CategoryDocumentaries
True-crime and horror documentaries — real cases, real crimes, and the films that retell them.
375 stories
DocumentariesHoliday HorrorReviews
You can now watch Gary Leva’s ‘The Shining’ documentary ‘View from the Overlook’ for free online, right here. The documentary, once only available to those who purchased the 2-disc DVD special edition of Stanley Kubrick’s horror classic, was made available on line by Leva, giving all fans of ‘The Shining’ access to interviews and insider views from behind the scenes of the production.
Continue reading →
BooksDocumentariesEventsIndieInterviewsMoviesProductReviewsStreaming TVTrue Story
Inspired By True Events “Based On A True Story” “Based On True Events” “Most Of What You Are About to See Is True” “Some Of This Is Bullshit” “The Names Have Been Changed, Certain Dialogue Has Been Made Up” “We Have An Agenda And We Want to Entertain You” “You’ve Become So Ignorant to Real Events, You Wouldn’t Know What Was Real Anyway. Just Go With It” The Los Angeles Times recently ran a disturbing article on an equally disturbing trend quietly seeping into filmmaking. It’s been for some time, but as the general population falls into a deeper sleep, it’s almost imperceptible. The article is found HERE. The focus was the acclaimed “biopic” on Steve Jobs and is the latest film to take swipes at a dead man unable to defend himself. History is told by the winner. Or the one’s who control the information. Columbus Day has come under revisionist fire, seen as the celebration of a man
Continue reading →
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Filmmaker Adam Ripp will explore the curse that supposedly has plagued the cast and crew of Steven Spielberg’s ‘Poltergeist’ franchise, in a new documentary, titled ‘The Curse of Poltergeist’. Ripp’s company, Vega Baby, will be financing and producing the documentary in conjunction with MD Pictures. THR quoted Ripp as saying “The documentary will focus on the life and experiences of Poltergeist actor Oliver Robins, who played Robbie Freeling in the first and second installment of the franchise, as a way to explore the tragedies that have befallen those involved with the films. It will be a journey into the unknown as I attempt to understand the meaning behind the tragedies surrounding the movie.” He continued “It’s something that will hopefully bring closure to a dark chapter in my life.” Several people involved with ‘Poltergeist’ met horrible fates, including Heather O’Rourke, who played the role of Carol Anne. O’Rourke died at the age of twelve, from a bowel obstruction. Dominique Dunne,
Continue reading →
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A trailer for the upcoming documentary ‘Why Horror’ has now been released by Showtime. The documentary follows Tal Zimerman, a horror fan, collector and writer, as he travels around the world attempting to understand why horror fans thrive on gore and fear. Zimerman meets with horror’s top filmmakers, actors, writers and psychologist to explore how horror is portrayed in different cultures. In the documentary you will see George A Romero, John Carpenter and Eli Roth interviewed as Zimerman searches for answers. ‘Why Horror’ premiers on Showtime on October 30th.
