Salem Witch Trials (2002)

After watching Witchery yesterday before practice, I found myself in a witchcraft mood last night when I got home. So, I did what I always do, and turned to my streaming services to find something that would help quench my appetite. I eventually settled on the 2002 entry Salem Witch Trials for my journey into the occult and witchcraft.

Plot/ A masterful work accurately details the current consensus of what exactly occurred to prompt the colonial witch trials.

This was another movie (mini series) that I somehow missed during my time in the Navy. In fact, when I saw it last night, I thought it was a documentary. I am excited that it wasn’t. What I found was an entertaining journey into the times of the Salem Witch Trials, one of the historical events that helped shape my interests as I have grown older. The ensemble cast led by Shirley MacLaine and Kirstie Alley was tremendous and the performances definitely were in harmony with the dark storyline. The cinematography was outstanding, the storyline was layered, and the entertainment and educational value really came together. While the film does have a drawn out feel, because it was a miniseries, that was to be expected. In the end, the story of the Salem Witch Trials and the hysteria that overtook society is something that can never be forgotten in our history. It is part of the fabric of our Nation and demonstrates what can happen when greed and panic become one. This may not be perfect, but it is a story (and movie) that must be seen and remembered. If you have not watched it, find it on Amazon and check it out.

Hellraiser (1987)

Every now and then, I enjoy taking a trip back to my teenage years to re-watch some of the flicks that shaped my interest in horror, both in literature and on the big screen. While I intended to look deeper at the Friday the 13th franchise this week, I could not pass up the fact that the Clive Barker classic Hellraiser debuted in the UK today in 1987. Couple that with the fact that Barker has finally finished the much anticipated Scarlet Gospels and my interest to visit Pinhead was complete.

Plot/ An unfaithful wife encounters the zombie of her dead lover, who's being chased by demons after he escaped from their sado-masochistic Hell.

Growing up, I was a huge fan of Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft and I spent most of my teenage years in the 1980s searching for an author that could take me on a journey into some of the dark depths that those two masters could. That search ended when I saw Hellraiser and discovered Clive Barker. In the era of the slasher, this was a cinematic trip that challenged ones mind. Complete with a tremendous mix of gore, storyline and atmosphere, this was so much more than the typical horror of the decade. Yes, some of the characterizations were off and the acting was so-so, but that was a small flaw in a horror masterpiece. In the end, Hellraiser was a groundbreaking horror flick that influenced a generation and opened my eyes to horror maestro Clive Barker. If you have not see this one, shame on you. It is a must for every horror fan. 

Happy Birthday H.P. Lovecraft

Today was an interesting day. While my class was going over some practice solder boards prior to building their fiber optic voice link, I was reminded that it was H.P. Lovecraft’s birthday. Next to Edgar Allan Poe, Lovecraft is one of my biggest influences in my creative process and is a literary genius. While some of the adaptations of his movies have not been great, his influence can be seen all over horror cinema.

During the viewing of The Thing (2011) for my last review, I was reminded of that influence, as many of the creatures depicted in that film had many Lovecraftian traits. Honestly, I would prefer the aliens in this world being more Reptilian than Lovecraftian, as we would have a chance against the Reptilians.

Of course, the realm of Cthulhu is one of many different paths, and the ancients of the mythos are some of the most interesting ever created. But, were they created, or did they come from some lost part of history? Could Cthulhu be the ancients legends talk about from Planet X? Yes, that may be a stretch, but the fact that the Necronomicon made its first modern appearance in the works of Lovecraft, may be an insight to some other power and understanding at work.

Sure, I am speculating with this thought, but there is truly so much that we do not understand with history and science, that links are sometimes ignored that should be seen differently.

Now I can move onto one other topic that came up in class, a recent UFO sighting near Pittsburgh. One of my students captured an interesting red glowing orb moving erratically in the sky on Sunday night and captured a couple of images. While there is not a ton of detail, the fact that these sightings are on a semi-regular basis, does add some evidential proof. Couple that with the fact that this is a student at an aviation school, and the notion of a mistaken craft identity can be somewhat dismissed as well.

