News

As the format continues to gain traction, here’s our regularly-updated list of upcoming 4K Ultra HD disc releases in the UK.

Sitting alongside our list of upcoming DVD and Blu-ray releases (that you can find here), we’re also keeping a calendar for those who support the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc format. As we learn of new UK releases, we’ll add them to this list.

We have started adding shopping links too. We’d be obliged if you clicked on them, as it really helps us in our quest to make the Film Stories project of magazines, website and podcast profitable. We’re a 100% independent publisher, and we quite like drinking coffee. It’d be lovely to afford some more.

Without further ado, here are the titles we know about…

Out now

10th February: Cronos

10th February: The Italian Job (original)

10th February: Weird Science

10th February:...

From Italian master of horror Lucio Fulci, Don’t Torture a Duckling will be released on 4K Ultra HD on March 25 via Arrow Video.

The 1972 Italian giallo film has been newly restored in 4K from the original 2-perf Techniscope camera negative with newly restored original lossless mono Italian (with English subtitles) and English soundtracks.

Fulci co-wrote the script with Gianfranco Clerici (Cannibal Holocaust) and Roberto Gianviti (The Psychic). Florinda Bolkan, Tomas Milian, Barbara Bouchet, Irene Papas, Marc Porel, and Georges Wilson star.

Special Features:

Audio commentary by Troy Howarth, author of So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian Giallo Films Lucio Fulci Remembers – 1988 audio interview with the filmmaker Who Killed Donald Duck – Interview with actress Barbara Bouchet Those Days with Lucio – Interview with actress Florinda Bolkan The Dp’s Eye – Interview with cinematographer Sergio D’Offizi From the Cutting Table – Interview with editor Bruno Micheli Endless Torture – Interview with makeup artist Maurizio...

Arrow Video’s March 2025 releases promise a treasure trove of cult cinema, featuring everything from gory giallo to shark-infested waters and a Japanese gem making its international debut. With restored classics, genre-defining hits, and packed collector’s editions, this line-up is a must for film fans.

The headline release is Lucio Fulci’s Don’t Torture a Duckling, arriving on 24 March in a pristine 4K restoration. Considered Fulci’s masterpiece, this 1972 giallo blends mystery and horror with biting social commentary. Following a series of child murders in a superstitious village, journalist Andrea (Tomas Milian) and socialite Patrizia (Barbara Bouchet) uncover shocking secrets. With its brutal violence and critique of the Catholic Church, Don’t Torture a Duckling is both provocative and essential viewing. Arrow’s edition includes a collector’s booklet and reversible sleeve, perfect for fans of Italian cinema.

On 3 March, Brian De Palma’s Dressed to Kill arrives in a Limited Edition 4K Uhd.

General Hospital’s Kevin Collins (Jon Lindstrom) recently announced the death of soap alum Nicholas Pryor, a prolific actor of soaps and films who died at the age of 89 from cancer. Pryor, who played Kevin’s father, Victor Collins on both General Hospital and Port Charles, died at his home in Wilmington, North Carolina.

General Hospital Spoilers – Jon Lindstrom’s Heartfelt Post To His Onscreen Father

General Hospital’s Lindstrom took to his Instagram account to share a heartfelt post concerning this onscreen father. Along with a photo, Lindstrom posted the following about his onscreen father. “It is my solemn task to announce the passing of the great Nicholas Pryor.

Nick was an Actor’s actor, and an exceptional friend. He passed on October 7, 2024, surrounded by loving family. Nick may be best known for his role as the father of [Tom Cruise] in [Risky Business], or as the same to...

Umberto Lenzi’s Nightmare Beach is a prime slice of late-’80s Italian horror filmmaking. Though it may not be as visually stylish as Dario Argento’s Opera or Michele Soavi’s The Church, the film nevertheless delivers the goods sought after by genre aficionados: set pieces of gory violence and unabashed nudity, a raucous heavy metal-infused soundtrack, and a complete disregard for conventional narrative logic. What’s more, in typically Italian fashion, Lenzi’s film gleefully smashes together various genre tropes in engagingly unpredictable fashion.

