Eric Butler's Blog, page 8

Today we are releasing our next book episode. We discuss The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson. I wanted to get out the rest of this year's schedule in case y'all wanted to read / watch along with us. We have the beginning of 2023 planned out, and I think we'll have the rest of the year figured out soon. As we continue to produce the scheduled programs, we will continue to have quick hits, surprise episode (like ,Hellraiser 2022), and interviews with the behind-the-scenes creators that help push indie horror along. Here's what's coming up.

Oct 19th - The Amityville Horror Book

Nov 2nd - The Amityville Horror Movie

Nov 16th - Rosemary's Baby Book

Nov 30th - Rosemary's Baby Movie

Dec 14th - The Omen Movie & Book Combo

Dec 28th - The Sentinel Book

Jan 11th - The Sentinel Movie

There you have it. This way you can follow along at home. Remember to leave us some questions or comments on YouTube or our Facebook Page: ,What's In the Box? Horror

Head over to YouTube and subscribe so you don't miss an episode: Click ,here.

So, last week I suggested you get Peacock so you could watch the final chapter of the new Halloween trilogy. That may have been a mistake, but I also want to point out I did provide a long list of other reasons to get the streaming platform. Hopefully, you watched those instead. If you are looking for another reason to justify the $5-10 bucks you dropped, I hope you give Vengeance a try.

Blurb - A writer from New York City attempts to solve the murder of a girl he hooked up with and travels down south to investigate the circumstances of her death and discover what happened to her.

https://youtu.be/1GT1jFsNnPw

I first got wind of this movie when I went to see Bullet Train in the theater. I remembered thinking that the trailer just showed the entire movie and that I still really wanted to see it. Imagine my surprise when I saw it pop up as a Peacock exclusive.

B.J. Novak wears 3 hats with this film: director, writer, and the lead. He handles each one perfectly. He shows us 2 versions of the United States and does a brilliant job of highlighting the differences while making sure we understand in the end, we aren't all that different. The movie balances on a tightrope, where one misstep could take us from a sharp, in-depth look at each other to a parody where everyone is a fool. Novak never waivers, and delivers a movie that is funny, charming, embarrassing, a tad self-aware, and in the end surprising and overall fun.

I'm not sure how long it will be on Peacock, but I hope you give it a shot. If you do, let me know what you think.

*Spoilers ahead - sorta

[image error][image error][image error]

This should be a post about Halloween Ends. It only makes sense given that I wrote about it coming out just last week. It might have been if not for the fact that I just watched Halloween Kills for the first time.

To be fair, I'm not a huge fan of the Halloween franchise. I've seen them all (well ... not the newest), but it's never been one I kept going back to. Because of this, a few years ago, I went and got the Halloween collector's set. I've watched the original 3 and the first of the Rob Zombie version and thought it might be fun to watch all the movies to see which timeline I liked best. I still do, but I know the latest one won't make the list.

I saw Halloween(2018) in theaters and thought it was a clever sequel to the original. I thought it was a mistake to ignore Halloween 2, but this isn't the first time the powers that be have made a mistake with the timeline. I found the movie start to finish satisfying. When I heard Halloween Kills was coming, I had my doubts.

They were so strong I decided not to go see the film and avoided it online(I'm pretty sure Peacock did the same promotion when it came out). I avoided it for a year, only deciding that I better see it so Halloween Ends made sense. After seeing Kills, I have no desire to see what the writers did to finish the trilogy.

Halloween Kills was terrible. I felt like it undid everything clever and fun with Halloween(2018). It was a collection of idiotic speeches, delivered by people who didn't seem to be bright enough to understand exactly what they were dealing with while telling you they knew exactly what they were dealing with. It was as if the creative team had never seen or heard about Halloween except for the note, "slasher".

This brings me to the point many people make when trying to defend this film. The kills are fun, original, and over-the-top. All would be good points if this was a run-of-the-mill slasher, but this is a part of the Halloween franchise. A franchise with certain rules and patterns that should be followed. Michael is a force of nature, he's a killing machine, but he's not sadistic, he's not playful, and this movie goes out of the way to paint him in this light. I can't tell you how many times I said out loud, "Oh come on" while watching this movie.

So I will not be watching Halloween Ends any time soon, if ever. I might, one day if I decide to do a deep dive into the franchise and breakdown each movie. Except I'd much rather forget about this timeline, and put in Season of the Witch.

My post on Monday bumped my plans to give you a list of weekly horror movies to watch, but I have found the perfect streaming service for fans if they don't mind ponying up a few bucks for the month (if you have Spectrum TV, check and see if they offer the service for free).

