Keeping up with the Loomis

Deadly Movies | Connections

Sam Loomis

The surname Loomis has unwillingly become the name of choice in slasher films and, like so many Deadly Movies connections, it can be traced back to the master’s Psycho (1960). Sam Loomis, played by John Gavin, was Marian Crane’s boyfriend, hopelessly searching The Bates Motel for clues to the whereabouts of his AWOL girlfriend. The Loomis family would return to the Psycho universe in Psycho 2 (1983).This time Sam’s widow Lila Loomis (Marian’s sister no less, now a Loomis) and daughter Mary Loomis turn up to exact some bitchin Loomis revenge on Norman.

Dr Loomis

John Carpenter’s 1979 Halloweenutilised elements of Psycho to create a template that would become the modern slasher blueprint, but this wasn’t all he borrowed. He also grabbed his leading lady from Psycho stock, Jamie Lee Curtis, daughter of Janet Leigh (Marian Crane) and he directly borrowed a character name, Sam Loomis. Although rather than the grieving boyfriend, his Loomis was a child psychologist and obsessive nemesis to serial killer Michael Myers. Like Psycho before it, one film in a franchise is never enough for a Loomis. Dr Sam Loomis would return toHalloween in four more films and two remakes. It’s also worth noting that the character of Annie Brackett is played by Nancy Loomis.

Billy Loomis

Then it would be the turn of another horror legend, Wes Craven, creator of horror cornerstones The Last House on The Left (1972), The Hills Have Eyes (1977), and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). In 1996 Craven’s Scream would reference and parody the forefathers of horror, especially Halloween of which both score and movie feature directly in the film, as does the name Loomis. Here however Loomis is on the wrong side of the knife handle. Billy Loomis is the mastermind behind the ‘Ghost Face’ killings, while his mother Mrs Loomis (going all Mrs Voorhees) would take up the knife and mask in Scream 2 (1997). Although the Loomis’s would get name checks inScream 3 (2000) and Scream 4 (2011) no actual family members reappear. 

50 years, 12 films, 8 actors, 6 characters, 1 surname

Sam Loomis (John Gavin, ‘Psycho’ 1960)

Lila Loomis (Vira Miles, ‘Psycho 2′ 1983)

Mary Loomis (Meg Tilly, ‘Psycho 2′ 1983)

Sam Loomis (Viggo Mortensen, ‘Psycho’ 1998)

Dr Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence, ‘Halloween’ 1978, ‘Halloween 2′ 1981, ‘Halloween 4′ 1988, ‘Halloween 5′ 1989, ‘Halloween The Curse of Michael Myers’ 1995)

Dr Sam Loomis (Malcome McDowell, ‘Halloween’ 2007, ‘Halloween 2′ 2009)

Billy Loomis (Skreet Ulrich, ‘Scream’ 1996)

Mrs Loomis (Laurie Metcalf, ‘Scream 2′ 1997)

Exit 13 Production News

Deadly Movies Indie Scene | Exit 13

Exit 13

Last time Deadly Movies spoke to Indie Filmmaker Andretti Dante he was in the midst of ‘Book of 1,000 Deaths‘ now he’s gearing up for his latest venture, road-trip horror ‘Exit 13‘. Hit ‘more’ for a full plot synopsis, as well as ways in which you can support the production and the perks available for investors.


In this chilling, psychological horror, five friends embark on a road trip but something goes terribly wrong, setting off a series of terrifying events that forces them to Exit 13, an exit that’s hauntingly familiar. Soon after, an unforeseen event occurs trapping the group inside an abandoned cabin. But this isn’t just any cabin, and it seems the dark and evil past has been re-opened.

With the recent passing of his mother and desertion of his father, Adam Payson is drifting into a dark and dangerous place, isolating himself from the one who loves him most, his girlfriend Madison. Unable to get through to him, she turns to Adam’s best friend Brandon for help.

Jealousy and rage begin to spread like a deadly virus as tensions run high, and through many twists and turns, secrets unravel and relationships are pushed to their breaking point. As a result, Madison experiences a disturbing encounter but when she awakes, the real nightmare has only begun; A member of the group is suddenly missing and in a race to find them and escape the demonic evil that is tormenting its new occupants, a shocking and deadly secret is discovered, one that could make this exit their last…

If you would like to support ‘Exit 13‘ please visit the project page over at KickStart

Movies You’ve Probably never Heard Of #14

‘The Wild Women of Wongo’ (1958)

Romance, Adventure..., Sexism!

Yay for exploitation cinema. Without it I wouldn’t have much to write about, and more importantly, the world of cinema would be deprived of the likes of ‘The Wild Women of Wongo‘. Sexist, and even some racist, stereotypes are the dish of the day in this piece of uber hilariousness from ‘director’ James L. Wolcott. Ok here’s the rub: The ‘wild women’ of the tropical island of Wongo are actually hot 50s type starlets mincing about the place in swimsuits (little effort here in tribal costume) with only savage beast-men for company. Meanwhile, as luck would have it, on a neighboring island are a tribe of equally sexy, and even more mincing, men, who coincidentally, live with a bunch of beast-like women. See where this is going? Anyway, after much dancing, sexy liaisons, lady-kung-fu, and stock footage crocodiles, the good looking tribes hook up, leaving the butt-ugly lot to have the kind of sex seen only by the most intrepid sexual fetishist. So the message of the movie is that good looking people are superior beings. Thank god we have moved on from 1958. Amen to that brother. Oooooh Yeah.