Tribute to Udo Kier & Horror Movie Gift Ideas for Udo Kier Fans

I wanted to pay a little tribute to the great horror icon Udo Kier, who passed away last month.

Udo Kier, the charming blue-eyed German actor with over 280 film credits across multiple countries, worked with every director under the sun, and starred in every type of genre movie you can think of, from arthouse cult classics to Marvel blockbusters. He was mostly a champion for small and independent foreign films, and a LGBTQ rights advocate.

Udo Kier and Jim Carrey from Ace Ventura Pet Detective 1994

Udo Kier made small movies and big movies. He loved making art. He was smart, funny, and understood the movie business. He understood sometimes you went in to make money, and only money, and sometimes you went in to make art, no matter what it cost.

Kier often played villains, weirdos or deviants, and his immense talent could elevate even the smallest roles. He once said “The villain is the character that people remember.” Udo Kier’s menacing villains will always be remembered by horror fans and filmgoers.

Severin Films Hall of Fame Enamel Pin #17: Udo Kier, $10

Severin Films has a great collection of enamel pins celebrating horror directors and horror stars of The Theatre Bizarre, a horror anthology from 2011, with wraparound segments featuring Udo Kier.

Udo Kier Autograph Signed REPRINT The Vampire’s Kiss Blood For Dracula, $12.99

I think Blood of Dracula is one of Udo Kier’s best roles. This is autograph reprint is a great small gift for anyone who loves those old indie euro subculture films.

FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN & BLOOD FOR DRACULA / 6 Discs / 4K UHD / NEW RB Blu-ray, $174

Blood for Dracula and Flesh for Frankenstein starring Udo Kier and Joe Dallesandro, directed by Paul Morrissey were arguably both actors’ most memorable films. Filmed in Italy, the films were repackaged and released in the US under Andy Warhol’s production company. This Italian box set looks amazing.

Mark of the Devil 4K UHD and Blu-ray 3 Disc Set – Vinegar Syndrome, $28

One of Udo Kier’s first roles was a supporting character in the infamous Hexen bis aufs Blut gequält a.k.a Mark of the Devil, a 1970 German knock-off of The Witchfinder General. This horror historical film was known for its realistic scenes of torture and violence towards women, and featured a marketing campaign that leaned in and promoted the film with the slogan “rated V for violence.” Theaters even handed out sick bags. It’s no wonder the filmed eventually got banned in England under the video nasty age and wasn’t publicly shown again until heavy cuts were made.

Dario Argento’s Symphony of Fear features three of the Italian horror maestro best films 4K restorations, $30

Udo Kier had a small but important role in Dario Argento’s 1977 classic Suspiria. As Dr. Mandel, Udo showed off his range. Yes, he was known for over-the-top villains, but he could tone it down when he needed to.

Brand New Blade Trilogy (Blu-ray, 2024) Exclusive Slipcover, Wesley Snipes, $26 (varies by eBay seller)

In Marvel comic book adaption of Blade starring Wesley Snipes and Stephen Dorff, Udo Kier had a small but fitting part playing Vampire Elder Dragonetti who butts heads with young rebel vampire Deacon Frost played by Dorff.

Udo Kier and Stephen Dorff from Blade 1998

Shadow of the Vampire – Special Edition (2000) Blu-ray, $22

Udo Kier joined fellow scene chewers Willem Dafoe and John Malkovich for a spine-tingling movie about the filming of Nosferatu in 2000 Shadow of the Vampire.

Udo Kier and John Malkovich Shadow of the Vampire, 2000

Obviously, with 280 films, there’s no way I can post suggestions to all of Udo Kier’s movies, but he has starred in some pretty iconic films that would make cult-film lovers and horror fans mighty proud to have on their shelf. He worked with Lars von Trier and Gus Van Sant a lot, so be sure to check out all those titles.

Buyer Beware Warning: Be sure to check specs before purchasing any movie DVDs, as some of these are in PAL format and won’t play in the USA. You can find almost anything on Amazon, but I suggest shopping small and independent this holiday season.

Rest in peace Mr. Kier!

Happy holidays! Be safe out there!

10 Gifts for Kaiju Lovers

Earlier this fall, Toho Co., Ltd. celebrated the 70th anniversary of Godzilla, King of the Monsters. I wanted to do something a little better than a birthday shout-out to one of my favorite SciFi creatures, so I came up with a list of cool gifts for Kaiju lovers this holiday season.

Most of these are collector items, so if you’re looking for kids toys or less serious items, maybe try your local toy store. There’s no particular order to the list either, nor do I have any affiliation to any companies. My gift giving guides are always simply to help like-minded fans find awesome collectible gifts to buy for their loved ones.

