A (Rob) Zombie Nation: Scream of the Month Edition

Peter Benchely and Steven Spielberg warned us not to go into the water. Sean S. Cunningham made you rethink your next out door getaway. Wes Craven begged us not to fall asleep.  John Carpenter reminded us that the bogie man was real, and Kevin Williamson made sure everyone had caller I.D. Now, one man has done something new; he's made us afraid of the dark. Not shadows or that moment when the sky has turned its blackest. It's the dark that could only come from a mind that is not only twisted and horrific, but brilliant and visionary as well.  

With his new movie "31"coming out Rob Zombie is paving his way as an horrific force in the film industry. Though not much has been revealed about this film, Zombie has made one thing crystal; it's going to be brutal. He is currently on the home stretch of his campaign to the raise money to make the movie his fans want through Fanbacked.com; a way for artists to raise the money for their personal projects to get off the ground. 

Every film that Zombie has created has been nothing less than living art. Colorful and dismal, claustrophobic and other-worldly; films such as House of 1000 Corpses and the Haunted World of El Superbeasto shows just how vast and limitless Zombie's creativity flows. If anyone would have ever asked me if I felt a remake of Halloween should be done I would have laughed in their face. Yet, Rob Zombie took me to a place in Haddonfield I never thought I'd go. I've walked the streets of Salem and imagined myself running into Heidi, or driving cross country secretly wishing to run into the Fireflys, if only to pick their brains for a bit.

There are not many things his characters won't say or do, and honestly I believe, for reasons other than his talents, Rob Zombie has worked with such icons in the film industry because of that. From Margo Kidder, Karen Black, Leslie Easterbrook, Bill Moseley and Sid Haig to practically the entire cast of The Lords of Salem; the amount of seasoned actors that have lent their great talent to his films is mind blowing. Of course the younger generation of amazing talent such as Scout-Taylor Compton and Scream Queen Danielle Harris have truly made their marks. But there is one woman who's taken her love of Zombie one step further, she married him.

Sheri-Moon Zombie, the living dead girl in the flesh, has absolutely left an impression on not only her husband but horror fans all around the world!  She could be walking around in Dr. Caligari, cabinet, killing cheerleaders, running from the law, nurturing a psychopath, hosting a radio show, or hunting nazis...we would still love her.  Mrs. Zombie is as much of a force as her husband. Let's keep our fingers crosses that she will appear in 31.

Though I'm not sure exactly who will be in the movie, or many details on the plot, there are two things I know for sure at this moment. The first being, I can not wait for this movie.  It's going to be one of those gritty horror films that kicks your ass so hard you start to beg for more.  The second is I just received my collectors copy of the Fangoria Rob Zombie edition. I carefully open the envelope I found at my doorstep only a few short hours ago. Taking the proper precautions, I ease the envelope open as not to damage the goods. I finally pull out the magazine with the grace of a century old vampire moving in to seduce his prey. I smile.  The artwork itself is so beautifully horrific I don't even want to take it out of the flimsy, plastic bag it was perfectly placed in.

Fangoria Cover Art

But I do.