Chiller Theatre: October 2022

On the Halloween weekend of October 29, 2022, it was time for another trip to Chiller Theatre! This was honestly one of the most amazing guest lists they have had in years. In fact, it might rank among their best ever! What was also cool, and, in turn more fun, was it was the biggest group of us at the con in years. As three of my friends, Freddie, Alan, and Nelson (in his awesome version of Jack Skelington look!), joined me for the kick ass good times!

The first person I went up to was the lovely and awesome Heather Matarazzo. I was really excited to meet her. I consider her Elizabeth Bathory inspired death scene in Eli Roth's Hostel II to be one of the coolest gore scenes of the 2000s. I mentioned to her how much I loved the Shudder documentary mini-series, Queer for Fear, of which she was one of the celebs that were interviewed on it. She was very sweet and all smiles throughout.

The gorgeous Judie Aronson, of Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, American Ninja, Weird Science, and more was up next for me. She's still absolutely breathtaking in person! And, not only is she a total stunner but a sweetheart, too. She was very friendly and talkative as she told us about The Sleeping Car, a movie she was in that she would love to get streaming or some kind of release. I mentioned Vinegar Syndrome, as it felt like something that might they like to put out. I was also sure to let her know that she was one of the people I was most looking forward to meeting that weekend, and that I had a huge crush on her as a kid. 

After that I went up to the lovely Robin Frates who played Megan Gallagher in the first Puppet Master. She had the best deal at the con, at $30 for a combo (IE pic and autograph) at the show. Not only that but she was very sweet and all smiles, as she did a couple of pics with me. This was cause my phone wouldn't focus, at first. She also really liked the cover to the Blu-ray trilogy set, that I had her sign.

One person, we were all excited to meet was legendary actress and classic beauty Olivia (Romeo and Juliet, Black Christmas) Hussey. Black Christmas is one of my personal favorite movies, one I love more and more with the passing of time. She is so important to the genre, being one of the first final girls of the genre. Yet, she is so humble in person. She also told me that she liked the patches on my jacket, especially Elvira. And, asked me about the skull on it, as she has a shirt of it. But, you see, she didn't know what it was. I told her its the Punisher, to which she replied that it sounded scary. I explained to her, that he was not horror, but that he is instead a Marvel hero/ vigilante. 

The last person that I went up to was another of the people that I was most excited to meet, the gorgeous Terry Farrell of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth, and more. She is absolute stunner in person, and so tall, at 6'0"! She was also awesome as fuck, as I told her that she was the person I most looked forward to meeting having loved her in Hellraiser III and Stark Trek: DS9. She was very flattered by my comments and was just a blast to talk. She said that she sent Pinhead to hell and should have come back. To which I wholeheartedly agreed, cause she did and should have! Seriously, she rocks and was a great celeb for to close off the day with.

We didn't stay for the party this time around, but we had an absolute fucking blast. We already can't wait till the next one in April!

Here is what I bought at Chiller:

Since I got Screem (limited edition Count Yorga cover) magazine, I got for free a Blu-ray copy of Battle of the Worlds

And, from Vinegar Syndrome I got: The Werewolf Vs. Vampire Woman (in 4K, a brand new release from them).

I have never seen either movie and really look forward to watching Werewolf, in particular, as I am just getting into Paul Naschy movies (finally!). The only movie I have ever seen from him is The Yeti Vs. the Werewolf, which was fun. Just a week or so ago I ordered and got the first of Scream Factory's The Paul Naschy Collection Blu-ray set. Any fans of his reading this? And, if so, what movies of his do you like/ recommend? 

Finally there are the autographs that I got:

Terry Farrell: Hellraiser: The Scarlet Box

Robin Frates: Puppet Master: The Blu-ray Collection

Judie Aronson: Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter

Did any of guys go to Chiller? If so who did you meet? What were the highlights for you? Let me know in the comments section below. 

