The UBW Top 100 Horror Movies - #25-1

We here at Uphill Both Ways love our horror movies.  Both of us grew up with vampires, werewolves, swamp monsters, irradiated beasts and everything around and in-between, and never has our love of the genre wavered. And it's with that love in mind that we decided to create our ultimate top 100 list of horror movies.  The only catch is that the films couldn't be newer than 1989. Sixties, fifties, or earlier? That's fine, as long as it's something we watched during the 70s and 80s  - and that only makes sense since that's the time frame we like to reminisce about here and on our podcast.  So how did we decide on this spooktacular countdown? We scoured the Internet for dozens of "Top Horror" movie lists, collated everything, eliminated ineligible entries, added, divided, averaged, and then sorted it all and then added our own personal rankings to the mix.  Really, the process is something a mad scientist would love and make lesser men tremble. We'd like to think that this process has given us the definitive list of movies that could have been watched on fuzzy UHF channels or VHS tapes back in the day.  Enough talk - let's wrap this thing up and see what the top films are!

#25

Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978)

Director: Philip Kaufman

Starring: Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Leonard Nimoy, Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright

There’s maybe a handful of remakes that surpass the original and this is one of them. While the original had the scare of communism at its heart, this one - coming at the tail end of the 70s - is more akin to the fear that the hippies of the 60s and early 70s had to becoming yuppies and losing their whole counterculture street cred. There’s also the specter of government surveillance hovering over everything (like a spy satellite!), all of which - in addition to that ending - makes for one scary world.

The UBW Top 100 Horror Movies - #50-26

We here at Uphill Both Ways love our horror movies.  Both of us grew up with vampires, werewolves, swamp monsters, irradiated beasts and everything around and in-between, and never has our love of the genre wavered. And it's with that love in mind that we decided to create our ultimate top 100 list of horror movies.  The only catch is that the films couldn't be newer than 1989. Sixties, fifties, or earlier? That's fine, as long as it's something we watched during the 70s and 80s  - and that only makes sense since that's the time frame we like to reminisce about here and on our podcast.  So how did we decide on this spooktacular countdown? We scoured the Internet for dozens of "Top Horror" movie lists, collated everything, eliminated ineligible entries, added, divided, averaged, and then sorted it all and then added our own personal rankings to the mix.  Really, the process is something a mad scientist would love and make lesser men tremble. We'd like to think that this process has given us the definitive list of movies that could have been watched on fuzzy UHF channels or VHS tapes back in the day.  Enough talk - let's keep this going!

#50

House of Wax (1953)

Director: André De Toth

Starring: Vincent Price, Frank Lovejoy, Phyllis Kirk, Carolyn Jones

While House of Wax is itself a delightful thriller, its hook was that it was a 3D picture.  While there are a few scenes that really make use of the 3D gimmick, it’s not overdone and in fact somewhat takes a backseat to the story and performances themselves. Take away the stereoscopic images and there’s still an engaging and respectable thriller on screen.  

The UBW Top 100 Horror Movies - #75-51

We here at Uphill Both Ways love our horror movies.  Both of us grew up with vampires, werewolves, swamp monsters, irradiated beasts and everything around and in-between, and never has our love of the genre wavered. And it's with that love in mind that we decided to create our ultimate top 100 list of horror movies.  The only catch is that the films couldn't be newer than 1989. Sixties, fifties, or earlier? That's fine, as long as it's something we watched during the 70s and 80s  - and that only makes sense since that's the time frame we like to reminisce about here and on our podcast.  So how did we decide on this spooktacular countdown? We scoured the Internet for dozens of "Top Horror" movie lists, collated everything, eliminated ineligible entries, added, divided, averaged, and then sorted it all and then added our own personal rankings to the mix.  Really, the process is something a mad scientist would love and make lesser men tremble. We'd like to think that this process has given us the definitive list of movies that could have been watched on fuzzy UHF channels or VHS tapes back in the day.  Enough talk - let's keep this going!

#75

The Cat and the Canary (1927)

Director: Paul Leni

Starring: Laura La Plante, Forrest Stanley, Creighton Hale

With a plot that certainly seems to have influenced many ‘Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?’ episodes, this old, silent film includes some dark humor that serves to break up some of the most eerie segments. Following the death of the wealthy Cyrus West, his will leaves the inheritance to niece Annabelle solely due to her being the most distant relative named ‘West’.  Of course, she has to be declared sane by a doctor and as the rest of the family starts seeing dollar signs, the excitement begins. Filled with fun visual elements and some wonderful, gothic sets, this is not only a great haunted house movie, it looks good, too.

