcism?

…and closure to a long, loved franchise

Over the last several years, rumors were abounding that Don Coscarelli was prepping a fourth sequel to one of the most mind-bending horror films of the late 70’s: Phantasm. The last sequel, Part IV: Oblivion was direct-to-video in 1998 and received mixed reactions from franchise fans. Production limitations, specifically money, came into play and that same issue would play a pivotal part in delaying the fifth installment.

However, when the first screen images and teaser poster leaked in early 2014 – Don Coscarelli let the true salivating begin. Veteran actor, the late Angus Scrimm, spoke highly of the shoot and it was later revealed that all the original cast members would be back for what would be the fifth and final adventure for Reggie (Reggie Banister), Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) and Jody (Bill Thornbury).

Distribution can be a bitch and that would ultimately be the reason why “phans” had to wait two extra years to finally see the film. Thankfully, Well Go USA Entertainment answered the call and finally put out the DVD; complete with absolute respect for the project as the DVD comes with Audio Commentary, Behind-the-Scenes Footage, Deleted Scenes, Bloopers, Outtakes and the Trailer!

I was ready for Phantasm: RaVager

Perhaps it was all the internet hype and secrecy of the film details that I just wanted to enjoy this movie so much that I would overlook anything negative, or maybe it was the fact that the world lost Angus Scrimm which truly means this is the final time we will see The Tall Man in all his glory – either way, I was ready for Phantasm: RaVager and it did not disappoint me one bit.

Keep reading after the trailer

A fantastic score hits and we are right away thrust into the world of Reggie where in this new adventure, he is searching the desolate wastelands of Earth – post Tall Man encounters – searching for Mike. It has been nearly twenty years since part four, but the plot itself takes place ten years later (since early scenes of Reggie were filmed in 2008 when the project was going to be a short online series and not a full-length sequel). The actor, Reggie Bannister, hasn’t lost his touch at all with the character, resuming all the quirks, one-liners, and nuances that made the character such a fan favorite to begin with. Once he reclaims his 1971 Barracuda, then the film really launches into gear with an early confrontation with The Tall Man. Hearing Angus Scrimm’s voice once more instantly sent chills down my spine and every word seemed Godly – thundering around my surround sound speakers.

It wouldn’t be Phantasm though if the story actually seemed to make sense the whole way through, oh no, suddenly we’re thrust into an alternate reality – or maybe the real world – of Reggie suffering from severe dementia and receiving a visit from Mike. Suddenly all the stakes just got higher as we, the audience, don’t know exactly what is happening and the realization kicks in that one of our favorite characters is ill and dying. As another horror icon says, no tears please as it’s a waste of good suffering, and Don Coscarelli along with Director David Hartman realize this and give us a balls-out (steel balls or spheres to be exact…BIG ONES!!!) apocalyptic grand finale where it is all out war against The Tall Man and his legions of undead. Mike, along with deceased brother Jody, re-unite with Reggie and they take it too the streets for some hardcore combat.

The CGI in the film is acceptable because as we watch it, and for those fans who know the struggles of putting this film together in the first place, we obviously do not expect major Hollywood CGI effects. The killer spheres served their purpose and the landscapes, grain, lightning, dust, and crumbling earth blended well into the film shot with the actors either on green screen or make-up set pieces. It is a step up from any SyFy channel feature too. The music by Christopher L. Stone is great and those old Phantasm themes creep into the action and suspense at all the right moments including the opening and closing credits.

Indeed a tremendous improvement from Oblivion, RaVager succeeds in piecing together story elements that tie the entire series up with hinting explanations as to what characters are truly where in their lives, and when we finally have to say Goodbye to them, it is done so in true Phantasm fashion that will leave no fan unsatisfied (I would hope!). Kudos to Don Coscarelli for completing his Phantasm vision that began almost 40 years ago after so much red tape, he fought through all adversity, and to the cast, and crew, and director, for spending almost eight years to give the fans the desired closure that was needed but not without the lady in lavender (Kat Lester) and final “BOYYYYY!” to echo into eternity.

