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Book Review of Kane Hodder’s autobiography Unmasked: The True Story of the World’s Most Prolific Cinematic Killer

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In 2012 celebrity Kane Hodder author Mike Aloisi sat down together to pen the horror icon’s amazing life journey in his autobiography; Unmasked: The True Story of the World’s Most Prolific Cinematic Killer.  Never would you expect the trials Kane experienced on his way to the top to be so harrowing.  Nor would you predict this cinematic psycho to reveal his softer side of a family man.  In this book Kane does not hold back the highs or the lows as he recalls the stories that made him into the man we know him as today.

Unmasked: : The True Story of the World’s Most Prolific Cinematic Killer

A majority of Kane’s autobiography is filled with what you expect from the horror veteran.  He recalls his humble beginnings as a kid moved around the world as an army brat, how he was inspired and started in the world of stunt work, and his eventual raise to fame in the genre he is now a household name in.  However, what we don’t expect from the 6’4” stuntman and actor is his heart wrenching recall of the more personal and painful aspects in his life.

The man we have always known as powerfully stoic with a no-bullshit demeanor willfully removes his mask and lowers his walls to reveal his life, no matter how painful.

A young Kane Hodder

As an avid fan of his work, it was surprising to learn Kane was bullied as a child.  Yet as he explains in his book, the bulked up and towering actor we know him as today wasn’t always as physically imposing.  As a child Kane was small and vulnerable to a group of older kids when he received his first unprovoked beating.  It was an event that would forever changed him.

Later in life when Kane was freshly out of high school he followed his parents to the South Pacific for one of his father’s army assignments.  This is when he gained the muscular stature we recognize today, as there was little else to do on the small island.

One of the most interesting and emotional reveals from the author is how he received the burn scars he once so desperately hid from the world.  In Unmasked he fully admits to once lying to those who inquired about them, but for the first time ever he fully divulges how he received these burns that cover over half of his body.

Arguably even more painstaking, Kane then recalls his neglected and botched treatment in the local unequipped hospital, followed by his eventual recovery both physically and mentally.  In truth, physical recovery was much faster than the healing of his mind.  For years, the event that left his body forever scarred made even deeper impressions on his brain.  Without risking spoilers, the effects on his mind became much more debilitating than the physical results of the fire.

Even though he would never refer to himself as a celebrity, he did not hit fame before his burn accident.  He could have easily let his stunt accident prevent him from moving forward and striving for his dreams, and we would never know the Jason Voorhees we do today.  We also would never meet Victor Crowley of Adam Green’s Hatchet trilogy as well as the dozens of other roles Kane conquered in the genre.

Kane Hodder at Frightfest 2010 at The Empire Leicester Square, London, 29 August 2010. Picture by Julie Edwards

Through unparalleled determination Kane continued to pursue his love of stunt work.   In a way, we learn in his autobiography that the once hobby turned profession that nearly took the actor’s life in turn actually saved him.

If you’re gearing up for a long car ride, or if you don’t have the time or desire to sit down and read, Kane’s autobiography is also available as an audio book.  As an added treat, the man behind the mask himself narrates it!  I have both read as well as listened to the audio format of the book, and each experience is rewarding in its own way.  To hear Kane recall his life, both the pain and the victories as well as everything in between, is truly rewarding and inspiring.

It took an admirable amount of courage and determination for Kane to survive his burns and continue to pursue his dreams, it took even more so to divulge the truth in this book.

Want even more Kane Hodder?  Check out his 12 episode reality series The Killer & I!  The series follows the actor and co-writer of his autobiography as they go on a fourth month book tour, and accounts all of the shenanigans that occur along the way!  Our very own iHorror writer John Squires talks about (and links to) it here!

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Brad Dourif Says He’s Retiring Except For One Important Role

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Brad Dourif has been doing movies for nearly 50 years. Now it seems he is walking away from the industry at 74 to enjoy his golden years. Except, there is a caveat.

Recently, digital entertainment publication JoBlo’s Tyler Nichols talked to some of the Chucky television series cast members. During the interview, Dourif made an announcement.

