The Vault of Horror's Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide!

It's that time of year again, when we each come up with our fantasy "wish list" of horror goodies, and hope that our loved ones pick up the hint and get us something we want, instead of another bland stocking stuffer we have to pretend to be excited about. That's why I've gone to the trouble once again of putting together this special catalog of brand new horror-related gift ideas for Christmas, Hannukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, Festivus, or whatever.

Whether you print this out and hand it over to the folks buying you gifts this year, or if you're the woeful significant other of a horror freak trying to figure out what the hell to buy for them, I hope you find this useful...

Video

Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer - Blu-Ray, $17.98 (Big Blu-Ray releases are the order of the day this year. Sign of the times...)
Gremlins - Blu-Ray, $28.99 (The Dante/Spielberg '80s classic comes to Blu-Ray for its 25th anniversary.)
The Monster Squad - Blu-Ray, $19.99 (I confess this cult favorite has lost a bit of luster for me personally, but most from my generation go nuts for it. Here it is on Blu-Ray for the first time.)
Near Dark - Blu-Ray, $19.99 (Another, more deserved cult fave takes a Blu bow. And to think, there was a time when all prints were believed lost...)
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark - DVD, $19.99 (The sole DVD release I've included is of my personal favorite horror TV movie of all time. Believe it or not, this is Warner Bros.' first official DVD release in the United States.)

Books

English Gothic: A Century of Horror Cinema - Paperback, $32.95 (This acclaimed 2001 history of British horror films from the silent era to the 1970s has finally come to paperback. Yeesh, I wonder how much the hardcover cost!)
Saga of the Swamp Thing, Book 2 - Graphic novel, $24.99 (More of Alan Moore's groundbreaking run on DC's greatest horror character. I've got a review copy from DC that I can't to jump into. Yes, it's good to be me.)
Strange Suspense: Steve Ditko Archives - Graphic novel, $39.99 (An amazing collection encompassing the first few years of Ditko's work in comics, when he pumped out uncompromising horror tales, just prior to the inception of the Comics Code.)
Eerie Archives, Vol. 2 - Graphic novel, $49.95 (In addition to Creepy, Eerie was one of Warren Publications' innovative mag-sized horror comics of the 1960s and 1970s. This Dark Horse compendium collects more of the best of them.)

Toys

Last Night on Earth - Board game, $57.95 (A zombie survival board game. Pricey, but looks like a lot of fun.)
Arkham Horror - Board game, $59.99 (An even pricier, yet even more fun board game based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft.)
The Simpsons Tree House of Horrors Monopoly - Board game, $35.95 (I know, I know, we've all had enough of these themed versions of Monopoly, but I like this one, don't you?)
Edgar Allen Poe - Action figure, $12.95 (How cool is this? It even comes with a raven accessory...)
1954 Godzilla - Action figure, $15.25 (Bandai outdid themselves when they put out this 6-inch vinyl figure of Godzilla as he appeared in his original movie. A must-have for any G-fan.)

Music

The Definitive Horror Movie Music Collection - CD box set, $39.98 (This four-disc collection was just released last Halloween, and features the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra performing a vast array of beloved horror themes from movies such as The Omen, Young Frankenstein, Let the Right One In, The Thing, Poltergeist, The Haunting, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Exorcist and yes, Twilight.)

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The Motherlode of Horror Home Video!

Just a little heads up tonight for you adrenaline freaks out there, to let you know that last week and this week have unleashed upon us a rash of awe-inspiring horror releases on Blu-Ray and DVD the likes of which I've rarely seen. You just have to love the Halloween season.

Between this week and last, here's what you collectors and renters out there now have the ability to own and/or experience:

An American Werewolf in London (BLU)
Includes the excellent fan-made documentary Beware the Moon. And how about that awesome cover?!

Van Helsing (BLU)
Awful. But perhaps of interest to you Universal completists out there.

Army of Darkness (BLU)
This one's called the "Screwhead Edition". How could you not love that?

Phantasm II (DVD)
As astonishing as it may seem, this is the first time that this 1988 sequel has been released on DVD.