10 Gifts for Kaiju Lovers

Godzilla Enamel Pins by Tom Whalen and others from Mondo Shop, $10

Enamel Pins make great stocking stuffers and Mondo Shop has several monsters, not just Godzilla.

Godzilla Classic 2026 Wall Calendar from DateWorks over at Calendars.com, $18

Why celebrate one month when you can celebrate the kaiju king all 12 months!

Kaiju Believe T-shirt from Tee No Evil, $30

I believe!

Bandai’s Godzilla Store Limited Movie Monster Series Action Figurine from Godzilla.com, $32

Figure based off 1964 movie Mothra vs. Godzilla.

Pre-order Godzilla x Misfit Fiend T-shirt and Exclusive Apparel from Godzilla.com, $32

Two legendary icons brought together. This t-shirt is sure to become its own icon.

Godzilla Minus One Blu-ray Deluxe Japan Collector’s Edition, from Godzilla.com $65

An amazing collector’s boxset for this incredible reboot film, which showed big studios how to properly make a Godzilla film and brought in a whole new generation of fans.

Godzilla: The First 70 Years Art Book (Hardcover) from authors Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski, published over at Abrams Books, $75

Written with love by kaiju super fan, Steve Ryfle, this is no mere coffee table book. A legendary giant needs a giant book to cover 70 years of narrative and visual history featuring exclusive behind the scenes photography, production materials, and other artwork.

Officially licensed original artwork from Spoke Art and Ghost X Ghost. Artist and Prices vary.

From the 70 Years of Godzilla exhibition featuring artists from around the globe in conjunction with Spoke Art Gallery and Ghost X Ghost, you can find poster size prints for your wall.

Matt Taylor “Godzilla ’54” 24″ x 36″ print, $70

Dawn of the Monsters Video Game from 13am Games, prices vary by system

“Dawn of the Monsters is a co-operative kaiju beat ’em up out for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Dawn of the Monsters is a co-operative kaiju beat ’em up out for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X, and Stadia.”

Perfect for gamers and anyone who wants a little more interactive kaiju experience. I haven’t played myself to be honest but I hear this game is the most fun. You get to play as a kaiju!

Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975 Collector’s Blu-Ray Set, from The Criterion Collection, $225

Godzilla and friends get The Criterion treatment with this one of kind Collector’s boxset featuring remastered original cuts of all the monster kaiju films, from the beginning to when the big studios started to rule the world.

Criterion films specializes in preserving only the best of the best in film history, and Godzilla is the best, he’s the king of the monster films! This is the most incredible boxset I’ve ever seen!

Trick or Treat Tuesday Best of Haunted House Horror

We’re 3 days away from Halloween and for a big treat on this Trick of Treat Tuesday, I’m sharing my favorite Haunted House Horror.

The Changeling, 1980
Poltergeist, 1982
Hereditary, 2018
House of Haunted Hill, 1959
13 Ghosts, 1960
The Innocents, 1961
The Haunting, 1963
The Amityville Horror, 1979
Legend of Hell House, 1973
Burnt Offerings, 1976
The Others, 2001
Woman in Black, 2012
Stir of Echoes, 1999
Crimson Peak, 2015

It’s always hard to put together these lists. All the films are so good. There are a lot of classic horror films from the 60s and 70s on my list and I hope people will give them a watch.

I personally feel The Changeling starring George C Scott from 1980 is one of the scariest haunted house films ever made.

Scott plays composer John Russell grieving the death of wife and son. He moves from New York to Seattle to start over and moves into a house haunted by the ghost of a little boy who died mysteriously.

These movies will certainly spook anyone staying in on Halloween night and films like House on Haunted Hill or Poltergeist play nicely in the background at parties too.

Honorable Mentions:

Paranormal Activity
House of Usher
Horror House
We’re Still Here
House, 1985
The House that Dripped Blood
House by the Cemetery

Happy Halloween! Stay safe out there!

Wicked Art Wednesdays 2025 – Drew Struzan

For today’s Wicked Art Wednesday, I join the chorus of mourning millions with a tribute to the legendary movie poster king Drew Struzan, who passed away on Oct. 13 2025. We’ve all grown up seeing this man’s breathtaking iconic artwork in our local theaters, advertising what would soon become our favorite movies. There will never be another.

Artist: Drew Struzan
Company/Studio: http://www.drewstruzan.com/illustrated/portfolio/index.html

Where to Purchase Goods: https://filmartgallery.com/collections/drew-struzan-movie-posters?page=12

Why we love it:

RIP Drew Struzan. Thank you for sharing your talents and artistry with us. You will always be remembered.

