Do you believe in the concept of a muse? I see people talk about a muse all the time on writing websites or even Facebook, usually in the vein of “My muse sure is being an asshole today.”  But I guess I never thought about having one myself.

Now I don’t mean Sharon Stone walking into your room to help you write a screenplay. A muse can either be a physical thing or just what you call “inspiration.” Some people wait around for this muse to appear, and are lost without them.

Though, most of the successful writers I’ve heard talk about inspiration say you have to write whether or not it shows up. And I’ve found it’s the same for me – some days I simply do not want to write. But you do anyway, cause otherwise nothing’s going to get done. Waiting for inspiration is like waiting for your birthday when you’re a kid – it never comes, never comes, then it’s already over and you’re just older.

But, there has to be something that makes you sit down at the desk and put pen to paper. Maybe it’s sheer determination to finish a project finally. Maybe it’s visions of a producer handing you bags of money for your screenplay. Maybe it’s crafting the perfect sentence.

On the other hand, maybe it’s a paperclip. Or Sharon Stone.

What about you? Is the concept of a muse a realistic one or lofty idealism from people who have never written creatively before?

Also also, since this blog (and the site) is niche and there are like 4 readers, I’ll further ostracize our fan base by blogging about my atheism. It’s  been more on my mind as of late than usual so I figure I’ll get some of my thoughts out here. So, go ahead and unfriend/unfollow!

This leads me to:

There’s been a relatively large buzz  of late about the “cross” found in the rubble of the World Trade Center towers. This “World Trade Center cross” was found two days after the attack, and was installed on a pedestal shortly after. It has since become a tourist attraction and a symbol for many.

Yet, for others, it symbolizes something else: bigotry.

The American Atheists organization has of late been in the news for fighting against the erection of the steel beams. Their argument, and a truthful one, is that everyone killed in the 9/11 attack wasn’t Christian, and therefore are not all represented by this one symbol. Though not as visible (or easily reviled I guess) in the news, the Coalition for Jewish Concerns has opposed the symbol as well.

American Atheists’ president David Silverman made news when he said, “The World Trade Center cross has become a christian icon. It has been blessed by so-called holy men and presented as a reminder that their God, who couldn’t be bothered to stop the Muslim terrorists or prevent 3,000 people from being killed in his name, cared only enough to bestow upon us some rubble that resembles a cross.”

This got him in “trouble” recently with The Daily Show, where Jon Stewart said he was acting like a dick. What Silverman said, of course, IS true; the idea that God would go to the trouble of leaving a cross in a building where he couldn’t stop the atrocity in the first place is just silly. If I failed at something as big as not being able to save thousands of lives, I wouldn’t want some random thing in the remains representing where I “went right.” I’d feel like shit, honestly, and would immediately own up to my mistake. As would most of us, I imagine.

But people were, and are still, scared. They’re terrified of something like that happening again. Hell, the point of religion in the first place is to try and organize a random and chaotic world into something we can understand. Life can be terrifying, and most folks need something to help them cope. If it’s a metal lower case t that helps (of which there were many, considering they were crossbeams in a building), maybe it’s ok…to a point. I think that’s why some think Silverman was being a dick.

However, part of not being a dick includes respecting other people. And many people get no comfort out of the symbol at that site – to the contrary, it causes them emotional harm. They don’t want their family members represented by something they weren’t (despite the plaque’s boast of “a sign of comfort for all”). Sometimes, that’s hard to understand, as evidenced by the Fox News viewers calling out for American Atheists Communications Director Blair Scott’s (and atheists in general) death. Really, guys? It’s a damn metal t.

I know the majority of Christians don’t feel that way. I also know the majority of people in general understand it’s a complicated issue. I know not all atheists agree on this issue. There’s even talk of making other steel girders into other religious symbols, like the Star of David and some Eastern religious symbols and putting them into the museum. Which is fine, I guess, though I’m sure Muslim symbols being included will stir some more controversy, much like the mosque issue was before (irony much?).