Misery (BLU)
The movie that made Kathy Bates a star, and reminded us all that James Caan was still alive.

Child's Play (BLU)
Just in time for the needless remake!

Grace (BLU)
Oddly enough, this one was not simultaneously released on DVD. Hope it's coming...

Deadgirl (DVD)
A limited release low-budget shocker that's well-worth seeking out. Trust me.

Shaun of the Dead (BLU)
Is there anything more that can be said about this one? A slice of fried gold. Get it.

Gojira (BLU)
I was delighted to see the original Japanese version get the deluxe DVD treatment a couple years, and now Blu-Ray. Rapture. I may just have to buy a player...

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Hump-Day Harangue: What the Hell Is the Industry's Problem with Clive Barker?

As if I don't rant enough already up in here, I'm kicking off a new very special section in which to unleash my vitriol in print form. And in this case, the source of my frustration is the apparent complete lack of confidence that film producers and distributors seem to have in one Clive Barker. Yes, Clive Barker, the man who is one of the finest writers of horror literature of the 20th century, the man Stephen King wishes he could be. And yet, for some reason, this guy can't seem to get arrested in Hollywood.

First came last year's Midnight Meat Train debacle. Based on one of Barker's stories, the film was one of the most original, daring and visually stimulating pieces of horror cinema in 2008. And yet at the last minute, the theatrical distribution got pulled. The masterpiece of a horror flick was destined for the direct-to-DVD pile, but thanks to a grassroots campaign started up by an outraged Barker himself, it was at least released to rinky-dink second-run houses in a few select markets. A far cry from what should have been.

I suppose the feeling was that a film with such a hard R rating would have trouble raking in the bucks. But come on, there are plenty of hard R flicks out there that do quite well without pandering to the coveted high school demographic. I mean, here you have a horror film that is actually imaginative and interesting, as opposed to the slew of derivative garbage that seems to get carte blanche out there in the market these days. I just don't get it.

And now, the latest Barker-related controversy has to do with what is, for my money, one of the most underrated horror films of the 1990s, Barker's Nightbreed. The picture marked the return of Barker to the director's chair for the first time since the original Hellraiser, and was another truly original and arresting vision. And yet as great as it was, there was always talk of lost footage that was cut against Barker's wishes, and the fact that a true director's cut would prove to have been an even better film.

So obviously, the recent news that, contrary to previous beliefs, the supposedly lost extra footage of Nightbreed actually exists, was met with some excitement from Barker fans. Excitement that was quickly squelched when it was learned that the studio had no desire to dig up the footage and do anything with it, since they felt there isn't enough of a market for it to justify the expense. Not of creating a director's cut--not even of remastering the film for Blu-Ray release.

What gives? Why the lack of support for the work of one of the most beloved authors in the horror community? The Midnight Meat Train thing was bad enough, but this Nightbreed situation is really a slap in the face, both to Barker and his fan base. Don't forget, we're talking about two excellent, innovative and truly unique horror films--not the PG-13 pablum that gets spoonfed to us on an almost weekly basis (the bad-assery of Drag Me to Hell being a major exception, obviously).

But fear not, gentle readers. Because once again, everyone's favorite openly gay horror writer is back on the case, and we can all help him. The footage does indeed exist, which is very good news. And which means that all it will take is a good swift fanboy kick in the ass to these studio execs to make them see that there indeed enough freaks out there willing to plunk down their hard-earned ducats for this bad boy.

The excellent website Clive Barker Revelations is working with the author on another grassroots campaign. If you're a Nightbreed fan who'd like to see the flick get the director's cut, special edition DVD and/or Blu-Ray release it deserves, email these guys here or send a Tweet to @philandsarah. The full Twitter page is here. The support has already reportedly been rolling in. You can also read a lot more about the whole mess, including comments from Barker himself, right here.

There's nothing we can do about the Midnight Meat Train stupidity, what's done is done. But we can take a stand and see to it that Nightbreed gets the treatment it really deserves. And that the visionary Clive Barker actually gets shown a little bit of respect from an industry that seems content to spew out the likes of Prom Night remakes and Final Destination part 27.

