Welcome back everyone for the final day of Daily Dead’s 2014 Holiday Gift Guide! Because it’s been an exceptional year for genre fans, we’re focusing today on recapping more books and films that would make for great gifts this holiday season and are perfect for all fans. We’ve also got another great find from over on Etsy and we're celebrating a new subscription service from the fine folks over at Waxworks Records.

And be sure to check out today’s final Holiday Horrors trivia question below for your shot at winning some awesome merchandise from our fine sponsors at HorrorDecor.net, Scream Factory and Anchor Bay Entertainment.

Thanks so much for following along with our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide and I hope you guys had as much fun reading the series as I had putting it together!

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT: Waxwork Records

Waxwork Records specializes in releasing horror, cult and sci-fi cinema scores and have been kicking ass at it for years now. They’re currently selling amazing titles like Re-Animator and Day of the Dead but what’s really awesome is that they recently announced their 2015 subscription service in which subscribers will receive five Waxwork titles, exclusive merchandise, perks and much more over the course of next year. Definitely worth checking out if you or someone you’re shopping for this holiday season are big fans of horror and cult scores.

BOOKS:

Revival: A Novel

This rich and disturbing novel spans five decades on its way to the most terrifying conclusion Stephen King has ever written. It’s a masterpiece from King, in the great American tradition of Frank Norris, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Edgar Allan Poe.

Hidden Horror: A Celebration of 101 Underrated and Overlooked Fright Flicks

101 informed enthusiasts pay homage to their favorite overlooked creature features, moldy oldies and trashy treats, showcasing silent classics (The Man Who Laughs, The Hands of Orlac) and trippy mind-benders (Possession, The Tenant), schlocky shockers (The Gore Gore Girls, The Horror of Party Beach) and foreign freakouts (Ichi the Killer, Santa Sangre). You’ll be combing your queue and video shelves to track down every last one! Discover the Horror…HIDDEN HORROR.

Clive Barker's The Midnight Meat Train: Special Definitive Edition

In 1984, the Books of Blood by Clive Barker were published and quickly gained a following worldwide. Literary eminences like Stephen King noticed early on the creativity and powerful prose throughout the Books of Blood, bringing Clive Barker's stories to the forefront of horror fiction. One of these stories was "The Midnight Meat Train" following one Leon Kaufman as he discovers the origins of a series of grizzly subway train murders in New York City... and the controlling forces behind it all. 

Clive Barker's The Midnight Meat Train Special Definitive Edition brings the original story back with all-new material: a new afterword written by Clive Barker, seven color paintings based on the story by the author, a new introduction by Phil & Sarah Stokes, a foreword by the movie screenplay writer Jeff Buhler, the first complete commercial printing of the movie screenplay, never-before-seen photos, notes, sketches and more. 

Haunted Horror: Comics Your Mother Warned You About

Back from the opened grave are more masterpieces of the macabre from the horror comics of the 1950s. Genius horror artists of the known, such as Jack Cole, Bob Powell, Steve Ditko, and the unknown variety poured their tortured souls into these comics. The best and rarest stories have been chosen with the help of top horror comic collectors, all lovingly restored and presented in full-creepy color.

Heavy Metal Movies

Heavy metal and high-thrill cinema have been joined together like mutant twins since before the band Black Sabbath adopted the name of a chilling Italian horror film. The unadulterated journey of Heavy Metal Movies spans concert movies and trippy midnight flicks, inspirational depictions of ancient times and future apocalypses, and raw handheld digital video obsessions. As brash, irreverent, and visceral as both the music and the movies themselves, Heavy Metal Movies is the ultimate guidebook to the complete molten musical cinema experience.

The Worst of Eerie Publications

Gratuitous gore! Multi-Monster Madness! Bound Beauties! Collected for the first time in a deluxe edition are the comics that deserve it the least: the infamous Eerie Publications' horror comics! Incredibly gory and crazy, the Eerie Pubs pushed the boundaries of good taste with blood-drenched, spine-cracking tales ripped (and redrawn) from the pages of Pre-Code horror comics. And who can forget those nausea-inducing covers? A dirty dozen of deadly, full-color covers are reproduced for your discomfort and revulsion! Featuring illustrated terror by Dick Ayers, Chic Stone, Domingo Mandrafina, the Iger Shop, and many other unsung masters of the morbid, presented in glorious, carefully remastered black and white.

MOVIES:

Box Sets:

Twin Peaks: The Entire Mystery (Paramount, Blu-ray)

On stunning High Definition Blu-ray, Twin Peaks: The Entire Mystery is a comprehensive collection with every episode from the complete television series; both the U.S. and international versions of the series’ Pilot; the North American Blu-ray debut of David Lynch’s follow-up feature Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me; and nearly 90 minutes of deleted and extended scenes from the film.

The Twilight Zone: The Fifth Dimension Complete Series Limited Edition Box Set (Image, DVD)

Rod Serling’s groundbreaking TWILIGHT ZONE Original Series and the classic 1980s Series are together for the first time in THE 5th DIMENSION. The 41-DVD set contains over 20 hours of bonus features including a brand-new documentary with never-before-seen interviews, the American Masters documentary Rod Serling: Submitted for Your Approval, numerous Rod Serling interviews, lectures and appearances as well as interviews with original cast and crew.

