Write thrillers, mysteries, and other related crime dramas and avoid writing cliches by following these rules.
Joe Friday: “Just the facts, Ma’am”
Dragnet
Don’t use “Let’s take him downtown for questioning.” Roth writes that real cops never say that.
What is Attempted Murder?
The Crime Writer’s Reference Guide, 1001 Tips for Writing the Perfect Murder by the late Martin Roth, is not a book that you read for pleasure on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
When writing a story that requires an accurate portrayal of a crime, you reach for it and use it to describe blood. You’ll need to read it, though, so you know why you write with accuracy and detail a fictional crime story.
Of course, you don’t want to be as dry as a crime report, but you want to write real-life drama.
When you are writing a story that needs an accurate portrait of anything that deals with a crime, you reach for this book and use it for blood.
How to Become a Serial Killer
Take a story about a serial killer. You need to create a profile and look up serial murder in the book’s glossary. Turn to the designated pages and discover that there is not just one type of serial killer, but four. You read the passage in the book, “studies reveal that most serial killers are white males between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-five and are usually products of working- or lower-middle-class families.”
Your profile takes shape, and you read on, “Many serial killers are charming, selfish, impulsive, and ambitious. Many come from broken homes or homes where they were abused. Few serial killers express any feelings of guilt or remorse for their crimes.” A brilliant start for a classic character study. Now that I think about it, most of the crime stories I have read or seen in movies fit this profile.
Turn to the designated pages and discover that there is not just one type of serial killer but four.
Writing Crime Dialogue
I enjoyed the chapter on language. It is an essential tool for any crime writer, with terms such as “throwaway,” which refers to guns or clothes the mugger wears and discards to avoid pursuit.
How about “pigeon,” which means victim. This chapter supplies enough dialogue ideas to keep you writing dialogue for twelve CSI spin-offs. Wait, CSI spin-offs are close to twelve and counting.
All kidding aside, you need this book dog-eared and well-used if you write about crime.
How to Write a List of Character Traits
Reading the book filled my head with straightforward ideas for stories and ample characters. What also fascinated me was the character description of cops, including what their lives are like and what they are not like, which sparked a range of ideas. My fingers were itching to click the keys on my keyboard and start writing.
Roth’s book gives you all the information you need to create a crime. You can start with the criminal act, the crime scene investigation, the prosecution of the criminal, and conclude with a life sentence in prison. He offers numerous examples of television shows that accurately portray crime stories.
As an exercise, you can watch a few crime shows and see if the production company followed Roth’s standards.
Listen to the Police Dialogue
Mark Wahlberg stars in Mile 22, a drama about a secret special forces unit within the government. I recommend you listen to the dialogue in this movie. You will hear crime jargon, such as “motive” and “driven.”
Director Peter Berg shoots scenes with a handheld camera that follows agents, police, and special forces as they meet and collaborate to solve the crime.
Although it is a dramatization, you get the idea of what it’s like within a collaborative meeting between police forces.
Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade
Humphrey Bogart
“He said: “I’m going to send you over. The chances are you’ll get off with life. That means you’ll be out again in twenty years. You’re an angel. I’ll wait for you.” He cleared his throat. “If they hang you, I’ll always remember you.”— Dashiell Hammett, “The Maltese Falcon”
Finally, if the chapter you are reading isn’t enough to fill your creative imagination, which is hard to believe, there is a section called “Where do you go from here.” This chapter includes a list of other books on the same subject. You can head to the library and create a new pastime of reading how-to-write crime stories instruction books. “The Crime Writer’s Reference Guide, 1001 Tips for Writing the Perfect Murder” is the reference book for any writer about to write a story centered on crime. Even if you have it written, you can use this book to cross-check your accuracy. “Just the facts, Ma’am.”
Before he left us and flew away to new adventures, Oscar starred in many movies, television shows, and print ads. This article shares his story.
Oscar the Parrot
Animal actors are amazing creatures because they possess hidden talents that few of us are aware of. We try to tap into their psyche, but the animals evade us. We wonder how the director gets those animals, like Oscar, to do those cute antics.
The animal trainers work with the director and animal actors. Together, the animal trainers have the gift and help animal actors shine.
Oscar, the parrot, was one of those animal actors. His talent stole scenes from other actors, and his personality caught people’s attention. He passed away, but his recorded performances keep his memory alive.
Talented and Gifted Bird
The film industry lost one of its most talented parrots. It is with great sadness that we report the passing of the star of several movies.
The bird’s last movie is appropriately called A Bird of the Air. Oscar the Parrot had a glorious career and an unprecedented career-spanning live theater, television with Fantasy Island, print advertising, and movies like Home Alone 3.
“A Bird in the Air” – Oscar’s Last Movie
In Oscar’s final movie, he plays a smart-alecky parrot who meets an unconventional librarian, played by Rachel Nichols. Somehow, they disrupt the life of a private man named Lyman, played by Jackson Hurst, who is not sociable. He works the graveyard shift as a security officer, patrolling around in his truck. He became an orphan at four years old when his parents died in a car wreck. He only knows his last name and estimates the year of his birth.
Oscar flies into his trailer and starts talking with words like ‘Shut up!’ and ‘I’m an eagle!” Lyman decides he must find the parrot’s owner. The quest leads him to the librarian named Fiona, played by Rachel Nichols. Over the years, her curiosity and attraction to Lyman from afar finally came to fruition. She offers her help to find the parrot’s owners, whether Lyman likes it or not.
Another animal comes into the story. Fiona’s basset hound makes the whole situation off-kilter. All four begin their search for Oscar’s owner. Fiona unravels the secrets of Lyman’s past and realizes that something about it needs clarification.
Fiona and Lyman go on his nightly security rounds together, and she sees a different man than the one she romanticizes. He has changed since he was a security officer, and she feels uncomfortable about it. As the movie draws to a close, Lyman reconciles with his past and breaks free from his murky lifestyle. They prepare a life together.
True Actor with Wings
Oscar lived beyond his sixtieth birthday, and he did not show his age in his final movie, A Bird of the Air. His fellow human actors adored him and spoke of his professionalism and kindness toward the crew on set. The indie romantic comedy includes some of the best moments for Oscar. His talent shines, and he will always be in our hearts.
“Paulie” the Movie
One of Oscar’s most famous movies is Paulie. The film is about a parrot, played by Oscar, being passed around from owner to owner.
The bird makes friends with a little girl, but they get separated. Eventually, a widow named Ivy buys Paulie. She and the parrot become fast friends, and they agree that she should help him find Marie, who moved to the West Coast. The widow decides to travel in her mobile home.
Slowly, Ivy loses her sight during their trip, and Paulie decides to stay and take care of her. Ivy eventually passes away, and Paulie learns to fly, continuing his journey to find his friend.
Talented Parrot
Oscar made so many movies and helped other animal actors break into the business. He leaves behind a legacy, and no other parrot can fill his feathers. It is a phenomenon of how Hollywood creates a story and adds a parrot, and the whole dynamic of the story shifts.
Oscar worked in the movies before animal trainers became a household word. Oscar helped so many animal trailers, too. He showed them how to guide animals through a scene, so they delivered what the director wanted.
Oscar flew off to find a new place to talk to parrots and entertain people. Rest in peace, Oscar. You are dearly loved.
Using the correct expression to describe anger can be challenging. This article lists phrases and idioms to help you write better.
Express Anger With Idioms and Phrases
Writers get stumped when it comes to expressing anger in fiction. They think avoiding idiomatic or phrasal expressions is correct because of overuse or cliché. Sometimes, the expressions reveal the proper meaning and are suitable.
Most idioms and phrases documented by well-known writers originate on the streets or in the countryside.
Imagine, “send him packing” means telling someone to leave or go away because of anger or annoyance. This idiom comes from Shakespeare. He documented many idiomatic phrases from the streets, as did other writers.
Examples of Idiomatic Phrases
The writer needs to help the reader visualize why the character is angry without resorting to a startling revelation, such as the character pounding his fist into the door or scratching out his eyes.
Characters in novels get mad, and the best way to show anger is in action.
A writer uses dialogue to show anger as well. A character can speak effectively using an idiom, as in movies. Like Dirty Harry films, “Make my day” or “Do you feel lucky, punk?”
Describing Anger
Most idiomatic phrases or idioms come from yesteryear’s literature. Knowing what a particular phrase means helps writers express themselves better. It ignites creative juices.
Finding the correct expression is challenging, so I’ve dug up a few idiomatic and phrasal examples that indirectly convey the emotion of anger.
1. Hell’s Bells and Puppy Dog Tails
I first heard the phrase “hell’s bells and puppy dog tails” when my father-in-law lost a hand at cards. I found the term “hell’s bells,” meaning “fiercely upset,” in my research. The phrase is novel, not used often anymore. It originated in the late 19th century. “Puppy-dog tails” comes from a 19th-century rhyme about what boys made up. I guess pulling a puppy’s tail makes the unfortunate animal mad.
