Ghostbusters - The Video Game

Opening cinematic from the upcoming game - in stores June 16th, Enjoy!



Who ya gonna call?

The Roundtable: Week 4

"Outwith the classics: Dracula, Frankenstein and so on and outwith the modern icons: Freddy, Michael and Jason, who is your favourite or alternative Horror/Genre movie icon?"

Once again by email or comment get your replies to me by Wed/Thurs, thanks!

G.I. Joe: Resolute Update

He, if you are desperate to check out how the new GI Joe's are getting on vs. Cobra then go HERE and enjoy the action on Youtube or remember for US readers the whole 1 hour movie debuts tomorrow on Adult Swim at 9pm! Yo Joe!

The Roundtable: Week 3 - Contributions

Keith Brown (Giallo Fever)

I really can’t remember.

When I was a kid there were a lot of things that would freak me out, so I’m actually kind of glad that my parents would never let me watch any of the video nasties – the boxes for many of them were enough for me at that time.

In more recent years, since I got a DVD player and started buying, swapping and more recently downloading various genre movies I never dreamt of seeing when I first read about them, I would say I’ve become ever harder to shock.
I’d say that there are two things here.
First, in terms of images that shock me, which I find conceptually distasteful or which provoke me into wondering exactly why I’m watching them.
Second, images that make me actually close my eyes or switch a film off.

I wouldn’t say I have had any experience of the latter sort for a long time with genre movies – I would probably have to go for something like Brakhage’s Act of Seeing with One’s Own Eyes or an instructional video on basic autopsy procedure for that.

As far as the former is concerned, then I find that any Cannibal Holocaust, The Last House on Dead End Street, Farewell Uncle Tom, Forced Entry, The Defiance of Good, In a Glass Cage and Aftermath still have the capacity to shock on a repeat viewing, though as I said this is often more about the ideas and facts behind them.

One other thing I find here is how this affects my watching films with other people. While I’ve shown the more fantastical likes of Zombie and The Beyond to friends in my wider circle, I’ve tended to be wary of showing anything with a more realist slant or whose attitudes and approach are less PC. I’d be interested to hear of other people’s experiences in this regard.

Ian Price

30 Days of Night!

Matthew Bradford (Double O Section)

Just this weekend I had to shield my eyes during a scene in Crank: High Voltage in which a henchman has to slice off his own nipples to appease his sadistic gang boss. I was laughing and cringing at the same time. It's a gross scene, and nipple violence in general creeps me out. But the movie is a Grand Guignol comedy of inappropriateness, and all of the ultra-violence is skilfully played for laughs. It's either a work of inexplicable genius or the end of society as we know it. In either case, it's exactly what grind houses were made for, so it's sort of a shame we have to pay twelve bucks to see it in a cushy mall theatre. Doesn't quite feel right.

Michael McKenzie (Land of Whimsy)

Well, Pierce Brosnan singing in MAMMA MIA! recently made me cover my EARS, but unfortunately it doesn't count as a genre movie or an instance of me covering my eyes, so it looks like I'll have to go back a bit further. It's a toughie, but I'm going to have to go with Simon Callow whipping out a large prosthetic cock and showering the attendees of a lecture at the University of Cambridge with urine in CHEMICAL WEDDING, a rather badly made but strangely entertaining low budget British horror movie from 2008.

Douglas Waltz (Divine Exploitation)

I was watching Doris Wishman's LET ME DIE A WOMAN and they have some actual sex scene surgery in there. Yeesh! I had to cover my eyes or there was going to be some hurling. As it was I felt a little light headed afterward.
Bleah!

Holger Haase (Hammer and Beyond)

Must admit I am pretty thick skinned when it comes to being shocked by films. There are very few movies out there that as a whole shock the beejaysus out of me. To be shocked and shattered by an entire movie I’d have to go a few years back when I watched IRREVERSIBLE theatrically.

