Dual Interview Fatally-Yours and Revenant Magazine!

By Revenant Magazine and Fatally Yours

Today we have the gore-met brains of our friend Sarah (known under her writing moniker as Fatally Yours) from Fatally-Yours on the menu! Us horror journalists need to stick together and I know I’d want Sarah on my side if the dead begin to rise…on with the show!

Revenant: When did Fatally-Yours begin and why did you choose to create a website dedicated to the horror genre?

Fatally Yours: It’s an interesting story, because I didn’t really start taking horror movies seriously until a few years ago in college. I’ve always loooooved horror, but I was never a hardcore fan until I took a film class in college that was all about the genre. Our professor, Mark Steensland (who’s incidentally created some of his own horror films) had us watch classics like Nosferatu, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Suspiria as well as more recent fare like Hideo Nakata’s Dark Water. It really opened my eyes to a whole new world of horror.

That same year, which was my senior year of college, I had to write my thesis…so of course I chose to write it on Tobe Hooper’s classic (and my favorite horror film) The Texas Chain Saw Massacre!

After college, I continued to watch more and more horror films and Fatally-Yours.com was a way for me to discuss their merits and faults with others. I also found that there were precious few women out there covering the horror genre, so I set out to change that! Big inspirations were Heidi Martinuzzi from Pretty-Scary.net and Stacie Ponder from Final Girl. After starting the site, with big help from my geek-chic designer, Jonathan Harriot, it just grew and grew until I finally had to seek out other staff members!

Revenant: Can you tell us a little about the Fatally-Yours staff/writers? You have some GREAT reviewers!

Fatally Yours: Yes, all the writers are absolutely fantastic! I couldn’t do it without them and they all impress me every day with their writing talents. See, with Fatally-Yours.com, I wanted to create a place where horror fans could intelligently discuss horror films and shed light on lost classics or independent films that not many had heard of, as well as covering the more popular horror movies. I wanted to bring smart writers together to do just that! Anytime I saw an excellent writer on a blog or on Myspace, I’d ask if they wanted a bigger audience to share their reviews with! I’ve always got my eyes peeled for new, horror-lovin’ writing talent who are doin’ it, as our motto says, “for the love of horror!”

Revenant: The horror genre is ever-evolving and in the past few years has been almost reinvented by crafty new directors and writers. In your opinion, who are some of the current horror revolutionists?

Fatally Yours: Oh, there are so many! I really love what both Alexander Aja and Neil Marshall are doing for the genre. Aja blew me away with his Haute Tension and actually improved upon the original when he remade The Hills Have Eyes. I can’t wait to check out what he does next, especially with Mirrors. I have loved all of Neil Marshall’s films and really think he will continue to do great things.

I’ve also had the pleasure of seeing many talented indie filmmakers’ works. Its exciting to see others’ perceptions of fear and different ways in which new filmmakers are hoping to scare their audience. There are a multitude of indie filmmakers that are just getting started and I can’t wait to see how they evolve to change the face of horror!

Revenant: If you had to fight one famous horror icon, who would you fear the most and why?

Fatally Yours: Ever since I was little and read Stephen King’s IT I’ve been scared of Pennywise. The fact that Pennywise can kill you by turning into your worst fear has always been much scarier to me than any crazed slasher. And its guise of a clown…ugh, I’ve never liked clowns since!!

Revenant: The horror market has also dipped to some lows by rehashing or overextending the lives of some of the classic franchises. How do you feel about Hollywood cashing in on the popularity of older titles and characters?

Fatally Yours: I have to say, they are pretty smart because they are just raking in the dough. Smart, but soulless. The “remakes” or “reimagings” seem so pointless to me…they are usually vapid, shallow takes on the original film that do it no justice. I will say that Aja’s remake of The Hills Have Eyes is one BIG exception, where the remake actually improved the original. I wish they were all like that, but sadly that is more the very rare exception rather than the rule.

Revenant: There has also been a ton of great horror fiction in the past few years, what are some of your favorite horror books of the past few years until now?

Fatally Yours: I usually stick to the indie market, even when it comes to books because I’m usually watching films! Last year, though, I read John Dies at the End by David Wong and it was a totally bizarre, exhilarating experience! The book is an action-packed and horror-filled book that spews hilarious and inappropriate humor at every turn. I also read Joseph D’Lacey’s novel called Meat, which completely changed my life! It’s a very complex, very horrific novel about a town that slaughters their “Chosen” for food…but they don’t know the full extent of just what they are eating. I credit this book with being a major influence on me going vegan…it’s that powerful! And just last week I read our staff member Gabrielle Faust’s new novel Eternal Vigilance and it just blew me away! It is a very elegantly written vampire story set in a war-torn post-apocalyptic world that has plenty of twists and turns to reinvent the vampire genre!

