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YouTuber Alanda Parker is Reminding Us All Why We Love Horror

Published

5 years ago

October 23, 2021

I’m not sure exactly when it was that I began watching YouTube reactors. I know that it was sometime in the last year. What I didn’t realize when I opened that Pandora’s Box is just how many people were out there reacting to films and music. It would be easy to say they’re a dime a dozen except that every so often, I discover someone who just knocks me for a loop. Alanda Parker did exactly that so much so that I decided I had to track her down to find out just who she was and why she does what she does.

Thankfully, Parker graciously agreed to an interview, and it was one of the most enjoyable half-hours I’ve spent talking horror in a very long time.

Born and raised in South Carolina, the reactor was always attracted to storytelling and she naturally found her way into theater and acting as a part of that journey. When it came time for college, she found herself faced with a huge decision.

Her dream was New York and NYU, but the price tag on tuition proved more prohibitive than she bargained for, so she settled in closer to home attending university in Charleston. While it was not her first choice, Parker says, it ultimately paid off.

“I had a lot of experiences I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t gone to Charleston,” she said as we settled in to chat, “It made me tune more into the aspects of storytelling which is what I think makes it enjoyable for me when I’m watching these movies and I’m getting into the story. It’s not just the script and the characters. It’s the costumes; it’s the shots. It’s every little aspect of storytelling. That’s really been my whole life, pursuing ways to interact with people about the stories we tell each other and how they affect us.”

That pursuit ultimately still led her to New York where she now lives, and also brought her to YouTube.

It isn’t only Slashers for Alanda Parker. She enjoys a good creature feature as well!

Parker had long been a fan of The Walking Dead, AMC’s zombie drama now in its eleventh and final season. She’d grown up watching the series, but not many of her friends were into the show like she was. Then she discovered Skybound Reactions on YouTube.

Produced by Johnny O’Dell, the channel features compilation videos of reactors from around the world who all loved the show the way she did. In a way, it was like finding her community.

“I started watching these episodes and they were like the rush, the experience of watching something you love all over again,” she said., “but getting to experience it with people who love it as much as you do, who know the story as well as you do, who are picking up on things that you didn’t notice. Those videos were really kind of a revelation to me. I was watching them all the time.”

When the pandemic reared its ugly head in 2020, Parker found herself with more time on her hands than usual and her roommate suggested they start a reaction channel of their own. After a while, that’s exactly what she did, beginning with The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead before branching out into films.

Parker has covered a wide range of films on her channel and along the way has discovered films like Arrival and Kung Fu Hustle. Still, despite her love of all things zombie, she had never really gotten into the horror genre much, a fact that she says grew out of an experience with her great-aunt when she was very young.

For many horror fans, it was a seeing a film that terrified us way too early that set us on the path to all things dark and gruesome. For Parker, it had the opposite effect.

“When I was really little, my great-aunt would watch a lot of sci-fi and horror and stuff like that but not usually around us,” Parker explained. “I remember one time when I was over there, she was watching Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. Oh my god…I was young, dumb, and scared as hell. I had never felt that way in my life before. That fear stayed with me until the point I decided I was moving to New York, and I couldn’t be afraid of birds because there were pigeons everywhere.”

After that, the reactor shied away from most horror only occasionally watching if she was with a group of friends. Watching alone never really occurred to her much, she says, because she would become too immersed in what was going on in the film and it felt like it was happening to her.

When a ton of horror recommendations began coming in for horror movie reactions on her channel, she had yet another big decision to make. Thankfully for all of us, she chose to dive into the genre we love.

Since then, she’s finally watched films she’s heard about her entire life. Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream, Alien and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre have all been featured on her channel, though that last title was almost too much.

“It’s hard for me to put into words what that was like,” Parker said. “Like coming out the other side of it, I have so many good things to say about the movie, but it nearly wrecked me. I’m glad I had the comfort of other people being there. It was like a team sport. I could rally which is why I can do it for the channel, I think. I hear everybody else’s voices and comments about a scene while I’m watching it. So, I don’t feel like I’m sitting here alone., and I’m not afraid that the chain saw is coming for me!”

I’ve easily watched Parker’s reaction to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre a half dozen times and it’s enjoy every time!

It’s precisely for those fans that the YouTuber continues doing what she’s doing, especially with the time and energy it takes to watch and edit the films, a process she says can easily take 15 hours as she goes through a two-step editing process to produce the videos so that the narrative of the film isn’t lost.

It’s a quality over quantity measure for Parker, and that time and effort shows in her videos. For me, personally, they’re the first thing I look for when I wake up on a Sunday morning. In fact, it was in talking to Parker and watching her videos that I was finally able to put my finger on why I watch YouTube reactions.

It’s easy, when horror is such a huge part of your life, to get bogged down and forget why you watch those movies. It’s easy to forget the joy of discovering something for the first time. Parker, and other reactors like her renew that joy, allowing us to relive those moments “for the first time” in a way that we may not have in quite some time.

And, Parker is not going anywhere anytime soon. The reactor is continuing her journey through the genre while also jumping into others in her YouTube journey.

