Making INNSMOUTH

4 January 2016

Whether you’re a Joshua Hoffine fan or not (though I can think of no good reason why any horror fan would not dig him), and whether you’re a Lovecraft fan or not, you owe it to yourself to check out the artist’s blog post on his latest piece–hell, we can’t think of a reason not to call it a masterpiece– titled INNSMOUTH. The creation boasts the absolutely stellar work of J. Anthony Kosar and his talented team at Kosart Studios; just when I think their effects/prosthetic work cannot get any better, it does. Hoffine was also able to get Doug Jones to star in the piece (no, not as an eerily thin creature of some kind) as the hero. Mr. Hoffine’s talent, paired with the top-tier dedication to putting the most care, concern, and craftsmanship into his creations possible into every detail, is well on display here. He even takes you step-by-step through his entire process (with lots of great behind-the-scenes photos and backstory). The attribute of his art that shines through, however, that puts him on a level with the best horror artists among, say, Bernie Wrightson, is his true love of and devotion to the horror genre. True horror fans can see and feel the heart (no pun intended) and soul of a kindred horror fan as soon as you lay eyes on his art …and that’s not common to find, these days. Enjoy!

Joshua Hoffine | Behind The Scenes

Hi kiddies!

This is my new photograph called INNSMOUTH. This image is based on the story Shadow Over Innsmouth by legendary Horror author H.P. Lovecraft. This photograph stars actor Doug Jones (Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth) as the victim and features Special FX from frequent collaborator and Face/Off champion J. Anthony Kosar and his talented team at Kosart Studios.

In the 1931 story Shadow Over Innsmouth, the human victim is chased through the streets of the seaside town of Innsmouth by a teeming mob of monstrous fish people called the Deep Ones. The imagery of a sole individual being pursued by a city full of monsters is similar to Invasion of The Body Snatchers, I Am Legend, or any modern zombie movie, but exists first in Shadow Over Innsmouth. As with my previous zombie photograph LAST STAND, INNSMOUTH is populated by a horde of monsters…

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Horror Boom’s 2014 Gift Holiday Countdown – Part 4 of 5 – USB Squirming Tentacle

20 December 2014

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Okay, this isn’t quite as impressive as the Monster Skin Spell Book, but we put these in random order. Plus, it’s still pretty fun. We’re still regretting not picking one up as a gift when we did some holiday shopping at Thinkgeek.com a couple of weeks ago. Check it out:

Pretty cool, huh? At the very least, it will fascinate your cat, though you may want to keep an eye on kitty to make sure he/she does not pounce and sink his/her teeth and claws into your device. Here’s what the Thinkgeek.com website has to say on the product page:

Wiggly evil

Back in the day, the coolest thing ever was the USB Humping Dog. What did it do? You stuck it in your USB port and it… well, it humped your computer, much like an amorous male dog is wont to do. We’re beyond such juvenile humor (on most days), but we wanted a fun toy to use at the office.

Show your love for Cthulhu (or just octopi or kraken) with the USB Squirming Tentacle. Simply plug it into your USB port and it will fill your computer with unspeakable evils. Just kidding, it doesn’t store any data. (Just evil.) The USB Squirming Tentacle will draw a small amount of power from your computer, enabling it to squirm and wiggle like an Elder God trying to escape your laptop.

Product Specifications

Tentacle wiggles and squirms when plugged into a computer
Uses power from your USB port
Fills your computer with unspeakable evils (just kidding!)
Note: The USB Squirming Tentacle does not store any data, however, it may summon the Elder Gods from the depths. Use at your own risk.

We’ve used thinkgeek.com before, and have had nothing but excellent service. Another nice stocking stuffer would be their “Infections Disease Balls”. Be careful not to squeeze them too hard, though, or pierce them, or you’ll end up with a handful of neon goo. Hey, get your mind out of the gutter! It’s too crowded down here already. Click here to check them out.

