[Editorial] 11 Best Werewolf Transformations in Horror Films
While some films successfully opt to leave the transformation scene out completely, like the wonderful Dog Soldiers (2002), those who decide to include it need to make sure they get it right, or it can kill the whole vibe of the film. So load up on silver bullets, mark your calendar for the next full moon, and check out 11 of the best werewolf transformations!
[Editorial] Top 15 Female-Focused Body Horror Films
Whether it's the havoc wreaked on the human body during pregnancy, emotional turmoil producing tiny murderous humans or simply a body turning on its owner, body horror films tend to be shocking. But while they're full of grotesque imagery, they're also full of thoughtful premises and commentary, especially when it comes to women, trauma, and power.
[Ghouls Podcast] Ghouls Watch: Body Horror Recommendations
In this episode, host Zoë Rose Smith is joined by Ghouls Magazine contributors Iona Smith, Melissa Cox and Ariel Baska to get gooey, ewwy and a little bit horny talking about their recent body horror watches, reads and plays! From Cronenberg's Crimes of the Future, to cannibalism book Tender is the Flesh to classic sci-fi horror The Thing and more...
[Film Review] The Seeding (2023)
I love horror films set in the daylight. Sometimes stark, dry sunshine can be more chilling than darkness, and even more so when combined with the lonely expanse of a desert. Barnaby Clay’s debut feature film, The Seeding (2023), takes these elements and asks us to contemplate what it would take to survive in that environment, and what kind of people might thrive there.
[Film Review] Rose: A Love Story (2020)
This beautiful and moving film is a quiet nod to the enduring power of love, and while aspects of Rose: A Love Story are truly terrifying, it is the relationship built within the story that offers the viewer a truly unique experience.
[Game Review] Remakes, Rituals and Romance: Resident Evil 4 (2023)
It may shock some of you that I, a Taylor-Swift-loving, girly-girl, am the one to review the Resident Evil 4 video game for Ghouls Magazine, but let me be clear - I LOVE this franchise with my entire black heart.
[Editorial] Editor’s Note: Getting sticky, slimy & sexy with body horror
The human body is a thing of wonder and amazement–the way it heals itself, regenerates certain parts and can withstand pain and suffering to extreme extents. But the human body can also be a thing of disgust and revulsion–with repugnant distortions, oozing fluids and rotting viscera.
[Film Review] Stephen King on Screen (2023)
Since Brian de Palma’s stellar triumph with his adaption of Carrie in 1976, people have been keen to turn Stephen King’s stories into film and television, with varying success. Some are incredible blockbusters, which the author himself hates (sorry Kubrick, King despises The Shining) whilst others are quietly released miniseries that become cult favourites (here’s looking at you 1990’s IT).
[Film Review] The Sound of Summer (2022)
There are certain sounds that encapsulate life in Japan. The gentle 'beep boop' of the pedestrian crossing signal. The lighthearted arrival jingles that signal the approach of your commuter train.
[Film Review] Hollywood Dreams and Nightmares - The Robert Englund Story (2023)
Like many horror fans, I have vivid memories of seeing A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) for the first time. Or, more accurately, I have vivid memories of the nightmares I had afterwards. As a kid, I was terrified of Freddy Krueger.
[Editorial] Interview with Ariel Baska on Access:Horror Film Festival
Access: Horror is “a two-day event packed full of academic panels, short films, and talks exploring and celebrating the history, impact and future of disability in the horror genre”, and as you can see from the festival’s website, the subjects under discussion and the panels alike are all rather fascinating. Earlier this week, I spent half an hour in the company of Ariel Baska, the person who came up with the idea for Access: Horror to dig into her motivation and what pass-holders might expect.
[Editorial] Blood, Guts and Mommy Issues in The Witch (2015)
The Witch (2015), written and directed by Robert Eggers, is a horror movie about the most terrifying phenomenon to befall a young woman: mommy issues. While the movie is beloved for a variety of reasons, such as for its haunting visuals, eerie soundtrack, and feminist overtones, it is seldom recognized for its fascinating portrayal of mother-daughter conflict.
[Editorial] Ranking M. Night Shyamalan: his Good, his Bad, Not so Good, and his Twists
I am a Shyamalan apologist. I would say I’m sorry but I’m really not. I know he has some questionable films and has made some unorthodox choices over the years when it comes to his twists, but the king of narrative spin still stands tall in my book.
[Ghouls Podcast] The Last House on the Left (2009) with Zoë Rose Smith and Jerry Sampson
This June we’ve been looking at originals and their remakes—and whilst we don’t always agree with horror film remakes, some of them often bring a fresh perspective to the source material. For this episode, we are looking at the remake of one of the most controversial exploitation films, The Last House on the Left (2009).
[Editorial] They’re Coming to Re-Invent You, Barbara! Night of the Living Dead 1968 vs Night of the Living Dead 1990
The year was 1968 and a young man named George A. Romero had shot his first film, a horror movie that would change the world of cinema and not just horror cinema, at that. Night of the Living Dead (1968), would go on to become one of the most important and famous horror films of all time as it tackled not only survival horror but also very taboo and shocking topics like cannibalism and matricide.
[Film Review] The Ancestral (2021)
If you think a haunted house is scary, imagine that your house is built on top of a problematic psychiatric hospital. Ancestral (2021) is a Vietnamese film directed and written by Le-Van Kiet who is well known for his film, Furie (2019) and recent release, The Princess (2022).
[Ghouls Podcast] Ghouls Watch: Bones and All, Suitable Flesh, The Human Centipede & more
In this episode, host is joined by Ghouls Magazine Senior Contributor & Social Media Manager, , alongside Ghouls contributor . As always these three have been busy watching and reading lots of horror media and discuss films like Bones and All (2022), Suitable Flesh (2023), The Human Centipede (2009) and more.
[Editorial] Dead Ringers (2023) and Bodily Autonomy
What any good remake or reboot should do is present the original concept in a way that captures the central idea while integrating new ideas and adapting it to the current audience as well as newcomers to the source material. It should not just be with one talking point such as, casting a trending TikToker.
[Editorial] 8 Short & Feature Horror Film Double Bills
In the end I decided to indulge myself by picking eight of my favourite shorts, and choosing features to pair with them that would work well as a double bill. The pairs might be similar in tone, subject or style; some of the shorts are clearly influenced by their paired movie, while others predate the features.
[Film Review] She Came From The Woods (2023)
Few subgenres of horror have become quite so entrenched in the cultural consciousness as the summer camp slasher — and with a new generation of filmmakers coming to the fore seeking to pay homage to Friday the 13th and other chilling classics, it’s having a bloody renaissance.