There are, however, always certain moments in films that can haunt me.
And for a shocking moment I just need to go back to last week when I watched Hammer’s STRAIGHT ON TILL MORNING. I gotta admit that I found the killing of the dog, though not visually graphic as such, pretty unsettling.

Louis Fowler (Damaged 2.0)

Recently, it was Grindhouse Releasing's reissue of Lucio Fulci's THE BEYOND. I forgot just how hopeless and spiritually brutal that movie really is. Its questions about the realities of a literal Hell really bothered me for days. I actually wrote a review based on these ideas for the website Bloody Good Horror -- HERE

Kim Lindbergs (Cinebeats)

Even though I watched it on cable TV (pay per view) I have to mention the great Belgium horror film Left Bank (aka Linkeroever; 2008). It's rare that I get surprised by a horror film and Linkeroever had some really startling scenes that brought to mind Polanski's The Tenant and Rosemary's Baby as well as the original Wicker Man. Linkeroever is a terrific film and I can't recommend it enough, but the ending will undoubtedly leave a lot of people scratching their heads. It's not availalable on DVD yet, but hopefully it will be soon. I do want to add that it's easily one of the best films of 2008 and I'm surprised it was ignored by critics since I personally think it's as good as Let the Right One In.

KingMob (BigSuckLoser)

The last film that I found truly unsettling or shocking would have to be Inside from directors Alexandre Bustillos and Julien Maury. I have a feeling that this film will be replaced later this month when Martyrs finally hits DVD in the States, but for now I'll stick with this one as the most shocking thing I’ve seen in recent years.

Inside makes great use of music, the unsettling drone of discordant noise had my teeth on edge without me even realizing it, and the visuals of everything you never want to see happen to a pregnant woman actually happening really unnerved me.

Erin

I can watch any old eyeball popping, intestine vomiting, bat full of nails to the head thing, but recently the 1979 Australian movie Thirst made me feel somewhat woozy because it featured so many scenes of human "cows" having their blood harvested and put in cartons for vampires to drink.

I also feel sick when I watch reaction videos to 2 Girls 1 Cup and the person watching is visibly trying not to puke.

Joshua Lew (Cinema Cafe Podcast)

For the horror genre I can't remember. The only one that comes to mind is Let The Right One In, but I saw that at the theatre, so it doesn't fit for the question. Maybe Visitor Q. I would say Salo, but I was just horrified rather than enjoy myself. Crank 2 is a genre bending film that I can see a lot of people hating but I loved it. But for dvd/blu-ray, I will have to go with the martial arts genre of films and choose the Thai film Chocolate. It basically has a young girl kicking all kinds of ass in with different forms of martial arts techniques. Weak plot but great action. Love that film.

The Roundtable: Week 3

Right, another week another roundtable, once again Wednesday/Thursday for your contributions via email or comments!

"What was the last genre movie, either recent or an oldie that you have caught on DVD/Blu-Ray, to actually shock you and make you cover your eyes for good reasons, not because the film was actually bad?"

Italian Film Festival - Glasgow

Anyone interested in Italian Cinema, should note that the Italian Film Festival begins tomorrow April 17th and runs until May 27th with many interesting and involving movies being shown around the country so check out your local arty cinema and see whats on! Being from the "Boot" (© Tony Soprano) myself, I thought I'd recommend a few to check out!

19th April - GFT@3.30pm

Wild Blood, directed by Marco Tullio Giordano and Starring Monica Bellucci and Luca Zingaretti

"Wild Blood has been a labour of love for writer/director Marco Tullio Giordana (The Best Of Youth) who brings a fresh eye to bear on the passion and politics of a true life tale from the fascist era."

24th April - GFT@6.30pm

The Girl by the Lake, directed by Andrea Molaioli and Starring Toni Cervillo (Gomorrah)

"One of the finest Italian debut features in recent years, Andrea Molaioli’s The Girl by the Lake is a tense, satisfying murder mystery with a powerful central performance from Toni (The Consequences Of Love, Il Divo) Servillo that won him the Davide di Donatello prize for Best Actor and the Pasinetti Best Actor prize at Venice."

