Sideshow is releasing a horrifying interpretation of Jack the Ripper's true identity: a being transforming between the world of men and the realm of the undead. The Jack the Ripper Premium Format Figure comes our way in May 2013.

Description:
A maniac with unparalleled ability to strike at his targets from the darkness of a twisted afterlife. Each piece is individually painted and finished, each with its own unique quality and detail that is the trademark of a handcrafted Sideshow Collectibles product. The piece stands over 25 inches tall overall. The Jack the Ripper Premium Format figure, the newest member of Sideshow's incredible "The Dead" collection, is a unique vision of artistic horror and a definitive showpiece.

The Jack the Ripper Premium Format Figure features:

25.5" H (647.7mm) x 9.5" W (241.3mm) x 8" L (203.2mm)

Click here for more details and to pre-order the Jack the Ripper Premium Format Figure.

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Talk about serendipity; the same day we post our review of Danielle Harris' directorial debut, Among Friends, we get word of the film being acquired by Anchor Bay Entertainment Canada for a home video release next year.

CLICK HERE to read our Among Friends review.

From the Press Release:
Anchor Bay Entertainment Canada and Three Little Birds Productions are set to release Among Friends in the Canadian home entertainment market in 2013. This new horror film marks the directorial debut of scream queen Danielle Harris and is the story of a group of friends who get together for a murder mystery party, but things take a dark turn when one hijacks the evening and is out for blood.

‘Among Friends is a festival favourite featuring a well respected ensemble cast of much loved horror movie actors and is a fantastic directorial debut from Danielle Harris’, says Susan Curran, Director of Marketing and Acquisitions for Anchor Bay Entertainment Canada.

‘I am excited to be reunited with this distributor after working so closely with them on The Victim’, says producer and star Jennifer Blanc-Biehn of this release. Alyssa Lobit, writer and star, mirrors Jennifer’s enthusiasm, ‘Having just screened to an awesome, rowdy crowd at DedFest in Edmonton, we're thrilled to be bringing Among Friends to more Canadian fans’.

Among Friends is a twisted horror about a dinner party gone wrong. Set against an 80s backdrop, good times take a dark turn when one in the group hijacks the evening in the name of Integrity. Through an attempt to help the others come clean about secret betrayals against one another, it’s revealed who's willing to cut through the bone to expose the truth.

This film marks a collaboration between real-life friends, with most people in the cast and crew having known each other for years. Written by Alyssa Lobit and produced by Jennifer Blanc-Biehn and Athena Lobit, Among Friends is the feature directing debut of Danielle Harris. This group of women collectively has decades of experience in the film industry, and they are excited to be bringing fans and audiences everywhere a roller coaster ride of fun, intensity and, oh yes... blood.

Executive produced by Jay Lobit (Three Little Birds Productions) and William Allison (Hollywood Treasures, Inc.), Among Friends was shot in August 2011 in Los Angeles, and the movie is represented by Chiller Films. The film has played to Lund International Fantastisk, Sitges International, and Horrorthon Film Festivals among others.

Are you ready for your first post-Halloween laugh? Not only will the teaser trailer for the upcoming short film The Graveyard Feeder tickle your rotten funny bone, but it features some pretty boss walking dead makeup as well.

Screening this weekend at the Asheville Cinema Festival in Asheville, NC, The Graveyard Feeder was directed by Rich Robinson, who co-wrote the short with Aaron Beck and Jeff Stepp. The film stars Sean Bridgers and Tom Barker.

For more info "like" the official Facebook page for The Graveyard Feeder.

The Graveyard Feeder Teaser Trailer from Big Wheel on Vimeo.

From the Press Release
Groundskeeper Burke Sawyer rushes to save his deceased father's soul from a menacing underground creature that is feeding on the corpses of Juniper Falls Cemetery in the 12-minute short film entitled The Graveyard Feeder. It was shot over the course of three days in Snow Camp, NC.

The short film stars Sean Bridgers (The Woman, "Deadwood") as groundskeeper Burke Sawyer. In addition to writing and directing the film, Rich Robinson co-produced the project with Jeff Stepp, who also served as director of photography. Starr Jones (Lincoln, "Star Trek: The Next Generation," The Toolbox Murders) did the F/X and production design while Josh Chase (Take Shelter, ABC's "The Middle") did the sound design. Mick Hitz of the Big Wheel Production Group was the executive producer, and the rockabilly group The Bloody Jug Band contributed music for the soundtrack.

Dinotasia is a feature-length animated film with narration by Werner Herzog being released November 6th on DVD/Blue-ray and digital platforms, and while you can't quite call it horror, dinosaurs + violence/sex/psychedelics + Herzog = a unique sub-category that we think will appeal to a lot of you.

From the Press Release:
Creative Differences announces the Tuesday, November 6, 2012, release of Dinotasia, an animated feature film narrated by Werner Herzog, on DVD/Blu-ray and digital platforms in the U.S. and Canada through Flatiron Film Company, a label of Cinedigm Entertainment Group (NASDAQ: CIDM). A marriage between classic visual storytelling and CGI dinosaurs, the film is an anthology of humorous prehistoric stories created in the cartoon-style of the Golden Age of animation. The film is co-directed by long-time Herzog collaborator Erik Nelson and Disney character designer David Krentz. The DVD/Blue-ray includes the 83-minute feature film plus an extended scene, a mating rites extra story, and a stunning hand-drawn version of the final story. For more information visit NewVideo.com.

