Matt Konopka
@werematt.bsky.social
Staff writer at Dread Central and certified horror fanatic. Bylines at: Arrow Video, Umbrella, Daily Grindhouse and Manor Vellum. Reviews at KillerHorrorCritic.com. He/him
Wrote about my love of Tobe Hooper’s Texas Chain Saw Massacre and why we can’t get enough of Texas Chain Saw Day (August 18th)
Remembering a Masterpiece of Horror: Why We Celebrate August 18th, Texas Chain Saw Day
Matt Konopka looks at Texas Chain Saw Day, August 18th, and why it matters to fans as a day to celebrate Tobe Hooper's 'Texas Chain Saw'.
dreadcentral.com
Manor Vellum 300 | Misunderstood Monsters: Armed and Ready WEAPONS by Matt Konopka @werematt.bsky.social 🩸📜 manorvellum.medium.com/misunderstoo... 4/7
Misunderstood Monsters: Armed and Ready WEAPONS
By Matt Konopka
manorvellum.medium.com
... @werematt.bsky.social looks back 40 years at @stephenking.bsky.social's Maximum Overdrive @dreadcentral.bsky.social, @horrordna.bsky.social look at scientific realism in modern horror, and @alexpuncekar.bsky.social sits with Chloe Lauter to talk The Flayed Man @nightmare-magazine.com! Enjoy!! 👻
For me, Maximum Overdrive is much more than just a box office disaster from Stephen King. Wrote about why for the film’s 40th.
Maximum Chaos: Forty Years of Stephen King’s ‘Maximum Overdrive’
For its fortieth anniversary, Matt Konopka takes a look back at Stephen King's diesel-fueled directorial debut, 'Maximum Overdrive'.
dreadcentral.com
For me, Maximum Overdrive is much more than just a box office disaster from Stephen King. Wrote about why for the film’s 40th.
Maximum Chaos: Forty Years of Stephen King’s ‘Maximum Overdrive’
For its fortieth anniversary, Matt Konopka takes a look back at Stephen King's diesel-fueled directorial debut, 'Maximum Overdrive'.
dreadcentral.com
I had already been planning on writing about POSSESSION for its 45th anniversary but the loss of Sam Neill changed my approach greatly. What I ❤️ about this film is that no 2 viewings are the same so I wrote about that here & so much more: from-the-desk-of-the-horror-chick.ghost.io/45-years-lat...
45 Years Later: Andrzej Żuławski's Possession
Exploring horror, film, and pop culture, all while celebrating the creators, history, and artistry that keep the genre alive.
from-the-desk-of-the-horror-chick.ghost.io
The Devil’s Mouth is out today on Prime. I liked it! Solid shark horror in the vein of 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, anchored by a strong dynamic between Kathryn Newton and Lana Condor’s characters. Got to sit down with Newton and talk a bit about it the other day:
Kathryn Newton on ‘The Devil’s Mouth’ and the Characters She Plays: “I Think My Superpower is Saying Yes and then Making It Good”
Matt Konopka sits down with star Kathryn Newton to discuss 'The Devil Mouth' and the difficulties of aquatic horror.
dreadcentral.com
This one hurts. Can’t say enough how much Russell’s Dream Warriors and The Blob meant to me growing up 🖤
Chuck Russell, the Director of 'Dream Warriors' and 'The Blob', Has Passed Away at 74
The team at Dread is deeply saddened to report that Chuck Russell, director of 'Dream Warriors' and 'The Blob', has passed away.
dreadcentral.com
Was lucky enough to get a look at the first 18 minutes of Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil, and look…it may only have been 18 minutes, but they were some of the most entertaining 18 minutes I’ve seen from the franchise films. We might finally have a banger Resident Evil movie coming our way.
'Resident Evil' Preview Footage Recap: Zach Cregger Promises 'Unrelenting' Experience in Terror
Matt Konopka has the details on a 'Resident Evil' footage preview, where Zach Cregger promised an "unrelenting" experience in terror.
dreadcentral.com
I'm ecstatic over the news that we're finally getting a new Nightmare on Elm Street, so I put together a list of filmmakers I'd like to see take on the project for Dread. Who do you all want to see get behind the camera?
Dream Warriors: Six Filmmakers Who Should Direct the Next 'A Nightmare on Elm Street'
With the news that a new 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' movie is on the way, Matt Konopka looks at six filmmakers who could be up for the task.
dreadcentral.com
Watched a preview of The End of Oak Street with David Robert Mitchell & J.J. Abrams. Saw about ten minutes, but it was the sort of fun, tense & scary dinosaur thrill ride I’ve been craving. Jurassic Park meets the suburban family terror of Poltergeist. Superb camerawork, too. Stoked to see the rest.
#MustRead horror Monday was yesterday while I was flying home. This week: Ava Morwood gives @gnofhorror.com the lowdown on the dark side of mermaids, @themckelsey.bsky.social selects 4 terrifying new indie/small press reads @the-line-up.bsky.social ... 1/?
Bob Pastorella@bobpastorella.com · 3w agoKick the week off right with the 5 must read horror articles online, curated by @kevharrison.bsky.social, only at @thisishorror.bsky.social!