The 3rd (or is it 4th with the original?) installment to the newest Halloween storyline is hitting theaters this Friday, but you can also watch it with Peacock Premium. Which is way cheaper than a trip to the theater.

An added bonus is the ability to watch The Black Phone for free. I haven't watched it yet but it looks amazing.

Blurb - After being abducted by a child killer and locked in a soundproof basement, a 13-year-old boy starts receiving calls on a disconnected phone from the killer's previous victims.

https://youtu.be/3eGP6im8AZA

They also have Idris Elba's newest hit Beast. I'm not sure if it's horror but I'd bet, it's a fun film.

Blurb - A father and his two teenage daughters find themselves hunted by a massive rogue lion intent on proving that the Savanna has but one apex predator.

https://youtu.be/oQMc7Sq36mI

More importantly, they have a number of horror films to get you ready for Halloween. I'll list 10 of my favorites below so you can get started right away.

Sinister - Washed-up true crime writer Ellison Oswalt finds a box of super 8 home movies in his new home, revealing that the murder he is currently researching is the work of a serial killer whose legacy dates back to the 1960s.

This is a top 10 overall horror movie for me. It hits all the right notes and has a few WTF moments.

2. The Curse of the Werewolf - In eighteenth-century Spain, an adopted boy becomes a werewolf and terrorizes the inhabitants of his town.

This is the Hammer remake of the classic Wolf-Man (which you can also watch on Peacock). It's also one of my favorite werewolf pictures and a top 5 Hammer movie. Oliver Reed shines in the role.

3. Exorcist III - A police lieutenant uncovers more than he bargained for as his investigation of a series of murders, which have all the hallmarks of the deceased Gemini serial killer, leads him to question the patients of a psychiatric ward.

I'm a huge George C. Scott fan and his performance alone makes this a must-watch. I always suggest hunting down the director's cut since it is a superior film, but for free the theatrical release is a fun chapter that got shoehorned into the Exorcist world.

4. Videodrome - A programmer at a TV station that specializes in adult entertainment searches for the producers of a dangerous and bizarre broadcast.

This is a perfect slice of bizarro horror. James Woods is near perfect and the special effects are amazing for being early 80s (and Canadian).

5. The House of the Devil - In 1983, financially struggling college student Samantha Hughes takes a strange babysitting job that coincides with a full lunar eclipse. She slowly realizes her clients harbor a terrifying secret, putting her life in mortal danger.

Speaking of the 80s, this movie will take you back in time. It is the slowest of slow burns, but I found the movie to be entertaining and nostalgic.

6. The People Under the Stairs - Two adults and a juvenile break into a house occupied by a brother and sister and their stolen children. There, they must fight for their lives.

Wes Craven lets it all hang out in this bizarre and over-the-top look at class and race. It's a time machine to the early 90s and I wonder how any of us survived.

7. Devil - A group of people are trapped in an elevator and the Devil is mysteriously amongst them.

It's nothing groundbreaking, but I found the performances enjoyable. This movie knows what it is, and delivers.

8. Pitch Black - A transport ship crashes and leaves its crew stranded on a desert planet inhabited by bloodthirsty creatures that come out during an eclipse.

This is one of my favorite movies. It's the perfect blend of serial killer suspense, monster movie, and sci-fy adventure. None of the actors were well known at the time, and the 3 main ones were in many of my favorite films in the 90s and early 2000s.

9. Cooties - A mysterious virus hits an isolated elementary school, transforming the kids into a feral swarm of mass savages. An unlikely hero must lead a motley band of teachers in the fight of their lives.

I will never miss a chance to suggest Cooties. The cast is great, and who doesn't want to see a swarm of zombie-fied children get killed in humorous ways?

10. An American Werewolf in Paris - An American man unwittingly gets involved with French werewolves who have developed a serum allowing them to transform at will.

I'm a sucker for a werewolf movie, and I loved this one when it came out in '97. It's the beginning of CGI getting used for transformation so it's missing the amazing special effects from the original, but the movie overall is fun and entertaining.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are a few Halloween movies, the Tremors franchise, some of the Chucky films, and so much more to get your Halloween vibes going.

Honorable mentions ...

[image error][image error][image error]

This is a fun and extreme collection of stories by 3 writers that use the same opening line. The line is the first line from Edward Lee's classic The Bighead. Franklin Wales, Joseph Monks, and Candace Nola each tackle this assignment with unique tales that aren't for the faint of heart.

