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Interview | Dave Alexander, Editor-in-Chief of Rue Morgue Magazine

Want to expand your scary movie repertoire beyond Ghostbusters? Me too. So I posed a few questions to Dave Alexander, editor-in-chief of horror-happy Rue Morgue Magazine, who curated a list of terrifically terrifying films available on Netflix Canada. Here, he shares his thoughts on zombies, psychos and friendly Frankensteins.

Plus, we’re giving away a six-month subscription to Netflix Canada so you can stream and scream to your heart’s content. Details at the bottom of the interview!

I’m a huge wimp. A cover-my-eyes-and-ears kind of wimp. But I love scary movies. Why are they so irresistible?

It seems to be illogical that we’d indulge in things that induce feelings of terror, revulsion and horror, but there are actually a bunch of reasons we seek out dark art. First and foremost, we love to be thrilled — get the physical sensation of an adrenaline rush — without ever being in real danger. This is why people skydive, ride roller coasters, drive fast, etc. While those activities could actually result in your bones breaking, horror films are very safe way to get your pulse racing. Some horror fans simply love special effects and to revel in how far the medium can go in trying to trick us. A good example would be the jaw-dropping monster makeup in David Cronenberg’s The Fly, or the outrageous gore gags in The Walking Dead, which are very realistic, creative and even morbidly funny sometimes.

Horror stories also allow us to engage with larger real-world fears in a safe forum. This is why apocalypse films are so popular right now. Anxieties over disease, war and environmental destruction are played out in shows such as The Walking Dead or, more realistically, in movies such as Contagion. Ever notice how these kinds of stories often spark what-would-you-do-in-that-situation discussions? We watch and think about our own survival and how to deal with emergencies, which is ingrained in us thanks to evolution — those who thought more about self-preservation and prepared for bad things, survived more often than those who said, “Ah, I’ll worry about it when the time comes… .”

Which movies from your Stream and Scream list are best for scaredy cats?

There are some picks on there to appeal to the fainter of heart, for sure. Hitchcock is a whimsical sort of drama with a ghoulish touch about the Master of Horror and his struggles to make his horror masterpiece, Psycho. Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren are in top form and it doesn’t get any darker than some fun day dream scenes in which the filmmaker chats with his imagination’s version of Ed Gein, the real-life grave robber and murdered who first inspired the story.

The BBC show Being Human certainly has its frightening and violent elements but offers some great comic relief, too, within its premise of a vampire, werewolf and ghost who share a flat. And, of course, everyone can enjoy Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, a hilarious send-up of the classic Universal Monster movies. Goofy fun with a cast of comic legends, including Gene Wilder, Cloris Leachman, Marty Feldman and Madeline Khan.

Hitchcock, which tells the story of the making of Psycho, was one of your picks. How have scary films changed since Hitchcock’s time?

Hitchcock himself ushered in the modern horror film with Psycho, which evolved the genre in the way that you longer had to worry about supernatural monsters in Gothic European castles; the biggest threat was the boy next door with severe psychological problems. There’s a direct line from Norman Bates to Leatherface from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs, and the body-defiling hillbillies of The Devil’s Rejects. And we just can’t get enough of Psycho, as proven by the popularity of the new Bates Motel series. Take that, or something like Dexter, and the “psycho” is now the hero. Now, that’s a huge turnaround!

What are the key ingredients in a good horror film?

It depends on the type of horror film, but it all begins with strong characters that the audience will care about when they’re put in grave danger and must fight against monsters or other evil forces. You need to respect your audience; most genre fans are very savvy and are tired of horror cliches. For example, if your group of campers decides to split up to search the woods, they’d better have a damn good excuse.

Try to apply real-world logic if you’re making a serious horror movie. For cartoonish horror-comedies, you can be a lot looser with that, however. And if you’re making a movie that relies a lot on special effects don’t be half-assed about it. Use organic, non-computer-animated, effects when possible — everyone is tired of bad CGI. And please, avoid cheap jump-scares. It’s easy to rattle someone with a loud noise, but it’s cheap and irritating when done more than once or twice in a movie. Lastly, just because it’s a horror film doesn’t mean it needs a pounding, aggressive hard rock soundtrack. Toss that uncreative cheese.

The Walking Dead is one of your picks. Zombies are huge right now and vampires were big before them. What’s next?

