The New Division has released multiple albums and EP’s to acclaim – and “Fader” is set to be a vivid soundscape of New Wave and Synthpop. The lyrics of the single “Jealous” seem to focus on a relationship that’s lost it’s flame – with the bright soundtrack perfectly juxtaposing the melancholic lyrics. Fans of Michael Oakley would probably like this style of synth!

Starring: Michael Beck (Swan), James Remar (Ajax), Dorsey Wright (Cleon), Brian Tyler (Snow), David Harris (Cochise), Tom McKitterick (Cowboy), Terry Michos (Vermin), Marcelino Sanchez (Rembrandt), Deborah Van Valkenburgh (Mercy), Roger Hill (Cyrus), David Patrick Kelly (Luther), Lynne Thigpen (DJ).

            Directed by Walter Hill, The Warriors is the story of a group of Brooklyn gang members desperately trying to get home, after being framed for the murder of a prominent gang leader in the Bronx. They are outnumbered in enemy territories. Can they make it home or become another bunch of fatalities to the streets.

The film earned 3.5 million on its opening weekend. However, there were some incidents of violence following screenings prompting advertising to halt on radio,  television and the press. Two hundred theaters beefed up security and others just stopped screenings all together after being relieved of any contractual obligations by the studio. Some film critics weren’t really buying into The Warriors. Roger Ebert gave the film two out of four stars in his review for the Chicago Sun Times, “No matter what impression the ads give, this isn’t even remotely intended as an action film. It’s a set piece. It’s a ballet of stylized male violence.” As well, critics from The Washington Post, Newsweek, and Time magazine were among others that gave the film poor reactions. Critics who did enjoy the film included Pauline Kael of The New Yorker who wrote, “The Warriors is a real moviemaker’s movie: it has in visual terms the kind of impact that ‘Rock Around the Clock’ did behind the titles of Blackboard Jungle. The Warriors is like visual rock”. President Reagan even had screenings in Camp David. After a few weeks of no violence, the studio decided to revamp the marketing ad campaign and in its sixth week, The Warriors had grossed $16.4 million, well above its estimated $4 million to $7 million budget making it a profitable success for the studio. But do ticket sales earn you cult classic status?

The passage of time and home video releases and current DVD & Blu-Ray sales have reconfirmed that fans make films cult classics; not directors or actors. In 2015, The Warriors has a Rotten Tomato rating on 94% and is praised by the young and old; an action packed, thriller detailing the violence of 1970’s NYC and the local gangs of the period. At least that’s what they tell you, especially New Yorkers.

Truth is – it’s a very entertaining movie with some quotable lines. Yes it’s stylized and well shot; the action scenes were great (for their time); it was gritty and showcased young anti-heroes. But, so what, it doesn’t make this a believable piece. Why? Well that’s because nostalgia can hype anything up bigger than its normal size… right ladies? The fanboy/man will tell you how amazing the movie is and tell you how his youth was just like that, almost making The Warriors seem more documentary than film. They will bring up memories and neighborhood history and link it to the film, shining a big spotlight on themselves and their golden era. The truth is – The Warriors is more The Avengers than Mean Streets.

First off, let’s start with the Warriors themselves: a ragtag group of less than fifteen members at the most and all handsome enough to grace the cover of subway advert or guest star on Welcome Back Kotter. At the helm is Swan the leader with the perfect hair forever throughout the film. As well his second in command Cochise and his titanium afro that stays on point and stylin’ no matter what. Then there’s Ajax of course with the feathered mane of anti-social behavior. Each member was his own island of cool, perfectly casted to steal the hearts of female audience members. It’s amazing no one has taken their turf yet. I guess they are that good if not the best.