The Good, The Bad, And The Verdict: Croc! (2022)

 

by Joseph Perry and Mike Imboden

In our “The Good, the Bad, and the Verdict” film reviews, both Joseph and Mike give their thoughts on a slice of cinema. For this installment, it’s Uncork’d Entertainment’s creature feature Croc!.

In British creature feature Croc!, Lisa King (Sian Altman) can’t wait to get married to Charlie (George Nettleton),  with her father Dylan (Mark Haldor) giving her away — after he scores with the wedding site’s hostess. On the eve of the big day, Charlie sneaks off to a shed with one of the bridesmaids for a little pre-wedding hanky panky, but the large, hungry-for-humans crocodile that viewers met earlier on puts a bloody end to that tryst. The wedding party becomes a buffet for the ravenous beast, but Dylan is a wildlife expert and some of his skills have rubbed off on Lisa. Who, if anyone, will survive?

Fantastic Fest (2022) Reviews by Joseph Perry

“Solomon King” (1974), “ “Lynch/Oz” (2022), and “The Stairway to Stardom Mixtape” (2022) 

Solomon King

How baaaad is former CIA operative and Green Beret — and current nightclub owner — Solomon King? He’s so baaaad that after a woman he was protecting and recently made love to dies, his grieving process is short enough that he finds solace in the arms of another woman soon after. He’s so baaaad that, while suffering from a head wound, all he can think of is scoring with yet another young lady. And in between those times, he is involved in fisticuffs and gunplay aplenty. That’s how baaaad Solomon King is! Deaf Crocodile Films has done a terrific job with its 4K restoration of 1974 crime film Solomon King, which has a plot that reaches far beyond director/cowriter/star Sal Watt’s budget, but delivers mightily on entertainment and chutzpah. Solomon sets out to protect Princess Oneeba (Claudia Russo) when she and her father become the targets of a coup started by Prince Hassan (Richard Scarso) having to do with oil fields in the Middle East. Solomon’s brother Manny King (James Watts) helps her escape to Oakland, California, but after assassins kill her, Solomon makes things personal, including everything I wrote about at the beginning of this review and much, much, more, as the third act takes a turn from its urban-set action back to the Middle East. Though some of the performances are a bit flat and it is obvious that everything set in the Middle East was filmed locally, the sheer can-do spirit, the smile-inducing use of the pyrotechnics budget, and the tour of Oakland nightclubs — including some fun funk and soul numbers from the time — are just a few reasons that make Solomon King well worth seeking out.

The UBW Top 100 Horror Movies - #100-76

We here at Uphill Both Ways love our horror movies.  Both of us grew up with vampires, werewolves, swamp monsters, irradiated beasts and everything around and in-between, and never has our love of the genre wavered. And it's with that love in mind that we decided to create our ultimate top 100 list of horror movies.  The only catch is that the films couldn't be newer than 1989. Sixties, fifties, or earlier? That's fine, as long as it's something we watched during the 70s and 80s  - and that only makes sense since that's the time frame we like to reminisce about here and on our podcast.  So how did we decide on this spooktacular countdown? We scoured the Internet for dozens of "Top Horror" movie lists, collated everything, eliminated ineligible entries, added, divided, averaged, and then sorted it all and then added our own personal rankings to the mix.  Really, the process is something a mad scientist would love and make lesser men tremble. We'd like to think that this process has given us the definitive list of movies that could have been watched on fuzzy UHF channels or VHS tapes back in the day.  Enough talk - let's get this going!

#100

Wait Until Dark (1967)

Director: Terence Young

Starring: Audrey Hepburn, Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna, Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

Things are much scarier in the dark! A bit of a slow burn out of the gate, the pace eventually quickens as Hepburn, playing blind Susy Hendrix, is in-between a doll full of heroin and three men eager to recover the drugs. Hepburn was so good in the film that she was nominated for an Academy Award.

Happy October!

"Diamond Dogs"

Episode #130

Where's the paw-ty? Right here! Anything is paw-sible when Mike and Joseph get together to raise the woof! Things start off with the fellas on a short leash as they Gift, Keep, and Ditch famous dogs from movies and TV shows, and then its on to the main topic, a look at cartoon dogs through the years. This episode may be a diamond in the ruff, but you're barking up the wrong tree if you think that it isn't a paws-itively fetching episode. Dear Dog, there goes our dignity. Woof.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/whenitwascool/UBW130_Diamond_Dogs.mp3

Long Lost Linnea Quigley feature HEARTLAND OF DARKNESS Coming this November

There are some movies that just have that certain feel to them that demands that they be watched. Both Mike and Joseph are in agreement that this looks like one of them. However, it's definitely not "family friendly" and although it's not rated, we're pretty sure it's on par with similar films that are rated 'R', so keep that in mind.  That said, if you're ready to dive in, read on.