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The Vault of Horror's Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide '09

In the midst of America's yearly tribute to gluttony and greed, the Thanksgiving/Black Friday weekend, I bring to you my second annual holiday season gift guide. This year, I've tried to focus on the items that might not be among the most obvious, but deserve attention. In other words, you don't need me to tell you to run out and grab Hellboy II or I Am Legend. But here are some ideas that you may have overlooked:

Video

Resident Evil 3-Pack - DVD, $29.95 (Blu-Ray elitists got this set earlier this year, but this is the first time DVD luddites can own the nu-zombie trilogy of RE, RE: Apocalypse & RE: Extinction. Available 12/9.)
Vampyr Special Edition - DVD, $39.95 (Not my cup of tea, but this last gasp of German Expressionism is a revered early favorite, with its first deluxe DVD treatment.)
Night Gallery Season 2 - DVD, $59.98 (The newly released second installment of Rod Serling's other landmark horror/sci-fi series.)
Oasis of the Zombies - DVD, $9.99 (This piece of Nazi/zombie trash, reissued for the first time since 2001, is worth seeing for a laugh. And wisely priced at under $10.)
Lights Out, Vol. 3 & 4 - DVD, $7.98 each (The long-awaited follow-up installments of one of TV's earliest horror series, based on the classic radio series of the '40s. Each DVD contains four episodes.)
Dark Shadows: The Beginning Vol. 6, DVD $59.98 (For the stark raving Dark Shadows fanatic in your life, this is the final collection of DS episodes from the earliest era of the soap, before Barnabas Collins showed up and changed the course of the series. Contains episodes 179-209, from the spring of 1967.)
The Terror - Blu-Ray, $11.98 (On Blu-Ray for the first time, it's Roger Corman's classic. See Boris Karloff and Jack Nicholshon on screen together!)
The Beyond - DVD, $24.95 (It's the spiffy new edition of Lucio Fulci's masterwork. Having just caught this gem for the first time, I can't recommend it highly enough to fan's of exploitation horror.)

Books

Sookie Stackhouse Boxed Set - Paperbacks, $55.93 (The seven books of Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Mysteries, the inspiration for HBO's True Blood. Available for $39.15 at bn.com!)
Wolves at the Gate - Graphic novel, $15.95 (The third collection of Joss Whedon's history-making "Season 8" of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, told in comic book form.)
The Living Dead - Paperback, $15.95 (An excellent anthology of zombie fiction featuring stories by the likes of Stephen King, Joe Hill, George R.R. Martin, Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, Harlan Ellison and Poppy Z. Brite. The hottest horror anthology on shelves today.)
Let the Right One In - Paperback, $15.95 (By Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist, translated into English by Ebba Segerberg. The novel that led to the movie of the same name.)

Toys

Flesh Eating Zombies - Action figures, $17.99 (A nine-piece set of hard vinyl, 3 1/4-inch zombie figures. Fun for the whole family!)
Cthulhu Plush Slippers - $36.99 (The price may be a bit steep, but what do you expect? Wearing Lovecraft's undying beast from beyond on your feet doesn't come cheap!)
Michael Myers Head Knocker - Bobblehead, $12.59 (It's a Michael Myers bobblehead. 'Nuff said.)

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Friedkin and Blatty Reunite for Exorcist Blu-Ray Special Feature

I'm trying real hard to resist jumping on the Blu-Ray bandwagon, only because I despise the idea of being suckered into buying the same titles over and over again (and really, how goddam clear do I need my picture and sound to be???) That said, it's getting harder and harder.

William Friedkin, director of The Exorcist, is a major fan of the Blu-Ray format, and has been working hard to generate a boatload of special features for the impending Blu-Ray release of his masterwork, despite the release still being nearly a year away.

The National Ledger reports that Friedkin has reached out to Exorcist author William Peter Blatty, and the two men will engage in a walking tour of all the famous locations in and around Georgetown, where the movie was filmed some 35 years ago. The tour will be filmed, and included on the Blu-Ray special edition. I just eat up that sort of thing. As anyone would be, I'm looking forward to seeing that sick staircase. Hopefully it still exists.