Revenant: How do you feel about other horror sites out there? Do you feel like we’re all amiable or are there some sites out there that won’t give you the time of day?

Fatally Yours: The horror crowd in general is a pretty amiable bunch and we LOVE our own kind, so the majority of other horror sites out there are completely kick ass! We are all doing it for the love of horror and should definitely support one another. You can never have too many horror-lovin’ fiends!

Revenant: What are some of your favorite horror films and why are they your favorites?

Fatally Yours: My all-time favorite is Texas Chain Saw Massacre. I saw it for the first time in high school and I was traumatized for days afterward. It is such a visceral punch when you first see it…I almost wish I could go back in time just so I could see it again for the first time because its effect the first time around is so devastating!! I also watched it at least 100 times while writing my thesis and never got bored. I’m also a huge fan of Suspiria for all the beautiful murder set pieces it showcases, the underrated Ginger Snaps for its refreshing take on the werewolf genre and I still think Return of the Living Dead is the best zombie film ever! You can’t beat its comedy and gross-out factor! I’ve got so many favorites (Blood and Black Lace! Suicide Club! Audition!), that it would take a while to go through each and every one. I can never pick just a few to talk about!

Revenant: How do you feel about the recent explosion of foreign horror films? What are some titles that you think are defining the genre?

Fatally Yours: I adore foreign horror. It usually brings us something we’ve never seen before and offers new ways to scare us. The one thing I don’t like is that Hollywood feels the need to remake and capitalize on every foreign horror movie that’s successful. Why not just release the original in theaters? It’s always so much better than the original anyway!

As for titles that are defining the genre, I don’t really think that any one defines the horror genre. Each brings something new and different, for which I am grateful for, but to pick just one or two would be shortsighted. The horror genre is forever expanding and growing, and each year brings us exciting new perspectives.

Revenant: The zombie apocalypse has come, which undead celebrity or public figure would you fear most?

Fatally Yours: Well, they are all pretty brainless to begin with, so I don’t see much difference between them being alive and undead!

Revenant: Do you have any formal writing experience?

Fatally Yours: Yes, I was always interested in writing growing up and I love writing essays! Such a geek, right? But I love it…I followed my dream by graduating from Vanguard University in Southern California with a BA in Communications.

Revenant: What is the creepiest film you have ever seen?

Fatally Yours: I find that a lot of Asian films creep me out…when I first saw Ju-On I thought it was the creepiest film I had ever seen. Of course, then came the deluge of remakes and similar scares that all but ruined the creepiness of these types of horror film.

I also love the more subtle creepiness that old black and white horror films seem to have. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is an amazing example that ups the “creepy” factor with its stunning visuals and multiple twists.

On the other side of the spectrum, I think that Head Trauma, a recent independent film by Lance Weiler, is one of the most effectively creepy films I have ever seen!! I saw it a year or two ago, but I still remember it being a jolting experience.

Revenant: What are some films that you’re looking forward to?

Fatally Yours: I cannot wait for Repo! The Genetic Opera!! I love the decadence and drama of musicals, and horror musicals are the absolute best! I also can’t wait to see Midnight Meat Train this summer, which looks absolutely wicked. I’m eagerly awaiting Dexter Season 2 to come out on DVD as well. But there are so, so many horror flicks I’m looking forward to that I’ll limit myself to mentioning just those!

Revenant: Outside the world of horror, what kind of films and books do you enjoy?

Fatally Yours: There’s a world outside of horror??!! What?? All jokes aside, I love smart indie films that err on the dark side, like The Doom Generation, The Virgin Suicides, Igby Goes Down, etc. and quirky television shows like Dead Like Me. I love books that talk about veganism and saving the Earth and of course anything having to do with October 31st, Halloween!!

Revenant: What are your goals for Fatally-Yours in the future?

Fatally Yours: I just want to keep doing what we’ve always done – giving honest, straightforward reviews to readers and doing it “For the Love of Horror!”

To Read the Fatally Yours interview of Revenant's EIC Geoff Bough click the banner below!