Visual Vengeance, a Blu-ray label dedicated to vintage ‘Shot on Video’ and microbudget genre independents from the 1980s though 2000s, is thrilled to reveal the next Blu-ray collector’s edition release for November 8, 2022:

The 1989 never-before-seen Linnea Quigley “Satanic Panic” epic HEARTLAND OF DARKNESS (a/k/a Blood Church)

SYNOPSIS: In the small town of Copperton, Ohio, Paul Henson, a former big-city journalist, buys a small local newspaper. He quickly falls into a wide-reaching conspiracy of ritualistic murder and cult mind control when he discovers that the entire town may be under the spell of a Satanic reverend and his flock. As the clues and corpses pile up, Henson and his family are thrust into a life-or-death struggle to expose the truth and stop the demonic cabal’s reign of evil. 

Shot in 1989 by director Eric Swelstad on 16mm film and lost in obscurity and distribution false starts for over 30 years, Heartland of Darkness finally arrives on home video for the very first time and is packed with bonus features that spotlight the original creators and document the film’s long history and final completion.

Info and Select Bonus Features:

- First time available in any format

- New director-supervised SD master from original tape and film elements

- Deeper Into the Darkness: New 40-minute BTS documentary

- Three commentary tracks

- Linnea Quigley Remembers: new interview

- Archival TV interviews, TV spots, BTS footage and trailers

- Complete original “Fallen Angels” 1990 workprint

- Blood Church – rare distributor promotional video

- Six-page liner notes by Tony Strauss of Weng’s Chop Magazine

- Limited Edition Heartland of Darkness “Prayer Cloth”

- Limited Edition slipcase - FIRST PRESSING ONLY

- Collectible Linnea Quigley folded mini-poster

- ‘Stick your own’ VHS sticker set

- And much more

For more details on the label and updates on new releases – as well as news on upcoming releases - follow Visual Vengeance on social media:

TWITTER: @VisualVenVideo

INSTAGRAM: Visualvenvideo

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/visualvenvideo

It's Almost Time!

In just a few short days we will be unleashing upon the world our definitive top 100 Horror Movies of the Uphill Both Ways era.  You have hopefully seen the bonus sneak peaks of #105-101 over the past few weeks and that that has piqued your curiosity.  

So make sure you check back on October 2nd and see what movies made the list at #100-76!

 

UBW Top 100 Horror Movies: A Taste of Things to Come (Part 5)

We're very excited to release our upcoming Top 100 Horror Movies list. So excited, in fact, that we've decided to offer a bonus to everyone in the form of number 101-105 each week until October when we'll release 25 films each week with the top ranked batch the week before Halloween.
Finally, here is number 101.

101

When A Stranger Calls (1979)

*69 would have come in handy back then

Director: Fred Walton

Starring: Carol Kane, Colleen Dewhurst, Tony Beckley, Charles Durning

Quite possibly the scariest opening act of any of the films on this list, it’s quite surprising that it only clocks in at #101.  While not the only - or even the first - film to utilize the urban legend of “the babysitter and the man upstairs”, it is arguably the best.

Coming next week:  Numbers 100-76!

Don't Be Jealous!

These have been a bit harder to find this year, especially in these larger sizes.  But I got lucky, thanks to my wonderful wife, who managed to snag these on a recent visit to the grocery store.

As we like to say around here at the UBW corporate offices, as soon as the Monster Cereals hit the shelves, it's time for Halloween!

Breakfast has never been this scary good!

UBW Top 100 Horror Movies: A Taste of Things to Come (Part 4)

We're very excited to release our upcoming Top 100 Horror Movies list. So excited, in fact, that we've decided to offer a bonus to everyone in the form of number 101-105 each week until October when we'll release 25 films each week with the top ranked batch the week before Halloween.
Now then, here is number 102.

#102
The Blob (1958)

This encounter isn't going to end well.

Directors: Irvin Yeaworth, Russell Doughten
Starring: Steve McQueen, Aneta Corsaut, Earl Rowe, Olin Howland
More of a B-movie sci-fi film - and mainly known as Steve McQueen’s first leading role - The Blob does manage to contain a few moments of horror as the titular monster engulfs and absorbs its victims. There’s also the “red terror” and cold war metaphor which were probably pretty scary things to think about back then (we’re old here at UBW, but not THAT old).