29th April - GFT@6.00pm

Her Whole Life Ahead, directed by Paolo Virzi and starring Sabrina Ferrilli and Micael Ramazzotti

"Hands down one of the best Italian comedies in recent years"

Variety

Also remember that as part of the Alida Valli season, Dario Argento's Suspiria will be shown on the 26th and 27th of May at the Glasgow Film Theatre! One not to miss!

The Roundtable: Week 2 Contributions

Apologies if the topic was a little narrow this week, but Edwige and Brigitte are Eurodivas that deserve some discussion and merit. It was also interesting to note that Fenech's Giallo's are the main favourites for most, while I really dig her Eurosex comedy output with the "Insegnante" series and "Grazie, Nonna" (Lover Boy) in particular standing out!

Kim Lindbergs (Cinebeats)

This is a tough question because both ladies have appeared in some terrific films, but I'll go with Edwige in The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (Sergio Martino; 1971) because it's just an incredible sexy movie with two of my favorite giallo regulars (George Hilton and Ivan Rassimov) and I'm going with Brigitte in Faceless (Jess Franco; 1987) because it also stars the fabulous Helmut Berger. As much as I like watching these ladies in just about anything, I especially enjoy seeing them teamed up with some of my favorite male actors.

KingMob (Dear Bastards)

Okay, I hope this admission doesn't get me drummed out of the club here, but I have to be honest and say that I don't think I've ever seen a film that starred Brigitte Lahaie, save for Calvaire, which I don't particularly recall her from. I'll be using this week’s results to compile a shopping list to see what I've been missing out on.

Edwige Fenech on the other hand, I've been going back and forth on this decision for a few days on this one, and I think I'd have to say Strip Nude For Your Killer. It may not be the best movie she's in, but I love her little bobbed hairstyle in this one, and I recall digging it when I watched it for all the sleazy elements on display.

Joshua Lew (Cinema Cafe Podcast)

Now this is a tough one. If I was stuck on a desert island, a great dream would be if I had the Weird Science equipment and some old magazine spreads of Fenech and Lahaie, but perhaps that's why such things are called dreams. For Edwige Fenech I would bring "The Case of your Bloody Iris" because I find that film the most entertaining of her work, or "5 Dolls for August Moon" because in my opinion that's where she's her most lovely. For Brigitte Lahaie, I have not seen many of her films nor of her early pornographic work so I can't attest to them, but the one I remember and enjoy is the Grapes of Death, a great zombie film with a great director (although admittedly the word great when used to reference Jean Rollin is debatable).

Kit Nygaard-Gavin

Edwige: Without a doubt the best films on Edwige's CV are the gialli she made in the 1970's. For sheer thriller quality the gialli she made for Sergio Martino are the best and indeed amongst the best in the whole genre. The guilty pleasure side of me however also professes to have a soft spot for FIVE DOLLS FOR AN AUGUST MOON. Not only is Edwige very cute, coupled with the wonderful Hammond organ score, but also it has all the qualities of a Bava film with its vibrant colors and mood. However if I had to choose a film it would be ALL YOUR VICES ARE A LOCKED ROOM - not least because it has Edwige but also due the presence of Anita Strindberg (despite the horrid wig) and also Luigi Pisitilli, Ivan Rassimov, and a pretty decent storyline and an interesting mystery to solve.

Brigitte Lahaie is less easy to categorise as most of her films are Rollin, porno, or both. Part of me would say FACELESS for the memories, not so much the presence of Brigitte, but of a weekend spent in south of Spain with its director speaking about his life, career, movies in a sort of Franglais that only Jess seems to speak in. Also, even though they are clumsy inserts, I have a soft spot for D'Amato's EMANUELLE AND FRANCOISE - but unfortunately the inserts with Mlle. Lahaie were not part of the original film and they actually sort of ruin it. For Brigitte quality, therefore I would go for THE GRAPES OF DEATH - which is one of my favourite Rollin films, together with Brigitte looking at her most attractive. Plus a decent interesting story line helps...

