After a long hiatus, We Belong Dead returns to satisfy our taste for classic (and not so classic) horror movies. Unlike some magazines catering to modern fare–and all those attached commercial necessities to keep the studio doors open–it's refreshing to read articles that examine movies with a more discerning eye and a fan's enthusiasm. I wished the editor had a more discerning eye for typos and some grammar lapses, but overall, this 9th issue of We Belong Dead is a welcomed addition to the horror movie magazine scene that appears to be experiencing a rebirth of readership.
There's so much here to curl up on the sofa with for a good read: an excellent comparative study of Night of the Demon to its literary source, M.R. James's Casting the Runes, a closer look at Reeve's Witchfinder General, and a bloody good rundown on Salem's Lot. Throughout, domestic and foreign poster art is amply sprinkled, making me wish this issue was in full color.
For Aurora model kit fans, Cage's The Thirteen Monsters of Aurora is a nostalgic reminder of just how good we monsterkids had it back then, and the pleasures of the printed medium are covered by Peter Benassi's childhood memories of pleasant chills pulled from the magazine and book racks. An endearing part of this magazine is how it captures the personal experiences of its contributors with their passions for the horrors of their childhood (and misspent adulthood, I'd warrant).
If you're like me and always on the lookout for a good listing of movies to watch next (or avoid, for that matter), you will find the coverage of the 5 best Ripper movies, Peter Cushing's Amicus roles, and a neophyte's guide to the curious amalgam of The Blind Dead movies a rewarding experience. Not so rewarding are the interviews with Barbara Shelley (everything was marvelous and modern horror shows too much) and Jean Rollin (bits and pieces from a longer interview that was lost) lack the more probing questions that would truly satisfy the jaded horror fan like myself. I know, it's a curse, but I bear it well.
But how can you find much fault with a magazine that dares to hammer Hammer's Dracula films and dares to find some semblance of enjoyment in Dracula vs. Frankenstein?So yes, let's hope We Belong Dead 10 won't take as long to hit the racks as issue 9 did.