Horror Block Subscription Box Review (January)

Mystery subscription boxes have become massive over the past year or so with more and more companies offering monthly boxes full of themed goodies. When I first heard that the popular 'Nerd Block' service offered a Horror themed box, I had to get my hands on one!

Each month you receive 5-6 items that usually have a continued theme. January's block has a Carrie theme, so I was looking forward to seeing what was inside! Since I live in the UK, I was expecting the block to arrive early February, (seeing as they ship from Canada on the 25th of each month). So I was pleasantly surprised to receive mine on the 26th! Big thanks to the team at Nerd block for their efficiency. Obviously spoilers to follow, so if you have ordered Januarys block, look away now!

Right, onto the block itself..

Inside I was shocked to see this staring up at me!

C

Creepy stuff! In every block you get a t-shirt, (You can choose gender, size and fit when you sign up).  This month we have a 'They Live!' Obey shirt, inspired by John Carpenter's 1988 film. It was a really cool design and also was a great fit.

Our first Carrie themed item is a Gravestone phone holder complete with hand popping out the ground! Based on the iconic scene from the end of the original film. The unit has space to plug your phones charge cable in which is a neat design feature.

The other Carrie themed item was a film cell bookmark, which was also very cool! I was also impressed with the quality of this metal meat cleaver keyring, which can also be used as necklace/bracelet charm.

In every block you get a copy of 'Ruemorgue', a magazine which covers all things horror. This months issue takes a special look at the graphic history of horror comics.

Finally, you also get a complimentary digital copy of 'Scream' The worlds scariest horror magazine!

To sum up, Januarys box contains:

-    Baby Eats You Alive! Vinyl doll head

-    Obey T-shirt

-    Cleaver Keyring

-    Gravestone Phone Holder

-    Carrie Filmcell Bookmark

-    Ruemorgue Blood In Four Colours

-    Digital copy of Scream magazine

Overall I was very impressed with my first Horror Block. The items are all fun and mostly good quality. I got my first months subscription discounted, (exc. shipping), so it costed me around £15, which I consider good value. Normally a 1 months subscription would cost you roughly £22, which is a little pricey on a regular basis. That said 3-6 month subscriptions work out better value. I would definitely recommend trying a block if there is a monthly theme that interests you. I can't see myself doing a recurring monthly subscription, though I will definitely treat myself to a block once every couple of months!

To find out more about Horror Block please see the link below.

https://www.nerdblock.com/horror

As always, thanks for reading!

My most anticipated horror films of 2016

2015 has proven to be a strong year for horror films. February saw the release of David Robert Mitchell's 'It Follows,' a creepy 80's throwback with an original story and memorable soundtrack. Later, in Spring, was the surprisingly strong 'Unfriended,' a unique take on the dying found footage genre. During summer, another film I was initially sceptical about was the third chapter in the 'Insidious' franchise. I thought it was a decent sequel with some original scares and I enjoyed it far more than the second.

With 2016 fast approaching, there are many promising films from both indie and mainstream directors to look forward to. Here are five of my most anticipated 2016 horror films.

 1.) K-Shop

First up is an independent horror film that you may not have heard of, from director Dan Pringle. Filmed in the sunny seaside town of Bournemouth, Southern England, 'K-Shop' is a 'Sweeny Todd' inspired story about a kebab shop owner who decides to sort out the town's drinking problems and rowdy behaviour. You definitely won't want to try the donors on this menu! The trailer looks very promising, gritty and should deliver on the gore. Being a local to Bournemouth too, I'm very excited to see this!

Check out the teaser below:

2.) The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Poltergeist

The Conjuring is one of my all time favourite supernatural horrors and in my opinion one of James Wan's best films. I was excited to hear that Wan would return once again to direct the sequel as well as the original cast, who are also returning. Though the plot is currently unknown, I have high hopes that the cast and crew can deliver the tension and scares of the original.

3.) The Forest

This intriguing supernatural horror stars Natalie Dormer as a young woman searching for her missing twin sister in Mount Fuji, Japan. She is led to the mysterious Aokigahara forest, a place where locals come to end their lives. Given only one strict warning, not to stray from the path, Sara must face the restless souls that lie within to discover the truth for herself. Jason Zada's chilling new film is set to be a promising directorial debut.