Visit www.phantasm.com for all the details on the series including RaVager!

I was raking my brain with what movie I was gonna write about this week. You see, as much as I love Halloween, horror, and all things gory, I’m also one of those assholes so full of Christmas spirit. As soon as Labour Day passes, my brain starts thinking about decorating! Now with Halloween being a week behind us, the sickness becomes even stronger. I have to physically stop myself from watching Holiday movies until December. Pretty much the month of November becomes as useless of a month as Wednesday is in the work-week.

Check it out… Rachel from ‘Friends’ is in this movie!

As I try to power through these next thirty days, debating what movies to write about, I decided to turn on one of my favourite shows. While not knowing it, this show would hold my inspiration. “An Idiot Abroad” is a show where comedian Ricky Gervais sends his bonehead best friend Karl around the world to learn and experience different cultures. Well for the first two seasons he travelled alone, but by the third season, Karl expressed how he “would enjoy a little company this season while traveling.” Well, Ricky took that literally, and for season three, sent this pint-sized bundle of joy alongside – yes Warwick Davis himself.

And there was my inspiration for this article, Mr. Warwick Davis. A legend. A man with a credits list as long as Jason Voorhies’ kill count. It’s no secret that we really know him for just one major accomplishment (maybe two for Jedi fans out there) and that is: Leprechaun.

Now as usual, I’m not gonna review this movie. I’m simply gonna write about what I like and try to honeydick you into watching or re-watching it again. BUT – how can you not want to watch this? It’s about a cereal box character that came to life to hunt down his missing gold. All the while we get to see Rachel from Friends clumsily try to run away, while her co-stars deliver some of the most choreographed acting off all time. I mean this all in a good way. Also, some of the 90s fashion in this badboy is worthy of the watch alone.

Leprechaun has one of my favourite kills ever

To this day, Leprechaun has one of my favourite kills in any movie ever. And – SPOILER ALERT – it comes when he decides to use a pogo stick on a guy’s chest. This movie also has one of my favourite chase scenes of all time, and I don’t mean car chase, but maniac after victim chase. I’m talking the classic part where Jennifer Aniston is running through an empty hospital while that Irish small fry is chasing her on a wheelchair! It gets better when he fixes himself a miniature go-kart and T-bones a full size truck causing it to roll head-over-asshole straight down a hill.

With the entire pot of Grade-A cheese in this movie, there is nothing that makes it not fun to watch. What it lacks in dialogue, it makes up for in creativity. Where it lacks in logic, it corrects itself in fun. I know this movie is labelled a Horror/Comedy, and maybe it was when it was released in 1993 but in 2016, the only scary thing about this movie is how it doesn’t get the praise it deserves.

Continued below

This movie won’t keep you up all night, or have you fearing another jump scare, but it will make you appreciate how perfect Warwick Davis is in the role as Leprechaun. Sequels, and the remake aside, the original film had an undeniable blend of phenomenal make-up FX, hilariously clichéd catchphrases, and constant use of the absolute most random items as weapons. This movie/franchise is so overlooked despite having an impressive five additional entries to the original series.

So as we mosey our way thru this useless month known as November, kill some time watching this Leprechaun penguin walk his way to the end of the rainbow. Then do it all again in March for St. Patrick’s Day.

SPOILER ALERT x2! Leprechaun dies by having a piece of bubble gum, wrapped in a four leaf clover, slingshot down his throat (Bart Simpson style). Yeah, you read that right, go experience it for yourself.

Have you seen Leprechaun? 

In comparison to William Peter Blatty’s original, Exorcist II: The Heretic is not a horror film and isn’t all that scary. The issue of one’s own faith and the effects of their beliefs were told tremendously through the characters and so, for the sequel, there was no need to retread that holy ground. Instead, writer William Goodhart and Director John Boorman changed the aesthetics to a more visceral setting and the mind.

