Horror 2025 Countdown: Diary of the Dead (2007)

Diary of the Dead (2007), dir. George R. Romero, Artfire Films/Romero-Grunwald Productions

Another zombie film and a new one from the Master himself? There are sayings about sequels and wells children, and one should be mindful of both...

Horror 2025 Countdown: A History of Violence (2005)

A History of Violence (2005), dir. David Cronenberg, BenderSpink/Media I! Filmproduktion/Munchen & Company

David Cronenberg and DC? Yeah, this was based on a 1997 graphic novel. I wasn't aware of that when I saw this.

Horror 2025 Countdown: The Apartment Complex (1999)

The Apartment Complex (1999), dir. Tobe Hooper, Pacific Bay Entertainment/Sterling Pacific Films 

Ah, dear Mr. Hooper. His career was not doing great at this point, but thankfully Showtime threw him a bone and on Oct. 31st that year they showed his latest flick. Would it be a nail in the coffin?

Horror 2025 Countdown: Night Visions (1990)

Night Visions (1990), dir. Wes Craven, Wes Craven Films/MGM Telecommunications 

Wes Craven's career was full of highs and lows. Which would this one be?

Horror 2025 Countdown: Village of the Damned (1995)

Village of the Damned (1995), dir. John Carpenter, Alphaville Films 

John Carpenter's career was in an odd state in the mid-90s. A few critically acclaimed and few busts in equal measure put him in a kind of grey zone, with this being more contractual obligation than passion. 

Horror 2025 Countdown: Innerspace (1987)

Innerspace (1987), dir. Joe Dante, Amblin Entertainment 

We've talk about nearly everything he did, but we did skip over a few things. Hopefully this rectifies things. By now Jow Dante was riding high thanks to Gremlins, so why not a sci-fi comedy?

Horror 2025 Countdown: Last Woman on Earth (1960)

Last Woman on Earth (1960), dir. Roger Corman, Filmgroup

Funny enough this predates the Vincent Price film Last Man on Earth by a good four years, although it has more in common with Arch Oboler's Five than the former. 

Horror 2025 Countdown: Let's Kill Uncle (1966)

Let's Kill Uncle (1966), dir. William Castle, William Castle Productions

Moving into William Castle's efforts, and yeah, this might be the darkest comedy I've reviewed.

Horror 2025 Countdown: Notorious (1946)

Notorious (1946), dir. Alfred Hitchcock, RKO Radio Pictures/Vanguard Films 

Moving into the director section, and as per tradition we open with a Hitchcock film. 

Horror 2025 Countdown: Baron Blood (1972)

Baron Blood (1972), dir. Mario Bava, Euro America Produzioni/Cinematografiche/Dieter Geissler Filmproduktion GmbH & Co.

How have we not talked about Mario Bava before? We're also ending our look back at zombies, so why not end with an Italian one?

Horror 2025 Countdown: Isle of the Snake People (1971)

Isle of the Snake People (1971), dir. Juan Ibanez and Jack Hill, Azteca Films/Columbia Pictures 

Actors rarely go out on a good note. If Targets had been the last film Boris Karloff did, it would be help up as probably the finest film of the 1960s but sadly Mr. Karloff followed that up with a series of four films released after his death. This would be the second to last. 

Horror 2025 Countdown: I Eat Your Skin (1971)

I Eat Your Skin (1971), dir. Del Tenney, Del Tenney Productions

Funny how things work out. I Eat Your Skin was actually made in 1964 but no distributor would touch it. Director Jerry Gross, having just finished I Drink Your Blood, needed a second film for a proposed double feature and thus one name change (it used to be called Zombie) later the most infamous double bill was born.

Horror 2025 Countdown: Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Night of the Living Dead (1968), dir. George A. Romero, Image Ten

What can I say that hasn't already been said by far more learned people than myself? Prior to 1968, zombies were still considered a purely folklore monster, a corpse or doomed person drugged into mindlessness for manual labor. Here? The rules changed and the bar was raised.

Horror 2025 Countdown: Revolt of the Zombies (1936)

 Revolt of the Zombies (1936), dir. Victor Halperin, Victor & Edward Halperin Productions 

The Halperin's had a most unusual trajectory in Hollywood. 1932's White Zombie was a hit and brought the concept of the undead to the American popular culture. 1933's Supernatural was groundbreaking in its own way and might be a review here at some point. So why not look at those two and ignore everything that made them work?

