On Screen Archives - Tor Nightfire

Horror Punk’s Not Dead: The Adams Family Reinvents Horror Cinema on Their Own Terms

Posted on May 17, 2022 (May 17, 2022) by Matthew Lyons

An ode to the punk genius of the Adams, the indie family filmmaking team behind Hellbender and The Deeper You Dig. […]

May 17, 2022 On Screen

The Cultural (and Horror) Significance of Roger Corman

Posted on May 5, 2022 (May 5, 2022) by Joe Bendel

The prolific cult filmmaker Roger Corman has had an outsized impact on American film history–and especially horror. So why does he only have one film on the National Film Registry? […]

May 5, 2022 On Screen

With Special Guest Star Vincent Price: The Horror Icon on TV

Posted on April 21, 2022 (April 21, 2022) by Joe Bendel

Vincent Price will always be a favorite of horror fans for his iconic star-turns in classic horror movies, like the Roger Corman Edgar Allan Poe films, The Abominable Dr. Phibes, […]

April 21, 2022 On Screen

Polychromatic Perversity: Hypercolor, Vice, and Violence in Horror

Posted on March 9, 2022 (March 11, 2022) by Chelsea Davis

Continuing her series on color in horror, Chelsea Davis looks at the otherworldly uses of hypersaturation in Heavenly Creatures, Dorian Gray, and more. […]

March 9, 2022 Books, On Screen

Seven Filmed Stories About Freaky Films

Posted on February 23, 2022 (February 23, 2022) by Sam Reader

These movies and TV shows about dangerous fictional films need more than an MPAA rating–try a priest or a circle of salt instead. […]

February 23, 2022 On Screen

Adrift & Alone: The Five Ghost Ships That Haunt Me

Posted on February 9, 2022 (February 9, 2022) by S.A. Barnes

Dead Silence author S.A. Barnes on the ghost ships (both fictional and all-too-real) that haunt her nightmares, from the Event Horizon to the Lyubov Orlova. […]

February 9, 2022 Books, On Screen

In Defense of Space Horror

Posted on January 12, 2022 (January 12, 2022) by S.A. Barnes

Dead Silence author S.A. Barnes explores how and why horror set in space works, contrary to what you may have heard on Twitter. […]

January 12, 2022 Books, On Screen

Keep Watching The Skies: 7 Strange Movies About Alien Abduction

Posted on January 10, 2022 (January 10, 2022) by Sam Reader

Seven standout movies from the alien abduction genre, featuring everything from gonzo body horror to contemplative takes on humanity’s flaws and foibles. […]

January 10, 2022 On Screen

In Defense of Wendy, Barbra, and the Traumatized Women of Horror Cinema

Posted on January 6, 2022 (May 2, 2022) by Gwendolyn Kiste

Why do we regard certain female characters in horror as weak just because they visibly suffer and grieve? Gwendolyn Kiste reexamines Wendy, Barbra, and representations of trauma. […]

January 6, 2022 On Screen

Remembering Bill Landis, the Late, Great Scholar of Sleaze

Posted on December 14, 2021 (December 14, 2021) by Preston Fassel

Biographer Preston Fassel reintroduces the man behind the myth, the grandfather of modern genre criticism, Mr. Sleazoid himself: Bill Landis. […]

December 14, 2021 Books, On Screen

The Gift of Fear: 2021’s Best Gifts for Horror Fans

Posted on December 6, 2021 (December 15, 2021) by Emily Hughes

If you need the perfect gift for the horror reader in your life, these 30+ 2021 horror books will guarantee you champion gift-giver status. […]

December 6, 2021 Books, On Screen

Fearful Felines: The Ten Spookiest Cats of Horror Fiction and Film

Posted on October 28, 2021 (October 28, 2021) by Gwendolyn Kiste

The horror genre has more than its fair share of spooky felines. In honor of Samhain, here are ten horror cats of film and page who deserve their eerie due. […]

October 28, 2021 Books, On Screen

Horror Is Metal: Backstreet’s Pop-Gothic Detour

Posted on October 26, 2021 (October 26, 2021) by Meghan Ball

In a very special pop edition of her column on music and horror, Meghan Ball muses on an unconventional Halloween classic: the Backstreet Boys video for Everybody (Backstreet’s Back). […]

