So I just finished reading the last book in my library… okay, that might not be entirely true. Or even close. But I do know that I have plenty of wonderous volumes just waiting for me to dig into when I do have the time. Plus, these numerous tomes all there when I need to do a little research, so just like they say, you can actually learn things from them!
Anyway, I was scrolling through McFarland’s website and came across several new book titles that are (hopefully) coming out this year that immediately got my interests. None of these have any release dates, and some don’t have a lot of information about the actual book, such as page count, but I think you’ll be able to get an idea of what the book is about.
The first one is Global Horror Cinema Today by Jon Towlson, which according to the cover, it represents 28 films from 17 different countries, with each chapter focusing on a particular country, looking into what frightens the native people there, and how it can cross over to an international audience. Some of the films covered are It Follows (2014), Grave aka Raw (2016), Busanhaeng aka Train to Busan (2016), and Get Out (2016), as well as discussing another 100 titles.
The thing that I really love about the concept of this book is to show horror fans how big the genre is and that to limit oneself to only films from our own country, or in your own language, makes you missing out on some amazing cinema. Especially with all the films available online in different streaming outlets, it gives fans even more opportunity to see some incredible cinema. So I really look forward to this title to maybe show me some titles I have missed, as well as hearing what Towlson has to say about these films and the countries where they are from.
It is priced at $39.95 and is in softcover format. Continue reading


Norman J. Warren is a perfect example of a filmmaker that does not have a huge filmography but the few films he made are more than enough to be remembered. Warren grew up loving film and started working in the industry before he was 20, and directing his first short film, Fragments in 1965. Three years later, he directed two successful softcore exploitation films, Her Private Hell and Loving Feeling, both in 1968. But it is his horror films that he is best remembered for. In the late 70s, he directed Satan’s Slave (1976), Prey (1977), Terror (1978), and the early 80s, took advantage of the Alien phenomena and directed Inseminoid (1981), and then a nod to the nightmarish slasher sub-genre, gave us Bloody New Year in 1987.


If you have any of the amazing volumes put out by Peveril Publishing, then you know how simply amazing they are. Yes, they are a bit pricy, especially when you’re getting them shipped over here to the US, but they are worth every single penny. So start saving those now because (hopefully) this summer, they will be unleashing the Hammer Vampire Scrapbook!
We lost a great hero of independent cinema today, which unfortunately most fans don’t know. John “Bud” Cardos started his career in the film business back in the ’40s with Hal Roach’s Our Gang, and continued on from there, working in just about every part of the industry. He worked in the stunt department, acting, directing, and so much more. As an actor, he worked a lot with Al Adamson, appearing in films like Blood on Dracula’s Castle and Satan’s Sadist (both in 1969), Five Bloody Graves and Horror of the Blood Monsters (both in 1970), and as a director, he gave us Kingdom of the Spiders (1977), The Dark (1979), and Mutant (1984).