Larry Fessenden has been working in the margins of the horror genre since the mid-80's. In 1985 he founded Glass Eye Pix, an independent film company with the goal of assembling 'like-minded artists interested in the collaborative and resourceful process of filmmaking'. Through Glass Eye Pix, Fessenden has acted as producer, editor, actor, and director on a number of short and feature length horror films. More importantly, Fessenden's company has provided opportunities for and helped to launch the careers of his many collaborators.

Those who do not pay full attention to the fringes of horror might recognise Fessenden's distinctive junkyard hillbilly visage, which pops up in movies like ... (more…)

I first interviewed filmmaker James Felix McKenney back in 2008, but just had to conduct a follow up after watching his latest horror flick, SATAN HATES YOU, a film that you will need to keep your eyes peeled for. In addition to SATAN, McKenney is working on a new monster movie, HYPOTHERMIA, and is launching his own DVD label, Midnight Channel.


You told me that SATAN HATES you is based on a specific genre of Christian films from the 1970s. Can you elaborate?


I'm a big fan of any kind of regional low-budget filmmaking, whether it's horror and exploitation films produced in Florida, highway safety films from Ohio, or religious films made by a church group in Iowa. Any voice that comes from ... (more…)

Today is Friday the 13th!

Tomorrow is Saturday the 14th!

"So what?" you say? Here's one instance in which the 14th is much more important than the 13th:

The Academy of Motion Picture Sciences is presenting Roger Corman with an Honorary Oscar! Lauren Becall and cinematographer Gordon Willis are also being honored. These special awards will be mentioned in the Oscar telecast in the spring, but won't be shown because the Academy changed the rules so that there will be TEN Best Picture nominees.

I kid you not when I say I grew up on Roger Corman films. Back in the stone age, before DVD, VHS or even cable, we had to rely on whatever syndicated package of movies our local TV stations bought. My ... (more…)

As you can imagine, I've watched a lot of micro-budget horror movies. Generally speaking, you have to watch these films with a forgiving eye; they might have amateurish camera work, poor sound, weak acting, or all of the above. Last week I gave a very favorable review to HOUSE OF HORRORS: THE MOVIE, a supernatural slasher film set in one of Buffalo's most elaborate haunt attractions. The film is notable for its stylish cinematography, professional audio, and superior editing, and is now available for $14.95. I was staggered to learn that it had cost less than $2,000; I had imagined a figure ten times higher. The credit for this achievement goes to Daniel Monroe, who conceived, wrote, ... (more…)

Somewhere in Buffalo, a bald headed man with size 15 shoes roams the rust belt. Is it the mass murderer GORE? Bigfoot? John Candy's ghost? No, it's just John Renna, an actor and special make-up effects artist who has had his hand in many of the low budget horror films streaming out of the Queen City. I posted Renna's GORE gallery several months ago, and now that the flick is about to become available on DVD, I thought it was time to let the big man have his say. You can also see him in "action" in several segments of SLIME CITY SURVIVOR.


John, tell me what horror films inspired you growing up, and why you've chosen to pursue a career in acting and special make-up effects.

As a ... (more…)

I first met Michael O'Hear at the second annual (but apparently last) Rotten Jack's Creep Show in Buffalo. I knew him to be a local actor and filmmaker who had appeared in some Red Scream Films and Emil J. Novak (BANSHEE) productions. A short time later, he gave my book CHEAP SCARES! Low Budget Horror Filmmakers Share Their Secrets a rave review on Horrornews.net, so the guy clearly knows what he's talking about! When it came time for me to begin pre-production on SLIME CITY MASSACRE, I knew I needed a local contact familiar with the acting community to serve as my casting director, so I offered him the position. Later, I cast him in the role of "Roman" (originally essayed by Dennis ... (more…)

Adam Steigert and Stef Wlosinski on the set of GORE.

Last week I interviewed Adam Steigert, the co-writer, co-director, co-producer, and editor of GORE, an independent horror film produced in the Buffalo, New York area which is having its world premiere on October 10th, and will the be available on DVD from DefToneStudiosPictures . I mentioned that I was impressed by the performance of an actress in the film, Stephanie Wlosinski, and was surprised to discover that Stef was Adam's collaborator on script, direction and production. Female horror directors are few and far between, so I wasted no time in tracking down this newcomer to the gore score.

First, as a way of context, I vaguely ... (more…)

Now that I'm a volunteer editor here at Fear Zone, I'd like to plug my side business, Greg Lamberson's Creative Horror Film Services. I offer screenplay critiques, production consultations, screenwriting for hire, and even ghostwriting services, all tailored to independent filmmakers - independent horror filmmakers.

Pick up any number of publishing, screenwriting, or film production magazines and you'll see scores of individuals who offer similar services, but none who specialize in horror entertainment... except me.

So who the hell am I to use Fear Zone's valuable cyber space to offer myself up as some sort of expert? Well, for one thing, I'm on the internet so I must know what I'm ... (more…)

I was saddened to learn of filmmaker Robert Ginty's death from cancer last week, at the age of 60. Ginty was a familiar face to me when I was growing up, as one of the fighter plane pilots on the Robert Conrad TV series BAA BAA BLACK SHEEP, as "Anderson" in the first season of THE PAPER CHASE (in the role played by Edward Hermann in the excellent film version), and as Bruce Dern's uniformed sidekick in COMING HOME (how strange to think of right wing wacko John Voight's 70s ouvre as a gigolo in MIDNIGHT COWBOY, a liberal minded teacher in CONRACK, a pacifist in DELIVERANCE, and as an anti-war paraplegiac Vietnam vet in this Hal Ashby directed flick).

But Ginty achieved his greatest notoriety ... (more…)

For decades, George Romero was closely associated with his home town of Pittsburgh, where he shot all of his best films: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, MARTIN, DAWN OF THE DEAD, the mine sequences of DAY OF THE DEAD, and even MONKEYSHINES. In 2000, he switched locales to Toronto, Canada, for BRUISER. Apparently he had such a great experience on that oft maligned production that he moved to Toronto lock, stock and barrel, and that's where he shot LAND OF THE DEAD and DIARY OF THE DEAD.

In any case, last week Romero made it official: he became a citizen of Canada, land of green hills, untouched forestry, deep snow - and universal health care. The switch is understandable (especially given the ... (more…)