“The Sunday Times said it best,” says Erik Nelson, co-director and producer for the film, “when they called Dinotasia the ‘Sopranos of the Mesozoic.’”

Dintotasia is not a typical documentary or nature film, but a love letter to fans of bizarre, graphic novel-style film vignettes and classic film animation. Werner Herzog, an early fan of the project, lends his unique voice as narrator, serving as a tour guide to the strange world of Dinotasia. Here, in Dinotasia, audiences can feast their eyes on mind-blowing segments including the saga of a dinosaur family under siege from a rogue T-Rex, a post-apocalyptic narrative set after an asteroid destroys most of the earth, and a story about the mind-blowing adventures of a dinosaur after he ingests the Jurassic ancestor of a magic mushroom. Definitely not the narrative diet of most dinosaur films. In fact, not the diet of any film creation, save Dinotasia. The fact that all of these stories are based on hard science and the fossil record makes the end product even more amazing.

The animated stories are told in a purely visual style not seen since the classic era of silent filmmaking and the pioneering early work of Walt Disney Studios. Aside from brief “Herzogian” narration to introduce each sequence, the film has no character dialogue, just music and imagery. Based on current research findings from recent paleontology studies, Dinotasia uses CGI to bring to life many creatures that have been discovered in recent years. The back plates for the animated action were primarily shot in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, and in the old-growth forest of Humboldt County in Northern California.

Dinotasia was co-directed by Erik Nelson, best known for his work with Herzog on his documentary features including Grizzly Man and Cave of Forgotten Dreams, with David Krentz, the lead character designer for a number of Disney films, including John Carter and Dinosaur.

Sendero is a Chilean horror/survival story directed by Lucio A. Rojas, and we have your first look at the teaser trailer and artwork for the film, which is based on the multiple suspicious disappearances that occurred in the country's recent history.

Sendero (translated as the "path" or the "way") tells the tale of Ana, a university student who, along with her friends, goes to spend a weekend at a relative’s country house located in the central zone of Chile. During the trip these young people will be kidnapped by a weird family who are working for an organized group belonging to the highest political circles of the region.

Rojas says,"The story has been inspired by real criminal events that took place after Pinochet's government. In the early 90's dozens of kidnappings were reported,and the whereabouts of this people were never discovered. Those incidents cannot be ascribed to the political context of the previous decades in our country. An investigation carried out in 1996 concluded that it was all plotted by a highly powerful - in terms of political and economical influence - group, which for years subsisted on the shadow of some small city in central zone of Chile."

The film depicts the story of one of the survivors according to the information she provided about her captivity. Because of the poor documentation discovered and the strong protection net that existed, many of those reports disappeared, some were filed away, and the rest - most of them - just eliminated. "The film is an attempt to reconstruct those facts in the most realistic and accurate way. Then it describes how those persons in captivity were treated and the tremendous suffering they must have experienced," Rojas adds.

Sendero is an independent production which is expected to be placed in local as well as international festivals during the second half of 2013.

We got a tip from none other than Colin of the Vicious Brothers, the creative team behind the Grave Encounters films, about a cool horror short to share with you guys. Check out this new video for Dirty Radio's "New 2 Me".

Directed by 21-year-old Emma Higgins on a shoestring budget, the vid stars Stephanie Bennett (Tessa in Grave Encounters 2). Director of photography was Kevin Rigney with Dave Angelski and The Heratix producing.

The short serves as a music video for the first track off Dirty Radio's Cassette, which is now available on iTunes with two brand new tracks here.

For more info visit the official Dirty Radio website, "like"Dirty Radio on Facebook, and follow Dirty Radio on Twitter.

If you've got five minutes, you've got more than enough time to dig this film with a truly spooky groove.

After having a week off from zombie slaying and taking out the thrash (both the human and non-human kinds), Rick Grimes and the gang at the prison are back in tonight’s gripping episode, entitled "Killer Within."

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read any further if you haven’t watched the episode yet. This is a recap, not a review. Continue only if you have watched it. In either case, be sure to scroll to the bottom of Page 2 for a new photo and clip from next week's ep.

"Killer Within" began with a couple of zombies being distracted by a fresh animal kill while a mysterious figure from inside the prison quietly broke a gate chain, left it open and placed a bloody heart on the ground, presumably to attract more hungry walkers. Then we got the opening credits.

When we came back, Glenn and Maggie got busted for using a guard tower as their private love shack. When Daryl yelled, "You coming?" to a flustered, still-trying-to-get-dressed Glenn, it was perhaps the most double-entendre'd phrase ever uttered in the series so far. Oscar and Axel, the two prisoners still left alive, came out to ask Rick to join the group, preferring to hit the road over staying in their cell block any longer. The group conferred with T-Dog acting like Dale and being compassionate, but Rick would not budge.

In Woodbury, the ever-suspicious Michonne got a closer look at the stolen military trucks from last episode before The Governor showed up and made her a proposition to join his army. They played a game of twenty questions about what happened to the soldiers with The Governor having an answer for every question. Nice touch by inferring that if Michonne had helped, the soldiers would have survived

Hershel is awake and is already strolling on crutches!