“I want to keep that revolving door open to horror,” she said. “This is the first time in I don’t even remember how long that I have a huge body of work that I can pull from. I’m learning this world and the language of this world and that’s the most fun thing. I’m definitely going to keep doing horror.”

To find more Alanda Parker goodness, check out her OFFICIAL YOUTUBE CHANNEL. You won’t regret it!

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This Week in Horror: Black Phone 2, The Backrooms, and the Return of Scary Movie

Published

2 days ago

May 15, 2026

Luna Gray

A release week. Something in theaters today, something on Netflix tomorrow, a trailer that is going to divide people cleanly down the middle, and a Kane Pixels situation that is either the most exciting thing to happen to A24 horror in years or a complete disaster, and we are about to find out which in two weeks. Here is everything.

Obsession Opens Today

Obsession is in theaters today. Curry Barker directed, Inde Navarrette stars, and the premise involves a supernatural toy called One Wish Willow that does not appear to grant wishes in a way that works out well for anyone. Barker is coming off solid work in the short horror space and this is his feature debut.

The Black Phone 2 Hits Netflix Tomorrow

The Black Phone 2 streams on Netflix starting May 16. Scott Derrickson directed both, Ethan Hawke and Mason Thames are back, and the first one did $132 million on a budget that did not require $132 million to recoup, so this sequel had time to actually be made right instead of being rushed out.

The first Black Phone is one of the better supernatural thrillers of the decade, and the ending left enough room that a sequel is not a stretch. The thing I want to know is whether Derrickson is doing something with that space or just filling it. Tomorrow we find out.

The Scary Movie Trailer Is Here

The Scary Movie trailer is out and June 12 is the release date. Michael Tiddes directs. Anna Faris is back. Regina Hall is back. Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans are back. The whole thing looks exactly as chaotic as you would expect from a Scary Movie film in 2026, which will either be a feature or a problem depending entirely on how you feel about the franchise.

The original Scary Movie came out in 2000 and it was funny. Some of the sequels were funny. I am genuinely not sure what this one is going to be, and I mean that in a way that is not entirely negative. Faris has not been in a wide release in a while. Seeing her back in the thing she was genuinely great at is enough to make me curious even if the whole rest of the movie turns out to be a mess.

Insidious: Out of the Further Gets an August Date

The sixth Insidious film has been officially dated for August 21. Jacob Chase directs, Amelia Eve leads, and Brandon Perea and Lin Shaye are back in the cast. The trailer showed at CinemaCon in April and the response was apparently positive enough that the August date got locked in immediately after.

Shaye has been the connective tissue of this franchise since the beginning and the decision to keep her involved in whatever direction the series goes next is the right one. She is also just an extremely good horror actor who does not get enough credit for how much work she has done making these films feel like they are about something beyond the haunted house mechanics. August 21.

The Backrooms Movie Is a Month Away

The Backrooms opens in theaters May 29 through A24. Kane Parsons directed it. He is 20 years old. He is the Kane Pixels person, which means he built an entire mythology from scratch in YouTube shorts and did it well enough that A24 hired him to make a theatrical feature before he could legally rent a car in most states.

Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve star. James Wan and Shawn Levy are producing. The budget exists. The question that has been hanging over this project since it was announced is whether a feature-length Backrooms works or whether the whole thing depends on the specific intimacy of the short format, and we are two weeks from knowing.

American Horror Story Is Going Back to the Coven

American Horror Story Season 13 is coming in October on FX and Hulu, and it is going back to the Miss Robichaux’s Academy setting from Season 3. Sarah Paulson is back. Evan Peters is back. Angela Bassett is back. Ariana Grande is joining the cast.

The Coven season was the last time the show felt like it had a unified identity, and bringing the whole thing back around to that specific world is a reasonable way to remind people why they liked it before the middle seasons started doing a lot of experimental things that did not always work.

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Exclusive: ‘Key of Bones’ Reveals New Poster and Cannes Fantastic Pavilion Gala Screening

Published

3 days ago

May 14, 2026

Anthony Pernicka

The curse is heading to Cannes.

iHorror is exclusively revealing the brand-new poster for Key of Bones: Curse of the Ghost Pirate ahead of the film’s screening this Saturday at the Fantastic Pavilion Gala during the Cannes Film Festival.

The supernatural horror-comedy will screen as part of the Fantastic Pavilion festivities during Marché du Film at the Cannes Film Festival, marking another major moment for the indie production as momentum continues building toward the film’s Fall release.

*Actor Jeremy King, Actress Gina Vitori, Writer/Director Tony Armer, & Actress Melissa Chick*

Filmed in Key West, Key of Bones: Curse of the Ghost Pirate follows a local waitress, a ghost tour guide, and an unlucky tourist who accidentally awaken a pirate curse tied to the infamous Anne Bonny. What follows is a wave of ghosts, supernatural chaos, cursed treasure, and paranormal mayhem spreading across the island.

Written and directed by Tony Armer, the film stars Gina Vitori, Melissa Chick, Jeremy King, Chad Newman, Benjamin Healy, Ty Spann, Kitty Clements and Vincent De Paul.