The film begins deep in the Bronx where a massive meeting of all the NYC gangs is taking place at the behest of the enigmCyrus, a VO5 permed huckster in a bathrobe that wishes to unite the gangs under his guidance and seize full control of the city. They’ll take down the cops and ultimately run the streets, “Can you dig it?”… No. No. Allow me to raise my hand here and ask the pimp with no last name some questions. How in the hell was this going to work? Fact #1: This was NYC during the 1970s before cellphone cameras and hotlines and police pretty much had full freedom to give you the wooden shampoo (beating with batons) as they wished, if not worse. Now even if the gangs were able to go up against the cops, they would lose. Example – when Mr. Can You Dig It gets killed [spoiler] did you see the cops having trouble arresting anyone? I didn’t think so. Fact #2: Cyrus never really mentioned the Mafia or the Chinatown gangs or Tongs in his speech. Were they supposed to bend the knee to the runts? How about the Hell’s Angels chapter in the Lower East Side, were they going to join in? No, they wouldn’t; the gangs would ruin their way of living. The gangs would have to take on organized crime on multiple fronts as well the police. And let’s say they succeeded and took over the city. They would have to deal with martial law and possibly military when this hypothetical crime wave becomes a national emergency.

Next question – Why are The Rogues the only gang that actually acts like a gang? They are the only one with one revolver.

Cyrus. He gets shot. Cyrus is dead. Who shot him? The Warriors! How do you know? Well, the guy who was shooting a gun in the midst of like 30 gangs told me The Warriors killed Cyrus. But the Warriors aren’t shooting anyone else. Hey, I’ve never met dude before but, I trust the only guy at the meeting with a smoking gun. Spread the word… These gang members are stupid.

Now our heroes must find a way to get back to Coney Island. They take the subway? Why has no one ever pointed out the fact that The Warriors are supposedly the best of the best of gangs yet; nobody knows how to steal a car and jump on the highway down to the BQE and back home in no time? Hell they have one member who just purchased his first spray paint and takes forever tagging a W on a tombstone.

Without dragging this out here is a summary of other things: The Furies stunk as a crew; they got jacked up by their own bats. The Orphans looked like a troupe of homeless former child actors. The Lizzies were not only hot but, the only game that came close to merc’ing a few of our heroes; too bad the sensitive Warrior ruined the ambush. Mercy was a ratchet Uptown chick that the Warriors kidnapped and she was fine with it; was even willing to have sex in a subway tunnel to Swans disgust; ends up hooking up and wanting to go somewhere else, with her kidnapper. Ajax is a loud mouthed aggressive alpha male, he’s also a rapist; he gets arrested trying to sexually assault Caitlyn Jenner on a park bench halfway into the film.

How was the radio station DJ relaying information that fast? Walkie-talkies don’t have that kind of distance. Unless the crews knew the number to dial on the pay phones to spread the word. If that’s the case, how come the Warriors don’t know about this radio station?

The Riffs were exactly what everybody in the 70’s wanted to be after seeing Bruce Lee. Hell maybe Bruce Leeroy from The Last Dragon is the son of one of the Riffs. Daddy Green was a Riff?

The Climax is the best part. Luther’s Smith & Wesson against Swan and his… switchblade. As our gang of heroes confront The Rogues about their deception, Luther explains to them that he just likes doing those things. He takes aim and fires dead center at Swan standing in front of two Warriors. But apparently Swan has the agility of a cat as he is able to dodge the bullet and throw his switchblade, Shinobi style, into Luther’s hand; obviously splitting the bullet in two because, no Warrior was hit by the revolver round… Swan did this while standing in sand.

Luther cries in pain and is taken away with his Rogues by The Riffs who took forever to learn the truth and obviously drove to Coney Island. The Riff leader praises The Warriors as “Good” and Swan replies, “The Best”. Our movie ends and Joe Walsh sings us out into the sunrise.

– It’s only a movie and an entertaining movie. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise, walk away. If you want to see how the actual gangs were in NYC then go watch the documentary “80 Blocks from Tiffany’s” (1979) on youtube. Other than that, this has been an objective retrospective of Walter Hill’s cult classic The Warriors. Stay cool, stay fresh and keep your fingers on the Rewind button.