2. Nurse a Grudge Against Someone
The idiomatic phrase is visual and evokes a range of imagery. The writer needs to understand the meaning of “nurse.” This definition is novel since the word “takes care of” does not mean “takes care of someone who is sick.” This particular definition means “maintain thoughts, a feeling, or a theory.” I visualize bigotry, prejudice, or jealousy for stealing someone’s boyfriend or girlfriend. “He nurses a grudge against her for going out with his best friend.”
3. Throw a Fit
The idiomatic phrase means to become very angry or agitated. I often heard mothers say their sons threw fits. A writer intensifies it by writing, “throw forty fits.” The phrase is slang and originated in the 1930s.
4. Mad as…
“Mad as…” takes several endings that describe someone being angry. “Mad as a meat-ax” means extremely angry or dangerously crazy. The idiomatic phrase originated in Australia in the 1920s. “Mad as a cut snake” means very mad or exceedingly angry and originates from Australia in 1890. Other endings from down under are “…a Chinaman,” “…a dingbat,” and “…goanna.” The phrase “as mad as a wet hen” originated in Canada and means intensely annoyed. These phrases change with “madder than….” Using these phrases is a writer’s tool, turning them into similes. “He is madder than a man carrying a meat-ax.”
5. Dish It Out
The idiomatic phrase describes being verbally harsh towards others or even physically abusive. Either way, the person is angry and dishing it out. “He can dish it out, but he can’t take it” is a common phrase that has been heard since 1925.
6. Up Yours!
Is the idiomatic phrase voicing anger at the intended recipient? There are variations to the words with different endings. “Up your pipe!” and “up your jumper!” are phrases expressing anger when the person’s attitude and voice match the words. The terms originated in 1930 and 1920, respectively.
7. Piss-off!
When someone says “piss-off,” it means they are angry or displeased with a person or thing. Being made at a person is easy to visualize. The idiom directed at a broken-down car works as well. The phrase originated in 1940. In the 1970s, the words teenagers spoke. The writer keeps in mind that older people are not likely to say “piss-off.”
The idiomatic phrase “have a bone to pick (with someone)” means to have something to argue about with someone, which means that the person is angry. “Bob is always picking bones with people for no reason.” I see an old man, unhappy, confronting a friend or acquaintance, saying, “Bob, I have a bone to pick with you about cheating at cards.”
9. Have a Chip on One’s Shoulder
This idiomatic phrase is visual. Anyone with a chip on their shoulder is looking for a fight. They want to argue because they are always angry. A writer uses this phrase in a fun and descriptive way. A person with a chip on his shoulder is uncomfortable to be around.
10. Burned Up
The idiomatic phrase means very angry. “I never saw Bill so burned up over losing a game before.” A writer describes a character burning with anger or burning up over a situation. “You’d better leave because Bob is burning up.”
11. Go Fly a Kite!
People are mad at someone or annoyed, and they want to leave their immediate area. They say, “Go Fly a Kite! Quit bothering me!” The idiom is slang and dates back to the 1900s.
12. Grit One’s Teeth
Gritting one’s teeth means grinding one’s teeth because one is angry but not expressing it. “Tom quietly grits his teeth over the money he lost at the poker game.”
13. Have a Conniption Fit
A person gets angry over something, or a violent emotion. “She had a conniption fit when I dropped her device and cracked the screen.”
14. Stick in One’s Craw
When someone has something stuck in their craw, it means they are irritated or displeased with it. Another way of saying someone is mad about something. “You’re trying to stick the problem in my craw!”
I keep NTC’s dictionaries near my desktop as an easy reference for writing the idiom or phrase needed to describe the drama. I also use it when I read an idiom or phrase I don’t understand.
16. Get Off My Back!
“Get off my back!” expresses annoyance at being told what to do or being criticized. The person wants to be left alone.
17. Up in Arms
“Up in arms” means a person or a group is angry and is complaining about something. A mother is “up in arms” about her kids not cleaning up their rooms. The town is up in arms about drugs and alcohol in the park at night, and the police do nothing about it.
18. Bear With a Sore Head
“Bear with a sore head” means the person is in a bad mood and gets annoyed over little things. My neighbor is a bear with a sore head in the mornings. I can’t do yard work because the noise sets his temper off.
19. Be in a Black Mood
“Be in a black mood” means to be irritably or angrily depressed. My dad is in a black mood. I will ask him tomorrow about taking the camping trip.
20. Blow a Fuse
“Blow a fuse” means losing your temper or going into a rage. It also means becoming extremely angry and suddenly going into a frenzy. My teacher blew a fuse when over half the class didn’t turn in their homework.
21. Blow Up
“Blow up” means suddenly becoming angry at someone or something. “Todd always blows up over the spilled milk.” It happens suddenly, like a burst of anger.
Finding the right words to express anger is a challenge.
22. Give Vent To
“Give Vent to” is used to express sadness, but is primarily used when someone blows off steam. “She gives vent to the high gas prices even though she drives a Ford Suburban.”
23. Rage-quit
“Rage-quit” shows how people are so angry about something that they quit, most noticeably, when someone is playing a video game.
24. Throw Your Toys out of the Pram
“Throw your toys out the pram” is a dated phrase, but the image of a child throwing a tantrum in a baby carriage with toys flying out and bouncing on the ground is funny.
A Hog on Ice: & Other Curious Expressions
I’ve used this book for decades. Dr. Funk explains the meanings and offers delightful choices I can use as a writer. He has traced idioms and phrases back through centuries to their original references and shares his opinion when no facts are available.
25. Let Rip
“Let rip” means the person suddenly becomes angry and shouts at the other person or persons. You can write, “He let it rip after finding out his son got a drunk driving ticket.”
26. Cut up Nasty/Rough
“Cut up Nasty/Rough” is an old-fashioned phrase from the United Kingdom. I find it useful because you can use it in many ways today. “Did you see how he got all cut up and nasty over the spilled milk?” “Get a hold of yourself, mate. No reason to get so cut up and rough with the chicken.”
27. Give Someone the Finger
“Give someone the finger” is a tried and true phrase, but it’s probably used too much to be effective. I see it as a childish way of reacting to something that causes you anger.
28. Go Berserk
“Go berserk” or “Going berserk” describes someone furious and violent, acting in an uncontrolled way. “He went berserk when I told him I wanted to end our relationship.”
29. Let Off or Blow off Steam
“Blow off steam or let off steam” expresses someone discharging anger without hurting anyone or anything. “Helen just wants to let off steam, so she took a walk in the park.”
30. Put or Stick Two Fingers up at Someone
“Putting or sticking two fingers up at someone” is not a common expression, though it’s helpful in a visual sense. The phrase expresses anger toward someone in a simple, yet rude, way. The person holds up his first two fingers in a “V” shape with his palm facing the target. “He stuck two fingers up at the police officer.”
31. Throw a Wobbly
“Throw a wobbly” is a funny way to describe an angry reaction to someone or something. It’s an informal British expression, but it’s valid. “Oh, don’t go and throw a wobbly on me, mate. Give it a break.”
32. Turn On
“Turn on” has many meanings, some positive, like “She turned me on.” This expression has a negative connotation. It means becoming suddenly angry and starting to criticize someone or shout at them. “Bobby can turn it on sometimes with his wife. I wish he’d turn it off, geez.”
Artistic License in English
I hope my idiom examples help you write better and show more to your readers. A writer creates as they see fit when taking an idiom. Artistic license is available for writers to bring their stories to life. You alter or embellish the phrases as you please. I wish you a well-written story.
Jerry Lewis defines comedy as a style characterized by his madcap acting, which he began with Dean Martin in 1946.
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis’s comedic timing and performances are a class act, and few comedians mirror his impeccable timing. Many comedians have copied his style. Watch his movies, and you will notice several similarities among our contemporary funny guys. Kevin Hart, Eddie Murphy, the late Robin Williams, and Jim Carrey have learned from Lewis.
They followed Lewis’s madcap acting because it looked easy and divine. Lewis’s skill is a talent that most performers consider daunting to try. Lewis’s upbringing in a vaudevillian family gave him the courage to perform the madcap characters we’ve come to know. His father did a great impersonation of Al Jolson on stage.
Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis
Lewis starred in 61 movies. Some of those movies were produced and directed by him. He hooked up with Dean Martin after World War II, as Dean Martin was a vaudevillian at heart. It was almost a fluke that they ended up as “Martin and Lewis,” the best comedy duos ever.
Alan King, a well-known actor and stand-up comedian, said, “I have been in the business for fifty-five years, and I have never to this day seen an act get more laughs than Martin and Lewis. They didn’t get laughs — it was pandemonium. People knocked over tables.”
“Artists and Models”
They made 17 movies together, as well as radio shows and nightclubs. The duo split up after ten years. Going their separate ways, and both succeed. One notable movie they starred in together before their split is Artists and Models.
