Backstage and Beyond – Fabio Frizzi Autobiography Out!

If you’re a fan of Lucio Fulci, then you know the work of composer Fabio Frizzi. How can you not? His scores were essential in helping those films make the impact they did. From creating haunting breaks, to a highly memorable theme with just 7 notes, to filling our ears with music that helped us believe we were in “Beyond” our understanding!

Through Chiroptera Press, in 3 different editions, you can now order your own copy of Frizzi’s autobiography, Backstage and Beyond: An Autobiography, learning about his life in music, movies, and more recently, touring the world to bring both of those to his fans. The book has been translated by Esteban Medaglia and edited by Stephen Thrower, and, according to the website, “takes the reader on a richly detailed journey through his lifelong passion for music. Along the way, we encounter the giants who have inspired or influenced his career, including guitar virtuoso Andrés Segovia, fellow composers Armando Trovajoli and Carlo Rustichelli, and progressive rock group Goblin. We hear about Frizzi’s teenage rock’n’roll bands, his internship with the legendary Ennio Morricone, and learn the secrets of his early success with the group Bixio-Frizzi-Tempera (much admired by Quentin Tarantino). And we meet Lucio Fulci – a complex, tormented genius with whom Frizzi enjoyed a long-standing professional and personal friendship.”

There is a signed hardcover edition that is priced at $80, a signed softcover edition priced at $45, or the standard softcover priced at $36. It seems there are limited quantities of all of these editions, so if you’re interested, you may want to jump on it and get your order in! You can do just that by going to their website HERE.

Episode 6 of Discover the Horror Podcast is UP!

In this episode, we talk about the Italian Godfather of Gore, Lucio Fulci. But while everyone has seen his films like Zombie (1979) and City of the Living Dead (1980), we thought we’d discuss a few of his lesser-known films, such as Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972), The Psychic (1977), and House of Clocks (1989). So, you can either click below, go to Discover the Horror’s website, or find it on whatever platform you listen to podcasts. And once you’re done listening, let us know what you think? Thoughts? Comments? Got any suggestions for future shows? Let us know!

Giannetto De Rossi – Rest in Peace

We have lost one of the premiere makeup artist from the movie world. Being one of thousands in the industry, to have your work literally change the face of a specific horror sub-genre, is something pretty damn amazing. Italian makeup and special effects man Giannetto De Rossi was one of them. This talent that showed us what putrefying flesh of the living dead should look like, passed away on Sunday, at the age of 78 years old.

Coming from a family in the industry, with both his father and grandfather working as makeup artist, it didn’t take long for Giannetto to realize that he was pretty good at it as well. He started working on films in his early 20s and never looked back. In 1974, working with Spanish director Jorge Grau, he created some unforgettable zombies, as well as some over-the-top gore effects in Let Sleeping Corpses Lie, which remain still impressive almost 50 years later. A few years later, he would create the look for the Italian zombie in Lucio Fulci’s Zombie (1979). Not only were there some incredible gore effects, but De Rossi made the zombies look scary as hell. With dirt packed faces, worms crawling on them, and plenty of the gooey red stuff, he made these creatures a walking nightmare, even before they clenched their teeth into your flesh.

April Fulci!

Webster University Film Series is putting the spotlight on one of our favorite directors, Lucio Fulci, and one that I honestly think is still underrated outside of the horror fans. And now is your chance to learn why!

Every Thursday in April one of Fulci films will host a live discussion about the film. The idea is to watch the film at some point before the event, then join them to hear a different speaker each week discuss the specific title. The selections for April Fulcis are:

Scary Movie Mondays at the Starlite Drive-In!

It seems more and more of these drive-ins are holding events that keep tempting me to take more road trips! Once I hit the lotto, that is exactly what I’ll be doing, in between hitting on these old book stores!

Anyway, starting next Monday, the Starlite Drive-In, located in Wichita, KS, they will be having double and triple features  each week through most of October, with some really choice titles. If there is anyway I could get down there to see Godzilla vs Megalon on the big screen, I would definitely be there. You can see all the features below on the ad, or you can head over to their Facebook Events page HERE. If you’re in the area and can make it, I will be very envious of you!