If you head over to kickstarter, you can still order a chapbook copy of this collection:

Click here for chapbook

Or you can get the ebook exclusive on Godless:

,Click here for ebook

Head over to the What's in the Box? YouYube page and check out our thoughts on the new Hellraiser that Hulu released Friday. We wanted to talk a bit about this one since The Hell-Bound Heart and Hellraiser(1987) were our first 2 episodes.

Find all the episodes here: What's in the Box?

I've been beating my new book over y'all's heads, so I thought I'd spend this post talking about my love/hate relationship with Halloween decorating. I usually try and wait a few weeks before putting them up, but I was excited to get these done. Plus the last few days have been nice, weather wise, so it was a no-brainer.

I wish I had a photo of the first Halloween decoration I made back in 2003. I had just purchased a brand new ground-bursting zombie from Wal-Mart. It was just a Styrofoam torso that you stuck a ground spike into it. I grabbed one of my long-sleeve shirts and an extra Jason Hockey mask (I don't know why but I had a number of them in my closet). I dressed up the zombie and stuck a PVC pipe into the bottom so it looked like he was standing tall - especially since I was able to put the character behind bushes.

I was pretty excited by my new decoration and started to think about maybe making another one. I think it lasted a week, maybe 2, before someone walked up to the decoration and set it on fire. Thank God, Loo the cat started acting weird and drew my attention to the window. I've always been amazed at how calm I was as I walked out to put out the fire. I had asked my wife to carry my son(who was almost 1) out back until I got the fire under control. Luckily the only thing that was damaged was the Jason character(I basically made a large torch) and a few branches singed on the bushes.

It made me gunshy to decorate for a few years, but I decided to give it a go a few years later. I put the few characters I made on the roof but that only lasted a year. I hate getting on the roof and save that fun for Christmas. Add in the fact I was pretty sure who destroyed the first one, and they were no longer lurking in the neighborhood, which helped me embrace putting everything back in the yard.

I don't have pictures from those early years but I do have this one from around 2014. I'm pretty sure this is the first year I made Sam from Trick 'r Treat(ignore Daniel Volpe's opinion on this classic). I'm confident Jason is off to the right.

The next year or so, I added Pennywise and Georgie from It and moved Samara from The Ring to the side yard.

Then I added the creature in the box from Creepshow. It wasn't perfect and the box was a pain in the butt, so it was a one-and-done.

I added the possessed mother from The Conjuring (far left in the chair) but no one got it so she only lasted 2 years. This year I finally threw the chair away so there won't be a repeat.

I also did Regan from The Exorcist, bed included. The wind in Texas is a problem, so the bed was retired after 1 year, but she stayed on. You can also see Chucky from Child's Play - I think I made him the same year, but he might be a year before. Then I added the Babyface Killer from Happy Death Day.

[image error][image error][image error]

Last year I added the killer from Urban Legends, The Nun, and set Regan up without the bed. On Oct. 30th someone stole Urban Legends, Chucky, Regan, the Nun, and Ghost Face in the middle of the night. Luckily, I hadn't put everyone out and was able to make a wolfman and Leatherface before people came by for Halloween.

So I wasn't sure what I wanted to do this year. My wife isn't a big horror fan, and I hate spending any money on decorations. I do a lot of my shopping for Halloween a year in advance - the day after sales - or online during the off-season. However, many times I will buy a mask or clothes to complete a character when necessary. This year, I decided to make more of a scene than just a character and came up with 4 ideas.

Jason and the shrine to his mother from Friday the 13th Part 2

Tarman coming out of his container from Return of the Living Dead

Jeepers Creepers dropping the body into the pipe

And finally, Freddy TV from Nightmare On Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors

[image error][image error][image error][image error]

Hopefully, these guys make it to Halloween without any incidents.

Let's be honest, there's never a bad time for a scary movie, but I know people like to really embrace the scary during this time of year. So on this first week of "Halloween" let's head over to Hulu and see what they can offer in the horror department.

First up is Evil Dead, a movie I've included a ton in different lists, but I think this is the best of the scary movies available on HULU. While I am a big fan of the original Evil Dead series, this "re-imagining" is a fun and gory ride. It's one of the best remakes I've seen, and a must for fans of horror.

Blurb - Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods.

https://youtu.be/vTGHA33Xyh4

So If I'm being honest, I'm not a big vampire movie fan. I think I'll need to sit down and rate the sub-genre, but for now, I'll simply say Let Me In is a much-watch. It's directed by Matt Reeves - the guy behind the Pattinson Batman - and contains 2 of the best young adult performances I've ever seen in a movie. Both Chloe Grace Moretz & Kodi Smit-McPhee show off their talent and play spectacularly off one another.

