Bringing the Site Back: Why It’s Been MIA

It’s approaching a year since a post was last made to Little Blog of Horror, but that is about to change. I have decided to resurrect the site and bring more regular content back. I have been getting questions and inquires about the site and why it has been inactive and when or if I plan to bring it back, so here are the answers to the questions I get asked most frequently.

Why has the site been inactive?

Most of you know that I am a content creator at creators.co/Movie Pilot which has become my central focus as it has become my “career”. We also change as people which I have done a lot of, and I have made the decision to go back to school this coming fall. When things change in our lives, sometimes we need to take a step back and prioritize things, and that’s what I’ve been doing.

Are you ever going to bring back new content?

Yes. After a lot of consideration, I came to the conclusion that this is where I started. My own site, promoting my work and the work of others independently. It is nice to write on a large scale and have a team that gets your content out there for you, but nothing beats being able to say that something you did was successful and you did it on your own. If it wasn’t for this site, I wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to work with the incredible companies and individuals that I have like Movie Pilot, FEARNET, Living Dead Magazine, Crypt TV and the amazing film making individuals I have.

What kind of content will be posted?

I am going to post content in the same areas that I used to, but I do have a few ideas for some new areas.

How often will new content be posted?

I am going to try for at least once a week. Since I’ve been away, a lot of stuff has backed up in my inbox, so there is no shortage of topics to cover.

Those are the most common questions, if I missed any, feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer.

 

Diary of a Horror Nerd Video Project

Hello Horror Nerds! I want to include all of you in a new video project that I am going to be working on. Horror fans face a lot of stigma and I want to show the world how awesome horror fans really are. If you are interested in being a part of Project Horror Nerd, keep reading.

What is Project Horror Nerd?

Project Horror Nerd will be made up of video clips (episodes) made by fans from around the world answering 4 simple questions. 

1. What got you into horror?
2. Why do you love horror?
3. How has horror impacted your life?
4. What do you think the world needs to know about horror fans?

It doesn’t matter if you have been a horror fan since birth or are new to the world of gore, we want you to be a part of it. 

There is no time limit for the videos, if you are unsure about how to do your video, you can check out episodes that others have made HERE.

How do I get involved?

It’s quite simple, just make a video clip that includes an introduction to yourself (name, where you live and any other info you’d like to give about yourself) followed by your answers to the above question.

If you are uncomfortable with making a video clip, you can also submit a photo of yourself along with a sound clip of your intro and answers. We really want to include as many of you awesome horror nerds as possible. You don’t need a fancy camera set up, you can simply use your phone; you can have someone record you or you can record yourself (video selfie), whatever you are comfortable with. 

 

Where do I submit my clip?

Once you have completed your clip, simply email it to littleblogofhorror@yahoo.com with “Project Horror Nerd” in the subject line.

We look forward to seeing all of your clips and letting the world know how awesome horror fans really are.

#ProjectHorrorNerd

New App For the Horror Community: Horror Amino

There seems to be an app out there for just about everything, but the horror community has been forgotten- that is until now. Welcome Horror Amino, the new app catered to the horror community. Horror Amino allows you to build a community and participate in discussions, polls and other activities with other horror fans.

Why is Horror Amino so awesome?

1. It is 100% FREE to use. The great people at Amino Apps believe that you shouldn’t have to deal with ridiculous fees to discuss your favorite topics.
2. It is available for both iOS and Android. You can get Horror Amino on ANY Apple or Android device, so you will never miss a poll or news.
3. All horror all the time. There is no having to deal with unrelated posts; everything is horror related or it and the person that posted it is removed (never to bother you again).
4. It’s like Facebook/Twitter for horror fans. You can follow people and establish your own little community and you can chat one on one or in a group privately as well as post comments to one another.
5. A great platform for promotion. Working on a new project? You can download Horror Amino and put the word out to tons of other horror fans.

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Where Can I Get Horror Amino?

