Next on the chopping block: Let Me In and Monsters

What can we say other than we here in The Basement love our monsters. Maybe it's that primal fear left over from when we were children scared of the hairy monster in the closet or the masked bogeyman under the bed, but monsters or fascinating. Monsters are cool. As long as they are on the big screen that is.

Tonight we're putting two little-seen but well-regarded horror tales on the chopping block. First up is Cloverfield director Matt Reeves's vampire film Let Me In, which is a remake of the Swedish flick Let The Right One In. The Basement's Matt Bellamy actually likes the remake better, so that has Shawn and I curious. Speaking from my own experience, Let The Right One In is a modern classic. Never mind the horror part.

Then we take on Monsters, the low-budget directorial debut of Gareth Edwards that promises big things in terms of giant aliens running amok. We're jazzed to see it, but will Monsters actually be any good? Stick with us!

And stick around for our interview with sci-fi writer David McDonald. Not only does David write in one of our favourite genres, but he's also a Basement fan. David talks about his first novel, The Rewirers, the films of past Basement guest William Castle and how film influences his writing. It's a talk any writer and film fan won't want to miss.

So join us tonight at 10 p.m. PST on 92.5FM CFBX Kamloops and www.thex.ca for an hour of radio that's more talk, less rock and all film. 'Scopin!

And now for a sneak peak at tonight's films:

Let Me In



Monsters

It's Halloween, and everyone is entitles to one good scare. For us in The Basement, that scare came Friday night when we interviewed the ghost of deceased movie producer, director and actor William Castle!

For those that missed our first ever live chat with the dead, there is the podcast to your right that you can listen to at your leisure. Given that the interview was carried out via live chat in a Facebook discussion page, we've included a link to it here. Feel free to give it a read and catch parts of the interview that didn't make it onto the show. And thanks again to psychic Mike S, who mediated the interview for us. You rock!

How could we not broadcast every question and answer? Well, being a movie review show, we did have to talk movies. And Shawn and I just had to share our thoughts on the best underrated horror movies of all time. Being the generous radio hosts that we are, we've included our lists and brief thoughts on each film for you below!

And a big shout out once again to our resident ghost, the late great Mr. Castle! Thanks for making Halloween 2010 a great one for us Basement Dwellers!

The 10 Most Underrated Horror Films

According to Shawn:

Eight Legged Freaks - One of the greatest giant spider movies ever made. Having arachnophobia, this movie is an eye squinter for me when I watch it. Toxic waste spill mutates the spiders at a side-of-the-road spider zoo. The zookeeper is quickly devoured and the spiders take refuge in the town's old gold mines. They grow, and eat people. Awesome!

The Devil's Backbone- Ghosts, war, bombs, and lots of scares.  I remember being a bit squeamish watching it. Thanks for the nightmares, Guillermo Del Toro.

Sasquatch: The Legend of Bigfoot - I was a kid when I watched this TV movie.  I remember it freaked me out. We do live in Bigfoot country after all.  Plausible? Call Mythbusters.

Dead Alive (Brain Dead)- Terrible beginning. Terrible ending.  The bits in between are gold.  Rare monkey is found, bites lady. Cue zombie apocalypse. Features a priest who kicks ass for God. How cool is that?

Freaks – An old, weird movie.  Watched it once when I was young and it's stuck with me ever since. Maybe because they used real genetically unfortunate persons.  May not be the scariest movie on earth, but disturbing.

An American Werewolf In London – I was 10 years old when I watched this.  The werewolf itself wasn't the scariest part. It was the dead victims that impacted me and still stick with me today. Really. I see one of them now!

John Carpenter's The Thing - Again, I was 10 years old when I watched this.  That must have been a defining year for me and movies.  Thanks to George's dad too, who let me watch it.  It was evening, I lived one short block away.  He says "Hey Shawn, have a good walk home and watch out for THE THING!  It could be anybody". Thanks. Words I've lived by.  That molded me.

Pontypool - Awesome one-location, limited-cast apocalyptic film.  Truly makes you use your imagination, gets you thinking, and is pretty damn scary.  Highly underrated!

and No. 1 . . . Dog Soldiers – Werewolves versus soldiers.  Soldiers kick ass. The werewolves are the best ever put on film. I don't care what Mike S. thinks! Violent, gory and believable. Scary even. It's what we in The Basement look for in a horror movie!

According to Jason:

All the Boys Love Mandy Lane - A group of high-schoolers invite Mandy Lane, a good girl who became quite hot over the summer, to a weekend party on a secluded ranch. While the festivities rage on, the number of revelers begins to drop quite mysteriously. Quirky and well done despite its low budget. Got Amber Heard noticed, and for good reason!

The Woman in Black - When a friendless old widow dies in the seaside town of Crythin, a young solicitor is sent by his firm to settle the estate. Pure terror ensues for the solicitor and the audience. Guaranteed to keep you up at night.

Session 9 - Tensions rise within an asbestos cleaning crew as they work in an abandoned mental hospital with a horrific past that seems to be coming back. Limited violence, no jump scares but unsettling none-the-less.

