It's a Horror to Know You: Mike of My Rotting Brain!
1. What is the first film that ever scared you?
If you want to get technical then I'd have to say Rollercoaster Rabbit, the Roger Rabbit short film that played in front of Dick Tracy. I was four, and it was the first movie my parents ever took me to. I'm told I ran screaming out of the theater about six minutes into the cartoon.
The first movie I really remember being scared of due to being creeped out, not just overwhelmed, was Beetlejuice. I remember having it on VHS and being terrified of the sand worms. I was oddly okay with everything else though.
2. What is the last film that scared you?
Paranormal Activity. Yeah, I'm one of those guys. Seeing it in a theater with an excellent sound system was an experience. I saw it the day it opened, so I really had no idea what to expect going in. It was one of the more unsettling movie experiences I've ever had.
3. Name three Horror movies that you believe are underrated.
Trick ‘R Treat– It's probably not underrated as much as it is under publicized. It's the ultimate Halloween movie, and should be a yearly tradition for anyone who loves the holiday. It's got so many great horror elements all wrapped up in the mischievous Halloween spirit, I can't recommend it enough.
ClownhouseРIt's got a premise so clich̩d you almost can't believe they actually made it into a movie. Patients escape from an insane asylum, disguise themselves as clowns and terrorize children. It's not gory, nor is it particularly scary, but for anyone who's ever been leery about clowns, it can be the stuff of nightmares. It really comes off more like a long episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark? or Amazing Stories than a movie.
Near Dark– The moody older brother of The Lost Boys. I'd say the action scenes are better and Bill Paxton's Severn is every bit as badass as Kiefer Sutherland's David. Plus you've got Lance Hendrickson, so you can't go wrong with that. Its ending might be a tad ridiculous and separate from the popular vampire mythos, but it's still a fun, well shot film. Let's all just be happy they never moved forward with a remake, and oddly, we have Twilight to thank for that.
4. Name three horror movies that you enjoy against your better judgment.
The Wicker Man (2006) – I'm not sure "enjoy" is the right word here. I watch due to morbid curiosity and so I can marvel at just how off the rails it went. Then again, it's hard not to enjoy Nicolas Cage wearing a bear suit and punching a woman in the face. It's my personal favorite terrible movie of all time.
Friday the 13th (2009)– People despise this remake, but after years of seeing Jason movies become almost horror comedy, it was nice to see one that tried to recapture the series' original spirit. It doesn't add anything to the franchise, but I don't think it's nearly as bad as people make it out to be. This is Friday the 13th we're talking about, it's never been Shakespeare. Derek Mears plays a great Jason, the kills are fun and it's a monumentally better than Jason Goes to Hell.
CHUD– It's a bad movie, but it's a fun one. How can you not enjoy a movie where homeless people mutated by toxic waste try to eat Daniel Stern? And successfully eat John Goodman, who has a really random cameo. It's set in New York City, while looking absolutely nothing like New York City, which just adds to its charm. You could definitely do worse than CHUD.
5. Send us to five places on the Internet!
X-entertainment– One of my favorite websites of all time, a premier destination for 80's stuff, horror movies, old commercials and strange food items. It's sadly shutting down after many years, but it has archives full of great stuff.
Dinosaur Dracula– Matt of X-Entertainment's new website. It's still under construction, but I have no doubts that it will fill whatever void XE leaves behind. It's probably the best URL you've read all day.
Bloody Disgusting– My go-to source for horror news. Pretty sure BD has a healthy following, but it still deserves a plug. They've always got excellent giveaways going on, which I'd say is reason enough to visit.
Hey U Guys.co.UK– UK based movie, gaming and technology website, with a great crop of authors.
My Rotting Brain's Are You Afraid of the Dark? Review Index– Alright, shameless self-promotion. Here's my archive of all the Are You Afraid of the Dark? episode's I've reviewed thus far. I figure some of these had to inspire some kindertrauma in readers, so why not go re-live that terror all over again?