"That’s Why God Made the Movies"

Episode #129

This episode the fellas talk about some of the movies they watched from this year's Genre Blast Film Festival (including 'Manfish', 'Johnny Z' and 'The Brilliant Terror') - which were hits and which were misses? You've gotta listen to find out. Plus, September 15th (this episode's release day) is National Malcolm Day, so what better way to celebrate than to do a Gift, Keep, Ditch with famous Malcoms! This one's like a sequel to the previous episode. Or is it a reboot? A reimagining? Even we're confused!

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/whenitwascool/UBW129_Thats_Why_God_Made_the_Movies_.mp3

Genre Blast Film Festival Movie Review - "Johnny Z" (2022)

Half Human, Half Zombie, All Bad-Ass

- by Mike Imboden

Johnny Z, directed by Jonathan (Night of Something Strange) Straiton, written by Straiton and Ron Bonk, and starring Michael (Amityville Death House) Merchant, martial arts master Felix Cortes, and Jason Delgado, screened as part of this year’s Genre Blast Film Festival which was held this past September 1st through September 4th in Winchester, VA.  Festival organizer Nathan Ludwig was kind enough to provide a screener of the film for us to review, so let’s get right to it.

Zombies are obviously nothing new, that much is no secret. In the past decade or so it’s been almost impossible to shake a stick without whacking one of the living dead across the back of their decaying skull.  The trick, therefore, is to put your own spin on the sub-genre - but with so much material already out there, how do you do that?  Straiton managed this once before by adding a STD to the mix along with over-the-top gore and dark humor in Night of Something Strange and he pulls it off again here by not only making one of the protagonists (the titular Johnny Z) a zombie, but a martial arts using zombie. 

Bigfoot Lives on Special Edition Blu-ray Later This Year!

We've made it no secret that we here at Uphill Both Ways love the legend(s) of Bigfoot - from episodes on "In Search Of" to movies like The Legend of Boggy Creek, and even his appearances on "The Six Million Dollar Man".  So imagine our glee when we heard Synapse Films was releasing a special edition of one of the more elusive films about ol' Sasquatch (which, of course, only seems apropos) later this year!

Like its legendary title monster, a newly remastered widescreen edition of THE CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE would spend years avoiding capture, its existence a mystery that dared to be solved.  But now, this December 13, Synapse Films has finally done the impossible and captured this 70s cult favorite in a new restoration with special features for all to finally see - and believe!

 

There’s a hairy humanoid beast lurking in the Louisiana swamps, but only trapper Joe Canton (Jack Elam, ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST) has seen it and lived to tell the tale, and the other residents of Oil City, Louisiana don’t talk about it. But that’s not about to stop intrepid grad students Pahoo (Dennis Fimple, HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES) and Rives (John David Carson, EMPIRE OF THE ANTS), who are determined to track down the Bigfoot-like creature. Defying local sheriff Billy Carter (Bill Thurman, THE LAST PICTURE SHOW), the duo trek deep into the wilds of Black Lake, and a series of frightening encounters make it clear the monster is no mere legend.

Following in the (big) footsteps of THE LEGEND OF BOGGY CREEK and similar docudramas, 1976’s CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE is a fictional Sasquatch saga, albeit one inspired by real reports. With a colorful cast, also including Dub Taylor (THE WILD BUNCH), and plenty of rural atmosphere courtesy of cinematographer Dean Cundey (HALLOWEEN, JURASSIC PARK), scripter Jim McCullough Jr.—who also co-stars—and director Joy Houck Jr. bring touches of humor and humanity that complement the mystery of the monster, and the terror of its attacks. A longtime late-night TV favorite, CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE now roars onto both Blu-ray and DVD formats with a new restoration and a boatload of special features!

 

MONSTROUS SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE

• Brand-new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative
• Audio commentary with author/filmmaker Michael Gingold and film historian Chris Poggiali
• SWAMP STORIES – All-new featurette with Director of Photography Dean Cundey
• Original theatrical trailer and radio spot
• Newly translated optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

BLU-RAY SPECIFICATIONS

VIDEO:    High-Definition 1080p Widescreen (2.35:1) Presentation / AVC Codec

AUDIO: DTS-HD MA English 2.0 Original Mono

SUBTITLES: English for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

ALL REGION

RETAIL PRICE: $29.95

DVD SPECIFICATIONS

VIDEO: Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) Presentation / MPEG-2

AUDIO: Dolby Digital English 2.0 Original Mono

SUBTITLES: English for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

ALL REGION

RETAIL PRICE: $19.95

AVAILABLE DECEMBER 13, 2022  

RATED PG -  1976 - 95 MINS. -  COLOR

 

PLEASE NOTE: The Limited Edition version (with slipcover) is currently available exclusively on the Synapse Films website and at Diabolik DVD.  This newly announced mass-market edition (available December 13, 2022) will not have the website exclusive slipcover.

