Just watched Cronos for only the second time, and the first time was back in the mid-90s.

What a superb film and an amazingly assured début from a film-maker we now know to be an important and visionary figure in world film (and indeed, horror literature! I never thought I'd enjoy a vampire story again till I read "The Strain").

Looking back, when the 90s had the likes of Cronos and The Addiction and Nadja putting some brains and originality into the vampire genre, I am forced to wonder why we have ended up with the awful state in which that genre is now to be found! :( Thank Le Fanu for Let The Right One In or all hope would be lost!

I agree Goj .. the vampire genre is completely dire right now .. roll on Vamp!!!! Oh wait a minute, that's a re-release from the 80s! I really don't have any patience for vampire movies these days - boring and unimaginative to say the least.

I do remember when Near Dark first came out. What a refreshing change that was. Sigh.

The Strain is a terrific read and I found it extremely difficult to stop reading either when it became very late at night and I was very tired. Have you read the follow-up book, The Fall? That is as good as The Strain and I can't wait for the third in the trilogy to be published.

Back on topic, I'm halfway through a Hammer Horror quadruple bill beginning with Brides of Dracula and then The Curse of the Werewolf before going on to Phantom of the Opera and Paranoiac.

Just watched Disc 3 of

Video Nasties - The Def Guide

Does everyone else think the 33 removed from the list are soooooo much more entertaining in every sense than the official 39?

Oh and I didn't know The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue was shot in my home city .... Sheffield! Will have to throw it in the player and look for landmarks :lol:

Not yet, a purchase is on the horizon though!

REC 2 - easily one of the best 'zombie' films of the past few years. Just as good as the original if not better. Brilliant sound design and camerawork. Look forward to the next one!

I watched the first two [REC] films a few days ago with the volume up and all the lights off and it is amazing how effective they are thanks to the sound design, frenetic camerawork and superlative editing.

Watched today:

The Whip and the Body [1963]
Hitch-Hike [1977]

Easily the best take on the zombie genre in the last decade. :nod:

I still need to pick up both on Blu-ray - I can imagine they look and sound fantastic.

To be honest, the picture quality isn't vastly different from the DVD but the DTS-HD Master Audio track is certainly a great deal sharper, clearer and packs more of a punch than either of the standard definition tracks. It's really the sound that makes the films so damn scary so I thought the upgrade was worth the money.