Continue reading →
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‘Pet Sematary’ is the latest classic horror film to be the focus of a documentary. The documentary, titled ‘Unearthed & Untold: The Path to Pet Sematary’, has been acquired by Terror Films and is set to be released in early 2016. The documentary was written and directed by John Campopiano and Justin White, who began the project in 2011. The 1989 film was an adaption of the Stephen King novel by the same name. ‘Pet Sematary’ is a rare adaption that pleased both horror fans and Stephen King fans and remains one of the most loved films in the eyes of horror fans. Stephen King has a cameo in the film, as the priest in the funeral scene. It is also considered one of the best films to ever be directed by a woman, period. It’s director, Mary Lambert, went on to direct the film’s sequel, ‘Pet Sematary II’as well as many other horror films. She is still working in
Continue reading →
Comic Books/Graphic NovelsDocumentariesForeignIndieInterviewsProductReviews
To Clear A Few Things Up A few myths need to be dispelled about the 1980 Robin Williams film, Popeye. It was NOT a boxoffice failure. It was made for 20 million and grossed well over 60 million. While deemed a “disappointment” by Paramount Pictures, it hardly failed. 2. It is NOT Robin Williams’s worst film. I will argue it is his best, hands down. Like Williams and its director, the film paid a price for breaking away from formula. Popeye is fucking art, so there, I said it. Popeye fought Cynema and lost the first few battles, but I think it won the war. It was Robin Williams’s first film, and almost his last. It’s been called a mess, incomprehensible, a misfire, a disaster and a bomb. Bear with me as I show how this unique film stands up against Cynema. I’ll also lay out how this film reflects the present attitudes between industry and audience. Years after I
Continue reading →
Comic Books/Graphic NovelsDocumentariesEventsReviewsTrue Story
This year I represented the ZADF at Dragon Con. It was no great imposition. I was going anyway. I go every year. The only real difference is this year I’ll be writing about it. I’m guessing that many of you have never heard of Dragon Con, and are probably wondering what the hell I’m talking about. Have you heard of Comic Con in San Diego? You probably have. It has become a huge event every year that draws massive crowds and gets national media coverage. What many people don’t realize, is that Comic Con is just one of many Cons. There are conventions devoted to comic books, video games, table top gaming, fantasy, science fiction, anime, and of course horror; then there is Dragon Con. Dragon Con covers all of those things and more. It takes place in Atlanta, GA and has been around for a while (it started back in 1987). I’ve been attending since I was a kid
Continue reading →
BooksComic Books/Graphic NovelsDocumentariesEventsHalloweenIndieMoviesProductReviews
Jordache Horror Somewhere in the 80s, someone got the idea that horror should be less frightening and more sexy and trendy. I am not sure where it happened, but a good starting point might be Michael Jackson’s Thriller. The “World Premiere Video” back when MTV aired videos and before its implosion was the thing to see. Director John Landis was in between the smash hit horror classic, An American Werewolf in London and the public relations nightmare of Twilight Zone: The Movie. Michael Jackson was truly The King of Pop, and his LP, Thriller elevated MTV into something else…exactly what, I don’t know, but Thriller was more than a video. It was a pop culture event and it used horror as its spring board. Vincent Price became known to a the Pepsi Generation as “the old dude who “rapped” in Thriller and laughed at the end. Academy Award winner and makeup genius, Rick Baker did the makeup effects and suddenly
Continue reading →
BooksDocumentariesEventsHalloweenIndieMoviesReviewsStreaming TV
Go Shopping A persistent misconception immediately after the 911 attacks in 2001 is that President George W. Bush urged Americans “to go shopping.” This was not the case. Over the years it’s been simplified into that message. In reality The President said this, “It’s to tell the traveling public: Get on board. Do your business around the country. Fly and enjoy America’s great destination spots. Get down to Disney World in Florida. Take your families and enjoy life, the way we want it to be enjoyed.” George Bush, White House Archives Not once was the word “shop” or any form of it used. This is not a political defense. Rather, something in that speech to a shocked nation did stand out to me, and can be applied to the entertainment industry. While we were not directly urged to “go shopping” the simplistic picture of consumerism congruent to the picture of American life was apparent. We have accepted an image of
Continue reading →
BooksDocumentariesHalloweenIndieMoviesProductReviewsStreaming TVTrue Story
No Respect Apparently Michael Medved, the respected film critic gets the credit with dubbing Edward Wood, Jr. the “worst director of all time” by referring to Wood’s crowning film achievement, Plan Nine From Outer Space as perhaps the worst motion picture ever made. This is not only to come to the late Mr. Wood’s defense, but to also show how off the mark Mr. Medved was in his 1980 book The Golden Turkey Awards. Wood is the antithesis of Cynema–his passion and love for film makes him one of Hollywood’s greatest directors. Say what you want about Plan Nine, Bride of the Monster or Glen or Glenda…bad films, yes. Bad directing, absolutely. However Ed Wood was not a cynic. This column will show why films like Jaws The Revenge, Godzilla 1998 and other big budget films are far worse than anything Ed Wood ever put out, including Plan 9. By many accounts, including his own, Plan 9 From Outer Space
Continue reading →
More from Documentaries
DocumentariesHoliday HorrorReviews
You can now watch Gary Leva’s ‘The Shining’ documentary ‘View from the Overlook’ for free online, right here. The documentary, once only available to those who purchased the 2-disc DVD special edition of Stanley Kubrick’s horror classic, was made available on line by Leva, giving all fans of ‘The Shining’ access to interviews and insider views from behind the scenes of the production.
