Behind the Couch

I recently wrote an essay on the 1981 Gothic slasher film Hell Night , exploring the influence of folklore and cautionary fairy tales on its narrative. Following in the wake of titles such as Halloween , Friday the 13th , Terror Train , My Bloody Valentine , The Prowler and Prom Night , Hell Night  was produced at the height of the 'Golden Age' of slasher films (1978 - 1984). While it strongly adheres to typical slasher conventions, it offers interesting variations with its eerie fairy tale subtext and social commentary on the dangers of rites of passage initiations and social indoctrination. If you're interested in reading more, my piece has been published in the latest issue of We Belong Dead and you can pick up a copy here . 

Ghouls on Film is a Belfast-based feminist horror zine ‘for scream queens of all genders’, the contents of which aim to investigate the world of horror from a feminist perspective, ‘exploring how women can find agency in a genre that is traditionally male-dominated.’ Editor Isabella Koban, the founder and programmer of the local film society the zine takes its name from, organises screenings and events in the Black Box (an arts and performance space in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter). These events typically showcase underrepresented voices within the horror genre, both onscreen and from behind the camera, and contributors to the zine are largely comprised of women and non-binary folk. The first issue features an in-depth essay on the classic Stephen King adaptation Carrie (1976), a think-piece on horror networking events, book recommendations from Victoria Brown - founder of the Readers in the Rue Morgue horror book club - and an interview with Belfast drag artist King Phisher. Inspi...

Born from a love of horror, ponderous thoughts and meandering topics, Exquisite Terror is a periodical that takes a more academic approach to the genre, featuring exclusive art, script analysis and in-depth essays. Like all good things that come to those who wait, issue 5 – after the shedding of much blood, sweat and tears - is now available to pre-order. And it’s really been worth the wait… Now featuring even more content than before, inside this issue you'll find in-depth essays and analyses on the likes of The Shining, The Omen, Silence of the Lambs and the werewolf (as a representation of 'coming out') in horror cinema, plus interviews with Uncle Bob Martin and Ramsey Campbell. Elsewhere, author and critic Jon Towlson delves into the world of film director Michael Reeves, while I explore the relationship between eroticism and death in the films of Dario Argento*. Every essay and article is accompanied by original and beautiful artwork (including some gorgeous il...

Diabolique is a bimonthly magazine covering every aspect of the horror genre, including film, literature, theatre, art, music, history and culture. Lavishly illustrated in full colour, each issue is packed with entertaining and thought-provoking articles. Issue 25 is now available. A very special issue indeed, it is entirely devoted to celebrating the life and work of Sir Christopher Lee . Inside you’ll find essays and features such as: A WICKER MAN’S MAN - Jennifer Blair examines Christopher Lee’s iconic role as Lord Summerisle in Robin Hardy’s 1973 folk horror masterpiece, The Wicker Man . COUNT PERVERSION, THE WHIP AND THE LIVING DEAD - Kat Ellinger champions Christopher Lee’s oft-overlooked mainland European genre films, from Uncle Was A Vampire to Horror Express and everything in between. CHRISTOPHER LEE: METALHEAD - Joseph Schafer speaks with Luca Turilli of the symphonic power metal band, Rhapsody of Fire, on Christopher Lee’s headfirst dive into the world of ...

Fang of Joy is an independently published zine that focuses on European horror and gialli. The brainchild of the insanely prolific Richard Schmidt ( Hello, This is the Doomed Show ; Cinema Somnambulist ; Doomed Moviethon ), it’s a labour of love that should appeal to admirers of European horror cinema. From Argento, Bava, Naschy and Ossorio, all the way to Laugier, Bustillo et Maury and Wheatley; if you like your horror with a European flavour, this is a zine for you.  Issue 3 contains articles, reviews and features on the likes of The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Beyond the Darkness, The Black Belly of the Tarantula and The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism . There’s also an interview with Giovanni Lombardo Radice ( Stage Fright, City of the Living Dead ), an introductory guide to the films of Jess Franco, my own humble contribution - an essay on Irish horror cinema - and much, much more. Pick up a copy here . Also, if you’re the sort of person who just can’t get enough o...