For myself, I go back and forth. It’s insulting some Christians think they’re the only ones that matter and they should get their way all the time. But I also know life is scary, and random, and people need symbols or something else to help them get through it. While they have the cross, I have bad movies and writing. I don’t worship them, but they make me feel a little better and forget we’re going to vanish at some point – probably suddenly and randomly.

Also, I’m guessing most Christians don’t WANT to offend anyone. So it remains a complicated issue. I’ll be interested to see what becomes of the plans to include other symbols in the museum (what could atheists get? Maybe a physics book, or Stephen Hawking’s wheelchair?) if it holds up at all.

In the meantime, try not to be a dick, for life can be terrifying.

Let’s recap: among the various “found footage” movies, we’ve had ghosts, witches, cannibals, and even a Godzilla-type monster. But would you ever consider tree-sized (and bigger) trolls to be a subject of one of these “supposed to be for reals” flicks? Would that even work?

I’m here to tell you it absolutely does!

I caught this one at the Atlanta Film Festival the other day. I honestly couldn’t believe it was even there in the first place. Apparently, nobody else could either, as they turned out in droves! The buzz off the Interwebs had really caught on and we all waited to see what trolls REALLY looked like…and how to hunt them.

Like a lot of “found footage” type movies, it starts with a setup regarding who’s filming it and why. Seems around Norway there are a lot of deaths recently, all being attributed to bear attacks. The offending bears are always found post-death and seem to involve a grizzled old dude with a lot of equipment. Nobody knows who he is.

So a group of college students hunt him down and follow him to try and get the story. After chasing him across the country, he finally relents. He’s a hunter, all right, but not of bears. They find this out the hard way when they catch him in the middle of a midnight raid. His prey: a building sized, pissed off, three headed troll.

Now, this is where the movie could’ve immediately gotten ridiculous, considering the premise. And it would have been fun that way, too. However, the filmmakers do something rather genius, and treat it like it’s straight up fact. We even get explicit details about the nature of the trolls and all their different types, and even how they reproduce and die. As a result, the movie is still funny, but (despite the braying jackasses behind me in the theater) has a lot of heart behind the story.

Not from the college students, as they’re fairly one dimensional. The troll hunter in question, though, has a lot of character to him. He’s tired, has no friends or family, and has a strangely sordid past that involves the trolls. We get to know him over the course of the film and he may not quite be the badass he seems to be in the beginning.

The movie is also treated as reality when the ending is basically the footage getting cut off! We’re left with no real resolution with any of the characters…which does lead to one problem I had with the movie. There were a couple threads of story that never lead anywhere. The main one is one of the college students gets a bad scratch during a troll attack that ultimately ends up being pointless. Some minor dimness in an otherwise bright and fun movie!

Definitely recommend! Hopefully it’ll make its way over to your neck of the woods soon so you can check it out. Like the hunter in the film, it’ll leave you yelling, “TROOOOOOLLLLLLL!!!!!!”

Anyway, here’s a list of five cheesy flicks you should check out as you open presents  by that crappy tree up above and ignore Cousin Eddie’s creepy stares.

1. Black Christmas (1974)

Before there was Halloween, Friday the 13^th, or Nightmare on Elm Street, there was a little flick called Black Christmas. Skip over the flat 2006 remake (despite Lacey Chabert’s presence) and head right for the original, directed by “A Christmas Story” director and really nice guy Bob Clark.

It owes a lot to the Italian giallo tradition, whether consciously or not; implied, off the screen kills, a killer staying in the shadows, etc. But the traditions of the slasher are all there, and it’s good for a history lesson as well as a cheesy Christmas flick.