Glum footballer Skip (Nicolas De Toth) and his horndog buddy Ronny (Rawley Valverde) arrive for spring break in South Florida just as a killer on a motorcycle starts electrocuting young revelers in a variety of amusingly improbable ways. Taking a page from the Jaws playbook, the primary concern of the local bigwigs—Mayor Loomis (Fred Buck), dipso medico Doc Willet (Michael Parks), and brutal...

September marks Marcello Mastroianni’s centennial, and the Criterion Channel pays respect with a retrospective that puts the expected alongside some lesser-knowns: Monicelli’s The Organizer, Jacques Demy’s A Slightly Pregnant Man, and two by Ettore Scola. There’s also the welcome return of “Adventures In Moviegoing” with Rachel Kushner’s formidable selections, among them Fassbinder’s Mother Küsters Goes to Heaven, Pialat’s L’enfance nue, and Jean Eustache’s Le cochon. In the lead-up to His Three Daughters, a four-film Azazel Jacobs program arrives.

Theme-wise, a set of courtroom dramas runs from 12 Angry Men and Anatomy of a Murder to My Cousin Vinny and Philadelphia; a look at ’30s female screenwriters includes Fritz Lang’s You and Me, McCarey’s Make Way for Tomorrow, and Cukor’s What Price Hollywood? There’s also a giallo series if you want to watch an Argento movie and ask yourself,...

The Bloody Disgusting-powered Screambox is home to a variety of unique horror content, from originals and exclusives to cult classics and documentaries. With such a rapidly-growing library, there are many hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

Here are five recommendations you can stream on Screambox right now.

The Collector

If the triumphant return of the Saw franchise has you in the mood for more trap-laden horrors, look no further than The Collector — which was originally conceived as a prequel to Saw that would show Jigsaw’s original story. When producers passed on the idea, writers Patrick Melton & Marcus Dunstan (Saw IV-vii) reworked it into an original script, which Dunstan directed in 2009.

A slasher/home invasion hybrid for the so-called “torture porn” era, The Collector stars Criminal Minds‘ Josh Stewart as struggling ex-con Arkin. A planned heist at his new employer’s home to repay a debt becomes deadly when he...

The final movie in Lucio Fulci’s “Gates of Hell” trilogy, The House by the Cemetery is getting a brand new 4K Ultra HD release from Arrow Video this Halloween season.

Both the Limited Edition 4K and the Limited Edition Blu-ray sets will be releasing in the UK on October 9, and there’s also an Arrow Store Exclusive Limited Edition 4K variant.

But why wait? Exclusively watch the official trailer for the bloody new 4K restoration below, along with a full clip from the gorgeous new restoration. Two words: Bat. Attack.

And pre-order your copy from Arrow Video today!

As the 1970s gave way to the 1980s, director Lucio Fulci increasingly specialised in the dark, ultraviolent horror movies which would earn him the affectionate moniker “the Godfather of Gore”.

The third and final instalment in his “Gates of Hell” trilogy, 1981’s The House by the Cemetery showcases the malevolent maestro at his blood-drenched best.

On the road to Halloween, Screambox is unleashing another massive wave of spooky streaming here in September 2023, including 4 shot-on-video obscurities unearthed by our friends over at VHShitfest and Vinegar Syndrome! Now streaming, the lineup includes…

Satan’s Menagerie (1995): Demons from hell are on the loose murdering people for fun. The Cornshukker (1996): The townsfolk bother The Cornshukker because they don’t understand him. Justice Ninja Style (1985): A man blamed for rape and murder has a ninja help him prove his innocence. Blood Hunter (1995): A vampire in Kentucky tries to stop the crime rate.

All four of these VHS-made diamonds-in-the-rough are now streaming on Screambox alongside other new arrivals including the must-see RoboCop docuseries RoboDoc; Mario Bava’s giallo classic Blood and Black Lace; a double-dose of Lucio Fulci madness with The Psychic and Don’t Torture a Duckling; Open Windows, a found footage film starring Elijah Wood; ’70s...

