11 of the Best & Worst Horror Dads

I'm a firm believer of "better late than never" so, depite being one day late, here is a list of 11 of the Best & Worst Horror Dads. Obviously there will be more dads on the "bad" end of the spectrum - we do cover horror here, after all. Without further ado...horror dads:

Nathan Grantham (Creepshow, 1982)

This black comedy/horror anthology was directed by George A. Romero and written by Stephen King (his debut into screenwriting as a matter of fact). Father’s Day is the first of five short stories and was written by King specifically for the film. It centers around the death of family patriarch Nathan and his daughter, Bedelia, who is the one responsible for Mr. Grantham’s untimely demise. On her way to a family dinner, Bedelia stops at her late father’s grave to drunkenly reminisce about killing him. In her drunken stupor, she spills her bottle of whiskey onto the grave, which inexplicably reanimates her father’s corpse, who is bent on revenge! Creepshow was a staple Blockbuster pick, when I was a kid - I haven’t seen it in a while but, it’s worth checking out if you’re an 80’s kid who’s never seen it.
Verdict: Bad Undead Dad

George Lutz (Amityville Horror, 1979)

Maybe you’ve been living under a rock, maybe you don’t like true crime, maybe you don’t love horror - I don’t know. I don’t judge. However, if you’re unfamiliar with the story that inspired the Amityville Horror book and movies, here it is: In the evening of November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo, Jr. murdered six members of his family, in their Amityville home. He was eventually convicted of second-degree murder, in November of 1975. In December 1975, the Lutz family moved into the home, only to move right back out 28 days later. Their reason for leaving? A never-ending series of paranormal occurrences tormented them until they could no longer take it. In the 1979 film, Amityville Horror, the patriarch of the Lutz household, George Lutz, is depicted as a man who is not in the running for any “father of the year” prize. Struggling financially, he doesn’t take the sudden onset of demonic activity in his new house very well. What results is a movie that should be included on any list of “horror classics.”
Verdict: Bad Dad

Louis Creed (Pet Sematary, 1989)

Directed by Mary Lambert and written by King, this movie is tragic and terrifying (or, at least, it was when I first watched, as a kid). When Louis’ young son, Gage, is killed by a truck - right outside their house - he decides, despite a few ominous warnings, to bury him in the local "pet cemetery." Word on the street is, people buried in this cemetary will be brought back to life as some sort of creepy zombie...or something like that. Despite all the horrible shit that takes place after Gage is buried in the cemetery, you can’t really blame Louis for doing what he did - he was a grieving father. Although, his actions caused one of the most horrible scenes in my memory of horrible scenes, and it involves an achilles’ tendon and a box cutter.
Verdict: Good Dad (who simply made questionable choices)

Dr. Pierre Brasseur (Eyes Without a Face, 1960)

This movie shows what can happen because of the actions of a desperate father. Granted, those “actions” include murdering women to harvest their faces. But if you’ve never been in his shoes, you can’t really judge, right? Regardless, the father does commit murder to help his daughter, but it’s an almost creepy help that seems to go slightly beyond just him trying to alleviate his guilt. It’s almost as if he wants to keep her prisoner as a young-looking porcelain doll. An older film, this movie has successfully stood the test of time and remains a seriously unsettling watch.
Verdict: Bad Dad

“Daddy” Robeson (The People Under the Stairs, 1991)

Not an actual father, per se, but a guy does get referred to as “daddy.” This 1991 horror film was written and directed by master of early 90’s horror, Wes Craven. It tells the story of young rapscallion, Poindexter “Fool” Williams, and his rather unfortunate encounter with the Robesons. The Robesons are not your typical American family; There’s Mommy and Daddy Robeson and young Alice Robeson. It’s important to note “Mommy” and “Daddy” are actually brother and sister (from a long line of inbred crazies) and, in addition to Alice, they have lots of other children hidden under the stairs. This movie disturbed me more than any other when I was a kid, which only resulted in it being one of my video store go-to choices. Personally, I prefer this movie to the Nightmare on Elmstreet films - it's just so messed-up in many ways.
Verdict: Bad “Daddy”

