Tuesday 2 November 2010

There Will Be 8-Bit

Super There Will Be Blood from Tomfoolery Pictures on Vimeo.

A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss


BBC4 yet again came up trums with the mini series "A History of Horror" presented by Mark Gatiss (League of Gentlemen fame)

Over three parts he traced horror from its roots to modern day, from Lugosi to Lee, Hammer to Halloween, he pretty much got the nail on the head telling stories about the smallest details of films I have watched only in passing. I myself am a huge horror fan but I grew up with 80's horror, slashers, zombies, stalkers and poltergeists. I never really paid much attention to the "classic" films. I own Hammer boxsets but have only watched select films and I thank Mark for giving me an insight into the origins of the genre I previously ignored.

This series deserved to be longer, much longer. For years horror has been crying out for an overview, an anothology if you will of the origins to the modern day, one problem I had with the series was Marks reluctance to embrace modern horror and what it stands for, of course you can churn out a film in no time but I don't think he saw the bigger picture, artists who care and make films with the genre principles in mind.

I hope he continues to pursue his love and continue to make informative television. I would love him to focus on Italian cinema of the 60's and 70's, Witchcraft and the occult in cinema and of course the slasher.

History Of Horror Part One

History Of Horror Part Two