Trick or Treat Tuesdays – Haunted Trivia Game

Happy Trick or Treat Tuesday! Be the first person to answer all five questions correctly in the Comments Section and win some spooky stickers as a treat!

What 1959 novel made The Atlantic’s Greatest American Novels top 100 list?

Horror icon Vincent Price deliberately turned in a campy over-the-top performance in which fun spooky film?

Celebrities share their real life encounters with the paranormal in which Apple TV series?

Paranormal investigative couple Ed and Lorraine Warren were heavily involved in the real life haunted funeral parlor case that inspired which “Haunting of” movie?

Haunted is the fifth track on the debut album for which 90s rock band?

Rules: First person to answer ALL five questions correctly in the Comment Section of this WordPress post, will win some spooky stickers.

Happy October 2025!

Happy October! It’s been a busy summer. I admit that keeping up with a blog this year has been challenging. On one hand I love it, I love sharing Halloween haiku and other spooky stuff, but truth is I simply don’t have the time to blog like I used to.

I did make time to visit Disneyland recently for some Fall fun.

I also know times are tough and depressing. It’s not going to get better anytime soon, we need Halloween! We need to celebrate our culture and traditions more than ever and we need to make new memories! Good memories! You never know when that may be the only thing you have. So after careful consideration, I will again be celebrating all 31 days of Halloween this year.

There will be two themes this month, Haunted Halloween and Halloween Happy. Americans are a haunted people, but we all deserve life. Halloween is for everyone. Full stop. The holiday combines both ancient pagan and religious ceremonies. The original purpose was to chase away the demons and bad ghosts that crossed over the spirit realm because of the thin veil between the living and the spirit world.

Don’t let anyone tell you how to do Halloween. Decorate or not. Wear a costume or not. We can be scary and sweet. We can be spooky and cute. Let the teenagers trick or treat. Kids collecting candy are too occupied to do anything else. I truly believe Halloween makes people happy. It’s about community. We need our communities more than ever. It’s the only thing that can save America now.

Be sure to check back every day this October for cool, fun, and inspirational Halloween, horror, and haiku.

HALLOWEEN SCHEDULE 2025

Monday Macabre

Every Monday, I’ll be posting a brand new Halloween Haiku, honoring the theme of Haunted Halloween.

Trick or Treat Tuesdays

Check in on Tuesdays for some online fun. I’ve got treats and I’ve got tricks.

Wicked Art Wednesdays

Every Wednesday, I’ll showcase the amazing and unique talents of Halloween artists from around the globe.

Timeless Thursdays

Every Thursday, let’s travel back in time and revisit some of the greatest Halloween music ever made on the corporeal plane.

Friday Fright Nightcaps

Bubble bubble, drink away trouble, it’s the return of Friday Fright Nightcaps!

Sinister Saturdays

Decadent desserts from the darkside. I’m not much of a cook, so this could get truly evil.

Spooky Sundays

Spooky Sundays are for reading, relaxing, and recharging our brooms.

Eat, drink and be scary!

7th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge
#Halloweenhaikuchallenge2025

Due to time constraints, this year’s contest will start at midnight on October 30th through Halloween day. Winner chosen on November 1st.

More details to come, but for now, sharpen those pencils or pull up a blank page; I can’t wait to see those Halloween haiku!

Don’t forget to follow Halloweenhorrorhaiku on Pinterest and Blue Sky.

Have a Happy Halloween season, everyone! Be safe out there!🎃

Werewolves vs Aliens

August is for aliens. Ha! When I went to write up my list for favorite alien movies, I noticed I forgot to post my favorite Werewolf Movies list last month. Obviously, my brain was abducted by aliens back in July.

That’s okay though, cuz now you’ve got one post with two lists of great spooky movies to watch this Halloween Season. There’s no breakdown, just lists. Go watch ’em!

There doesn’t appear to a definitive origin story for the werewolf. Early movies were just based on a collection of myths and legends from around the world. Like vampires, this lead to a variety of possibilities of appearance, characteristics, and nature of the beast. Early movies like Universal’s Wolfman, starring Lon Chaney, wowed audiences using brilliant make-up techniques and stunning special effects of their time to achieve the werewolf transformation. It was simple, but sorta magical. By 1981, technical advances in both film making and special effects allowed John Landis to direct one of the most realistic transformations of man into monster that moviegoers ever witnessed. To date, it’s been hard to top. My list though, isn’t necessarily a ‘best of’ list, just my faves.

