News, reviews, and snarky opinions are the backbone of the blogging world, and horror is no exception. What began two years ago as a traditional genre blog, The Horror Blog has slowly blossomed into an entertaining forum for expression thanks to the weekly Horror Roundtable, in which prominent bloggers assemble to answer questions like "Setting Zombies on Fire: Decent Strategy or Horrible Mistake?". Curated by Steven Wintle, each Roundtable topic is an opportunity to pick the brains of writers who really know their stuff.

"I sent out invitations to the first batch of participants just to get the ball rolling," says Wintle, "This group was comprised of practically every horror blogger I could think of. After that initial drive, I would occasionally extend an open invite on the blog, and we would get new recruits either that way or just by people inquiring about it." Wintle gives full credit to his panelists for the Roundtable's success to date, "It's like a dinner party, but everyone invited is a cannibal."

Continue reading "Site of the Week - Horror Blog's "Weekly Roundtable"" »

Maybe you already saw Teeth maybe you didn't... but either way, you've probably already cracked a joke about it. Mitchell Lichtenstein's vagina dentata movie rode a wave of one-liners to the top of many people's 2007 must-see movie lists, and arrives on DVD today. Lichtenstein took a break from filming his new movie (Happy Tears, starring Demi Moore and Parker Posey) to comment on whether fans of the radiant Jess Weixler can look forward to more Teeth turns in the future.

Q: Teeth was gratefully received by horror fans, and they have a long memory. Do you have plans to return to the genre anytime soon or revisiting the story?

A: Conceivably. It's left sort of open-ended so that there could certainly be the further adventures of Dawn, but I don't quite know what they would be yet. I don't want her to turn into Aileen Wuornos... but I enjoy the genre so maybe I'll come up with something.

Q: The special effects were pretty graphic. Did capturing an R rating impose constraints on your creativity?

Continue reading "Director Mitchell Lichtenstein Says the Ratings Board Thought Teeth Was a Cautionary Tale " »

A gentle man with a fearful occupation, Dr. Charles Ptak D.D.S knows that his work can be off-putting. "Many people don't understand how you could handle the blood, or drilling in the oral cavity with blood and saliva and infectious material and so forth," he says, adding: "I've seen a lot over the 25 years I've practiced; I can be amazed, but not surprised."

While many people consider the prospect of oral surgery to be scarier than a visit from Pinhead or Freddy Krueger, Dr. Ptak isn't himself immune to the allure of a great scary movie. The classic creature-features that Shock Theater played on TV in the late '50s primed him for a later interest in darker fare, such as Hellraiser, and clinical detachment doesn't help. "I'm not so far removed from my emotions and empathy for other people that it doesn't get to me. That film was horrible, very expressive -- and that's why we love movies," says Dr. Ptak.

Dr. Charles Ptak's Top 10 Horror Movies

Continue reading "Classic Creature Features Primed Oral Surgeon Charles Ptak for Darker Fare " »

In late 2006, Capcom's release of Lost Planet provided fans with an opportunity to relive moments ripped directly from Starship Troopers, planting controller jockeys behind the wheel of a giant mech tasked with clearing a frozen wasteland of its insectoid inhabitants.

It was a fun romp, but one that lacked a crucial option -- the ability to play from the antagonist's perspective. Thankfully, on May 27, Capcom is releasing Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition, an expansion which will fill the void.

Continue reading "Lost Planet Now Lets You Play From the Monster's Point of View" »

• Director Dan Myrick wants people to know he's not just a one-hit wonder and say, "OK, this guy can do more than just one movie, he can do more than just Blair Witch." 

• The older you get, the scarier birthdays become. To celebrate my decay: Cakes that are edible and age-appropriate.

• Dismembered Macy's mannequins are given new life in Florida. "It's a handmade zombie farm."

• Shocktilyoudrop.com has exclusive news about Breck Eisner's Creature From the Black Lagoon remake: The updated Gill Man will surface in the Forest of Mirrors.

• Eli Roth (Hostel) isn't ditching horror. "A headline that nasty is not only untrue, it makes it seem like I'm like spitting in the face of everyone who's ever supported me." Let's be clear: His PG-13 film will be scary, just in a different way.

• A cajun werewolf legend turned a struggling artist into a multi-millionaire. CBS would like you to Meet the Blue Dog.