REVIEW: A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY'S REVENGE 1/4 SCALE FIGURE FROM NECA

Over the years since his introduction there has been an insane amount of Freddy Krueger merchandise. Some of it has been great, some of it has been awful, but in the last 15 years or so we have seen an uptick on quality. In the last ten years or so NECA has been the go to company for affordable and accurate Freddy figures.

TrueHorror's Favorite Horror Films of 2016

2016 was a good year for horror films. There was a great deal of variety across the board and we saw the independent market for horror continue to grow and thrive as a legitimate way for films to gain exposure and reach audiences that are hungry for new quality material. I also loved how much love was shown between creators this year too. Everyone seemed to show eachother support and that was great to see. With the year winding down, the time has come to name our the films we considered the best of 2016. This list is by no means intended to be definitive or better than anyone else's, it's simply just what we enjoyed and why. Also keep in mind, that while some of these films may have been extremely limited releases in 2015, we are including them because they either went wide this year or have not yet done so and we saw them this year in festival premieres. So lets get right down to business.

Film Submissions Now Open for the Popcorn Frights Film Festival

FILM SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR

3RD ANNUAL POPCORN FRIGHTS!

Attention filmmakers! We're proud to announce that submissions are officially open for the 3rd annual Popcorn Frights Film Festival, occurring August 11-17, 2017, at the landmark O Cinema theater in Wynwood, Miami. Don't miss your chance to have your film presented at Florida's Premiere genre film festival that receives national and local media recognition, and has featured films from many of the world's most renowned filmmakers!

Uncle TNUC spotlights Steve Moore's The Mind's Eye score

Today we are sharing an article from our good friend Uncle TNUC about another pal of our's Steve Moore. Steve is the man responsible for the excellent score for the film The Guest, as well as one half of the awesome synthwave band Zombi. TNUC did such a good write up on Steve's latest superb score from the blast of a sci-fi horror film The Mind's Eye, that we felt compelled to share it.

Watch The Witching Season Episode 4 : THEY LIVE INSIDE US:

 

Back in October (Can't believe it's already going to be Thanksgiving) we spotlighted Witching Season Films from writer/director Michael Ballif. Michael previously had released three short horror films under the banner and now he is back with Witching Season Films most ambitious yet in "They Live Inside Us"

PromoteHorror.com interviews Found Footage 3D director Steven Degennaro

Found Footage 3D is one of the most celebrated horror films of the year. It has been screening at festivals and special showings throughout the country to much acclaim. Our friend over at PromoteHorror.com recently had the chance to interview its director (and writer) Steven Degennaro.

Trick or Treat with Wilnette

Every year when we start out our October planning, we have a long list of things we want to do and achieve, sometimes everything falls into place and we get a majority of it done (2014) , other times circumstances dictate otherwise (2015) .

This year was kind of a mixed bag, as we absolutely wanted to get more photo shoots done, but with a busy weekend schedule and traveling, it left us with little time to accomplish them. Luckily the final shoot of October is full of enough Halloween spirit to close out the season in style.

TrueHorror.net presents CLUB RADIO : October Mix Vol. 5 Mixed by Ryan Harris

One of my favorite traditions at TrueHorror.net is pepping our annual October Mixes. Last year's House of the Devil inspired mix received a great response and I was really happy with how it turned out. This year it took a bit longer for me to find inspiration, but soon enough it came in the form of  one of my favorite horror films, Fright Night and it's famous nightclub scene. 

An Interview With Luke Barnett, Writer of FEAR, INC.

Back in August we attended the Popcorn Frights Film Festival in Miami. The festival opened with a film I knew very little about, but ended up loving. That film as you probably figured out by now was Fear, Inc. As I watched it, I kept saying to myself "People are going to eat this up, especially come October."

Review: FEAR, INC.

Opening night of the recent Popcorn Frights Film Festival in Miami kicked off with a film that other than seeing it on the program and reading the short synopsis, I had heard little about. As usual I opted to not read up on it and go in knowing as little as possible. That film was the horror-comedy Fear, Inc. and as it turned out, it ended up being a great way to start the fest and the crowd seemed to think so too.

Witching Season Films

I always say my favorite thing about TrueHorror.net is the cool, like minded people we get to meet thanks to the site. Case in point, Michael and Sadie Ballif. Michael is the mind behind Witching Season Films, who specializes in bringing Halloween themed short films to life.