Continue reading →
BooksDocumentariesEventsIndieInterviewsMoviesProductReviewsStreaming TVTrue Story
Inspired By True Events “Based On A True Story” “Based On True Events” “Most Of What You Are About to See Is True” “Some Of This Is Bullshit” “The Names Have Been Changed, Certain Dialogue Has Been Made Up” “We Have An Agenda And We Want to Entertain You” “You’ve Become So Ignorant to Real Events, You Wouldn’t Know What Was Real Anyway. Just Go With It” The Los Angeles Times recently ran a disturbing article on an equally disturbing trend quietly seeping into filmmaking. It’s been for some time, but as the general population falls into a deeper sleep, it’s almost imperceptible. The article is found HERE. The focus was the acclaimed “biopic” on Steve Jobs and is the latest film to take swipes at a dead man unable to defend himself. History is told by the winner. Or the one’s who control the information. Columbus Day has come under revisionist fire, seen as the celebration of a man
Continue reading →
DocumentariesNewsReviews
Filmmaker Adam Ripp will explore the curse that supposedly has plagued the cast and crew of Steven Spielberg’s ‘Poltergeist’ franchise, in a new documentary, titled ‘The Curse of Poltergeist’. Ripp’s company, Vega Baby, will be financing and producing the documentary in conjunction with MD Pictures. THR quoted Ripp as saying “The documentary will focus on the life and experiences of Poltergeist actor Oliver Robins, who played Robbie Freeling in the first and second installment of the franchise, as a way to explore the tragedies that have befallen those involved with the films. It will be a journey into the unknown as I attempt to understand the meaning behind the tragedies surrounding the movie.” He continued “It’s something that will hopefully bring closure to a dark chapter in my life.” Several people involved with ‘Poltergeist’ met horrible fates, including Heather O’Rourke, who played the role of Carol Anne. O’Rourke died at the age of twelve, from a bowel obstruction. Dominique Dunne,
Continue reading →
DocumentariesNewsReviews
A trailer for the upcoming documentary ‘Why Horror’ has now been released by Showtime. The documentary follows Tal Zimerman, a horror fan, collector and writer, as he travels around the world attempting to understand why horror fans thrive on gore and fear. Zimerman meets with horror’s top filmmakers, actors, writers and psychologist to explore how horror is portrayed in different cultures. In the documentary you will see George A Romero, John Carpenter and Eli Roth interviewed as Zimerman searches for answers. ‘Why Horror’ premiers on Showtime on October 30th.
