Ghoulish Grin Films

I'm not sure if it's just the internet and social media being so prominent in our culture that we're seeing such a divide in the Star Wars fandom or if it's been there since the prequels, but there has been a rise in fan backlash. There is an ugly side of it, but it's not all of it. They just happen to side with the former fans that have been disappointed with the Disney takeover of Lucasfilm. For the record, I have enjoyed all of the films released ("The Force Awakens," "Rogue One," "The Last Jedi"). But it seems the last one that was released broke the fandom in two. I don't rank it high on my list (mainly because the Original Trilogy will probably remain a Top Three until I die), but I still enjoyed it and didn't think it was an abomination. And as I get ready to see "Solo: A Star Wars Story" I go in as a fan. For better or worse. This franchise means the world to me. As a seven year old seeing "Return Of Th

Goth is something the average person thinks of as sulky kids in black with make-up being weird (just a generalization). It's actually a lot older than that, dating back to the 12th Century with beautiful and ominous architecture. People like myself can picture vampires roaming these beautiful and ancient castle walls. Which is why today I recommend "Horror Of Dracula" by the great Hammer Studios. Starring the legendary duo of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, this film is (in my opinion) the finest movie based on Bram Stoker's infamous character...DRACULA! My apologies to the Bela Lugosi era fans...he did indeed cast a large shadow for quite some time. However the FILM is what I honor. It's the standard for Dracula, as I see it. "Curse Of Frankenstein" was my first Hammer film and also a highly recommended film. But when I think gothic, I can't help but bring the Undead Vampire into it. Thank you Hammer, Mr. Lee, and Mr. Cushing for a masterwor

As a child I grew up with both Oz films. My mother was a fan of the original (I love it as well). It's definitely a piece of old Hollywood history, that much is sure. But as a fan of the Oz mythos, I always gravitated towards "Return To Oz." I was the right age to have been transported to that magical place. I was old enough to have sucked it up when all of the creepy parts came around (The Wheelers were definite nightmare fuel). And it always felt like MY Oz. And Fairuza Balk is MY Dorothy. She was an unusually mature and natural actress for her age and taking on such an iconic role of Dorothy in the Oz franchise was no small feat. Yet she was an absolute delight. She continues to be an amazing actress, getting out of the child actor phase and becoming a solid actress who I believe should be more visible in today's Hollywood. Maybe she had enough of the Hollywood machine...who can blame her. The film never got the audience I feel it deserved. It was panned by

It's hard to believe that 8 years ago on this day we lost one of metal's elite singer/songwriters...the great Ronnie James Dio. Many years ago, when we had Sam Goody as a CD retailer, I bought a bargain cassette tape (remember those?), with two Black Sabbath albums on one tape. One was PARANOID (what I had originally bought the tape for) and the other side was HEAVEN AND HELL. I had never heard the Dio era Sabbath and when I DID hear it I was pleasantly surprised. His vocals and lyrics completely changed the dynamic of the band. In fact, many years later when they decided to call that line-up Heaven & Hell I didn't object. They always felt like a completely different band from the Ozzy era. And being an instant fan of the Dio era Sabbath, I went back and discovered Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. I was already a Deep Purple fan so it was just more great music for me to consume. And of course his solo career was amazing as well. It's as if you never left us beca

When I was seven years old my uncle took my cousin and I to see "Return Of The Jedi." I hadn't seen the previous two films but through the toys and the tales my cousins and friends had told me I felt like I already knew the story. And indeed I did. This one film literally changed my life. When I see the film today I can still remember that seven year old sitting in the theater. When Emperor Palpatine attacked Luke Skywalker ("now Young Skywalker...you will die") and Luke shrieked in pain as his father Darth Vader looked on I can actually see my seven year old eyes widening. When Vader ultimately threw the Emperor over to save his son I cheered. As an older man now I tear up when I see the same sequence. It's the reason I make my own movies today. Movies are magic, and The Star Wars Trilogy is one of the most magical cinematic experiences of all. I may soon feel fatigue like the rest with a 'one-movie-a-year' plan that Disney has now, but I will NE

The second collection of 15 Second Horror Films from Ghoulish Grin Films is now available for streaming for free with ads or with an Amazon Prime membership! "15 Second Fright! Vol. 2" is the 2018 follow-up to the collection of the 2016/17 season. I had enough in this first half of the year to release a new collection, and now it's here! Enjoy and thank you for supporting Ghoulish Grin Films! Be sure to check out the original collection at Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, and Twitch!

A very happy birthday to one of the most electrifying entertainers out there, 'The Rock' Dwayne Johnson! This was his coming out party as The Scorpion King in "The Mummy Returns." I saw this film in the theater and it's one of the most fun I had during the summer movie season. Check it out now at Amazon Video!