        The dirty thoughts of a teenagers mind. That time in our lives when everything was just a sunrise away and within the reach of our optimistic hands. When your free time was with friends, sneaking around and getting tastes of adult vices and adolescent kicks. All the promises you’d make and times to be had. Together forever; never forget; it’s just the beginning. Those moments when you felt that your wave had arrived. Until you stood on that crest and saw that the horizon was farther than you expected from the sunshine.

1990’s Pump Up The Volume – directed by Allan Moyle and starring Christian Slater and Samantha Mathis. Co-starring: Scott Paulin, Mimi Kennedy, Cheryl Pollak, Annie Ross, Billy Morrissette, Ahmet Zappa, Ellen Green, Seth Green.

            Mark Hunter is an introverted teenager living in Phoenix, Arizona dealing with the day in day out struggles of being an awkward teenager. He has no friends, can’t talk to girls and has no interest in sports or extra-curricular activity. He is, in metaphor, an island secluded onto himself. He has no confidence in himself during the day but, at night is able to express his thoughts to whoever is lost and listening via his pirate FM radio station as the unfiltered “Hard Harry”.

Happy-Hard Harry as he is known by the student body of his community tells the in & outs of teenage life in suburban Phoenix and what is happening in his school. These things eventually don’t sit well with the faculty of his High School and after the suicide of a student who listens to his show, the school and the adults begin to crack down on Hard Harry and stop his broadcasts.

 Samantha Matthis plays a fellow High Schooler and fan of Harry’s; often sending fan mail to him under the pen mane “Meet Me-Beat Me Lady”. Matthis’ character is the only one to solve the mystery and become the only real life connection Harry has.

Dealing with themes of political correctness, censorship, ignorance, local corruption, free speech, and feelings of detachment from modern life. The film presents the dreary disillusionment and confusion of our western society through the microcosm of High School.

            Pump Up The Volume wasn’t a success at all in theaters but like many other films in the retro library has become a beloved cult classic. Some of us might have started to do what we do because of this movie. Harry’s room is cluttered and messy and littered with albums by Jesus & Mary Chain, Bad Brains, Primal Scream and  all sorts of smut and random pop culture paraphernalia. He was crass and scathing and blunt (often poignant) in his broadcasts and, to tell you the truth, with the happenings going on this past week and all the bandwagon jumping, knee-jerking, likes & dislikes, blocking, foot stomping, soap box’ sermons on social media, perhaps this is the best movie from the Retro Library to showcase this month. “So be it”. So be it; let it fly and say what you mean or just let loose and fapp’ out the tunes. Don’t just copy/paste a rainbow, fuck it. Let your insecurities about life flow out between your fingers and flick them away. If it’s rare then eat it. If it’s green then fry it. You’re scared bout what’s all around you then move. Nothing is taboo and the dirtier the sentiment the better cleanup.

            Maybe I’ve just lost it. Maybe I’ve had it. Maybe I figured things out and just threw away the formula – So be it. The girl you wanted is out of reach – So be it. Your job is draining you – So be it. Life isn’t what you wanted – So be it. You miss all the things from your childhood – So be it. And so what.

 Keep swimming for the horizon retro lovers, like dirty thoughts on a nice clean mind. Keep it up. Keep it real. Keep your fingers on the rewind button. And Talk Hard.

MOVIE   

I spoke to some dude on twitter a little while ago who described Irving Force as being, “Too extreme and Black Metal” for his tastes. I found this comment insanely confusing as I wasn’t aware that Adam Skog (Aka Irving Force) was off burning down churches or devouring the souls of children. I mean, has this guy even heard Irving Force? I’m thinking he probably hadn’t. The truth is and to clear up any confusion amongst our readers, Adam Skog from Stockholm, Sweden has been creating music for a number of years and is a former member of ‘Vapenlicens’ and was vocalist in the black metal outfit, ‘Vanhävd’. If you’re out there presumptuous Twitter dude, Im thinking this maybe where you’re getting your wires crossed.

