Behind the Couch

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...

The small press magazine Hellebore is a collection of writings and essays devoted to British folk horror and the themes that inspire it: folklore, myth, history, archaeology, psychogeography, witches, and the occult. The publication takes its name from a poisonous plant strongly associated with witches and the water element – it is also said to have the power to alter perception and open portals to the Underworld and the subconscious. Founder and editor Maria J Pérez Cuervo’s fascination with archaeology, mythology, anthropology and magic stems back to her childhood, and led her to study Latin and Ancient Greek at school before embarking upon a MA in Archaeology for Screen Media. Her writing regularly appears in publications such as Fortean Times, Spirits of Place, The Ghastling, Rituals and Declarations , and Folklore Thursday . According to Maria, she decided to create Hellebore because “The idea of creating something that included all the themes I love was very appealing. Becau...

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...

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 ...

Back in 2007, an independently produced magazine focusing on all things ‘genre cinema’ modestly made its way onto the shelves of various indie retailers across New York City. Six years later and said independently produced magazine is still going strong and, more importantly, has still managed to retain its unique perspective. Each lushly produced issue of Paracinema mines the depths of genre cinema by way of a series of essays and features on niche cinema, examining, celebrating and promoting films all too often relegated to the side-lines. Films deemed difficult, dangerous or just plain dire by more mainstream publications, are lovingly dissected and discussed without prejudice or delusion. Issue 20 (!) of Paracinema is now available to pre-order and includes the likes of: A Serbian Film: Transgressive Horror in the Internet Age by Thomas Duke Juice Dogs & Erotic Trauma: An Exploration into Stephen Sayadian’s Nightdreams and Dr. Caligari by Heather Drain The Vehi...

Issue 19 of Paracinema Magazine is now available to pre-order. Inside this strikingly covered issue – which includes not one, but two features on Quentin Tarantino’s bloody revenge saga Kill Bill ( It’s Complicated: An In Depth Look at the Evolution of Bill and The Bride’s Turbulent Relationship by Matthew House and The Devil’s in The DeVAS: The Many Foes of Beatrix Kiddo by Zachary Kelley) – you’ll also find the likes of John Carpenter and the Apocalypse: A Study of Four Films by Justin LaLiberty, Aural Enigmas: Sound Design in Ti West’s The Innkeepers by Todd Garbarini and Corpse Fucking Art: A Guide to Necrophilia in Horror Cinema by Samm Deighan. I contributed the essay  What’s In A Name? The Rise and Decline of Hollywood Fall Guy Alan Smithee . If you desire to pick up a copy, head over to Paracinema.net to do just that. Support Independent Publishing! 

Exquisite Terror is an independently produced periodical which takes a more academic, analytical approach to horror. Exquisite Terror III is now available to pre-order. Inside you'll find in-depth essays on The Exorcist , Jörg Buttgereit, my own piece on the presence of cats in horror, exclusive hand-drawn artwork and much, much more. All for only £2.45 . Exquisite Terror is a labour of love for all involved. Print isn't dead - support independent publishing. Click here to pre-order your copy today.  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

"Mouldy mildew, mother of mouthmuck!" Issue 18 of Paracinema Magazine is now available to pre-order... Packed full of ridiculously good ‘letters that stay’ on all kinds of genre cinema, this issue includes the likes of When Single Shines the Triple Sun: Duality and Self Discovery in The Dark Crystal by Christine Makepeace, Marriage Bites: Lesbian Vampires and the Failure of Heterosexuality in Daughters of Darkness by Erin Wiegand, 3D’s Use and Potential in Today’s Cinematic Landscape by Caleb McCandless, Speed Racer: The Art of Absurdity by Patrick Smith and The Goriest Film You Never Saw by Jose Cruz. Head over to Paracinema.net and pre-order a copy. Support independent publishing, or, you know, face the wrath of the Skeksis! 

Issue 17 of Paracinema Magazine is now available to pre-order. As ever, its packed to the gills with all manner of insightful and provocative articles and essays on genre cinema. Amongst the titles in this issue are “Endemic Madness”: Subversive 1930s Horror Cinema by Jon Towlson , You Can Clean Up the Mess, But Don’t Touch My Coffin: The Legacy of Sergio Corbucci’s Django by Ed Kurtz and I Don’t Want to See What I Hear: Paranoia and Personality Eradication in The Conversation by Todd Garbarini. Issue 17 also contains one of my own essays, an examination of the Gothic influences of Sergio Martino’s giallo Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key , titled Black Cats and Black Gloves.  Sound good? Head over to Paracinema.net to pre-order your copy now. Go on, support independent publishing.

Issue 16 of Paracinema Magazine is now available to pre-order. Amongst the myriad articles are This Ain’t Hollywood XXX: The Cultural Significance of the Porn Parody by Justin LaLiberty; “Images of Horror and Lust” in Ken Russell’s The Devils by Samm Deighan; Rehabilitating Daddy, or How Disaster Movies say it’s OK to Trust Authority by Jon ( Shocks to the System: Subversive Horror Films ) Towlson; The Films of René Laloux: Notes on the Golden Age of French Science Fiction by Derek Godin; plus much, much more. There’s also my essay,  Shadowy Suggestion in the Weird West: Val Lewton’s Apache Drums.  Sound good? Fancy picking up a copy? Head over to Paracinema.net and pre-order one now . Support independent publishing! 