Halloween 0:The Deprived - A metrofudge Memoir

My name is metrofudge and I am 27 years recovered from being the child of a former Jehovah's Witness. There. I said it. That felt good. What didn't feel good was missing out on everything fun that every friend of mine did growing up. Right off the bat you'd probably think Christmas but you'd be wrong.

A TrueHorror October 2016

October has finally returned, and with it a new TrueHorror celebration of all things Halloween. Last year we did quite a few things we enjoyed, however due to some crappy circumstances along with a poorly timed bout with the flu, we did not get to do as much as we would have liked. So this year we are hoping to make up for it a bit by getting a running start. Not only are we excited to celebrate Halloween, this month marks our 4 year anniversary.

This season we have all new photo sets throughout the month, starting today with a creepy fun shoot with our friend Andreina entitled Blood Harvest. which you can see right here.  We have others already shot and more planned and we intend to make them all happen. We also have a bunch of articles and reviews on deck that will help get you into the spirit of the season and keep you there all the way through the 31st! Sprinkle in a few interviews and with a little bit of luck, an all new TrueHorror October music mix and we are looking at a full slate of spooky themed fun.

We look forward to sharing it all with you as well as seeing everything you, our friends are doing all across the country and world. So please if you have something cool going on, please tag us or show us, because part of the fun of October is the fact that everyone has their own ways to celebrate and it's a blast to see it all. So stay tuned and lets get October going!

Blood Harvest featuring Andreina

It's finally October, and that means we are getting back to doing what we love most, celebrating Halloween all month long. Our favorite way to do that? Some TrueHorror.net photoshoots! Last year we had a few planned that we were unfortunately unable to get done due to all sorts of circumstances. This year is a different story and we are excited to share the first of many upcoming photo sets. 

4 years of TrueHorror

Can't believe its already been 4 years since the start of TrueHorror.net. When I sit back and think about it, we have definitely come a long way since then. Prior to this incarnation of the site, TrueHorror.net was simply a tumblr site that I used to showcase my horror photography, I also had fortunate enough to do some fun advertisements for Horrorhound magazine, but essentially that was it. In 2013 I had stepped away from doing any photography and found myself in a bit of a rut, not only creatively, but in life as well. A lot of times people ask why I often refer to everything regarding the site as "we" instead of an "I". Well one of the reasons is because without a number of people who have helped me over the years, TrueHorror.net would not be what it is.

FOUND FOOTAGE 3D One Sheet by TrueHorror.net and Matt Durston

We are extremely excited to help reveal the new one sheet we created for the upcoming film Found Footage 3D from director Steven Degennaro. Co-designed with our good friend and frequent collaborator Matt Durston. We think the image is quite eye catching and fun, while keeping the spirit of those classic horror movie posters and VHS covers we all love so much.

Review: The Triangle

The Triangle is a film I was recently given the opportunity to check out. Knowing little about it but being a fan of mocumentary/found footage style films, I was intrigued. The plot and initial set up sounded very reminiscent of Ti West's The Sacrament. So while I was intrigued I was also hoping it wouldn't be too similar. Luckily it does a pretty good job at not only separating itself from that film but also from other mocumentary style films as well. It does so while delivering an eerie viewing experience

Music: PILOTPRIEST - SLASHER

Anyone who knows this site, knows that we love our synth music. So today we wanted to share a new musical treat with you all. It comes in the form of the track from the artist known as Pilotpriest and it is entitled "Slasher" 

Review: BLAIR WITCH

The Blair Witch Project is a very divisive film among horror fans. It seems to be a love it or hate it kind of thing. Ever since I sat down in the theater with my Dad, 17 years ago on opening day  I have been in the love it camp. It is not a film for everyone, it never has been, but if you were able to watch that film under the correct circumstances and put yourself into the shoes of Heather, Josh and Mike, you were rewarded with quite a chilling viewing experience. Now, 17 years later, we return to the Black Hills Forest, courtesy of Director Adam Wingard and writer Simon Barrett, the duo who brought us the recent horror hits You're Next and The Guest now bring us BLAIR WITCH.

The Importance of Film Screenings and The Theater Going Experience

One thing I often find myself debating a great deal these days, whether it be online or in the real world is the value and merit of the theater going experience. In a time when streaming has become a legitimate and convenient method of movie watching, less people seem to feel the need to go to out to the theater to watch movies. Still I am of the mindset that they are missing out on something by staying home.