Adam’s interest for 80s retro music had blossomed after he became interested in scoring music for movies, which later saw him compose his own score and submit it for a short retro flick called ‘Angel in the city’. Although unsuccessful in that particular venture, he found himself deeply intertwined and intrigued by the musical path he had taken, this was the beginnings of Irving Force and the rest as they say, is history.

Following his widely regarded debut EP ‘The Undercover’. Irving Force has returned with a brand new 4 track entitled, ‘The Violence Suppressor’. Although shorter in length than its predecessor, Skog punches bigger and harder this time around and his musical prowess is currently roaring.  Second records often come with a great deal of pressure attached to them and artists often take one of two paths. The first path being to churn out more of the same old material and the other is to move forward and take things to a new level. In the case of Violence Suppressor, what we have here is a game changer that possesses a next level type of groove and although it’s not drastically different to ‘The Undercover EP’, it’s great to see Irving Force step things up a notch.

As a whole, the EP plays as a sort of fictional soundtrack to a movie, following the enforcer of justice, Irving Force as he wades through the gang ridden streets of a dishevelled future land. Opening track ‘Sewer Wars’ has it all, winding synth licks and a slamming guitar hook that will no doubt inspire some air guitar from the majority of you. The track’s backbone consists of some truly huge beats and the drum sound is absolutely immense if you dare to crank up the volume. Next up is ‘Population control unit: Mk-12’ which is brilliantly arranged and has a really cool dropout point at about 2:40, before erupting into a all too seldom heard sax solo. It actually left me wanting to listen to ‘Baker Street’ by Gerry Rafferty. ‘Crime Scanner’ is the third track and is another great example of the effortless sound that Irving Force has began to build, it’s slickly delivered and keeps things simple before hitting you with a barrage of interesting sounds. Last but not least we arrive at ‘Gridlock shootout’ which begins with a slow paced beat together with some light fuzz, giving us time to breathe for a moment before its breaks into another fully fledged floor stomper. I really like how Skog likes to drop out all the music before shifting the tracks direction as it comes back in. it sometimes feels almost spontaneous, as if you were listening to the results of a jam session.

With a nod of the head to the likes of Jan Hammer, John Carpenter and Tangerine Dream, ‘The Violence Suppressor’ is more than just 4 tracks thrown together and its certainly more intricate than most would probably give it credit for. It’s a very solid and energetic return for the Swede and its clear and concise nature only enforces the impact it’s able to have on the listener. Irving Force has really taken the bull by the horns and immersed himself within the synth scene and it’s great to see so many people embracing his work. Whether you’re a fan of the darker synth sound or not, this is cool record and I urge you not to let this one pass you by.

COMMUNITY RATINGS

]]> https://newretrowave.com/2015/06/09/irving-force-the-violence-suppressor-ep/feed/ 0 https://newretrowave.com/2015/05/07/dance-with-the-dead-team-up-with-big-giant-swords/ https://newretrowave.com/2015/05/07/dance-with-the-dead-team-up-with-big-giant-swords/#respond Thu, 07 May 2015 16:40:49 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2015/05/07/201557dance-with-the-dead-team-up-with-big-giant-swords/ NRW was lucky enough to connect with Mike and help this cool collaboration reach it's full retro potential. Featuring music from "Dance With The Dead"...we present to you

"THE CLAW"

]]> If you guys are familiar with “Big Giant Swords” that aired/ still airs on Discovery Channel, you will be no stranger to Michael Craughwell’s supreme craftsmanship when it comes to weapon making.

http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/big-giant-swords/

NRW was lucky enough to connect with Mike and help this cool collaboration reach it’s full retro potential. Featuring music from “Dance With The Dead”…we present to you

“THE CLAW”

😉

]]> https://newretrowave.com/2015/05/07/dance-with-the-dead-team-up-with-big-giant-swords/feed/ 0 https://newretrowave.com/2015/03/16/dan-terminus-the-wrath-of-code/ https://newretrowave.com/2015/03/16/dan-terminus-the-wrath-of-code/#respond Mon, 16 Mar 2015 17:01:33 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2015/03/16/2015316dan-terminus-the-wrath-of-code/ Dan Terminus, pseudonymous darkwaver extraordinaire from Lyon, France, has released a real earful with Finland’s Blood Music, The Wrath of Code. And let me tell you, it’s a dizzying doozy of a musical ride.