October 26, 2021 On Screen

No One Here Knows I’m a Vampire: A Spooky Matt Berry Reading List

Posted on October 14, 2021 (October 14, 2021) by Drew Broussard

In honor of the funniest man on television, the list you never knew you needed: what to read next based on your favorite Matt Berry project. […]

October 14, 2021 Books, On Screen

8 Standout Horror Game Demos From This Fall’s Steam Next Fest

Posted on October 7, 2021 (January 26, 2022) by Sam Reader

From pixel art folk horror to backwoods deck-building, here are eight of the most promising horror game demos we played at the October 2021 Steam Next Fest. […]

October 7, 2021 On Screen

The Sublime Silliness of Shark Horror Movies

Posted on September 2, 2021 (November 22, 2021) by Austin Gilkeson

In a post-Jaws world, shark horror movies like 47 Meters Down: Uncaged and The Shallows are often pretty silly. Here’s why that’s great, actually. […]

September 2, 2021 On Screen

The Scariest Thing About False Positive is How Wrong It Gets Infertility

Posted on August 17, 2021 (August 17, 2021) by Natalie Zutter

False Positive gets the horrors of infertility wrong at every turn and proves to be a disappointing heir to Rosemary’s Baby. […]

August 17, 2021 On Screen

Down The Road: A Look Back At The Second Season Of HBO’s The Hitchhiker

Posted on July 28, 2021 (July 28, 2021) by Shawn M. Garrett

For our Small Screen Horror series, Shawn M. Garrett takes a close look at the second season of HBO’s 1980s horror anthology series The Hitchhiker. […]

July 28, 2021 On Screen

On The Loneliness of the Young Horror Fan

Posted on July 26, 2021 (November 22, 2021) by Ally Russell

Growing up as a horror-loving kid isn’t always easy, especially for non-white children. But it’s getting better – Ally Russell on why kids should stay spooky. […]

July 26, 2021 Books, On Screen

7 Horror B-Movies For When You Want Something Trashier

Posted on June 28, 2021 (June 28, 2021) by Sam Reader

Sometimes you just need a schlocky horror B-movie – here are seven movies not afraid to walk on the trashier side of cinema. […]

June 28, 2021 On Screen

Fried Barry is a Psychedelic Horror-Comedy Alien Sojourn Through Cape Town

Posted on June 16, 2021 (June 16, 2021) by Sam Reader

Fried Barry is a bizarre, fun, weirdly optimistic tour of Cape Town’s underworld through the eyes of an interstellar visitor. […]

June 16, 2021 On Screen

Get Lost: Fictional and True Stories of Forest Horror

Posted on May 10, 2021 (August 17, 2021) by Ally Russell

Take a hike into horror with these documentaries, podcasts, movies, and books about getting lost in the woods–forever. […]

May 10, 2021 Books, On Screen

RPG Nightmares: 5 Horror Games to Play with Your Friends

Posted on April 27, 2021 (April 27, 2021) by Aigner Loren Wilson

These five multiplayer horror RPGs are the perfect way to scare yourself and your friends, all from the comfort of your own homes. […]

April 27, 2021 On Screen

Chronic Chills: In Praise of the Stoner Horror Movie

Posted on April 20, 2021 (April 20, 2021) by Aigner Loren Wilson

Cannabis and horror go together like slashers and masks – this 4/20, celebrate with these ten classic stoner horror movies. […]

April 20, 2021 On Screen

A Single Point of Light: The Lost Mystery of Faces in the Window

Posted on April 14, 2021 (April 14, 2021) by Shawn M. Garrett

Pseudopod editor Shawn M. Garrett continues his ongoing series about the history of horror audio with an investigation into the lost TV show Faces in the Window. […]

April 14, 2021 Miscellaneous, On Screen

There’s No I in Succubus: Why Men Fall for Sexy Monsters

Posted on April 12, 2021 (April 12, 2021) by Juliet Bennett Rylah

From No Escape Room to Dracula to Buffy, men in horror are remarkably vulnerable to death by horniness. We unpack the deadly appeal of the female monster. […]

April 12, 2021 On Screen

Small Screen Horror: The Ghoulish Delights of Venturing ‘Way Out

Posted on April 1, 2021 (April 1, 2021) by Shawn M. Garrett

For our Small Screen Horror series, let’s revisit the semi-lost classic horror anthology series ‘Way Out, hosted by Roald Dahl. […]