The Orphanage - A woman brings her family back to her childhood home, where she opens an orphanage for handicapped children. Before long, her son starts to communicate with an invisible new friend. From producer Guillermo Del Toro, and scary as hell. The kid in the sack mask still gives me nightmares.

Pontypool - A psychological thriller in which a deadly virus infects a small Ontario town via the spoken word. What Shawn said.

The Poughkeepsie Tapes - When hundreds of videotapes showing torture, murder and dismemberment are found in an abandoned house, they reveal a serial killer's decade-long reign of terror and become the most disturbing collection of evidence homicide detectives have ever seen. Two words describe this film: fucked up! And not for everyone.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon - The next great psycho horror slasher has given a documentary crew exclusive access to his life as he plans his reign of terror over the sleepy town of Glen Echo, all the while deconstructing the conventions and archetypes of the horror genre for them. A must see. Why haven't you seen it yet? Get out there and SEE IT!

Dog Soldiers - A routine military exercise turns into a nightmare in the Scotland wilderness as a group of soldiers find themselves under siege by a pack of werewolves. Again, what Shawn said.

Trick r Treat – Actually a better film than my No. 1 choice, but much more well know and therefor it does not rank as No. 1. Four interwoven stories that occur on Halloween: An everyday high school principal has a secret life as a serial killer; a college virgin might have just met the one guy for her; a group of teenagers pull a mean prank; a woman who loathes the night has to contend with her holiday-obsessed husband. One to put in the Blu-Ray player every October.

and No. 1 . . . Splinter - Trapped in an isolated gas station by a voracious Splinter parasite that transforms its still living victims into deadly hosts, a young couple and an escaped convict must find a way to work together to survive this primal terror. Brutal, disturbing and a masterpiece despite the low budget. Great characters who react in rational and believable way to the nightmare they face. I love this movie!

From Beyond the Grave: A Discussion With William Castle!

Tonight is a Basement first! With the help of psychic and frequent contributor Mike S., and the marvels of modern Facebook technology, Shawn and I are going to conduct a live online and onair interview with the spirit of famous Hollywood film director, producer and actor William Castle! 

We've opened a discussion on our Facebook page and, shortly after 10 p.m., our conversation from beyond the grave will begin! Remember, Castle is a ghost, so he's only regained the ability to type, not to speak. Mike S. will speak for him!


Those who want to listen can tune in live at 92.5FM CFBX Kamloops or www.thex.ca. If you want to watch the discussion unfold, or even have a question to ask, stop by our Facebook page.

Castle may be best known for his gimmicks. For example, The Tingler (1959) was about a docile creature that lives in the spinal cord, is activated by fright, and can only be destroyed by screaming. In the film's finale, one of the creatures removed from the spine of a mute woman is let loose in a movie theatre. Some seats in theatres showing the Tingler were equipped with larger versions of hand-held joy buzzers that were attached to the underside of the seats. When the Tingler in the film attacked the audience, the buzzers were activated as a voice encouraged the real audience to scream for their lives.

We've also got music by Rob Zombie and Sick Puppies, plus featured discussions on the best underrated horror films of all time. Stick with us!

And remember, if all of this makes your skin crawl, it's Halloween: everyone is entitled to one good scare!

Below is Castle introducing his film The Tingler.

Chatting with ghosts: The Basement interviews William Castle

Halloween is our favourite holiday here in The Basement, and we've got something special planned for our Oct. 29 episode to celebrate.

With the help of psychic and frequent Basement contributor Mike S., and the marvels of modern Facebook technology, Shawn and I are going to conduct a live online and onair interview with the spirit of famous Hollywood film director, producer and actor William Castle.

Yes, Castle is back from beyond the grave and he's willing to take some time out from overseeing the collaborative horror novel Scare It Forward (which yours truly is taking part in) to answer some questions about his life, career and the movies he made.

Castle may be best known for his gimmicks. For example, The Tingler (1959) was about a docile creature that lives in the spinal cord, is activated by fright, and can only be destroyed by screaming. In the film's finale, one of the creatures removed from the spine of a mute woman is let loose in a movie theatre. Some seats in theatres showing the Tingler were equipped with larger versions of hand-held joy buzzers that were attached to the underside of the seats. When the Tingler in the film attacked the audience, the buzzers were activated as a voice encouraged the real audience to scream for their lives.
  
We're going to open a discussion section on our Facebook page at about 10 p.m. PST on Oct. 29. Our conversation with Castle, who has regained the ability to type but not to speak, will begin in that section soon after. Those who want to listen can tune in live at 92.5FM CFBX Kamloops or www.thex.ca. If you want to watch the discussion unfold, or even have a question to ask, stop by our Facebook page.

Shawn and I are very excited about this interview, a Basement first. And we encourage everyone to stop by Scare It Forward, give it a read, and leave a comment or two.

And don't forget to tune in next week for reviews of Case 39, The Road and our discussion on era flops circa 1985!