The movie had a high budget of $1.5 million and starred Shirley MacLaine and Dorothy Malone. Directed by Frank Tashlin, he later worked with Lewis on six of his solo films.
Rotten Tomatoes gives the movie a 78% rating. The story follows Rick Todd, played by Martin, and his roommate, Eugene Fullstack, played by Lewis. Todd is a comic book artist. His publisher complains Rick needs to make his work gorier. Fullstack sleeps with elaborate comic-book dreams and gaudy-looking superheroes. These nightmares help Todd achieve success and fame. The men try to romance the gorgeous neighbors, played by Maclaine and Malone, throughout this period.
Tashlin got his feet wet directing Looney Tunes. He took on Artists and Models because Lewis’s character is a cartoonist. Tashlin added several gags that are still funny today.
Adult Themed Movies
Up until now, all Martin and Lewis movies were family-oriented. Artists and Models is an adult movie with all the sexual innuendos. Particular female characters wear revealing costumes. Malone is scantily clad in a towel that the studio allowed in one scene.
“I have been in the business for fifty-five years, and I have never to this day seen an act get more laughs than Martin and Lewis. They didn’t get laughs—it was pandemonium. People knocked over tables.” Alan King
Bucktooth Professor
The Nutty Professor is ingenious and nothing like the Jerry Lewis Telethon. Mr. Hyde’s theme, Dr. Jekyll, shines as a genuine comedy classic. Then, there is a love story, which makes it all the more adorably funny. The movie showcases Lewis’s mercurial comedic range. He plays a ridiculous bucktooth professor with exaggerated low self-confidence.
Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor
“I never tell an audience what they can expect. I never have, and I never will.” Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis, Good Looking Man
Stella Stevens plays one of his students and arouses his curiosity as Miss Purdy. The professor tackles his interest in Miss Purdy by stumbling on a potion. The potion changes him into a more than usually arrogant but good-looking man. He is no longer the sensitive professor that Miss Purdy so adores.
The Nutty Professor with Jerry Lewis
“Nothing can stop anyone who has a love and passion about their work.” Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis in his prime.
Fantastic and Hilarious Comedian
I enjoy watching DVDs occasionally and appreciate the amusing entertainment. It streams at various outlets and includes hilarious bloopers, deleted scenes, and other outtakes. The disc package also contains recordings of Jerry Lewis’s phone calls. It was a rare find that brought me to tears because I laughed so hard – bizarre and hilarious. The recordings on the CD are Lewis’s private prank calls, which he secretly recorded.
Stella Stevens is Dynamite
A storyline with a wide range of comedic talent, Jerry Lewis is not only a goofy bucktooth professor, but he turns on the charm as an arrogant, handsome genetic afterthought. Stella Stevens is a dynamite actress, an innocent young lady, and holds her own with Lewis’s mercurial acting. One of his students, Miss Purdy, played by Stevens, draws his attention as she becomes interested in him. As the professor, he stumbles on a potion that can change his genetics into an overly arrogant-looking man who lacks the one thing that wins Purdy over.
“The greatest thing I can remember in my whole career was the Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey clowns asking me to appear with them at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles in 1965. “— Jerry Lewis
After reading this article, you’ll become more aware of product placement in films and TV shows. You’ll also learn how to use product placement to help fund your next film.
“Stranger Things” scene with KFC. It’s finger-lickin’ good. Source: JokerMan
Examples of Product Placement in Movies
Product placement is an excellent resource to fund your movie and offset the negative costs of the production. Some say product placement can cover or replace 50-60% of a film’s budget. It’s a big business and a smart way to cover certain production costs. Yet, there are logistics to deal with and corporations and representatives that need to convince you that your film is worthy of its product placement.
Product placement involves props, vehicles, set dressing, and wardrobe donated or loaned to production for on-air use. For example, it could be as simple as a shot of a familiar airline logo. Even when an airline jet takes off, or a billboard or banner promotes a brand-name product, the effect can be pretty noticeable. You might have spotted a box of Cheerios at a breakfast scene—When Harry Met Sally, where Sally microwaves Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Stranger Things nabbed $27 million in product placements, from KFC to Cola to Eggo Waffles to Gap.
Product Placement in Film: A Huge Business
The process seems easy for a brand to pay for, loan to, or even donate to a film production. That is not the case. It is a huge business. What the manufacturers decide to pay, loan, or donate for valuable exposure is determined when they or their representatives evaluate the script, cast, and director of the project. It takes just as much, if not more, work as procuring funding for a film. Still, it gets done and is worth the effort and time. A filmmaker can cover transportation or meal costs by agreeing to product placement.
The late Paul Newman is ready to race in one of the many Budweiser cars he raced. Source: Lola
Paul Newman and Tom Cruise
Anyone can think of the last film they saw and notice the product placement in that movie. The late Paul Newman was known for drinking Budweiser beer in his films. Budweiser also supported his car racing. The Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One film was all too obvious, with the chase involving a tiny yellow Fiat car in Rome. But who didn’t want a cute Fiat after that scene? The James Bond franchise has fancy cars, designer clothes, and Heineken sipping. The list of product placements is long, dating back to 1910.
Product Integration in Film
Product integration is another term used around the industry for product placement. The term denotes products and services incorporated into the film and used, consumed, worn or mentioned by the main characters. The Barbie movie is an obvious example of product integration. The film’s focus is the Barbie doll, which is mentioned in press junket interviews and on social media.
Major studios and production companies have product placement departments. Producers can hire companies or promotional agencies to help manufacturers place their products in films. Filmmakers seeking funding or donations should find companies and agencies, do research and be prepared to negotiate.
Once a product placement is assigned to a film project, a wise filmmaker assigns an individual to coordinate and supervise the entire process, ensuring the brand is correctly represented in the film.
Brands or Companies Get Exposure
It is impressive what these product placement agencies can do. They include online services that partner with products and productions. They even specialize in helping new brands or companies get their first exposure secured in films. As a filmmaker, it is your job to use your imagination and ingenuity to choose the types of brands or products you can place in your movie. That requires a scene breakdown of where each scene takes place and which brands or products appear in it. For example, the kitchen scene means food, cooking ware, food products, etc.
For the most part, independent films with producers, property masters, transportation coordinators, department heads, and costume supervisors usually handle their own product placement. That way, they avoid having the overhead of paying a salary or fee to someone else. Still, the filmmaker and producer ensure they maintain their product placement agreements or contracts. The best way to hold and control product placement is to keep the number of people responsible on your crew to a minimum. The filmmaker must consult any agreement or contract for product and service placement with the production executive, producer, and production attorney.
Ethan Coen’s “Drive Away Dolls” is subtly featured in this barroom scene. Source: Kenna McHugh
Product Placement Regulations
Because product placement is so popular and widely used in the film industry, a filmmaker will discover more regulations regarding it than they ever imagined. It’s not just about placing a banner. Because of laws governing the financing of such commodities and the possibility of payola—bribing someone to use their influence or position to promote a specific product or interest—the film industry is more open to product placement than the television industry. The television industry must disclose its product placement at the end of the episode as a “promotional consideration.”
With that, a filmmaker needs to set their standards or policies on how they want to approach product placement for their movie. The filmmaker avoids outlandish bribes or unreasonable requests by having guidelines. The idea is to maintain a realistic storyline without jeopardizing the integrity of the film. Thus, avoid placing or accentuating products that appear to be advertising or sponsorship. Some standard rules of thumb are that production personnel, cast and so forth may not accept gifts from companies that want their products used in the film. Thus, no one associated with the production can endorse or refer that a specific talent will promote a brand or product in a movie.
Sample Letter Requesting Product Placement in a Short Film
When you have a product that stands out in the storyline, it’s best to write a letter for permission to use the product in the film. Source: Kenna McHugh
The Bottom Line
Again, the filmmaker needs to put on his thinking cap and consider his storyline and overall movie genre. Take a marketing perspective and imagine what products would do well in his film. There are companies out there that want to integrate their products into a variety of entertainment media. They will probably get involved if the movie is a high-profile project with some very talented and up-and-coming movie stars.
This article examines the top drama schools where movie stars like Meryl Streep, Paul Rudd, Angela Bassett and Paul Newman attended.
1. David Geffen School of Drama at Yale
Meryl Streep graduated from Yale Drama School.
Yale School of Drama’s reputation claims that each graduate acquires an agent within one month. Another added benefit is that the school is now tuition-free, thanks to a grant from David Geffen.
Cole Porter, Angela Bassett, Julie Harris, Thornton Wilder, Paul Newman, Meryl Streep and Paul Giamatti are just a few well-known alumni.
Since its establishment in 1924, the school has offered programs in every theatre discipline.
Yale Drama School Free
Tuition and Expenses
The tuition is free, based on a remarkable gift from David Geffen. His generous donation ensures that full-time students in degree and certificate programs receive 100% tuition remission from each day forward. Rightly so, the school’s name changed to the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University. Books and estimated living expenses come to $21,000, including Yale Health Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage.