Doctor Who: The Matt Smith Years (BBC Home Entertainment, Blu-ray)

Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS. Along with a series of companions, he faces a variety of foes while working to save civilizations, help people and right wrongs. Special features include All the Bonus Features in the Original Releases PLUS: The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Death of the Doctor, 2013 Doctor Who Proms Concert, Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide 50th Anniversary Script to Screen Feature and The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot.

Steven Spielberg: Director’s Collection (Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Blu-ray & DVD)

The Steven Spielberg Director’s Collection showcases a selection of the Academy Award winner’s unforgettable movies filmed for Universal, including his very first TV feature, Duel, and his first theatrical release, The Sugarland Express, and blockbusters such as Jaws, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and Jurassic Park. Steven’s work has captivated audiences worldwide and continue to set the standard for filmmaking. The Director’s Collection contains eight discs, all featuring special features.

For Classic Horror Fans:

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 40th Anniversary Black Maria Edition (MPI Home Video/Dark Sky Films, Blu-ray)

Facing a storm of controversy, censorship, and outcry throughout its troubled release, this masterpiece of horror has stood the test of time to become a landmark motion picture and cultural milestone. To celebrate the film’s 40th anniversary and its enduring ability to scare audiences both new and old, Dark Sky Films proudly presents THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE in an all-new 4k digital transfer and with a newly created 7.1 surround sound mix supervised by Tobe Hooper. Get ready to experience fear in a whole new way.

Countess Dracula (Synapse Films, Blu-ray/DVD)

Considered “one of the more underrated films from the latter days of the Hammer Films dynasty“ (Donald Guarisco,Allmovie.com), Countess Dracula is based on the real-life Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory, a woman accused of torturing and murdering more than 600 girls.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari 4K Restored Version (Kino Lorber, Blu-ray)

In 1920, one brilliant movie jolted the postwar masses and catapulted the movement known as German Expressionism into film history. That movie was The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, a plunge into the mind of insanity that severs all ties with the rational world. This authoritative edition of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a 4K restoration scanned from the (mostly) preserved camera negative at the German Federal Film Archive.

Dracula (1979) (Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Blu-ray/Digital HD with UltraViolet)

Throughout history, Dracula has filled men’s hearts with fear – and the hearts of women with desire. In this stylish production of Bram Stoker’s classic tale, Frank Langella gives an electrifying performance as the bloodthirsty Count Dracula in search for his ultimate bride.

Phantom of the Paradise Collector’s Edition (Scream Factory, Blu-ray)

Phantom Of The Paradise is a ground-breaking cult film favorite from acclaimed writer/director Brian De Palma (Carrie, Dressed To Kill). Paul Williams wrote the acclaimed score for this musical horror classic, and stars as an evil record tycoon haunted and taunted by the disfigured composer Winslow Leach (William Finley, Sisters) he once wronged.

For 80’s Horror Fans:

Scanners (Criterion Collection, Blu-ray/DVD Combo & DVD)

From Criterion Collection comes the Director- Approved Dual-Format Blu-ray and DVD Special Edition Feature of Scanners which includes a new, restored 2K digital film transfer, supervised by director David Cronenberg, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Also included are "The Scanners Way," a new documentary on the film’s special effects, a new interview with actor Michael Ironside, The Ephemerol Diaries, a 2012 interview with actor and artist Stephen Lack, an excerpt from a 1981 interview with Cronenberg on the CBC’s The Bob McLean Show, Stereo (1969)- Cronenberg’s first feature film, trailer and a booklet featuring an essay by critic Kim Newman.

Christmas Evil (Vinegar Syndrome, Blu/DVD Combo & DVD)

Vinegar Syndrome is proud to present Lewis Jackson's cult favorite, Christmas Evil, newly restored in 4k and on Blu-ray for the first time! Special Features include New 4K Restoration From 35mm Elements, Three Commentary Track Options With Director Lewis Jackson, Actor Brandon Maggart And Filmmaker John Waters, Archival Video Interviews With Jackson & Maggart, Deleted Scenes, Actor Screen Tests, Storyboards Gallery, Vintage Test Screening Comment Cards and Original Theatrical Trailer.

Curtains (Synapse Films, Blu-ray & DVD)

Lovingly re-mastered in 2K resolution from original vault materials virtually untouched for over 30 years, CURTAINS makes its high-definition world premiere from Synapse Films. Special Features include The Ultimate Nightmare: The Making Of Curtains – Retrospective, New 5.1 Surround Remix, Audio Commentary With Stars Lesleh Donaldson & Lynne Griffin, Audio Interviews With Producer Peter R. Simpson And Star Samantha Eggar and Theatrical Trailer.

Silent Night, Deadly Night 30th Anniversary Edition (Anchor Bay, Blu-ray)

After his parents are murdered a young tormented teenager goes on a murderous rampage dressed as Santa due to his stay at an orphanage where he was abused by the Mother Superior.