4.) The Witch

A film generating a lot of buzz recently is from another up and coming director, Robert Eggers. What is particularly interesting about this film is that it is set as a 17th century period horror. The unsettling trailer depicts an isolated family living in rural New England on the edge of a foreboding forest. When sinister events begin to unfold and paranoia arises, the family turn on each other in fear of an evil presence within. Like 'The Babadook', I feel 'The Witch' will rely on disturbing imagery and it's bleak atmosphere to unsettle its audience, rather than jump scares.

5.) The Boy

Continuing 2016's trend of supernatural horrors is William Brent's 'The Boy' which should really deliver on the creep factor. The story follows an American nanny hired by an English family to take care of their "son," who is actually a life-sized porcelain doll. Though comparable to 2013's 'Annabelle,' this film seems more like a classic British ghost story with a foreboding atmosphere and psychological elements.

Anything I've missed? What are you most looking forward to seeing in 2016? Let me know in the comments below.

THORPE PARK FRIGHT NIGHTS 2015 - Scare Attraction Review

The Halloween events industry has become more and more prominent across the UK over the past couple of years, with an ever growing number of "scare attractions" popping up across the country. Thorpe Park were among the first to bring the "Scare maze" or "haunted house" style attraction to the UK, way back in 2002.

I experienced my first scare maze back in 2013, at Chessington's Halloween "Hocus Pocus" event. Admittedly it was a more family orientated event, though some of the attractions did provide a good scare or two!  This year I got the chance to attend Thorpe Park's Fright Nights for the first time! For 2015, the event boasts five mazes, four of which being themed to Lionsgate horror film IPs. These Include; My Bloody Valentine (The forgettable 2009 slasher remake), The Blair Witch Project, (Average, slightly overrated found footage horror), The Cabin In the Woods, (Awesome, horror mash up flick) and finally Saw Alive, (Needs no introduction!). The event also features an original concept maze which was the headline attraction, named "The Big Top", which had a demented circus theme.

Unfortunately, as expected, the park was heaving on the Saturday, therefore we only managed to get in three of the five mazes. Luckily we did manage the three I was most interested in seeing. Here are my reviews of each maze, in order of preference. Be warned, as there will be a few spoilers of both mazes and films!

3.) The Cabin in the Woods

I LOVE this film and I was very much looking forward to seeing what Thorpe had included in the maze. Unfortunately I was a little underwhelmed by this attraction. The idea of choosing your own route is a fantastic concept, especially as "choosing you own fate" is the primary concept of the film. This would definitely make repeat run throughs fun (When the queues is not 120 minutes long!) For me, I felt the maze was just a bit too dark, making it easy to miss key set pieces. Acting was excellent, with some good interaction and startle scares! The ending "outbreak scene" was well executed and captured the chaotic third act of the film very well.

2.5/5

2.) Saw Alive

First off, this is hands down the most visually striking maze at the event, both inside and out. The queue area is much better themed than the other mazes, complete with traps and other contraptions lying around, as well as tall barbed wire fences surrounding the area. Once inside, you are subjected to another of Jigsaws (or Amandas/Hoffmans?) twisted games.  I really liked the pre-show with Billy appearing on the screens, explaining the situation before the timer begins and we're moved on. The sets looked fantastic, with recognisable scenes from various films in the franchise. The actors did a great job of convincing us they were genuinely trapped in the many horrific devices. There were also great uses of lighting and special effects to startle guests. The ending scene featuring a trap from Saw VI was particularly effective! I enjoyed this maze a lot!