2. The Juilliard School
The list of talent that graduated from The Juilliard School is endless.
In her memoir, Patti LuPone felt truly educated when she arrived at Juilliard. The drama school’s founder, John Houseman, instilled in her an unthinkable discipline, pushing her diction problem to the brink of strangulation if she did not overcome her plight.
The Juilliard School approaches the study of drama in the most creative way.
There are high success guarantees in a handful of disciplines: Oscar Isaac, Patti Lupone, Viola Davis and Jessica Chastain are a few reputable alumni.
An agent says students learn and understand the classics, turning young talent into classical masters of the technique.
Tuition and Expenses
Tuition is estimated at $39,720, with living expenses varying depending on whether students live on or off campus. The cost includes room and meals, which range from $14,790 to $18,460, depending on whether students live in a double or single room. Books and supplies are $3,440, so the total per year is $57,950 to $61,620.
Those who decide to live off-campus face much higher housing and food costs, including transportation costs of around $1,008. Potential students should note that there are also application fees.
3. Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama
Award winners attend CMU.
Holly Hunter and Ted Danson are among the famous alumni of CMU, including Stephen Schwartz, the creator of Wicked and Pippin, who is also a graduate. CMU graduates earned six Oscars, 31 Tonys and 99 Emmys. Carnegie holds the most graduates with awards of any other drama school.
Tuition and Expenses
Tuition for both resident and off-campus students is the same at $49,610. Other fees apply at $1,055, and room and board cost $14,972. Books and supplies cost an estimated $2,400. The university includes part-time tuition at $465 per unit.
4. Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Here is one of the best actor training schools on the planet.
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art speaks to the history of theater. Playwright George Bernard Shaw asked RADA for a third of his royalties.
Maggie Gyllenhaal and Anthony Hopkins are notable graduates. Sir Laurence Olivier taught at RADA and bestowed one-third of his royalties on it.
Tuition and Expenses
Tuition fees are in UK currency for local, island, and overseas students. They range from 9,000 pounds to 17,200 pounds. Students living in the UK and with low incomes can apply for scholarships.
5. San Francisco American Conservatory Theater
Actors train and perform.
San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater (ACT) is a hard act to follow. The school collaborates with one of the top regional theaters, and the drama program attracts undergrads.
They attend the school’s 15-week semester. Ed Davis, Annette Bening, and Denzel Washington are just a few well-known graduates.
Tuition and Expenses
Tuition and fees are estimated at $26,750 and total $48,131, including supplies and the cost of living. The school offers child care and other services for an additional fee.
6. Northwestern University School of Drama
Tour the school before deciding to enroll.
Northwestern University graduates include the talented Charlton Heston, Warren Beatty, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Stephen Colbert, and David Schwimmer, the founder of Lookingglass Theatre.
Tuition and Expenses
Financial aid is available for low-income families, and resident and out-of-state tuition does not appear to vary. The total for one year of schooling runs about $63,554. The cost includes miscellaneous fees, room and board, and books and supplies.
7. CalArts
Disney’s daughter founded CalArts.
CalArts’ Center for New Performance is part of a school established by Walt Disney. Don Cheadle, Alison Brie, and Ed Harris are a handful of graduates who graced the school. It is not considered a drama school, but a theatre school that allows students to work with the likes of Ron Cephas Jones in the production of Prometheus Bound at the Getty Villa.
Tuition and Expenses
Tuition for an academic year runs about $45,030 for full-time enrollment. Payment plans are available, and other fees may apply. Tuition includes instruction, facilities, and some materials used in regular programs. Students must be financially able to pay for other supplies required for most projects.
Christopher Pheiffer, CalArts School of Theater MFA
8. The Academy of Dramatic Arts
The school is costly, so ensure you get your money’s worth.
The American Academy of Dramatic Arts of Los Angeles and New York (Manhattan) are private institutions that serve as a performing arts conservatory.
The students earn an associate degree and audition for an invitation to be in the third-year theater company. Most students transfer to another higher institution to earn a bachelor’s degree.
The academy is the oldest acting school globally and is an English-speaking school. Both schools have impressive alumni, including Lauren Bacall, Anne Bancroft, Danny DeVito, Paul Rudd, and Robert Redford.
Tuition and Expenses
The undergraduate tuition and fees at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles total $36,190. About thirty-seven percent of enrolled undergraduate students receive grants or scholarships, with the average amount being $8,835. The total tuition and fees at AADA Los Angeles are $42,940, including education, books, fees, living costs and supplies.
The American Academy of Dramatic Arts New York undergraduate tuition and fees for a full-time student are $59,219, regardless of their residency. This includes $34,410 for tuition, $19,555 for housing, $570 for supplies and books and $750 for miscellaneous fees.
9. USC School of Dramatic Arts
USC offers production opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience. Source: USC School of Dramatic Arts
Tuition and Expenses
The University of Southern California, School of Dramatic Arts, is inclusive and recruits for diversity. Faculty member Ahmed Best works to mentor black directors with the help of Lucasfilm.
All faculty members are working professionals who have collaborated with industry actors such as George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Connie Britton and Forest Whitaker. The estimated cost of attendance for two semesters or 12 to 18 units is $66,640, though many scholarships are worth considering.
Other expenses, including fees, books, supplies, housing, meals, and incidentals like transportation, add up to $90,921 for two semesters. The tuition rate is the same for out-of-state and in-state residents. The first semester requires a $450.00 New Student Fee.
You might not have heard of these horror movies. This article dares you to peek.
“Texas Chainsaw Massacre” follows Leatherface, who slices his victims with a chainsaw. Source: Kenna McHugh
Comprehensive List of Horror Movies
Lock the doors. Turn off the lights. Grab your snacks. It’s time to watch your favorite horror movies for many reasons. Sometimes, it’s to seek the adrenaline rush, thrill, and suspense that rivets us in a movie theater or at home. Then, we want entertainment through clever storytelling and cinematic elements, such as films like The Sixth Sense or The Others. Some horror films, like Blumhouse’s Happy Death Day movies, offer humor, which is an appreciation. There are so many to choose from. Below is a comprehensive list of horror films. That way, you have many choices of horror movies to enjoy in the safety of your home.
1. The Prodigy
Like every parent, she knows her child is a saint and tries to be a good kid. But what happens when something takes over the child, and he no longer controls his intention?
I enjoyed the horror movie directed by Nicolas McCarthy because it’s beyond creepy figures lurking in shadows. Sarah’s only son, Miles, is acting up too much, which is disturbing. It’s a sign of evil with a supernatural force that overwhelms him.
2. Anna and the Apocalypse
Anna and the Apocalypse is a musical horror movie where zombies roam in the backward town of Little Haven. The undead people are causing all sorts of crazy stuff. But all that Anna and her friends do is dance and sing while trying to handle the Apocalypse. The worst part is that it is happening during Christmas time.
That’s right. The movie is a horror, comedy, and musical. I watched the trailer to take a break from work because it’s so much fun.
3. The Possession of Hannah Grace
A father claims his daughter’s life while performing an exorcism to drive the demons from her body and soul. The daughter ends up in the morgue when it is Megan’s shift. The body looks disfigured but is not dead. Megan is unaware of the young woman’s condition until they are locked in the basement with the two inside the corridors.
4. Slice
The movie poster says, “Dead in 30 Minutes or Less” and “A Way Out Alive.” The movie is a horror film, but it is also a comedy, which I enjoyed.
Austin Vesely wrote and directed this movie about a pizza delivery driver murdered on the job. The city tries to find the culprit with the usual suspects, such as drug dealers, ghosts, and a humiliating werewolf.
Did you recognize Joe Keery from Stranger Things? His role is the photojournalist, and he looks pretty good—Katherine Cunningham, Zazie Beetz, Hannibal Buress, and other quirky cast members star in this movie.
5. Ganja & Hess
Ganja & Hess is a horror movie filled with metaphor and allegory. Produced with a budget of $350,000, Ganja & Hess arrived in 1973 with accolades from the critics and won the Critics’ Week choice during the Cannes Film Festival the year it was released.
I found the movie dated, but you will appreciate it if you’re a devoted horror fan.
Sam Waymon, Mabel King, and Leonard Jackson also star in the movie.
“The last thing I want to do is make a black vampire film… If I had to write about blood, I was going to do that, but I could not just make a movie about blood.”
Bill Gunn told a friend explaining why he didn’t make another black vampire movie like “Blacula.”
6. Unsane
The most unjust and scary situation anyone experienced was being involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital. If you are in this situation, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights is your recourse.
It was hard for me to watch this movie because I felt vulnerable and trapped. It’s how Soderbergh used the iPhone, shooting each scene tight and sometimes with a wide-angle lens.
Soderbergh is a revolutionary filmmaker and doesn’t mind crossing cultural or social barriers.
