This Is Horror

The Cutting Room: The Woman in Black: Angel of Death & Dead Snow: Red vs. Dead

The Woman in Black : Angel of Death

Forty years on from the events that saw Arthur Kipps arriving at the Eel Marsh House, school teachers Eve Parkins and Jean Hogg lead a group of evacuee children from war torn London to take up residence in the mysterious old house. It is not long before they realise that they’re not alone, the evil spirit that lurks their threatening their very lives.

Why we’re looking forward to this: Although it is a format that has been done to death (pun intended) over the years, there is still something fantastic about a good old fashioned haunted house film and despite a somewhat wet performance from Daniel Radcliffe, the 2012 big screen adaptation of the Susan Hill novel The Woman In Black was surprisingly effective in its atmosphere and spooky chills.

This new sequel from Hammer Studios (their first sequel since 1974’s Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell!) looks to be as equally creepy as its predecessor, the trailers released so far suggesting that the dour fog-ridden air of the marshes and the unease of the foreboding old home have once again both been set up as large parts of the films stylistic approach. It all sets things up nicely for scares aplenty as the spirit of the woman terrorises the group of children trapped at Eel Marsh House.
The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death is out in UK cinemas 1st January 2015.

 

Dead Snow: Red vs, Dead

Following the horrific events that have left his friends dead in the Norwegian mountains, lone survivor Martin finds that not only does he appear to have the severed arm of the undead menace Herzog sewn to his body, but that he has also been blamed for the grisly massacre. Hiring the help of an American group of zombie experts known as The Zombie Squad, Martin decides to track down and take revenge on the SS officer and his battalion of zombie Nazis to end their reign of terror forever.

Why we’re looking forward to this: Anyone who was lucky enough to catch this follow up to 2009’s Dead Snow at this years FrightFest will attest to just how great this fantastically funny and gory sequel is. Superbly written and played, the budget comedy and gut-ripping gore have all been ramped up this time around, and it is all to great effect. Limbs are ripped apart, guts are spilled across the floor and hapless victims despatched in increasingly over-the-top ways, but always with a twinkle in the eye that says ‘yeah, we know’ that leaves you wondering just what the hell you are going to see next, while the comedy gold that comes from the wonderfully portrayed undead helper that Martin acquires only goes to increase the fun.

If you liked Dead Snow, or indeed if you have any love of comedy horror movies, you must catch this superior sequel when it hits DVD and Blu-Ray.

Dead Snow 2: Red Vs Dead is released on DVD/Blu-Ray in the UK 12th January 2015

JASON HICKS