Sounds like you went through a similar “discovery” period as me. Great articulate comment too. You should consider submitting a guest post to the site. :)

Sometime later I discovered the internet and suddenly a whole new world opened up. I found out about the Italian horror boom of the 70’s and 80’s- Cannibal Holocaust and Fulci; learning what the Asian market was up to-Battle Royale, Ringu and the CAT III films from Hong Kong; and of course “lost” classics from here at home-Night Tide, Carnival of Souls and Spider Baby. These “discoveries” rekindled my love for horror. So in late 2002 (or even earlier in Rob Zombie’s case) when news items started trickling out, featuring an intriguing slate of upcoming horror films.

I remeber being excited in early 2003 that I was finally going to be able to go view House of 1000 Corpses in a real theatre, and have an experience not unlike the grindhouse aesthetic Zombie was trying to recreate. I actually bought the soundtrack CD the week before. I was pumped for the film. Unfortunately, the night before I was due to see it, I stayed up drinking a case of beer and watched DeadAlive. Thankfully the showing wasn’t untill 1pm or so, but I was hung the fuck over. I don’t know if that tainted my initial viewing, but I was not impressed. Oh well.

In late June, I was able to catch the Lionsgate’s import High Tension. The promotion really sold this for me: an old school, video nasty slasher. Man, I was there. A nice balmy night, a few drinks (memories of Blood Rage), I was set for some reto grade gore. I loved it.

As the year went on I caught up with Freddy vs Jason (which your thoughts eloquate mine precisely) and in September I saw the debut of Eli Roth, Cabin Fever. I so wanted to love that movie (come on, he got KNB to do the F/X and actually put in a couple of David Hess songs), but after several viewings I realize the movie is not all that memorable. I actally like Spring Fever better (oy, if this has been successful, how different would Ti West’s career be…well maybe not that different, but perhaps we’d get more “fun” films from him.)

Well, sorry about the bloat (I’d actually add Wrong Turn, but I didn’t catch that one untill much later on video), but I guess it’s all your fault for reminding me how much 2003 resparked my interest in horror :)

Thanks for these articles…

Also…KILL BILL VOL 1