ALL THE WEEK'S HORROR HEADLINES (14th-21st September)

Not got time to trawl the web for all the top horror news of the last week? Well allow me to give you a bite-size breakdown of the all biggest nightmarish news!

1. ROB ZOMBIE RAMPS UP HYPE FOR 31

Rob Zombie has never been shy when it comes to promoting his movies and last week we received two new images and the following quotes!

'31 news! DOOM-HEAD (aka Richard Brake) does not fuck around. This guy is one fucking intense dude. I predict that he is the next great villian of horror.'

“Had a special screening of 31 last night,” said Zombie. “Holy fuck it was awesome! Even though the film is not 100% finished it rocked. If you loved The DEVIL’S REJECTS… well, then you will love this one.”

I loved DR so looking forward to this a lot!

2. STEPHEN KING'S THE MIST ON TV

Dimension Television is set to produce a TV adaptation of Stephen King's fantastic Lovecraftian novella The Mist. Already made into a fantastic film by Frank Darabont in 2007, this has serious potential.

Read Bloody Disgusting's story here.

3. CRIMSON PEAK IMAGES AND TV SPOT GO LIVE

I love Guillermo Del Toro's work and everything I've seen from his Gothic haunted house tale Crimson Peak has blown me away — including these amazing set images.

There's also this TV spot if you want to see it all in motion!

4. FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S WORLD IS COMING

Scott Cawthon has revealed that his next game will not be Five Nights at Freddy's 5. Boo!
Instead it's going to be a FNAF RPG based in that world called, unsurprisingly, Five Nights At Freddy's World! Hooray! 
The game is looking unlikely at hitting it's planned November release date unfortunately, but stay tuned for more release news.

5. ET'S ELLIOTT, HENRY THOMAS, JOINS CAST FOR OUIJA 2

Perhaps the most maligned of Blumhouse's offerings has been Ouija, but that doesn't matter because it made serious cash and a sequel is on the way.

Annalise Basso and Elizabeth Reaser have already joined the cast but the announcement that's got me sitting up and taking notice is that Henry Thomas, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial's Elliott will be involved too! Thomas has had some impressive outings in genre efforts such as Desperation and Fire in the Sky, so my interest is piqued.

Read the Hollywood Reporter's story here.

6. NEW RELEASES

The sadly underrated Muck gets a UK DVD release this week. In my review (which you can read here) I said it's 'fun, sexy, bloody, creepy and hilarious'. Well worth checking out!
Buy it at Amazon here.

Wind Walkers is another film out this week which I've reviewed recently here at the House. In my review (which you can read here) I said it 'shows real intelligence and imagination'.
Buy it at Amazon here.

We're also getting undead horror flick, Extinction, starring Matthew Fox, this week.
Buy it at Amazon here.

For you hip youngsters out there we're also getting the teen TV horror The Diabolical A.K.A. Uncaged, starring the gorgeous Nina Dobrev of Vampire Diaries fame. It's a werewolf flick that looks surprisingly decent!
Buy it at Amazon here.

If you haven’t already, do please check out and like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House@HickeysHorrors

Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.

FEATURE: SINISTER SIX: STEPHEN KING ADAPTIONS THAT WERE ACTUALLY QUITE GOOD

Hot on the heels of the announcement that the big-screen adaption of Stephen King’s epic The Stand will be split into four films, here are six more adaptations of the King of Modern Horror’s work that are worth checking out.

(Please note that while The Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me and The Green Mile are undoubtedly great, they don’t quite fit the horror theme of this blog — so I have declined to include them. But they are all amazing and well worth your time. Also, It and Salem’s Lot were television adaptations and not films so I’m afraid I have to disqualify them from the list. Boooo!)

6: CHRISTINE

(John Carpenter, 1983)

There are plenty of Stephen King adaptations out there that are probably better stories than this one. But this is JOHN CARPENTER (quite possibly my favourite director of all time) directing a story by STEPHEN KING (quite possibly my favourite author of all time). The tale of a possessed and sentient 1958 Plymouth Fury and its obsessive love for its teenaged owner, Christine is an odd film, but one that needs to be seen.

5: PET SEMATARY

(Mary Lambert, 1989)

Much like Christine, this is a film that isn’t the greatest quality King adaptation (I think fair arguments can be made that 1408, The Dead Zone and Apt Pupil are better films), but it is one that had a profound effect on me. Watching Pet Sematary when I was barely old enough to cope with its very dark and twisted story, I was creeped out for days afterwards. A modern take on The Monkey’s Paw, with a plotline that still horrifies me now I have become a father, the film is a must-see for horror fans, not least for the fantastic performance from Fred ‘Herman Munster’ Gwynne.

4: MISERY

(Rob Reiner, 1990)

Kathy Bates.

James Caan.

THAT hobbling scene.

Misery is an iconic film, with an Oscar winning performance from Bates as one of the most terrifying screen psychos ever. If you haven’t seen it, you are a fool. Do it. Now.   

3: THE MIST

(Frank Darabont, 2007)

The most recent King adaptation on the list, this is yet another case where Darabont and King = GOLD. Based on one of my favourite King short stories, The Mist follows a group of survivors trapped in a convenience store by an otherworldy fog that hides numerous deadly monsters. Soon the dwindling group of survivors start to realise that not every threat comes from outside. This film boasts incredible visual effects and, while I preferred the ending of the novella, kudos must go to the studio for giving the film an even bleaker ending than its source material! If you get the chance, check out the sterling black and white version.

2: CARRIE

(Brian De Palma, 1979)

In most lists, a film of this quality would take the top spot. The real strength of De Palma’s astonishing film is that it manages to be more about character than gore (despite that bucket of blood). The worst horrors of the film do not come from knives or axes in flesh, but the darkness and cruelty of people towards those who are different. Carrie White may well be the one who causes the fiery and chaotic climax, but it is her tormentors (particularly her unstable and fanatically religious mother, played to perfection by Piper Laurie) who are the true monsters. Featuring a career-defining performance by Sissy Spacek, Carrie is one of the greatest horror films of all time.

1: THE SHINING

(Stanley Kubrick, 1980)

Perhaps it is one of the entertainment industry’s biggest ironies that the adaptation King himself has been most outspoken against is the very film that most critics hail as easily the finest.

Kubrick’s film is shot beautifully, using claustrophobic camera shots, a beautifully desolate setting, genuinely disturbing set-pieces and an incredible performance by Jack Nicholson to ratchet up the tension to breaking point. The Shining is a true masterpiece, consistently voted one of the greatest horror flicks of all time (along with The Exorcist for those keeping count). I’d go one further, The Shining is not just one of the best horror films, it is simply one of the greatest cinematic works of all time.

So, any thoughts on the list? Can you think of any I’ve missed?

Feel free to drop any comments below. I may even get enough for a second list!

If you haven’t already, do please check out and like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House@HickeysHorrors

Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.