Simply click on one of the images below and start connecting with the horror community.

I hope to see you all on Horror Amino!

Movie Review: Krampus

The Krampus legend was the subject of yet another movie, this time, however, it was a bit different, this time the legendary Christmas beast was the center of a horror comedy. At first I found it a bit odd to have such a fearsome creature as the subject of a horror/dark comedy, but I gave Krampus a shot anyway.

About the Film

Krampus was directed by Michael Daugherty- the genius behind the horror anthology Trick ‘r Treat. The film features a very funny, talented cast; Adam Scott (Step Brothers), Toni Collette (Tammy), David Koechner (Anchorman), Allison Tolman (Fargo), Conchata Ferrell (True Romance), Emjay Anthony (Insurgent), Stefania LaVie Owen (The Lovely Bones) and Krista Stadler (Mobbing).

Synopsis: A young boy named Max (who still believes in Santa Claus) has a terrible time at the annual family dinner that causes him to make a hasty wish. When Max destroys his letter to Santa in a fit of rage, someone comes ti visit, and it’s not Santa- it’s Krampus.

Review

I have very mixed emotions with this one; I liked it, but I didn’t, does that make sense? I have never been so on the fence about a film before, there is no black or white for Krampus. There were so many elements that I loved about the film, but there were a lot that I feel could have been left out or further elaborated on to make the film so much better.

I am not going to trash the film because I did like it, but I will be honest and say that it did fall short of what I would consider a horror movie. The comedy elements were phenomenal; I laughed pretty much the entire time. The dialogue was not the only element that made Krampus so funny, his helpers enhanced the comedy experience for sure. Without spoiling too much for you, there are some evil gingerbread men, an evil teddy, dark elves, a Jack-in-the-Box with Predator’s mouth and others.

I think I have mainly myself to blame for my disappointment. Having seen Michael Dougherty at the helm, I was hoping for Trick ‘r Treat but ended up with a horrorish verison of Step Brothers (which isn’t as bad as it sounds). That was the other problem I had (again, not the fault of the film, strictly on me), I love Adam Scott, there is no denying that he is hilarious and insanely talented, but I couldn’t stop picturing him as Derek from Step Brothers. I will try to desensitize myself to it and watch it again to see if that helps.

The appearance of the Krampus was AMAZING! I loved that they didn’t go with the traditional look (demon with little to no human qualities). He looked more like a twisted version of Santa Claus- the way he should look.

If you’re looking for a fun movie to see with friends, Krampus is a great choice; just don’t go into it hoping to get Trick ‘r Treat. You will get a great comedy (with a dash of horror). The best way to describe it – a dysfunctional family comedy…..for horror fans. Grab your buds and give it a shot, it may not scare the hell out of you, but you will laugh.

Trailer

Video Game Review: Year Walk

Video Game Review: Year Walk

Let’s face it: indie games have always had a reputation for being all hype and no delivery, and when it comes to horror titles, many of us find that indie games just don’t have what it takes to scare us silly – apart from a few titles, of course. However, just a few months ago, Funcom released The Park, a one- to two-hour game that puts players into the shoes of a distressed mother looking for her son in an amusement park after hours. It was an excellent showcase of what indie games could be, creating a horrifying story out of a communal fear of amusement parks after dark, and portraying the despair of a mother for her child in a unique way. Of course, The Park is a PC game, and it’s had many amazing games come before it, such as Amnesia, and we know there’s plenty of potential there.

What we rarely see, however, is indie horror games for mobile phones that do what they promise. Despite advancements in mobile technology and the obvious interest in mobile games, horror has been grossly underrated in mobile markets. According to the company behind Free Casino Hunter, 50% of all smartphone activity comes from gaming, and social gaming in particular continues to top the charts, with social games becoming worth $4 billion by the end of this year. It’s difficult to create horror games with the technology afforded by mobile phones, as the smaller screens, and slower processors are often unable to render the gore or create the ambience needed for horror titles. However, some developers have found that the answer lies in minimalist games that focus on a chilling story, and that games created with this in mind can be quite successful.