Announced today as part of Arrow Video’s October 2023 lineup, Lucio Fulci horror classic The House by the Cemetery is getting a brand new 4K Uhd and Blu-ray release.

Both the Limited Edition 4K and the Limited Edition Blu-ray sets will be releasing in the UK on October 9, and there’s also an Arrow Store Exclusive Limited Edition 4K variant.

As the 1970s gave way to the 1980s, director Lucio Fulci increasingly specialised in the dark, ultraviolent horror movies which would earn him the affectionate moniker “the Godfather of Gore”.

The third and final instalment in his “Gates of Hell” trilogy, 1981’s The House by the Cemetery showcases the malevolent maestro at his blood-drenched best.

Special Features for this release include…

4k restoration from the original negative by Blue Underground 4k (2160p) Ultra Hd Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (hdr10 compatible) Restored original lossless mono English and Italian soundtracks Optional...

Spoiler Alert: This story contains spoilers for “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” currently playing in theaters.

Zachary Levi returns as Billy Baston/Shazam in “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” In the DC superhero sequel, a trio of vindictive sorceresses called the Daughters of Atlas — led by Helen Mirren as Hespera, Lucy Liu as Kalypso and Rachel Zegler as Anthea — want to avenge their father and take back the power of the gods they believe was stolen from Shazam and his crew.

David F. Sandberg directs and, in true superhero style, peppers easter eggs throughout the film for the most eagle-eyed superhero fans.

Here are a few that we spotted.

“The Fast and the Furious”

In one scene, Shazam and Hespera are sitting down and he tells her, “Look, I might not have as much experience as you because I’m not super old like you, but I’ve seen all...

Exclusive: Pam Grier, the actress from such cult classics as Jackie Brown, Foxy Brown and Coffy, has inked with APA.

Grier’s five decades-plus cinematic canon includes work with filmmakers such as Roger Corman, John Carpenter and Quentin Tarantino, among many others.

Her film résumé fired up with 1971’s The Big Doll House, followed by iconic roles in such films as Foxy Brown, Coffy, The Big Bird Cage, Blacula, Scream Blacula Scream and Sheba, Baby.

During the 1980s she became a regular on Miami Vice and played a supporting role as an evil witch in Ray Bradbury’s and Walt Disney Pictures’ 1983 title Something Wicked This Way Comes. She then returned to action in 1988’s Above the Law. Grier also starred in such notable features as Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks!, In Too Deep and a comedic turn in Jawbreaker.

Grier also starred in the Showtime series Linc’s and...

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By Adrian Smith

When film fans hear the name of Italian director Lucio Fulci, it almost inevitably brings to mind his oft-quoted moniker as the “Godfather of Gore,” thanks to the films made towards the end of his career that caused so much trouble with the British film censors; Zombie Flesh Eaters (1980), The Beyond (1981) New York Ripper (1983) being some of the most notorious. To view him as such however is to miss out on what was an extraordinarily prolific career which also included musicals, comedies, westerns, historical dramas, fantasy films, science fiction and thrillers. This new Blu-ray and digital release of The Psychic, out now in a 2K restoration from Shameless Films, is an opportunity to reassess one of his less well known films, which is only now being released in the UK for the first time.

The Psychic tells the tale of...

Three years ago, Journey guitarist Neal Schon finished a solo album of instrumental tracks that mixed classic-rock covers like “Hey Jude” and “Voodoo Child” with originals he created with producer-drummer Narada Michael Walden. Since that time, Journey fired drummer Steve Smith and bassist Ross Valory after a bitter business dispute, brought in Walden and Raised on Radio–era bassist Randy Jackson to take their places, and canceled a 2020 summer tour with the Pretenders due to the pandemic.

During his forced downtime, Schon decided it was finally time to share his instrumental album,...

Following up on their "A Very Fulci Christmas" episode of Corpse Club, Horror BFFs Heather Wixson and Patrick Bromley celebrate The Godfather of Gore once again with a double feature discussion of Lucio Fulci's Don't Torture a Duckling and The New York Ripper on this special Gialloween episode of Daily Dead's official podcast!

