I used to really like horror movies, and I guess my favorites would have to be the Evil Dead movies. Sam Raimi has gone on to do some really fun stuff, and the first Evil Dead really shows his sense of humor. When I first saw it I found it terrifying, but after you watch it a couple of times you get all the "camp" (no pun intended), and it's even more obvious in the second movie. I always did like the B horror flicks, because they weren't taking themselves so seriously (so maybe that made it easier for me to remember that it was just a movie). Rob Zombie definitely worships at the shrine of the classic B horror flick, but takes it to a whole new level.

I'm not entirely sure why so early for the actual Halloween season, but... in any case, it's sure to delight horror movie buffs everywhere. I know that I've seen at least a couple of the Halloween franchise installments thanks to AMC, and it's kinda scary (and hey, isn't that Jamie Lee Curtis in her debut in the original??? That woman can scream!) But in 1970s/80s horror-film tradition, the original is fairly slow paced, relying on suspense rather than explicitness to frighten. Kids these days need a lot more stimulation, apparently, and Zombie is sure to deliver. I read the NY Post interview with Sheri Moon Zombie (Rob Zombie's wife and lead actress in his films to date) and she promises a much faster-paced film with expanded character development from the original. The YouTube trailer (below) gives a taste, and I'll bet Rob Zombie will deliver a more contemporary and artistic (in his own gruesome way) version of the story.

Despite my own aversion to blood-and-guts at this point in my life, I do think there is a lot more to Rob Zombie and his artistry than plain shock value. I actually saw House of 1000 Corpses in the theater, probably the last horror movie I saw. Adam bought Devil's Rejects but I haven't been able to watch it. Zombie is a horrorshow Renaissance man who does everything (visual art, music, film) with a ton of craft, all subject matter aside. And I am also pleased to say that his MySpace page actually uses a background image properly, with text you can read and a layout that is not mindbogglingly stupid. But more about MySpace, design incompetence, and the intellectual decline of our youth later. Happy Halloween!

I remember that the Halloween that came out in '98 (Sorry, too lazy to look it up) was released in the summer, because Drew and I had JUST started dating and we both wanted to see it. Weird. (But no stranger than those real gory films that are inevitably released on Christmas Day -- oh, the irony!) But anyway... I'm not a Rob Zombie fan really, but I am curious what he's done with Halloween.

I'm all for this. I think Mr. Zombie is going to develop into a top-notch film maker. I love his style and the feel of his movies. Rejects is much better than 1000, which is cartoony in comparison. There's a fair amount of gore, but it's not glorified nor gratuitous. Rejects is a dark, nasty story and the violence needs to be there and makes you feel like shit, as you should.

I'll definitely be seeing Halloween - I was very happy to hear the original music playing at the end of the trailer. I'm also very happy to see Mr. Zombie continue to use, and pay homage to, the old school horror actors - Ken Foree appears in this trailer, but also people like Sid Haig from 1000 and Rejects.

I forgot to mention it in the post, but yes, I'm very happy they kept the original music. It's one of those songs you just don't forget, and really adds a lot. That and the tune from the Exorcist... yah.