Mike Den Boer (10k Bullets)

“Since we can’t take either of the ladies with us to the desert island. My Edwige Fenech film would be La Pretora and my Brigitte Lahaie film would be La Maison des Phantasmes.”

Douglas Waltz (Divine Exploitation)

For Edwige I would pick The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh. Lahaie; anything that she's young in that is porn will suffice nicely.

Keith Brown (Giallo Fever)

I’ll start with the easier one, at least for me.

I haven’t watched much Lahaie beyond her work with Jean Rollin. From that it would have to be Fascination. Her naked form, wrapped in a cloak and wielding a scythe is one of iconic Euro-cult images. Beyond that I really like the period setting of the film, the way it feels like a contemporary take on Louis Feuillade.

I have watched a lot of Fenech by comparison and gradually come to appreciate her abilities as a comedian and actress over and above her tits and scream roles, fun though they may be.

Two films come to mind: Confessions of a Call Girl and Delitti Privati.

If I’m allowed the latter, as a TV series, I’d take it on account of featuring a more mature; yet still beautiful Fenech, taking risks with her star image over the course of six hours of material (i.e. more of her).

If not, then Confessions, as an early indicator that she was working at her craft; as its directed by Anthony Ascott / Giuliano Carnimeo it also works as a nice contrast to The Case of the Bloody Iris from a year or two earlier, being a more inspirational / less trashy entry.

Holger Haase (Hammer and Beyond)

Edwige Fenech: Definitely not any of her comedies. Yes, she looks great in them, but the films themselves are grating. I guess it would have to be STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER for that outrageous but fun final scene alone. As the saying goes: They just don't them like this anymore.

Brigitte Lahaie: FACELESS cause it as a) a genuinely great film, b) she is absolutely fab in it and - shame on me- c) it is the only one of her films that I have actually ever watched.

Michael McKenzie (Land of Whimsy)

"Golly, that's a tough one. I'm going to be slightly sneaky and select Sergio Martino's ALL THE COLOURS OF THE DARK for Edwige, purely because it also features Nieves Navarro/Susan Scott, who believe it or not I have always found vastly preferable to Ms. Fenech. As a rule, I tend not to be a huge fan of the "trashier" gialli, preferring the loftier aspirations of an Argento or Lado or indeed an early Fulci (who seemed to manage to combine elements of both trash and art in his films), but ALL THE COLOURS OF THE DARK is just weird and trippy enough for me to make an exception. In many ways it's the quintessential Edwige Fenech giallo, in that she seems to spend the entire film shrieking, fainting and on the brink of hysteria, but on the other hand I challenge anyone to name another film whose tone and atmosphere are anything like it.

As for Brigitte Lahaie, I must confess that, while I know exactly who she is, I spent a long time racking my brain for any films of hers that I'd actually seen, and ended up drawing a blank, even after reading through her entire filmography on IMDB. How sheltered am I?"

Diabolik's Deep Deep Down!

Mike Patton from Faith No More covering the title track from Mario Bava's seminal movie "Diabolik". One word: Awesome!

The Roundtable: Week 2

"Edwige Fenech (Filmography) and Brigitte Lahaie (Filmography), two of my favourite Euro cinema icons and we know they are awesome, but if you could take just one of each of their films to a desert island, what would they be?"


Again, most guys would rather take the girls themselves to the island, but that's not an option! Try and get all replies to me by email or comment by Wednesday/Thursday! Cheers and Happy Easter!