3.5/5

3.) The Big Top

This was the main attraction at this years event and it certainly did not disappoint. I was a little sceptical before going in after hearing from previous reviewers that the maze was not completely finished. You begin by having your fortune read before being chased out by a maniacal clown. The attraction then quickly picks up the pace as you enter and exit different tents, filled with bizarre and crazy circus characters. The maze looks very impressive, themed with carnival games and a giant grinning clown facade. Inside is themed to a funhouse with some very lively actors getting very close for comfort. One actor proceeded to follow me, laughing in my ear whilst running his hands through my hair! Lighting was very well used and quite disorientating! The finale features the oldest scare tactic in the book, the chainsaw! I honestly thought it would be a gimmick but when I turned the corner and first saw it, I may have sworn a little and swiftly moved to the exit! My only criticism would be there were a few dead spots, particularly outside where there where either no actors or they just weren't doing a lot. Overall though I was very impressed!

So that was all the mazes we managed. There is an up-charge attraction called "Containment" which is essentially a room escape experience. This wasn't something that particularly interested me and was rather pricey so I gave it a miss. Of course the park is open late so you can enjoy all your favourite rides in the dark. The Swarm and Stealth both looked very impressive at night! The park itself does unfortunately lack in general theming, though it was a nice touch to change the rides audio to fit the whole circus theme.

Overall then, Fright Nights is a great Halloween event for those seeking something a little more intense and physical. I must say that I prefer the more theatrical/atmospheric style mazes at Chessington, however if you want more short, sharp, impact scares, then Fright Nights is definitely for you. I would strongly recommend that you either visit on a Friday or Sunday as the Saturdays do get extremely busy. Frights Nights continue from the 23rd October - 1st November 2015.

Thanks for reading! Have you been to Frights Nights this year? Let me know what you thought in the comments below!

COVER YOUR EARS! My favourite horror soundtracks

Horror movies and TV shows are usually filled with creepy imagery, gory deaths and other visually shocking scenes to be burned into our minds. Sometimes though, shutting your eyes and simply listening to the horrors can be enough to unsettle your audience. I firmly believe that having an appropriate score and sound design are an essential part of the experience. Below are some of my favourite horror film scores.  

The Babadook

Ba-Ba-ba Dook-Dook-DOOK! Last October, directer Jennifer Kent  gave us one of the strongest horror films in years. The babadook is an incredibly tense and unsettling film, helped by it's beautifully creepy soundtrack. What makes "Mister Babadook" so damn scary is the fact we never get much of a glimpse of him. We do however hear the monster knocking, creaking and screaming as he terrorises Amelia and her young son. This allows the audiences imagination to run wild and conjure up their own ideas of what exactly the creature is. The stand out, scariest scene for me is when Amelia finds the book on her doorstep. What she finds inside is made twice as horrifying thanks to the creepy, twisted melody playing along in the foreground, truly chilling stuff! 

Saw Franchise

Saw, not exactly the first film you would think of when it comes to memorable soundtracks. Especially considering most of what you hear is people screaming in pain as there brutally tortured! I'm not talking about the slightly cheesy "death metal" tracks over the credits, rather the awesome score written by Charlie Clouser. The most iconic piece "Hello zepp" from the first film is really intense, almost mechanical sounding and contributes the on screen action perfectly. The music builds as the timer on the trap ticks down, making you feel the panic of the victim as they quickly run out of time. Another of my favourites is "The Rack" a fast paced piece from Saw 3, only ever interrupted by the occasional sound of crushing bones! Lets not get started on the many disgusting sounds of Saw!

Halloween

Perhaps one of the most iconic and instantly recognisable horror film themes. Like many of John Carpenters scores, the Halloween theme is simple yet very effective at getting under your skin. The theme is used repeatedly throughout the film, yet every time you hear it you feel unnerved as Myers watches and stalks his next victim. I'll be honest, I never find slasher films particularly scary, though Halloween is defiantly an exception. As if Michael Myers emotionless expression isn't enough, the disturbing, breathing sounds he makes as he kills his victims are incredibly creepy and unsettling. The simple fact you never hear him speak is enough to disturb, a trick many slasher films since have used.

The Shining

Stanley Kubricks adaption of The Shining is hands down the creepiest film I have ever seen. You get a good idea of the horrors to come just from the opening scene, thanks to Wendy Carlos's sinister opening score. The whole mood of the film is incredibly dark and twisted, with a soundtrack to match. Some of the most disturbing scenes, such as the twins in the corridor, use a series of distorted, high-pitched violins to build the tension before the shocking reveal. Another particularly memorable moment is the "shining" scene between Danny and Dick Hallorann. The ear splitting high note played whilst Hallorann realises the danger Danny is in is truly unsettling.