Variety.com Review: Latest Sasquatch Found Footage Film ‘Exists’ is Probably Nothing To Bother With

27 October 2014

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“Whatever one thinks of “Blair Witch,” it wasn’t just a trendsetter in the horror genre; it also functioned as a savvy experiment in the psychology of fear for its characters and the audience. “Exists” harbors no such ambitions, instead throwing out every hoary cliché in the rampaging-monster-movie playbook and practically daring viewers to find a reason to invest in its cardboard characters and borderline-indiscernible suspense sequences, alternately shrouded in darkness or rendered incomprehensible by nausea-inducing handheld camerawork.”

Yeah, Geoff Berkshire (Variety.com’s reviewer) really didn’t like this movie. No-one either of us know liked this movie– not a review, not an audience member, not an Amazon customer review (Exists is on VOD), no-one. People who found-footage horror despised it and a common comment among them was that Exists (with that lazy, blah title not exactly sweetening the deal) is the kind of FF movie that gives all the other movies in the genre a bad name.
Feel free to make up your own mind, needless to say. But we wanted to give you a heads-up: you have been warned that this movie is so bad it will actually make you angry. There’s a ton of great new VOD out recently, check out one of those and skip this one… or wait and see Exists for free when it comes to Netflix.

Click “View original” in the lower left to read the whole miserable review…

See The New Red Band Trailer For V/H/S Viral Here (Possible Spoiler Alert)!

20 September 2014

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The reason we use “spoiler alert” in the title is that we’re pretty sure most of the best moments from the latest flick in the V/H/S franchise are in this trailer. At least three big jump scares/shockers are given away. Someone gets hit by a bus very suddenly in the middle of a sentence, just out of the blue. Do you know how effective that bit it when you’re not expecting it?*

Both previous red band trailers for the first two installments gave away maybe one or two moments, but saved the best, most memorable moments. Now, the reason this trailer for V/H/S Viral concerns us here at Horror Boom as far as spoiling all the best moments is that, frankly, the reviews haven’t been that enthusiastic. The word we hear most to describe the movie from paid reviewers and casual message-board users is “disappointing”. The other complaint is there’s only three stories and the framing story shoots itself in the foot by trying too hard to tie the stories together and ends up confusing the viewer by being too self-consciously non-linear.

Yes, one ticket for” V/H/S Viral”, please!

So, there’s a good chance you could watch this Red Band trailer, get your anticipation all cranked up, then see the movie and think, Man, I wish they hadn’t put so much in the fucking trailer. Who knows, though? There could be a ton of great stuff they held back.

Having said all that, hey, check out the goodies below! Other than the possible spoilers, we got pumped up enough for the movie to curse out loud when we saw the release had been bumped from this month to the end of October, because now we want this movie in our face ASAP!

Here’s the latest synopsis:

After watching on the news that an out-of-control ice cream truck is being chased by the police around the upper LA area, killing people and wrecking havoc among the way, a group of teens hell-bent on capturing the next viral video set out to chase the van. Things go from bad to worse when the content inside the van is revealed to be several tapes with bizarre stories, including that of a deranged illusionist who, after obtaining a demon-powered cloak, sets out on a killing spree; a garage scientist that manages to build a machine and open the door to a parallel world, where he and his double find out that their worlds are dangerously different; and the story of teenage skaters who unleash hordes of demonic foes after desecrating a ritual site in Tijuana.

We heard that last segment is the best. V/H/S Viral will be available on VOD October 23rd, followed by a limited theatrical run beginning on November 21st!

*The Statute of Limitations for spoilers on Final Destination (the original) have run out, but someone spoiled the bus hit in that movie for me. While everyone else in the theater got the top of their heads blown off (metaphorically of course) I appreciated it, but regretted overhearing someone’s LOUD conversation who was leaving the theater and prancing by the by the ticket-holder’s line, unaware anyone else but him and the friend he was relating basically all the shockers and reveals (including the train-track death) to existed. In the ads for Final Destination 4 (which fans agree was the weakest in the series), they ruined a bus-hit in the tagger for the trailer in the 15-second TV spot, for Chrissake.