Issue 15 of Paracinema Magazine is now available to pre-order. This issue focuses on the theme of revenge, and amongst the articles on offer are the likes of When Life Gives You Razor Blades: Bloody Vengeance in Hobo with a Shotgun by Christine Makepeace (Paracinema’s editor), Revenge is a Dish Best Served Raw and Wriggling: Park Chan-Wook’s Vengeance Trilogy by Samm Deighan, Going Back Home: Post-Vietnam Masculinity in Rolling Thunder by Adam Blomquist, and much more; including pieces on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and A Nightmare on Elm Street . Head over to Paracinema.net to pre-order your copy now. While you’re at it – why not head over to TLA and vote for Paracinema Magazine, as it’s been nominated for a lovely award.  Support independent publishing.

Exquisite Terror is a brand new and independently produced periodical, the intention of which is to take a more academic, analytical approach to the genre of horror. Issue 2 is now available to pre-order. Amongst the various delights waiting within its pages are Dalliances with the Dead , by an occultist; Upper-class dining with a difference ; by popular demand, the analysis of both classic book and film; and, one of my own articles, an examination of the relationship between fairy tale and horror film. This issue boasts beautiful illustrations by artist Paul Talbot. Check out more of his work here . Pre-order yourself a copy for only £2.45 plus £1 P&P within the UK. For international sales, please contact info@exquisiteterror.com prior to order

Paracinema? I'd buy that for a dollar! Well, $7 actually. Issue 14 of Paracinema is now available to pre-order! Hard to believe that the magazine has been going for 14 issues. It has been independently published since 2007 and, as clichéd as it might sound, has got better with every issue. It’s also recently widened its net and is available in various independent retailers right across the length and breadth of the States.  Issue 14 contains a number of exciting features on various genre classics and obscure gems. Articles include Panic in Detroit: RoboCop and Reagan's America by Andreas Stoehr; Blood on the Rubber Chicken: Horror Parodies of the Early ’80s by Mike White; Christ Stopped at San Miguel: Italy’s Economic Miracle and A Fistful of Dollars by Jef Burnham; Catching the Bus: Jump Scares in the Horror Film by C. Rachel Katz; Slavery in 70's Cinema: Mandingo and Drum by Paul Talbot; and (personally speaking, the one I’m most looking forward to checking o...

Founded and published by London-based editor and journalist Naila Scargill, Exquisite Terror is a brand new independent periodical that takes a thoughtful, accessible-academic approach to the genre, featuring exclusive art, script analysis and in-depth essays. Naila has harboured a deep-rooted fascination with the horror genre since a young girl, and it has long been a source of frustration to her that our beloved subject is rarely taken seriously as the relevant art form that it is. Having worked as deputy editor on the now defunct Gorezone Magazine, and with increasing frustration witnessed its downward trajectory into tacky, gutter-press levels of salaciousness, Naila needed to sate her appetite for an intelligent and thought-provoking horror magazine that actually focuses on horror. And thus,  Exquisite Terror was born. Issue 1 includes an in-depth essay on actor Donald Sutherland and his career in the 1970s; an interview with Spanish director Guillem Morales ( Julia’s...

It’s hard to believe that Paracinema Magazine has been going for four years now. Four years in which it has consistently delivered thought provoking and increasingly exciting content on cinema that falls firmly outside the mainstream. Within its pages you’ll find passionately written pieces on the likes of blaxploitation films, Italian giallo flicks, cult oddities, extreme Asian sub-genres, horror, exploitation, B-movies and pornography, amongst other lurid and obscure delights. Issue 13 is now available to pre-order. Amongst the tantalising pieces on offer are the likes of the cover feature Blood Is Thicker Than Fear: Maternal Madness in Horror Cinema by Ashley Avard, Dreams That You Could Never Guess: Bela Lugosi on Poverty Row, 1940-42 by Andreas Stoehr, Censoring the Centipede: How the BBFC are Sewing Our Eyes Shut by Liam Underwood and Teenage Riot: Coming of Age in Modern Cinema by Christian Sellers. Head over to Paracinema’s online domain and pick yourself up a copy....

Born from a conversation about film magazines in a small Queens, New York apartment in the summer of 2007, Paracinema Magazine has been steadily garnering a reputation as a distinctive, intelligent, and thought-provoking publication since its first issue almost four years ago. Taking its title from a phrase coined by film scholar Jeffrey Sconce, the independently produced, quarterly magazine focuses primarily on all facets of cult and genre cinema. Each issue contains accessible in-depth analytical pieces, critiques, interviews and academic articles on all manner of genre cinema – from Hitchcock, Herzog and Bergman to the likes of HG Lewis, Wiseau and Ed Wood, to name but a few. All is presented in a strikingly designed and attention-commanding publication. Paracinema is essentially for those who want to delve deeper into the lurid depths of ‘periphery’ cinema; each issue contains pieces on a staggering array of movies and genres including, horror, sci-fi, blaxploitation, exploitati...

Now in its fourth year and going from strength to strength, Paracinema is a New York based, independently produced magazine specialising in the appreciation of films that fall outside of mainstream cinema. Written by fans for fans, each issue features in-depth studies of titles from genres such as horror, exploitation, cult, Asian, giallo and B-movies. Within the vivid, exquisitely designed pages of issue 12 you’ll find features such as The Man From Australia: Falling Without a Parachute Through the Films of Ozploitation Filmmaker Brian Trenchard-Smith by Justin Bozung; Howling All the Way Straight to Video by Brett Taylor; and Explorers: Exploring Childhood Escapism by Matthew House - of Chuck Norris Ate My Baby infamy.  *shameless self-promotion alert* This issue also includes my feature  Sketches of Venice in Red: A Comparative Glance at Who Saw Her Die? And Don’t Look Now .  Pre-order your copy now . If you’re on Facebook, you can follow Paracinem...