Continue reading →
DocumentariesNewsReviews
‘Pet Sematary’ is the latest classic horror film to be the focus of a documentary. The documentary, titled ‘Unearthed & Untold: The Path to Pet Sematary’, has been acquired by Terror Films and is set to be released in early 2016. The documentary was written and directed by John Campopiano and Justin White, who began the project in 2011. The 1989 film was an adaption of the Stephen King novel by the same name. ‘Pet Sematary’ is a rare adaption that pleased both horror fans and Stephen King fans and remains one of the most loved films in the eyes of horror fans. Stephen King has a cameo in the film, as the priest in the funeral scene. It is also considered one of the best films to ever be directed by a woman, period. It’s director, Mary Lambert, went on to direct the film’s sequel, ‘Pet Sematary II’as well as many other horror films. She is still working in
Continue reading →
Comic Books/Graphic NovelsDocumentariesForeignIndieInterviewsProductReviews
To Clear A Few Things Up A few myths need to be dispelled about the 1980 Robin Williams film, Popeye. It was NOT a boxoffice failure. It was made for 20 million and grossed well over 60 million. While deemed a “disappointment” by Paramount Pictures, it hardly failed. 2. It is NOT Robin Williams’s worst film. I will argue it is his best, hands down. Like Williams and its director, the film paid a price for breaking away from formula. Popeye is fucking art, so there, I said it. Popeye fought Cynema and lost the first few battles, but I think it won the war. It was Robin Williams’s first film, and almost his last. It’s been called a mess, incomprehensible, a misfire, a disaster and a bomb. Bear with me as I show how this unique film stands up against Cynema. I’ll also lay out how this film reflects the present attitudes between industry and audience. Years after I
Continue reading →
Comic Books/Graphic NovelsDocumentariesEventsReviewsTrue Story
This year I represented the ZADF at Dragon Con. It was no great imposition. I was going anyway. I go every year. The only real difference is this year I’ll be writing about it. I’m guessing that many of you have never heard of Dragon Con, and are probably wondering what the hell I’m talking about. Have you heard of Comic Con in San Diego? You probably have. It has become a huge event every year that draws massive crowds and gets national media coverage. What many people don’t realize, is that Comic Con is just one of many Cons. There are conventions devoted to comic books, video games, table top gaming, fantasy, science fiction, anime, and of course horror; then there is Dragon Con. Dragon Con covers all of those things and more. It takes place in Atlanta, GA and has been around for a while (it started back in 1987). I’ve been attending since I was a kid
Continue reading →
BooksComic Books/Graphic NovelsDocumentariesEventsHalloweenIndieMoviesProductReviews
Jordache Horror Somewhere in the 80s, someone got the idea that horror should be less frightening and more sexy and trendy. I am not sure where it happened, but a good starting point might be Michael Jackson’s Thriller. The “World Premiere Video” back when MTV aired videos and before its implosion was the thing to see. Director John Landis was in between the smash hit horror classic, An American Werewolf in London and the public relations nightmare of Twilight Zone: The Movie. Michael Jackson was truly The King of Pop, and his LP, Thriller elevated MTV into something else…exactly what, I don’t know, but Thriller was more than a video. It was a pop culture event and it used horror as its spring board. Vincent Price became known to a the Pepsi Generation as “the old dude who “rapped” in Thriller and laughed at the end. Academy Award winner and makeup genius, Rick Baker did the makeup effects and suddenly
Continue reading →
BooksDocumentariesEventsHalloweenIndieMoviesReviewsStreaming TV
Go Shopping A persistent misconception immediately after the 911 attacks in 2001 is that President George W. Bush urged Americans “to go shopping.” This was not the case. Over the years it’s been simplified into that message. In reality The President said this, “It’s to tell the traveling public: Get on board. Do your business around the country. Fly and enjoy America’s great destination spots. Get down to Disney World in Florida. Take your families and enjoy life, the way we want it to be enjoyed.” George Bush, White House Archives Not once was the word “shop” or any form of it used. This is not a political defense. Rather, something in that speech to a shocked nation did stand out to me, and can be applied to the entertainment industry. While we were not directly urged to “go shopping” the simplistic picture of consumerism congruent to the picture of American life was apparent. We have accepted an image of
Continue reading →
BooksDocumentariesHalloweenIndieMoviesProductReviewsStreaming TVTrue Story
No Respect Apparently Michael Medved, the respected film critic gets the credit with dubbing Edward Wood, Jr. the “worst director of all time” by referring to Wood’s crowning film achievement, Plan Nine From Outer Space as perhaps the worst motion picture ever made. This is not only to come to the late Mr. Wood’s defense, but to also show how off the mark Mr. Medved was in his 1980 book The Golden Turkey Awards. Wood is the antithesis of Cynema–his passion and love for film makes him one of Hollywood’s greatest directors. Say what you want about Plan Nine, Bride of the Monster or Glen or Glenda…bad films, yes. Bad directing, absolutely. However Ed Wood was not a cynic. This column will show why films like Jaws The Revenge, Godzilla 1998 and other big budget films are far worse than anything Ed Wood ever put out, including Plan 9. By many accounts, including his own, Plan 9 From Outer Space
Continue reading →