Sean Bridgers (The Woman, 2011)

Directed by Lucky McKee, this film is an adaptation of the novel of the same title, written by Jack Ketchem (who actually joined forces with McKee to write the screenplay). It introduces you to a seemingly normal family, the Cleeks, and their new family “pet project.” The big problem is the task that has been assigned to the family by their dear ol’ dad, Chris, is to break or “civilize” a wild woman, who he captured in the woods. Right off the bat, this is a little more than any dad should ever ask of his family; however, Chris Cleek is a controlling, misogynistic psychopath who isn’t happy unless he’s in complete control of everyone and everything. That’s some real “feel-good” stuff, right? Regardless, The Woman is an interesting story and a surprisingly watchable movie (my biggest complaint is with the soundtrack...I hate it).
Verdict: Really just the worst Dad

Jack Torrence (The Shining, 1980)

It’s impossible to have a list of good & bad dads of horror and not include Jack Torrence. No one could possibly forget Jack Nicholson’s terrifying performance as Jack, caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. Jack goes a bit nuts while locked up for months in a hotel with more than a few lingering and undead guests. There’s no shortage of creepy figures and terrifying moments in The Shining, and Jack Torrence is really at the top of this list. Even before shit starts to go down at the Overlook, we’re already made aware of Jack’s past (very recent past, actually) drinking problem, which eventually resulted in him dislocating his son Danny’s shoulder. Combine that with all the negative business in the hotel and you know Jack can’t possibly remain sane through this ordeal. After all, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”
Verdict: Insanely Bad Dad

Jerry Blake (The Stepfather, 1987)

It’s got to be hard enough for a child to get used to a new stepfather in their lives. So imagine how hard it would be if your stepfather was a murderous psychopath? Also, it’s loosely based on the life of actual killer, John List. You pretty much discover right away that Jerry is someone to be afraid of, and you spend a good portion of the movie worried for his new wife and stepdaughter. If you haven’t seen this and feel like checking it out, please do yourself a favor and watch the original. The 2009 remake was a steaming pile.
Verdict: Bad Stepdad

Henry Spencer (Eraserhead, 1977)

A lot of folks aren’t into David Lynch and that’s totally fair. His movies are not for everyone and require viewers to really pay attention and get sucked in. If you’re able to do that, then you’re ready to sit through some terrifying yet, rather understated, examples of horror. Eraserhead is the story of Henry, a man just trying to get by in the nightmare of a world in which he happens to exist. He has a small family but a “family man” he is not. His one and only child has the face that only a mother could love. So when Henry is left alone to care for the kid, he essentially loses his gd mind and we get to watch the horrible process.
Verdict: “Troubled” Bad Dad

William (The VVitch, 2016)

The most recent of the films in this list but since the family patriarch, William, was certainly a key player in Robert Eggers’ directorial debut, it would be a shame to leave him off. Taking place in 1630’s New England, one has to set aside personal opinions regarding religion in order to objectively look at William’s strengths. He clearly loves his wife and his kids and does what he is able in order to provide for them. Sure, he is a devout and strict “man of god”, which in and of itself is a bit on the scary side, but who wasn’t during those crazy times (other than the witches, of course)? The fear and anxiety that surrounded this family -- directly related to their religious beliefs -- was terrifying in its own right. Unfortunately for William, no amount of faith or religious dedication was going to help him once his lovely daughter was singled out for inclusion in the local coven.
Verdict: “Good-Intentioned” Dad

Robert Thorn (The Omen, 1976)

Let’s just get one thing out of the way, Robert Thorn’s evil little offspring, Damien, definitely had it coming. Even though he isn’t the true father of Damien, he does the responsible thing and destroys his son for the sake of all that is good. Wonderfully acted by Gregory Peck, Robert Thorn tries to do the best he can for young Damien but, in the end, the best thing is to destroy him. Not to mention, in addition to trying to be a good father to Damien, Robert is a loving and devoted husband, as evidenced by his reaction to hearing of his wife’s death. The Omen is a great horror classic that has been “blessed” with both sequels and remakes - none of which were actually needed.
Verdict: Good “Dad”

That's it for my list. As per usual, there are some honorary mentions:

• Dad Meiks (Frailty, 2001)
• Frank Parker (We Are What We Are, 2011 & 2013)
• Freddy (Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare, 1991)

Are there any you think should be added to the list? Let us know!