While the idea of UFOs and H.P. Lovecraft may be somewhat unrelated to most observers, to me, both have origins that lie at the heart of what is most likely Forbidden History.   

Zombie Crawl in the Monroeville Mall - June 24, 2012

The guys at Monroeville Zombies have come together with the group from Save the Chapel to organize the ZombieCrawl in the Monroeville Mall on June 24, 2012.  That’s right, a Zombie Walk inside the famed Monroeville Mall, home of the George Romero classic Dawn of the Dead.

This event, sponsored by: The It’s Alive Show; Screaming Brain Studio; & Funhouse Arcade, is an event that is a must for zombie enthusiasts in the Pittsburgh Area.

Schedule:

10:00 AM – Arrival and line up
10:30AM – Zombie Crawl
12:00 NOON – Zombie Museum Party with games, celebrities, refreshments,
2:00PM – Zombie Costume & Talent Pageant

All proceeds will benefit the Save the Chapel movement, an organization dedicated to rebuilding and preserving a part of horror history, the Chapel seen in the opening scenes of the classic Night of the Living Dead.

All participating Zombies are encouraged to donate a non-perishable food product, to help support the Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

Donner Pass (2012)

With a week consisting of Nude Nuns With Big Guns and Human Centipede 2, I had to come up with something different to watch last night. Tonight and tomorrow are already in the works with multiple entries from the Friday the 13th franchise as I prepare for the first day of trout season Saturday. My selection last night, Donner Pass from 2012, honestly, not what I expected at all. Oh, on a different note, a huge Happy Birthday shout out to Reverend Peyton (@BigDamnBand on Twitter)… That dude can make any instrument, cigar box or shoe box sound amazing! You Rock Rev!

Plot/ Donner Pass has a well-known and macabre history - the place where George Donner and his party got stuck in the winter of 1846 and were forced to resort to cannibalism to keep from starving. But what if it wasn't just history?

OK, this is nowhere near a great movie. In fact, it falls into that category of horror that is just there, nothing special, but nothing terrible. It was just not memorable in any way. The Acting was so-so, the script OK and cinematography all over the place. Sure, I can get past the historic inaccuracies in the beginning with a glimpse of the few gore shots, but really, I needed a lot more. In the end, there are a couple of decent moments, but it is not enough to keep it from becoming the typical slasher / thriller with a slight twist. If you need something to watch on Netflix, check it out, just do not spend money on it.

Save the Evans City Chapel - NOTLD

As I sit here preparing for the second Steelers vs. Ravens class of 2011, I was reminded of the history in this rivalry game (probably the best in all sports). These two teams have played some tremendous games and I hope this one is better than the one from earlier this season. Being home in South Western Pennsylvania to watch the game makes it so much better, because this is truly Steelers country.

However, this area (as many already know) is also the birthplace of modern zombies, seeing the light of day for the first time in the George Romero classic Night of the Living Dead in 1968. As I blogged last month, the chapel at the Evans City Cemetery is in dire need of repair and the Save the Chapel movement has been started to assist in funding and coordinating the repairs to the piece of Horror Cinematic History.  After some time, the organization has got their website up and running, complete with details on the chapel, upcoming events and everything you can imagine concerning this tremendous movement (including some awesome Ebay Auctions that benefit chapel restoration).  Please check out this site at www.fixthechapel.com and help save this iconic piece of horror history.

More Details About Saving A Piece Of Horror Cinematic History

This has been a whirlwind week. It started off with the great Undead Festival in Asbury Park, worked through all of my check-out procedures, and I now I settling in for my official retirement ceremony Monday at 1 o’clock. It is hard to believe that 21 years have passed by so quick and as of Monday (well, really December 31 as I have two months vacation) I will be done with my Naval career. On to bigger and better, right? Well, As I was sitting down tonight searching for more information on the potential West Virginia University move to the Big 12 (Let’s go Mountaineers!), I stumbled upon some more information about the Save the Chapel movement that I blogged about earlier in the week. 

