Hollywood Gothique

Top Stories, Reviews, Interviews & Other Posts Worthy of Special Attention

Sitting down to write a review of THE LAST EXORCISM PART II, I find myself somewhat in the position of the modern satirist, who finds the real world has become so ridiculous that there is little room to push the envelope even further for comic effect, rendering the concept of satire almost redundant. In my [...]

DARK SKIES proves once again (as if any proof were necessary) that Blumhouse Productions has codified its horror template to the point that their films are the cinematic equivalent of blues music: the lyrics may change, but the subject matter or tone; and regardless of the writers and performers, you will hear the same 12-bar [...]

If you are a fan of Peter Jackson’s LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, good fortune has smiled upon you this weekend, because THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY contains more of what you enjoyed before – much, much more. In fact, there is so much LORD OF THE RINGS that there is barely any room for [...]

You make think that RISE OF THE GUARDIANS is family-friendly fantasy that recasts traditional cultural icons as superheroes, but in reality this is one scary flick – maybe not enough to send adults screaming from the theatres, but it could cause more than a few nightmares among younger viewers. You see, bad dreams are at [...]

There are good and bad aspects about a film series, such as HARRY POTTER or THE TWILIGHT SAGA. The bad aspect is that the story has to be stretched over multiple installments that create a deadening sense of inertia: it’s a bit like reading a lengthy novel that forces you to wade through pages and [...]

Delusion: The Blood Rite has extended its run once again, adding two more weekends: November 1 though December 2; and December 7 through 9. The Haunted Play, original scheduled to run through the the first weekend of November, has previously extended into the middle of the month, and now reaches into December. Hours for the [...]

“Love is a monster,” proclaims the poster – and in this case, the film means it literally. Or figuratively. Or something. You see, JACK & DIANE’s lesbian love story is intercut with darkly disturbing animation inserts by the Brothers Quay and a few scenes of bestial man-in-a-suit monster action. Unfortunately, these teasing glimpses of horror [...]

The downtown Halloween haunt – which made its debut this October – offered a scream-filled final weekend.
Sometimes we say goodbye too soon. Only last Saturday, November 3, we were bidding farewell to the Halloween season with Hollywood Gothique’s 2012 Halloween Haunt Awards, listing the most memorable achievements that delighted our senses during the preceding six [...]

Writer-directed Amy Herckling’s horror-comedy is a bit “clueless” about what makes vampirism interesting. VAMPS is built around a premise as thin as the last anemic drops of blood dripping from the veins of a blood-sucker’s victim: For a couple of beautiful women, being vampires isn’t all that different from being ordinary humans; you share a [...]

NOTE: Updated below.
Cue the scary organ music, for it is time to announce Hollywood Gothique’s annual Halloween Haunt Awards, recognizing the finest achievements for 2012. Which haunts had the spookiest  ghosts, the scariest monsters, the most disgusting gore, the most atmospheric architecture, or the most amazing special effects? Read on to find out – if [...]

The final installment of Hollywood Gothique’s 2012 Halloween Haunt Odyssey finds us retracing our steps over previously explored territory, as we head out on October 31, seeking those ephemeral haunts open only on All Hallow’s Eve. From Glendale to Sherman Oaks to Northridge and finally back to Woodland Hills (again!), we wander through the ghost-infested [...]

It’s the morning after Halloween – but that’s no reason to be mourning. With October 31 having fallen in the middle of the week, a handful of Halloween events in Los Angeles are remaining open through the weekend. So if you feel yourself going through withdrawal pains, consider the following options. (Be careful: some of [...]

One of the great agonies every October is that  many amateur Halloween events operate only on the last day of the month, making it truly impossible to get to all of them. A few open a day or two earlier, but often are not running at full-scale until Halloween Night; attempts to visit them beforehand [...]