THE HOWLING & AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON - The Lycanthrope Classics That Changed It All

THE HOWLING (1981) d. Joe Dante (USA) 

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981) d. John Landis (UK/USA)

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In the spring and summer of 1981, werewolf cinema underwent a radical transformation—not through one film, but two. Released just months apart, The Howling and An American Werewolf in London didn’t just revive a fading subgenre—they redefined what cinematic horror could look and feel like. Each film approached lycanthropy from a different tonal angle, yet together they set a new benchmark for practical effects, storytelling, and the balance between terror and dark humor.

PAN'S LABYRINTH (2006) - Guillermo del Toro's Dark Fantasy Classic Turns 20!!

PAN'S LABYRINTH (2006) d. Guillermo del Toro (Mexico/Spain)

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Once upon a time, there was a young girl named Ofelia whose father had died, leaving her and her Mother all alone. The world was a dark and scary place, with war and death everywhere, and so, to save herself and her child, the Mother remarried an Evil Captain to keep them safe. Once the Mother as with child, the Captain sent for her to live with him in the forest where he commanded his troops, stamping out anyone that threatened his power. The Mother was sad, as was Ofelia, but the imaginative young girl had a special gift: she could see and talk to creatures that grown-ups couldn’t see, such as the Faun and the Pale Man (both played brilliantly by expert suit performer Doug Jones). She soon learns she is a Princess with a Destiny to fulfill. And so, her great adventure begins....

THE HITCHER (1986) Turns 40 — Rutger Hauer Owns the Road!

THE HITCHER (1986) d. Robert Harmon (USA)

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While driving from Chicago to San Diego, Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell) picks up a hitchhiker (Rutger Hauer) who introduces himself as John Ryder. Little does Halsey realize that this simple act of kindness will change the course of his road trip, and his life, forever.

THE BEST (AND WORST) SLASHERS OF 1981!! (Part 1 of 2)

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 (1981) d. Steve Miner (USA)
HALLOWEEN II (1981) d. Rick Rosenthal (USA)
THE BURNING (1981) d. Tony Maylam (USA)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME (1981) d. J. Lee Thompson (Canada)
MY BLOODY VALENTINE (1981) d. George Mihalka (Canada)
THE FUNHOUSE (1981) d. Tobe Hooper (USA)
HELL NIGHT (1981) d. Tom DeSimone (USA)
THE PROWLER (1981) d. Joseph Zito (USA)
NIGHTMARE (1981) d. Romano Scavolini (USA)
JUST BEFORE DAWN (1981) d. Jeff Lieberman (USA)

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The early 1980s were a golden age for horror, and by 1981, the slasher subgenre had already exploded into a full-blown phenomenon, with producers and filmmakers eager to capitalize on the success of Halloween and Friday the 13th.

FROM BEYOND (1986) & DAGON (2001): Goo, Gore & Elder Gods (Stuart Gordon’s Wet and Weird Lovecraft Films)

FROM BEYOND (1986) d. Stuart Gordon (USA)
DAGON (2001) d. Stuart Gordon (Spain)

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Following the cult success of Re-Animator, director Stuart Gordon continued refining his visceral, darkly comic approach to H. P. Lovecraft the following year with 1986’s From Beyond and, 15 years later, Dagon (2001). Rather than adhering strictly to Lovecraft’s prose, Gordon and screenwriter Dennis Paoli emphasized sensory excess—transforming cosmic dread into something immediate, tactile, and perversely entertaining.

SESSION 9 (2001) at 25 - Dread, Danvers, and "Do it, Gordon."

SESSION 9 (2001) d. Brad Anderson (USA)

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Highest marks go to director/co-writer Brad Anderson for cultivating Session 9, an exceedingly tense tale of a five-man asbestos removal team tackling cleanup duty at an inactive mental asylum. When lawyer-in-training Steven Gevedon (who co-wrote the intelligent script) discovers a collection of audio recordings of patient sessions, a haunting dual storyline develops between the events on the abandoned reel-to-reel tapes and the blue-collar crew’s increasing stress with the job and with each other. In addition, the not-quite-dead building has a few secrets hidden within its dark corners.

Best Cheesy Horror of 1986: MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE, NIGHT OF THE CREEPS, CHOPPING MALL, & More!

MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE (1986) d. Stephen King (USA)
NIGHT OF THE CREEPS (1986) d. Fred Dekker (USA)
CHOPPING MALL (1986) d. Jim Wynorski (USA)
TERRORVISION (1986) d. Ted Nicolau (USA)
KILLER PARTY (1986) d. William Fruet (Canada)

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If you love horror with a little extra cheese on top, 1986 might be one of the most glorious years the genre ever produced. Tonight, we’re digging into five low-budget cult favorites that prove horror and comedy have always made a deliciously messy combination.

