If you’re reading this, you’ve probably heard the news: Amicus Productions is rising from the grave with In the Grip of Terror, a portmanteau horror feature in the grand tradition of Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors, Tales from the Crypt, Asylum, and From Beyond the Grave. We’ll be sharing some exciting details about the film — and other projects associated with Amicus, Hex Studios, and the ever-expanding British Horror Studio movement — very soon. But while I have your attention, let’s talk about what we’re building with this website.
Our esteemed president, Lawrie Brewster, and I (along with our devilishly talented web wizard, Shaun Whitson) launched Amicus Horror in 2023 to keep fans updated on our commander-in-chief’s creative projects. Every so often, we’d also speculate about the future of sword-and-sorcery films and dream of a world where Clive Barker remade Godzilla instead of Roland Emmerich — because, let’s be honest, we’d all rather live in that multiverse.
That was all well and good — who doesn’t love oiled up swordsmen and giant monsters? But after a few midnight-hour brainstorming sessions, Lawrie Brewster and I had an epiphany: this website can be so much more. A place to shine a spotlight on the kind of horror and genre fare that other outlets neglect, with a special emphasis on the British independent scene that our studio is proud to be part of.
But are we going mental?
The truth is that online media is in a strange, chaotic state at the moment (and I have the existential dread to prove it). Film coverage, in particular, has been hijacked by ever-shifting algorithms that force outlets to prioritise soulless SEO clickbait over the engaging, thoughtful, and passionate content that once gave gainful employment to so many bearded bloggers like myself. The golden age of weird, insightful, niche film journalism is flickering, but the future doesn’t have to be bleak.
Logic dictates that funding and running a horror news site right now is a terrible idea. Yet here we are. No one expected Amicus Productions to return from the dead, either — especially after numerous industry experts told The Guardian that British film studios are dying. Not only that, but how many studios are ignoring contemporary trends and harkening back to the golden age of British horror cinema?
Not many. But we’re happy to ignore common sense.
Mind you, we aren’t under any illusions — making this a success will require some hard graft and consistency, but we’re ready for it, as we believe in being part of the change we want to see. What’s more, if the legion of fans who support our films tell us anything, it’s that there are folks out there who share our desire to promote independent horror and celebrate the genre’s past. What can I say? We’re romantic souls.
With all of that out of the way, let’s discuss what you can expect from Amicus Horror moving forward.
What to Expect on Amicus Horror
Amicus Horror won’t be just another run-of-the-mill news outlet or an SEO-driven content mill. Our goal is to cover projects that genuinely excite us, engage in meaningful conversations with their creators, and pick their brains (not eat them, I promise).
Bearing that in mind, you can expect to see regular coverage of projects that bubble under the radar or are completely disregarded by the mainstream press. That’s not to say we won’t cover the more popular fare, but without sounding too pompous, we’re all about flying the flag of the underdog.
Still, while living in the here and now is important, we are also interested in exploring what happened yesterday. The new era of Amicus Productions yearns to resurrect a piece of British horror’s past with its films; similarly, this website will dedicate a substantial portion of its editorial calendar to the great horror of yesteryear. As such, you can expect to read lots of articles about Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Vincent Price, and the other icons whose films have become cosy comfort viewing.
That’s not all.
I’m a strong believer in publishing in-depth articles about subjects our writers and readers are passionate about, as opposed to gaining quick clicks from needless negativity, snark, and irresponsible rumour-spreading. To that end, we will be looking to platform talented writers with top-notch insights who bring passion and personality to their work. Keep an eye out for our pitching calls at a later date.
And yes — we will continue to provide updates on all things pertaining to Amicus, Hex, and British Horror Studio. Of course, if you want to be more engaged with our filmmaking pursuits, you can join the British Horror Studio Facebook group and/or Patreon.
I guess this is just a long-winded way of saying Amicus Horror is a labour of love — built by horror fans, for horror fans. Our independent studio is here to usher in a new golden age of British genre cinema, one that the late, great Milton Subotsky, Max Rosenberg, and their peers would tip their hats to. Likewise, this website aims to carve out a niche as a go-to destination for celebrating, promoting, and engaging with the genre we love.
We hope you stick around — because the best is yet to come.