*Gina Vitori as Mary Read* *& Jeremy King as Christie*

Key of Bones also marks one of the first feature film productions connected to iHorror, expanding the brand beyond horror coverage and into original filmmaking.

The newly released poster leans into the film’s mix of pirate mythology, paranormal horror, cursed treasure, and the eerie atmosphere of real haunted locations in Key West. It offers another glimpse into the movie’s supernatural adventure, comedy, and ghostly chaos.

If you’re attending events in Cannes this weekend and would like to catch the screening of Key of Bones: Curse of the Ghost Pirate, visit Fantastic Pavilion for event schedules and screening information.

For more on the film, visit www.KeyOfBones.com

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Universal’s Horror Make-Up Show Ends 36 Year Run

Published

4 days ago

May 12, 2026

Piper St. James

The Horror Make-Up Show at Universal Studios Orlando has closed its doors after 36 years of entertainment. But not permanently.

The long running show that combines horror, comedy, and interactive demonstrations is next in line for a makeover at the Florida theme park. Besides the E.T. Adventure, The Horror Make-Up Show is the only other remaining attractions at Universal Orlando from its opening day.

A Brief History of the Make-Up Show

The idea for the show originated from an attraction at Universal Hollywood called The Land of A Thousand Faces. Land ran from 1975-1979. The twenty minute show entertained an audience of up to 1,700 visitors in an open air venue. The show taught the audience about movie makeup. Additionally, two volunteers were chosen to be transformed into the Frankenstein monster and his bride.

Despite the show’s popularity, The Land of A Thousand Faces was closed to make room for a new experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

An Era of Gods and Monsters

Lon Chaney

Explained with movie clips, Universal’s Horror Make-Up Show explains the humble beginnings of makeup and special effects in horror movies. Starting with the classic Universal monsters such as Frankenstein’s Monster, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and The Phantom of the Opera, this era heavily features the work of Lon Chaney.

Lon Chaney’s contribution to the world of horror makeup greatly impacted the industry for decades to come. Many of his creations were the results of self experimentation. In fact, his extreme dedication to his craft earned him the nickname “The Man of 1,000 Faces”.

While we do know how he did some of his makeup effects, Chaney took many of these secrets with him to the grave when he died in 1930.

Rick Baker

Another important name in the industry that Horror Make-Up mentions is Rick Baker. Baker created the incredible werewolf transformation in An American Werewolf in London (1981). It was his work in this movie that earned him his first Academy Award for Best Make-up in 1982. This would be the first win for the make-up artist in a long line of achievements.

Perhaps Baker’s second highest achievement was his work in Michael Jackson’s music video Thriller. Baker’s make-up transforms the pop singer into a werewolf among a hoard of zombies. The makeup artist even makes a cameo in the video as one of the undead.

Other movies Baker helped bring to life with his craft include; The Howling, Men in Black, and The Wolfman (2010).

A Blending of Technologies

As seen in An American Werewolf in London, Rick Baker did not only use prosthetics to create horror movie magic. Baker and his team designed the animatronics and “change-o” heads, limbs, and other props to create the groundbreaking transformation from man to werewolf.

The combination of prosthetics placed directly onto the actor in combination with robotics began the blending of technologies used to create the next generation of monsters.

The Horror Make-Up Show continues its education of the genre as technology expanded into the computer era. The final clips shown on screen demonstrates the latest evolution of horror make-up in Universal’s The Mummy (2017).

Computer generated imagery is layered over physical practical effects to create the amazing hieroglyphics covering the character of Ahmanet, played by Sofia Boutella. It is the partnering of these two technologies that the host of the show claims creates the best and most convincing effects in modern day horror.

Moving Forward

Hardcore horror movie fans of the Horror Make-Up Show will be some of the first to say while entertaining, the show is indeed outdated. The names Lon Chaney, Rick Baker, Dick Smith, and Tom Savini certainly deserve to be immortalized in horror history. However, there is so much new blood that should be acknowledged for their contributions to the genre that continues to propel it forward.

Artists such as Damien Leone (Terrifier), Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead), Todd Masters (Final Destination), and Eryn Krueger Mekash (American Horror Story) are all examples that have continued the evolution of visuals in the genre.

Damien Leone, Philip Falcone, and a victim in the make-up chair!

As touched upon in the original Make-Up Show, the best results in movies is when practical effects are blended with computer generated effects. Using just one style versus the other runs the risk of looking “too fake.” Using both techniques can also be more budget friendly and less time consuming for the actor in the make-up chair during the creation process.

The Future of the Horror Make-Up Show

Universal Studios Orlando is expecting to re-open their doors to the new Horror Make-Up Show during the winter of 2026. However, they have not yet announced what changes will be made, or what the future show will look like. The most the theme park has announced is the show will be:

“featuring classic and modern horror properties along with shockingly fun surprises – all while staying true to the comedic and irreverent vibe that guests love.”

What were your favorite moments of Universal Orlando’s original Horror Make-Up Show, and what do you hope they bring to the table when they reopen? Let us know in the comments!