]]>

Ah, here we are, right where I love to be: back on the dark side of retrowave.

Dan Terminus, pseudonymous darkwaver extraordinaire from Lyon, France, has released a real earful with Finland’s Blood Music, The Wrath of Code. And let me tell you, it’s a dizzying doozy of a musical ride. The album opens nice and strong, with a kicking piece titled “Cherenkov Blue Overdriver,” that’ll have listeners putting their foot on the gas. Everything is nice and heavy, but crisp and razor-sharp enough to appeal to any retrowave fan. The energy stays high throughout, with “Heavy Artillery” and “Death By Distortion” standing out early on in the tracklist. The latter of those two, in fact, has echoes of newer GosT and his predecessor Danger throughout, a real treat for yours truly! And that’s not to say he’s cribbing their work, he’s simply writing his own delightfully nasty poem with a similar pen. “Eternal Annihilator” and “It’s Too Bad She Won’t Live” are about as mellow as it gets on this album, which is to say, they barely slow down. That’s just how it should be; this is an excellent high-power album for those of you who listen on the road or while grabbing a workout. I’d also like to mention the album art. I don’t usually have much to say about album covers here on NRW (I tend to focus right in on the music), but this one will suck you in. It is a bright yet phantasmagoric riot of color, and would almost be at home on a solid classic prog-rock album… but it is perfect for the music it represents here. Also worth its own mention is the final, titular track, a team effort with the legendary Perturbator… it is definitely the best track on the album, powerful and gripping. I wasn’t prepared for it; it sawed through me like a death machine and I was delighted.

There is so much good crunchiness in these tracks, but none of it is overpowering or sour. The rough distortion never drowns out or downplays the more airy treble instrumentation, which can happen in some cases when things get really grungy. The overall production is laser-tight and unforgiving; both Dan and the folks at Blood Music have seen to it that you’re listening to a top-notch creation when you press play on Wrath of Code. It’s a delight to listen to, and not only has it inspired me to go back and look at Dan Terminus’s previous work, it’s left me hoping he has tons more to put out for the future. I gladly bestow a well-earned 8 out of 10 stars upon Wrath of Code.

 

COMMUNITY RATINGS

]]> https://newretrowave.com/2015/03/16/dan-terminus-the-wrath-of-code/feed/ 0 https://newretrowave.com/2015/01/20/sam-kuzel-angel-of-the-city/ https://newretrowave.com/2015/01/20/sam-kuzel-angel-of-the-city/#respond Tue, 20 Jan 2015 19:14:15 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2015/01/20/2015120sam-kuzel-angel-of-the-city/ Angel Of The City is an independent film made as a nod to 80s vigilante/action movies. I have not watched the entire thing, but as part of this assignment I did watch a couple of trailers. The film looks promising, and I’m excited to see it in its entirety.

]]> Angel Of The City is an independent film made as a nod to 80s vigilante/action movies. I have not watched the entire thing, but as part of this assignment I did watch a couple of trailers. The film looks promising, and I’m excited to see it in its entirety. But what I’ve been asked to do is talk about Sam Kuzel’s soundtrack for the film, and the soundtrack is more than good enough to discuss on its own.

On its own, the music is high-quality and I can tell a lot of effort went into authenticity. There are plenty of recognizable bits of 80s style. Kuzel is clearly influenced by John Carpenter’s film scores, and he definitely could’ve picked a worse soundtrack writer to emulate. Notably, the second track, “Posturing,” seems to be a nod to Escape From New York, with a steady arpeggio and bass tone creating the backbone of the track. The overall tone is appropriately gritty and grim, suitable for the city night backdrop that seems to dominate the film. While definitely retro, the music doesn’t completely avoid the modern; there is a crispness to even the softer tracks that makes the listener aware they are listening to something new. A group called Wind-Up Fascist contributes a track called “Doublethink,” and while it’s not awful, I’m going to be honest – I didn’t much care for it. The vocals seem, well, lazy, but the musicianship overall isn’t bad. I’d say Wind-Up Fascist needs some more time to gestate, to polish their sound, and they could do well.