10 Great Episodes of Lore

I am obsessed with all forms of urban legends, myths, and folklore. I’m also really into podcasts lately, because it’s 2016. That being said, there’s one in particular that really scratches my itch to be creepily intrigued. That podcast is LORE. Lore is created and performed by Aaron Mahnke, who might be a robot. I say this because of the extensive and intricate research he undertakes in order to bring us fascinating stories every two weeks. Lore explores the terrifying truths behind common and uncommon folklore, and just recently it was revealed that the Aaron is partnering with the creators of The Walking Dead to bring Lore to a television near you! What better time to celebrate this addictive podcast?

Here’s a list of my top 10 Lore episodes, in order of release:

Episode 6: Echoes

One of the most horrifying memories of humanity’s past is the state of the early mental institution, or asylum. Politics aside, it also happens to be one of my favourite sub-genres of horror movies; nothing scares me more than the human psyche and the torture inflicted on mentally ill people who were often just misunderstood.

“Settings are often just as important to a story as the tale itself. The Shining had the Overlook. The Legend of Hell House had the Belasco. We fear cabins in the woods and even our own basements. But the mother of all horror settings is the asylum, with a dark pedigree unlike any other.”

I could talk all day about early asylums, especially about Dr. Freeman - the man credited with inventing the icepick lobotomy. This episode of Lore addresses this and more while examining the Danvers State Hospital, the introduction of thorazine, and the fate of it all today. I wish this episode was twice as long. Might I suggest some supplemental reading? My Lobotomy: A Memoir by Howard Dully, which follows the story of the author, a misbehaving child who was treated with a lobotomy at the age of 12, and how it affected his life.

Episode 8: The Castle

“When the authorities entered a building in Chicago’s south side in 1895, they weren’t prepared for what they found. Above and below the neighborhood pharmacy was a seemingly never-ending maze of doors and rooms. What those hallways and staircases led to, however, was beyond disturbing.”

If you’re a true crime buff or you watch American Horror Story, you’ll know who Henry Holmes is. Season 5 is aptly named ‘Hotel’ taking place, well, in a hotel. This was loosely based on Holmes’ hotel which was built to facilitate his murder spree. H.H. Holmes is one of the first documented serial killers in America and was also a successful con artist. Building his own version of a funhouse (called "the Murder Castle") to hide the victims of his crimes is not his only legacy, and I encourage you to listen to find out more.

Episode 9: A Devil on the Roof

“Few stories have the endurance to last centuries. Fewer still have a proven track record of documented, authoritative eyewitness accounts to back them up. Among those rare myths, one stands above most. For nearly 300 years, something has haunted an area of the country that is known for rare and unusual wildlife. So many people have seen it, in fact, that it’s almost impossible to deny its existence.”

Unfortunately, I’m not a big fan of creature sightings. Whether it’s bigfoot, chupacabra, or nessie; I feel like taking an eternal nap when those blurry photos show up. But I can’t deny the effect these stories have on society - especially the Jersey Devil. In 1.1 million acres of mysterious untouched forest, stories are bound to come up. Since 1735, the origin of this folklore has been in question. No matter how it began, the descriptions of the creature remain the same. What does this mean for the story? Listen up and decide for yourself. This isn’t that X-Files episode, don’t worry.

Episode 11: Black Stockings

“Humans have a history of making up stories to explain the unexplainable. Sometimes we use those stories to teach our children a moral lesson, or entertain our friends. Sometimes, though, those stories get taken seriously, and the results have been unspeakable.”