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The 10 Best Horror Movies of 1984

1984 is a year that doesn't have as many quality movies as the years before it, but it still has much to talk about. For one thing it has some legitimate great movies, including at least three or two classics of the genre. One of them, being Wes Craven's finest film, one that changed and influenced the genre in the years to come. It also marks an interesting batch of movies that mix the horror genre with others (you'll find a couple here!), or other genres taking in bits of horror (namely The Terminator and Ghostbusters, both great movies, but neither actual horror films, hence their omission from this list).

Honorable Mentions:
Terror in the Aisles
Firestarter 

10. Death Warmed Up- This New Zealand splatter movie is under seen and underrated but is a rollicking good time. Fast paced and violent, this one is definitely one that gorehounds will totally dig. It hadn't been available since the glory days of VHS (which is where I originally saw it), but thank the gore gods Severin put out a superlative Blu-ray of it.

9. The Company of Wolves- This British flick is a Gothic, horror take on Little Red Riding Hood with werewolves. Coming from Neil (Interview with the Vampire) Jordan this is a beautiful and stylish film with Sarah  Patterson as a teenage Riding Hood.

8. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter- The best of the first half of the Paramount Friday sequels, this one has Jason come off specially menacing. It's got a great climax, a dancing Crispin Glover to Lion (also known for doing the theme song to The Transformers: The Movie), hot girls, the introduction of Tommy Jarvis (here played by a young Coery Haim), and some great FX by Tom Savini. It is the goriest of the Paramount films (at least in the only available versions), with the best and bloodiest "death" of Jason.

7. Savage Streets- This violent and exciting rape revenge flick throws in some great action on top of the exploitation quota. It also has two scream queens in it, as Linda Blair takes revenge on the scum who rape her deaf-mute sister Heather played by Linnea Quigley. A cult classic that ranks among the best of Blair's work.

6. C.H.U.D.- This minor classic is a very cool and entertaining monster movie. The acting is solid and helps to elevate the movie's quality, as do the C.H.U.Ds themselves. Over the years, this flick has gained an even wider cult status, even being mentioned on several mainstream TV shows.

5. Silent Night, Deadly Night- This well acted, and at times dark, slasher film is better than a lot of its kind. The controversy that it caused only adds to the fun of it. On top of being a great holiday flick, it also gave us a topless Linnea Quigley getting impaled on antlers, an iconic kill in its own right.

4. Ninja III: The Domination- This genre bender is like an 80's greatest hits package in a movie. You get: ninjas, demonic possession, aerobics, and big hair! I actually like this one more as time as passes by, but how can one not love a movie where an evil, dead ninja possesses a hot chick (Lucinda Dickey)? In all this is truly awesome cheese from Cannon Films.

3. The Toxic Avenger- Troma's most iconic film is truly one of their best. Hilarious and ultra-violent, it's a blast to watch. Politically incorrect jokes, splatter galore, hot babes, and nudity abound, setting the precedent for most of the Troma movies to come. Toxie is such a beloved figure and superhero, that despite this movie being an R/ unrated flick, it managed to inspire a fucking kids cartoon, The Toxic Crusaders! That dear friends is 80's as it gets!

2. Gremlins- This amazing horror/ comedy is endearing, scary, cute, violent, imaginative, funny, gory, and heartwarming. How many fucking movies can be described by all those words? Not many, I dare say. The cast does a wonderful job, and Chris Walas, FX are absolutely amazing. Enough, so that every viewing, I have had with this film (since childhood, might I add) has made me wish Gizmo was real. Director Joe Dante fills the flick with enough in-jokes and wonderment to film a whole bunch of movies. To put it more bluntly, this classic is my favorite of all Christmas horror movies, and one of the greatest horror comedies ever made.

1. A Nightmare on Elm Street- Wes Craven's masterpiece, is without a shadow of a doubt, in my mind, the greatest slasher movie ever made. Creepy, scary, gory, and highly original, it is superior to not just its own sequels, but any movie of the same ilk. The acting is extremely strong and Craven's directing is at its most excellent level. It, of course, gave birth to one of the most iconic villains in the genre, Freddy Krueger. This appearance might be his scariest. It also gave us one of the greatest final girls ever in Nancy Thompson bought to life by the beautiful Heather Langenkamp. This is without question, not just the best horror flick of 1984, but one of the greatest horror movies ever made.


