28 pages. B&W.
John Gullidge.
Edited by John Gullidge.
Cover (uncredited).
Contents:
.2 Heeere's Johnny! Editorial by John Gullidge.
.3 Samhain Contents. / Sam Hain UNTITLED [Misprints] w:/a: Pam Richards. / Indicia
.4 Sam's Snippets news; illustration by Pam Richards.
.5 Images of Argento text feature by John Martin; illustration by Gordon Finlayson.
.8 A Unique Vision: David Cronenberg text feature by Michael Wesley.
.9 Down the Crapper text feature by John Gullidge.
10 The Evil Dead w:/a: Richard Floyd-Walker, based on the screenplay by Sam Raimi.
12 Police 55 Anthropophagus Beast aka The Grim Reaper (1980) / Absurd aka Anthropophagus 2 (1981) reviews.
13 Mary's Monster Smash illustration by Gordon Finlayson.
15 TV Special text feature by John Gullidge.
16 Menzies' Marauders text feature by John Martin.
18 Carri on at Crystal Lake text feature by John Gullidge; illustration by Pam Richards.
19 Thank God its Friday text feature by John Martin; illustration by Gordon Finlayson.
21 It's Competition Time! (half page)
22 The Evil Dead (cont.)
24 Freddy and the Freelings Flop... text feature by Philip Godfrey. / Sam Hain UNTITLED [Grandma?] w:/a: Pam Richards.
26 What Sam Saw film reviews.
27 The Video Eye of Sam Hain reviews.
28 A Nightmare on Elm Street part 2 advertisement. / Next Issue illustrated by Pam Richards.
The Sam Hain comic strips make me smile every time I see them. For much of the nineties Samhain was the preeminent horror fanzine, able to go toe-to-toe with mainstream publications such as Fear and Shivers in content if not visibility. Having been a subscriber during the glossy era, the early issues are something of a surprise in both print quality and finesse - the paper used doesn't do the issue any favours, and some of the illustrations don't pop as much as they should, but for a fanzine this is an incredible beginning.
The Dario Argento feature is remarkably detailed, and points out that usual arguments about film are largely irrelevant when the cinematic vision is so stylized. There's a lot to cover when dealing with the films, and - likely due to space - the article feels as if it skips over too many moments which directly connect his early work to the films he was making in the 80s. It is interesting to see so much attention being given to Italian cinema regardless.
Attacking The Sun newspaper for its exploitative, shallow, biased journalism is like complaining that the night-time is dark. While sketchy and much-rushed, the adaptation of The Evil Dead is lively and has its' heart in the right place.
Remaining pertinent all these years later, the review of all the films featured in Scotland Yard's "Video Nasties" list is a reminder that police forces are the last people you want judging the merit of feature films. Both of the films covered in the initial installment are great drinking movies, and highly entertaining when watched with friends of a like mind, and unfairly persecuted by out-of-touch officers more concerned with their own appearance. The reviews don't shy away from noting the dubious acting, nor other issues with the films.
Having read through publications from every era, the constant refrain of "Hollywood is making too many sequels" continues to provide the most amusement. People keep saying this is so, yet throw their money at the films when they are released. Philip Godfrey highlights the problems with then-current releases clearly, making valid points about the limitation of both Poltergeist 2 and Freddy's Revenge.
Although missing audio reviews, book reviews, and commentary on the state of horror comics in the mid-80s, the reviews are intelligent and clever, aware of what has gone before - the launch of Samhain was a major point in the history of British horror fandom, bringing together people from all over the UK in celebration of one of the most unjustly maligned genres.
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