“Dourif said that he’s retired from acting,” says Nichols. “The only reason he came back for the show was because of his daughter Fiona and he considers Chucky creator Don Mancini to be family. But for non-Chucky stuff, he considers himself retired.”

Dourif has voiced the possessed doll since 1988 (minus the 2019 reboot). The original movie “Child’s Play” has become such a cult classic it’s at the top of some people’s best chillers of all time. Chucky himself is ingrained in pop culture history much like Frankenstein or Jason Voorhees.

While Dourif may be known for his famous voiceover, he is also an Oscar-nominated actor for his part in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Another famous horror role is The Gemini Killer in William Peter Blatty’s Exorcist III. And who can forget Betazoid Lon Suder in Star Trek: Voyager?

The good news is that Don Mancini is already pitching a concept for season four of Chucky which might also include a feature-length movie with a series tie-in. So, Although Dourif says he is retiring from the industry, ironically he is Chucky’s friend till the end.

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Editorial

7 Great ‘Scream’ Fan Films & Shorts Worth a Watch

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The Scream franchise is such an iconic series, that many budding filmmakers take inspiration from it and make their own sequels or, at least, build upon the original universe created by screenwriter Kevin Williamson. YouTube is the perfect medium to showcase these talents (and budgets) with fan-made homages with their own personal twists.

The great thing about Ghostface is that he can appear anywhere, in any town, he just needs the signature mask, knife, and unhinged motive. Thanks to Fair Use laws it’s possible to expand upon Wes Craven’s creation by simply getting a group of young adults together and killing them off one by one. Oh, and don’t forget the twist. You’ll notice that Roger Jackson’s famous Ghostface voice is uncanny valley, but you get the gist.

We have gathered five fan films/shorts related to Scream that we thought were pretty good. Although they can’t possibly match the beats of a $33 million blockbuster, they get by on what they have. But who needs money? If you’re talented and motivated anything is possible as proven by these filmmakers who are well on their way to the big leagues.

Take a look at the below films and let us know what you think. And while you’re at it, leave these young filmmakers a thumbs up, or leave them a comment to encourage them to create more films. Besides, where else are you going to see Ghostface vs. a Katana all set to a hip-hop soundtrack?

Scream Live (2023)

Scream Live

Ghostface (2021)

Ghostface

Ghost Face (2023)

Ghost Face

Don’t Scream (2022)

Don’t Scream

Scream: A Fan Film (2023)

Scream: A Fan Film

The Scream (2023)

The Scream

A Scream Fan Film (2023)

A Scream Fan Film
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Movies

Another Creepy Spider Movie Hits Shudder This Month

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Good spider films are a theme this year. First, we had Sting and then there was Infested. The former is still in theaters and the latter is coming to Shudder starting April 26.

Infested has been getting some good reviews. People are saying that it’s not only a great creature feature but also a social commentary on racism in France.

According to IMDb: Writer/director Sébastien Vanicek was looking for ideas around the discrimination faced by black and Arab-looking people in France, and that led him to spiders, which are rarely welcome in homes; whenever they’re spotted, they’re swatted. As everyone in the story (people and spiders) is treated like vermin by society, the title came to him naturally.

Shudder has become the gold standard for streaming horror content. Since 2016, the service has been offering fans an expansive library of genre movies. in 2017, they began to stream exclusive content.

Since then Shudder has become a powerhouse in the film festival circuit, buying distribution rights to movies, or just producing some of their own. Just like Netflix, they give a film a short theatrical run before adding it to their library exclusively for subscribers.

Late Night With the Devil is a great example. It was released theatrically on March 22 and will begin streaming on the platform starting April 19.

While not getting the same buzz as Late Night, Infested is a festival favorite and many have said if you suffer from arachnophobia, you might want to take heed before watching it.

Infested

According to the synopsis, our main character, Kalib is turning 30 and dealing with some family issues. “He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive.”

The film will be available to watch on Shudder starting April 26.

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