Part Two: The Rise of the Female Avenger In the previous article of this series, I discussed how early rape-revenge films reflected the idea that sexual violence was a property crime first, with the family being owed a debt from the perpetrator, and second, that the victim’s fate was less important than the honor of
Author: Michael Williams
I am a lifelong lover of horror who delights in the uncanny and occasionally writes about it. My writing has appeared at DIS/MEMBER and in Grim magazine. I am also in charge of programming at WIWLN’s Insomniac Theater, the Internet’s oldest horror movie blog written by me. The best time to reach me is before dawn.
One: The Muted Victim and the Male Surrogate Accounts of sexual violence are as old as recorded history. The earliest incidences existed side-by-side with the oldest tales of murder; the slaying of Abel by Cain is only a handful of chapters away from the rape of Dinah by Shechem in Genesis. But unlike the physical
Why are horror and exploitation films so popular? Why do fans willingly submit themselves to the gruelling, torturous experiences that these genres provide? The simple answer is it feels good to be scared. Movies like Night of the Living Dead (1968) or Faster Pussy Cat, Kill Kill! (1965) allow fans to experience unique, unusual and
Hugo Ruíz’s debut film, the brutal and unflinching One Night with Adela [Una noche con Adela] (2023), is far more than a simple revenge thriller; it is an indictment of Spain’s generational trauma stemming from the institutionalized sins of infant abduction. Following a single, wrath-fueled night, the film presents a gut-wrenching, 21st-century Taxi Driver–esque story, focusing on
During the current trend of “elevated horror”—films that explore personal trauma with visceral, cathartic violence—Jeffrey Primm and Dominic Arecelin’s 213 Bones promises to be a refreshing throwback to simpler horror movies. It’s a straightforward slasher that follows the familiar formula of the genre without delving into someone’s deep, intrapersonal nightmares. The movie’s premise brings together
Director/writer Gerald Johnston and writer Akela Cooper’s M3GAN sequel isn’t just reheated leftovers. Instead, it serves up a familiar dish with bold new seasoning and fresher ingredients. M3GAN 2.0 ups the ante, embracing its Summer Blockbuster status with more explosions, action, and striking visuals in the next chapter of the saga of the dancing doll
Aimee Kuge’s directorial debut feature, Cannibal Mukbang, dares to ask, “How far would you go for love?” This unsettling yet darkly compelling film explores some of society’s most intimate, and often destructive, relationships: with food, with sexuality, and with one another. Through the visceral lens of performative social media and the primal taboo of cannibalism,
To me, the greatest American rock and roll band will always be The Cramps. Led by singer Lux Interior and guitarist Poison Ivy Rorschach, draped in vintage Frederick’s of Hollywood outfits, fueled by their schlocky B-movie obsessions, and lyrics brimming with enough double-entendres to make Mae West blush, the Cramps delivered a masterclass in glorious
Exhausted after a long day of hiking, Daniel, Donna, Mark, and Sally gather around a fire at their campsite. It’s the first night of their spooky hiking tour through a haunted forest. As darkness creeps in, the four friends huddle together, joined by their mysterious guide, who promises an unforgettable experience. Their chaperone reveals the
I first saw Alejandro Jodorowsky’s surreal, bildungsroman film, Santa Sangre, in 1989 on VHS tape. Watching it was like watching a slasher about a killer with a twisted Oedipal Complex that takes place in the slums of Mexico City while on LSD. This unusual and dark fantasy left a powerful impression that 33 years later,