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Late to the Party: The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

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Carrie

The Hills Have Eyes (1977) was a film that was just a few years before my time. I have seen the 2006 remake, but the original by Horror maestro Wes Craven was never one that really popped up on my radar. Even if you’ve kept up on the current crop of horror, and seen the remake, you should watch the original if you haven’t.

You will likely be familiar with the basic premise of the story. The Carter family is traveling through a barren landscape and suddenly becomes stranded. There is no help for miles around. In fact, the only ones for miles around are a family of twisted, feral cannibals, and they’re already sizing the Carters up as their next several meals.

The family isn’t completely helpless though. They do come with a few guns, and a pair of dogs, Beauty and Beast. Unfortunately, Beauty, is the first to go, as the cannibals know how dangerous the dogs are.

Then the terror begins. The Carters separate to look for help, and while the men are away, the monsters strike the women, killing two of them, and leaving you with one scene that heavily implies rape. They then steal the family’s infant and disappear back into the hills.

Beast steps up while the cannibals are returning, pushing one of them off a cliff in a moment that almost had me cheering. Then the dog returns to the family, before heading out with the lone man to take back the infant.

In the final confrontations, Beast manages to first maim and then kill a second of the bloodthirsty hill-dwellers, making him the most heroic character in the movie, taking revenge for the death of his partner in the beginning.

The ending is abrupt, rolling the credits while the audience is still holding their breath. There’s a sense of finality, but not one of closure, instead allowing the viewers to simmer in the horror of what they just watched, giving the film a final punch to the gut you can’t just walk away from.

While The Hills Have Eyes is not gory in any real sense of the term (and certainly not compared to today’s movies), it makes sure you know what’s happening in scenes that remain brutal even without blood splashed across the camera lens.

In the age of found footage and torture porn, it’s hard for old movies to stay relevant. This one may not have the shock value it once had, but it still stands as a strong entry in the list of the best horror films ever made.

Check in next week for a look back at The Dead Zone by our own Kelly McNeely.

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Watch ‘The Burning’ At The Location Where It Was Filmed

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Fangoria is reporting that fans of the 1981 slasher The Burning will be able to have a screening of the film at the location where it was filmed. The movie is set at Camp Blackfoot which is actually the Stonehaven Nature Preserve in Ransomville, New York.

This ticketed event will take place on August 3. Guests will be able to take a tour of the grounds as well as enjoy some campfire snacks along with the screening of The Burning.

The Burning

The film came out in the early ’80s when teen slashers were being churned out in magnum force. Thanks to Sean S. Cunningham’s Friday the 13th, filmmakers wanted to get in on the low-budget, high-profit movie market and a casket load of these types of films were produced, some better than others.

The Burning is one of the good ones, mostly because of the special effects from Tom Savini who had just come off of his groundbreaking work on Dawn of the Dead and Friday the 13th. He declined to do the sequel because of its illogical premise and instead signed on to do this movie. Also, a young Jason Alexander who would later go on to play George in Seinfeld is a featured player.

Because of its practical gore, The Burning had to be heavily edited before it received an R-rating. The MPAA was under the thumb of protest groups and political bigwigs to censor violent films at the time because slashers were just so graphic and detailed in their gore.

Tickets are $50, and if you want a special t-shirt, that will cost you another $25, You can get all the information by visiting the On Set Cinema webpage.

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‘Longlegs’ Creepy “Part 2” Teaser Appears on Instagram

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Longlegs

Neon Films released an Insta-teaser for their horror film Longlegs today. Titled Dirty: Part 2, the clip only furthers the mystery of what we are in for when this movie is finally released on July 12.

The official logline is: FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes unexpected turns, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.

Directed by former actor Oz Perkins who also gave us The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Gretel & Hansel, Longlegs is already creating buzz with its moody images and cryptic hints. The film is rated R for bloody violence, and disturbing images.

Longlegs stars Nicolas Cage, Maika Monroe, and Alicia Witt.

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Exclusive Sneak Peek: Eli Roth and Crypt TV’s VR Series ‘The Faceless Lady’ Episode Five

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Eli Roth (Cabin Fever) and Crypt TV are knocking it out of the park with their new VR show, The Faceless Lady. For those unaware, this is the first fully scripted VR horror show on the market.

Even for masters of horror like Eli Roth and Crypt TV, this is a monumental undertaking. However, if I trust anyone to change the way that we experience horror, it would be these two legends.

The Faceless Lady

Ripped from the pages of Irish folklore, The Faceless Lady tells the story of a tragic spirit cursed to wander the halls of her castle for all of eternity. However, when three young couples are invited to the castle for a series of games, their fates may soon change.

So far, the story has provided horror fans with a gripping game of life or death that doesn’t look as if it will slow down in episode five. Luckily, we have an exclusive clip that may be able to satiate your appetites until the new premiere.

Airing on 4/25 at 5pmPT/8pmET, episode five follows our final three contestants in this wicked game. As the stakes are raised ever higher, will Ella be able to fully awaken her connection with Lady Margaret?

The faceless lady

The newest episode can be found on Meta Quest TV. If you haven’t already, follow this link to subscribe to the series. Make sure to check out the new clip below.

Eli Roth Present’s THE FACELESS LADY S1E5 Clip: THE DUEL – YouTube

To view in the highest resolution, adjust the quality settings in the bottom right corner of the clip.

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