HORROR TATTOOS: Part 1. Interview with actor ALMOST HUMAN's Josh Ethier

Horror fans tend to wear their love on the genre on their sleeves; quite literally, in the case of Joe Begos and Josh Ethier, the creative pair behind Midnight Madness' Almost Human. We caught up Josh for a little bit of show and tell about his impressive horror-themed tattoo sleeve.

Midnight Madness Blog: From what I can tell from these photos, you've got a sleeve combining iconic elements from The Thing, Fright Night, Halloween, Evil Dead and Cronenberg's version of The Fly going on. Is there a common thread between these films that made you choose them for your arm?

Josh Ethier: The common thread is that these were films that grabbed me on a first viewing, and still haven't let go. Films that when I first saw them, I had to watch 4 times that week, because I couldn't believe what I was seeing. And aside from STREET TRASH, each film on my arm was released before I was born. But we'll give STREET TRASH a pass, I was six months old when it was released!

MMB: I notice that you've combined poster art/imagery (The Thing, Halloween, Fright Night) as well as actual scenes from the movies (The Fly, Evil Dead). Was this decision purely esthetic?

JE: I started with the poster for THE THING on the back of the arm, followed by a prominent FRIGHT NIGHT placement right next to it. But I quickly realized I was going to need some smaller pieces to start piecing the puzzle together, and make it work better as a sleeve. Plus, as much as I like the poster for AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, it nowhere near as cool as Rick Baker's final creature design growling out of my t-shirt every time I reach for something.

MMB: As popular as tattoos have become, why do you suppose we still don't see a whole lot of them on actors in films?

JE: I think the main reason is because they need to be covered up. I had to get my entire left arm and chest covered for Almost Human. The only ones we left were the smaller, nondescript pieces on my right arm that the character could've possibly had. I'm not sure that Mark Fisher would've had a HALLOWEEN, PHANTASM or TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE tattoo.

MMB:  Would you like to plug your artist?

JE: Absolutely! All the work on the horror arm was done by Mr. Monster, who currently works out of The Electric Pen in North Hollywood, California. We've been working on it in between jobs, and I'm anxious to get rid of the rest of the blank space! Hopefully be back for TIFF '14 with some new pieces!

Read part 2 here. Check out Almost Human, premiering Tuesday night at Midnight Madness!

ALMOST HUMAN Screening Times:

Tuesday, Sept 10th, 11:59 PM RYERSON

Wednesday, Sept 11th, 7:15 PM SCOTIABANK 3

Friday, Sept 13th, 2:30 PM SCOTIABANK 9

Top 5 CANADIAN HORROR Films

Canada is no stranger to scares, and Midnight Madness is proud to showcase homegrown horror as part of our programming. Before The Afflicted debuts tonight, we thought we'd come up with a list of the top 5 horror films that make us proud to be Canadian.

#5 - Father’s Day (2011)

When Canadian up-and-comers Astron-6 teamed up with horror heavyweight Troma, the brual and hilarious Father's Day was born. Premiering at the Toronto After Dark film festival in 2011 with another feature Manborg, Father's Day blew audiences away with a unique blend of horror and politically incorrect humor.
 
#4 - Pontypool (2009)

Snow. Sleet. Zombies. Everything Canadians have come to fear get mashed together in Bruce McDonald’s adaptation of Tony Burgess’ zombie fever dream of a novel. Set in the tiny town of Pontypool, Ontario (look it up on a map, it's seriously tiny) Pontypool combines the bleakness of Canadian winters with the claustrophobia of being trapped by a zombie onslaught.

#3 - Cube (1997)

Vincenzo Natali's first feature film Cube was filmed with a modest budget but an overwhleming surplus of creativity and creep factor. The novel concept and simplistic execution made the film a cult hit, and endures as one of Canada's most talked-about cinematic exports.

#2 - The Fly (1986)
David Cronenberg's 1986 adaptation of the classic sci-fi tale The Fly is often cited as the best example of a remake done right. The special effects are astonishing, but it's the chemistry between costars and then real-life couple Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum make the film a harrowing emotional experience that sets the film apart from its kind.

#1 - Black Christmas (1974)

Bob Clark's holiday classic Black Christmas put Canadian horror on the map. Credited as the first film to define the slasher subgenre, Black Christmas is also said to have been the inspiration behind John Carpenter's Halloween.

Don't miss what could be the latest contribution to this list! The Afflicted premiers tonight, only at Midnight Madness!

THE AFFLICTED Screening Times:
Monday, Sept 9th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Wednesday, Sept 11th, 8:45 PM SCOTIABANK 9