Thankfully humanity has evolved enough to eradicate some ridiculous theories we had about what was going on around us. We like to ask “why?”, and when no immediate answer comes to mind, we like even more to make them up. We tend to blame others for our misfortune, and sometimes even weird made-up creatures like The Changeling. To learn about the origin of Changelings, and the horrific things people did to rid themselves of them, listen to this one.

Episode 12: Half-Hanged

“History is full of people who took things too far. Humans are gifted at turning on one another, a skill we’ve honed over the millennia. But when a small town in colonial Massachusetts needed a scapegoat for a dying hero, they discovered a target who refused to go down without a fight.”

Just as we used to blame Changelings for our children's’ bad behaviour, we also blamed people we didn’t like for our misfortune. We are all aware of the Salem witch trials, a microscopic view of a panic that spread all across the nation. Listen to this episode of Lore to learn about a tenacious victim whose accusers worked outside of the legal system.

Episode 17: Broken Fingernails

“We leave our loved ones there after they’ve passed. We treat the space with reverence and solemn deference. Cemeteries are meant to be a final resting place. Sometimes, though, the ones who should be gone try to come back.”

I don’t know if it’s normal to have a burial plan before you’re 30, but I’ve already decided I’ll be cremated. Graveyards naturally creep people out - they’re places of mourning, mystery, and hauntings. They’re not particularly nice places to visit, unless you’re a wayward teen drinking vodka coolers and partying at the "Baby Graves"^ at the edge of town. In any case, when people are buried there they’re not expected to come back. Listen to this episode to see how true that really is.

^For context, the "Baby Graves" were in a small town I went to high school in. The town had a regular graveyard and then a "forgotten" graveyard out in the bush from the early 1900s where allegedly a plague had killed a bunch of babies and young children. They were all buried out there in fear that whatever they had was contagious so it was left to ruin over the years. You could go down this dirt road and go into the bushes a bit and there were a ton of unmarked graves, sunken into the ground. People dared each other to go in the middle of the night to see who could last the longest. There were eerie little white picket fences and crosses around a couple of them, but it was common to sink into some that you couldn't see. There was a single marble headstone far back into the trees that had the name Volkmar Bellack on it, but we never found out anything of note with that name. It was particularly scary in the winter as you would often hear grouse doing a mating call by thumping their feet on the ground which echoed and sounded like a panicked heartbeat. The "cool kids" tended to go out and party in the bush, drinking and leaving their bottles around the graves. It was a weird place, and in a small town with nothing to do it wasn’t uncommon to hear “want to go check out the Baby Graves?” on a Friday night.

Episode 18: Hunger Pains

“For as advanced and civilized as we are, humans are still led by very basic desires. We are drive by a need for safety and shelter. We long for a community to belong to. And we hunger. But not every method of sating our desires is good. Upon occasion, those methods have become downright evil.”

First of all, I love this episode because much of the material is from my home province of Alberta, and I get some weird satisfaction knowing that there’s cannibalism in the history there. The idea of eating other human beings is taboo, so when we hear stories of people driven to enough desperation to do so, a chill gets sent up the spine. Even scarier are those who ignore the taboo and feast on flesh anyway, after being touched by a creature called the Wendigo. Listen on, if you liked Hannibal.

Episode 23: Rope & Railing

“There are places in the world that we rarely see. Our busy lives never take us there, and as a result, they don’t come to mind when we think of chilling tales and frightening lore. But they exist, and despite their inherent light, they too hold a deep darkness.”

If you had to pick just one episode from this list, I would suggest Rope and Railing. This is my favourite episode thus far and I heartily recommend it to anyone who will listen. Having an affinity for the sea and a natural curiosity has always attracted me to lighthouses. Every lighthouse I’ve visited has a story behind it that locals tell with a glint in their eye, but none of them have a story as fantastic as the one shared in this episode of Lore.

Episode 25: The Cave

“Over the centuries, all sorts of methods have been used to govern people. And while some have been just and humane — such as most modern legal systems — others have been more unusual. Social fear, religious tyranny, and military might. However, few examples stand out as much as the events that took place over a century ago on a small island off the coast of Chile.”