Pumpkinhead (Scream Factory, Blu-ray)

When a group of teenagers inadvertently kill his only son, Ed Harley (Lance Henriksen, Aliens) seeks the powers of a backwoods witch to bring the child back to life. But instead, she invokes ’the pumpkinhead’ (a monstrously clawed demon which, once reborn, answers only to Ed’s bloodlust). But as the creature wreaks it’s slow, unspeakable tortures on the teens, Ed confronts a horrifying secret about his connection to the beast: and realizes that he must find a way to stop its deadly mission before he becomes one with the creature forever.

For Modern Genre Fans:

Housebound (XLRator Media, Blu-ray & DVD)

Kylie Bucknell is forced to return to the house she grew up in when the court places her on home detention. Her punishment is made all the more unbearable by the fact she has to live there with her mother Miriam – a well-intentioned blabbermouth who’s convinced that the house is haunted. Kylie dismisses Miriam’s superstitions as nothing more than a distraction from a life occupied by boiled vegetables & small-town gossip. However, when she too becomes privy to unsettling whispers & strange bumps in the night, she begins to wonder whether she’s inherited her overactive imagination, or if the house is in fact possessed by a hostile spirit who’s not particularly thrilled about her return.

The Battery (Scream Factory, Blu-ray & DVD)

Two former baseball players, Ben (Jeremy Gardner) and Mickey (Adam Cronheim), cut an aimless path across a desolate New England. They stick to the back roads and forests to steer clear of the shambling corpses that patrol the once bustling cities and towns. In order to survive, they must overcome the stark differences in each other’s personalities: Ben embraces an increasingly feral, lawless, and nomadic lifestyle, while Mickey is unable to accept the harsh realities of the new world.

Snowpiercer (Anchor Bay Entertainment, Blu-ray & DVD)

After a failed global-warming experiment, a post-apocalyptic Ice Age has killed off nearly all life on the planet. All that remains of humanity are the lucky few survivors that boarded the Snowpiercer, a train that travels around the globe, powered by a sacred perpetual-motion engine. A class system has evolved aboard the train, fiercely dividing its population—but a revolution is brewing. The lower-class passengers in the tail section stage an uprising, moving car-by-car up toward the front of the train, where the train's creator and absolute authority resides in splendor. But unexpected circumstances lie in wait for humanity’s tenacious survivors...

The Strange Color of Your Body’s Tears (Strand Releasing, Blu-ray & DVD)

From directing duo Hélène Cattet & Bruno Forzani (AMER), comes this homage to the masters of classic Italian Giallo horror. Dan returns home to find his wife is missing. With no signs of struggle or break-in and with no help from the police, Dan's search for answers leads him down a psychosexual rabbit hole. THE STRANGE COLOR OF YOUR BODY'S TEARS is a bloody and taut fantasia of suspense that leaves the viewer entranced in this highly original erotic thriller. 

Only Lovers Left Alive (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Blu-ray & DVD)

The tale of two fragile and sensitive vampires, Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton), who have been lovers for centuries. Both are cultured intellectuals with an all-embracing passion for music, literature and science, who have evolved to a level where they no longer kill for sustenance, but still retain their innate wildness. Their love story has endured several centuries but their debauched idyll is threatened by the uninvited arrival of Eve’s carefree little sister Ava (Mia Wasikowska) who hasn’t yet learned to tame her wilder instincts. Driven by sensual photography, trance-like music, and droll humor, Jim Jarmusch’s ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE is a meditation on art, science, and the mysteries of everlasting love.

FOUND ON ETSY: Horror-Inspired Jewelry

For our final day, we’re putting the spotlight on the Alternative Jewelry shop which creates some beautiful and unique jewelry gifts that celebrates the horror genre and the classic movies we all love. They’re entire collection is really great but a few items in particular caught my eye, including this Hellriaser necklace, a Nightmare on Elm Street inspired pendant, this fun Doctor Who necklace set and for you Jack Skellington fans, check out this adorable Nightmare Before Christmas charm bracelet.

HOLIDAY HORRORS TRIVIA:

What two movies are playing at the Kingston Falls’ theater that are billed on the marquee during the opening of Gremlins?

*Submit your answer to contest@dailydead.com with the subject line “Holiday Horrors Trivia 11″

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Don’t forget to catch up on the rest of our Holiday Gift Guide:

  • Heather Wixson
    About the Author - Heather Wixson

    Heather A. Wixson was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, until she followed her dreams and moved to Los Angeles in 2009. A 14-year veteran in the world of horror entertainment journalism, Wixson fell in love with genre films at a very early age, and has spent more than a decade as a writer and supporter of preserving the history of horror and science fiction cinema. Throughout her career, Wixson has contributed to several notable websites, including Fangoria, Dread Central, Terror Tube, and FEARnet, and she currently serves as the Managing Editor for Daily Dead, which has been her home since 2013. She's also written for both Fangoria Magazine & ReMind Magazine, and her latest book project, Monsters, Makeup & Effects: Volume One will be released on October 20, 2021.