Clumsily inserted rock tracks aside, this soundtrack is colorful and illustrative, well suited to its subject matter, and very professional-sounding. I’d give it a solid 7 out of 10, more than acceptable and worth examining by itself. Sam Kuzel has produced something worth being proud of here, and I look forward to viewing Angel Of The City in its completion.

COMMUNITY RATING

]]> https://newretrowave.com/2015/01/20/sam-kuzel-angel-of-the-city/feed/ 0 https://newretrowave.com/2014/12/16/wretrowave-com201412this-weeks-must-listen-to-album-is-html/ https://newretrowave.com/2014/12/16/wretrowave-com201412this-weeks-must-listen-to-album-is-html/#respond Tue, 16 Dec 2014 17:58:00 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2014/12/16/wretrowave-com201412this-weeks-must-listen-to-album-is-html/

NONE OTHER THAN

DANCE WITH THE DEAD

WITH

SEND THE SIGNAL

THIS EP IS EVERYTHING!!

NRW

]]> https://newretrowave.com/2014/12/16/wretrowave-com201412this-weeks-must-listen-to-album-is-html/feed/ 0 https://newretrowave.com/2014/10/31/wretrowave-com201410trevor-something-drops-haunting-music-html/ https://newretrowave.com/2014/10/31/wretrowave-com201410trevor-something-drops-haunting-music-html/#respond Fri, 31 Oct 2014 14:41:00 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2014/10/31/wretrowave-com201410trevor-something-drops-haunting-music-html/

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

ENJOY!

………

]]> https://newretrowave.com/2014/10/31/wretrowave-com201410trevor-something-drops-haunting-music-html/feed/ 0 https://newretrowave.com/2014/10/21/wretrowave-com201410the-worlds-first-hoverboard-is-finally-html/ https://newretrowave.com/2014/10/21/wretrowave-com201410the-worlds-first-hoverboard-is-finally-html/#respond Tue, 21 Oct 2014 18:49:00 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2014/10/21/wretrowave-com201410the-worlds-first-hoverboard-is-finally-html/

  NOT A BOARD THAT IS POWERED BY HYDRO-POWER OR A FAKE …

THIS IS A REAL LIFE HOVER BOARD PROTOTYPE. WE ARE CLOSER TO FLYING AROUND THE RETRO-FUTURE CITIES ON HOVERBOARDS THAN YOU THINK!!

CHECK IT OUT BELOW!!

SUPPORT THE PROJECT AND LETS MAKE THIS A REALITY!!

LINK – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/142464853/hendo-hoverboards-worlds-first-real-hoverboard

-NRW-

COMMENTS

….

]]> https://newretrowave.com/2014/10/21/wretrowave-com201410the-worlds-first-hoverboard-is-finally-html/feed/ 0 https://newretrowave.com/2014/10/09/wretrowave-com201410the-missing-files-part-1-html/ https://newretrowave.com/2014/10/09/wretrowave-com201410the-missing-files-part-1-html/#respond Thu, 09 Oct 2014 19:26:00 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2014/10/09/wretrowave-com201410the-missing-files-part-1-html/

WHERE ARE ALL THESE LISTED SYNTHWAVE ARTISTS?!!

1. STARCAT

THIS GUY HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE  EARLY 2012!!! WHERE IS HE?!

2. SPACELIME

AFTER 2 SUCCESSFUL TRACKS, SPACE LIME VANISHED INTO THIN AIR!!! WHERE IS THIS LIME? 

3.AKAHANDSDOWN

ONE OF THE YOUNGEST DUDES TO HIT HESE RETROWAVE SCENE. WHERE IS HE?!

