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If there's one thing the media really loves to do, it's lump a bunch of barely-connected people into an ill-fitting group -- and then give that group a clever name. Whether it's The Rat Pack, The Brat Pack or The Splat Pack, I just get irked whenever a new "pack" makes it into the cultural lexicon. Oh, you're not familiar with that last one? Yeah, it's a moniker that's been given to a bunch of "new" horror filmmakers, one that seems to imply that these guys get together every weekend to smoke weed and watch Halloween 2 together.

According to a recent article in Time Magazine, one that seems to approach horror flicks the same way a prissy schoolmarm would approach some inappropriate comic books, the members of "The Splat Pack" are Eli Roth (Cabin Fever, Hostel), Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, The Descent), Alex Aja (High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes), Rob Zombie (House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects), and James Wan, Leigh Whannell and Darren Lynn Bousman of the Saw trilogy. (Apparently Wolf Creek director Greg McLean was part of the original pack, although he goes unmentioned in the Time article, probably because he hasn't made much money yet.)

But what do these guys have in common, really, other than the fact that they all make horror flicks? I see Americans, Brits, Aussies and a Frenchman in the mix, and while some of the guys are fresh-faced and 20-something, guys like Roth have been toiling away in backstage anonymity for years. Plus, c'mon, Rob Zombie is 42 years old, so how exactly does he tie in with these kids? And why is it that Neil Marshall never seems to be quoted in these articles? Is he just included because his horror movies are ... GOOD? Apparently the Splat Pack label was created by Alan Jones of Total Film, and I'm sure the guy's an absolute expert on horror flicks -- but labels create limits, exclusions and oversights. And, ultimately, articles like this one, I suppose. (Either way, I bet Jones bangs out a book called The Splat Pack by the end of 2008.)

The UK's Christopher Smith (Creep, Severance) is young and horror-heavy, so why isn't he a member of The Pack? Shouldn't (Dawn of the Dead screenwriter, Slither director) James Gunn be one of the den mothers? Lucky McKee has made only two feature films (May and The Woods), but they're both downright excellent pieces of horror. Why's he not a member? Uwe Boll's done a bunch of horror flicks that could be accurately described as " laden with torture," so why not throw him an invitation? You want a guy who loves the word splat? Try Jake West, the guy who directed Evil Aliens. Plus I read another article a while back in which Jonathan Liebesman (Darkness Falls, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning) was considered a member of The SP! Now, if that guy can be considered some sort of "future of horror," I'll eat my hat.

The common themes among the Splat Packers are ... what? They all like horror movies, they don't shy away from intense chills, harsh themes or copious gore, and they're all carbon-based life forms, I guess. But really: Does anyone out there think the work of Eli Roth is even remotely similar to that of Neil Marshall? Does a Rob Zombie flick remind you of what was seen in, say, High Tension? I mean, if you're going to define a term, then define it. And as a big fan of just about all these movies, I just gotta scratch my head when I hear these guys lumped together in one basket.

And what happens when guys like Ryan Schifrin (Abominable), Adam Green (Hatchet), J.T. Petty (S&Man) Scott Glosserman (Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon), Jon Levine (All the Boys Love Mandy Lane) and Adam Mason (Broken) start to make their way up the ranks? Will we have the arrival of Splat Pack 2: The New Generation? Back in the late '70s/early '80s, did we need a goofy little heading to remember names like Carpenter, Hooper, Craven, Dante, Landis and Cunningham?

Ultimately, I have no real point. I'd just seen the phrase "Splat Pack" one too many times and felt the need to vent. Opposing viewpoints are welcome, as long as they agree with my own opinions.

If you're not the kind of person who enjoys cheesy horror-comedy, mixed with over-the-top gore, campy dialogue, alien-on-human sexual encounters and a slew of British accents, then Evil Aliens is not the film for you. However, you horror buffs and gore geeks should have a blast with this flick, dissecting each splat of blood as director Jake West pays homage to a number of classic scary movies, including (but not limited to) Jaws, Predator, Night of the Living Dead and -- wait for it -- Disney's Flight of the Navigator.

