Raising Hell: Hellstorm Responds To Top 50 List

Brian Matus (aka Hellstorm on Twitter) has taken exception to the Cyber-Horror Elite's Top 50 Horror Films of All Time. In his response to the choices appearing on the list, which was composed by Vault of Horror in tabulation of the League of Tana Tea Drinkers' favorites, he argues admirably and is rousing the Fangoria Forum denizens to a call to arms (and opinions) in composing their own top horror film list. I'm excited to see what they pull together. I welcome the debate and discussion; raising hell in the pursuit of horror is always fun.

Read Brian Matus's response.

Comments

[chris zenga]

Horror Cinema is like wine, there really is no bad wine, just different flavors for different pallets. If we all agreed that the same films were all worthy of the top 50 honor, these blogs and forums would be painfully boring to read. Obviously the age of fan surveyed will determine there answer, also look at the demographic who shops at HMV or Big box stores, these are not the same group who will be at suspect video on Queen st. (Toronto plug) trying to find a copy of I spit on your grave. I have a 15 year old cousin who loves the Saw franchise but has no Idea who Bela Lugosi is, can you blame him? he has "I only like what's cool" blinders on. All I can hope for is that a film like saw or (gasp) I know what you did last summer will be what I call "the gateway film" in to the horror genre, and as his tastes mature he will discover more mature films. We all have guilty pleasure films and it's nothing to be ashamed of. I'll start , House, Monster squad and Children shouldn't play with dead things. These are not great for everyone but what it all boils down to is, we are a community, we are all voices for the love of horror cinema and life time members of the macabre.

Later days,

Christopher Zenga
thedayafterart.blogspot.com

[ILozZoc]

Good points here. What makes the horror genre so much fun (and vexing at times) is the diversity of it. One of the reasons I love Rue Morgue magazine more than Fangoria these days is their recognition of the classic, neo-classic, and contemporary in horror and how they cover it in their mage. Horror fans are young, old, and in the middle, and too many of us tend to forget that and put those blinders on. There's so much good horror out there, it's important that new and younger fans know about it so they can either take it or leave it. But not knowing anything about it at all is not beneficial to the genre as a whole.

Another important thing to remember is that many of our choices (by seasoned fans of the genre) reflect the sticky-ness of good films having stood the test of time. I can't see how any top listing of films, under the list title of Of All Time, can include recent films over those that have shown they can last in the minds of fans. Maybe some recent films will push the others out, over time, but time is the key element here in deciding that. This in no way says less of these films, just that they need to hang out some more before I'd make a judgment as to their importance and merit in the overall scheme of our genre.

[Christopher Zenga]

An art teacher told me once that"you do not have to like the group of seven, but you have to be aware of who's shoulders you are standing on" I have two little ones of my own(Madison 3 and Ethan 4 months) and when the time is right I have an VHS copy of The day the earth stood still just waiting for them. The won't see it in 7.0 hi-def surround sound, not at first. I want them to experience it just the way I did, and appreciate the film in it's raw state.

I am very lucky to have Rue Morgue in my back yard(Toronto) and they have a wonderful Festival of Fear every August. I have always felt that Rue had a classic cinema touch to it where Fango wanted to beat you over the head with gore. Again, like my comment above, I believe you need both.

P.s Thank you so much for adding The day after to your side bar as Horror art, I love what I do and it means the world to me to have you include me on you blog.

Thank you very much,

Later days,

Christopher Zenga
http://thedayafterart.blogspot.com

[ILozZoc]

You are lucky to be able to attend the Rue Morgue festival easily. I'd love to check it out one of these days. It's the first time I heard of the group of seven (1920's Canadian Landscape Painters according to Wiki). Now I'm curious enough to check them out, too. At least that will be a bit easier :)

My pleasure to add your blog, The Day After (http://thedayafterart.blogspot.com/). You have a unique approach going so I couldn't resist.

[chris zenga]

Every year Hobby star puts on a 3 day event at the Metro Toronto Convention center called the Fan Expo. It is a Comic book/anime/Sci-fi/video game and Horror convention. I have been attending it since I was a kid and four years ago my wife Michele and I actually landed in Toronto from a 36 hour flight home from Australia, ran home for a quick shower and headed back into the city for the opening day of the con. ( I'm talking 36 hours no sleep!, Michele is a trooper) Over the years The Festival of Fear portion has grown substantially, and now includes toy and apparel manufactures, jewelry, artwork and vendors who sell hard to find films. It now has the clout to attract major film stars in both the horror and Sci-fi Genre. ( I have a picture with Tom Savini after he signed my day of the dead DVD) It really is a great weekend of fan service. And on the Friday evening Rue Morgue hosts the After dark film festival.http://http://tiff07.ca/blogs/blog/default.aspx?blg=3&id=209&t=Hey-Kids-Its-the-FESTIVAL-OF-FEAR. where the fans get to screen new and classic horror films (I think last year was My name is Bruce, and the new Robert Englund film) Check the promo poster for 2007 event when Dario Argento was in town, what a line up! This year I will have a table in artist alley (a section of the show dedicated to local, up and coming talent) And it will be great to get my "walking Tedd" series some exposure.

Regarding the Group of seven, Impressionism is not really my cup of tea but they have had huge impact in the art world, yea Canada! Edvard Munch is more my taste if we are discussing classic painters.

In the end I am trying to contribute to the horror community the best way I can and I am very,very happy to hear you call it "unique" I am driven to push my drawings and oil paintings so that they do not look like everything else out there, I am determined not to blend into the background. And if I may, I look to contributors like Yourself with Zombo's and League of Tana Tea, and B-sol at The Vault of Horror as leaders, and as fans and as creators who clearly have refused to follow the pack, and have decided to be the funeral pyre and in my case, an olive branch. so Cheers to you, and thanks for lighting the way.

Later days
Christopher Zenga
thedayafterart.blogspot.com