This is the episode that gave me chills, and my second-highest recommendation. This episode revolves around a particularly nasty cult of warlocks. Blackmail, curses, forced deformities, this one has it all. Journey with Aaron into the secret cave where some of the darkest and cruelest actions allegedly took place, and then let me know how you sleep after. I’ve been thinking about this one ever since I heard it, and my second listen-through for this list affected me just as much.

Episode 26: Brought Back

“Humans have been obsessed with escaping the grasp of death for thousands of years. It’s impossible, of course, but we dream of it nonetheless. Which makes the events in a small Caribbean village all the more horrifying.”

Zombies! They’re kind of real-ish and we all know it. Whether you prefer them shuffling or running, you’ve seen enough of them to last you the next 10 years right? Regardless of how they’re portrayed on TV and film, there is a strange history behind their folklore that reignites my interest. If you’re not zombied-out, check out this episode for some real freaky history.

There you have it! These are all my favourite episodes of Lore. My only complaint is that I wish the episodes were even longer. I learn so much when I listen to the podcast that I’m starting to drive my coworkers crazy with my excited retellings. Even those stories I think I know a lot about are enriched after listening to what Aaron has to say on the subject. What about you? Share your favourite episodes below!

~@bexbz

If you like this list, you'll probably also like 10 More Great Episodes of Lore.

10 Mexican Horror Movies for Cinco de Mayo

Cronos (1993) Rated R

Director: Guillermo del Toro | Writer: Guillermo del Toro | Stars: Federico Luppi, Ron Perlman, Claudio Brook

Horror movies often feature some mysterious device that either grants its owner some superhero ability or curses them forever. Cronos is a movie about the latter. Some strange device, designed to grant its owner eternal life, is discovered after hundreds of years, and it doesn’t bring anything good with it. This is the first of two Guillermo del Toro entries on this list (no surprise there) - though, technically, he’s only responsible for the screenplay in the second one. Still, if you like del Toro’s work at all, you should add these to your “to watch” list.

Santa Sangre (1989) Rated NC-17

Director: Alejandro Jodorowsky | Writers: Alejandro Jodorowsky (story & screenplay), Roberto Leoni (adaptation & screenplay), Claudio Argento (screenplay) | Stars: Axel Jodorowsky, Blanca Guerra, Guy Stockwell

Remember when I said there would be a couple stretches, in terms of "Mexican Horror", this is one of them. It's only connection is that it's filmed in Mexico. Still this movie is, to say the very least, something else. It is a weird, unsettling collection of disturbing and violent imagery. A young man is confined in a mental hospital due to the years of violent physical and psychological trauma he was exposed to as a child, at the hands of his own father (who happens to be a crazy, religious fanatic). The movie’s first half is essentially a flashback about the trauma, followed by the man’s escape and reunion with his mother (who was also tortured by the father). This is no Nicholas Sparks-esque reunion, this is horrible and violent and upsetting. Do yourself a favor and give it a watch.

Patient 27 (2014) No Rating

Director: Alejandro G. Alegre | Writer: Alejandro G. Alegre | Stars: Marcos Duarte, Isaac Perez Calzada, Itzel Enciso

This is a lesser-known, hard-to-find movie. You may have to do some searching to actually find a place to watch it but, if you do, consider yourself lucky, I guess. I’m basing that assumption entirely on the two people I’ve talked to, who have both seen this movie and have positive things to say about it (and whose judgement I usually trust). The movie is about a man who starts to notice strange things about a patient receiving treatment at the lab where he works. Patient number 27...dun dun dun! These strange things really start to take their collective tolls on this guy, even to the extent of causing severe insomnia and hallucinations. If you’re like me, this little description is enough to make you want to find this movie and watch it. If you do find it, let me know where, please!

Night of a Thousand Cats (1972) Rated R

Director: Rene Cardona Jr. | Writers: Rene Cardona Jr., Mario A. Zacarias | Stars: Anjanette Comer, Hugo Stiglitz, Zulma Faiad

If that title alone doesn’t pull you in, maybe the idea of a thousand blood-thirsty cats, feasting on the chopped-up body parts of a killer’s victims will. I mean, just let that sink in. It's a pretty crazy concept and, I won’t lie, this movie isn’t really that great. Meaning, it's never going to go down in history as a "classic", but it’s definitely an amusing watch.

