Connect with us

News

10 of the Best Mothers in Horror

Published

on

Oh, mother. The woman who held us in her womb for nine long months. The woman who fed us and rocked us when we cried. The woman who…locked us in a closet for the supposed sin of sexual intercourse? Well, no, unless you’re poor Carrie White. Horror films and TV shows have given us a look at the dark side of motherhood over the years. Here are ten notable horror mothers—good, bad, and really ugly.

 

Margaret WhiteMargaret White – Carrie
They’re all going to laugh at you if you don’t think Piper Laurie’s Bible-thumping, holier-than-thou mother isn’t one of the most frightening parents in horror history. Abusing her daughter Carrie while under the impression that her very existence is coated in wretched sin, Margaret White forces her to recite selective passages from the Bible, locks her in the closet, and endlessly torments her until she finally fights back with her telekinetic powers.

Pamela VoorheesPamela Voorhees – Friday the 13th
Even the most casual of horror fans know that Jason is not the killer in the first entry of the legendary splatter series that painted the 80s red. The real slasher behind the brutal slayings was Jason’s grievous, vengeful mother, furious about the oversexed teens who neglected her son as he drowned in the lake. Betsy Palmer’s wild-eyed ferociousness as she dispatches this year’s batch of unlucky camp counselors is just as frightening as any hockey mask.

Amanda KruegerAmanda Krueger – A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise
Yes, the other big horror icon of the 80s also had a mother, although the relationship between Freddy Krueger and his mother, Amanda, did not include any of the twisted tenderness of the Voorhees family. During her time as a nun, she is accidentally locked inside Westin Hills Asylum with dozens of inmates, where she is raped, resulting in her pregnancy. She gives Freddy up for adoption and follows him from afar. To her credit, she tries to stop him, but trying to defeat a boogeyman that haunts your dreams is a nearly impossible task, even for a woman with divine connections.

Naomi Watts The RingRachel Keller – The Ring
“Seven days.” That’s how long Naomi Watts’ investigative journalist has to dig up the mystery at the heart of a creepy videotape that promises a gruesome death to the viewer in one week’s time. Her motherly instincts kick into high gear when she catches her son viewing the dangerous tape, dooming himself to the same impending fate. She also wants to fight for the girl she discovers is responsible for the tape, Samara, thinking that she must solve the mystery of her murder and set her spirit free. Unfortunately, her motherly instincts about Samara prove to be horrifyingly inaccurate.

The Babadook motherAmelia – The Babadook
Imagine the horror of losing your husband in a car accident while on the way to give birth to your son. Now imagine that your son turned out to be a lot tougher to handle than the average child, and the two of you find yourselves being haunted by a character from a creepy book that mysteriously arrives in your home. This is the struggle Amelia faces as she copes with life as a single mother to a troubled boy. Amelia fights to reclaim her home (and mind) from the clutches of the Babadook, and it’s a battle that shakes her to the depths of her soul.

Mother FireflyMother Firefly – House of 1000 Corpses & The Devil’s Rejects
The matriarch of a brutal, murderous clan of wackos, Mother Firefly is on another level of crazy. She flirts with her victims, plays with them, like a predator taunting its prey. She’d rather blow her own brains out than let the police take her, and her revelry and delight while she peruses photos of her family’s victims is chilling.

Dead Alive motherMum – Dead Alive
What’s worse than an overbearing, murderous mother? An overbearing, murderous, zombie monster mother, of course! Lionel has been at his mother’s side all his life, oblivious to the lies and deceit she has fed him since he was a boy. Her actions result in a gory zombie outbreak, climaxing in a final battle between Lionel and the grotesque mother zombie beast, where she attempts to welcome him back to her womb in one of horror’s finest moments of goop.

Serial MomBeverly Sutphin – Serial Mom
Have you wronged Beverly Sutphin’s family in any way? Forgotten to rewind your videotapes? Worn white after Labor Day? These and other trivial abominations will land you on the hitlist of Kathleen Turner’s demented June Cleaver in this outrageous horror-comedy. She’ll stop at nothing to ensure the safety and happiness of her family, even if it means bludgeoning an old lady to death with a leg of lamb while singing along to Annie.

Rosemary's BabyRosemary Woodhouse – Rosemary’s Baby
Watch out for those neighbors. Living in a questionable apartment building where questionable events occur and questionable people give questionable explanations for those events, Rosemary and her husband become pawns in the plans of a Satanic cult. Through persuasive manipulation (and drugging), Rosemary has what she believes to be a dream of being raped by a demonic being. Sadly for her, the dream was all too real, and after a bizarre pregnancy, she gives birth to nothing less than the spawn of Satan. Still, she is a mother, after all, spawn of Satan or no spawn of Satan, and soon enough she is rocking her baby to sleep.

Bates MotelNorma Bates – Psycho & Bates Motel
Originally portrayed in 1960 as a voice in Norman Bates’ head, manifested by Norman’s psychotic cross dressing episodes, and horrifyingly revealed as a skeletal corpse stashed away in the cellar, Mrs. Bates has found new life in the TV series Bates Motel. Played by Vera Farmiga, this Norma Bates is a more sympathetic figure, having spent much of her life getting a raw deal at every turn. Despite this new angle, however, her relationship with her mentally unstable son truly puts the mother in smother, and teases of incestuous intentions within their relationship add a fresh layer of ick.

 

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

News

New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

Published

on

Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

News

‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

Published

on

Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

News

How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

Published

on

Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

Embed Gif with Clickable Title