The terminology is new, but the concept of “elevated” horror isn’t. As long as there’s been cinema, there has been a subset of both critics and fans who treat the perennial popularity of horror films […]
NEW IN ACTION: OCTOBER 2021, AKA HAUNTED-HOUSE ROUND-UP
This month on the Round-Up we’re deviating a bit and taking a few liberties on what 1) constitutes “new” and 2) how much “action” might make an Action movie. But it’s October! We want to […]
NO-LIFE CRISIS: ‘CARNIVAL OF SOULS’ AND THE CULT OF YOUTH
The middle of the 20th century saw of a period of shakeup in the normal course of Western life. As things used to be, we had childhood, devoted to growing, learning, preparing to care for […]
BHYH: INTRO TO DUNGEON SYNTH
This Halloween season we’re headed down a different path than the blanketed heavy metal, silly old novelty songs, psychobilly freakout, or block-of-Michael-Jackson-followed-by-Ray-Parker-Jr. for our party music. This is a path that leads deep into the […]
WHY 2010 IS COMMONLY CONSIDERED THE GREATEST ERA OF HORROR
The frontiers of media provide lawless opportunities for artists. Before the corporate-appointed sheriff rolls into town, utopias of artistic expression are possible. What those utopic dreams are and how long they last is an entirely […]
BHYH: WHAT OCTOBER BRINGS
BUT HAVE YOU HEARD is our occasional music recommendation column in which we dare to dive into the murky depths of Spotify, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, YouTube (and more) to bring you our most choice audio selections, […]
‘JAWS 2’: THE SEQUEL THAT KNOWS ITS WORTH
I’m not ready for autumn. In late September and early October, as the days grow short and the nights cool off sharply, horror fiends’ pulses quicken as Halloween lurches ever closer; I’m just not in […]
NEW IN ACTION: AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021
Each month The Grumps bring you a selection of what’s new and now in the Action genre. Strap in for Round-house Round-Up! FROM NICK SPACEK: YAKUZA PRINCESS (2021) [NEW TO SELECT THEATERS] You know a […]
AUDIO FANFICTION: ‘MALIGNANT’
Earlier this week we published a thoughtful piece on James Wan’s latest horror offering, Malignant. Whether or not anyone had the same takeaway from the film as the author, I felt good publishing the essay […]
‘MALIGNANT’: THE ANTI-CHOICE MAN OF YOUR DREAMS
Dream logic is a powerful narrative engine, driving both the most anxiety-inducing of horror and the wackiest of screwball comedy. It only makes sense that a franchise like Nightmare on Elm Street quickly changed course […]
SPENCER SEAMS DOESN’T LIKE MANDY
Grumpire 15, Mandy 0 Heavy Metal Horror Fans beware, we’re joined on this episode by friend and fellow podcaster Spencer Seams to discuss what just doesn’t sit right for him about Panos Cosmatos’ horror/fantasy epic […]
IT’S A RODEO ROUND-UP!
To round out WESTERN WEEK, here’s a quick round-up of some of our favorite Westerns — none too unconventional to mention! FROM ELBEE: DUDES (1988) [collector’s edition blu-ray via shout factory] If we’ve learned anything […]
LIVING IN A GRAY AREA: ‘BONE TOMAHAWK’ AND MORAL COMPASS
Set in a blazing hot desert, Bone Tomahawk opens with David Arquette’s Purvis slitting a man’s throat. Almost immediately thereafter, we meet his partner-in-crime, Buddy (Sid Haig), who lectures Purvis on the proper way to […]
‘JOHNNY GUITAR’: A WESTERN DREAM
Editor’s Note: an earlier version of this essay first appeared at Cinepunx.com A long time ago, Francois Truffaut, maker of fancy French films, thought this little American Western called Johnny Guitar had such grace that […]
The Western With a Participation Trophy: ‘THE QUICK AND THE DEAD’
When I volunteered to write an article about the 1995 western movie The Quick and the Dead, I fully intended to write something entirely positive. After all, I’ve watched this movie several times and liked […]