The Walking Dead

I was quite late to discover just how awesome the Walking dead is. I have literally only just started watching season 5 at the time of writing this! The hit TV show boasts a fantastic mix of superb character development, strong cast, intense action scenes and plenty of gore filled horror. Amongst all this is a brilliant soundtrack consisting of a memorable score as well as a selection of both old and new songs that always fit perfectly with each episodes narrative. Bear McCreary's epic opening theme never fails to excite me for each episode and I often reach for the remote to turn up the volume! Combine this with songs from likes of Ben Howard and Motorhead and you have one hell of a soundtrack!

As always thanks for reading! Please feel free to let me know your favourite horror film/TV soundtracks in the comments below!      

Top 5 Sci-Fi Horror Films

Science fiction is another genre that I adore, so when it's combined with horror its a match made in heaven! There are many great sci-fi horrors, below are just a few of my favourites! *There may be a few spoilers, you've been warned!*

5.) Event Horizon (1997)

 Released in 1997, Event Horizon is often referred to as the "haunted house film in space". Set in the year 2047, a rescue crew are sent out to investigate the Event Horizon ship that had gone missing seven years earlier. The ship was capable of lightning speed travel through black holes. Upon boarding, the research crew realise something went horribly wrong. The crew slowly begin having strange, disturbing hallucinations. Paranoia and tension amongst them starts to build. The standout moment in the film comes when they find the video logs from the previous crew and discover what really happened! This particular scene is over in a matter of seconds but is surprisingly graphic.

The effects have held up a lot better than some of the 90's dated CGI. There are some disturbing moments (who doesn't find eyeless people creepy?). The plot, though interesting does get a little daft towards the end. I particularly liked the random Shining reference and classic 80's "final scare" though!

4.) The Fly (1986)

David Cronenberg's beautifully grotesque take on the classic 1958 film remains one of the best horror remakes of all time. Jeff Goldblum at his finest, stars as the intelligent yet eccentric Seth Brundle, a scientist busy developing a revolutionary machine that can teleport matter from one place to another through the use of two "telepods". Whilst experimenting he falls madly in love with Veronica Quaife (Geena Davis). 

After several unsuccessful (and messy) results with live animals, Seth finally perfects the machine and begins the first human trial. Unknowingly whilst entering the telepod, a fly enters in with with him, he starts the process and unwilling gets his DNA spliced with the fly. Unlike the original, upon emerging from the other pod, Seth looks and behaves normal. Cue David Croneberg's love for the flesh! What follows is a slow, painful, disgusting transformation into Brundlefly! The makeup effects are fantastic,with some truly revolting scenes, (can anyone stomach that nail peeling scene?). I'm not one for romantic films but you can't help but feel saddened by the final, surprisingly moving moment between Veronica and her now hideously deformed partner.

3.) Aliens

Many people actually prefer James Cameron's sequel to the original Alien. It was very difficult for me to decide as I adore both films, however I feel as a standalone horror film, Alien has the edge. Set 57 years after the original, Ripley is awakened from hypersleep and reluctantly agrees to join the Colonial Marines to supposedly destroy the last remaining aliens.

Though it doesn't quite hold the tension as well as the original, Aliens still remains a claustrophobic, thrilling film with some fantastic practical effects. It's much more high octane and action focused, similar to Predator. Sigourney Weaver once again steals it as the tough, yet compassionate Ellen Ripley.The addition of not one but a whole hive of Xenomorpths, makes for lots of plasma firing, saliva dripping, chestbursting fun!

2.) Alien

Alien has always been one of my all time favourites. I first saw it when I was around 12, thanks to my dad who loves science fiction films. Set in the year 2122, the crew of the Nostromo spacecraft intercept a distress signal on a planet codenamed LV-426. After landing, they discover evidence of earlier lifeforms and a chamber full of thousands of large, leathery eggs. Upon inspection, one crew member is seemingly attacked by a strange, spider like creature, which emerges from one of eggs. Upon boarding the ship, ignoring quarantine, they begin heading back to Earth. Soon after we witness the birth of one of cinemas most iconic aliens, the Xenomorpth! 