G.I. Joe: Resolute

April 24th: Keep the date because at 9pm on April 24th, G.I. Joe: Resolute debuts on Adult Swim in the US. The word is this animated series is meant to seriously kick ass, no laser guns or parachuting pilots, actual death and destruction. Anyway take a look:



Here is a alledged quote from one of the soundmixers that has been working on the show:

"Hey all, I am the sound mixer for GI Joe:Resolute and have already seen (many many many times) the entire series. We are finishing the last 2 shorts next week, and let me say this. I have NEVER been more blown away by a cartoon than this series. It is awesome. The animation is detailed, sharp and fluid. The sound, not meaning to pay myself on the back or anything, is feature film quality, but you'll have to wait for the DVD release to hear it in 5.1 surround. On each episode there are over 120 tracks of audio to create the sound track. And best of all, the stories are great and the action sequences are perfect. I know you will all love it!!"

Can't wait for this!

DVD Trash Roundtable: Week 1 - Your Contributions

"When your alone, what is your Wintry Friday Night Evening Wrapped in a Blanket Horror Movie? Basically the genre movie you curl up on the couch with!"

Guys, what a great response! Very happy, hope you can all add lots more in the coming weeks, thanks again! Fantastic!

Joshua Lew (Cinema Cafe Podcast)

"I read about the DVD Trash roundtable on Cinebeats and thought I'd put my two sense in. I congratulate you on your in-depth knowledge in this department, but for me, I'm a tad lacking when it comes to trash horror movie knowledge. Still, for my "Wintry Friday Night Evening Wrapped in a Blanket Horror Movie", I was thinking about putting down Argento's Suspiria, Gordon's Re-Animator, even more recent fare with Let The Right One In, or even Miike's Audition (but that's one movie being a male I could barely get through once let alone my choice of fine wine on a Friday). However the one movie that has stayed with me ever since I first watched it and is one I continuously go back to is, Near Dark. I love me some Bigelow Near Dark. I love vampire movies, but also understand that barring the old black and white classics, there haven't been many great ones, and perhaps that's why 2008's Let The Right One In resonated so well. But Near Dark shows the vampires how they're supposed to be- full of teeth with "got milk" mouths full of blood. So my pick is 1987's Kathryn Bigelow directed vampire flick, Near Dark. It's got Lance Henriksen and Adrian Pasdar. What more do you need? Come on!!"

Bob Turnbull (Eternal Sunshine of the Logical Mind)

“Horror wrapped in a blanket? For me that's gotta be the Ju-On films. I love Shimizu's atmospheric dread that curls me up slowly into a ball of tension on the couch. There's some goofiness (especially in Grudge 2 when that wig starts crawling), but a little laughter helps diffuse things a bit before building you up again. I may be alone, but I can't wait for Grudge 3.”

Kim Lindbergs (Cinebeats)

“Almost any British horror film, but in particular a good Hammer movie. There's something incredibly comforting to me about Hammer films that is hard to explain, but it can undoubtedly be traced back to my childhood. Hammer films were regularly shown on television when I was growing up in the '70s and early '80. I must have sat through almost a hundred of them by the time I was 15 and most of the time I was watching them alone. I also like the consistency of Hammer's filmography. The acting is always tops in any production since Hammer regulars like Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Michael Ripper almost always gave 110% to any performance. As a lifelong anglophile, the UK settings and sets are also incredibly appealing to me and I just enjoy all those British accents. In some ways I'm probably reminded of my British born great-grandmother who lived with my family for years before passing away. She refused to watch anything but UK made television programs and movies so my home was awash in various Brit accents for awhile. And last but not least, I never get tired of seeing a familiar Hammer film again. Hammer films conjure up all kinds of comforting feelings for me and they still feed my imagination. Vive le Hammer!”

Dshanya (Shutyomouthmovies)

“Right now, it's Rosemary's Baby. Psychological horror film as only Polanski can do....”

