Animation: Bloodfeathers

Bloodfeathers is a a creepy claymation short animated by Vanessa Soberanis with sound design by Ryan Edberg. The story centres around a robot who "longs for the impossible", which ultimately causes it to descend into disturbing fits of rage and, ultimately, self-destructive madness. 

The animation style and character designs are weird and gorgeous, and the subtle but unsettling soundtrack / voice acting fits it perfectly. The film is only around eight and half minutes long, so obviously there isn't a huge amount of character development, but there is more than enough content and the ending provides a satisfying - and somewhat inevitable - conclusion. If you enjoy animated work by The Quay Brothers, Jan Svankmajer, or the stop-motion music videos of the band Tool, you'll probably enjoy Bloodfeathers too.

You can watch the entire short below:

Movie Reviews: A Thousand Cuts (video review)

Movie: 'A Thousand Cuts' (2012)

Director: 
Charles Evered
Starring: Michael O'Keefe, Olesya Rulin, Michael A. Newcomer, James Van Patten, David Naughton

The first video for HSL from The Crimson Reviewer, featuring a crossover guest appearance from The Lesser Known Reviewer.

To watch more of The Crimson Reviewer's videos make sure you subscribe over at his channel:

The Crimson Reviewer

And check out The Lesser Known Reviewer too:

The Lesser Known Reviewer

Movie Reviews: Nightmare on Elm Street - Freddy's Return: A Nightmare Reborn

This is the first video for HSL from our new contributor, Danny Huckins; a review of the fan made movie Nightmare on Elm Street - Freddy's Return: A Nightmare Reborn!
Watch more of Danny's reviews & subscribe over at his channel:  Danny Huckins Official
And don't forget to subscribe to Horror Shock LoliPOP too ;D
Horror Shock LoliPOP on YouTube
You can also watch the full NOES movie below: http://youtu.be/KUQqouxeso4

Announcement: HSL Re-vamp & Video Reviewers Wanted

We're currently revamping Horror Shock LoliPOP and will be back on May 10th. 

We'll also be welcoming our newest Ghoulish Creature, video reviewer, Tony!
Want to make review videos for Horror Shock LoliPOP? E-mail him at: tonydallape@yahoo.com with your name and a link to an "audition" review video you've made.

A-Z Blogging: N is for (A) Nightmare on Elm Street

(A) Nightmare on Elm Street is a 1984 horror film by Wes Craven, and was the first in a long series of films (8 or 9...it's hard to know what counts and doesn't!). It introduces Freddy Krueger, played by Robert Englund (who had, up to that point, been most famous for V, though apparently been considered playing Han Solo in Star Wars...) as a murderer seeking revenge on those that killed him, which he does by killing people in their dreams.

It was a pretty low budget film ($1.8 million, which is low for a film ok!) but was an instant success and, like I said, spawned many many many more.

After a rushed wallpaper job, many wondered what happened to Freddy

It features lots of killings, some nice shadows and cinematography, and blood. Lots of blood. But what makes this film really, really scary isn't any of this. I'm pretty sure I can't just post such terror on the front page...

So...

After the cut (be warned! Cannot be unseen! D:)

 This post is part of the A-Z Blogging Challenge, 2013.

A-Z Blogging Challenge: M is for Manticore

Manticore

- Origin: The Manticore is a creature originating in Persian mythology, known as the Martyaxwar (man-eater). The name was taken from early Middle Persian and mistranscribed / adapted into a Greek and then English pronunciation (mantichora and manticore respectively). Due to the behaviour and locality in which Manticores originated, some believe that they were actually borne from over-exaggerated tales of tigers, of which the local people of the time were terrified.

- Descrption: Manticores have the body of lion, face of a man, and a voice that sounds similar to a trumpet. They also have the tail of a scorpian or dragon, which they use to shoot spines, like arrows, long range, and can also throw the spines, like javelins, at close range. As if that wasn't deadly enough, Manticores also have three rows of shark-like teeth in their mouths. Sometimes Manticores have the body of a dragon, in addition to wings and / or horns as well.

An illustration of Geryon the Manticore, by Gustave Doré, from The Divine Comedy.

- Behaviour: Manticores hide in long grass, showing only their human faces to those who approach. They then take those who come too close by surprise and devour them whole. They leave nothing of the person they have eaten, not even clothing and possessions; it is as though their prey has simply disappeared.

More about Manticores:

• Manticore Mythology at Gods and Monsters 
• Manticore at The Medieval Bestiary
• Manticore on Wikipedia

 
 This post is part of the A-Z Blogging Challenge, 2013.