Our appetite for apocalypse stories seems to be very strong, whether they involve zombies or not. We’ve definitely been seeing a surge in environmental horror-themed films, which I think we’ll see more and more of as global warming anxieties grow with the shrinking of the ice caps.

Recent examples of these films include The Thaw, a 2009 Canadian title about an unfrozen mammoth carcass that’s full of some nasty parasites; The Last Winter, Larry Fessenden’s 2006 movie about thawing ice unleashing angry spirits; a German flick called Hell, from 2011, which set in an apocalyptic sun-scorched wasteland created by global warming; and an upcoming Austrian film called The Station, about a deadly life form that is resurrected from a melting glacier.

Dave Alexander’s full Stream and Scream picks available on Netflix Canada: The Loved Ones, Pan’s Labyrinth, Walking Dead, Session 9, Hemlock Grove, Young Frankenstein, The Omen, The Legend of Hell House, Event Horizon, Would You Rather, Insidious, The Reef, Blair Witch Project, Hitchcock, Child’s Play, Being Human (UK), Pumpkinhead and The Fly.

Want to win a six-month subscription to Netflix Canada? Email KDundon@TheAnthology.ca to enter.
[Contest closed: Congratulations Sonja!]

[Film still of Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh in Hitchcock, Michael C. Hall in Dexter, and a film still from Pan’s Labyrinth]

Home | Love to House Creep? Win Tickets to the Vancouver Home and Design Show!

The Selby is one of my favourite blogs, pinning to this Sweet Home board is my favourite way to spend a grocery store lineup and I will happily stop into an open house even though I have zero intention of moving. House creeping is the best.

If you also love all things home and design, you’re in luck. We’re giving away two pairs of tickets to the Vancouver Home and Design Show this weekend (Oct. 17-20). Want a pair? Email me at kdundon@theanthology.ca and I’ll randomly pick a winner.

UPDATE: The contest is now closed. Congratulations, Mandy and Camille! Have fun!

[Photo found here.]

Giveaway | Penguin Drop Caps

The printed book/e-reader debate can get heated. Those in the pro e-reader camp point to, oh, I don’t know…size or something? Those in the pro-printed book camp, on the other hand, need only point to Penguin’s beautiful covers (which make lovely post cards) and voila! Debate won: people will be turning real pages forever.

Penguin just unveiled their most recent collectible hardcover classics: Penguin Drop Caps, a collaboration with graphic design superstar Jessica Hische (of Daily Drop Cap) beautiful enough to build bookcases around. (Hello Christmas present!)

And you know what? They want to give you the first three of what will be a 26-letter alphabet: Austen, Jane – Pride and Prejudice, Brontë, Charlotte – Jane Eyre, and Cather, Willa – My Ántonia!

How do you enter?

For one entry: Comment on this post and tell us why you love printed books. (Because you can’t take an e-reader into the bath?)
For two entries: Write on The Anthology’s Facebook wall.
For three entries: Holler @TheAnthology on Twitter.

UPDATE: Contest closed. Congratulations Shannon!

The Smaller Things in Life

A post sponsored by MINI Richmond.

Ever since The Anthology teamed up with MINI Richmond to give you a MINI (click here to enter!), I’ve been test-driving the Roadster, which is, oh, about half the size of the car I usually drive (and yet still big enough to fit my lankiest friend). And it got me thinking about the smaller things in life. You know, the things that come in small packages yet have a big place in your heart.

Top of my list? My cat Estelle Getty. Underneath all that fluff (and pudge) is a tiny little creature who curls up on my lap and keeps me cozy all winter long. Kind of like a fur-covered hot water bottle. Except louder.

New nail colour. While lipstick is a go-to pick-me-up, you can’t see your bright red lips when you’re sitting at your desk. But you can see a rainbow at your fingertips.

Antique tins. I use them to hold pens, paperclips, pushpins — basically all my small, but key, office supplies.

Paperback books. I’ve been resisting the urge to get a Kindle or iPad because I like the feel of reading something real. I like that they get dog-eared. I like that you can share them. I like that they’re small enough to fit in your purse. And I like to think that if I write a book one day it’ll be made of paper too.

Handwritten notes. The more email I send and receive, the more I appreciate note-writing. Going to the mailbox seems so quaint, doesn’t it? Which reminds me of another one of the smaller things in life: postage stamps.