Wednesday’s Child (In it for the Kills)

“Hmm, a horror comfort movie? I'd have to go with Poltergeist. I sit there watching and wait for all my favorite parts even though I know what's coming up next, and I have been known to watch it and then turn right around and watch it again. Ghost movies, particularly ones with a bit of an explanation at the end, are my favorites, although I'll watch literally any horror movie no matter how bad!”

Bill Cunningham (Pulp 2.0)

“Okay, I'll bite.

There are several films that fit into this category and generally if you're going to stay home on a Friday night and not get laid then you really need to make a marathon of it:

BUBBA-HO-TEP
THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD
DAWN OF THE DEAD (original)
DRACULA
FRANKENSTEIN
THE WOLFMAN
THE MUMMY

DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE
THE VAMPIRE LOVERS
ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES

Basically I try to fit about three movies in to a Friday night fright fest.”

Michael McKenzie (Land of Whimsy)

"That’s a pretty tough question, but I think I’m going to have to go with Richard Donner’s classic The Omen. It might be a fairly conventional, unadventurous choice, but for me it brings back a lot of fond memories. It was probably the first horror film I ever saw, when I was around eight years old, on a cold Halloween night after listening to my parents raving about it during an evening meal out. We hurried home in time to see it, and although I missed the first half-hour I remember being absolutely enthralled by it. I’d never seen anything quite like it before, and I suppose you could say it gave me a taste for the macabre that I’ve been trying to satisfy ever since. So yes, while there are better and more interesting horror movies out there, this one has a great deal of sentimental value for me."

Holger Haase (Hammer and Beyond)

"I thought long and hard about this and it was tough coming up with one choice. It’s not as if I don’t have enough favourite movies that I like to re-watch time and again. In actual fact a while ago when we did a similar exercise on another board I easily came up with 100 classic (and not so classic movies) that I would consider Favourites before I gave up on the exercise. Yet somehow, I could not pick a single one from that seemingly endless list that I would pick as a favourite for that wintry Friday night until the answer dawned on me.

I don’t have a comfort film!

Yes, I do like re-watching some of my favourites when the opportunity arises, but there usually is a good reason for it, e.g. I am going to discuss it with others, I am going to meet one of the stars at a convention, I will write up about it or have just read an article on it.

But for that special Friday evening I love nothing more than plunge into my ever expanding stack of unwatched movies and hope I find a pearl.

Mind you, how I do this on that kind of night is subject to some very strict rules:

1. The movie needs to be new to me and at least promise some above average entertainment value.

I have seen more than my share of OK-ish blah movies and don’t mind watching them, but not on that kind of night.

2. I’ll watch it for my own entertainment and do not plan to write about it in any shape or form.

There is such an incredible amount of freedom associated with not feeling the need/urge/responsibility to write or blog about a movie, not having to jot down some notes and just totally immerse myself in it.

3. The movie needs to be short or (in my opinion) of normal length.

I still believe that 90 minutes is the perfect length for most movies. If it’s less than that even better. (Best decision Stallone made with Rambo was to have it at just about 80 minutes or thereabouts.) If it’s slightly more, fine, as long as it is not more than two hours max.

See, I do suffer more and more from ADD and on those nights I want to focus properly on the film and not end up leaving it only half watched, but most importantly

4. It will not be one movie, but two.

On those nights I enjoy nothing more than a personal double feature. Needless to say the shorter the movies the better the chances that I’ll find the time to watch two of them. This also, however, means that

5. The DVD should not have any extras of importance and definitely no audio commentaries.

Yes, I could ignore all extras and commentaries, but I feel awkward filing a movie away unless I have gone through each and every nugget on it. There have been very few productions where I gave up on those as they may have bored me to pieces. As I am looking for extra-free releases it is likely that the film will be from either a vanilla DVD I own, a rented disc where I am not that anal about extras, a rare DVD-R of a film that is otherwise hard to get or a movie recorded from television (Sky+).