UBW Top 100 Horror Movies: A Taste of Things to Come (Part 3)

We're very excited to release our upcoming Top 100 Horror Movies list. So excited, in fact, that we've decided to offer a bonus to everyone in the form of number 101-105 each week until October when we'll release 25 films each week with the top ranked batch the week before Halloween.

Now then, here is number 103.

#103

Demons (1985)

These are demons. The glowing eyes are the telltale giveaway

Director: Lamberto Bava,

Starring: Urbano Barberini, Natasha Hovey

We’ve got to admit - we’re a little surprised this didn’t make it.  With Bava directing and Dario Argento producing, you would think a movie about demon-creatures bloodily running amok in a cinema would rank a bit higher. Throw in some gonzo action involving a motorcycle and a helicopter and it’s even more of a shock that this didn’t make the cut.

MORE Popcorn, MORE Frights!

TERRIFIER 2, SMILE, AND NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE OF SCARE PACKAGE II HEADLINE POPCORN FRIGHTS’ WICKED WEEKEND

Just glancing back over the past few weeks you will see plenty of reasons why Joseph and Mike love the Popcorn Frights Film Festival - and here's one more.  The annual Wicked Weekend event, hosted in celebration of the spooky season, will feature nine film events over five days, including anniversary presentations of NEAR DARK, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, as well as a special double-bill of HALLOWEEN 4 & 5!

MIAMI, FL – Just in time for the spooky season, Popcorn Frights is thrilled to announce its annual Wicked Weekend program celebrating all the eerie, weird, wild, and strange things that go bump in the night! The event, running September 28 through October 2, will feature nine film events plus a host of filmmakers, restorations, and special screenings.

UBW Top 100 Horror Movies: A Taste of Things to Come (Part 2)

We're very excited to release our upcoming Top 100 Horror Movies list. So excited, in fact, that we've decided to offer a bonus to everyone in the form of number 101-105 each week until October when we'll release 25 films each week with the top ranked batch the week before Halloween.

Now then, here is number 104.

#104

Phantom Of The Opera (1925)

It's just a jump to the left...

Director: Rupert Julian
Starring: Lon Chaney; Norman Kerry; Mary Philbin
A classic if there ever was a classic, of that there’s no argument. The first time you saw Christine pop the mask off of The Phantom’s face you probably shrieked just a little, but let’s be honest… What IS up for debate, at least as far as we’re concerned, is how much horror there really is beyond Lon Chaney’s grotesquely magnificent makeup. Maybe here, in the 21st century watching a movie that is almost 100 years old, we’re a bit jaded and maybe that’s why this Universal Monster didn’t crack the top 100.

"The Cinema Show"

Episode #128

Grab a bucket of popcorn and a large drink - the boys have a super-long bonus-sized episode this time around! Up first is Gift, Keep, and Ditch featuring breakfast cereals of yore and then it's on to the feature presentation as they discuss some of the movies from the recent 2022 edition of the Popcorn Frights Film Festival. Join them as they FOLLOW HER through this FINAL SUMMER in the lead-up to the THIRD SATURDAY IN OCTOBER to the TINY CINEMA where we'll all be LIVING WITH CHUCKY.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/whenitwascool/UBW128_The_Cinema_Show.mp3

"...and the Award Goes To --" - The Popcorn Frights 2022 Award Winners

Living with Chucky, dir. Kyra Gardner

August 29, 2022 // -- As its eighth edition comes to a close after eleven nights of in-person and virtual programming, Popcorn Frights Film Festival is proud to announce its juried and audience awards that were selected from its lineup of 113 films (36 features and 77 shorts films from 20 countries) in 10 categories. This year’s jury consisted of members of national media and local filmmakers, who chose to honor Florida filmmaker Sylvia Caminer’s FOLLOW HER with the Jury Prize for Best Feature Film. In announcing the Feature Film Prize for the film, the jury said the following: “A socially relevant horror movie for modern times, Sylvia Caminer’s Follow Her features a completely unpredictable screenplay bystar Dani Barker with a twist at the end that rivals The Sixth Sense. Caminer’s directing style is near perfection, and we can’t wait to ‘follow her’ into her next film.”

