The slasher. It’s without a doubt the most critically maligned horror subgenre, yet it’s celebrated by die-hard fans around the world, devout followers who continually seek out films in which masked assailants carve their way through the teenage populace. Vince Liaguno (pictured), editor of the upcoming Dark Scribe Press book BUTCHER KNIVES & BODY COUNTS: ESSAYS ON THE FORMULA, FRIGHT, AND FUN OF THE SLASHER FILM, is one such devotee.

[REC] 2 debuted today on VOD, Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, Amazon and VUDU. Magnet Releasing is handling the U.S. distribution of Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza’s sequel, which also opens in limited theatrical release July 9. We won’t spoil the new clip for you, but feel we must give notice that young kiddies should not give this one a shot…

At the Monster Mania convention in New Jersey earlier this year, Fango had a chance to sit down with Dario Argento to talk about screen violence, his influences and stylistic approach, the future of Italian horror, etc. Check out the clip after the jump.

Want to see four stages of undead putrescence from Frank Darabont’s upcoming AMC series? Here are some sensationally septic sketches of zombie decay courtesy of KNB EFX Group.

Today, the much praised “horror doc” CROPSEY begins its limited theatrical run at New York City’s IFC Center. Co-director Joshua Zeman recently spoke to Fango about the film and its long road to completion. Check out the second part of the video interview (see the first here) and find out when you can see it after the jump!

It has pulverized audiences at horror festivals over the last year or so, winning awards along the way, and now SWEATSHOP, director Stacy Davidson’s “smasher movie,” is getting ready to assault viewers on DVD sometime in early 2011.

Neil Jordan’s new film ONDINE (about a water nymph played by newcomer Alicja Bachleda) is seeing limited theatrical release starting today, and the INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE and THE COMPANY OF WOLVES director is already working on and talking about his next project: a live-action adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s THE GRAVEYARD BOOK.

CLOSET SPACE, the Lovecraftian feature by director Mel House, has been building a pretty solid rep via convention/fest showings and advance screeners, and today House gave Fango the scoop that everyone will soon be able to check it out thanks to a just-signed DVD deal.

While FANGORIA RADIO remains currently on hiatus, the folks at Sirius XM Radio have been running some of our best and bloodiest shows every Friday night (heard 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. EST, with a second broadcast right after), hosted by Dee Snider, Debbie Rochon and Tony Timpone. Tonight’s show highlights:

The initial conceit of CROPSEY, an investigation into what is essentially an urban legend come to life, is enough to scare you without even seeing it. A very personal story for its two directors, Barbara Brancaccio and Joshua Zeman, as they examine a tale closely tied into their adolescence, the movie becomes instantly relatable and universal when viewers realize they grew up hearing any number of similar tales—and captures the sheer terror that they may, even to the smallest degree, be based on truth.

Film adaptations of Shakespeare’s works are certainly nothing new, nor is the concept of placing the Bard’s characters and scenarios in modern or outlandish settings. However, it’s rare to find his literary stalwarts both dwelling in the present and as creatures of the night, which is the entire basis for ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN ARE UNDEAD, which begins its limited theatrical release today from Indican Pictures.