What are your guys favorite horror films from 1984? Let me know in the comments section below. And, be sure to check out the preceding year rankings by clicking on the links below.

The 10 Best Horror Movies of 1980
The 10 Best Horror Movies of 1981
The 10 Best Horror Movies of 1982
The 10 Best Horror Movies of 1983

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Friday the 13th: Ranked from Worst to Best

On Monday the 13th, Shout Factory, the horror/ cult division of Shout Factory (of course!), announced pre-orders, for what promises to be a killer Friday the 13th box set. I debated back and forth getting it, but in the end I caved in. And, I feel I made the right choice. Anyway, with that in mind, I figured it would be fun and the right time, to rank the entire series, something I last did with King Kong. So, here we go with the biggest (thus far) slasher series in horror, from the very worst entry all the way to the best one!

ALL REVIEWS OUT 4 HOCKEY MASKS

12. Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)- Man, is this movie ever a disappointing piece of shit. Even if you discount the fact that it barely takes place in Manhattan (most of which is actually Canada!), and instead is in a fucking boat, you still have other issues. It is painfully stupid and filled with character you could give a flying fuck about. It doesn't even have any real gore to speak of, being terribly weak in terms of bloodletting. It also has a shitty ending. I will say this about it though, the actual Manhattan scenes are cool, the theme song is great, the girls are HOT, especially Sharlene (Tamara) Martin and Kelly (Eva) Hu, the doggie is cute, and Kane Hodder is always a great Jason. This is about all the praise this turd will get from me though.
1 1/2 HOCKEY MASKS

11. Friday the 13th (2009)- The first time I saw this remake, I enjoyed it. But, each viewing since then has gotten worse than the last. One of the problems is the flat directing. While the film looks nice there is little to no suspense. Scenes drag out longer than they need to be. This really becomes clear in the Jason and his underground lair moments. Also, why the fuck does he even have one in the first fucking place? While, violent, the movie isn't that gory, but there are still some inspired moments. That being said, the acting is solid (including Supernatural's Jared Padalecki) and the female cast is hotter than hell itself! Included in this is Juliana Guilll's awesome topless scene, which ranks among the best skin moments in the entire franchise. Also, Derek Mears is one of the best Jasons ever!
2 HOCKEY MASKS

10. Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)- Admit ably I used to like this one more when I was in college. But, I still think it's better than what some say it is. It has some major problems, don't get me wrong. The movie heavily rips off of the vastly superior sci-fi/ horror/ action flick The Hidden, and the lack of seeing Jason commit the kills is awful. But, it has what might well be the finest gore in the entire franchise, including the spectacular scene where a smoking hot brunette is riding her boyfriend, gets impaled, then split open. And, speaking of girls this one has some really hot ones! Plus, the ending is really cool.  And, Hodder, even in limited bits, is always awesome.
2.5 HOCKEY MASKS

9. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)- Here is another one that I liked a more when I was younger, in this case an actual kid. You see it's one of the first R-rated horror movies, I ever caught outside of their TV edited versions. But, admit ably it is really fucking stupid. The ending, in particular, is fucking ridiculous. And, it suffers A LOT from the butchering hands of the MPAA, who seriously hamper every single kill. In spite of this, the movie is fun. The idea of telekinetic teen Tina (say that 5 times fast!), who is played by the gorgeous Lar Park Lincoln, battling Jason makes for a cool time. Tina also happens to be one of my favorite final girls in the series. And, she and bitchy Melissa (Susan Jennifer Sullivan) are two of my biggest F13 crushes. Though, there are quite a bit of other hotties in this one. Plus, Kane Hodder makes his awesome debut as Jason, in what is THE character's best look, EVER!
2.5 HOCKEY MASKS


8. Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985)- Again, this movie is for accounts and purposes stupid as fuck. It is actually pretty hilarious in its stupidity. But, it also has a nice mean spirited side that makes for some nasty albeit quick kills. The girls are hot as ever, including, but not limited to, Debi Sue Voorhees (and her incredible boobs) and Melanie Kinnaman (who is THE hottest of all the F13 final girls, in my humble opinion). I also enjoy the Tommy Jarvis story-line, and unlike those that love to bitch and moan, like the idea of a fake Jason.
2.5 HOCKEY MASKS

5. Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)- This one sometimes gets a bit overrated by fans hung up on Jason finally doing the killings. And, while, sack-head Jason is easily his creepiest look, the movie, itself, is strictly by the numbers and generic. The gore is horribly chopped up by the MPAA, making the kills lack any of the real punch that they may have had. Still, the girls are super hot, especially Lauren-Marie Taylor (probably in my top F13th crushes) and Kristen Baker (that ass in THOSE shorts!). The lovely Amy Steel is one of the best final girls, anywhere. And, finally the climax is pretty exciting and well done.
3 HOCKEY MASKS


6. Jason X (2001)- Someone is bound to bitch about this one being so high, but I think it is a blast. It's dumb for sure, I mean it's Jason in fucking space for crissakes! But, there in lies the good times. The girls are freaking insanely hot. Uber-Jason is awesome. And, speaking of Jason, Hodder is always a pleasure to see (this is his best F13 flick, me thinks). I LOVE the David Cronenberg cameo! Jason battling sexy android Kay-Em is one of my favorite things in the series. And, the frozen face smash of the gorgeous Kristi Angus is one of the coolest kills ever in the series.
3 HOCKEY MASKS

5. Friday the 13th Part 3: 3D (1982)- This movie is kind of a drag at first. And, the character of Shelly is one of the most insufferable nerds ever in a slasher. But, it does deliver the goods in other ways. First off, I think it works best in 3D (even if its in a crappy 3D version). Secondly, the girls, all brunettes might I add, are HOT! Some of the kills are cool, especially the dude who gets chopped through the crotch while walking on his hands. But, its the KILLER climax (one of the series absolute best) that really gains the movie it's fifth place in my book.
3 HOCKEY MASKS

4. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)- Of course, it is NOT the final chapter, though, it would've been quite fine if it had been. The pacing is well done here, and Tommy makes for a relatable kid (likes monsters and seeing girls naked, that's little me!). Some of THE hottest girls in the entire series are here, including TWINS! This one has the best gore (thank you, Tom Savini!) in the whole Paramount years, including the best and bloodiest death by Jason (THAT slide down a machete!). The climax kicks ass and is also highlighted by Kimberly Beck in a miniskirt.
3 HOCKEY MASKS

3. Freddy Vs. Jason (2003)- Over on my list of The 25 Most Underrated/ Overlooked Sequels, I discussed just why this one is so good. If you want to read my thoughts go here. Suffice to say this, it has flaws, no doubt about it. But, it is also a lot of fun, nice looking, gory, has cool music, and hot girls. And, of course, we get to see Freddy and Jason battle!
3.5 HOCKEY MASKS

2. Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)- Look there is no doubt in my mind that this is the best of all the F13 sequels. It is also one of the best slasher flicks of the second half of the 80s. I share more of my thoughts of why it is so good in here in my list of The 30 Best Horror Movie Sequels Ever.
3.5 HOCKEY MASKS

1. Friday the 13th (1980)-  To me, this is the only choice that can top this list. None of the sequels, even the best ones, come close to this one, as it is one of the greatest slashers ever and best horror films of the 80s. Their is a lot of rehashing in the following movies, but while this borrows from Halloween, it does it well. The movie, yes is gory (incredible work from Tom Savini!), but there is an emphasis on suspense, something lacking from all the other films here. This makes the movie actually scary, something, that again none of the other movies can claim to be (unless you are like five years old). The climax is absolutely smashing, violent, and intense and leads to one of the greatest endings in the entire horror genre. An influential, important, and excellent classic, that shall forever remain one of my personal favorites.
4 HOCKEY MASKS

How would you rank the franchise? Did you pre-order the Scream Factory box-set? Why or why not? Also, what other horror franchises would you like to see me rank? Let me know in the comments section below. And, don't be surprised if you see more Friday the 13th posts in the days, weeks, and months to come!

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