Follow Her, dir. Sylvia Caminer

UBW Top 100 Horror Movies: A Taste of Things to Come (No Pun Intended)

We're very excited to release our upcoming Top 100 Horror Movies list. So excited, in fact, that we've decided to offer a bonus to everyone in the form of number 101-105 over the course of the next few weeks. Then, in October, we'll release 25 films each week with the top ranked batch the week before Halloween.
So to kick things off, here is number 105.

105

Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

Probably the only photo from this movie we can share and remain "family friendly"

Director: Ruggero Deodato

Starring:  Robert Kerman, Carl Gabriel Yorke, Francesca Ciardi

Coming in at #105, Cannibal Holocaust is more “horrific” than “horror”. Cinematically it’s a mix of found footage and traditional narrative storytelling while visually it’s a gore-soaked descent into animal mutilation and slaughter, rape, and yes, cannibalism.  Banned by about a million countries until a handful lifted the restriction nearly twenty years after its release, this is certainly not for those with weak stomachs.

Coming Soon!

We're just a little over a month away from our most monumental unveiling since our Retro Pop Culture Battle Royale a few years ago (and honestly, we think this is bigger).

Prepare yourselves for:

"Hot Rod Lincoln"

Episode #127

Join us as Mike and Joseph take a leisurely Sunday drive back in time to talk about some of their favorite cars from TV shows like the Batmobile (of course!), the Monkee Mobile (really?), and Fred Sanford's beat-up pick-up truck (why not?!). Before that, it's time for "Gift, Keep, Ditch" which sees the guys offer up their choices for spaceships! From dog-boned shaped satellites to tricked out school busses, this episode is a high-octane burst of nostalgia!

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/whenitwascool/UBW127_Hot_Rod_Lincoln.mp3

Popcorn Frights Film Festival Movie Review: "Living with Chucky” (2022)

"We're Friends Till The End, Remember?"

by Joseph Perry

Living with Chucky director/cowriter Kyra Elise Gardner did just that, as her father is special effects wizard Tony Gardner, who designed the Chucky and Tiffany dolls for some of the Child’s Play film franchise features. Gardner’s enlightening documentary did two things for me: it made me appreciate the franchise more, as someone who is just a casual fan and skipped the middle two entries, and it gave me an appreciation of the family-like bonding behind the films and TV series, the latter of which really is the main aim of this film.

FRIGHTFEST & FAB PRESS LAUNCH THE FRIGHTFEST GUIDE TO VAMPIRE MOVIES

Vampires in all their forms and undead glory are favorites around these parts. From the original Dracula to Fright Night, both Joseph and Mike are fans of the bloodsuckers.  That said, this book looks to be a can't miss even for those outside of the UK (where it's being published) that might have to pay a bit for shipping and handling.  

The FrightFest Guide to Vampire Movies
By Nathaniel Thompson
Foreword by Kim Newman

FrightFest and FAB Press once again join forces to launch THE FRIGHTFEST GUIDE TO VAMPIRE MOVIES, which goes exclusively on sale during Arrow Video FrightFest 2022, Aug 25 – Aug 29. Both the author Nathaniel Thompson and author/critic Kim Newman, who wrote the foreword, will be present to sign copies at the Cineworld, Leicester Square. Dates and times to be confirmed.

This is the sixth edition of the FrightFest Guides, the latest in a series of successful, wide appeal books for both the curious spectator and the cult connoisseur. Previous genres covered include Exploitation Movies, Monster Movies, Ghost Movies, Werewolf Movies and Grindhouse Movies.

For centuries, mankind has been chilled by tales of vampires. A fixture of literature, art, and folk tales, the vampire was a natural early choice for a movie monster at the dawn of cinema and has remained popular ever since as the screen’s most enduring and sexually charged nightmare figure.

Within these bloodstained pages, you’ll discover all the vampire icons, from Bela Lugosi and Max Schreck’s pioneering fiends to the heyday of Hammer Films, but that’s just a sanguinary taste of what’s to come as you explore macabre offerings from Hong Kong, India, Italy, France, Germany, Japan and many more countries across the globe.

It’s all served up on a blood-spattered silver platter by author and film historian Nathaniel Thompson, who also delivers a globetrotting introduction to the history and evolution of vampire cinema, from the silent era to the modern age of undead heartthrobs and vampire assassins.