This brings us to Year Walk, a game by Simgogo, which was released in 2013 to staggeringly positive reviews. It revolves around the ancient Swedish practice of the “year walk”, in which one goes on a pilgrimage of sorts in order to see the future. In the game, the character takes a year walk to discover his future with his beloved, uncovering cryptic clues and encountering many strange creatures from Swedish mythology. The artwork is beautiful and haunting, and many of the puzzles require plenty of thinking outside of the box – and in some cases, thinking outside of the app itself. Along with the game, there is also a “Companion App”, which gives players a better understanding of the lore that the game builds upon.

One particularly interesting thing to note with Year Walk is that the game has also been released on Steam, becoming a point-and-click adventure, but losing most of its interactivity. In the mobile phone version, users would have to solve some puzzles by spinning their device around, and these elements are lost to the PC version. The experience of using the companion app is also lost, as the PC game simply makes use of a built-in encyclopedia to help guide you through your year-long vision quest.

Regardless, the game has some surprising chills. It wasn’t simply because of the occasional jumpscare either. The art was haunting, and so was the music, and the story even more so. It’s a game that showcases just what horror games can be on mobile phones, and it’s perfectly deserving of the near-perfect reviews it got from all the important critics.

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Etsy Spotlight: Hatbox Ghost

In a world where remakes, reboots and mass production rule, it is hard to get your hands on anything unique anymore. Everything at popular mall stores are generic and being worn by millions of others, but thanks to sites like Etsy, you can find those one-of-a-kind, unique pieces that you have been searching even the darkest crevices of the internet and the darkest halls of your local mall for. In this new series, I will spotlight an Etsy shop that offers the most unique goods your spooky little heart desires. The very first shop I would like to spotlight is one run by a beautiful ghoul named Niki Giallo called Hatbox Ghost.

What is Hatbox Ghost?

As previously mentioned, it is an Etsy shop. Hatbox Ghost specializes in jewelry and other spooky accessories, so guys, if you’re looking for a gift for that special ghoul in your life, Hatbox Ghost is the shop to visit.

What can I find in the Hatbox Ghost shop?

The better question would be “what can’t you find in the Hatbox Ghost shop?”. Everything from earrings, rings, pendents, cocktail party hats and more to cuff links for the guys. Pieces inspired by your favorite horror films and television shows. Nothing but unique beauty, no mass produced generic pieces that every horror fan owns.

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Like what you see? Visit Etsy.com/shop/TheHatboxGhost for more amazing pieces and to support local art. If you want to get 15% off the already great prices at Hatbox Ghost, use the code ghoulschool (valid through the month of August).

Also, be sure to support the shop by liking Hatbox Ghost on Facebook.

The Horrors of AutoCorrect: A Unique Horror Short

We’ve all had a moment or two when our cellphone have put our foot in our mouth for us, but don’t feel bad, even large, scary killers have issues with auto correct. Nothing ruins the moment quite like “I’m going to ducking kill you“. The Horrors of AutoCorrect is a unique short written and directed by Alex Divincenzo that places a man attempting to frighten and ultimately kill a young girl, but his phone ruins his pre-murder scare tactic.  

The Horrors of AutoCorrect stars Nick Principe (Laid To Rest) and Jaquelyn Fabian (American Poltergeist). It is refreshing to see a piece of work that allows Principe to show that he can be way more than just a big man behind a mask. This short showcases his more comedic side while still having him do what he does best. 

The Horrors of AutoCorrect is like a short form of Scary Movie. It is campy without being over-the-top ridiculous. There is also a hint of a more modern Scream. The text message banter and the unique choice of weapon only make this short even more incredible. Be sure to watch all the way to the end, the hilarity continues after the beginning of the credits.

Synopsis:

Jenny’s quiet evening at home watching a scary movie is interrupted by a stalker who can’t quite master the art of text messaging.

