Is it possible for you to think of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein without picturing Boris Karloff as the monster? Even with one hundred million dollars at his disposal, was Stephen Sommers able to make Arnold Vasloo as memorable as Karloff's Mummy? Does Lon Chaney, Jr.s "enhanced" visage come to mind when you hear "Wolf Man"? While many actors, writers and directors contributed to the classic films that have come to be known as the Universal Monsters, one man contributed to nearly all of them.

After Lon Chaney, Sr., "The Man of 1,000 Faces," Jack Pierce (1889 - 1968) is probably more responsible for creating classic cinema creature designs than any other man in history. A sampling of Pierce'... (more…)

Filmmaker Devi Snively, whose short films for her production company, Deviant Productions--the ultra hip TEENAGE BIKINI VAMPIRE, the ultra gory CONFEDERATE ZOMBIE MASSACRE, and the ultra hip RAVEN GETS A LIFE (about a child vampire suffering from depression!)--have made a killing on the horror film festival circuit, has just completed her latest opus, DEATH IN CHARGE. Her newest effort is her most ambitious project yet, for several reasons.

Snively, a filmmaker with a unique vision, wrote and directed DEATH IN CHARGE as her project for the prestigious American Film Institute's Director's Workshop for Women--which only accepts eight applicants per term. To participate, Snively had to drop ... (more…)

Marcus Koch is a make-up effects artist and filmmaker based in Florida. Oddtopsy FX is the name of his effects studio. His directing efforts include 1999's ROT and the recent gory clown slasher 100 TEARS. Marcus has handled effects for ALIEN AGENDA: ENDANGERED SPECIES, CITIZEN TOXIE, GHOST LAKE, NIKOS THE IMPALER, AND THEN THEY WERE DEAD, and most recently, Mel House's CLOSET SPACE and Stacy Davidson's SWEATSHOP. I recently took the time to compile some questions for Marcus at the moment he began doing effects for the upcoming low budget action/horror flick HIGHWAY HUNTERS. I hope you will find my following Q&A session with Marcus to be comprehensive and informative.

When did you first ... (more…)

Part Three: The Facts in the Case of Mr. Gudino

EDITOR'S NOTE: In Part One of the Rodrigo Gudino Trilogy, Richard Hipson explored the origins of Rodrigo's Rue Morgue universe; in Part Two, he dissected the magazine publisher's second short film, the award winning THE DEMONOLOGY OF DESIRE. Today, Rodrigo opens up about his third short as well as his other plans for the future.

We'll have to get back to that one later! Now, with the success of DEMONOLOGY under your belt, and you mentioning that you're getting set to dive into your first feature, what can you tell me about that and how your short films helped prepare you for the bigger feat of a feature film?

The two shorts, THE EYES OF EDWARD ... (more…)

EDITOR'S NOTE: Yesterday, Richard Hipson queried Rodrigo Gudino about the multi-media empire he's developed around Rue Morgue magazine. Now these gentlemen discuss in detail Rodrigo's second short film, THE DEMONOLOGY OF DESIRE, which he screens today at the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival's Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Day." And in a strange twist of fate, Rodrigo turns the tables on Richard and asks him a question or two.

I had thought that DEMONOLOGY OF DESIRE was your first major foray into crafting your own movies, but I don't think that's true though, is it? You've worked on some other stuff haven't you?

Yeah, that's right. DEMONOLOGY OF DESIRE is actually my second film. ... (more…)

Part One: Rodrigo's Morgue


Rodrigo Gudino, California, raised in Playas de Tijuana, Mexico, and currently calls Mississauga, Ontario his personal Canadian burial, er, stomping ground. An endless supply of horrific ambition, Rodrigo is responsible for launching and publishing one of the world's premier horror magazines, Rue Morgue, as well as masterminding Rue Morgue Radio, Cinemacabre Movie Nights in Toronto, along with the country's largest horror convention, The Rue Morgue Festival of Fear. Rodrigo has degrees in both Literature and Philosophy and since appointing Jovanka Vuckovic as Rue Morgue's Editor In Chief, is happy to be spending more time making movies worth screaming about ... (more…)

EDITOR'S NOTE: While living in New York City in 1983, I saw a large poster on the wall of a subway station. It showed smiling Ken doll-types dressed in red jumpers helping children in a playground. I didn't even realize it was a science fiction ad until I read the caption, "The Visitors are our friends." One week later, a giant "V" appeared over the posters, in simulated spray paint. To this day, I think the marketing campaign for the original V mini-series is one of the most brilliant ever (Another good one was the newspaper run for THE OMEN: "Good morning. You're one day closer to the end of the world!"). With his INCREDIBLE HULK, THE BIONIC WOMAN and ALIEN NATION, Kenneth Johnson ... (more…)

Our crack video producer, Jesus Cruz, and Hollywood reporter Molly Celaschi, present this special bloody valentine: an exclusive video interview with Bill Johnson, the man who had the unenviable task of filling Gunnar Hansen's slaughter smock as Leatherface, aka "Bubba," in Tobe Hopper's vastly underrated and occasionally maligned TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2 (I love that film!).

Enjoy!

And remember - the Saw is Family! (more…)

Brian Yuzna is one of the most influential producers in U.S. independent horror film history. With a career that's thrived more than two decades, he was not only shepherded the cult hit RE-ANIMATOR, directed by Stuart Gordon, but also directed its two sequels and a dozen other genre hits including SOCIETY, the DENTIST films, RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD 3, FAUST: LOVE OF THE DAMNED and, most recently, BENEATH STILL WATERS. In early 2000, he developed several horror movies for Fantastic Factory, a label he started for Filmax Entertainment in Spain. I talked to him about the upcoming HOUSE OF RE- ANIMATOR and the new productions he's working on in Jakarta, among other things.

I heard a lot ... (more…)

EDITOR'S NOTE: I swore we'd finish the epic, 4-part Nutman Chronicles before the year was over--and we have!

If this is your first time reading my conversation with award winning author and screenwriter Philip Nutman ( Wet Work novel, THE GIRL NEXT DOOR screenplay), then you may want to check out the first three installments of Fear Zone's exclusive Nutman Chronicles. They won't disappoint. If you're a repeat visitor who has followed since Part One, or even Two, then I thank you for your investment in time and curiosity. I hope you've enjoyed Phil's words of wisdom and perspective as much as I have. In this fourth and final segment, Phil squashes a vicious rumour that's been ... (more…)