Before delving into this film further, let’s make it clear that there is no defending the poor visual effects of the opening sequence involving a possessed healer burning in flames. It is awful and why there were not better efforts made is beyond me. Otherwise, the only real problem with the film is that it doesn’t have the same atmosphere as its predecessor and asks too much of the viewer. Perhaps even a poor execution of what is a really cool story. So rather than dwell on the negatives that have earned it such hatred and rejection among fans, and scoring a 3.7/10 on IMDB, let’s instead explain the story, the positives and maybe offer some explanation.

Picking up four years after the original, Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) now lives in a penthouse apartment in New York; attending school and practicing tap dance while honing her artistic skills at home. While her Mother, Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), did not return (the character is said to be away on location in a new job), the MacNeil family’s aid Sharon (Kitty Wynn) is back and watching over Regan. While seemingly free of the horrors endured, Regan struggles and it’s up to Dr. Gene Tuskin (Louise Fletcher) to use hypnosis and dream interpretation to evoke the memories inside her. Meanwhile, Father Philip Lamont (Richard Burton) is recruited by the Cardinal of the Church to conduct an investigation into Father Merrin’s (Max von Sydow) death. Merrin’s writings are in jeopardy of being discarded by the church completely as they find his premonitions that evil is growing and will eventually take over good are heresy (hence The Heretic subtitle).

Does the Exorcist II ask too much of the audience?

Seeking out Regan, and much to the objection of Tuskin, Lamont stands by during their first hypnotic session. Here is where we learn that by synchronizing their brainwaves (for those curious – normal sleep patterns range from Beta to Alpha waves, but it is the Theta wave tones that create much of the deeper imagery found in our slumber), they go to a next level of consciousness; could even say the astral plane. Tuskin is lost though during the session and Lamont attaches himself to the device to go after her. Once he is opened up to that world, he becomes in sync with Regan to discover that Father Merrin, in spirit, is protecting Regan while Pazuzu, the inhabiting demon, still tries to maintain a grasp on her soul. Through Pazuzu, Lamont is taken on a journey that shows one of Merrin’s earlier exorcism successes, young and later on, older, Kokumo (James Earl Jones), who has the power to control the Locusts. See the evil demon has chosen the locust because, as the audience learns later, inherits a natural evil once they brush their wings together in swarms thus changing their nature and not being the peaceful grasshopper that they can be.

Sound confusing yet? Told you it asks a lot of the viewer. It is not that thrilling for anyone who not interested in artistic expression of the dream world either. Understanding the battle raging inside Regan, Lamont goes against the Church to travel to Africa and seek out Kokumo. Meanwhile, now that Regan’s mind has become active to the evil inside her, she struggles and tries to guide Lamont in his quest, but Pazuzu also guides him as a minion that culminates in a final battle. Kokumo, now an adult, does meet with Lamont and explains that there is a good locust among the swarm and it is their hope that she alone can reverse the brushing of the wings; restoring harmony and good to the evil that resides in the world. The allegorical good locust is obviously a representation of Regan and what she is meant to become. Lamont isn’t the only one brushed with evil, as Sharon begins showing her dark side and she is recruited by Pazuzu to prevent Tuskin from stopping Pazuzu’s total inhabitancy of Regan’s soul.

This climax battle takes place at the famous Prospect Street home in Georgetown, Washington. Credit to the set designers who recreated the house as the original owners would not allow production there after the first film. Evil Regan seems to be in control, even sending swarms of locusts to attack Regan, to weaken her, so that Lamont can kill her. However, as Kokumo predicted, it is Regan who has the power of pure good; backed by the essence of Father Merrin. She overthrows Pazuzu’s hold on Lamont. Lamont is then able to rip out Evil Regan’s heart. Regan, performing the same controlling hand gestures as a young Kokumo once did, is able to reverse the Locust swarm and turn them back into peaceful grasshoppers. Tuskin witnesses the salvation of Lamont and the victory by Regan but at the price of Sharon’s life. Pazuza had Sharon self-sacrifice herself in a car fire that was meant to barricade any outside interference during the climactic battle. As the film closes, we see the hypnotic light shining in cycles over Tuskin as she watches Lamont and Regan walk off, through the destructed home, and into the sunrise.