Review: DON'T BREATHE

I really enjoyed Evil Dead 2013. I know some Evil Dead loyalists didn't care for it's grim and more serious take on the material, but I found it to be an effective and harrowing film, that delivered an intense and still fun theater experience. Director Fede Alvarez crafted a beautiful looking film, full of creative camera work, and arresting visuals. Not to mention the violence and gore was next level cringe inducing. Based on Evil Dead I was definitely anticipating what Alvarez would do next, and that brings us to Don't Breathe. 

Don't Fall Asleep : A Nightmare On Elm Street Fan Film

Recently we collaborated with our friend Diandra Lazor on a really cool poster project. We worked together to recreate the iconic one sheet to the original A Nightmare On Elm Street. Diandra is not only the ultimate Nightmare fan, she is also the biggest Nancy Thompson fan we have ever met. 

A Reaction To The New RINGS Trailer

We want to welcome a new contributor to our site today, her name is Amber and she is a horror fan through and through. We met Amber at a preview of The Neon Demon and have gotten to know her better at each subsequent screening. She is truly passionate about horror and we are happy to have her aboard. Amber was a big fan of the original The Ring film and upon watching the new trailer felt compelled to express her thoughts. So here they are:

For The Love of Horror: A Recap of the 2016 Popcorn Frights Film Festival

This past Thursday marked the end of the 2016 Popcorn Frights Film Festival. This year's incarnation of the festival expanded from four films over four nights to a full week long slate of 17 films plus a short prior to each screening. It was a big undertaking but Popcorn Frights Co-Founders Marc and Igor were up to the task. 

Hot Mess with Victoria and Cristal

It has been my experience that no matter how much prep you put in before a photo shoot, more often than not, there will be some point where you need to improvise. If you are lucky it will be something rather simple to switch up, such as a lighting set up. Other times though it can unfortunately alter all your plans when something is simply not working as you envisioned and you hope you can salvage the shoot and everyone's time and patience. 

DIANDRA'S NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

Someone once asked me what was the best part of about running TrueHorror.net. Ever since then the answer has always been the same, the new friends I have made. Through it all I have made all kinds of new friendships and acquaintances. There is something very fulfilling about meeting a like minded individual and hitting it off from the start. Diandra was no exception. We had been wanting to work together for quite sometime, sadly the timing never worked out, until now.

Review: NECA's Ultimate Terminator - Tech Noir T-800

Continuing their stellar line of "Ultimate" edition figures. NECA delivers another homerun with The Terminator affectionately known as the Tech Noir T-800 as seen in the original Terminator film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

Florida's 2nd Annual Popcorn Frights Film Festival Lineup is here!

Popcorn Frights Film Festival, Florida’s leading international genre film festival, celebrates its 2nd year in Miami this August 12 through 18, 2016, presenting a record 16 features and 17 short film premieres at the landmark O Cinema Wynwood theater.

Halloween Resurrected: Our Thoughts On The Big News

So by now the news has spread like wildfire through all media outlets that John Carpenter is returning to the franchise he started more than 30 years ago. That's right, John Carpenter is once again involved in the Halloween franchise.

Review: The Conjuring 2

James Wan has carved out quite a legacy for himself as a horror filmmaker. Throughout the 2000's he and his good friend/filmmaking partner Leigh Whannell ushered in mega franchises Saw and Insidious (along with it's two sequels). In between that the duo then delivered the spooky ventriloquist horror Dead Silence. In 2013 not only did he direct Insidious Chapter 2, but he also set out on his own and introduced audiences to what I consider one of the best horror films in recent years, The Conjuring. 

Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

I was not a fan of the 2014 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle film, not one bit. I actually despised it. As a TMNT fan for most of my life, not a fanatic, but I do have a very specific idea of what TMNT should be, As a kid who grew up favoring the original black and white Mirage comics which featured a grittier and violent take on the Turtles, I appreciated the original 1990 film. It borrowed greatly from the Mirage comics storyline while combining it pretty flawlessly with the cartoon's humorous sensibility. The result was a film that had a gritty real world feel and story with heart that also was able to appeal to the masses and kids who made TMNT a household name.  To this day, it still has a certain charm that will be hard to capture in this age of polished CGI. I have come to the realization some time ago that that 1990 film is the closest I will get to my perfect TMNT movie. It was by no means perfect, but for the most part it gave me everything I wanted out of a Ninja Turtle movie. Which brings us to this new series of Turtle films. 