This doesn't mean ol' B-Sol is ready to make that switch to Blu-Ray just yet. For one thing, I'm looking forward to DVD prices dropping through the floor in the next couple years once the rest of you saps make the switch!

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HORROR SURVEY UPDATE: For those wondering, the tallying process for my grand poll of the "Cyber-Horror Elite" is currently well underway. In fact, the first round is done, and I have a list of the fifty. My issue right now is that several of the titles are tied for various positions, so I'm hosting a series of back-room run-off elections to determine the final positioning. When all is said and done, it should be one hell of a list: The 50 greatest horror movies of all time, as determined by some of the web's most prominent horror bloggers and writers. And I'm honored to have folks like Brad Miska of Bloody Disgusting, Stacie Ponder of Final Girl, Kim Paffenroth, John Kenneth Muir, BC of Horror-Movie-a-Day, Pierre Fournier of Frankensteinia, Chad Helder and many others participating. Stay tuned, it won't be much longer now...

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The Vault of Horror's Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide

Yes, folks, the holiday season is drawing near once again! Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa/Winter Solstice/Festivus is almost upon us. And you know what that means. Peace on Earth? Good will toward men? Sure, all that stuff, too--but I'm thinking of gift guides. So I figured, why not put in my two cents, as well? Here's a look at some goodies that happened to catch my eye, for that special sicko in your life. I've organized them by release date:

11/20

• Nosferatu: Ultimate Edition - DVD, $29.95 (discussed here a couple days back)
• Stir of Echoes 2: The Homecoming - DVD, $26.98 (starring Rob Lowe; should be good for a laugh or two)
• Tremors - HD DVD, $29.98

11/21

• The Bride of Frankenstein - Paperback, $6.99 (Intriguing novel which postulates that the Bride wasn't destroyed at the end of the movie.)

11/25

• Demon Night - Paperback, $11.95 (new one from J. Michael Straczynski)

• The Essential Dracula - Paperback, $14.95 (annotated edition of Stoker's classic)
• The Essential Phantom of the Opera - Paperback, $14.95 (you get the idea)

11/27

• The Omega Man - Blu-Ray, $28.99 (100% Anglo-Saxon, baby!!)

11/28

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Panel to Panel - Paperback, $19.95 (a look back at ten years of Buffy in Dark Horse Comics)
• Hellboy Animated Vol. 3: The Menagerie - Graphic novel, $6.95

11/29

• The Fly & Other Horror Stories - Paperback, $10.54 (British anthology)
• Winter Moon - Audiobook (for the blind/lazy Dean Koontz fan!)

11/30

• Trashfiend: Disposable Horror Fare of the 1960s and 1970s - Paperback, $19.95

12/1

• The Hellbound Heart - Hardcover, $30.00 (20th anniversary edition of Clive Barker's masterwork)

12/4

• Carrie - DVD, $19.98 (Re-released as part of MGM's "Decades Collection", comes with a CD of some kind)
• The Last Man on Earth - DVD, $14.98 (a spiffy re-release to capitalize on the sure-to-be-vastly-inferior I Am Legend)
• 20 Million Miles to Earth - DVD, $24.96 (50th Anniversay edition)

12/5

• Batman: Vampire - Graphic novel, $19.99 (continuation of Doug Moench & Kelley Jones' compelling and unrelenting saga)
• Hellblazer: Bloodlines - Graphic novel, $19.99 (hopefully better than Hellraiser: Bloodlines!)

12/11

• Masters of Horror: Season 1, Vol. 4 - Blu-Ray, $29.98
• Silent Night, Deadly Night - DVD, $14.98 (back to piss off soccer moms nationwide once more!)

12/15

• Final Destination: Spring Break - Paperback, $17.99 (see: Stir of Echoes 2)

12/18

• The Evil Dead: Ultimate Edition - DVD, $34.98 (previously talked about here)

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