Though it feels as if this special would have been better prepared for Halloween, The Future of Fear is a fantastic 2 hour special that delves deep into the heart of fear and madness. Along for the ride are the men and women of horror who help create the things that go bump in the night for the big and small screen that have been keeping us cowering in fear for years. Anne Rice (author of Interview With A Vampire), John Landis (director of An American Werewolf In London), George A. Romero (creator of The Living Dead series), Tom Savini (director, special effects artist, and actor) and more come together to share their thoughts on the horror genre and where its going. Narrated by Linda Hamilton (Terminator).

Chances are that anyone who watches this special will instantly recognize most of the horror films that are shown. You’ve got Jaws, Child’s play, Halloween, Friday the 13th, Saw, and more. If your like me you’ll be a bit surprised by some of the speakers. Tom Savini is an actor that I instantly recognized from the film From Dusk Till Dawn, he played a character named Sex Machine, as well as a Deputy in the extremely enjoyable Planet Terror Grindhouse film (both from director Robert Rodriguez). What I was surprised to find is that the man is also the director of the 1990 remake Night of the Living Dead as well as being a make up effects artists on everything from the original Friday the 13th to the bank heist film Killing Zoe. Possibly how he came to star in From Dusk Till Dawn, seeing as how Killing Zoe was Executive Produced by director Quinton Tarantino who both wrote and starred in From Dusk Till Dawn. It seems too coincidental not have been produced from a long building friendship. Also along for the ride is a fully grown Miko Hughes who got his acting career started in the 1989 film Pet Cemetery as Gage Creed, the little boy who dies and is brought back to life by his father, who then goes on a killing spree. Hughes has starred in a ton of films following Pet Cemetery from the failed Spawn film to Tropic Thunder (going unaccredited as a radio DJ in the film). Just so many off surprises from creators we know and love who come off oddball or shed extremely insightful light on their genre playground.

Aside from special guests I loved how the entire special was put together. The clips from each film are backed by invigorating music and edited quotes from the actors, directors, and other in interview clips. John Landis had to have been my favorite, with George A. Romero coming up second, making quirky jokes at his genres expense and really elaborating on some key issues that most movie lovers will have had at the back of their minds for awhile. One segment talks about the use of CGI in films and weather or not its ruining film as we know it. A pet peeve of mine for years. I look at CGI as being what autotune is to the music industry. Directors have gone from creating such masterfully organic pieces of cinematic artistry as the werewolf transformation in Landis’ own American Werewolf in London to creating cartoonish looking menaces in films like The Wolfman or The Mummy which detract from what the characters were meant for, scaring the crap out of their audience. Landis states, “Just because you can have a dozen werewolves running up the ceiling doesn’t mean you should”. Amen to that.

Other segments give tribute to the different genres of killer in cinema from slashers to monsters to the paranormal. As a lover of film I was absolutely in heaven as the presentation moved from Michael Myers to Frankenstein and Dracula to The Exorcist and The Omen. Each segment felt so delicately handled and having the people that made each of them so great involved to give you their opinions and thoughts on what it began as and what its evolving to is a real treat. Sadly it felt like two hours just wasn’t long enough. Okay, so I exaggerate, but I could have gone on listening and watching for another two hours. This program is simply the Holy Bible of horror specials, in my opinion, with so much great stuff packed into two hours with so many people that matter in the whole scheme of things and a treasure trove of information that you may or may not have known about your favorite films or their creators. Absolutely fantastic in my opinion and a must see. Be sure to tune in and as always, enjoy.