See (And Hear) Found-Footage Terror “The Hunt” (2010) – Scariest Short Horror Film of the Week!

26 July 2014

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We were actually searching for something else when we stumbled upon this little gem from AGoodSizeProductions. When we tell you it’s a must-see and must-hear, it’s because a few minutes in, an unseen monster makes one of the scariest goddamned sounds I’ve ever heard. Just wait till it shows up…

We’ve been combing the web for good shorts to put up for you guys. To be honest, there’s a lot of found-footage ones that, quality-wise, run from the borderline-unwatchable to the mediocre. “The Hunt”, about a group of men* who round up to hunt and kill, well, something big and hungry in the woods of Kentucky that has eaten and/or eviscerated several people (including at least one kid), is one of the good ones. Hint: they find what they were hunting for. So turn that volume up and experience it below!

Those good ole boys should have brought more bullets… maybe some hand grenades. Maybe a bomb, now that we think of it. Well, they did manage to track it down, we’ll give them that. If I was in the hunting party (or the ‘camera crew’)? After I heard that sound I’d say, “Okay, I’m out! I changed my mind! That’s enough for me, I’m done, just bring in someone else!” and get the fuck away from there pretty goddamned fast. If I didn’t have a ride, I’d just sprint until I was miles away.

Yeah, that’s not gonna protect your ass.

*and of course, they get someone with a video camera (who starts out all excited but deeply regrets this choice by the ending) to go with them. Hey, we’ve seen more contrived set-ups for found-footage.

Conan O’Brien’s Cameo In Sharktopus VS. Pteracuda Is Even Better (And Gorier) Than You Thought – Watch Here!

26 July 2014

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So, we thought he’d probably get killed, but it turned out to be even more entertaining than we thought! Man, the Sharktopus REALLY hates Conan. Check out the entire clip (with the intro) below.

Wow, their prosthetics are even worse than their CGI (no need to bother with a head-cast), but we weren’t exactly expecting The Thing. Official (unnecessary) synopsis: Sharktopus VS Pteracuda finds an American scientist up to no good (as usual) by creating the half-pterodactyl, half-barracuda: Pteracuda. When the creature inevitably escapes, it’s up to Sharktopus to stop him.

Sharktopus VS. Pteracuda premieres Saturday, August 2nd on (where else?) Syfy.

2014’s most influential director: John Carpenter? (EW.com)

23 July 2014

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Some Entertainment Weekly staff writers really know their shit when it comes to horror. Click on “View original” in the lower left to see the whole article, which includes trailer comparisons… not to mention some great old-school John Carpenter trailers that’ll bring back memories.

Horror Boom Wants To Know : What’s The Scariest Short Horror Film You’ve Ever Seen? (Poll)

21 July 2014

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OK, so it’s Monday and we’re feeling a little low on energy here, but hey, you don’t have to be at the top of your game either before you take our newest poll! We inserted a few of our favorites here in this piece in case you hadn’t seen them yet, or wanted to confirm they still scared the living shit out of you before you voted (and yep, you can pick two runners-up for a total of three picks). Scroll down if you want to skip the preamble and go directly to vote.

See, we post a lot of scary short movies online. Sometimes–like this past weekend– we sit through literally dozens of ’em on the laptop looking for a gem worth posting. We do have a few sure things we’re still saving for a rainy day, but these days, we’ve already posted most of the scariest made (so far). It seems like whenever we’re combing the net and watching ten or more at a time, it’s always after midnight, which may be why we stopped having “Scariest Short Horror Film of the Week” be a regular feature for a while back there, but that’s beside the point.