2. Silent Night, Deadly Night

If you think films today have controversy, consider 1984’s Silent Night, Deadly Night. When it was released, it was literally protested. Crowds gathered at theaters and malls to picket it. Siskel and Ebert famously used their TV show to read the production credits and say “shame, shame” after every one. Ads were pulled just six days after it was released, with the film following soon after. All because the guy wears a Santa suit! Even dumber, a Santa themed slasher was released in 1980 to no fanfare.

Luckily, an independent distributor picked Silent Night, Deadly Night up. They focused its ads for the re-release on the prior controversy and the film now enjoys “cult” status for horror lovers everywhere. And it’s ridiculous – great over the top slasher craziness perfect for a few glasses of eggnog.

3. Rare Exports

Just saw this on Wednesday! Santa is more naughty than nice in this wintry Finland movie. An excavation team finds something under the ice – something old and ready to punish all the bad children of the world!

The subject matter is treated very seriously, despite it being about a killer Santa. If you’ve ever felt like there was just something “off” about a jolly fat guy who judges you and breaks into your house, watch Rare Exports for the REAL story of Kris Kringle.

4. P2

This overlooked 2007 thriller written by splatter lover Alexandre Aja is surprisingly low on gore and blood. A young, power hungry corporate exec gets trapped in her building’s parking garage with a deranged security guard who just wants her to sit down for some Christmas dinner.

It’s not the most original film in the world but it’s an ok game of cat and mouse to have on in the background during Christmas dinner. Just make sure you’re not chained to your chair…

5. Gremlins

Little known Fox fact: when this movie came out in theaters, I was four years old. My dad thought it would be a fun little movie for a dad/son outing. Two weeks later, I was still sleeping in my parents’ room. They claim I saw gremlins climbing on the curtains and the ceiling, probably like the dead baby in Trainspotting.

Of course, my 13 year old nephew recently saw it and just said it was “silly.” And it is, really. It was so silly director Joe Dante directly lampooned it in the sequel. Isn’t it always after midnight somewhere? Isn’t snow made of water?

No matter. For those of us who grew up in the ‘80s, it’s just as important as a Christmas movie as A Christmas Story and It’s a Wonderful Life. Watch it this year and feel like a kid again.

To go along with Zombie Cat contributor Gary Hamrick’s recent angry rant about how much he hates “horror movies,” I’d like to present my own feelings on the subject. Gary’s column, while incendiary, isn’t completely off base. Most horror fans have felt for a while that not enough strides have been made to further the genre. While the occasional diamond in the rough emerges from the dregs, it’s still frustrating when a constant barrage of crap makes us look bad in the eyes of the common folk.

To this, I present five things (not necessarily in order, and by no means the only five) that drive me crazy about recent horror flicks.

1. OMG Moments

You know the scene – the teenie bopper lead character slowly makes her way down the hallway into her room where she heard a suspicious noise emit within. She creeps into the room softly calling, “Hello?” until she reaches the closet when SUDDENLY THE DOORS FLY OPEN OMG THE VIOLINS STRIKE SHE SCREAMS AND…it’s her cat, Mittens. Mittens bounds away as the teenie bopper lead laughs and skips to the kitchen for ice cream (probably where she’s attacked for real).

These “stings” or “scare chords” are usually just a cheap way to frighten the audience, give their heart a race to make up for how boring the rest of the film is. They’ve been going on for years and need to be toned down considerably, if not removed entirely. Think of other ways to shock the teens out of their seats, please.

2. “Torture Porn”

Let’s get this out of the way: I’m calling for an end to the term, not necessarily the sub-genre, though I do have something to say about that too. At no point should a horror fan use the term “torture porn.” Cole Abaius over at Film School Rejects published a piece on the subject in November, and I agreed with the vast majority of what he writes. Simply, “torture porn” doesn’t exist. To claim a film has no artistic merit is one thing, but to deride an entire sub-genre is another.

