I considered Michael Winner a friend. Not a friend in the sense that he’d loan me 50 bucks when I was short on rent, but a friend in that his kindness, openness, advice and cheerful nature were inspiring to me, personally.

THE FOLLOWING (premiering tonight at 9/8 Central on Fox) represents the latest attempt by a broadcast network to compete with the extremities and explicitness of cable TV. Or to put it another way, how ya gonna keep ’em watching your procedurals after they’ve been down on the farm with THE WALKING DEAD?

Vamp me? No, VAMP U. The horror/comedy is headed to theaters and video in the next couple of months, and we’ve got more details and a first look at the final poster.

With the Guillermo del Toro-executive-produced MAMA cleaning up at the box office (an estimated $28.1 million in its first three days and $33.2 million for the four-day holiday weekend), two Spanish films del Toro godfathered are headed for English-language revamps.

UK director Jeremy Lovering’s feature debut was developed and filmed unconventionally. He kept much of the story—its twists and turns and frights and games— from his two leads, only revealing the entirety to Allen Leech; he who plays the one playing tricks. While the average moviegoer rarely needs such back story, viewing the film with context in this case feels a tad more necessary. Although Lovering’s search for verisimilitude was not in vain, it does materialize in both grounded, raw performance and a strong sense that no one has any idea of what’s going on.

In its cryptic opening scene, Park Chan-wook sets the tone of STOKER, his English-language debut, with a monologue and the sound of the world in which the film takes place. STOKER prides itself on not being a conventional genre picture by any means, but the hypnotic rhythm in which the film unfolds will undoubtedly keep any audience transfixed.

Where V/H/S was a raw, lo-fi and frightening odyssey via POV, its sequel is—and from the very outset—bigger, weirder and even reflective of its predecessor. In the first few minutes alone, V/H/S 2 runs through almost every format previously explored, from spy camera to camcorder to iChat; and almost every perspective as well, from investigative to voyeuristic (often both at the same time) to daily doings. And while less traditionally dreadful, where it all leads is infinitely more thrilling.

As horror fans, you know her as the iconic BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, perhaps as the cheery boozer in Robert Siodmak’s THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE or WILLARD’s grouchy matriarch in the 1971 film of the same name. But how well do you really know Elsa Lanchester?

It’s not easy being a ’70s-era horror director and trying to get films made today when all Hollywood seems to be interested in is remaking your past gory glories. Following his 2002 sleeper sensation BUBBA HO-TEP and after helming the scariest episode of MASTERS OF HORROR (2005’s INCIDENT ON AND OFF A MOUNTAIN ROAD), writer/director Don Coscarelli continues his career renaissance with his latest movie JOHN DIES AT THE END (now on VOD; beginning its multi-city theatrical rollout on January 25 from Magnet Releasing; see list here), which has been killing audiences since its debut at Sundance last year. FANGORIA’s editor emeritus Tony Timpone chatted with the PHANTASM creator about his latest cult sensation, which he began spilling the beans about here and here. You can screen our final chapter with Coscarelli below (edited and shot by ace videographer Bill Hall).

Magnolia Home Entertainment just sent over a box of JACK & DIANE DVDs for giveaway. This beautiful yet horrific flick has become a critical fave; check out FANGORIA’s review by Michael Gingold here. 

The BBC's controversial RIPPER STREET makes its US debut this Saturday, an eight-episode exploration of survival, obsession and trauma in the wake of the Ripper murders - and offering up a grim supposition about the uses of the very first movie cameras.