What scares you?

It's Halloween, and to quote the Sheriff from the original Halloween, "Everyone's entitled to one good scare". And so in that vein I present a tidbit that scared the bejesus out of me (what does that mean anyway?) when I was a kid. This is Disney's (yup that Disney) "Night on Bald Mountain" from the end of Fantasia. I actually had to hide under the theatre seat when I first saw it at five years old. For years, even hearing the music would give me the shivers.

So how about it? What scared you as a child? What scares you now?

Happy Halloween!

It's Devil's night here, and in the spirit of the season we at Ottawa Horror would like to wish you all a Happy Halloween! Be safe, don't eat too much candy, and stay scary!

Book Review: One Bloody Thing After Another - Joey Comeau

Note - I have become a reviewer for ECW Press and will be posting more about horror books from now on. I know it's not specifically related to Ottawa, but books can be read anywhere, right?!

Now for the review:

I picked up this book on my way out the door to the bus and by the time I reached my destination I was on page 90. I finished it that night because of how easy and compelling a read it was. It is a very fun ride!

This was a solid story with very interesting characters who make the book very enjoyable. The only part of the book I didn't like was the ending. It didn't explain what affliction was hitting Ann's family members or how they originally were infected. That being said, it was as if you got a short glimpse into the lives of 3 people for a set number of days and nothing more, no explanations, no excuses, and an abrupt ending. This is an interesting style that leaves you wanting more and sad that there was nothing more.

Also, I rarely comment about book covers, but I really like how it was done! Very nice style and I love the invisible/visible script.

I would recommend this book to anyone really. I didn't find it scary like other reviews suggested, but maybe my familiarity with horror makes me desensitized. This is a great quick read!

Thrill the World Ottawa

While some zombies were dancing Saturday night away in a local tavern, others were working toward a greater good. They were still dancing, mind you, yet with a different purpose.

Last year, Thrill the World organizers saw great numbers with the rising popularity of zombie culture and the death of Michael Jackson.

For 2010, the first dance (or 'thrill time') saw 3,362 participants worldwide. I attended the evening installment of the Ottawa which attracted approximately 30 zombies and just as many in audience. Across the globe, the second thrill time had over 6,500 undead dancers.

Last year, 22,923 people danced showing how high the novelty was in comparison.

Photos by Lyndsi McMillan

Horror Movie Diva's...

Joanna D'Angelo (a wonderful Ottawa writer BTW) has a great article over on her website "The Popculture Divas" called "Horror Movies And Why We Love Them". Some great points from a female perspective about the appeal of Horror Films. Which is good, since the Testosterone in this genre can sometimes get, shall we say... a little out of control. Go check it out. Oh, and Joanna, you can always write for us if you want to get your horror "fix"...

Zombie Walk 2010

What a zombie-full day! As early as 7:00 a.m. the city was rife with walking dead. Thrill the World was at 7 in the morning and evening and will be on CTV.

The annual walk began a touch early, leaving some straggling late. They all caught up at Parliament Hill where officials stood by enjoying the show.

The event organization was certainly on the ball with proper permits and the ability to tour through the Rideau Centre. Wonderful! Just where the recently deceased have always want to be!

Speaking with some bystanders, I found that the city was far better prepared than last year.

Carmen, a resident who lives near Beechwood, saw the brood shuffle past two years ago. She is not necessarily a fan, but came out to see what all the groaning was about. The moment she asked if there were "really that many horror fans in Ottawa", a young man screamed past. Bloodied, frenzied on fun, and chasing no one - he wielded an oversize cartoon meat cleaver sticky with red gore.

"Yes," I said with a smile, "there certainly are."

Thank you to all who posed for Ottawa Horror! More to come soon regarding Thrill the World Ottawa.

Braaaainnnsss!

Yes folks, the Zombie Plague is upon us!

Well, at least if you're in the Neighbourhood of Beechwood Cemetery tomorrow. That's right, the Ottawa Zombie Walk is happening tomorrow Sat. October 23rd. It starts at Beechwood Cemetery at 2:00pm and proceeds from there.

Wanna shamble along? Check out the Facebook Event here.

Feeling "groovy"? Then check out "Thrill the World" Ottawa, tomorrow as well. The largest "Thriller" dance in the world. Who says Zombies can't dance!

Me... I'm headed for the wilderness... Safer out there!

A Halloween Treat From Adam Green!

Adam Green, director of Hatchet, Frozen, and the soon to be released Hatchet 2 (although I think it got pulled from theatres), gives us yet another Halloween short. This one is called "Just Take One". If you haven't seen any of his shorts, just jump over to his site ArieScope Pictures and click on Shorts on the menu.

The Vimeo file had problems playing so I switched it up to Youtube.