Cutting back to Woodbury, Andrea and Michonne are poring over maps to plot their journey to the coast. When Andrea wavered on trusting The Governor, Michonne pointed out her gut had kept them alive this long.

While the gang is prepping Axel and Oscar with food and a distraction for their travels, Hershel strolled out into the yard on his crutches and everyone was overjoyed. You know that’s not going last! A group of walkers came into their sights and the killings began again. Hershel is still deadly on his crutches! The group got split up into smaller groups, and we have a casualty.

Back at Woodbury, Andrea gave Merle directions to Hershel’s farm when Merle leeringly asked why they never hooked up. Way to go, smooth operator! Andrea was not interested in going to look for the gang, and Merle suggested they are the same because they were both left behind. Merle is also loyal because The Governor saved him back in the day.

As they are clearing the yard of walkers, Glenn learned that the chain from the opening scenes was cut intentionally and Rick suspected Axel and Oscar. Then the sirens started blasting, attracting more walkers. Shooting out all the speakers was not feasible and they have to shut down the generators.

The rest of the group got separated. A hurt T-Dog tried to lead Carol to safety through the prison corridors before he turned. Maggie, Lori and Carl hid themselves in a mechanical room and Lori started to feel the baby’s arrival.

On a calm Woodbury day, Merle interrupted The Governor’s range practice to ask permission to look for Daryl, but The Governor wouldn’t give it. Merle begrudgingly accepted the decision. Maybe family would trump loyalty after all?

When a couple of walkers blocked their exit, T-Dog ran into them, sacrificing his own flesh to allow Carol to escape.

Returning from commercial break, Andrea shared a goodbye drink with The Governor, who suggested that telling Merle about Daryl and Hershel’s farm was giving him false hopes. Then they bonded over family losses. Let the flirting games begin!

As Rick, Daryl and Oscar tried to shut down the generator, we learned that another prisoner was still alive and he was the saboteur. Rick and the saboteur tangled, and when Oscar picked up Rick’s dropped gun, he aimed it at Rick. Oscar had to choose whom to shoot, and because he chose correctly, we didn’t get to see another kill by the encroaching knife-in-hand Daryl. The generator is now shut down and the sirens stopped.

Back in the mechanical room, Lori was bleeding a lot and she needed a caesarian. Lori pleaded with Maggie to use Carl’s knife for the procedure. Time for another commercial break.

In Woodbury, fresh from her flirtatious drinks with The Governor, Andrea didn’t want to leave and made Michonne stay for a couple more days. Michonne was not happy about it.

Lori told Maggie to use her caesarian scar as a trace for her c-section. After a tearful goodbye to Carl, Maggie began the procedure and Lori passed on. Maggie got the baby out and after a moment of infant CPR, the baby moved and cried. Maggie tried to get Carl to leave with her as Lori would turn but Carl insisted on staying. So Maggie left them alone. While Maggie was at the door assessing the walker situation outside, a gunshot rang out and Carl walked out.

Out in the corridors, Rick finished off the two walkers who were finishing up T-Dog’s remains. Picking up Carol’s scarf, they thought that she met the same fate, too. As they regrouped outside in the yard, Rick was about to return inside to look for the others when they saw Maggie and Carl walking out without Lori but with a baby. The gang stood in silence and Rick broke down completely.

Now, on to next week! Axel and Oscar try to comfort a grieving Glenn in this sneak peek of the November 11th episode, which was directed by Greg Nicotero.

"The Walking Dead" Episode 3.05 - "Say the Word" (airs 11/11/12)
After another loss, Rick struggles. Michonne remains suspicious of the Governor as he throws a party with a unique twist for the people of Woodbury. Written by Angela Kang; directed by Greg Nicotero.

To stay up-to-the-minute on all things walker related, follow @WalkingDead_AMC on Twitter and visit "The Walking Dead" on Facebook. For more be sure to hit up the official "The Walking Dead" page on AMC.com.

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Later today (November 5) the brand new trailer for Silent Night, Steven C. Miller's updated spin on the 80's classic slasher, is set to debut, and to get you fiends ready for some killer Santa carnage, Dread Central recently hopped on the phone to chat briefly with the ever-busy director.

Miller, who's also celebrating the recent acquisition of another project of his, Under the Bed, by XLrator Media, chatted with us about preparing the trailer, the power of an iconic poster and much more about the project which debuts in select cities on November 30th courtesy of Anchor Bay.

Written by Jayson Rothwell, Silent Night stars Jaime King, Malcolm McDowell, Brendan Fehr, Donal Logue and Ellen Wong. Check back for more on the flick later this month right here!

Dread Central: I think it's safe to say that everyone loves a great trailer so is it a challenge for you to put together a killer trailer- to show enough to make the fans happy but not show too much and give away all the good stuff? It seems like a lot of studios these days prefer to go the latter route.

Steven C. Miller:Yeah, a good trailer is a big thing to me; I definitely don't want to give all our kills away because they're pretty great. I just approached both the trailer and the movie straight-on; it's a brutal killer Santa movie that's going to scare you, and I hope that's what people get out of the trailer. But I'm with you on not wanting to give everything away- you have to save some good stuff for the fans so they're still surprised.

Dread Central: So you're not going at this tongue-in-cheek then? Especially considering the original and how unintentionally goofy it kind of is now almost 30 years later?