An Interview with Puppet Master comic writer Shawn Gabborin

Last month I wrote about my memories regarding the Puppet Master franchise. While researching some facts for that article, I discovered the new Puppet Master comic series from Action Lab Comics . I was wary of course as many licensed comics based on horror properties don't always do the source material justice, nor are they respectful to the stories that came before. I am pleased to say that was not the case with the new Puppet Master series. Action Lab's Puppet Master expands on the stories established in the film series, and gives many of the loose ends found there satisfying conclusions as well.

TrueHorror Memories: Freddy's Dead

One common statement I often hear come up in discussions between horror fans is "Man, I wish I could have experienced that on the big screen" or "Would have loved to see that when it was first released in theaters!" They are generally referring to older films that saw their release when the person was too young or not alive at all to have seen said film in theaters.  As a life long horror fan, I will always be a bit bummed I missed theater viewings for so many films. 

We Celebrate Alien Day! part 2

Well so far Alien Day has proved to be a hit! Fans everywhere seem to be getting in on the action and plenty of companies are participating and revealing all sorts of Alien themed treats for fans to score!
From prints to toys and everything else, it seems everyone has has got on board and made today a real treat for fans of the franchise. And why not, the Alien franchise is one that has remained popular for decades and even for myself, my interest is at an all time high. Earlier I wrote a post detailing my personal memories regarding each film, which was a fun walk down memory lane for me. Now as a capper to Alien Day we want to have a little more fun and share a couple pieces of art and some photography I did using my own personal Alien collection, as well as some final thoughts on the significance of today and the Alien films. Let's get to it!

We Celebrate Alien Day! Part 1

The day Alien fans have been looking forward to is finally here! April 26th has officially been deemed Alien Day. The date was selected as an homage to the Alien's planet of origin in the original film and sequel, LV-426. There has been quite a bit of hype leading up to today, with major companies from Reebok to Neca revealing all types of Xenomorph related merchandise and promotions. We here at TrueHorror.net are huge Alien fans, and are excited to get in on the action and festivities. Originally wanting to host an Alien themed art show on our site, we were unable to get it organized as quickly and efficiently as we wanted. So in turn I decided to just create an all inclusive set of posts detailing all sorts of tidbits, new photos and tales of Alien nostalgia. So here we go and we hope you enjoy our little bit of Alien Day goodness. We will be splitting the posts into two parts, with this part one taking a trip down memory lane and my experiences with each Alien movie, so without further ado...

Review: Holidays

Horror fans love a good anthology. There have been many throughout the years, and they deliver a veritable grab bag of horror treats. Just like a bag of Halloween candy, you may or may not always get something to your liking, but chances are there will at least be one Twix or Kit Kat in the bag mixed in with the circus peanuts and black licorice.

TrueHorror Memories: Puppet Master

One thing I wanted to do when we started TrueHorror.net was to explore my fondest memories that involved horror and my experiences with it. So in an effort to get back to that, I am turning to one of the most prevalent horror films from my youth. Full Moon's Puppet Master series.

THE Editorial

According to Merriam-Webster, a simple definition of the word "the" is as follows — a definite article "used to indicate a person or thing that has already been mentioned or seen or is clearly understood from the situation." With the tail end of that definition in focus here, let's take a gander at a handful of recent horror films, shall we? "The Witch", "The Boy", "The Ruins", "The Pyramid", "The Babadook", "The Canal", "The Conjuring", "The Hallow", "The Darkness", "The Abandoned", "The Gallows", "The Forest", "The Veil", "The Complex", "The...ok, you get the gist. I could easily continue on like this for most of the day, or even a week, but fortunately I will spare you and myself the redundancy.

Review: Summer Camp

I want to get one thing out of the way before I go on with this review, Summer Camp's title might be misleading and or disappointing for some, particularly those who are not aware of the film's premise beforehand. YES, it does take place at a summer camp, Camp Buho to be exact, however this particular summer camp is located in Spain and set on the grounds of what almost looks like an old monastery. The film however does revolve around a group of counselors, who arrive to set up the place for a group of children scheduled to arrive the following morning. 

Review: 10 Cloverfield Lane

As far as found footage films go, I place 2008's Cloverfield in the upper echelon of what has become an over saturated sub genre. It was a great depiction of a giant monster attack in Manhattan and effectively puts the viewer in the thick of it all via the first person camera work and keeps the monster in mystery by only glimpses of it throughout until the finale. The film was a success and while there were certainly those who didn't care for it's shaky cam aesthetic, many fans were hoping for a sequel that would explain a bit more of the monsters origins, despite the movies modest success, it never happened, probably for the better.