You can listen to the new episode of Corpse Club right now on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, TuneIn, YouTube, Pandora, and SoundCloud, and visit our online hub to catch up on our previous Gialloween retrospectives!

As a special treat for Daily Dead readers, we have officially launched our Corpse Club website and memberships. Not only can you view past episodes, but you can also sign up to be an official Corpse Club member to enjoy a wide range of rewards, including a shirt and pin that are to die for, access to bonus content,...

[This October is "Gialloween" on Daily Dead, as we celebrate the Halloween season by diving into the macabre mysteries, creepy kills, and eccentric characters found in some of our favorite giallo films! Keep checking back on Daily Dead this month for more retrospectives on classic, cult, and altogether unforgettable gialli, and visit our online hub to catch up on all of our Gialloween special features!]

Happy Gialloween! The timing on this year’s theme is actually pretty perfect, because I have slowly begun dipping my toes into the giallo waters over the past few months. Once upon a time, giallo and Italian horror in general was a big “no” for me. It all seemed too weird and too unfocused. I just didn’t connect with Italian storytelling and would always wind up frustrated and bored.

But over time, I have come to warm to more loose, more abstract styles of storytelling, and decided to give it another go. And I really have been enjoying what I have been seeing. Sometimes age, life experience, or just changing tastes merit another chance on some of the art that you initially pushed away.

Over the past few months, I have watched (and enjoyed) films like Tenebrae, Don’t Torture a Duckling, Deep Red, and The Bird with the Crystal Plumage.

In today's edition of Horror Highlights, we have details on the Arrow streaming platform, the trailer for Expulsion, and a Q&a with Jacob Bloomfield-Misrach to discuss his work on 12 Hour Shift:

Arrow Launches New Streaming Platform in North America in Time for Halloween: "London, UK - Arrow Video is excited to announce the bow of their new subscription-based Arrow platform, available in the US and Canada beginning October 1. Building on the success of the Arrow Video Channel and expanding its availability across multiple devices and countries, Arrow boasts a selection of cult classics, hidden gems and iconic horror films, all curated by the Arrow Video team.

Arrow begins streaming with headliners The Deeper You Dig, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Crumbs, The Hatred, Cold Light of Day, Videoman and The Herschell Gordon Lewis Feast. Also immediately available are perennial Halloween hits Hellraiser 1 & 2, Elvira, Ringu, tthe complete Gamera series,...

Part of our on-going series Notebook Soundtrack Mixes.Forever on the edge of one's seat, giallo is the provider of all the glamorous and hallucinatory emotions. The film genre and its musical sister is somewhat a crown jewel when it comes to detailed niches, sub-genres, and die hard fans. Original LP records from the giallo genre can cost a hefty sum and the blossoming vinyl reissuing industry (an exciting addition over recent decades) proves how enduring the genre and its sub-genres are. This giallo bonanza comes in just shy of two hours and you will find both influential and cherished moments and secluded moments on the sidelines. That, for me, showcases its textures and ultimately what a fun, trippy genre it is. The work of the masters is in full swing, beloved composers such as Bruno Nicolai, Nora Orlandi, Riz Ortolani, and Goblin all have turns. And of course, the...

Italian ‘Maestro of Gore’ Lucio Fulci canvassed a wide array of genres. Not unlike his colleague Mario Bava, his filmography resists being pigeonholed, seeing as his career eclipsed the movements in which he became prominent and eventually notorious. While some may revere his giallo masterpieces such as A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin (1971) or Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972), it would be his gory horror films in the 1970s and 80s which really branded him, especially items such as The House by the Cemetery (1981) or the flame-torching face sequence of the unlucky sex worker in Contraband (1980). But his 1979 cult classic Zombie (aka Zombi 2) remains one of his richest visceral experiences.…...