Steven C. Miller:Oh yeah, very straightforward; I want to give audiences a visceral experience when they see the movie. I mean, the movie does have its own darkly comedic undertones, but I would say that most of my movies have that to them- that's just my style of storytelling. Malcolm's character in the movie is so wacky that fans are just going to have a great time cheering for him- he's so great in this and his part has a lot of those comedic beats to it.

Dread Central: I want to talk about posters for a moment. The original Silent Night, Deadly Night artwork is definitely one of the more iconic posters from the 80's, and I think the art for Silent Night is pretty badass as well- you can never go wrong with a gun-toting Santa. Did you have a hand in creating the poster art?

Steven C. Miller:Oh man, that poster; everyone knows that poster. It's so great and I think it's so recognizable because it just sticks with you. That's the key to a great poster, and I love when artwork like that can stick with you for decades and decades. And yeah, I love our poster; that was all Anchor Bay, and I can't imagine anything better, really.

Dread Central: Since this is my last question, I want to discuss sequel potential - both for Silent Night and for another one of your movies from earlier this year, The Aggression Scale, which I totally dug. Based on your experiences, would you want to revisit either of these worlds in the future if possible?

Steven C. Miller:Oh absolutely. I love making action movies, and I think making another Aggression Scale movie would be a blast. Those kids are great characters, and I'd love to pick up with them in the future. In terms of a Silent Night sequel, I think it's too early to say since the movie doesn’t come out until November 30th, but of course, I'd be up for another killer Santa movie.

I just really hope that fans get a chance to see this one when it comes out because it's definitely the kind of movie you want to see on the big screen with friends; it's going to be visceral and even has its own action moments so I'm hoping the movie does well later this month so I can do more in the future. I mean, who wouldn't want to see Santa go crazy and kill people? I think fans are going to have a lot of fun with it.

Synopsis
You better watch out! Santa Claus is coming to town, and he knows who’s been bad. On November 30th, Anchor Bay Films presents Silent Night on screen in ten major U.S. metropolitan areas. Blu-ray™/DVD combo and DVD will be available to unwrap nationwide on December 4th. Bonus features include “SILENT NIGHT: Behind The Scenes” featurette and deleted scenes.

A loose remake of the horror classic Silent Night, Deadly Night, the film’s stellar cast includes Malcolm McDowell (Rob Zombie’s Halloween, Easy A), Jaime King (Sin City, My Bloody Valentine 3D), Donal Logue (Shark Night 3D, Blade), Lisa Marie (Sleepy Hollow), Brendan Fehr (Final Destination, X-Men First Class), and Ellen Wong (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World).

McDowell and King star as a small-town sheriff and deputy on the hunt for a murderous Santa Claus terrorizing their community on Christmas Eve. But with the streets full of Santas for the annual Christmas parade, the killer is hiding in plain sight. He’s made his list, checked it twice, and the naughty are going to pay with their lives.

Silent Night was directed by Steven C. Miller (Automaton Transfusion, The Aggression Scale) and produced by The Genre Company and Insidious Pictures.

On tonight's episode of "Dexter" romance was in the air for both Morgan siblings, and we can't even imagine where things will lead in the upcoming Episode 7.07, "Chemistry." Maybe the preview and two clips from the ep that Showtime has provided will offer a few clues.

"Dexter" Episode 7.07, "Chemistry" Synopsis (11/11/12 Airdate)
Quinn falls back into his old ways as he makes some questionable choices to protect Nadia. Things heat up as Dexter and Hannah grow closer, but when Sal Price discovers the two are involved, he wants the exclusive story.

For more be sure to visit the official "Dexter" page on Showtime, "like""Dexter" on Facebook, and follow "Dexter" on Twitter.

More news from the 2012 AFM: distro deals for Nicholas McCarthy's Home and Benni Diez's killer bee thriller Stung plus early info on new witch tale Blood Shed and new vamp flick Dracula: The Dark Prince.

Celluloid Nightmares has struck a multi-territory deal with Wild Bunch on Home, Nicholas McCarthy’s follow-up to Sundance hit The Pact. Wild Bunch will distribute Candlewood Entertainment’s horror film in France, Germany and Spain. Sonny Mallhi is financing and will produce the story of a young woman who investigates mysterious goings-on at a house where she learns the previous tenant unwittingly summoned the devil. UTA Independent Film Group handles North American sales. XYZ Films and Celluloid Nightmares’ Nate Bolotin and Sarah Gabriel negotiated the deal with Wild Bunch.

Bolotin and Celluloid Nightmares have also announced a multi-territory deal with eOne on killer bee thriller Stung covering the UK, Canada, South Africa and Scandinavia, among others. XYZ Films is producing Stung with Germany’s The Rat Pack. Director Benni Diez is preparing to commence production in Europe next spring. Adam Aresty wrote the screenplay about a fancy garden party that goes wrong when a local species of wasp mutates, resulting in an attack by giant insects. It is left to two catering staff to thwart the onslaught and in the process develop a romance. Bolotin negotiated the deal with eOne’s Jo Sweby.

“eOne is a perfect home for Stung, especially given their strong track record with elevated genre films and their deep footprint in these territories,” said XYX partners. “We’re thrilled to have such a quality partner on board at this early stage, as it marks a solid vote of confidence in the vision of Benni Diez and the strength of the entire creative team behind the film.”