What do we look for before deciding to post? A good jump scare–or two–is usually a sure thing, as long as it’s earned and not a cheap, lazy one. “Lights Out” sure has that:

A fridge scare (AKA a chilling and/or horrifying reveal), done well is also a sure bet. Here’s an example of the latter, in the very short, simple, but hair-raisingly effective “Mockingbird” (from Drew Daywalt):

A spooky, especially creepy atmosphere is a big plus, as in Bloody Cut’s “Who’s There?” Film Contest Grand Prize Winner “Play Time” (which isn’t exactly a slow-burn, but you’ll get the idea):

Of course, some really disturbing make-up effects and gore aren’t required (none of the films listed so far really have much blood), and gore for the sake of gore isn’t scary, but here’s an example of it working well in the exorcism shocker “Deus Irae”.

Then you get a film that has all of the above (except the gore) but you don’t really break down intellectually what aspects scare you until after you’ve calmed down from watching it (whenever the hell THAT is), because you’re too busy for anything besides being fucking terrified. If we had to pick just one “Scariest Short Film We’ve Ever Seen,” it’d be the absolute nightmare that is Mama, below.

We know you’ve seen others, so we listed the ones here that got the most positive feedback and left a space for a write-in. Tell us, we’re seriously curious! Here we go.

If you feel like watching a bunch more, go to the “category cloud” on the sidebar and pick “Scariest Short Horror Film of the Week”. “Horror Short Films” will work too. Here’s a few links to ones we highly recommend if you missed them the first time around: Bloody Cut’s gothic folktale of the “Suckablood,” and their gory masterpiece “Don’t Move” that gives you another reason who you should never even be in the same house as a Ouija Board, let alone play with one. There’s also two other Drew Daywalt films that we watched in the middle of the night and instantly regretted our decision; “Spoon”, starring Christa Campbell showing some acting chops, and “Cleansed,” which we regretted watching after dark less than a minute in. Actually, anything we’ve posted associated with Bloody Cuts UK or The Daywalt Fear Factory could give you nightmares…

fffffffffuuuuuuccck…

Here’s That Hemlock Grove Season 2 Behind-the-Scenes Werewolf Transformation Clip!

16 July 2014

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We told you they’d put one of these up again and were very happy to find this featurette! Check it out below.

Good for them for using practical effects again whenever possible. This time, they had to figure out how to “pull a full-sized man out of a wolf”!

It’s also cool to see the interviews with the younger actors on the show talk about how much better it looks than CGI.

They’re right–it’s a LOT more work (we’re guessing they had to hand-punch those hairs in individually on the black wolf model, and that’s some serious time and effort to put in), but the pay-off is absolutely worth it.

All ten episodes of Hemlock Grove Season 2 are available on Netflix streaming now. If you’re watching for the effects, we can confirm there is triple the amount of gore than there was on Season One!

Fred Gwynne Would Have Been 88 Today – Celebrate With a Trip To 1313 Mockingbird Lane!

10 July 2014

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We really, really miss Mr. Gwynne, and both of us were very sad when he passed in 1993. But hey, he’d want us to enjoy ourselves. So…

Here’s a look at all five (yep, five) openings of the show; this includes the opening titles to the pilot version that never aired. Gotta be honest, kind of freaked me out not seeing Yvonne De Carlo (who we also seriously wish was still around); SO glad they re-cast Lilly Munster. The starting credits have to be one of the coolest of all time, including the surf-rocking, cool theme song and what is possibly the coolest font in the world. Check out all five below!

Alas, never picked the Munsters album up, which I regret for many reasons. Towards of the top of the list of reasons that makes me regret not owning a copy, is that they had a version of the song with lyrics on there*:

And let’s not forget this little ditty from “Will Success Spoil Herman Munster?” That go-go dancer in the front is something like 3 feet shorter than Fred Gwynne in his Herman Munster platforms!

Happy birthday, big guy. Your fans still miss you!

*”One night I dared peek through their window screen/ my hair turned white at such a crazy scene!”

AND… since we read several books on the subject, we know Fred Gwynne wanted to be remembered for other acting roles besides Herman Munster. Here’s a great documentary on the subject that aired on The Information Channel after he passed… highly recommended!

Must… resist… urge to put up another Munsters-related media item… arrrgh, I can’t help myself! Here’s the cool-ass, very fun trailer for Munster Go Home.