Blurb - A bullied young boy befriends a young female vampire who lives in secrecy with her guardian.

https://youtu.be/x3guLR8aBpU

Time to mix in some funny with your horror. While So I Married an Axe Murderer is not a horror movie, there are elements of horror. This is the movie I will be selecting to watch with the wife as she's not a fan of scary movie, but does a good laugh. This 90s gem needs to be watched so get on it.

Blurb - A San Francisco poet who fears commitment suspects his girlfriend may have a knack for killing off her significant others.

https://youtu.be/O3TgDBN7wk4

Before Amber Heard was tormenting Johnny Depp, she was staring in some truly amazing pictures like Drive Angry. I'm just sad you won't be able to watch this in all its 3D glory. Okay so this isn't on the level of Leaving Las Vegas or even The Rock, but like all his movies, Nicolas Cage brings the entertainment and this movie is fun. So get some popcorn and sit back and enjoy.

Blurb - A vengeful father escapes from hell and chases after the men who killed his daughter and kidnapped his granddaughter.

https://youtu.be/jouaan70m4c

So for the final 3 days of this first week, I'm going to suggest a combination of movies from the Predator series. All the ones worth watching are on Hulu, and it's for the best if we forget The Predator(2018) exists. I'm thinking of doing a post ranking the franchise, so I think I will only post this one and then say dealer's choice for the other 2 days.

Blurb - A team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.

https://youtu.be/_1wDBNHYDv8

So next week, I'll pick another streaming service and go over 7 more movies. Until then I hope you enjoy these and take a moment to check out my newest book Donn, TX 1978. It's now on Kindle Unlimited and available in paperback. You can read Donn, TX in any order and this can be enjoyed as a stand-alone if you want to start with it.

Click here for Amazon.

This is the last week you can grab a copy of 1978 on Godless. It will be heading to Kindle Unlimited on 10/1/22. Click ,here if you want to support Drew, myself, and convince me that selling on Godless is the correct choice.

If you want to get it on Amazon, click ,here.

If you want a signed copy, I should have them soon. Email me or find me on Facebook and send me a DM.

The audiobook will be available any day, let me know if you are interested in a free code for an honest review. Mention this post.

So this is the next Dark Dozen Anthology from Candace Nola's Uncomfortably Dark label. The first one, The Baker's Dozen, was the Killer Con's winner for best Splatterpunk Anthology.

One of the cool things Candace does is offer a few different ways for you to get a copy of the book when it is released. She sets up a goal on IndieGoGo, and you can make sure to get an opportunity to snag the limited edition hardcover version before they all sell out. You can also pledge to different levels and creators to get specific packages that include not only the new anthology, but also a book from that creator.

For example you could get the Donn, TX Vol 1 Perk:

Many of the ones offered only have 1-2 spots that can be claimed. You can also just preorder the hardback, the paperback, or the ebook if you want. Here are a few more examples ...

[image error][image error][image error][image error]

All the stories have the same theme of being trapped, but the writers were given complete freedom to decide what that meant. I can't wait to read all the stories myself in this killer lineup.

So click here, and head over to check out all the deals and secure your copy of this amazing anthology.

I have everything in stock except Donn, TX 1978, but copies are on the way. Just send me a message through the site or DM me on ,Facebook. They are also available on Amazon in paperback & ebook.

,The Shadow Within

,The Pope Lick Massacre

,The Sins of the Past

The 3 Donn, TX books includes 6 stand-alone stories that all help build upon the Donn, TX universe.

,The Donn, TX Collection Vol 1

,Donn, TX 1978

,Donn, TX 2002

I have copies in for these 3 anthologies. The lineups for each book is impressive and I'm honored to have stories in each. If you are a fan of the Goat-Man, then you'll want to grab a copy of Cryptid Carnage as I take readers back to his home state in "The Princess of Pope Lick".

Hopefully, you've checked out the YouTube page, What's In The Box Horror, and enjoyed the discussions Donn & I have had so far. This week we are getting into our first block of books/movies. We will be focusing on classic supernatural stories from the late 60s & 70s.

First up - this Wednesday!

2 weeks later we will discuss the film

If you want to read the book or watch the movie before watching our discussion - we are full of spoilers - here are the next few titles to cover the next few months.

There's a typo here ... we always will read the book and then in the following episode, we will discuss the movie. So 11/30 will be the Rosemary's Baby film and then on 12/14, we will discuss The Omen. Still, this gives you the next 4 books and plenty of time to read them if you are so inclined.

I've been having a blast talking about these books & movies with Donna and I hope y'all join us.

You can finally order the paperback from Amazon & ebooks. Check out my newest novel and discover why Donn, TX is the next great vacation spot. Click here: Amazon.