Horror Fans Rejoice at the Midway Drive-In

We normally do 8 or 9 conventions, or some other event like a 24-hour marathon, throughout the year. Of course, with all the current events, those have all been cancelled or rescheduled to next year, or at least they have so far. We’ll see how the rest of the year plays out, but I’m honestly not expecting much. So when the Midway Drive-In announced they were going to have a 2-day event, with Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell appearing both days, screening the Evil Dead trilogy, along with two other features, as well as having some vendors there, we knew we had to be part of that. Friday, July 10th, they would be screening Evil Dead 2 (1987) and then Army of Darkness (1993). On Saturday the 11th, they would be screening Evil Dead (1981) with a 4K restoration with new sound mix and score by original composer Joseph LoDuca, The Beyond (1981), and finally I Drink Your Blood (1970). Not only would there be horror vendors and raffles, but Mr. Campbell would doing a Q&A before the features. It would also be a chance for fans to have some sort of a convention or event to head out to and have fun. And that is exactly what happened.

Bruce Campbell at the Midway Drive-In

Are you anxious to get out of the house and see some classic horror films in the theater? Wait? Indoor theaters not open yet? No worries. Now is your chance to still go to the theater and see some classic horror films on the big screen, all from the comfort of your own car!

Oh yeah… Did I mention that Bruce Campbell will be there as well.

On July 10th & 11th, the Midway Drive-In in Dixon, IL, will be hosting the one and only Bruce Campbell for two nights of fright films that we all love. Now this isn’t the usual event at the Midway, so you’ll need to head over to the Flashback Weekend site (just click HERE) for all the ticket information, as well as the latest information about the event.

Also, because of Covid-19, there are new rules that MUST be followed. Click HERE for those rules and policies. Remember folks, this is about keeping everyone safe, from you and your family, to everyone else coming out to enjoy the evening. So please make sure you read and follow the rules and we can all still have a safe and fun night at the drive-in.

Here is the events planned for each night:

Friday Favorites: Lucio Fulci

Next Wednesday, the 17th, is Lucio Fulci’s birthday. He would have been 93 years old. Any young gorehound perusing the video store aisles in the ’80s knew Fulci’s work, even if they didn’t know his name. Granted, it didn’t help when some of his titles had a more American sounding name (such as Louis Fuller) listed as the director. But we knew his movies. Titles such as Zombie (1979), Gates of Hell (1980), House by the Cemetery (1982), or even New York Ripper (1982), these four titles were pretty easy to find in most video stores. Sure, you might come across a copy of Seven Doors of Death, but that one wasn’t as common, not to mention cut to hell. But as we all learned more and more about this guy, we learned and sought out more and more of his titles which weren’t as easy to come by, looking on the grey market to fill those needs.

Book Review: Terrifying Texts

Terrifying Texts: Essays on Books of Good and Evil in Horror Cinema
Published McFarland, 2018. 268 pages.
Edited by Cynthia J. Miller & A. Bowdoin Van Riper

When I came across this title, I was immediately intrigued by it because, strangely enough, I didn’t know of anybody else who had tackled this subject matter before. In fact, the more I read through it, I was amazed at that fact because there are more movies that deal with this subject that I had thought. It’s one of those that as you’re reading and they mention another movie, you immediately think “Oh yeah… I forgot about that one!” Needless today, I really enjoyed this one!

As a book person myself, this had me right from the opening Introduction, where it reads, “Books are revered – and feared – for their ability to affect the minds and hearts of humankind. We collect them, pore over them, commit their passages to memory, censor them, and even attempt to banish them from our midst, lest they lead us to ruin.” Any book lover is going to be nodding their head while reading that, knowing and agreeing with exactly what the authors are saying… or writing, technically.

Movie Review: House by the Cemetery Blu-Ray

House by the Cemetery (1981)
Directed by Lucio Fulci
Starring Catriona MacColl, Paolo Malco, Ania Pieroni, Giovanni Frezza, Silvia Collatina, Dagmar Lassander, Giovanni De Nava, Daniela Doria, Carlo De Mejo

The films that Lucio Fulci directed in the late ’70s and early ’80s made him a god to horror/gore fans. In the early days of VHS tapes, these films were always ones you’d rent over and over again. While he was already a successful filmmaker, directing films in just about every genre, once Zombie (1979) came out, followed over the next three years by City of the Living Dead (1980), The Black Cat (1981), The Beyond (1981), and House by the Cemetery (1981), New York Ripper (1982), he simply could do no wrong. And I still think that statement holds up today as well, since at least four of those titles still are considered classics today. And now, thanks to Blue Underground, we get a brand-spanking new 4K scan, along with second disc of extras, AND the complete soundtrack on CD, this is one release that is well worth double or triple dipping on.