Horror 2025 Countdown: Ouanga (1936)

 Ouanga (1934), dir. George Terwilliger, George Terwilliger Productions 

...And this might be the single most racist thing I've reviewed this year. 

Horror 2025 Countdown: Maniac (1934)

 Maniac (1934) dir. Dwain Esper, Roadshow Attractions

 

As we've done in the past, this section of the month will be focusing on a particular theme. In this case that theme is zombies and brother, what a pick today. 

Horror 2025 Countdown: The Leopard Man (1943)

The Leopard Man (1943), dir. Jacques Tourneur, RKO Radio Pictures 

Ending our slasher feature, and we really haven't gotten to the works of Val Guest that much. He worked with RKO throughout the 40's and his output has been studied by intellects far greater than mine. This wasn't one of his, but he did produce it and the direction was handled by his frequent collaborator Tourneur. 

Horror 2025 Countdown: Maniac Cop III: Badge of Silence (1992)

Maniac Cop III: Badge of Silence (1992), dir. Alan Smithee, First Look Studios/NEO Motion Pictures 

'Directed by Alan Smithee' is always a sign. Rarely a good sign, I mind you. William Lustig wanted his name off. Did he have a good reason?

Horror 2025 Countdown: Halloween Ends (2022)

 Halloween Ends (2022), dir. David Gordon Green, Miramax/Blumhouse Productions/Trancas International Films/Rough House Pictures 

We're moving into the slasher section and what better way to begin with an ending?

Horror 2025 Countdown: Hands of the Ripper (1971)

 Hands of the Ripper (1971), dir. Peter Sasdy, Hammer Film Productions 

And so we end our look back at Hammer Film Productions for this year; Jack the Ripper practically has his own little cottage industry of experts, tell all novels and quite a few films, so it is rather mystifying that Hammer only made one proper Ripper film, the Sister Hyde film that came out in 1971 notwithstanding. 

Horror 2025 Countdown: Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971)

Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971), dir. Roy Ward Baker, Hammer Film Productions

We're nearing the end of our Hammer lookback and man. We've talked about Hammer's 1970's output and how they tended to be either poorly thought out or just out there but in a good way. This is defiantly one of the latter. 

Horror 2025 Countdown: Prehistoric Women (1967)

 Prehistoric Women (1967), dir. Michael Carreras, Hammer Film Productions-Seven Arts

Also known as Slave Girls when it was released in the UK, Hammer opted to reuse the sets and costumes from One Million Years, BC, but would the success be repeated?

Horror 2025 Countdown: The Reptile (1966)

 The Reptile (1966), dir. John Gilling, Hammer Film Productions 

Hammer was still going strong in the 1960s, which makes this a rather odd duck as the film is remarkable similar to 1964's the Gorgon only with the some of the deader parts removed. 

Horror 2025 Countdown: Renfield (2023)

 Renfield (2023), dir. Chris McKay, Universal Pictures/Skybound Entertainment,/Giant Wildcat

Ending our homage section, and why not end on a laugh? With the Mummy reboot being DOA, why not try a comedic take on an old tale?

Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Zomboo

Real name: Frank Leto

Years active: 1999-Current 

So we end our look at Nevada's horror hosts with the other one still on the air. Zomboo is a nutty guy hosting flicks from his castle. The show started out as Frank's House of Horror Movies, airing on KOLO-TV Channel 8 out of Reno. A year later, the show got renamed to Zomboo's House of Horror Movies. 

And yes, the whole thing is a Munsters reference. For one particular episode, Eddie (Butch Patrick) is obsessed with the local host, Zombo, at least until he meets the guy and learns to his horror that the host is just an actor and not a zombie wizard. 

Kind of odd that thing to reference, but eh, he's having fun. 

Zomboo's House of Horror Movies

Horror 2025 Countdown: The Phantom of the Opera (1990)

 The Phantom of the Opera (1990), dir. Tony Richardson, Saban Entertainment 

By the 80's, miniseries had become event tv before the word was coined. The Phantom was no stranger to TV movies but this would be the first time someone would attempt to be dramatic rather than horror.

Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Sinister Minister

 Real name: Sean Smith

Years active: 2003-present 

One of the few hosts we've mentioned this year who's still broadcasting. Hosting Midnight Massacre Theatre on Vegas 35 KVTE (although I've heard he moved to ROKU), the Sinister Minster along with a bevy of bewitching Altagirls watch the best and the worst. 

A unique look, plus he's still active as best as I can tell so that puts him leagues ahead of other hosts. 