Sweetening the bloody deal is a foreword by legendary writer and monster expert Kim Newman, who dragged vampire literature into the daylight of the modern age with his Anno Dracula series..

The FrightFest exclusive hardcover will be on sale for just £25, and people not attending in person won’t miss out as they have the option to pre-order the book from www.fabpress.com -- pre-ordered books will ship the first week of September.

The Paperback publication date is 18 October 2022.

FAB Press

Since launching with its seminal publication Flesh And Blood (the source of the FAB acronym) in 1993, FAB Press, publishers of books for cult connoisseurs, has gained respect among its loyal customers and knowledgeable members of the book publishing industry alike. FAB Press has been working with FrightFest since 2016. This is the sixth volume in the FrightFest Guide series of books.

FrightFest

FrightFest is the most prestigious horror fantasy movie event in the United Kingdom since 2000. Created by Paul McEvoy, film exhibitor Ian Rattray, film critic, international journalist, author and broadcaster Alan Jones, and veteran PR man Greg Day, the main FrightFest event takes place annually over the August Bank Holiday in London. They also have their an annual three-day event at the Glasgow Film Festival and own distribution label, FrightFest Presents, in partnership with Signature Entertainment.

8 From the 80s: Hunks

Each installment Mike will look back to the decade of decadence and provide a list of eight things – from movies to music to memorable moments and everything in-between.  Keep in mind, this isn’t a TOP 8 list and any numerical notations are included to merely designate one item from another. Because, frankly, how can rate one thing over another when it came from a decade as totally tubular as the 80s?

80s Hunks

A few weeks ago I did a list of eight of the hottest babes from the 80s, so it's only fair that I do up a list of hunks. Like the gals, there were a lot of guys who could have been included on this list and probably would make it if I made this list a year ago or a year from now.  Anyway... let's hop to it!

8. Andrew McCarthy

He had sex with a Mannequin, spent a Weekend at Bernie’s and looked Pretty in Pink (well, okay, Molly Ringwald looked pretty in that last one, but you get the drift).  McCarthy, who had an innocent look with a wry smile, had a career that includes television as well as the stage and, while he peaked in the 80s, he’s still active as both an actor and director.

7. Michael Schoeffling

Mike was Jake Ryan in Sixteen Candles.  His career didn’t last too long, however, ending seven years after his most memorable role and included films like Vision Quest and Mermaids (which was a 90s movie and so we shouldn’t really count it here).  I suspect Molly Ringwald’s Samantha wasn’t the only writing "I ♥ Jake Ryan" on her notebook.

Popcorn Frights Film Festival Movie Review: Final Summer

Final Summer is a Nostalgic Trip Back to the Slasher Classics From the 80s

-by Mike Imboden

Imagine, if you will, your last summer before heading off to college.  High school graduation is in the history books and the days of big hair, glam rock, and the rest of the decade of excess is getting farther behind you in the rearview mirror as the 1990’s loom in front of you, full of possibilities.  You need some extra cash and so, like the last few years before this one, you sign on as a counselor at a summer camp, certain that THIS year will end in the exchange of phone numbers with a certain someone and - if you’re lucky - the exchange of something a bit more. You’re not the only one with summer plans, though, and while yours are like many others, there’s always one who has decidedly… different ideas of how to spend their summer.

Not the person you want to see on the last night of summer camp

It’s 1991 and Camp Silver Lake is closing its doors on its last season before it’s sold.  This news comes as a surprise to the counselors who are tasked with getting everything put away and cleaned up. It probably shouldn’t be a surprise, though, when it’s revealed that “accidents” have befallen the camp every year and are attributed to the camp’s urban legend of a former groundskeeper named Warren Cooper, who was believed to be a bit unstable.  When a masked figure wielding an axe shows up, what was a night of work and camaraderie becomes a night of survival.

Popcorn Frights Film Festival Movie Review: The Third Saturday in October

{Note: Go read the review for The Third Saturday in October Part V and then come back to read this)

Jakkariah "Jack" Harding (Antonio Woodruff) is back again to… wait, this isn’t a sequel, it’s the ORIGINAL “lost” entry in The Third Saturday in October franchise and boy, is this a doozy!

Back in 1979 "Jack" Harding has a date with an electric chair courtesy of the killing spree that he was responsible for.  In attendance as witnesses are Ricky Dean Logan (Darius Willis) and Vicki Newton (K.J. Baker), unrelated parents of a couple of Harding’s victims. Oddly, Harding is scheduled to be buried directly following the execution, but when Ricky and Vicki arrive at the cemetery they discover, to their horror, that Harding is still alive and now on the run!

