The name Joe Dante should definitely be familiar to all of us who grew up in the eighties and beyond. He not only became a sensation when he directed films like The Howling and Gremlins, Dante became a name synonymous with a comedic bite that helped shape many facets of film, including horror and the blockbuster.
The highly renowned Fantasia International Film Festival is happening now in Montreal and we're kicking off our coverage with a woman who's an absolute legend in martial arts and cult film. In a time of superhero movies where powerful female characters are growing to be more progressive and established in fandom, Cynthia Rothrock would be one of the cinematic matriarchs of every feminine but extremely tough and well-rounded characters we see today.
The world of comic book fandom is mourning the loss of one of its greatest founding fathers, Steve Ditko. When it comes to his contributions, there's so much more to the man than the fact that he helped create Doctor Strange and Spider-Man, as most articles are stating is the most important aspect of his career. Although these characters are extremely crucial to the world of comics and blockbuster films, his life should be explored further.
When horror and film fans think of special FX legends, they usually lean toward Rob Botttin and Rick Baker, just to name a few. But there is one man who not only worked alongside these men, but became a master himself with work on films like An American Werewolf In London, The Howling, Big Trouble In Little China, Ghostbusters, Species and The Abyss, among so many others.
We Are Still Here was a surprise hit on the indie horror scene when it debuted in 2015. It was a ghost story at its core but had so many more secrets, including a Reservoir Dogs-style brutal supernatural cliffhanger. It also won many fans over and was critically praised, instantly making the man behind the camera one to look out for in the horror genre.
Hellraiser has always been a major piece of the horror puzzle, and with a legion of fans, it's still a franchise that's stronger than ever. The journey began with an adaptation of Clive Barker's The Hellbound Heart and continued for many years with the legendary Doug Bradley as Pinhead. Since the original encounter with his Cenobite Hell Priest, he's become a character that will never die.