Worse, it makes people who enjoy the films into degenerates, which is nothing new for horror fans. It’s been happening since Frankenstein. Those using the term simply don’t know their history; else, they would use the correct term, splatter film. “Torture porn” was coined by an otherwise quite serviceable critic (and self alleged horror fan) named David Edelstein, who claimed none of these films have any merit and are just pornography. Just because you don’t think it does, princess, doesn’t mean it doesn’t. And vice versa, obviously.

That said, while I’m not one to complain about a splatterfest (hey, I love FX, sue me), the sub-genre does lend itself to simple copycats and lazy releases. In the future, we horror fans require some thought and effort on the part of the filmmakers. Now that the trend is on a major decline, future films should weed out the bad and the overused and come up with something wholly original and mind-blowing.

3. Zombies

Yeah, I said it. But hear me out.

Perhaps this goes beyond films into “real life” territory, but zombies have become so played out it’s ridiculous. It was a strange time for me around the turn of the century when I saw otherwise totally normal folks wearing zombie shirts and talking about the gory special effects they loved.

Then came zombie walks. And endless stupid movies that just threw in zombies cause make-up is cheap. And then even more crappy movies that had big budgets because they were so popular. Today, you can’t get away from them.

I studied zombie movies (among others) for my senior thesis in college. Zombies films are among some of my earliest horror memories, so I have a special fondness for them. When done right, zombies can mean the most out of the average movie monster because they’re US, man.

But among all the films that came out, how many were any good? Beyond that, how many will be remembered down the road? Two? Three? Yeah, we got Shaun of the Dead and The Walking Dead looks to be a huge win for AMC that gets a lot right. But most of the meaning has been sucked out, and my beloved zombies are in danger of getting the Twilight treatment. Hopefully the “overload” will come soon and we’ll have “werewolf walks” around Halloween instead.

4. Pretending Your Crappy Movie was Intended to Be That Way Thus Making it Retro

Yeah, long title, but it gets the idea across. I’m tired of seeing these kinds of films. It’s generally some goofy slasher with a weak ass villain and some big boobed doofuses running around blah blah blah. No original ideas, no point – but when asked, the director says, “Oh we were just paying homage to the 80s LMAO!”

Listen: if you made a shitty film but you still managed to sell it to a distributor, that’s fine. Own up to it. But don’t lie. Horror fans know. Furthermore, how about you actually spend time on it and make a good film in the first place? Though slashers are done to death (I studied them for my paper as well), there’s still territory to be explored if you try hard enough. But most don’t, as they’re in it for the money and not to made real films or at least learn the craft.

Trust me: you’re no Lloyd Kaufman or Roger Corman. You’re Uwe Boll.

5. Remakes

‘nuff said.

Wait, no it’s not. If anything encapsulates the “no originality and totally brainless” issue with horror flicks, it’s the remake trend that’s been going on for too long. Remakes of old films, remakes of other country’s films, remakes of remakes for god’s sake, it just won’t end.

Of course, the real problem is people still go to see them. After they get back from the theater from seeing “Prom Night,” these people complain about no original ideas. Then, when something original and good comes out, these same people suddenly find excuses to stay home (see: Slither). Horror fans will be the engineers of their own destruction. And then they’ll complain about it online.

To end on a positive note: “True Grit” aside, the remake trend seems to be on a decline, especially since we’re entering a new decade with new trends to be discovered. Hopefully whatever lies ahead in the next ten years does everyone’s favorite genre a solid and puts horror on the top where it belongs.

Now: we’re all counting the things we’re grateful for this holiday season. Here are 5 quick things I’m thankful for as a film buff:

1. The remake trend seems to be coming full circle. Call it a feeling, but it looks like it’s winding down. Though it’s culminated in a Coen Brothers remake of True Grit and that is just alright.

2. Indie cinema has lead to a lot of interesting and unique voices. There is a lot of crap that comes out, it’s true. But the low cost of making movies nowadays means more possibilities for films that otherwise would never be made get their vision out there.

3. Speaking of vision, it’s easy to take for granted that we live in a country where we have freedom of expression. Though that freedom often results in a mountain of bullshit, at least we’re able to spread said BS freely.