Want a MINI to be one of the smaller things in your life. (Obviously!) Click here to enter to win a MINI for a year plus a supersized MINI Adventure from MINI Richmond. Then up your chances by sharing your entry on  Facebook  and  Twitter @MINIRichmond (#MINIadventure). Contest ends November 30, 2012 so rev those entry engines.

Good luck!

Diary | Vancouver From My Driver’s Seat

A sponsored post. 

Just like Oprah, The Anthology and MINI Richmond have teamed up to give you a car. And not just any car, but your favourite MINI. (Click here to enter to win!) My favourite MINI is the little Roadster pictured above, which I’m test driving before it ends up in one of your hands.

It’s a convertible so I’ve been doing a lot of driving with the top down lately. Roofs are so overrated.

These are a few shots I grabbed of my very pretty city (Vancouver!) as I was cruising around town (don’t worry, mom, I pulled over before I started snapping away).

I might love the beach on sunny fall days even more than during the summer. Kits, at least, is calm — quiet, even. And oh so pretty.

And with a MINI Roadster convertible, you can sunbathe without even leaving your car.

Want to win your own MINI for a year plus a supersized MINI adventure from MINI Richmond? (Of course!) Click here to enter. Then up your chances by sharing your entry on Facebook and Twitter @MINIRichmond (#MINIadventure). Good luck!

Diary | A one-day MINI Adventure

A sponsored post. 

Owning my own business means every day is an adventure. And right now every day is a…MINI Adventure. So what does that day look like? Well, it all depends, but the other day it started at Perry & Co. where I picked out French gray paint for the stools I upcycled as part of the Vancouver Home and Design Show Upcycle Challenge benefitting Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore.

Then it was off to the new(ish) Splendid store at Pacific Centre to check out the bright, colourful space and pick up a little something cozy c/o Splendid (love the displays they had in store — would make a cool bookshelf DIY, no?).

Then to Nelson the Seagull to meet Courney McGeever who was in from New York to share Lush’s newest line of handmade, animal-friendly, eco-friendly haircare products (in stores in November).

Then to my new favourite fabric shop/sewing studio Spool of Thread to pick up fabric to re-cover those once-ugly stools (not as tough as you’d think — I’ll post a little how-to soon).

Then it was off to pick up my sister in my MINI Roadster (sun’s up, top’s down even in the middle of October — thank you, heated seats!).

And that was only one day. Want to win a year-long MINI Adventure from MINI Richmond? (Of course you do!) Click here to enter to win and up your chances by sharing your entry on Facebook and Twitter @MINIRichmond  (#MINIadventure). Good luck!

Giveaway | Tickets to the Vancouver Home and Design Show

These ugly stools are about to get a whole lot less ugly. I hope.

I’m going to DIY my little heart out and rework these babies as part of the Vancouver Home and Design Show’s Upcycle Challenge in support of Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore. Want to see my finished pieces (and Jillian Harris and HGTV’s Bryan Baeumler) in person? The Anthology has teamed up with the show to give away three sets of two tickets to the show, which takes place October 11-14 at BC Place.

The first three people to email me at KDundon@TheAnthology.ca with the subject Vancouver Home and Design Show win!

UPDATE: Congratulations Heather, Stephanie and Dilara — you’re going to the Vancouver Home and Design Show!

P.S. Speaking of giveaways, you could win a MINI Adventure from MINI Richmond! Enter here.

Giveaway | Win the MINI of Your Dreams for a Year(!) from MINI Richmond

A sponsored post. 

I never thought I’d feel this way about a car. But this isn’t just a car. It’s a MINI. And a convertible at that. Have you driven a convertible? Have you driven a MINI?

MINI Richmond gave me a MINI Roadster to drive for the next two months. And you know what? They want to give you one for a whole year(!). Click here to enter to win a MINI for a year plus a supersized MINI adventure, and up your chances by sharing your entry on Facebook and Twitter @MINIRichmond (#Miniadventure). You must be a resident of British Columbia to win so if you’re not, this is the perfect reason to move here.

Good luck! And thanks again, MINI Richmond!

Giveaway | $100 to Shopbop!

Picked a name out of a hat and the winner of the Shopbop x The Anthology giveaway is…

Arielle Quan. Congratulations! Enjoy your $100 gift card. Don’t spend it all in one place. Just kidding — you have to!

[Photo of Ms. Hepburn found here.]

P.S. We have more giveaways coming up on The Anthology so watch this space!