FRANKENSTEIN (1931): It's Alive! at 95 - Celebrating the Universal Monster Classic

FRANKENSTEIN (1931) d. James Whale (USA)
BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935) d. James Whale (USA)
SON OF FRANKENSTEIN (1939) d. Rowland V. Lee (USA)
THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942) d. Erle C. Kenton (USA)

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The legacy of Frankenstein is one of the most influential in the history of horror. Released by Universal Pictures in 1931 and directed by James Whale, the film helped define what audiences now recognize as the classic Hollywood monster movie. Drawing from Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s novel and filtered through several stage productions, the film transformed into a powerful visual and emotional experience that changed cinema forever.

THE INNOCENTS (1961): The Greatest Ghost Story Ever Filmed?

THE INNOCENTS (1961) d. Jack Clayton (UK)

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The Innocents, the spellbinding 1961 screen version of Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw. Producer/director Jack Clayton and cinematographer Freddie Francis conjure a haunting onscreen atmosphere with an eye for hypnotic, symbolic imagery, where the sunlit scenes are frequently more chilling than those set at night.

FEMALE VAMPIRES OF 1971: Forbidden Blood & Sapphic Shadows!!

DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS (1971) d. Harry Kumel (Belgium/France)
VAMPYROS LESBOS (1971) d. Jesus Franco (Spain)
THE VELVET VAMPIRE (1971) d. Stephanie Rothman (USA) 

TWINS OF EVIL (1971) d. John Hough (UK)
LUST FOR A VAMPIRE (1971) d. Jimmy Sangster (UK)
THE SHIVER OF THE VAMPIRES (1971) d. Jean Rollin (France)
THE WEREWOLF VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMAN (1971) d. Leon Klimovsky (Spain)

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1971 was a remarkable year for the female vampire — seductive, dangerous, liberated… and deeply entangled in the contradictions of exploitation cinema. Tonight, we’re exploring a remarkable cycle of films from that year, on both sides of the Atlantic, that transformed these immortal bloodsuckers into figures of erotic power and cultural tension.

LET'S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH (1971) - A '70s Cult Horror Classic or Forgotten Nightmare?

LET’S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH (1971) d. John D. Hancock (USA)

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Director John Hancock's brilliant low-budget psychological chiller, Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971), combines elements of ghosts, vampires, and zombies, yet manages to find its own uniquely eerie voice. Shot independently in and around Connecticut, over the course of 25 chilly Autumn days on a budget of only $250,000, Jessica ultimately brought in $20 million during its theatrical release after being acquired by Paramount. It was later discovered by many more viewers over the years via television screenings and VHS rentals, building a small but dedicated fan base along the way.

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991) 35th Anniversary Special: The Legacy of Hannibal Lecter

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991) d. Jonathan Demme (USA)
MANHUNTER (1986) d. Michael Mann (USA)
HANNIBAL (2001) d. Ridley Scott (USA)
RED DRAGON (2002) d. Brett Ratner (USA)
HANNIBAL RISING (2007) d. Peter Webber (USA)

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This week, we’re talking about 1991's The Silence of the Lambs, that rare beast that’s both mainstream Oscar-winning success as well as a first-rate horror film. A masterful blend of psychological terror and physical violence, screenwriter Ted Tally’s dynamite script (adapted from Thomas Harris’ bestselling novel) examines ambitious young FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) and her efforts to track down the serial killer Buffalo Bill – a nickname he’s earned by skinning his victims.

DRACULA (1931) Turns 95: A Fang-tastic Tribute to Bela Lugosi's Horror Classic

DRACULA (1931) d. Tod Browning (USA) 

DRACULA (Spanish version) (1931) d. George Melford (USA) 

DRACULA’S DAUGHTER (1936) d. Lambert Hillyer (USA) 

SON OF DRACULA (1943) d. Robert Siodmak (USA)

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Released on Feb 14, 1931, Dracula from Universal Studios stands as perhaps the most influential horror film ever made. Directed by Tod Browning with cinematography by Karl Freund, the film was adapted from the wildly successful Broadway stage version of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel.

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1960 vs 1986) - Cult Cheapo Classic vs Monster Movie Musical

THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1960) d. Roger Corman (USA)
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1986) d. Frank Oz (USA)

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Tonight we’re talking about Little Shop of Horrors—a title that refers to two very different movies yet equally beloved cult classics that share a carnivorous plant, a down-on-his-luck florist, and a surprisingly dark sense of humor.