6. The first film is going to be more mainstream than the second.

Two reasons for that: First of all, the more mainstream flicks may not be the revelation that I am hoping for, but it also may not be the stinker that the trash film may be. Should the trash film be a stinker, I could always switch it off and pick another one on to end the night on an impressive cult high note.

Reason #2: What can I say? I am surrounded by people who have accepted my love for everything cult, but don’t necessarily share it and – sniff sniff – may even annoy the shit out of me with derogatory remarks about them, so watching something more mainstream at the start of the night before everyone goes to bed ensures that I can enjoy a quiet view. Besides, some of those trash gems can be quite unsavoury, and I am not yet ready to expose my family to the unearthly delights of, ooh, say Emanuelle in America.

I think that pretty much covers most of my requirements. Last Sunday was one of those, ahem, wintry Fridays and proved to be a shining example for that kind of double feature when I first watched Donnie Brasco followed by Holocaust 2000.

‘Nuff said."

Neil (The Bleeding Tree)

"Genre movie? Preferably a Spaghetti Western frankly. Maybe Django would win out as often as any. Although I always like to see something new those nights.

Specifically a horror movie? The Abominible Dr. Phibes or The Whip and the Body. Something with a bit of a revenge scenario. A little sexy, a little scary. Cinema comfort food with perhaps a few vitamins mashed in there quietly so as you wouldn't notice."

Keith (Giallo Fever)

"For me it would probably be Suspiria, just edging it slightly over The Beyond and Blood and Black Lace."

Kit Gavin

"Admittedly, in the winter time I am not really one for horror movies. In fact, I have found as I have got older ("becoming old man syndrome" I guess - either that or growing up at last) I have shied more and more away from typical horror fare that I used to find entertaining as a kid and, though I always enjoyed them, I tended to focus more and more on either exploitation films, or thrillers to keep my attention going. In general the new wave of horror films end to be excessively splatter or hokum special effects based (I don't really have time for excessive gore - whether it be the French splatter flicks which are on the increase, or the latterday Brian Yuzna movies) or the generic American horror films that surface every now and again, spewed forth from the bowels of Hollywood with the latest flavor of the month screaming her head off.

For winter nights and horror films I tend to enjoy and want to snuggle under my feather duvet (has to be feathers - I must be one of few who isn't allergic to feathers but IS allergic to hollow fibre or worse still that non-allergic stuff cheap duvets are filled with), complete with a large mug of either Poulain chocolat chaud (a taste from my child hood) or some milky freshly ground coffee in a cafetiere - no cardigans or slippers here though(!) - tend to be more along the lines of the old fashioned traditional horror movies that came out of Europe in the 50's and 60's). If it's not a thriller I am watching, and in line with the question posed, I would have to cite two films as my favourite, as they both come top of my list and I am unable to make up my mind between the two - as it depends on the evening whether I am in the mood for a color movie or for a black&white one. If I am in the mood for a b&w, the accolade without doubt goes to Georges Franju's LES YEUX SANS VISAGE which surely needs no introduction, everything from the score by Maurice Jarre, the captivating imagery and well the whole movie in general is perfect for a cold Winter evening snuggled up in front of the TV with nothing better to do. If I am in a color mood the title of choice would be Mario Bava's I TRE VOLTI DELLA PAURA - the Italian edit as opposed to the AIP version. Granted the Italian version lacks Boris Karloff's voice but it is still imbued with his presence together with being a terrific triplet of movies - fully of atmosphere, mood, ambience nd each one as entertaining, beautifully shot and entertaining as the one previous.

Close runners-up are Chico Ibenez-Sarrador's LA RESIDENCIA (which I have never seen in English - so it has to be the longer Spanish version), THE DEVIL RIDES OUT (Terrence Fisher), ASYLUM (by Roy Ward Baker), and JUDEX (again by Franju) .