This information was taken directly from their facebook page and stands as a historic look at the chapel that George A. Romero made the world see and a look at how the weather has taken a toll on the future of this iconic horror landmark.  Erected in the 1920s as a chapel (used for one funeral), its cultural status lives on. Unfortunately, a few years after construction, the idea for the chapel changed and it was basically a high-priced storage shed. Over time, the chapel has fallen into a state of disrepair. The windows are shuttered. The roof is leaking. Time and the elements have battered the exterior. Cemetery officials estimate it will take $50,000 in cosmetic improvements to return the structure to its former glory. Fortunately the original sound engineer on Night of the Living Dead, Gary Streiner, created this grassroots effort designed to restore the chapel and as he states, this more than a local project, it is a project that can benefit zombie and movie fans young and old.

“The cemetery is so iconic in the whole zombie-horror world,” he says. “If fans knew they could come to the chapel and see it as more than just a boarded-up building, it would draw a lot more people. It would be nice to see it become a ‘Night of the Living Dead’ museum.” Though the organization has until next fall to get the restoration ball rolling, it is clear by the initial response that the goal can be reached and the vision can become a reality. Fans are already creating zombie walks, movie viewings and art shows to benefit the cause, but there is always room for more, as they are looking for individuals from every walk-of-life or skill set to help.

The organization is building a website and will soon have a Paypal account to aid fundraising efforts, but until then, anyone interested can make donations ICO Fix the Chapel at:

Checks made payable to “Fix the Chapel” can be sent to:
NexTier Bank
P.O. Box A
Evans City, PA 16033

Yes, You Can Help Save the Chapel from Night of the Living Dead

  

Last weekend I had the opportunity to meet and talk with some of the cast of Night of the Living Dead, arguably the most influential horror flick of all time. For many, this definitely one of the most loved and classic films of all time and more importantly, it laid the groundwork for the zombie culture that we have in our lives today.

As many know, portions of this masterpiece were filmed in the Evans City Cemetery, and by now, many (even if you are not fans of horror) have seen the quaint little chapel shown in the beginning of the film when Barbara and Johnny arrive. As I found out in talking with some of the cast, this chapel, while still there, has fallen to a state of disrepair and it is in danger of being torn down. Gary Streiner, original sound engineer on the film, has started the Save the Chapel initiative, a grass roots group of Night of the Living Dead fans who do not want to see the chapel in the Evans City Cemetery torn down.

 (Picture by Sheldon Higdon)

Being from the South Western Pennsylvania area, this movement hit home with me as Night of the Living Dead was one of the first horror movies I saw on Chiller Theatre with Chilly Billy as a kid. I am not usually one who blogs about causes, but honestly this is one that can save a true piece of horror cinematic history and one that I plan of becoming more and more active with once I return to Pennsylvania in less than a week. If you would like any further information on the project check out their page at Save the Chapel. A website for this initiative is in the works, keep checking back for all of the details. Please spread the word and help us restore a part of movie and horror history!

This coming weekend, Northern Nightmares presents CHILLER THEATRE at THE STRAND THEATRE in Zelienople, PA where they will be showing the George A. Romero (and all-time) classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD to benefit the restoration of the Evans City Cemetery Chapel, as seen in the opening of the movie. All The event runs Friday and Saturday OCT 28-29 at 7:30 and Sunday OCT 30 at 4:00 and feature special guests Russ Streiner (Johnny), Kyra Schon (Karen Cooper), and Gary Streiner (Sound Engineer and Props master). Allseats for this event are $6.00. For more information on the screening go to The Strand Theater website or if you desire to do more, check out the Save the Chapel group webpage.

The guys over at the Corpse O'Clock News have made a great video on this cause, check it out!