4. It may not seem like it, but smart films are still made. The ratio is incredibly off, but at least they’re there in some capacity.

5. Alcohol is still readily available in this country. So whenever we pop in a bad movie for reviewing, we have the ability to forget it ever happened!

1. Factotum

Women, drinking, smoking, crappy jobs, and in between it all – sitting down and pushing the prose. That’s what it’s about. Or, at least, for Matt Dillon as Charles Bukowski’s alter ego Henry Chinaski in Factotum, which means “one who has many diverse activities or responsibilities.

And writers will often find themselves as factotums; when you’re constantly thinking about a story or editing or characters, you may not be able to focus on the jobs that pay real dough. So you make your way while trying to keep your eye on the prize – in Chinaski’s case, getting one of his short stories in a lit magazine.

Some have said the ending isn’t entirely satisfactory, but writers know how important it can be when someone validates your work.

2. Naked Lunch

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like inside of a writer’s mind during the creation process, watch Naked Lunch. Instead of attempting to adapt the batshit insane novel directly to the screen, screenwriter and director David Cronenberg instead chose to show William S. Burroughs’ attempts at writing the book in the first place.

It’s insanely confusing and often non-linear, as it should be. Considering most people think the creation process is something magical, showing it on film can be difficult. Putting Burroughs literally inside of his work as he tries to create it at the same time is a great way for viewers to identify with something they may not normally understand.

3. Hustle & Flow

What does a street pimp making sweet, sweet jams while his life falls apart have to do with writing? It’s all in the title. You keep hustling, and you keep flowing; keep sending your stuff out, and keep writing. Don’t stop even when you might end up in jail.

Writer/director Craig Brewer used the plot as an analogy for his own artistic life. When nobody was taking him seriously, he still got out there and hustled because he believed in the project and himself. Getting frustrated is alright; stopping is not.

Little known fact: after seeing Hustle & Flow, we started quoting it on-set during the production of Orgazimation. It’s hard out here for a pimp!

4. Adaptation

Another “inside the writer’s mind” film, Adaptation shows the trials and craziness that happens when an otherwise strong writer hits writer’s block at full speed. His frustration at constantly not finding the right words (or any at all) is compounded by his brother Donald’s unexpected success with his crappy thriller.

I kept putting off seeing Adaptation for some reason, but I’m glad I waited until I was firmly entrenched in the writing game. I literally teared up at a few points because it was like writer Charlie Kaufman had reached into my brain, taken out my thoughts and squished them on paper.

The brilliance of the movie goes even further when you notice Adaptation is “co-written” by Donald Kaufman, making the whole experience even more meta.

5. Barton Fink

Speaking of writer’s block, Barton Fink was written by the Coen Brothers during a period when they were struggling with Miller’s Crossing. According to them, it helped “wash their brains” and let them finally finish the latter script.

I generally have to do this myself, especially when my last project has been particularly tough. After struggling to finish writing my short story “Illuminating,” I knew I had to wipe my head thoughts before I worked on anything else. I decided to write a silly story with a weirdo going on a date. That story turned into “Mondo Nothing” and it won me a damn award.

In Barton’s world, he’s a successful playwright who gets sucked into the crazy neon hell of Hollywood. There’s a muse, and literary allusions, religious references, and John Goodman potentially playing the devil. Is it about overcoming obstacles and writing what’s true to you? Could be…

A friend and colleague of mine always scoffs at my love of bad cinema whenever it comes up. “Why would I want to watch bad movies?” he says with a snicker. “I want to make good movies, so I watch good movies.”

Unfortunately for my misguided friend, he’s human, just like me. And like all humans, we both learn from two ways: screwing up and watching others screw up. My argument back to him is I’ve learned more from watching crap movies than I have from good ones.