4.  CHRIS BUSH

WHERE IS THIS UNIQUE SINGER?! HIS VOCALS WERE LIKE NON OTHER.

5. M-TOWN VICE

THESE GUYS NEED TO COME BACK ASAP!!

WHERE ARE THEY?!

WHERE??!!

……

…

]]> https://newretrowave.com/2014/10/09/wretrowave-com201410the-missing-files-part-1-html/feed/ 0 https://newretrowave.com/2014/10/09/wretrowave-com2014105-of-best-horror-villains-of-80s-html/ https://newretrowave.com/2014/10/09/wretrowave-com2014105-of-best-horror-villains-of-80s-html/#respond Thu, 09 Oct 2014 14:58:00 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2014/10/09/wretrowave-com2014105-of-best-horror-villains-of-80s-html/

As Halloween approaches, what better way to celebrate than with a top 5 list of some of the scariest movie villains of the 80’s! Don’t forget to list your top 5’s in the comments section below, we’d love to hear them!

5. David (The Lost Boys)

Back before the shit teen vampire movies that we’ve endured over the last few years, Joel Schumacher made a movie called, The Lost Boys. This movie is hands down one of the most iconic of the 80’s and its soundtrack is likely to remain engraved in your brain for the rest of your life. Along with some amazing performances by some of the 80’s coolest actors, its hard to make this list without thinking of one them. David, exquisitely portrayed by Kiefer Sutherland, is certainly the most memorable and haunting of the film. Don’t let his sometimes calm and relaxed exterior fool you, what lies below David’s pale cold skin, is something extremely unsettling!

4. Russ Thorn (The Slumber Party Massacre)

Now a cult classic, The Slumber Party Massacre is one of my favourite films to come from the great Slasher movie boom of the 1980’s. The films antagonist and destroyer of teenagers is none other than escaped lunatic and double denim enthusiast, Russ Thorn. With more nudity and questionable acting than you could shake a drill at, Michael Villella’s portrayal of Russ Thorn is unquestionably perfect as the slumber party pooper. 

3. John Rider (The Hitcher)

The Hitcher follows Jim Halsey (C.Thomas Howell), who while on a cross country journey picks up a sodden, John Rider (Rutger Hauer) from the side of a rainy, dark roadside. What quickly becomes clear here, after some breathtakingly intense conversation between the two, is the importance of listening to your mother when she tells you to never stop for strangers! With a performance on par to the late, great Robert Mitchum in Night Of the Hunter, Rutger Hauer demonstrates a masterclass in how to scare the crap out of you.

2. Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th Part 2)

After Mrs Vorhees looses her head in Friday the 13th, Jason emerges from the woods to avenge her in the sequel to the highly successful 1980 hit. Masked beneath an old dirty bag (pre Hockey Mask) and armed with a serious distaste for camp counsellors, we are introduced to Jason and his reign of terror. There’s something I find genuinely chilling about the scene where Deputy Winslow chases Jason into the woods in this film and it still manages to make me feel uneasy to this day. The fact that Jason and his array of murder weapons would go on to hack, slice and decapitate his way through the 80s and all the way upto this present day, is evidence enough that he is truly a horror movie great.

1. Cropsy (The Burning)

 The Burning is a Slasher movie made in 1981 and is loosely based on the legend of ‘Cropsy’, which was an actual tale told around camp fires during the 60’s and 70’s in upstate New York. After a fiery prank goes horribly wrong for a bunch of teenagers, the camp’s caretaker ‘Cropsy’ becomes quickly engulfed in flames and is left to cook within his cabin. After numerous skin grafts and clearly nowhere near enough psychological treatment by his doctors, the unhinged madman is released back into society, only to return to Camp Blackfoot on a murderous quest. With some truly horrific death scenes and make-up effects supplied by Tom Savini, Cropsy embeds himself with ease into our nightmares and as a result is my number 1!

Happy Halloween!

Rhys

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