7. No Solicitors
John Callas writes and directs this eerie but campy terror of a movie. Political satire weaves through the storyline, yet as a horror fan, I only wanted the scary stuff, which is pretty cheesy. Still, it is a festival winner at both Scare-A-Con and Fright Night festivals.
Nobody told the real estate agent about the “no soliciting” at the Cutterman’s home. They seem friendly and helpful, but an invite to dinner means corrupt under-the-table dealings. Drugging the guests tells the story of the horrific family business.
They soon undergo the frightful experience of slowly being eaten piece by piece. The family business is nothing but a farm for selling their internal organs.
8. Hostile
Written and directed by Mathieu Turi, Hostile is a creepy horror movie starring Brittany Ashworth, Grégory Fitoussi, and Javier Botet.
The story takes place after a worldwide epidemic has killed most of the population. The handful of those still alive struggle to survive by searching for shelter and food. A strange and creepy creature roams the area.
Juliette finished her scavenging and headed back to camp. She is in a terrible accident and stranded in her car because of a broken leg.
She is right in the middle of a hostile desert. She must focus on surviving the danger of the post-apocalypse while the creepy creature lurks around the car.
The special effects are decent, and the story moves along with plenty of intense situations and a backstory. The creature lurking around the car is too much for me, so horror fans need to see this movie.
8. Hostile
Written and directed by Mathieu Turi, Hostile is a creepy horror movie starring Brittany Ashworth, Grégory Fitoussi, and Javier Botet.
The story takes place after a worldwide epidemic has killed most of the population. The handful of those still alive struggle to survive by searching for shelter and food. A strange and creepy creature roams the area.
Juliette finished her scavenging and headed back to camp. She is in a terrible accident and stranded in her car because of a broken leg.
She is right in the middle of a hostile desert. She must focus on surviving the danger of the post-apocalypse while the creepy creature lurks around the car.
The special effects are decent, and the story moves along with plenty of intense situations and a backstory. The creature lurking around the car is too much for me, so horror fans need to see this movie.
9. Greta
Neil Jordan directed Greta. His credits include Interview with a Vampire, The Crying Game, The End of the Affair, and Mona Lisa. The story is an idea by Ray Wright, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jordan.
It focuses on Frances, a young woman who becomes friends with a widow. The widow tricks and manipulates Frances to the point where Frances’ life is in danger. The movie trailer is worth watching because it tells most of the story.
10. Gretal & Hansel
It’s not a fairytale or a horror movie for the lighthearted. Gretal & Hansel follows a young girl with her little brother into a dark, foreboding forest. While looking for food and possible work, they fall upon the darkest core of terrifying evil.
Osgood Perkins, the son of Anthony Perkins (Psycho), does an excellent job directing the horrific and chilling story. And yes, there is a witch in the movie.
11. Arrebato
Ivan Zulueta directed this Arrebato in 1979. The 4K restoration Blu-ray means the quality of this classic film is worth buying for diehard horror fans. This horror movie is a blend of Super-8, sex and heroin, following Jose Sirgado, a horror movie director. Jose lives a life of drugs and doubts while he tries to complete his second film.
His ex-girlfriend shows up, and a package from an old friend is at his doorstep. The package contains a door key, an audiotape and Super-8 film. Next, the movie is the ultimate hallucinogenic catharsis from a vertigo strip of filming more and being filmed.
12. Red Snow
Filmed in just 13 days, Red Snow is a low-budget horror movie with a talented cast, making the cinema nightmarish and stiff. But it’s funny as a dark comedy about vampires and lots of blood.
Sean Nichols wrote and directed this film about Olivia Romo, a struggling writer of vampire romance novels. Shut in at a cabin at South Lake Tahoe, she defends herself against actual vampires during Christmas.
An injured bat named Luke crashes into her living room. He turns into a handsome vampire, and a romance blossoms. The problem is that he has vampire friends who want to suck Olivia’s blood while he tries to keep himself from taking a bite out of her.
13. Nope
Jordan Peele wrote and directed Nope, the award-winning director’s stab at the phenomenon of being horrific. Before the film arrived in movie theaters, it was all hush-hush.
The story is about a brother and sister who run a horse ranch and stumble upon something fantastic and horrific in the skies above. An owner of a theme park next to the farm tries to captialize on the mysterious and otherworldly phenomenon.
14. You Won’t Be Alone
Goran Stolevski helms this horrific, creepy tale about a witch. The horror movieoccurs in an isolated mountain village in 19th-century Macedonia, Southeast Europe. It tells a bizarre story about a young girl kidnapped by an ancient spirit and turned into a witch.
15. Halloween Kills
Gleaned from the characters John Carpenter and Debra Hill created, “Halloween Kills” brings back Jamie Lee Curtis in her iconic role and Judy Greer with Anthony Michael Hall.
Fed up with Michael Myers hunting them, the citizens of Haddonfield decide to pursue Myers and hunt him down. Some may think Myers will never die, no matter how hard Laurie Strode tries.
16. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
Michael Chaves masterminds The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, which displays a chilling tale of terror, a true story. The story spends time with real-life paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren, starring Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson.
Believed to be one of their most sensational cases, they fight for the soul of a young boy. For the first time in the U.S., a murder suspect claims demonic possession as a defense.
17. The Night House
David Bruckner brings us The Night House. A widow discovers her deceased husband’s disturbing secrets, which turn horrific and diabolical. Rebecca Hall is believable as the widow. The trailer shares more details.
The movie focuses on past events without flashback scenes. It’s all linear, and the special effects make it terrifying.
18. The Empty Man
The Empty Man will fill your horror obsession with the mysterious disappearance of teenagers. James, an unsettled retired cop, gets thrust into motion to investigate these disappearances. He follows leads, tying a secretive occult-determined group to a frightening provincial legend. James admits that his life — those nearest to him — is in horrific danger.
19. Spiral
Having a stand-up comedian, Chris Rock, portray the brazen Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks in a SAW spinoff movie is pretty spectacular. Zeke works in the shadow of a respected police veteran, played by Samuel L. Jackson.
Zeke has a rookie partner, played by Max Minghella. Both take over a grisly investigation into murders eerily reminiscent of the city’s gruesome past. Zeke ends up at the core of the killer’s macabre game, unknowingly entrapped in an intensifying mystery.
20. Abigail
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett directed the horror film. The cast includes Dan Stevens, Alisha Weir, Kathryn Newton, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud and Giancarlo Esposito.
All the kidnappers need to do is collect a $50 million ransom after abducting the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of an influential underworld figure. Monitor the girl throughout the night in a remote mansion.
As the captors diminish one by one, they gradually realize with increasing terror that they have trapped themselves with an abnormal little girl.
21. Red Letter Day
Red Letter Day is a raucous horror-comedy but still scary. Cameron Macgowan wrote and directed the movie about a divorced mother who adjusts to a new life in a quiet suburban community. Her two teens receive eerie red letters demanding they kill each other or get killed.
Macgowan crafted a true neighborhood nightmare, and the acting is convincing.
The low-budget movie is scary and funny. Diehard horror fans will have a kind heart for the film.
22. Marrowbone
You will see some familiar faces in Sergio G. Sanchez’s Marrowbone, such as Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton and George MacKay. A screenwriter for such haunting films as The Orphanage and The Impossible, Sanchez has made a name for himself.
Marrowbone follows four siblings filled with secrets, enticing you to live inside their world. The siblings cross the Atlantic, escaping from a mysterious trauma that has a life of its own. They find refuge in an old home after the death of their mother, then uncover something horrific about the house, a more sinister occupant, and it turns into a haunting tale.
The siblings are lively, like kids, but also display uneasiness, coming across as an unusual romanticism and a beautifully framed movie.
Another character in the movie is the house, semi-abandoned with an unkept yard that marks the boundary between the home and the outer civilization—isolated with no signs of modern life.
23. The Last Witch Hunter
Breck Eisner directs The Last Witch Hunter as a large-scale and admirable movie, taking a distinct urban fantasy-horror universe. The film looks different from other films of the same genre.
It begins in the past with silver-haired warriors on a vital journey to slay the evil Witch Queen. She placed a curse on the whole countryside. The warriors fight bravely with suspense and terror as if fighting a monster, not a witch. All in all, this part of the movie is outstanding.
Come forward and meet Kaulder, played by Van Diesel, an immortal hero with a very complicated or uneasy personality. Michael Caine and Elijah Wood also star. If you are familiar with Diesel’s characters, you know he is still arrogant and badass.
Eisner uses a lot of action scenes with some horrifying scenes, a solid supporting cast, and CGI with animated monsters and crazy spells.
24. The Quiet Ones
The Quiet Ones is a horror film similar to The Sixth Sense or The Others, based on a true story. John Pogue directs this horror movie, which is worth seeing for fans of the genre.
An actual experiment at Oxford in 1974, this film brings to light the profound notion of what the supernatural experience might manifest in the minds of believers who have a few screws loose.