American Werewolf in London, 1981
The Wolfman, 1941
Ginger Snaps, 2000
Dog Soldiers, 2002
The Howling, 1981
Wolfen, 1981
Silver Bullet, 1985
In the Company of Wolves, 1983
Wolf Cop, 2014
Brotherhood of the Wolf, 1998

By mere definition, aliens on the other hand do not have origin stories. They come from beyond the great unexplored universe. Movie audiences flocked to theaters to see the original 1956 Invasion of the Body Snatchers in search of thrilling new sensations. In 1979, Ridley Scott’s Alien, delivered in spades, spawning a 40-year blockbuster franchise, solidifying aliens as a huge part of cinema. SciFi and Horror are like peanut butter and jelly, they just go together. Condensing a list of thousands of movies down to just ten spots is pretty agonizing. For purposes of this list, I chose what I think are the scariest alien movies. Admittedly, some are more action than horror, but having a terrifying villain is half the assignment.

Alien, 1979
The Thing, 1982
Invasion of the Body Snatchers 1978
Event Horizon, 1997
Annihilation 2018
Predator, 1987
Pitch Black, 2000
District 9, 2009
A Quiet Place, 2018
Nope, 2022

I love all these movies so much, I can watch them over and over. It’s really hard to pick a winner. Help me out! Here are two great lists of horror films to watch for Halloween 2025, help me decide who wins this epic battle, werewolves or aliens?

Have a happy Halloween season! Be safe out there!

Monthly Haiku Corner- August

Happy August! This month’s theme is August Aliens, in honor of FX’s new show Alien Earth, the exciting new chapter in the Alien universe, brought to us this time by Noah Hawley, a writer and producer known for Bones, Legion, Fargo and more. I cannot wait!

Like tonight’s Sturgeon Full Moon, change can be good. This time of year marks the end of summer and the coming of Fall harvest. This is Halloween pre-season. It’s time to get our spooky on! So, look to the skies and wonder what’s out there. What scary monsters are peeking at us from behind the stars?

Don’t forget the corporate monsters down here, tearing apart mother earth and unending years of deep rooted traditions. Resist! Stand by your traditions and be proud of your culture. Be open to all cultures and let’s learn from each and celebrate together.

alien hive minds
steel hearts of corporate monsters
run, while monsters fight

Sometimes it’s better to hang back and observe.

Be safe out there!

Happy 50th Anniversary Jaws!

June 20, 2025 marks the 50th Anniversary of Jaws.

Distributed by Universal Pictures and directed by young and upcoming wunderkind named Steven Speilberg, the oceanic horror-thriller was based off Peter Benchley’s best selling novel of the same title grossed $7.9 million dollars and spent 14 weeks at the top of the box office, making it the very first “summer blockbuster” of Hollywood films. A critical and commercial success, the movie changed the landscape of all art and film and would go on to be the first film to earn $100 million dollars.

Jaws is a masterclass in fear, even John Williams’ brilliant score alone was enough to send shivers up spines and keep people outta the water. It isn’t just about facing the horror of giant man-eating vengeful shark though, it’s a psychological look at the breakdown of smalltown life. It’s the fear of a simple man overwhelmed with the job of trying to protect his community. A weary wife and mother afraid of losing her family. The fear of a elected official losing the faith of his community. The fear of a community losing their economy, their livelihoods, and their lives to something they cannot control. The fear of a young insecure college grad being ridiculed for his intellect and his ideas. And, the fear and trauma of an old fisherman who survived a horror greater than war.

It was years before I truly understood how great the story of Jaws was. I was very young when I first saw it in a drive-in theater in San Diego, CA. It’s my first movie memory, peeking inbetwen the car seats up at giant screen, yards away, as young swimmer was violently yanked under the water. This was back in the day when parents didn’t really shield kids from sex and violence in movies and TV. I watched a lot of old 70s horror movies this way. In fact, this is where my love for horror movies began. Being the first movie I ever saw, Jaws has a very special place in my heart. I try to watch it every year, usually around Fourth of July, when the story is set. I must have seen this film a hundred times at least and it never gets old.

Some may argue Jaws didn’t do any favors for sharks. Yes, it created mass hysteria and worldwide fear of sharks, For all the fear it generated, I think Jaws also sparked interest in sharks. Something that led to the increased study of sharks and all sea life behavior, maybe even put marine biology on the map. This all helped create conservation of sharks and ocean life. It’s been a long hard fought battle to save this planet by learning not to be afraid of what lurks in the ocean. Love it or hate it, Jaws is an unforgettable masterpiece worth celebrating.

Best Cemetery Horror

Happy Cemetery Appreciation Month!

Cemeteries are big part of almost all scary movies, really only a handful are set in a cemetery or at least prominently feature a cemetery. Here are my picks for top films heavy on atmosphere and dripping with terror.