April 1, 2021 On Screen

Midnight Movies: Riding The Midnight Meat Train

Posted on March 16, 2021 (March 16, 2021) by Alasdair Stuart

This underappreciated 2008 movie adaptation of the Clive Barker short story still exudes a dark and compelling power. […]

March 16, 2021 On Screen

No Good Mitzvah Goes Unpunished in The Vigil

Posted on March 5, 2021 by Leah Schnelbach

The Vigil is a taut, terrifying religious horror movie told from a point of view rarely seen in the genre. […]

March 5, 2021 On Screen

Scary Personalities: Why Horror Hosts Will Never Die

Posted on March 2, 2021 (June 9, 2021) by Ally Russell

From the Cryptkeeper and Vampira to Terry Carnation and Zena Dixon, join us in this celebration of horror hosts past, present, and future. […]

March 2, 2021 Miscellaneous, On Screen

The Science of Women in Horror Brilliantly Dissects Horror Movie Tropes and Traditions

Posted on February 23, 2021 (February 23, 2021) by Sadie Hartmann

From final girls to femme fatales, The Science of Women in Horror is a great dissection of tropes and traditions in horror movies. […]

February 23, 2021 Books, On Screen

Does She Make You Scream? Introducing the Murder Babe, the Final Girl’s Opposite Number

Posted on February 19, 2021 (February 20, 2021) by Aigner Loren Wilson

We all know about horror’s Final Girl, but where’s the love for the Murder Babe? From Buffy Summers to Akasha to Ginger Fitzgerald, here are our favorites. […]

February 19, 2021 On Screen

Hotel Horror Makes Itself at Home in Kourosh Ahari’s The Night

Posted on February 16, 2021 (February 16, 2021) by Leah Schnelbach

You can check out any time you like: Kourosh Ahari’s The Night foregrounds personal horror in a deeply creepy hotel. Read our full review. […]

February 16, 2021 On Screen

12 Horror Games to Look Forward to in 2021

Posted on February 12, 2021 (August 17, 2021) by Charlotte Nicole Davis

2021 is shaping up to be a great year in horror gaming: from tense, tightly-paced indie games to massive, sprawling RPGs, there’s something for everyone. […]

February 12, 2021 On Screen

Color in Horror: The Grim Rainbow of American Gothic Fiction

Posted on January 26, 2021 (January 26, 2021) by Chelsea Davis

How does a non-visual form of storytelling make a visual phenomenon both vibrant and disturbing? Chelsea Davis explores the use of color in horror fiction in this essay series. […]

January 26, 2021 Books, On Screen

On The Road: A Look Back At HBO’s The Hitchhiker

Posted on January 19, 2021 (January 19, 2021) by Shawn M. Garrett

For our Small Screen Horror series, Shawn M. Garrett takes a close look at the first season of HBO’s 1980s horror anthology series The Hitchhiker. […]

January 19, 2021 On Screen

O Christmas Scream: 6 Offbeat Christmas Horror Movies to Haunt Your Holidays

Posted on December 23, 2020 (December 23, 2020) by Aigner Loren Wilson

These Christmas horror movies (and two bonus TV episodes) are perfect for anyone who likes a little blood in their eggnog. […]

December 23, 2020 On Screen

Is it Demons or Bad Pipes? Reviewing Evil’s First Season

Posted on December 4, 2020 (December 4, 2020) by Aigner Loren Wilson

Evil is a spooky procedural that mixes technology and faith, perfect for fans of The X-Files and Black Mirror – read our full review. […]

December 4, 2020 On Screen

Horror for the Holidays: The Best Gifts for Horror Readers

Posted on December 2, 2020 (January 20, 2021) by Nicole Hill

If you need the perfect gift for the horror reader in your life, these 14 2020 horror books will guarantee you champion gift-giver status. […]

December 2, 2020 Books, On Screen

7 Family Gathering Horror Movies To Take The Edge Off The Holidays

Posted on November 23, 2020 (January 20, 2021) by Sam Reader

Things can get tense at family holiday gatherings – here are 7 horror movies that’ll make you thank your lucky stars your family is only a little quirky. […]

November 23, 2020 On Screen