Born from a love of horror, ponderous thoughts and meandering topics, Exquisite Terror is a periodical that takes a more academic approach to the genre, featuring exclusive art, script analysis and in-depth essays. We're having a sale at the moment, so if you'd like to pick up a copy, while stocks last, head here to do so. See below for further details on each issue... STARBURST “Fascinating and informative” BRUTAL AS HELL “Intelligent and enlightening” STRANGE THINGS ARE HAPPENING “One of the best horror zines out there” SEX GORE MUTANTS “Highly recommended”

Exquisite Terror is an independently produced periodical, the intention of which is to take a more academic, analytical approach to the genre of horror. Exquisite Terror 4  has been quite a while in the making, thanks mainly to the burglars who broke into our editor’s home and, amongst other things, made off with the laptop that contained a pretty much ready-to-go issue 4. This meant that the issue had to be completely started from scratch. A true labour of love, indeed. The saying that all good things come to those who wait must be true, because lo, Exquisite Terror 4 is finally in the bag and available to pre-order. And it’s really been worth the wait… Now featuring even more content than before, inside you'll find in-depth essays and articles on the likes of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , Jim Van Bebber, Berlin’s newest horror production outfit, an examination of The Silence of the Lambs from page to screen, my own essay on the folkloric, literary, and cinematic repre...

Exquisite Terror is an independently produced periodical, the intention of which is to take a more academic, analytical approach to the genre of horror. For a limited time only, while the finishing touches are being made to the splendid Exquisite Terror 4, why not purchase some bargainous reading material in previous issues? Only a handful of copies are left and you can grab ‘em here . For international sales, please contact info@exquisiteterror.com prior to order. " Exquisite Terror is something rather different… genre fans looking for interesting, sometimes provocative features on the fringe elements of the genre will find much to enjoy here ." Strange Things Are Happening " An academic look at the filmic horror genre incorporating unique artwork and photography alongside often thought-provoking writing. They say the best things come in small packages… Exquisite Terror proves that rule. If you haven't yet dipped your toe into Exquisite Terror's ...

Issue 20 of Diabolique is now available to order. The overriding theme of this issue is Family... The Family. What is it? How does it shape us? Strengthen us in the face of horror? Scar us? Destroy us? The mysteries and dysfunction of the family unit have been ripe for examination in countless contemporary and classic horror releases. Diabolique 20 takes a look underneath the surface of the family, featuring exclusive interviews with acclaimed filmmakers Adrian Garcia Bogliano ( Here Comes the Devil ), Mike Flanagan ( Absentia, Oculus ), Jim Mickle ( We Are What We Are ), and Navot Papushado ( Big Bad Wolves ), as well as my own ‘meaty’ exploration of familial themes in the films of Tobe Hooper. All this and more rounds out this fresh look at a crucial trope of horror culture. Diabolique 20: it’s a family reunion, and you’re invited… Pick up a copy here .

Issue 16 of Diabolique is now available to pre-order. In this issue we celebrate what would have been Peter Cushing’s one hundredth birthday, and inside you’ll find an overview of Mr Cushing's career, memoirs of people who knew him and highlights of some of his finest moments in genre cinema. Cushing appeared in dozens of classic horror films and is known for no less than three major character roles: Van Helsing, Dr. Frankenstein, and Sherlock Holmes. Widely acknowledged as a kind and humble soul, Cushing’s personality seems at odds with the lurid horror titles that dominated his career. It’s fitting then that he gained the reputation as ‘the gentleman of horror.’ This issue also includes: The Dying Game – a look at Neil Jordan’s new Gothic vampire film, Byzantium . On The Cutting Edge: Visions Quest – in which Nigel Wingrove talks to Max Weinstein about his 23-year crusade against censorship. Victor Frankenstein – Creator And Monster - Bruce G. Hallenbeck’s examin...

Issue 14 of the deliciously macabre Diabolique is now available for pre-order. A bi-monthly print/online horror magazine, the aim of Diabolique is to explore the various aspects of the horror genre - including film, literature, theatre and art - with a specific focus on gothic sensibility. All manner of ghostly shenanigans and haunted happenings abound in this issue, including a look at the making of the Guillermo del Toro production, Mama , and an array of articles on Henry James's The Turn of the Screw and its various adaptations - including Jack Clayton's chilling classic, The Innocents . There's also an examination of the history of haunted house films, a look at the dark side of love in classic horror cinema, an exploration of the history of Arnold Böcklin's Isle of the Dead , and a little something by yours truly on Hammer's new stage adaptation of The Turn of the Screw and the lineage of the Theatre of Horror. Pre-order your issue here .