Retro Reviews

Reviews of older horror films, shorts, or general creepiness.

60 Years of ‘Psycho’ (1960): A Look Back At Norman Bates And Marion Crane

On September 6, 2020, Psycho (1960) turns 60 years old! It has marked its territory as one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best films ever. The film is something that truly satisfies the taste buds of horror fans, becoming one of the best black-and-white, low budget horror film ever set to film. …

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‘House of Dark Shadows’ (1970) Continues to Enthrall After 50 Years – Retro Review

Brace yourselves, I have a confession to make. You might want to sit down for this one. Are you ready? Okay, here goes: I was not always the insatiable fan of horror that I am today. Once you’ve taken a few moments to properly collect yourselves up off the floor, …

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Rob Daniels’ ‘Teen Wolf’ (1985) Still Howling After 35 Years: 10 Fun Facts

Rob Daniels’ Teen Wolf  turns 35 this year. On August 23, 1985, the world was introduced to teenager Scott Howard (Michael J. Fox: Back To The Future franchise), a young man who just happens to also be a werewolf. To celebrate, we’ve created a list of fun facts you may …

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When Entomology and Horror Collide: A Look Back at Dario Argento’s ‘Phenomena’ (1985)

The horror film that stays in my mind and heart the most is one that melds something I’m passionate about with gore. Dario Argento’s Phenomena does both. I’ve always loved bugs and have studied them as one of my hobbies. I also love horror. This film was my introduction to not …

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‘He Knows You’re Alone’ (1980): Tom Hanks Is Scared Retro Review

Tom Hanks is one of the most versatile and well known actors in American cinematic history. Rarely ever has he been in a movie that hasn’t been good. To paraphrase Eminem, his biggest misses are most actors’ greatest hits. For 40 years now, he has been in some of the …

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Head To Toe In High Murder: ‘Dressed To Kill’ (1980) Retro Review

Brian DePalma’s Dressed To Kill (1980) is a complicated whirlwind of a slasher film released during the first real wave of slasher films. There are some real legends in this film, including Michael Caine (The Dark Knight 2008, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels 1988), Angie Dickinson (Oceans Eleven 2001, Even Cowgirls Get …

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David Cronenberg’s Feature-Length Debut, ‘Shivers,’ (1975) Turns 45

Over the years, the name David Cronenberg has become synonymous with subversive and terrifying films, delivering visceral horror and violence to viewers and eventually becoming one of the filmmakers who helped shape the body horror sub-genre. June 6, 2020 marks the 45th anniversary of the United States release of Cronenberg’s …

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Parody Done Right: 20 Years of ‘Scary Movie’ (2000)

Parody movies can go either way in the cinematic world. Sometimes, they become all time classics, such as The Naked Gun (1988) and Austin Powers (1997), and other times, they can be some of the biggest turds to ever hit screens such as The 41 Year Old Virgin Who Knocked …

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‘War Of The Worlds’ (2005): David Koepp’s Best Kept Secret – Retro Review

The 2005 version of War Of The Worlds was met with mixed results. However, like fine wine, the film gets better with age. David Koepp wrote the screenplay for legendary director Steven Spielberg. Koepp is probably best known for the Kevin Bacon thriller, Stir of Echoes (1999 – read our …

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