Review: Bat Gremlin Deluxe Figure by NECA

It is time for another installment of our ongoing series of nostalgia laced toy reviews. I enjoy doing these as it is a fun way for me to look back fondly at memories while doing something fun for the site as well. This time with another of my all time favorite properties, Gremlins. As an all time classic, Gremlins has grown over the years to become one of the most beloved 80's properties and has produced quite a number of notable collectibles from various companies. My own personal history with the franchise goes all the way back to 1984 when it was originally released in theaters. I don't have the best recollection of which theater I saw this in or who took me, but I definitely remember that I loved it and was hooked on any Gremlins merch I could get my hands on, as there was an abundance of fun items out there for us little kids. 

Dissecting Fear: An Interview with Composer/Musician Steve Moore

There are countless films that have been elevated to entirely new levels thanks to their accompanying musical scores. Whether it's a classic such as John Carpenter's Halloween or the more recent, dread filled synth of It Follows, a film's score is one of the most integral parts of it's DNA. Today's interviewee, Steve Moore, knows a thing or two about this as he is the man responsible for crafting one of the standout scores of the past few years. 

Video Premiere: La Garconne - Vestibule

One of my favorite projects I have ever worked on was my collaboration with my new friend Ranya Dube aka La Garçonne. Originally I reached out to her in the comments section of one of her youtube videos after I heard her song in the film Starry Eyes, we began to discuss collaborating on releasing her music as an album on cassette.

NOW AVAILABLE: LA GARÇONNE - AS DAYS GO BY

The day has finally arrived as TrueHorror Music's first release is here. As Days Go By from La Garçonne is now available to purchase in two forms. The first and best way is to grab one our beautiful limited edition purple cassettes which also conveniently includes a free digital download code for the full album. This limited edition is a run of 50 and they are already close to half way gone via pre-orders. So snag one while you can if interested.

Grab the limited edition cassette HERE

You can also simply purchase the album digitally via a variety of outlets such as our preferred BANDCAMP , Amazon and of course iTunes. Follow any of those links and you can sample the album as well as be able to grab the album instantly. 

You can also sample the album by watching the video below

La Garçonne is the solo project of Whistler, Canada based singer-songwriter/producer Ranya Dube. Armed with a macbook pro and a neon lit right brain, Dube creates moody electro-pop laced with new wave, post-punk and synth pop influences perfect for night time listening.

To Ranya, La Garçonne is a passion project that fell into the right hands and landed her a spot on the soundtrack to the acclaimed 2014 horror film, Starry Eyes which features the second single we released entitled Zebra Kids . To our newly launched label, La Garçonne is a diamond in the rough and inspired us to start this music label in the first place. The first single "I'm On Punch" garnered much praise and kind words as it was premiered on Baeble Music where they wrote "If "I'm On Punch had been released in 2011 when Nicholas Wending Refn's cult classic "Drive", had been released, it's easy to hear it being all over the film's glossy 80's sheen soundtrack"  

We couldn't be more excited about welcoming Ranya into the TrueHorror.net family and feel it is a perfect place for her and her music. To see just why we feel this way you can check out our in depth interview with her HERE . In it we discuss everything from life to music and of course her undying love of the horror genre which helped make her a natural fit as the flagship artist for our newly minted TrueHorror Music imprint.

To help launch the release we have a video of the albums title track AS DAYS GO BY created by Ranya Dube, Stella Gardiner and Emily-Jane Robinson with makeup by Elin Dannecker.


LA GARÇONNE - AS DAYS GO BY from Ranya Dube on Vimeo.

We really hope you all check the album out and hope you discover just why we felt so compelled to take a chance on this artist and go forth with this project.

Review: DEADPOOL

I have always been a comic book lover. Thinking back to my earliest memories there were always some comic books in the house, whether from my dad or older brother. So throughout my years comic books have had a steady presence in my life. My Spider-Man fandom is well known and aside from my undying love for Batman:the animated series as my definitive Batman, I have never been shy about my loyalty to Marvel. By now most die hard comic fans know all about the differences between a Marvel movie from FOX or another studio and an actual Marvel Studios movie commonly referred to as the Marvel Cinematic Universe or MCU.