Red Sea Media’s genre label Dead Sea Media has closed the four-film deal with Enderby and its genre label Tony-Seven Films. Red Sea and Ton-Seven introduced the titles at AFM and Red Sea will handle international sales.

First to go will be the witch horror film Blood Shed, written and to be directed by Patrick Hasson. Bai Ling and Vida Guerra will star, and Rick Dugdale will produce for Enderby Entertainment alongside Red Sea president Roman Kopelevich. Shooting is scheduled to begin in November. Variety got a bit more info on the storyline, which centers on a loner who moves into a storage facility inhabited by a community of squatters until they are locked in for the night with a deranged demonic witch who hunts them down in search of her lost child.

Paranormal thriller Encounter at NP-9 is based on Todd Ireland’s screenplay set in Siberia and is scheduled to shoot in Slovakia in February.

“From our previous releases we’ve really identified the audiences for our brand, especially through our social media platforms,” said Enderby president Dugdale. “We’re focused on creating a new ‘searchable’ sub-genre for horror fans, and we think we’ve found it. We’re thrilled to move forward on this with Red Sea.”

“After many conversations with Rick Dugdale over the past year, we realized we both believed that genre films should be produced to appeal to their fans first and foremost,” said Kopelevich. “Fans should be taken into consideration before the movie gets shot, not after as is commonly done in Hollywood. That, along with the needs of foreign distributors and broadcasters, was taken into consideration when we greenlit this first production slate.”

Steven Paul has wrapped production on Dracula: The Dark Prince, one of 10 features he has committed to producing in the next 12 months through his group of companies SP Entertainment Group, Crystal Edge and Crystal Sky. Paul’s longtime business consultant Scott Karol will serve as executive producer on the slate.

The vampire project shot in Romania and stars Luke Roberts, Kelly Wenham and Jon Voight as Van Helsing. Pearry Teo directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with Nicole Jones. “It’s a film that will appeal to the legion of Twilight fans around the world,” said Paul. “Our Dracula is a young, good-looking hero who is betrayed by those closest to him and exacts his revenge on a grand scale.”

Also on Paul's slate is writer-director Shawn Robert Smith’s found footage horror film The 4th Reich scheduled to shoot in the first quarter of 2013.

While the new James Bond film, Skyfall, is doing boffo box office overseas, its co-writer John Logan and director Sam Mendes are already teaming up again for a TV project dealing with vampire hunters that features an assortment of fictional literary characters.

Per Deadline, the script, written by Logan with Mendes attached to produce and possibly direct, has been sent to premium cable networks. It is described as an origin story set in the 1800s London in the vein of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which also was set in 19th century Europe, including London. The Logan/Mendes project features such characters as Van Helsing and Doctor Frankenstein as they hunt for vampires. Mendes is producing the TV project through his Neal Street Prods.

Mendes and Logan share a stage background. Mendes was a top theater director and Logan an accomplished playwright before they segued to feature directing/writing. Logan has been nominated for three Oscars for co-writing Gladiator and scripting Hugo and The Aviator. His work also includes Rango, Coriolanus, Sweeney Todd, The Last Samurai, and Any Given Sunday, and he won the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critic Circle awards for his play Red. Mendes won an Oscar for his feature directorial debut, American Beauty, and his other credits include Revolutionary Road, Jarhead and Road to Perdition.

One of our favorite films of the early 2000's is Robert Hall's coming-of-age tale Lightning Bug (review here), and in January of next year Image Entertainment is giving it the Blu-ray release it deserves. Read on for the details of the film's high-def extended cut!

From the Press Release:
After wowing genre and mainstream audiences and fans during its initial DVD release, Image Entertainment will release Lightning Bug for the very first time on Blu-ray January 15th, which will also include an all-new, never-before-seen Extended Cut. The award-winning independent film stars Bret Harrison (“Reaper,” “Grounded For Life,” “The O.C.”), Laura Prepon (“That 70’s Show”) and a skillful supporting cast in a coming-of-age story set against an ultra-conservative and often bizarre hamlet in the rural South. Lightning Bug will be available for the SRP of $17.97.

The screenwriting and directorial debut of award-winning special makeup effects wizard Robert Hall (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel,” “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” Pineapple Express, Quarantine, Superbad), Lighting Bug launched a career that eventually spawned the creation of horror icon “ChromeSkull” in Hall’s Laid To Rest and ChromeSkull: Laid To Rest 2.

Lightning Bug is a nostalgic journey through the budding aspirations and sobering realities of youth, as told semi-autobiographically by writer/director Hall. Bret Harrison stars as Green Graves, a young Alabama man desperate to escape the stifling grip of his rural confines. In a Bible-Belt town chock-full of misfits, Green finds escape and solace in his longing to create special effects creatures in Hollywood. Despite finding a kindred spirit in a local girl with a sordid past, Green soon learns that sometimes the most frightening monsters aren’t always made of rubber and latex.

The film co-stars Laura Prepon as Angevin Duvet, his love interest and a girl with demons of her own, and features a stellar supporting cast including genre favorite Ashley Laurence (Hellraiser), Kevin Gage (Heat), Hal Sparks (“Queer as Folk”) and Josh Todd (frontman for Buckcherry).