Down every dark alley - Killer63 V

On the heels of the orchestra, the crowd awaiting the fifth installment of the Killer63 film festival poured in. Still-warm seats vacated moments ago filled with movie-goers of a more sinister bent.

The string musicians were only barely packed up and off-stage when Josh Stafford rang in the film festival for 2010.

If you were one of the unlucky few with a clown phobia, this was not your night - but, on the other hand, it was a licensed event so you could have a beer to calm your nerves.

All 13 films were horrific in their own right. Clowns, revenge, myths, and plot twists galore; each film brought something evil to the now blood-spattered screen.

"I don't think there were that many horror 'horror' movies," said filmmaker Roberto Cantu, "but more like a mixture of comedy and drama mine was one of the few that was purely horror, and a little creepy." While all had horrific elements, there was much experimentation, like the modern-day silent film complete with antiqued filigree title cards between each scene.

There were other first time participants to balance out the veterans like Chris Chitaroni who has has a film in Killer63 every year it has run.

"It's like a great showcase for the local underground stuff that most people don't even know is happening." This year, he had three entries that were shown spread out through the other 10 entries.

Tight deadlines and general mayhem seems to be what fuels Killer63 year after year.

"This was a very 'last-minute' year." said Josh Stafford, filmmaker, organizer, and Mayfair Theatre partner. "A lot of things came in way after deadline. Our deadline was October 6, and I was filming a short on October 6 so I broke my own deadline."

For the first time, Killer63 drew an entry from overseas. Seance, previously mentioned on Ottawa Horror, made it into the festival once the filmmaker gave the go ahead by the "magic of the internet".

"That was our furthest away for sure," Stafford said, "Before it would have been Montreal or Toronto, so this is the first one to go off the continent."

There were also animated efforts, and the stand-out freak of the bunch was White Room by Chitaroni. For fans of the Twilight Zone and Robot Chicken, this is a hybrid molded from play-doh just for you.

There was gore-galore in the animated bits, and plenty of terror in the live (and undead) action, though maybe not as many physical effects as would be expected. Some pieces could be labeled a tribute to the genre, which is the point of a festival like Killer63 - paying tribute to not only the hardworking filmmakers who scrambled to produce these gutsy gems, but the inspiration of the screen and things that all of us see down our own dark alleys.

Don't Forget Killer 63 Tonight!

Hey Folks! A reminder that TONIGHT is the very cool Killer 63 Festival at the Mayfair Theatre at 9PM. Be sure to check out what Ottawa Horror Filmmakers have to offer!

My Soul to Take – Review

One of the best slashers I’ve seen in quite a while. While this film is not the most original and the reveal of the killer in the end is slightly disappointing - the film overall left me very happy! The movie is well worth seeing and takes you on a fun ride. There were several good pop scares, some nice kills and good production values. I don’t want to ruin any surprises so I will just say this: if you’re looking for a good slasher - see it and you won’t be disappointed.

"My Soul to Take" Passes up for grabs!

Once again, the good folks at Alliance Films have graced us with preview passes. This time it's for Wes Craven's return to the Director's chair - "My Soul to Take" this Thursday, Oct. 7th at 7pm at Silver City.

"Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Hills Have Eyes, Scream series) brings audiences his latest suspense thriller with My Soul to Take.  In the sleepy town of Riverton, legend tells of a serial killer who swore he would return to murder the seven children born the night he died.  Now, 16 years later, people are disappearing again.  Has the psychopath been reincarnated as one of the seven teens, or did he survive the night he was left for dead?  Only one of the kids knows the answer.

Adam “Bug” Heller (Max Thieriot) was supposed to die on the bloody night his father went insane.  Unaware of his dad’s terrifying crimes, he has been plagued by nightmares since he was a baby.  But if Bug hopes to save his friends from the monster that’s returned, he must face an evil that won’t rest…until it finishes the job it began the day he was born."

So here's how we're going to play it. First five people to email contests@ottawahorror.com with the title of any one of Wes' other films will win the tickets.  Contest closes Wed. at Midnight.

Good luck!

Killer63! Ottawa's Home Grown Horror Film Festival

Mommy.... it's BAAAAACK!

That's right boys and girls, Ottawa's very own Short Horror Film Festival is back for it's fifth, count it FIFTH running.

Run by our very own Josh (Batturtle) Stafford, Killer63 offers local Ottawa Horror Filmmakers a chance to showcase their work. This year, the festival will be held, as always, at the Mayfair Theatre on October 16th at 9:00 PM.

And filmmakers... got a short you'd like to enter? There's still time. The festival is accepting submissions till tomorrow, October 6th.  Email batturtle@gmail.com if you'd like to enter.