The film's opening shot places us high above a young couple having sex in the middle of an open field. What they fail to realize (and will soon find out) is that they're not alone. Dun. Dun. Dun. When a disagreement between lovers finds the woman running off towards a pitch-black night, danger soon finds her and snatches the poor girl up, leaving the man alone, vulnerable and ultimately screwed (in more ways than one). Suddenly, we're onboard a spacecraft where the not-so-happy couple are separated, strapped down on top of metal tables and face-to-face with horrific creatures hell-bent on jamming a long shiny drill up where the sun never shines. As blood splatters everywhere and screams of mercy go unheard, we're introduced to the title of this crazy little flick: Evil Aliens.

About a month ago I helped pimp a goofy little British horror/comedy called Evil Aliens. I told you it'd be opening in New York on September 8th, and also that I'd definitely recommend the flick to splatter-fans. Now comes word from Magic Lamp Releasing that the Aliens will be invading a whole lot more than the Big Apple.

Already scheduled for an Image DVD release next January, Jake West's Evil Aliens can be enjoyed on the big screen in the following venues on the dates courteously listed here by Fangoria, and we're told that more dates will be announced soon. (ahem, Philadelphia??) Stay tuned for Erik's review of Evil Aliens later this week.

In tangentially-related news, Mr. West recently finished up on his Pumpkinhead 3: Ashes to Ashes, which will premiere October 28th on Sci-Fi Network before hitting the video stacks a bit later.

Waaaay back in April I shared the news that Pumpkinhead 3 would soon arrive from director Jake West (Evil Aliens) and actors Lance Henriksen (Near Dark) and Doug Bradley (Hellraiser), and it looks like "soon" equals October 28th ... on the Sci-Fi Channel. Ugh. I may just wait for the DVD release...

But wait, there's more! Aside from Pumpkinhead 3: Ashes to Ashes, we also have a fourth chapter to (kinda) look forward to! Pumpkinhead 4: Blood Feud (formerly Pumpkinhead 4: Love Hurts) recently wrapped production under the eye of writer/director Mike Hurst, he of Room 6, House of the Dead 2, and Mansquito. Mr. Henriksen will be returning for Part 4, whereas Mr. Bradley will ... not. (Is that a Part 3 spoiler? Sorry.)

The Sci-Fi Channel co-bankrolled both of these flicks, and if you've seen more than four or five "Sci-Fi Originals" in your time, then you probably know what you're getting yourself into. If I'm not mistaken, these guys tried the same thing last year with Return of the Living Dead 4: Necropolis and Return of the Living Dead 5: Rave to the Grave -- and those didn't really work out too well.

[Thanks to Bloody-Disgusting.com for the reminders.]

It's been about ten months since I sat in a teeny-tiny Toronto screening room and enjoyed the bloody hell out of Jake West's certifiably insane Evil Aliens. I'm not saying it's in the same league as Peter Jackson's early stuff, but I do think it comes pretty darn close. Either way, if you love things like Bad Taste and Dead Alive, then I'd bet you two anal probes that you'll dig Evil Aliens.

Over the past few months I've read a few rumblings about Evil Aliens' eventual DVD release, but nothing seems to be confirmed on that end. One thing I can tell you for sure is this: The theatrical release is finally on the horizon, so if you plan to be in NYC on September 8th (or if you, y'know, live there), you'll be able to enjoy the flick well before most of your carnage-lovin' American brethren. Magic Lamp Releasing will be opening the flick at an inevitably raucous midnight show, and I'm half-tempted to take the 120-minute drive just to enjoy it for a second time. Those on the opposite coast can see Evil Aliens in Los Angeles on September 29th.

I'll bring you more info as I get it, and I'm hoping my fellow gorehounds will enjoy the splatter-fest as much as I did.

Ever notice how you'll often see articles about how "horror is making a comeback!" -- yet you never really see many pieces entitled "Boy, horror is quite unpopular these days!"? That's because there will always be a market for high-end kick-ass horror movies ... at least until something like I Know What You Did Last Summer Part 7: Still Somewhat Aware or a lame-o remake of Prom Night comes along and tosses a bucket of water onto the campfire for a few months.