Horror 2025 Retrospective: The Leech Woman (1960)

 The Leech Woman (1960), dir. Edward Dein, Universal International Pictures 

And now, one for my baby and one more for the road. The lights have been turned off and everyone's gone home. After seeing this, yeah, probably the right call.

Horror Hosts 2025 Retrospective: Mike Ward

 Real name: Mike Ward

Years active: 1997-2010

Hosting Cheap Thrills Theatre on SNCAT Channel 16 out of Reno, this might be the most honestly named host and show ever put to air. The show is so cheap the host can't even afford to be a character. Cheap or subtlety brilliant?

Seems to have vanished from the net too, which is a great shame.  

Horror 2025 Countdown: Curse of the Undead (1959)

 Curse of the Undead (1959), dir. Edward Dein, Universal-International Pictures 

At this point, the chairs were put up and the floors swept but the chiefs managed to wipe up one more surprise.

Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Vegas Vampire

 Real name: Jim Parker 

Years active: 1960s-1970

What a character. Former disc jockey and stock car promoter, the Vegas Vampire hosted Shock Theater on KHBV Channel 5 out of Hendersonville.

He would riff on everyone, up and to and including Richard Nixson (which allegedly got him in hot water, as one jabbing literally involved him sticking a bunch of pins into a Nixson voodoo doll). Costumes, puns, and he would end the reader mail segment by torching the mail. 

You don't find acts like that anymore. 

Horror 2025 Countdown: Monster on the Campus (1958)

 Monster on the Campus (1958), dir. Jack Arnold, Universal-International Pictures 

We've mentioned the creative freedom that comes from the doomed and the occasional diamond in the rough one can find-this isn't one of those gems. 

Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Baron Von Brenner

 Real name: Wendall J. Brenner

Years active: 1958-1960

Now this was a guy who almost slipped my notice. Hosting Shock on KOLO-TV Channel 8 out of Reno, the Baron seemed to be your standard vampire type host. 

Can't seem to find that much else about the fellow, but it is nice that that not all hosts were in Vegas. 

Horror 2025 Countdown: The Thing That Couldn't Die (1958)

The Thing That Couldn't Die (1958), dir. Will Cowan, Universal Pictures 

The writing was on the wall for the Universal Monsters, but sometimes you can find some freedom when it doesn't matter anymore. 

Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Count Cool Rider

 Real name: Danny Coker

Years active: 1990 to 2000

Moving West, we head to the Silver State and the count of cool himself, Count Cool Rider. Hosting Saturday Fright at the Movies on what was formerly KFBT-TV Channel 33, the Count was half vampire half Elvis.

Suave and actually had some films that weren't always public domain, the Count cracked wise with a bevy of undead beauties in between classic and not so classic. 

He's also the same guy from Counting Cars. I didn't know that. 

Horror 2025 Countdown: The Monolith Monsters (1957)

 The Monolith Monsters (1957), dir. John Sherwood, Universal-International 

Heading into the last roundup for Universal. Yes, the house that horror built had, at this point, regulated the much-vaunted monsters to the B-side; that is when they weren't making high camp of them.

Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Margali

 Real name: Niels Erickson 

Years active: 1990-1993

After Scarticia, Jackson wouldn't have another host until the 90s and here we go. Hosting Thriller Theatre Staring Margali, airing on WDBD-TV Channel 40 in Jackson, the pale mystic, along with a disembodied hand and unseen werewolf announcer, picked the worst movies.

Actually won a few awards. Seemed to be a pretty standard host, although the white motif was a change from the usual black fright wigs. 

The show was also briefly syndicated in Georgia and Alabama but it started in Jackson and thus, a Mississippi host. 

Horror 2025 Countdown: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1968)

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1968), dir. Charles Jarrott, Dan Curtis Productions 

Beginning things this year, per tradition, with a mad scientist yarn and who madder than the tale of Jekyll and Hyde?

Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Scarticia

 Real name: Unknown 

Years active: 1971-1975

Kicking off another year of fright and fear and this time out we take a look at the Magnolia State. Yes, Mississippi is kicking things off this year and we look at one of the first hosts, Scarticia. 

Her actual name? No idea, but she hosted Horrible Movies WAPT-TV Channel 16 out of Jackson. Not much info but it seems they roped the station secretary into the doing the job, but from all accounts she did a decent job. 

Her character seemed a not quite Vampira and not quite Morticia but she was good with the snark. Seems she was replaced as host but a couple of a guys with chainsaws but I was unable to find anything about them.