Bonus features on the Lightning Bug Blu-ray include an Extended Cut version of the film (additional 15 minutes), brand new featurette Afterglow: A Look Back at Lightning Bug, Lucifern: The Making of Lightning Bug featurette, audio commentary with writer/director Robert Hall and cast, deleted scenes, and more.

Producer Tom Malloy checked in with us this morning to share some info on and early artwork for the feature Air Disturbance, a flick set to be directed by Joe Dante (Gremlins) that is slated to go before cameras this November 27th in Los Angeles.

Written by Jeremy Sklar and described as “Paranormal Activity in an airplane without the found footage” by Malloy, the film has genre legend Robert Englund and Dylan Walsh (The Stepfather, “Nip/Tuck”) attached to star. Malloy and Nesim Hason (The Alphabet Killer) will produce with planned 2013 theatrical distribution via Hason’s New Films International Distributing Worldwide. Have a look at some teaser art below.

Synopsis:
In Air Disturbance the horrific action takes place at 35,000 feet on a transcontinental flight from Los Angeles to Toronto. Dylan Walsh plays Sam Davidson, a widowed father of two, whose wife recently committed suicide. When strange atmospheric conditions begin to affect the aircraft, Sam protects his children and his psychic girlfriend from some of the other passengers, particularly a fanatical minister (Robert Englund) who believes that the supernatural phenomena could be a sign from God.

"The story was appealing to me from day one,” said director Dante. “So many of us, including myself, have anxiety about flying, and this movie expertly plays on those fears.”

"I think there's an inherent fear that people have with planes,” added Malloy, “because they are not the ones in control. This movie takes those fears to a whole new level."

"We're delighted to be working with Joe,” Hason offered, “and feel he was the best fit for this exciting and terrifying film."

Dread will be on set to experience some Air Disturbance later this month and will deliver you a report soon.

Halo 4 releases on November 6, 2012, and in anticipation of the adventure to come, we sat down with motion capture actress Mackenzie Mason, who portrays Cortana in Halo 4, to learn a bit more about the title and the challenges of her role.

Cortana is an artificial intelligence assistant who has played a critical role in the Human-Covenant war. This blue siren captures the heart of the iconic Master Chief in Halo 4. Read on to check out our interview with the beautiful Cortana, Mackenzie Mason, and learn more!

AMANDA DYAR: For the upcoming release of Halo 4, you were brought in to perform all of the motion capture for the character of Cortana. What was it like to come on to such a huge project as Halo 4, and how much pressure did you feel for playing such an established and beloved character as Cortana?

MACKENZIE MASON: It was so exciting! I think because this game is the first in a new trilogy, I was really given the freedom to give her a fresh spin and bring a lot of myself to the role. She is such a different person than in previous games so I really didn’t feel any pressure to play her a certain way. I was nervous of course and very excited to be able to be a part of something so huge.

AMANDA: Cortana has been voiced throughout the Halo series by actress Jen Taylor, but Halo 4 will be the first to feature two actresses for the single character. How does the team at 343 Industries go about matching your acting with Jen's, and how difficult was it for you to act in this manner?

MACKENZIE: All of our work was separate--so I really just performed the scenes and did all the work on my own with the other performance capture actors. The matching of voice to performance was something that happened after my work had been completed.

AMANDA: Motion capture is one of the strangest bodies of work to watch as an outsider that doesn't fully grasp how it all works, but how does it compare to actually performing in such a bizarre environment, and does it ever become natural to act out scenes in the motion capture industry?

MACKENZIE: Well, the process of getting ready to shoot every day was so different than that of movies or TV. Each day we would have to put on Velcro suits with sensors attached to it to pick up all of our movements. Then there was the process of putting on my face dots, which took about 30 minutes each time. The dots had to line up perfectly each day so it was a tedious step at times. Once everything was in place, it was time to perform the scenes! My fellow actors and myself would go on the set and perform the cinematic from start to finish to complete one full take. There is no editing from different takes so the finished scenes you see were all performed from start to finish. The process is truly amazing. It is such a free form of acting where you really just get to concentrate on the scene and not worry about all the artificial elements that come into play doing regular camera work. (lighting, makeup, wardrobe, camera angles, etc.)

Related Story:Exclusive Interview: Daniel Cudmore Talks Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Live-Action Series

AMANDA: Gamers already know that Cortana is one of the greatest video game characters of all time, and she is definitely something more than her blue, artificial intelligence makeup would suggest. Could you tell us in your own words what you enjoy so much about this character and why it was such a thrill to play her in Halo 4?

MACKENZIE: Well, starting with her path in this game, going through rampancy (which is basically death), she begins this game with the knowledge that she is going to die and has a really hard time dealing with her deterioration and accepting her own mortality. There is so much depth and pain to her journey that I really got to explore a lot of different emotions. She is a badass, takes no shit from anyone kind of girl. But then has an amazing soft and loving side to her, as well as jokes and sarcasm.

AMANDA: Cortana is one of the best characters in a Halo universe full of other great characters whom she will interact with throughout the Halo 4 campaign. How was your experience working with the other actors in the game, and what was the best moment you'll take away from the entire experience?