If all you watch are the “greatest” movies (obviously up to individual interpretation), you’re denying yourself some of the best lessons you can get outside of making five movies in a row. Want to see how someone succeeded? Watch Casablanca. Want to learn what not to do? Scroll through our bad movie database.

Lessons to be Learned

Take Death by Dialogue, one of my personal favorites. One of the oft-recited rules of screenwriting is “any script can be fixed.” Doesn’t matter how bad the concept, or dialogue, or characters – something can be done. But watching Death by Dialogue you realize that’s clearly incorrect. Bad idea, bad script, bad everything.

There needed to be several things done before any lights were even colored green regarding this film. Make sure you have a clear idea of what’s going on with your movie before you set foot on any set. Try having a few table reads to tighten the script up. Or, if you’re making a movie about a killer journalist killing terrible actors on a movie set, just toss it away instead.

Sometimes a great script gets corrupted by bad interpretation by the director or production team. Consider the remake of Day of the Dead – from all accounts, screenwriter Jeffrey Reddick wanted to make the film Romero didn’t have the funds for when he made original. Unfortunately, what crapped out was an atrocity to all man and zombiekind. So while the remake of Dawn of the Dead enjoys some respect from fans for honoring the legacy, Day of the Dead experienced a quick, painful death. And not in a cool way.

The Best Started Somewhere

One of the best ways to utilize love for cheesy and bad movies is to follow filmmaker careers. A popular example is Peter Jackson. He started out by making Bad Taste during weekends with his friends. It showed enough promise to be shown at Cannes and win some awards. Watch this to learn how to turn a few dollars and a simple story into success – if you’re willing to put in the work and study, like Peter did.

After Bad Taste and then Meet the Feebles, Peter made Dead Alive (a.k.a. Braindead), widely considered to be one of the most notorious and goriest films in horror history. Besides the buckets of blood, you can clearly see how Peter Jackson had adapted his sense of humor and ability behind the camera to make a fun and insane film.

Instead of pigeonholing himself, he then branched out to the heavy drama field with Heavenly Creatures – and his mainstream status was sealed. If you had just started with Lord of the Rings, you would get none of the rise, none of the struggle, none of the clawing and learning his way up. And you would get no education – just some good movies.

So, for all my fellow filmmakers out there, don’t be like unfortunate colleague. Beg, borrow or steal from your cheesy movie loving friends and get some real education, right on your TV!

Wrong! You’re forgetting about the stuffing, the turkey, the cranberry sauce, the screaming matches with your cousin; you’re forgetting about Thanksgiving! It really is the most overlooked holiday, but we’re here to fix that.

If you’re worried about what ridiculous movies you could possibly watch as you lounge around after the fifteenth slice of pumpkin pie, fret no longer! Here are five gems guaranteed to make you thankful – well, at least thankful you weren’t involved in funding them. Or that you weren’t on the menu yourself!

1. Thankskilling

Thankskilling has started making the rounds on the Internet, savoring the much sought after “must watch as it’s so bad it’s good” reputations. Featuring a smart aleck killer turkey offing college kids and loads of laughs (not to mention gravy), the movie was made for approximately 5 bucks but with a lot of love…well, maybe the “love” you experience around the dining room table Thanksgiving Day. Check it out for the crazy puppet and the abundance of one-liners.

2. Blood Freak

Speaking of turkeys, try this one on for size. When a biker picks up a girl with a flat tire and escorts her to her mad scientist dad’s turkey farm, he’s quickly turned into a giant turkey monster, bent on killing drug dealers across the land!

When the main character is named after the Godfather of Gore, H.G. Lewis, you know you’re in for a crimson hued treat. Just make sure to keep your tongue firmly smashed into your cheek when the paper mache turkey head makes its appearance.

3. Home Sweet Home (1981)

Remember “Body by Jake?” The fitness trainer guy that did all those infomercials back in the day? Did you ever see him and think he looked like a psycho killer?