Today should have been the 47th birthday of legendary Australian film critic and one of my closest friends Lee Gambin, but the dumb bitch couldn't stick the landing and went and fucken died on us. Here's my obit from Fangoria a few years ago: it'd be an honour if you took a moment to remember him ❤️
We Can Be Who We Are: Lee Gambin, 1979-2024
Like many people who had the privilege of knowing Lee Gambin, I have spent the last few days going over some of his film writing I had somehow forgotten
fangoria.com
“What Weapons asks us to understand is that there are monsters behind the scenes, those who gleefully profit in some way off death and destruction.” Manor Vellum 300 | Misunderstood Monsters: Armed and Ready WEAPONS By Matt Konopka @werematt.bsky.social Now available 🩸📜 medium.com/@manorvellum...
Hey everyone- in my initial essay on Brian De Palma, I covered CARRIE in there to a degree. But I’ve been watching CARRIE a lot lately so I decided over the last few weeks to go deeper, so I did: from-the-desk-of-the-horror-chick.ghost.io/first-blood-... Open to free/paid subs - shares appreciated!
First Blood: Carrie, Womanhood, and the Rise of Brian De Palma's "Red Period"
Exploring horror, film, and pop culture, all while celebrating the creators, history, and artistry that keep the genre alive.
from-the-desk-of-the-horror-chick.ghost.io
Evil Dead Burn rages like the fires of Hell, a total assault on the audience and the most vicious Evil Dead yet. My review at Dread:
Review: 'Evil Dead Burn' Assaults the Senses as the Most Vicious 'Evil Dead' Yet!
Matt Konopka reviews 'Evil Dead Burn', letting you know why it's arguably the most vicious 'Evil Dead' film yet.
dreadcentral.com
Evil Dead Burn rages like the fires of Hell, a total assault on the audience and the most vicious Evil Dead yet. My review at Dread:
Review: 'Evil Dead Burn' Assaults the Senses as the Most Vicious 'Evil Dead' Yet!
Matt Konopka reviews 'Evil Dead Burn', letting you know why it's arguably the most vicious 'Evil Dead' film yet.
dreadcentral.com
“When we're too busy fighting in the streets and not paying attention, it makes it easier for the bank robbers to rob a bank.” New 🩸 on the membrane from Matt Konopka @werematt.bsky.social. Friday! 7/10/26 6:00AMET manorvellum.com
I’ll never forget the energy of seeing Evil Dead (2013) with a crowd opening weekend. For Dread, I wrote about how the film paved an exciting way forward for the franchise
Not Dead by Dawn: How 'Evil Dead' (2013) Paved a New Way Forward for the Franchise
Matt Konopka looks back at Fede Alvarez's gruesome, grimy and gross 'Evil Dead' (2013) and how it paved a new way forward for the franchise.
dreadcentral.com
Awful to hear about Louise Lasser passing. Adore her in Blood Rage. Annual Thanksgiving watch of it is going to hit a lot different this year 💔
I’ll never forget the energy of seeing Evil Dead (2013) with a crowd opening weekend. For Dread, I wrote about how the film paved an exciting way forward for the franchise
Not Dead by Dawn: How 'Evil Dead' (2013) Paved a New Way Forward for the Franchise
Matt Konopka looks back at Fede Alvarez's gruesome, grimy and gross 'Evil Dead' (2013) and how it paved a new way forward for the franchise.
dreadcentral.com
Do you want to party? It’s party time! (Happy The Return of the Living Dead day to all who celebrate)
Evil Dead Burn rips…and bites, and claws at your eyes. The angriest of the Evil Dead movies, it rages like the fires of Hell. It’s mean, nasty, gruesome AF, with some of the most chaotic and frenzied violence of the series. Has its issues, but right up there with Evil Dead Rise for me.
I am a VERY newly annointed single mum and the circumstances leading to this newfound status have been really ugly - deeply unpleasant, upsetting and destabilising. If you've ever enjoyed my books, blu-ray work or horror documentaries, now is the time to help a sister out!
Alexandra Heller-Nicholas@horrornonna.com · last mo.My 2026 has been a divorce-shaped Stygian nightmare of housing insecurity, drifting between Airbnbs, couchsurfing + housesitting. But the goddess just blessed me with my own tiny apartment! I need to move/furnish it for myself + kid almost from scratch: a humble call for help if you can to do so!
Been busy all morning, so I'm late to this, but some of you know how much of a werewolf nerd I am. And I could not be more seated for Robert Eggers' Werwulf. Wow.
'Werwulf' Trailer: Robert Eggers' Grimy New Horror Epic Is Caked in Mud and Dread
Watch the trailer for Robert Eggers' 'Werwulf', the Focus Features horror film starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, in theaters Christmas 2026.
dreadcentral.com
Checking out Evil Dead Burn for Dread. Hope I make it to Dawn.
Just finished writing a piece that made me cry and felt amazing to get out. Only mentioning because I’ll never understand the “writers” who use AI and deny themselves of what’s actually great about writing…the process. Do it yourself. It will always be 1000x better than whatever AI spits out.
Happy 50th to The Omen! I wrote about why this film still scares the hell out of me for Dread, and no, it has nothing to do with the "creepy kid" factor.
Creepy Kids? No. This Is the Real Reason 'The Omen' Is Still the Scariest Antichrist Movie
For its 50th anniversary, Matt Konopka explores the disturbing reason why 'The Omen' remains the scariest Antichrist movie.
dreadcentral.com
The first of my reader's choice essays this month is on Vera Drew's excellent THE PEOPLE'S JOKER. Watch this film if you haven't already!! www.patreon.com/willowcately...