45 Years of THE EVIL DEAD: How Sam Raimi Redefined Independent Horror

THE EVIL DEAD (1981) d. Sam Raimi (USA)
EVIL DEAD II (1987) d. Sam Raimi (USA)
ARMY OF DARKNESS (1992) d. Sam Raimi (USA)
EVIL DEAD (2013) d. Fede Alvarez (USA)
EVIL DEAD RISE (2023) d. Lee Cronin (USA)

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Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead franchise is a cornerstone of independent horror cinema, redefining what low-budget filmmaking could achieve. Beginning with The Evil Dead (1981), Raimi combined raw ingenuity, kinetic camerawork, and extreme gore to create a relentlessly inventive horror film that left a lasting impact on the genre. Shot on a shoestring budget with collaborators including star Bruce Campbell, the film’s manic energy and iconic “unseen force” camera movements distinguished it from the slower horror of the late 1970s.

THE THING (1951) vs. THE THING (1982) - Cold War Classic to Cosmic Horror Masterpiece

THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951) d. Christian Nyby (USA)
THE THING (1982) d. John Carpenter (USA)
THE THING (2011) d. Matthijs van Heijningen (USA)

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This week, we’re discussing Howard Hawks’ The Thing from Another World (1951) and John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982), two science-fiction horror films that, despite sharing a source in John W. Campbell Jr.’s novella Who Goes There?, reflect very different eras in filmmaking and cultural anxiety and both represent landmark moments in genre cinema.

THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS– 50 Years of Pupi Avati’s Italian Horror Masterpiece

THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS (1976) d. Pupi Avati (Italy)

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Pupi Avati’s The House with Laughing Windows (1976) is one of the most quietly unsettling films in the history of Italian horror, a slow-burn nightmare that lingers long after its final moments. Set in the foggy, insular villages of rural Emilia-Romagna, the film follows Stefano, a young restorer hired to repair a disturbing fresco depicting the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. As Stefano settles into the community, he begins to sense that the artwork - and the people surrounding it - are tied to something deeply wrong.

THE BEST HORROR MOVIES OF 2025!! (and the ones we’re still fighting about)

We’re breaking down the best horror movies of 2025, from mainstream hits to indie standouts—and arguing about which ones actually deserve the title.

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AC joins his Streaming and Screaming co-hosts Chad the Bird and Lucy Ba'al as they count down their favorite fright flicks of 2025!



00:00 Episode Intro
03:40 Final Destinations: Bloodlines
07:55 The Ugly Stepsister
10:26 The Monkey
14:19 28 Years Later
23:38 El Conde
24:34 Bring Her Back
27:54 The Long Walk
33:22 Weapons
37:28 Good Boy
38:49 Sinners
44:57 The Rule of Jenny Pen
47:14 V/H/S/Halloween (part 1)
48:50 Clown in a Cornfield
50:11 V/H/S/Halloween (part 2)
54:06 Companion
54:21 Heart Eyes
55:02 Chad's Honorable Mentions
56:10 Together
57:30 AC's Honorable Mentions
1:00:16 Lucy's Honorable Mentions
1:03:20 Toxic Avenger remake
1:05:09 Deathstalker
1:05:35 Hell of a Summer
1:07:12 Frankenstein (GdT)
1:08:12 Jurassic World: Rebirth
1:08:59 Creep 2 / Creep Tapes / Ash vs. Evil Dead
1:10:05 The Mortuary Collection
1:10:42 That Came Out This Year?
1:14:58 AC's Netflix Catch-up
1:17:11 Final Thoughts

Civilian 2025 Wrap-Up and Year-End Stats!

And we’re back!

Having addressed the horror genre in a previous entry (hey, this is HORROR 101 after all), it’s now time to give the Civilian flicks a moment in the sun.

FOR PREVIOUS YEARS' RECAPS, CLICK HERE

Since my attentions remained focused primarily on the H101 YouTube channel throughout the year, that didn’t leave a ton of extra time. So, I watched my SAG-nominated films, enjoyed some random comfort food entries, and tried to stay abreast of the biggest and the brightest, but with only 20 of my 83 non-horror titles released in the last two years, I can’t say I’m all that well-informed outside the genre for 2025's output.

That said, let’s get on with the business at hand! As always, all the non-horror titles listed below were encountered for the first time from January 1 to December 31, 2025 (i.e. no repeat viewings were eligible), and there is the usual collection of random trends that appeared organically or by design. For example, I think it's fun - and a little surprising - that my top three most-watched directors this year were not technically horror directors! You just never know where these flights of fancy will take you. Hope you enjoy the read.

Stay strong, stay safe, stay tuned!

EYES WITHOUT A FACE (1960) – The French Horror Classic Turns 65!!

EYES WITHOUT A FACE (1960) d. Georges Franju (France)

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This week, we’re talking about a yet another haunting horror landmark from 1960, Georges Franju’s Eyes Without a Face (Les Yeux sans visage). Adapted from the 1959 novel by Jean Redon, Franju and his vaunted team of collaborators transform the pulp thriller material into something strangely lyrical and tragic, resulting in a bona-fide art-horror classic.