MACKENZIE: I was so lucky to work with such amazing actors for this project! There was so much life breathed into every one of these roles, and it is really going to show through to the fans as their experience hopefully becomes more interactive and involved. Working on the stage and being with the cast and crew that all worked so hard on this game was really my favorite part. I really loved going to work every day.

AMANDA: Cortana and Master Chief have quite possibly the best relationship of any two characters in the history of video games. In your own words, can you describe their relationship, and can you tell us where the duo would rank on your own personal list of two lifelong companions?

MACKENZIE: They are by far one of my favorite couples, especially in the video game world. They have such a love and respect for each other, with full trust and devotion. It's really moving to see how deeply they connect, and I think in Halo 4 this part of their relationships takes a much more pivotal role.

AMANDA:Halo 4 will be the biggest release of 2012 in the gaming industry, and the series is one of the best ever. What are some of your own personal favorite games, and what other games will you be playing this year in addition to Halo 4?

MACKENZIE: I am a huge Super Mario fan, and Zelda was another favorite growing up. For 2012 I'm really into Assassin's Creed and Red Dead Redemption.

You can visit the official Halo 4 website to learn more about the game.

Halo 4 Game Features:

Edge-of-your-seat Entertainment: Immerse yourself in Halo 4's graphics, sound and epic game play including a mysterious and deadly new class of enemies*

*Online multiplayer and Spartan Ops missions require Xbox LIVE Gold membership (sold separately).

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Steven C. Miller's Silent Night, a quasi-remake of the yuletide classic Silent Night, Deadly Night, is on its way to give you the gift of gore; and today we have a look at the flick's trailer and official synopsis.

On November 30th, Anchor Bay Films presents Silent Night on screen in ten major U.S. metropolitan areas. The Blu-ray/DVD combo and DVD will be available to unwrap nationwide on December 4th. Bonus features include “SILENT NIGHT: Behind The Scenes” featurette and deleted scenes.

Related Story:Exclusive: Steven C. Miller Prepares Dread Central for a Silent Night on November 30th

Synopsis:
In 1984 the slasher classic Silent Night, Deadly Night stunned audiences, was banned across America, and remains the most notorious Christmas movie in history. Now, Santa is back, and he’s got a brand new bag of tricks. As their small midwestern town prepares for its annual Christmas Eve parade, the sheriff (Malcolm McDowell) and his deputy (Jaime King) discover that a maniac in a Santa suit is murdering those he judges as “naughty.” Their sins? Porn, adultery, greed... And he will make sure they rest in heavenly pieces. Donal Logue, Ellen Wong, Lisa Marie, and Brendan Fehr co-star in this brutal and darkly humorous tale of Christmas gone bad directed by Steven C. Miller.

Word on two more new projects we'll hopefully get to see someday has come out of the 2012 American Film Market: Danny Mulheron's horror comedy Freash Meat, and Spanish-language thriller The Crack from Alfonso Acosta.

Fresh Meat: Written by Briar Grace-Smith based on a story by Brad Abraham and Joseph O'Brien, directed by Danny Mulheron, and starring Temuera Morrison, Hanna Tevita, and Kate Elliott, Fresh Meat comes to us from The Gibson Group in association with the New Zealand Film Commission. Check out some images below the synopsis, and for more info visit the official Fresh Meat website and "like"Fresh Meat on Facebook.

A dysfunctional gang of criminals invade the home of a middle class Maori family and take them hostage. But this seemingly normal family has a deep, dark secret, and when the fugitives discover the home abattoir, the tables are turned and the hunters become the hunted. There's fresh meat for dinner (washed down with a nice Chianti of course).

The Crack: A joint Colombia/Argentina project, The Crack is a Spanish-language psychological thriller directed by Alfonso Acosta. Alan Daicz, Fiona Horsey, Diego Pelaez, Maruia Shelton, Santiago Heins, Billy Heins, and Victoria Gaitan star. Entertainment One produces with Carolina Mosquera and Ricardo Cantor Bossa.

You may be feeling a bit of deja vu about this one as we first learned of it during the 2011 AFM, when it was in pre-production. Well, it's completed now, and hopefully we'll be seeing it soon.

A year after the murder of young Marcela, her family travels to an isolated country house, intending to heal its wounds. But in the hauntingly beautiful countryside, the trip will soon turn into a collective hell. The isolation unearths the memories of Marcela’s death; one son’s deep attraction to his aunt; another son’s hatred for his brother; and the dark fantasy that completely envelopes the family’s seven-year-old twins, based on the macabre stories that their aunt tells them before bed. Soon the family members are sunk into a state of nightmarish insanity that some of them may not survive.

December 21st sees the home video release of Resident Evil: Retribution (review here) along with The Complete Series: Resident Evil 1-5 on Blu-ray. While the last installment was disappointing, we know the series has its fans so if you're one of them, read on for the details.

From the Press Release:
Alice is back! Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil Series) returns in the action-packed and adrenaline charged RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION, smashing out as a 2-Disc Blu-ray 3D™ Combo Pack, Blu-ray™, and DVD, all with UltraViolet™, on December 21st from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Jovovich reprises her role as Alice, Earth’s last hope, as the Umbrella Corporation continues to control the population by transforming humans into flesh-eating undead. In this fifth installment of the multi-million dollar franchise, Alice is captured by the Umbrella Corporation and, with the help of her friends, must escape to save the human race. The film also stars Michelle Rodriguez (Battle Los Angeles), Sienna Guillroy (The Wicked Within), Kevin Durand (TV’s “Lost”), and Boris Kodjoe (Surrogates), and features the popular game characters Leon S. Kennedy, Ada Wong, the Red Queen and Dr. Wesker.