During the Sunday, May 3 episode of “American Idol,” host Ryan Seacrest announced that Jovin Webb was one of the Top 11 contestants still in the running to join the reality TV show’s iconic winners list. This 29-year-old performed Allen Stone‘s “Voodoo” from home in Gonzales, Louisiana as viewers and judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie watched remotely from locations around the country. If you want Jovin to make it into next week’s Top 7, you need to vote before the cutoff time at 9am Et/6am Pt on Monday, May 4.

You can cast up to 30 votes for Jovin Webb across three different platforms: 10 votes on the “American Idol” app, 10 votes online at americanidol.com/vote or 10 votes via text messages (text the number “2” to 21523). Message and data rates may apply for app download and usage. Voting is open Right Now, so what are you waiting for?

See...

The number of contestants still in the running to become the next American Idol can (almost) be counted with just two hands. Sunday’s episode, the show’s second at-home broadcast, narrowed down the Season 18 pack, eliminating nearly half of the remaining competitors. (There is one upside to performing remotely: No one was “sent home.” They were already there!)

The evening began with an emotional performance of “Home” by Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips, an on-the-nose introduction to an episode about — wait for it — home! Throughout the episode, Ryan Seacrest revealed which singers made the cut, followed by those contestants’ performances...

The May 3 episode of “American Idol” will see the Top 20 cut down to the final 11 artists still in contention for the season 18 title. The 20 artists hoping to sing on the first live show of the season are: Faith Becnal, Franklin Boone, Dewayne Crocker, Jr., Samantha Diaz (“Just Sam”), Cyniah Elise, Kimmy Gabriela, Julia Gargano, Arthur Gunn, Aliana Jester, Dillon James, Louis Knight, Grace Leer, Francisco Martin, Nick Merico, Makayla Phillips, Lauren Spencer Smith, Sophia Wackerman, Jovin Webb, Jonny West and Olivia Ximines.

Ten of them will hear from host Ryan Seacrest that they number among America’s favorites and have earned places in the Top 11. The three judges — Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie — will confer and throw a lifeline to one artist from the remaining 10 who will get to round out the Top 11. Each of them will sing live from their home in the hopes of winning enough...

In 2015’s Curve, starring Julianne Hough, the pervert drifter antagonist stomps her phone, snuffing out its electronic life and hampering her escape plans—no further explanation required. A phone ends up in a punch bowl in David Gordon Green’s Halloween to explain its later critical absence, disappointing given the original’s iconic phone scene (a ghostly Michael Myers murders Lynda with the cord).

The babysitter lifeline, the emergency call, originated in London in 1936. According to a BBC report, “Police stations during the 1920s and ’30s were often receiving too many visitors alerting them to emergencies.”

While first responders immediately embraced the utility of the technology, there were concerns on the consumer side. According to the book America Calling: A Social History of the Telephone to 1940, in 1919, North American Bell executives were concerned that they “never thoroughly educated the public to the possibilities of the use of the telephone.”

One...

Arrow Video has a treat in store for both slasher and giallo fans this summer, as their August Us Blu-ray / DVD releases will include The Slayer and Don't Torture a Duckling.

From Arrow Video: "New UK/Us Title: The Slayer (Dual Format Blu-ray & DVD)

The Slayer finally rises from the ashes of obscurity in a brand new 4K transfer courtesy of Arrow Video.

Pre-order in the UK via Arrow: http://bit.ly/2r9t2Ab

Pre-order in the UK via Amazon: http://amzn.to/2r9sZnZ

Pre-order in the Us: http://bit.ly/2r9yYsP

Release dates: 21/22 August

Is It A Nightmare? Or Is It… The Slayer?

One of the most sought-after titles for slasher fans everywhere, The Slayer finally rises from the ashes of obscurity in a brand new 4K transfer courtesy of Arrow Video.

Two young couples set off to a secluded island for what promises to be a restful retreat.

Lucio Fulci is known to most horror fans for his work in the fantastical, through his late career success with Zombie (1979), City of The Living Dead (1980), and The Beyond (1981). Certainly these are his most widely seen and cherished films, and for good reason – they blast through the screen in a feast of color, magic, and grue; short on logic, sure, but long on imagination and dread. But before he untethered his heart in a quest for purity, he engaged in his homeland’s horror sub-genre of giallo, including Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972), incredible, subversive proof that he could create something just as effective and decidedly much more earth bound.