We watch Professor Coupland, graduate students Krissy and Harry and videographer Brian (Sam Claflin of The Hunger Games franchise). They investigate the psychic phenomena of the destructive young Jane with the rationale of treating her. Like all psychiatric treatment, it’s brutal and inhumane.
You’ll jump out of your chair or skin, whichever comes first.
25. Prey for the Devil
Daniel Stamm directed Prey for the Devil, and the movie begins with a worldwide upsurge in demonic possessions. The Catholic Church renews exorcism schools to instruct priests in the Rite of Exorcism.
An unlikely serviceperson, a budding nun, Sister Ann, rises on this spiritual frontline. Propel onto the spiritual battleground along with fellow student Father Dante. Sister Ann struggles for the soul of a young girl.
Sister Ann acknowledges that the same demon that possessed the girl is the same one who plagued her mother years ago. Sister Ann discovers the Devil has her exactly where he needs her, and he craves to get into her soul.
26. Candyman
Anthony’s painting career has stalled, and a fluke encounter with an old-timer reveals the tragically horrific nature of the actual tale behind Candyman.
Anthony wants to maintain his status in the Chicago art world, so he explores these gruesome details in his workshop.
He sees it as a refreshing way to restart his career and paint again. Unknowingly, he opens the door to an intricate past that tatters his sanity and releases a terrifyingly viral surge of violence, putting him on a collision trajectory with destiny.
Nia DaCosta wrote and directed Candyman, a horror movie with a bona fide story worth following.
27. Fantasy Island
Welcome to a spin on the television series Fantasy Island, a horror film. Jeff Wadlow directed the movie, which he also wrote, and Chris Roach and Jillian Jacobs co-wrote.
The obscure Mr. Roarke makes the secret dreams of his fortunate guests come true. With a luxurious but remote tropical resort as the background, one can’t help but feel it’s a true fantasy.
But the fantasies turn into nightmares. The guests have to decipher the island’s mystery to flee with their lives.
28. The First Omen
Arkasha Stevenson directed The First Omen, an American horror film written by Stevenson, Keith Thomas, and Tim Smith. It is based on a story written by Ben Jacoby.
In the film, Nell Tiger Free portrays an American woman in a prequel to The Omen. Upon arriving at a church in Rome, she stumbles upon a sister conspiracy plotting the birth of the Antichrist.
Bill Nighy, Ralph Ineson, and Sonia Braga are among the cast members.
29. Slender Man
Eric Knudsen created Slender Man. A mythical character spun on Something Awful, an Internet Forum. Now, a horror movie was written by David Birke with the same title.
The movie follows four high school girls living in a small town in Massachusetts. The girls conduct a ritual to unveil the lore of Slender Man. One of the girls disappears, and the others suspect she is Slender Man’s latest victim.
30. Smile
Dr. Rose Cotter witnessed a bizarre, terrifying incident involving a patient. After experiencing frightening circumstances, she can’t solve them.
As an overwhelming terror takes over the doctor’s life, she must face her troubling past to survive and escape her horrifying, twisted reality.
It appears the film is popular with horror fans because a sequel soon followed.
31. The Black Phone
The horror movie focuses on a dead phone that rings and rings to save a boy’s life.
The horror film follows a shy but intelligent 13-year-old boy named Finney, who a perverse killer abducts. Screaming does little good because the killer trapped the boy in a soundproof basement. Screaming does little good.
A disconnected phone rings. Finney picks up the phone and hears the killer’s previous victims, ensuring what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney.
32. Last Night In Soho
The film descends into terror and mind games, following a young girl named Eloise. She’s intense about fashion design. Yet London is puzzling for her because it differs from where she grew up. There is a bad side to London, which is horrific.
Edgar Wright directs a stellar cast that includes AnyaTalor-Joy, Matt Smith, Diana Rigg, and Thomasin McKenzie.
Eloise can time travel to the 1960s, where she meets her idol, Sandie, a striking up-and-coming singer.
It’s a psychological horror movie that gradually builds like a Hitchcock thriller.
33. Fear of Rain
A teenager, Rain Burroughs, becomes caught in the synthetic psychiatric balderdash of labeling and being diagnosed with the made-up illness called schizophrenia.
Rain grapples, trying to figure out which of the harrowing voices, disturbing images, and traumatic feelings she goes through are genuine and which are all in her mind, imagination.
She sees shadows and hears cries from her neighbor’s attic, hiding a horrific secret. Caleb, a charmingly uneasy new boy, says he’ll help Rain. Yet, she wonders if he is even real.
The movie is a frightening thriller, taking you inside Rain’s mind as she confronts the terrifying hallucinations to determine whether genuine horror exists and hides right next door.
34. Freaky
Freaky gets entangled as a body-swap movie where a teenage girl switches bodies with a persistent serial killer. The cast looks promising with Vince Vaughn, Kathryn Newton, and Celeste O’Connor.
It’s horrific and funny as seventeen-year-old Millie tries to survive the lethal halls of Blissfield High.
It’s the inhumanity of the popular crowd that gets her down. Yet she becomes the latest target of The Butcher, her town’s notorious serial killer. Her senior-year angst soon becomes the least of her worries.
Mille becomes trapped as a middle-aged maniac, and she looks like a massive psychopath who’s the mark of a city-wide search. Now, The Butcher looks like her and has brought his longing for more bloodbaths to the homecoming dance.
35. Goodnight Mommy
The film stars Naomi Watts, and it’s a remake of the Austrian movie with the same title.
The horror movie follows twin brothers arriving at their mother’s country home. They discover she has covered her face with bandages, explaining she had cosmetic surgery.
The boys immediately discern something amiss with her odd behavior, setting strange new house rules, smoking in her bathroom, and secretly ripping up a drawing they gifted her.
Her conduct grows increasingly eccentric and unpredictable. A terrifying thought festers in the boys’ minds. A sinking apprehension that the woman underneath the dressings, preparing their food and sleeping in the next room, is not their beloved mother.
36. The Grudge
The storyline is derived from the Japanese film Ju-On: The Grudge, written and directed by Takashi Shimizu.
Horror movie alums Sam Raimi produced the American version of the Shimizu film, a twisted take on the horror classic. Yet, Raimi’s version is scarier. If you worship horror, you will treasure this movie. The bathtub scene is visually more sinister than all the clips I’ve seen — it’s super frightening.
37. Black Christmas
Here’s a horror holiday movie for us diehard horror fans. Who wants to watch White Christmas!?
It’s a timely horror movie that looks like a 1974 slasher classic. But as a present tone, a campus killer faces a formidable sisterhood.
Hawthorne College closes for the holidays, yet Riley Stone and her Mu Kappa Epsilon sisters, including athlete Marty, rebel Kris, and chef Jesse, prepare a series of seasonal parties.
A black-masked stalker kills sorority women, and the body count advances. Riley, with her squad of sisters, asks themselves if a man is trustworthy or if they are all killers.
Whoever the killer is, he realizes that young women of this generation aren’t about to be victims.
38. The Turning
Inspired by Henry James’ milestone novel, the haunted-house horror thriller The Turning is a beguiling tale starring Finn Wolfhard from Stranger Things.
The story begins at a mysterious estate in the Maine countryside. A newly appointed nanny, Kate, takes charge of caring for two disturbed orphans, Flora and Miles. Shortly, she learns that the children and the house conceal dark secrets. Things may not be as they seem.
39. Countdown
The Countdown is a techie horror movie that follows a nurse who downloads an app, claiming to predict when an individual will die. The app tells her she has three days to live.
A figure haunts her as the clock ticks, noting her death is near. She has to find a way to save her life as time runs out.
The trailer is acutely frightful, and horror buffs will get their blood pumped.
40. Antlers
The horror movie surpasses others with excellent direction by Scott Cooper. It has a stellar cast, including Keri Russell and Jess Plemons.
The movie follows a young, creepy boy in a small town in Oregon. He reads his story to his teacher, and it’s so sinister and undeniably horrifically evilly wild.
His story is so sinister that it is deniably evil and wild. The town’s sheriff and teacher investigate the possible horrors within this boy’s life.
41. Underwater
Underwater is a horror movie about a crew of underwater researchers who must scramble to safety after an earthquake destroys their underground laboratory. But something has awakened.
The horror movie stars Twilight‘s Kristen Stewart, and she looks good in the trailer, wearing a bra and cropped blonde hair.
Though the movie follows Stewart, she has a talented cast supporting her. Its style looks terrifying.
42. The Hunt
The studio had shelved The Hunt for a long time because of the political climate in the United States. An accurate parody of the dark internet conspiracy theory, a globalist elite group gathers at a remote Manor House.
Here, for the first time, they hunt humans for sport. But the Illuminati’s master plan goes off the rails because a hunted woman is better at the hunters’ game than they are.
Crystal turns the tables on the killers, picking them off one by one as she makes her way toward the mysterious woman at the center.
For a horror movie, you’ll experience underlying humor with an intensity that boils to eruption.