KingMob (Dear Bastards)

"I'd have to say something like Peter Medak's The Changeling, with George C. Scott living alone in that old spooky-ass house in an effort to come to terms with the death of his loved ones. I have a strange affection for the film because I remember watching it first as a child, somewhere in the 10-12 yr old age range and it scared the hell out of me! I distinctly remember thinking that dusty wheelchair was going to suddenly appear in my house and chase me down the hall if I went to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I've conquered my fears lo these many years later, though I admit there was a lingering fear in my gut when I first threw down the money to pay for the film on DVD, as I wondered if I'd be able to sleep with that thing in the house if it hit me like it did when I was in Jr. High.

I still find the film very effective to this day, but I've managed to steel myself against my childhood reactions and finally put aside the nagging fear that I'll be roused in the middle of the night to help a dead child settle his affairs with the world of the living.

Most of the time."

Ian Price (Treorchy)

"The Wicker Man - all that heat warms one up."

Rob Carver (Vanwall Land)

"Paperhouse" - it never ceases to fascinate me.

For reliving youthful scares, I watch "Caltiki - il mostro immortale" ("Caltiki - The Immortal Monster"), which scared the crap outta me as a kid so many times.

I'd have "Phenomena" as a second bill.

Chthonik (Twitter)

I don't have a single go-to movie for winter nights, but I find that I am drawn to black-and-white horror films from the 30s and 40s during the season. I think it may have to do with the snow changing the view outside my window into vast fields of white with the occasional washed out colour peeking through, or the muffling of street sounds adding to the relative silence of the minimally scored movies I've selected. Bundled up and drifting off, the flickering phantoms of films like The Island of Dr. Moreau or The Ghost Ship melt into my dreams.

Matthew (Double O Section)

Good question! Being wrapped in a blanket on a Friday night really conjures up a Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movie, but only a few of those can really qualify as horror. Rather than resorting to an old favorite, I'm more likely to turn to a favorite genre in such circumstances: probably a Hammer flick or a giallo. Gialli really suit those circumstances for me because they're like the cinematic equivalent of comfort food. I know, that's weird, that I'd find comfort in a genre known for masked killers and copious bloodshed, but I think I know why I find them so comforting. Even though the genre is all about creating scares, it's such a rigid genre with such a strict formula and so many hard rules (and clichés) that watching a new one (with a few notable exceptions, of course) is like returning to an old favorite. I settle in and I know I'm going to get black gloves, spiral staircases, J&B bottles, awesome apartments and inexplicable fashions (both in an amazingly vibrant color palette), beautiful (often naked) girls, outre camera angles, a great, groovy score, probably a female killer and definitely that odd breed of hirsute Italian hero who only existed in the 1970s. No matter what giallo I pop in the player, whether I've actually seen it before or not, it feels like a favorite. I'm still always treated to the scares I want out of a horror movie on a stormy Friday night, but I also know exactly what to expect, and it's rewarding as each of those checklist items make their appearances--and equally rewarding when the formula is occasionally broken. While I have great appreciation for movies that break the mold, my favorite genres and series (including James Bond, Tarzan, barbarian movies, and of course Hammers and gialli) all tend to follow predictable patterns. And I couldn't be happier about it.

Louis Fowler (Damaged 2.0)

When you're a film critic, sometimes you get so wrapped up in what you have to watch that you tend to forget to actualy kick back and enjoy something light and feathery, a comfort film, if you will. Something to watch with a plate of tacos. I guess, for me, as of late, when I get a chance to relax, I'll watch usually a double feature of EL TOPO and THE HOLY MOUNTAIN. Not horror films, per se, but definitely horrific in their own way. I just bought a bootleg of SANTA SANGRE last weekend, so I'm sure this'll be added to the list lickety-split.

Mr Anonymous

“One flick that I keep going back to over and over is Don Knotts' The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. It’s a fun little flick from my childhood that I can watch at anytime, and has a great cast to boot. Sure it’s goofy and stuff, but its Knotts at his best, in my opinion.”