Released late September back home in his native Italy, Duckling never received its due (or much attention at all, truthfully) on these shores until Fulci’s death in 1996 offered a re-evaluation of his body of work. Thanks to the internet,...

Special Mention: Death Proof

Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino

USA, 2007

Genre: Slasher

The obvious reference points of Death Proof are such movies as Vanishing Point, Roadgames, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, and even Spielberg’s Duel – but Death Proof is influenced by more than just vehicular horror. Tarantino’s homage to the road-fury genre is really two movies in one, offering two versions of the same story about two separate groups of beautiful women who are stalked by a homicidal maniac who uses his car (his weapon of choice) to terrorize and eventually kill his victims. Death Proof can easily be viewed as two slasher films, with the second half acting as a sequel, offering new, beautiful victims for the murderous Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell) to terrorize. It’s a grim stalk-and-slash picture with a blaring commentary of female empowerment. Replace the typical sharp edged blade with a car, and...

Every year, we here at Sound On Sight celebrate the month of October with 31 Days of Horror; and every year, I update the list of my favourite horror films ever made. Last year, I released a list that included 150 picks. This year, I’ll be upgrading the list, making minor alterations, changing the rankings, adding new entries, and possibly removing a few titles. I’ve also decided to publish each post backwards this time for one reason: the new additions appear lower on my list, whereas my top 50 haven’t changed much, except for maybe in ranking. I am including documentaries, short films and mini series, only as special mentions – along with a few features that can qualify as horror, but barely do.

Come Back Tonight To See My List Of The 200 Best!

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Special Mention:

Wait until Dark

Directed by Terence Young

Written by Robert Carrington

USA, 1967

Directed by Terence Young,...

There are a number of reasons why the gialli started to dwindle during the late 1970s. Television and the home video craze largely contributed to the marginalization of Italy's film market, isolating art house and genre films to brief theatrical runs (if that), and then a jump to the boob tube. As Italy's once vibrant film scene faded into the 1980s, filmmakers were left to compete for attention — especially once the era of American slashers started to take root with John Carpenter's Halloween. Graphic sex and violence was relatively cheap and easy to produce, but the gialli had to up the ante. Enzo Milioni's 1978 film The Sister of Ursula goes for broke — and it's amusing in its absurdity, albeit lacking in most areas. There's full-frontal nudity within the first three minutes of the movie. The sex is plentiful and ultra sleazy — similar to the notorious Giallo a Venezia.

By 1976, giallo cinema had already reached its peak, and different postwar paranoia icons increasingly replaced the black-gloved killers of the past. Coming off a co-screenwriting turn (uncredited) for Pier Paolo Pasolini's controversial masterpiece Salò, director Pupi Avati brought Italy's social and political unrest from the period to the countryside for his community terror tale, The House with the Laughing Windows. The filmmaker wanted to channel the pastoral, Catholic fears from his childhood for his low-budget horror film, but the influence of previous rural-set gialli like Sergio Martino's Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key and Fulci's Don't Torture a Duckling are present. Avati introduces us to Stefano (Lino Capolicchio), who has been sent to an Italian village to restore a church fresco that depicts the death of Saint Sebastian — or so he thinks. A strange cast of characters greets him, including the mayor...

We're back again with the third chapter in our ongoing feature on vintage Italian cinema thrillers, and since we've previously covered titles from Lucio Fulci (Don't Torture a Duckling) and Mario Bava (A Bay of Blood), it's time we examined a film from the final member of the genre's “Big Three,” Dario Argento. While Argento's most beloved work is unquestionably the stunning 1977 horror classic Suspiria, which was set in a dreamlike supernatural world, he was previously most famous for his pioneering approach to the giallo genre, beginning with the stylish The Bird with the Crystal Plumage – the huge success of which earned him the nickname “The Italian Hitchcock,” a handle he didn't particularly care for at the time. After that film, audiences craved more thrillers with Dario's eccentric touch, leading to what is loosely described as his “Animal Trilogy,” in that all of the titles include the name of an...

