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Well, it's just about 'All Hallows Eve' and if you're anything like me, then you have already depleted your candy supply and you've been watching as many horror movies as you can get your hands on. And as I've watched everything from The Wolf Man to 13 Ghosts I've been thinking how few movies actually scare me -- the rise of torture porn was nauseating, sure, but scary? Not really. Over at Den of Geek they've compiled a list of movies that scare them and it has inspired me to think about what flicks have given me the honest to goodness heebie-jeebies over the years.

Usually when I watch horror, it's with an eye for comedy and usually the lamer the film, the better. But occasionally there's a film that actually does what it's supposed to: scare the crap out of me. But as much as I tried to find a common denominator for what scares me on the big screen, I came up empty. In fact, there's never really any way to tell just what is going to hit the right buttons when it comes to horror, but I guess that's what makes it so much fun.

After the jump: 5 movies that guarantee me a 'bad night's sleep'...

If you were one of the people who thought that another Scream movie was a bad idea (and who could blame you after the train wreck that was Scream 3), there might be a ray of hope...but I have to stress might. Over at Cinema Blend, their 'reliable source' is telling them that the man himself, Wes Craven, will return to direct the latest installment in the horror franchise.

It had been reported that Craven would be involved in some capacity with the film back when the project was first green lit, but you have to wonder what might have convinced him to get behind the camera. Maybe it was all down to nostalgia and he wanted to get together with the old gang, or maybe it was Kevin Williamson's spec script. One thing is for sure, the big empty spot in his schedule since finishing 25/8 probably wouldn't hurt either. (By the way, 25/8 was just re-named My Soul to Take.)

Back in July, there were hints that the film was going to be a complete reboot, but once we found out that Neve Campbell and the Arquette-Coxes would be returning, a straight remake seemed unlikely. So this all sounds like any Scream fan's dream come true, right? You've got the original director, screenwriter, and cast all involved. Well, not so fast, because according to Cinema Blend's sources (and Erik's prediction), the original cast will only be appearing in cameos, and that they will be handing the reigns over to a new group of teens/cannon fodder -- and by handing over the reigns, I mean horribly murdered before the opening credits have rolled.

Do you think there's hope for Scream IV if Craven does direct, and would you be disappointed if the original cast didn't stick around? Sound off in the comments...

Oh, good, as long as they have the most important cast members on board, I'm sure a new Scream sequel will become essential viewing. (Not!) Yup, Dewey and Gale, the cop and the reporter. David Arquette claims that he and Courtney Cox are definitely on board for Scream 4, according to Marc Malkin of E! Online.

Arquette is excited for personal reasons: "I fell in love with my wife on Scream, so the opportunity to bring [Dewey] back to life and for my wife to play that really bitchy character again, it's just going to be really fun," he said. Kevin Williamson is writing the script with all his characters, even though Neve Campbell has so far refused the idea of playing Sidney Prescott. Of course, everyone wants Wes Craven to return to the director's chair.

Read the rest at Horror Squad

Can a horror movie have a political agenda? Well, that was the question I asked myself after reading '15 Horror Movies Socialists Could Love''. So as I started to think back to all the hacking and slashing I'd seen over the years, I looked for some some pattern or connection between what I choose at the box-office and what I do at the polling station -- and what did I come up with? Well, I'll get to that, but first I wanted to take a moment to look back at some of the films that have gained a reputation with critics and fans alike as movies with a so-called conservative or liberal state of mind:

'Red State Horror':

Friday the 13th (1980)
Conservatives supposedly love this movie because it's all about no-good kids getting what they deserve. Sexy teens don't stand a chance in this franchise from the moment they take a drink, get high, or get naked. Plus, it's one of the few horror films with a moral about the importance of a good work ethic.

Frankenstein
It's science vs. religion in the story of a man who presumes to know more than God...and I think we all remember how that turns out.

Lost Boys
Family values are all over this one, and when a divorced mom pays more attention to a her love life than her two sons, look what happens. So even with a pot-smoking grandpa, plenty of critics agree that this film is all about Regan's America and the triumph of family over no-good, rock n' roll loving, motorcycle-driving youth gangs.

Tremors
2nd Amendment fans praise this tale of a band of locals fending off giant worms and the gun-toting survivalists that help save the day -- Take that Brady Bill!

Check out the rest at HorrorSquad!

As a culture, we tend to recycle our stories, and no, not always out of laziness or a need for one big opening weekend (though that plays an increasing part). No, the old and the familiar play out time and time again because their conflicts and themes resonate across generations, and because the scenario at hand might lend itself to more apt commentary as time passes and people change. In terms of genre, rarely does this seem more common than with tragedies, and in turn, horror films in particular have a habit of bringing the boogeymen back to haunt us. That's the reason zombies won't stay dead. That's the reason body snatchers insist on invading. And that might be the reason why a fourth incarnation of The Last House on the Left is now willing -- and able -- to force itself upon our collective conscience.

It's been nearly three four decades since Wes Craven made his mark on the horror scene with The Last House on the Left, and he's recently grown more adept at merely producing remakes of his own work, such as 2006's take on The Hills Have Eyes -- which I found to be a perfectly nasty piece of work (yes, that's a compliment).