Enjoy the show!

The Video That Started It All: The Preylude: A Volumes of Blood Short Film

The biggest selling point of any film is the trailer, some trailers come to us in the form of a short film. The brains behind the new horror anthology, Volumes of Blood, put together a short film to help get their film made. Say hello to The Preylude: A Volumes of Blood Short Film, (no that is not a spelling error) the short that started it all.

The Preylude was written and directed by P.J. Starks and stars Shelby Miller, Robert Denton and Chad Ray as “The Hood”. The concept for the short is fantastic, and what makes it even more scary, it is completely believable as the given situation has and could happen. Chad Ray makes for one intimidating villain, his large stature and Kane Hodder-like movements only add to the greatness of The Preylude. 

With just under 7 minutes to tell the story, The Preylude gets straight to the point. There are no unnecessary fillers, the entire short is filled with only quality content. The cliffhanger ending will leave you wanting more. 

What does The Preylude: A Volumes of Blood Short Film entail? 

The fifth unsuspecting victim is stalked by a sociopath hell bent on making her suffer. Will she survive or will she die trying?

Enjoy the show!

Be sure to like the Volumes of Blood Facebook page and follow @VolumesofBlood on twitter for more awesome behind the scenes photos and when and where your eyeballs can behold the awesomeness that is Volumes of Blood.

The Hood is waiting for you.

Chad Ray as “The Hood”

New Merch NOW Available! NO Pre-order!

We have been trying to get merch off of the ground for a little while now, and through trial and error, we FINALLY have some available. We tried the Tee Spring route and that failed and we tried a pre-order, and that failed, we have decided to go with spreadshirt.com and open a store. Everything listed is currently available with much much more to come. 

As of right now, most of the merch is geared towards the ladies with the return of the “Horror Isn’t Just For The Guys” design as well as some new stuff like Fifty Shades of Grey slasher parodies and Mrs. (insert slasher’s name here) designs. There is currently one design up for the guys, the “I Support Indie Horror” t-shirt, but we are working on more including the “Sons of Voorhees” designs. We even have a little something for the little fans. We have a lot more on the way.

Currently available, we have women’s tank tops, t-shirts, scoop-neck t-shirt and wide neck sweatshirts. For the guys, there are only standard t-shirts available. We also offer phone cases and coffee mugs. Coming will be active wear and underwear for both men and women, travel mugs, beer mugs, flip flops, umbrellas, messenger bags, reusable shopping bags, duffle bags and much more. 

We DO NOT set the prices, prices are preset by spread shirt. They offer coupon codes every now and again, and when they become available, they will be posted on the Little Blog of Horror Facebook page. 

Check out our store at LittleBlogOfHorror.SpreadShirt.com!

‘The Pyramid’ Now Available On Digital HD: 5 GIFs That Will Make You Want To Watch

New horror film The Pyramid is now available on Digital HD via Fox. The film was written by Daniel Meersand (Removal) and Nick Simon (Cold Comes the Night) and directed by Grégory Levasseur (The Hills Have Eyes 2006). The film stars Ashley Hinshaw (Chronicle), James Buckley (The Inbetweeners) and Denis O’Hare (American Horror Story).

Synopsis:

The age-old wonders of the world have long cursed explorers who’ve dared to unlock their mysteries. But a team of archaeologists gets more than they bargained for when they discover a lost pyramid unlike any other in the Egyptian desert. As they begin to uncover its horrifying secrets, they realize they’re being relentlessly hunted by an ancient evil more nightmarish than anything they could have imagined. From producer Alexandre Aja, director of The Hills Have Eyes, comes a pulse-pounding journey into true terror.

5 Gifs that will make you want to watch:

Like what you see? Watch it now on Digital HD: http://bit.ly/PyramidDHD

For more information on the film and to get social with Fox Horror, follow the links below.

Official Fox Horror Facebook

Official Fox Horror Twitter

Official Fox Horror Site