Every year or two yields a "breakout" hit, be it an indie like Saw or The Blair Witch Project or a teen-friendly multiplexer like The Ring, The Grudge, or ... The Brush. But it seems that the popularity of horror flicks has comes as big shock to the people over at the Cannes Film Festival. The fest itself offers only a small sampling of horror flicks (the Pang Brothers' Re-Cycle is one of 'em), but the surrounding film markets are absolutely crammed with slasher tales, ghost stories, and monster mashes.

This particular Hollywood Reporter piece should make for a fun read if you're a horror geek. The appeal of the genre is, once again, given a fresh spotlight, plus it has some solid interview bites from William (The Exorcist) Friedkin and David (The Fly) Cronenberg. Plus if you act now you just might get the early word on titles like The Living Hell, The Quick and the Undead, and Poultrygeist.

You want the scoop on upcoming horror flicks that deserve some love? Remember these titles: Isolation, Evil Aliens, Reeker, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, and the unbelievable ass-kickage known as The Descent.

My favorite component of any given film festival should be pretty obvious by now. Sundance calls it Park City After Midnight. Toronto calls it Midnight Madness. Over at SXSW, the program's known as 'Round Midnight, and here in the beautiful city of Philadelphia, our local film festival calls it Danger After Dark. No matter what you call the program and no matter what city you happen to be in, any half-decent film festival will always offer a colorful variety of horror flicks, cult-type comedies, and genre fare that's not easily classifiable, but will undoubtedly appeal to the more intrepid movie geeks out there.

So while the Philadelphia Film Festival is obviously not on the same playing field as a Toronto or a Sundance, that doesn't prevent Danger After Dark programmer Travis Crawford from cobbling together one heck of a genre display, year after year. And while it seems unlikely that a professional festival-goer would call the Philly Fest "the finest in the country," there's little denying that the Danger After Dark program gets more exciting (and more popular) with each passing year. Basically what I'm saying is: The festival as a whole is a darn good time, but if genre fare is what you're after, make sure you get down to Philadelphia next April! (We're one of those shiny spots right near New York, Baltimore, and Atlantic City.)

My first Philly Fest was in 2003, and while I was psyched enough to see all the "regular" movies, my eyeballs kept focusing on the Danger After Dark lineup, which back then included titles like Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Dark Water, Eternal Blood, Love Object, Mimic: Sentinel, and Beyond Re-Animator. Nothing too staggering, but I got a good introduction to Chan-wook Park and Hideo Nakata, and a few DTV Dimension titles that, despite common sense, I always get a little psyched for.

Normally the announcement of a title like Pumpkinhead 3: Ashes to Ashes would not warrant a big and excited post here at Cinematical -- mainly because sequels like Pumpkinhead 3 happen all the time, and most of 'em suck hard-boiled eggs. But not all latecoming sequels to semi-forgotten monster movies can claim to have both Lance Henriksen and Doug Bradley on their cast lists ... plus P3 will be directed by a guy named Jake West, and if you haven't seen West's Evil Aliens yet, well, you're in for a huge and splattery treat.

Bradley is known throughout the realm of Horrorland as "the guy who played Pinhead in the brilliant Hellraiser and its gradually lamer series of sequels," while Henriksen is a genre god second only to someone like Bruce Campbell or Joss Whedon. Best known for his performance as the "synthetic human" Bishop in James Cameron's Aliens, Mr. Henriksen has spent much of his career in the horror/sci-fi end of the spectrum. Despite the fact that he's appeared in movies like Dog Day Afternoon, Network, and The Right Stuff, Henriksen's most often recognized as the cop from The Terminator, the daddy vampire from Near Dark, and the cyborg who got ripped in half from Aliens.

Evil Aliens will hit R1 DVD later this year, courtesy of Image Entertainment. Pumpkinhead 3 is currently in production. (And by the way, both Pumpkinhead movies are actually pretty solid. Give 'em a rental if vengeful monsters are your thing.)