43. Ready or Not
Ready or Not is a bizarre horror movie where you know you shouldn’t take it seriously. The story follows newlyweds who must suffer through a deadly ritual with their fiancé’s family after the wedding.
For obvious and horrific reasons, the family is not only eccentric but wealthy, implementing a dangerous, time-honored game in which not just the newlyweds fight for survival.
You might see familiar faces, such as Andie MacDowell and Adam Brody.
44. Crawl
The horror film is about a giant hurricane crashing into a Florida hometown. Haley ignores evacuation directives and searches for her missing father instead, which makes for an intense horror thriller.
She locates him severely injured and stuck in the family home’s crawl space. The two become cornered by swiftly advancing floodwaters. Their period to flee runs out, and the intense storm with surging water levels is not what causes the threat to survival. They must deal with a massive and savage alligator.
The horrific film stars Kaya Scodelario, Barry Pepper, and Morfydd Clark.
45. MA
It seems like it’s all for fun and games. But soon, it turns into a horror movie. Ma welcomes everybody to her home to party and drink, yet good luck making it home. Sue Ann is an outsider in a quiet Ohio town.
One day, she buys alcohol for Maggie, a new teenager in the city, after Maggie asks her. Sue Ann takes advantage of the trusting teen and some of Maggie’s friends. She allows the teenagers to hang out in her basement.
But they must follow some house rules, such as staying sober, not cursing, calling her “Ma,” and never heading upstairs.
But as Ma’s friendliness changes to obsession, what begins as a teenage fantasy becomes a horrifying nightmare, and Ma’s place goes from the funniest hangout to the worst place in the world.
Tate Taylor directs Octavia Spencer, Diana Silvers, and Juliette Lewis.
46. Child’s Play
It’s the contemporary remake of the 1988 horror classic.
If you loved Chuckie, you’d love this movie about Karen, a single mother who gifts her son Andy a Buddy doll, heedless of its more demonic nature.
Now, Andy and his friends try to destroy Chuckie. But he’s one tough buddy doll. He even wields a kitchen knife.
47. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
You might have heard about these scary stories before, and boy, are they creepy! These old and simple horror stories told over a campfire are captivating, with a lesson learned.
Alvin Schwartz wrote the frightening children’s book series. Famed horror filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is one of the producers.
The large cast includes Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, and Gabriel Rush.
48. Us
Jordan Peele wrote and directed the horror movie Us, which follows a family on a wicked summer vacation, expecting to have a great time with friends. Still, their tranquillity turns to anxiety and chaos when some creepy visitors arrive without being invited.
The horror film is well-thought-out and has enough horror to keep you hiding behind your popcorn. Elizabeth Moss co-stars in the movie, and she brings a sinister character to a whole new level.
49. Alien: Romulus
Alien is a franchise, which Ridley Scott first directed in 1979, that introduced Sigourney Weaver. The franchise has lasted decades and is now a streaming series.
Fede Alvarez helmed Alien: Romulus, a horror movie set in space written by Dan O’Bannon, Fede Alvarez, and Rodo Sayagues. In the film, a group of young people encounter an unimaginably terrifying alien life form. Ridley Scott began the franchise in 1979 with Alien. Then, James Cameron brought us Aliens in 1986, and David Fincher delivered Alien 3 in 1992. Alien Resurrection, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, arrived in 1997.
50. Immaculate
Immaculate follows Sister Cecilia, played by Sydney Sweeney. A devout American nun journeys to a distant convent in the Italian countryside. What starts as a warm welcome for Cecilia quickly spirals into a nightmare as she realizes her new home holds a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.
Michael Mohan directs the horror movie that twists, dips and turns for 89 minutes, leaving traumatized and haunted.
Sean Patrick Flanery, who stars in The Boondock Saints and other movies, has a black belt and teaches Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This article covers Flanery’s career and passion for martial arts.
Actor With a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt
Sean Patrick Flanery has acted in numerous movies, including Saw 3D and Boondock Saints, but he is an action film star. The actor holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Find out he keeps his movie career while he teaches and competes worldwide.
I highly recommend you see The Boondock Saints. The original is a phenomenal movie with such a strong following. It’s fun to watch and hilarious in its shocking way. I mean, honestly, you can’t take this stuff seriously.
The Boondock Saints Full Movie
Quite some time ago, The Boondock Saints cast joined the USO tour. They made the long-distance journey as a service to entertain the US troops and promote the 10th anniversary of their action movie.
Actors Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, and Brian Mahoney, along with the film’s writer and director, Troy Duffy and producer, Chris Brinker, hopped on a plane to visit multiple military bases.
The visit with the troops proved fruitful. Troy Duffy signed autographs, posed for photos, and answered questions. Someone asked if Troy Duffy worked out at all. He laughed and said, bellowed, “No!” He mentioned that the star of the movie, Sean Patrick Flanery, possesses a black belt in jiu-jitsu and teaches martial arts at his academy in Los Angeles.
“And Shepherds we shall be For thee, my Lord, for thee. Power hath descended forth from Thy hand. Our feet may swiftly carry out Thy commands. So we shall flow a river forth to Thee And teeming with souls shall it ever be. In Nomeni Patri Et Fili Spiritus Sancti.” Sean Patrick Flanery as Conner MacManus
Action Film Star
Flanery does his fair share of acting in movies like Saw 3D, but he is an action film star. In his late forties, the actor holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
His journey in martial arts began at the age of nine. He started with Taekwondo because he believed it was the ultimate fighting technique. He wanted to beat up guys like David Carradine in the television show Kung Fu.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
The action film star found his calling in martial arts. He trained in a variety of styles. He furthered his training when he attended his first UFC event in 1993. Flanery saw Royce Gracie dominate the competition with his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Gracie’s discipline excited him, so he gave up all other martial arts and mastered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
His acting career started taking off, and he won the lead role in the action television series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. After the series, he captured several notable movies such as Powder,Simply Irresistible, and The Boondock Saints.
Despite his busy acting career, he wanted to master his newly discovered martial arts discipline. He started his formal Jiu-Jitsu training in 2001 to become a champion himself.
Sean Patrick Flanery Exercise Regimen
Flanery began as a white belt, training three times a week like all beginners. It was an intense training regimen that consumed his life. However, he continued acting, signing on to Stargate SG-1, The Dead Zone, and Charmed.
His dedication to martial arts helped him focus on his acting roles. The two fields fit hand in glove, enabling him to develop his concentration skills and master his control over the dynamics of his body.
Acting Career Break
Flanery’s dedication and goal of becoming a champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brought him to the crossroads of his career in movies and martial arts. They tended to interfere as his success in each field overlapped.
He decided to take six months off from his acting career to master the discipline and become a champion. He also entered the Pan Ams Jiu-Jitsu tournament and other meets.
He successfully took the first annual Inland Empire Champion in 2002. He also won the American National Champion and the Pan American Champion in 2003.
Will There be The Boondock Saints 3?
Flanery says he will always be a master of Jiu-Jitsu and trains even when he goes to movie locations worldwide. The Boondock Saints movies have placed him in the spotlight.
The cult movie keeps him trending on social media outlets, where fans cannot get enough of the vigilante action film. Keeping their ears to the Internet in hopes of announcing that The Boondock Saints 3 is in production is imminent.
Surprisingly, with the grandeur and luxury of the movie business, Flanery places martial arts ahead of his film career. He drives his desire to maintain his mastery of Jiu-Jitsu and shares his craft with his students. If you ever want to meet up with him, you can visit him at his Jiu-Jitsu academy in Hollywood.
Skateboard movies show tricks on the board while offering a story to keep you entertained.
Skateboarding is an adrenaline high!
Skateboard Movies Worth Watching
Skateboard films produce creative tricks, thrilling stunts, and high-energy circumstances that draw an audience. These movies often showcase the talent and subculture of skateboarding, engaging and entertaining those interested in extreme sports. Combining visuals, music, and decent storytelling also contributes to their appeal.
Get ready to swoop into the culture of tricks, actions and storytelling. Check out this list of skateboard movies. Enjoy the action and drama.
1. Lords of Dogtown (2005)
2. Thrashin (1986)
3. Mid90s (2018)
4. Skate Kitchen (2018)
5. Paranoid Park (2007)
6. Gleaming the Cube (1989)
1. Lords of Dogtown (2005)
Lords of Dogtownis a memorable skateboarding movie based on a real-life story. The film follows the development of the skateboarding culture and its personalities. We meet four young boys in the 1970s, living in California, who hang out together and skateboard.
The movie touches on the innocence of the young at heart, living free without the burdens of adulthood.
Twilightdirector Catherine Hardwicke cut her teeth, helming this iconic movie about skateboarding. The late Heath Ledger shines under her direction as Skip, the owner of a surfboard and skateboard shop. The kids look up to him because he’s the oldest and knows more about surfing and skateboarding than anyone in the area. Skip is also wild and crazy, making his scenes enjoyable.