We're back with the second installment in our new giallo spotlight series, moving backwards in time (from last week's spotlight on Lucio Fulci's Don't Torture a Duckling) to this landmark of both the giallo and slasher genres from legendary Italian director Mario Bava. Known alternately as Bay of Blood, Twitch of the Death Nerve, Blood Bath or Carnage (and probably a few more), this gory 1971 outing arrived seven years after Bava's incredible Blood and Black Lace, which itself set the tone for nearly all giallo films of the '60s and '70s. Bay is a less significant film in the grand scheme of things, but I think it's often unjustly overlooked, especially considering its huge influence on the body-count slasher flicks of the late '70s and early '80s.     The story is very simple compared to some of the more twisty giallo who-done-it plotlines, and revolves around...

Giallo: An Italian adjective describing the thriller genre, primarily in Italian books and films. Translated as simply “yellow,” giallo takes its name from the distinctive yellow covers commonly seen on Italian pulp thriller novels dating back to the late '20s. Giallo Fever: A condition afflicting fans of European horror cinema after prolonged exposure to giallo films. Symptoms include an increased fondness for '60s and '70s music and fashion, an enhanced sense of color, and occasionally intense sex appeal. So that's the short version... and here's where we're going with it: on a regular basis we'll be picking a film from the giallo genre, be it an esteemed classic, a weird obscurity or a modern spin on the formula, and bringing it to your attention. No heavy analysis, no film school mumbo-jumbo; just an overview, some highlights, and why you should see it... or in some cases, avoid it.

Throughout the month of October, Editor-in-Chief and resident Horror expert Ricky D, will be posting a list of his favorite Horror films of all time. The list will be posted in six parts. Click here to see every entry.

As with all lists, this is personal and nobody will agree with every choice – and if you do, that would be incredibly disturbing. It was almost impossible for me to rank them in order, but I tried and eventually gave up.

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Special Mention: Gremlins

Directed by Joe Dante

Written by Chris Columbus

1984, USA

Gremlins gets a special mention because I’ve always considered it more of a comedy and a wholesome Christmas flick than an actual horror film. This tribute the 1950s matinee genre stands the test of time from a time when parents would take their children to family films that pushed the boundaries of the MPAA. Joe Dante is...

The term “giallo” initially referred to cheap yellow paperbacks (printed American mysteries from writers such as Agatha Christie), that were distributed in post-fascist Italy. Applied to cinema, the genre is comprised of equal parts early pulp thrillers, mystery novels, with a willingness to gleefully explore onscreen sex and violence in provocative, innovative ways. Giallos are strikingly different from American crime films: they value style and plot over characterization, and tend towards unapologetic displays of violence, sexual content, and taboo exploration. The genre is known for stylistic excess, characterized by unnatural yet intriguing lighting techniques, convoluted plots, red herrings, extended murder sequences, excessive bloodletting, stylish camerawork and unusual musical arrangements. Amidst the ‘creative kill’ set-pieces are thematic undercurrents along with a whodunit element, usually some sort of twist ending. Here is my list of the best giallo films – made strictly by Italian directors, so don’t expect Black Swan, Amer or...

London's pubs offer punters an alternative cinematic experience of fun themed nights, forgotten films – and the freedom to talk

Film buffs have suddenly never had it so good. In recent months I have had the choice of such films as Psycho and Taxi Driver, 80s Hollywood gem Cutter's Way, cult favourite The Man With X-Ray Eyes and an evening devoted to art house favourite Luis Buñuel, without having to set foot inside a cinema or venture more than three miles from my north London home.

Psycho was on at my local, the Nobody Inn, and Taxi Driver directly opposite on the other corner of Newington Green in the neighbourhood trattoria's regular Monday movie night slot. The others, and many more movies like them, were screened at more formal gatherings, all part of a fast-growing trend for film clubs springing up across the capital.

The changing nature of pubs, London's dearth of repertory cinema,...