Popcorn Frights Film Festival Movie Review: Third Saturday in October Part V

Try to follow along here.  The Third Saturday in October Part V is the fourth sequel to the “lost slasher” film, The Third Saturday in October, however there are no parts two, three, or four - but there IS a part one and we’ll get to that a little later. Y’see, writer/director Jay Burleson has crafted a two part homage to the heyday of the slasher sub-genre and video stores where you’d often find a sequel before stumbling across the original entry - so the recommended viewing order here is Part V followed by Part I.

As any good sequel should, this starts off with a flashback montage of the three sequels from the 1980s (the original was released in 1979, as the story goes) before we hit our “current” time of 1994 and the titular third Saturday in October when everyone is glued to their TVs for the annual college football rivalry game between  the Alabama-Mobile Seahawks and Tennessee A&M Commonwealth. Again, like any good sequel, we’re treated to a killing by franchise star Jakkariah "Jack" Harding (Antonio Woodruff) just a few minutes in.  

Olivia Newton-John (1948-2022)

You made us "Hopelessly Devoted [to you]", with your "Magic" and gave us a "Heart Attack" when you got "Physical", but will always be our favorite of the Nine Muses of Olympus as you sing and skate around the floor of "Xanadu".

Rest in Peace and thank you for the magic you left us with.

Olivia Newton John from the Universal film "Xanadu"

GenreBlast Film Fest 2022

The GenreBlast Film Fest is one of our favorite film festivals thanks in no small part to its dedication to genre movies (hence its name!) from independent filmmakers.  It's also the first film festival that Mike got to join Joseph in reviewing movies for, so that ensures that there'll always be a spot in Uphill Both Way's heart for it.  Read on for the press release detailing this year's lineup!

GenreBlast Film Fest has announced its lineup for the seventh year of their international independent genre film festival. The four day in-person event will feature fourteen feature films and roughly ninety short films from around the world as well as the results of their annual screenplay competition.

Worst Laid Plans

Emanating from the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Winchester, Virginia, GenreBlast continues to  champion truly independent genre cinema and this year features one of its strongest lineups of cross-genre fare so far. With horror, science-fiction and fantasy, action, and even cult and midnight offerings, the fest prides itself on being an eclectic mixtape of genres and filmmakers.

Of the thirteen features selected this year, there are two world premieres, one North American premiere, one U.S. premieres, one east coast premiere, four regional premieres, and four Virginia premieres and a special advance screening.

Liam Regan’s satirical bloodbath EATING MISS CAMPBELL makes its North American premiere while indie horror filmmaking doc THE BRILLIANT TERROR has its in-theater U.S. premiere. Regional premieres feature Alexandra’s Spieth’s ensemble thriller STAG and Syliva Caminer’s twisty FOLLOW HER, plus Jeffrey Garcia’s cult VHS comedy BUBBLEGUM, and Antonio Rotunno’s bloody Mexican midnighter PLEASE DON’T ABANDON ME. World premieres include cult auteur Jeff Frumess’ sophomore effort GOUGE AWAY as well as Jonathan Straiton’s long-awaited post-apocalyptic action horror throwdown JOHNNY Z. Kenneth Lui’s mockumentary ARTISTS IN AGONY: HIT-MEN AT THE CODA TEAHOUSE arrives as an East Coast premiere. Justin Seaman’s slasher sequel THE BARN PART II makes its Virginia premiere along with Marc Coleman’s bittersweet fish-out-of-water flick MANFISH, Kenichi Ugana’s Japanese sci-fi black comedy EXTRANEOUS MATTER, and Ryan Imhoff & Matt Neal’s demented horror satire FRESH HELL.

A special advance screening of GenreBlast’s first feature film with fest director Nathan D. Ludwig as producer along with Samantha Kolesnik. GenreBlast Films presents the film adaptation of WORST LAID PLANS, a feature horror anthology culled from the pages of the Grindhouse Press book, edited by Kolesnik. Segments directed by John Hale, Jeremy Herbert, and Christopher G. Moore.

The fest runs from Thursday, Sept. 1st through Sunday, Sept. 4th at the Alamo Winchester concluding with a livestreamed awards ceremony followed by the GB Aftermath After Party. Script table reads and a discussion panel will also be on the schedule during the fest.

Weekend passes are now on sale at the Alamo Winchester website: https://drafthouse.com/winchester. 

Additional information can be found at the fest’s official website: www.genreblast.com