Well, at the risk of sounding completely and utterly immoral, I find myself similarly intrigued by this new trailer (watch below or over on Apple) for this new take on Last House, in which Sara Paxton gets seriously bullied by some local punks, who in turn unwittingly seek refuge with understandably vengeful parents Monica Potter and Tony Goldwyn. Scott, our resident horror-hound whose assessment of the original I happen to agree with (overrated, though not without merit), had this much to say after watching the trailer: "Uhh, motel room? She survives? Microwave? Eep. Nice to see Tony Goldwyn getting work, though."

Okay, I'll give him the somewhat silly microwave bit, but other than that, I think this looks like an interesting enough revenge thriller that doesn't totally upend the original. And kudos to Rogue Pictures or whoever they have handle their trailers -- the ones for this, The Strangers, and The Unborn work pretty well, even when the final films*cough*Unborn*cough*don't.

Whoa-whoa-oh, sweet trailer of mine...

Producer Scott Faye is keeping the faith -- but fans of the Electronic Arts video game American McGee's Alice will have to wait an indeterminate amount of time to see a movie version. According to McGee's own blog (and thanks to Shock for the tip), Mr. Faye has announced that Universal has placed the project into turnaround -- which essentially means it's comatose until another backer snags the property. (IF another backer snags the property.)

Here's what the producer had to say: "Jon and Erich Hoeber have written a very compelling feature film screenplay adaptation of the Alice game. Their screenplay will certainly serve as a jumping off point as we find a new studio home for the project. In terms of the realistic chances of seeing the Alice project being produced, all I can say is that I have invested (along with Julie Yorn and Karen Lauder, my producing partners on the project) a lot of time and effort in this project. We will get it made." Just not at Universal, unfortunately. Earlier reports indicated that actress Sarah Michelle Gellar and director Marcus Nispel were attached to the project, but as Inspector Clouseau used to say "Notennymore."

For those who are unfamiliar with American McGee's Alice (I really should play this game already), it's sort of a dark semi-sequel to Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (or Alice in Wonderland, if you prefer). Filmmakers previously (and temporarily?) attached to the project include director Wes Craven, screenwriter John August, and actress Jean Marsh. (Thanks to Wiki for the reminders.) So to those who've played (and hopefully enjoyed) this video game, here's my question: Who should direct the thing?

So much for Henry Lee Hopper's acting debut. While Dennis' offspring had signed on for a part in Wes Craven's 25/8 at the end of March, not even a month later, he's unfortunately out. In a really crappy bit of luck, Hopper has been brought down by mononucleosis. Poor dude. With that looming actors strike, Craven can't wait, so The Hollywood Reporter posts that they've got a more recognizable replacement for the would-be actor -- Max Thieriot.

The young actor is definitely doing a decent job finding roles to balance out his family fare gigs. While he's had parts in The Pacifier and The Astronaut Farmer, played Ned Nickerson in Nancy Drew, and has a place in the upcoming Kit Kittredge flick, he's just popped on the big screen in Jumper, has a part in Driving Lessons, and now may meet his death on the big screen. Thieriot will play one of seven fifteen-year-old kids who are haunted by a serial killer who was said to have died on the day they were born.

We've known about Wes Craven's 25/8 -- which will mark the first time he's written and directed a film since 1994's New Nightmare -- for a couple of months now. The horror film will follow seven fifteen-year olds who are haunted by a serial killer who supposedly died on the day they were born. (As Scott pointed out when the project was announced, this sounds a little familiar.) Now, the Hollywood Reporter tells us who'll be playing some of the teenagers: Denzel Whitaker (The Great Debaters), Shareeka Epps (Half Nelson), Emily Meade (the upcoming Assassination of a High School President) and, maybe most interestingly, Henry Lee "Little Dennis" Hopper, making his acting debut.

The Hollywood Reporter article actually has a neat little profile of Dennis Hopper's son, whom Craven met at a party and invited to audition for the film. It makes a point of emphasizing how surprisingly not-screwed-up Henry Lee has turned out to be, despite growing up with one of Hollywood's craziest personalities. The elder Hopper's career is hard to top for sheer weirdness, but a Wes Craven movie is probably a good place to start.

I know, I know, Wes Craven's always got a few projects on the burner, right? But it looks like he's finally settled into the director's chair again -- this time on a Rogue / Universal horror (oh, sorry, thriller) flick called, strangely enough, 25/8, (I assume it's a play on the phrase "24 / 7," as in "That Weinberg dude is watching horror movies 24 / 7" -- or maybe it means August 25 in the UK. I have no idea.

According to Variety, 25/8 represents Mr. Craven's "first original horror script since 1994's New Nightmare," which is a specious way of skipping over the fact that Craven co-wrote last year's Hills Have Eyes 2 AND that atrocious Pulse remake. It will be his first directorial feature since 2005, when he gave us both Red Eye (yay) and Cursed (boo). The source indicates that "the film unveils a signature villain, a serial killer who turns up 15 years after his purported death, to kill the seven children born on that fateful night." Gee, not straying all that far from Elm Street, eh?

For his part, Mr. Craven says "It's more a thriller than slasher film, and revolves around a young kid with a very dark past involving his family and his father." Regarding those remakes, he will be involved with the Last House on the Left re-do, but not so much on Platinum Dunes' Freddy re-fit.

Oh, and in slightly-related horror news, Rogue has found a director for their remake of George Romero's The Crazies: Breck Eisner, who last gave us Sahara.