Well, somebody did, and they made a movie about it. That movie is called Home Sweet Home. It stars Mr. Jake Steinfeld as an escaped mental patient who decides to make a happy little family’s Thanksgiving dinner a living hell. By all accounts it’s just a typical, boring slasher, but it’s like watching a movie and getting a workout all at the same time!

Fun fact: Steinfeld’s catch phrase is apparently “Don’t quit.” Unfortunately, this didn’t help him with his film career.

4. ThanXgiving

The big draw for this unfortunately titled flick is it stars Ari Lehman, who played the original Jason Voorhees. You know, the 5 second scare at the end of the film where he jumps out of the water? Yeah, him. Well, now he’s all grown up, and appearing in stuff like ThanXgiving. Oh, how the mighty have…moved sideways.

The story: bunch of kids go into an abandoned campground to make a movie and something something blah blah blah. Presumably, they are eaten for Thanksgiving by the crazy man on the box. We’d tell you how it is, but it’s not the easiest movie to find. If you run across a copy, good luck!

5. Scalps

We’ve been told how since we were kids how Thanksgiving is all about the love between the Pilgrims and the Indians. Of course, that wasn’t entirely true, if at all. So now it’s time for a little red-skinned revenge!

The Fred Olen Ray directed masterpiece Scalps features a scalping, a decapitation, and some weird lion thing that doesn’t make any sense. Not the best movie in the world, but good to put on the background as you stuff your face with another plate of squash casserole while you try to ignore your mother asking why you’re not married yet.

We’ve all been to those lame ass Halloween parties where the host thought it would be “hilarious” to throw on some goofy Halloween music for the soundtrack. Between the 20^th repeat of “Monster Mash” and the third cover of “Thriller,” you put your stale chips and crappy Bud Light down and go home, probably to cry. So at your own party, instead of making everyone roll their eyes at the Time Warp again, go for some horror cinema as the chilling backdrop to your bash!

1. Carnival of Souls (1962)

Though not exactly a blockbuster in its time, Carnival of Souls managed to snag a cult following. In fact, you may have caught it at an art house theater or even someone else’s Halloween party, so one could argue it’s a bit overplayed. That’s no reason to discount it, though, as it’s still a thoroughly creepy tour through a hellish small town (or just hell?) filled with offputting sound effects and organ music.

2. Silent Hill (2006)

While this adaptation of the hit video game series didn’t garner much in the way of ticket sales, Silent Hill is nonetheless one of the better game-to-movie translations released. Though the shoehorned husband character doesn’t add much and the plot is somewhat nonsensical (like the games, which I love), Christophe Gans managed to stuff as much creepy atmosphere into it as he could, including several musical pieces straight from the games. The end suffers from a CGI explosion, though while gory, does jar some out of the experience. Still, a good choice to have on in the background.

3. House of the Devil (2009)

Some have complained about the lack of plot in House of the Devil, but I argue that there is just enough present to make a terrific film. And besides, you almost can’t get more atmospheric than this film! With little music besides the haunting score (and the occasional 80’s tune), the quiet leaves us wondering just what is going to happen to this nice young lady in this huge house. And when it comes, it comes with a vengeance!

4. The Changeling (1980)

Not the Clint Eastwood/Angelina Jolie match-up, the 1980 George C. Scott led spookfest supposedly based on true events. With chilling piano music, haunted wheelchairs, and the scariest bouncing child’s ball ever seen, this tale of a grieving husband and father who is haunted by the ghost of a Senator’s kid will quickly capture your partygoer’s attention. One of the better haunted house films.

5. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1921)

You’re having a party, so there’s no need to listen to dialogue anyway, right? So why not put on a silent film? The most influential of the German Expressionism films and often cited as having the first “twist” ending, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a great moody choice for any Halloween extravaganza. The distorted sets, elaborate make-up, and gothic music all make for a frightening experience. Put this one on for guests to enjoy, but don’t be surprised if instead of leaving out of boredom they run screaming for their lives!