H. R. Giger's design of the Xenomorpth, to this day, remains one of the most terrifying aliens ever created. I find the chestburster scene very unsettling every time I see this film. Though it's undoubtedly shocking the first time you see it, I actually find it more horrific when you know that the alien is growing inside Kane and that he thinks he is fine until the famous dinner scene. I love the atmosphere of the film, the Nostromo looks and feels eerie with its dark, claustrophobic corridors. The film has some clever, subtle scares to catch the audience off guard and an unnerving score to accompany the on screen terror. Lets not forget Sigourney Weavers fantastic performance as Ellen Ripley. Alien has since gone onto spawn 3 sequels, 2 crossovers (AVP 1/2) and the underrated prequel Prometheus. For me though, the original remains the scariest and definitely the most memorable.

1.) The Thing (1982)

So how do you top Alien? let me introduce you to John Carpenters masterpiece! The Thing  is actually a reimagining of the 1951 film, "The Thing From Another World", which was loosely based on John. W. Campbell. jr's novel, "Who Goes there?". The story is set in an antarctic research station known as Outpost 31. At the beginning of the film a dog is seen attempting to outrun gunfire from a Norwegian helicopter. Unaware of its origin, the scientists take in the animal. Confused over the event, Macready (Kurt Russell) and Dr Copper (Richard Dysart) travel to the Norwegian research facility. To their horror, they find all the scientists dead as well as a hideous looking creature concealed in ice. An autopsy shows the now dead organism to be made up of previous human bodies. Further tests prove that the creature is capable of assimilating (taking on the form of its previous kills). Upon this realisation, the dog is ordered to be incinerated, however it is already too late. The creature is already amongst them!

I am a big fan of the use of practical effects in films. The creature effects by Rob Bottin are incredibly gross and hold up very well to this day. What really makes this such a unique horror is that you never know who in the group has been assimilated. This quickly leads to a growing sense of paranoia and tension that works so well, even on repeat viewings. The iconic "Bloodtest" scene is a great example of this. The 2011 prequel ties up nicely with the original, but for me the CGI just doesn't cut it compared to the grotesque look of the 1982 creature designs. The remote location of the research base adds yet more panic. In one particular scene, the scientists realise the devastating effects on humanity should the creature reach civilisation. The Thing really does have everything you would want out of a sci-fi horror. Amazing creature design, setting, atmosphere and plenty of scares! A must see!

Note: If your already a fan of the original or would like to learn how the incredible special effects were made, then I highly recommend purchasing the Blu Ray. It includes a feature length documentary on the making of the film plus loads of other goodies!

Well thats my list of my favourite sci-fi horrors, thanks for reading! Please let me know your favourites in the comments below!

Welcome to Fear For Thought!

Hello! Welcome to FEAR FOR THOUGHT! A new blog dedicated to all things horror! Here you will find horror film/video game reviews, features and articles, as well as a look at the ever growing scare attraction/events industry.

About me
To be honest, I'm not entirely sure where my love of horror came from. Growing up, I always had a fascination with the supernatural, unexplainable phenomena, ufos, that sort of thing! I loved reading ghost stories and watching those cheesy "Most Haunted" documentaries. I think it was my first viewing of Alien in my early teens that really kicked off my love for horror films. To this day it still remains one of my all time favourites!

As a bit of a thrill seeker (and a self confessed roller coaster enthusiast!) I first came upon the scare attractions industry through my other love of theme parks. The "Haunted house" industry first started in America but has slowly become more and more prominent here in the UK Many theme parks, farms and private events have started popping up over the country and not just for Halloween!  I'm a bit of a newbie in this industry, only visiting a grand total of 3 scare mazes or "Haunted Houses" but I hope to visit many more and share my reviews here.

Thanks for checking out my blog and stay tuned for more updates very soon!