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What does this all mean? It is an entire ethereal canvas of good overcoming evil. It’s a massive art film. Here is where the film deserves credit, because rather than still be a victim, Regan is now portrayed as a fighter, a savior to the world, and it is her story (her soul) that must be protected. This also shows exactly what went down in Father Merrin’s last moments with the possessed Regan in the original (something that was left to the imagination of the viewer). Are we to believe that all this stuff has really happened? That’s debatable. The Prospect Street property is still standing come Exorcist III (though they admittedly ignored events that occurred in Exorcist II) so why would anybody rebuild that house as it was?  Nope, my theory is different: I feel the majority of this entire film is an adventure through various stages of the dream session; locking us all inside the theta waves connected to the subconscious. When Regan feels Lamont’s pain as he is rejected by the Africa natives, she collapses on the floor and we hear the safety bell of the hypnotic device therefore preventing the self-destruction of her psyche. Regan also lies in bed, connecting to Lamont, albeit through Pazuzu, with the light shining in its cycle over her face. Lastly, once Regan restores the grasshoppers, they disappear therefore confirming they were not actually there. Lamont and Regan walk off into the sunrise, rather than descend the famous staircase beside the house, and the cycling light and hypnotic sounds engulf Tuskin as she looks on. This tells us that Tuskin was never brought out of the dream state by Lamont during that session, and that all of them were entangled in the astral plan and spiritual realm to save Regan’s soul.

When looking at the film this way, it makes way more sense and would justify why there was such reliance on the exaggeration of reality. I had the opportunity to meet Linda Blair at a Horrorhound convention in 2010, and she signed my Exorcist II DVD with “Sweet Dreams”. To me, that confirms what this film is: a dream; or a set of dreams depicting an entire soul searching battle beyond our time and space.

Whatever version you watch, the original Theatrical version on VHS, or all subsequent releases of John Boorman’s full cut, spend that 117 minutes thinking beyond what is known in our reality and let your dreams carry you away on the wings of the locust.

What did you think of The Exorcist II: The Heritic?

Now that we’re in single digits in our countdown to the greatest day of the year — Halloween, if you’re new here — it’s only proper to acknowledge the definitive granddaddy of all seasonal horror series. Always important to any project is the marketing, and theatrical trailers have become a staple of anticipation, no matter the genre, as they are the first introduction to the characters and the world of the film. Sometimes the hype is better than the final product, but that’s the art of a good theatrical trailer. I’ve reviewed theatrical trailers for the entire Halloween series and ranked them, starting with the least effective. This article is purely subjective, but I trust some of you out there will agree.

10. Halloween II (1981)

Ironically, my favorite entry in the franchise actually ranks least in the trailer department. It starts with a bang and keeps the momentum going — complete with the more gothic version of the theme. However, it seems too choppy, and when we reach the closing moments of Michael Myers chasing Laurie Strode, they employ the same formula as the original trailer. It works, but this trailer should have felt larger than the original, and it didn’t happen.

9. Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

Some consider Halloween: Resurrection to be the worst film in the franchise, but it certainly has its moments — and the trailer rings true to the hype of being greater than the film. It establishes the story, and offers something fresh and modern to the millennium while making sure it gives credit to the franchise history. The payoff is seeing Laurie ready to take on Michael once more. The downfall? It begins to risk giving away too much and, sigh, shows Busta Rhymes kicking Michael out the window. Boo!

8. Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)

I love that the trailer for Halloween 5 gets right to business, and the narration does the trick that the Halloween II trailer didn’t: pack the pace and make it clear that this film is going to be a thrill ride with higher stakes. But, like many trailers, it just reveals too much and runs too long to make it the magic that it could’ve been.

7. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

The opening to this trailer for Halloween 4 immediately brings any viewer who knew the original two entries to the immediate realization that it’s a Halloween film returning to its roots. While it does seem choppy at the time, it shows that Michael is strong, that a child is in danger and that fan favorite Dr. Loomis is back on the hunt. Donald Pleasance’s delivery of the dialogue carries this trailer from start to finish.

6. Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)

One of the greatest things of the series is Mrs. Blankenship’s monologue explaining why we celebrate Halloween. It’s chilling and intriguing at the same time. We are Danny, sitting and listening as she combines the sincere and the sinister. It’s only fitting, then, that Dimension Films used this moment to carry the entire trailer and give us a glimpse into where Michael is now and what these characters are going to face — and it feels like the Halloween season. Nothing is spoiled! It leaves eyebrows raised, pleasantly wondering what is in store.

5. Rob Zombie’s Halloween (2007)

Is it a sequel? No. Is it a remake? Let’s call it a “re-imagining.” Is it Halloween 1978? Hell, no! This trailer is edited so crisp and uses the fantastic tableau shot that Zombie incorporated into a key crime scene moment to send a chill into the audience. This is going to be like nothing seen before while giving us more of Michael, for better or worse, and bringing the horror to the extreme.

4. Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)

It’s 20 years later. The scene is established. The mood is set. Jamie Lee Curtis is back, and is Michael the predator or the prey?  The late ’90s setting is apparent. We know Laurie is haunted, we know she’s been in hiding, and when that moment comes, we know that she’s going to stop running and confront Michael in an all-out war. That’s something worth 20 years of waiting.  The trailer is also capped off by a light-hearted but welcome moment between Curtis and real-life Mom Janet Leigh, giving a respected nod to the original in the process.

3. Halloween (1978)

Part of the corruption of innocence, the unexplained phenomena of psychopathology, was an inspiration behind young Michael Myers, and never had the audience seen something where the child was directly responsible for some kind of brutal murder (Village of the Damned aside). What was to be a shocker to the audience is actually revealed when Myer’s parents pull the clown mask off and we see the kid in full view. This is the classic film that sets the benchmark, and while the trailer does a fantastic job in setting up the narrative and the suspense, including the cliffhanging moment of Michael chasing Laurie, it exposes certain moments that should have remained out of it — and that’s why it just can’t rank #1 in my book.

2. Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

What the hell am I thinking? This is a weird trailer because the teaser is tacked on at the top. If it really played like that, then it’s just off-setting from the beginning. Similar to Mrs. Blankenship, Dan O’Herlihy’s fantastic monolog about the dark roots and rich heritage of the Halloween season sets the tone that none of the other trailers possibly could. Because this is a Halloween film, even Myers-less, it has to establish the season. Masks, murder, children in danger, robots and science fiction? This is just something incredibly creepy, and we aren’t given any insight into how this film will play out. They even worked in the closing moment of the film without viewers realizing it. Clever!

1. Rob Zombie’s H2 [Halloween II] (2009)

You can love it or hate it — whichever way you want — but this trailer is beautifully strung together. The scenes transition nicely. It does not hide the violence. Any clip of Michael is fast and kept to the bare minimal so as to not overexpose his signature masked look or the new unmasked jacket version. The scene of Annie (Danielle Harris) looking in the bathroom mirror only to see Michael is back haunts me to this day; I still turn when looking in my mirror. It’s a great scene, and its placement in this trailer       segues nicely into something even more bizarre: the haunting resurrection of Sheri Moon’s Deborah Myers in spirit form cueing Michael during his murders. It’s bizarre, it’s some seriously fucked-up, hardcore shit, and it’s coming at us as fast as Michael himself. Dr. Loomis (Malcolm McDowell) says it best… Michael is more evolved. This is everything I want to see in a theatrical trailer, to the point where I may just go and watch the movie again right now.

There you have it, everyone. Making any ranking list, especially on one’s favorite series of all time, is not an easy task, and sometimes I was bouncing the numbers around just by one spot. I also wanted to be as honest with you, the reader, as I could. I couldn’t just put the original trailer in the #1 spot — just couldn’t. It would seem like a sell-out.

In closing, I simply say, no matter the rank you might give each trailer, I only wish you one thing — and that’s “Happy Halloween.”