We Are What We Are (2010) Not Rated

Director: Jorge Michel Grau | Writer: Jorge Michel Grau | Stars: Francisco Barreiro, Adrian Aguirre, Miriam Balderas

Not to be confused with the other We Are What We Are (2013) that has been streaming on Netflix for the past year or so. That is the remake and, while it isn’t bad and is worth checking out, this one is the original and the original foreign versions of movies are almost always better. This movie tells the story of a strange family who are involved in some weird rituals, and how their weird rituals tie into the fact that they like to eat people. Cannibals ftw!

Poison for the Fairies (1984) No Rating

Director: Carlos Enrique Taboada | Writer: Carlos Enrique Taboada (story & screenplay) | Stars: Ana Patricia Rojo, Elsa Maria Gutierrez, Leonor Llausas

Little-kid killers (not to be confused with little kid-killers, which are much different) are always fun to see in horror movies. So when one of the killer kids convinces her close pal that she’s a witch and that she must now serve her, you know great things are about to happen. I doubt many people would call this an actual “horror” movie, but it could easily be one of those movies that was fun but also scared you when you were a kid. That being said, I know there are plenty horror-loving adults out there who would also appreciate this little treat.

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (2010) Rated R

Director: Troy Nixey | Writers: Guillermo del Toro (screenplay), Matthew Robbins (screenplay) | Stars: Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce, Bailee Madison

Those who have seen del Toro’s Crimson Peak (2015), won’t be surprised to know that it wasn’t his first foray into writing a Gothic-style horror movie. He seems to enjoy, and be quite good at, creating a dark, haunting atmosphere in his horror movies. While del Toro is really the only thing that ties Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark to this list of Mexican horror flicks, I’ll take it. Plus, the story is about a little girl who moves to a new house, where she believes she’s responsible for releasing some creatures from the sealed ash pit that served as their prison. How can that not be at least a little bit interesting??

El Vampiro (1957) No Rating

Director: Fernando Mendez | Writers: Ramon Obon (story & adaptation), Ramon Rodriguez (screenplay) | Stars: Abel Salazar, Ariadna Welter, Carmen Montejo

We’ve all been there, you come home to make funeral arrangements for a beloved family member, and you end up having to deal with the fact that your hometown is being overrun with vampires. Pretty common story, really. El Vampiro is one of the more enjoyable vampire movies I’ve seen - there’s something about black & white vampire movies that’s just better than the ones in color, ya know?

Here Comes the Devil (2012) Not Rated

Director: Adrian Garcia Bogliano | Writer: Adrian Garcia Bogliano | Stars: Laura Caro, Francisco Barreiro, Michele Garcia

It’s every parent's worst nightmare (maybe almost every parent’s worst nightmare), while enjoying a family vacation in Tijuano, a couple’s two children go missing. The kids are eventually reunited with their parents, but it’s clear that something is not right. The mystery of what happened to these kids may have something to do with the strange caves in the area...

The Blue Eyes (2012) No Rating

Director: Eva Aridjis | Writer: Eva Aridjis | Stars: Zachary Booth, Allison Case, Rafael Cortes

Written and directed by Eva Aridjis, the only lady-director/writer on this list (le sigh), The Blue Eyes was a Kickstarter-backed movie. This movie can prove a little difficult to track down - I was lucky enough to find it on YouTube, but I did see it’s available to rent on Vimeo. Ms. Aridjis is up to come cool stuff. She’s currently working on a full-length documentary, called Chuy, the Wolf Man, about a Mexican family diagnosed with congenital hypertrichosis (aka “werewolf syndrome"). This movie, however, centers around an American couple who have a life-changing experience on their trip to Chiapas, Mexico. This isn’t your average “life-changing” trip, mind you. This is “life-changing” because of the horrible, shape-shifting witch they meet.