During a Director’s Cut podcast, Hardwicke talked about using skateboard fans as the background for the competition scene. She was amazed by their enthusiasm for the extreme sport, which was so genuine.
What is Dogtown in Santa Monica?
In the movie, these young skateboarders eat, sleep, breathe and live skateboarding.
The boys hang out with other skateboarders and surfers at the famous Dogtown in Santa Monica — a coffee, breakfast, and lunch spot. Here, American skateboard and surfing nostalgia percolates, keeping the traditions alive.
It’s all about skateboarding in empty pools.
Empty Swimming Pools
The young, blonde-haired boys with their vans, sneakers and boards ride their skateboards throughout Santa Monica. They want something more from their skateboarding- empty swimming pools- a higher purpose in life.
One boy discovers a dried-up, abandoned swimming pool.
Empty swimming pools become the next wave of skateboarding. The four boys search the neighborhoods for every abandoned pool to conquer and skate.
The young boys skate the empty pools with the drive to find a bigger and challenging cement hole. They glide on their boards to wild parties, pick up cute, tanned girls, and await the next step toward their higher purpose.
2. Thrashin (1986)
Directed by David Winters, this 1986 movie follows how some Valley boys deal with punk rockers. Billed as a teenage adventure, Thrashers received 72% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The skateboarders called “The Ramp Locals” use their skateboards against the punk rockers. Corey Webster, played by a young Josh Brolin, leads the group, while the street punks follow Tommy Hook, played by Robert Rusler.
The difficulty begins when Corey falls in love with Tommy’s little sister, played by Pamela Gidley, who is visiting from Indiana. It builds during the severe “LA Massacre,” a 20-mile downhill skateboarding race, like all gang conflicts. The prize is a corporate sponsor.
The best scene for any skateboard fan is the final race. A camera is strapped to the front of a skateboard, creating in your seat thrills as an exhilarating sense of the gallant “thrashers” — hence the movie’s title.
3. Mid90s (2018)
Mid90s follows Stevie, a thirteen-year-old living in 90s-era Los Angeles. He spends his summer navigating between his troubled home life with his brother and a group of new friends he hangs out with at a local skate shop.
Jonah Hill wrote and directed this film. We know him for his acting talent in 21 & 22 Jump Street and Money Ball.
The coming-of-age movie premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, where Hill received a standing ovation.
4. Skate Kitchen (2018)
Crystal Moselle directs Skate Kitchen. The movie focuses on Camille, played by Rachelle Vinberg. She skateboards but is introverted, so she keeps to herself. She hooks up with an all-girl skateboarding group after cutting ties with her mother. She becomes friends with the girls and develops confidence.
She also meets Devon, played by Jaden Smith, a skateboarder who isn’t as he seems. As the story unfolds, Camille learns about true friendship and self-discovery.
What is so remarkable about this skateboarding movie is that it is about a teenage group of girls who skateboard together, compared to Lords of Dogtown, which is about all boys. The only girls in the cult movie are cute and suntanned, lacking depth and intelligence.
The girl’s group is called Skate Kitchen. They are talented and outgoing, and being cute or suntanned is the least of their concerns.
An all-girl skateboard group is about self-discovery and friendship.
5. Paranoid Park (2007)
Another skateboard movie that caught my eye is Paranoid Park, directed by Gus Van Sant, based on the book by Blake Nelson. The popular book makes it to the silver screen smoothly with an entertaining appeal.
In the story, we meet a teenage skateboarder named Alex, played by Gabe Nevins, a withdrawn 16-year-old boy who has recently discovered Paranoid Park — a massive skate park in Portland, Oregon. The Portland unruly skateboarders built Paranoid Park to create a place to cruise the concrete without being constantly harassed by the cops.
Alex hooks up with another skateboarder at the park, quickly becoming friends. His new friend is known for being an anarchist at the park. But that doesn’t stop Alex from being his friend because he feels he needs more drama to forget about his troubles back home.
The theme is there are consequences to your actions.
Making the Right Choices
Making the right choices defines the story in the movie. Alex and his new friend take a wild shot and hop on a train. A security guard sees them and chases after them. But tragedy falls upon the two teens when the security guard gets killed because he pursued them, and they are angsty over the consequences of their youthful waywardness.
Alex doubts he can convince anyone of what happened that night. Who would believe him if he told the truth? The local authorities investigate the death while troubled Alex expresses himself in a journal. We get to experience his hardship and personal pain, wearing the same shoes as an adolescent boy who only sought to escape from the troubles of home and the concept of mortality.
6. Gleaming the Cube (1989)
Gleaming the Cube is a coming-of-age movie. The action-drama stars a young Christian Slater playing a skateboarder named Brian. Brian’s adopted brother disappeared, and the authorities found him dead. The police say it’s a homicide, but Brian doesn’t believe it.
Brian skateboards around the city, searching for answers about how his brother died. He investigates and discovers that his brother works in a shop that sends weapons to Vietnam.
The 1984 animated cartoon series stood the test of time, with die-hard fans appreciating the talking machines.
Gobots Look Like Transformers
Gobots fans are out there, and I am excited to share Challenge of the Gobots: The Original Mini-Series with fellow fans. The 1984 animated cartoon has stood the test of time with those who appreciate the cartoon look of talking machines.
Challenge of the Gobots: The Original Mini-Series is the original five-episode mini-series. The 80s cartoon in the DVD package offers eternal life to the Gobots. Any Gobots enthusiast treasures the opportunity to watch action cartoons.
The DVDs are few and far between, but worth the find because the stories are entertaining when cartoon quality may get you down.
As you watch the Renegades follow Cy-kill when they embark on their mad quest to conquer the galaxy, starting with Earth, only Leader-1 and his Guardians can stop the Renegades and Cy-Kill.
Leader-1 is the hero, and his band of Guardians is all set for the task of saving the universe.
Leader-1 is a Legend
Back in the 80s, the question all the kids asked every Saturday morning while they played with their Gobots toys and watched the Gobots cartoons was, “Can Leader-1 and the Guardians save the true last Engineer?”
Watching now, you see the poor quality of the cartoons. Somehow, the kids were fascinated by the stories and facial expressions, and they sat in front of the television every Saturday morning for one year, watching 65 episodes, each lasting 22 minutes.
It reminds me of the good old days on Saturday mornings when you could watch mediocre cartoons in your pajamas, and it was still a cool thing to do while the parents slept. Just think, kids, watching the Gobots, never thought about how Leader-1 is a legend. But he is because this mini-series launched him as a legend. He is far better than any Transformer.
The story of the Gobots portrayed in the series “Challenge of the GoBots” and the follow-up film “GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords” mentions the alternative universe.
Transformers
Those who are not familiar with Gobots should know they are not robots. They are aliens that need your support more than anything right now. Tonka brought them into existence in the 1980s, but now, they are non-existent. They are a collector’s item and sell for a pretty penny on eBay.
Gobots are far superior to the Transformers because Hasbro bought Gobots in the early 1990s. Leader-1 and Bugbite are some of the Gobots’ names given to Transformers. That means the Gobots came before the Transformers. They saved Earth before the Transformers.
Seeing “Gobots” instead of “Transformers” in the movie marques is the only way they could have survived. I am sure it was a copyright issue. The two entities were so similar that they competed for attention. Transformers won out in the long run.
The Gobots toys fashioned the robot phenomenon that grabbed the kids’ attention for a brief time in 1984.
Who Owns Gobots?
The Gobots and the Transformers looked a lot like each other. Both competed as franchises until Hasbro purchased the intellectual property – the invention or idea, not the toys – when they bought out Tonka in 1991. Gobots became part of the alternative universe of the Transformers franchise.
Hasbro never purchased the Gobot toys or likenesses. The company owned the fictional aspect of the property. Bandai, a Japanese company, initially owned the toys, and Tonka never acquired them.
“You’re bluffing, Cy-Kill. You wouldn’t dare shoot with the Last Engineer, and we won’t give him to you.”
Gobot Children’s Books With Illustrations
Two books about the Gobots in 1984, authored by Robin Snyder and illustrated by Steve Ditko, War of the Gobots and Gobots on Earth, told the backstory of the talking machines.
The first book tells the story of the Guardian battling with the Renegade GoBots. The war comes to Earth after the Renegades disturb a space shuttle mission. The story is comparable to the Transformers because they fight on Earth frequently. The second book is not as good, but kids found both books entertaining. Today, they are out of print and hard to find.
Where to Find Gobot DVDs?
The Gobot products sold well. Then they phased out when the Transformers took over the scene. Hasbro created personalities for each of the Transformers with character profiles, unlike the Gobots.
Gobots came across as simple machines that looked like their names, such as Tank and Dozer. Transformers arrived as complex machines with names like Megatron and Optimus Prime.
Even though the Gobot books are hard to find, Amazon offers DVDs, coloring books, and games. The collector items go fast, and it’s a hit or miss on Amazon.