Related Story:Exclusive: Paul W.S. Anderson Discusses Resident Evil: Retribution, Future Franchise Plans and More

Exclusive to the Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack and Blu-ray are deleted & extended scenes, as well as six featurettes. “Maestro of Evil: Directing Resident Evil: Retribution” features Anderson discussing his return to the franchise as the director of the film. “Resident Evil: Reunion” presents original cast favorites, including Oded Fehr and Rodriguez. “Evolving Alice” highlights how Jovovich and Anderson continually evolve Alice’s character to keep her fresh after five movies (and counting). In “Design & Build: The World of Resident Evil: Retribution,” the filmmakers take viewers through the process of recreating the massive set and filming locations. “Resident Stuntman” features filmmakers and stunt coordinator Nick Powell discussing some of the most exciting and intense action sequences from the film.“Code: Mika” is centered around Japanese pop star Mika Nakashima, who reprises her role as “J-Pop Girl” in RE5.

The Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack and Blu-ray also come with an interactive map, “Project Alice: The Interactive Database,” which allows users can investigate the living, the dead and the undead of the Resident Evil universe.

The Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray and DVD all come with cast, director and producer commentaries, as well as outtakes and the featurette “Drop (Un)Dead: The Creatures,” in which cast and crew discus various creatures from the franchise.

The Complete Series: Resident Evil 1-5 will also be available on Blu-ray with UltraViolet starting December 21st, including each 2D feature film in the Resident Evil franchise.

Synopsis:
The Umbrella Corporation’s deadly T-virus continues to ravage the Earth, transforming the global population into legions of the flesh eating Undead. The human race’s last and only hope, ALICE (Jovovich), awakens in the heart of Umbrella's most clandestine operations facility and unveils more of her mysterious past as she delves further into the complex. Without a safe haven, Alice continues to hunt those responsible for the outbreak; a chase that takes her from Tokyo to New York, Washington, D.C. and Moscow, culminating in a mind-blowing revelation that will force her to rethink everything that she once thought to be true. Aided by newfound allies and familiar friends, Alice must fight to survive long enough to escape a hostile world on the brink of oblivion. The countdown has begun.

RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION is a Constantin Film and Davis Films/Impact Pictures Production and was written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. It was produced by Paul W.S. Anderson, Jeremy Bolt, Don Carmody, Robert Kulzer and Samuel Hadida. Martin Moszkowicz executive produced.

Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack Includes:

Disc 1:
Blu-ray 3D feature film
• Deleted & Extended Scenes and Outtakes in 3D

Disc 2:
• Six featurettes:
- Maestro of Evil: Directing Resident Evil: Retribution
- Evolving Alice
- Resident Evil: Reunion
- Design & Build: The World of Resident Evil: Retribution
- Resident Stuntman
- Code: Mika
• Project Alice: The Interactive Database
• All of the Special Features on the DVD

Blu-ray Includes:

Blu-ray feature film
• Deleted & Extended Scenes
• Six featurettes:
- Maestro of Evil: Directing Resident Evil: Retribution
- Evolving Alice
- Resident Evil: Reunion
- Design & Build: The World of Resident Evil: Retribution
- Resident Stuntman
- Code: Mika
• Project Alice: The Interactive Database
• All of the Special Features on the DVD

DVD Includes:

2D DVD feature film
• Director and Cast Commentary
• Director and Producer Commentary
• Drop (Un)Dead: The Creatures of Retribution
• Outtakes

I've been hard on Full Moon of late, I realize this. But I am an avid supporter of a lot of their earlier work - especially the Subspecies trilogy (yes, I know there was a fourth film and a spinoff, and the less said about them the better). So I'm delighted to bring word that the folks at Full Moon will be unleashing Radu into the world of 1080p horror once again!

Following the HD release of the original Subspecies a little over a year ago, Full Moon announces that Bloodstone: Subspecies II and Bloodlust: Subspecies III will follow with Blu-ray bows in 2013. Best of all? These are sounding like full-fledged special editions complete with new audio commentaries by stars Anders Hove and Denise Duff, and a new video interview with the reclusive Radu as well.

Full Moon suggests these suckers will really sparkle on Blu-ray, spouting widescreen 16:9 transfers, remastered audio and color correction. And if you guys have pulled the trigger on the recently released Puppet Master trilogy Blu-ray box set, then you know this is the real deal. Parts 2 and 3 look absolutely gorgeous, so expectations are high for these Subspecies sequels.

We don't have a final list of special features, or a concrete release date yet, but keep watching this space, folks! We'll bring you more as we get it.

Dangerous games are played in the new teaser trailer for "Da Vinci's Demons," a series heading our way from STARZ that we're still not sure we'll be covering for much longer depending on how horror-tinged it turns out to be. But we thought you'd enjoy this first look either way!

From the Press Release:
“Da Vinci’s Demons” is an original series penned by David S. Goyer (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Man of Steel) and will air on STARZ spring 2013. Starring Tom Riley (“Monroe,” I Want Candy), as the title character, “Da Vinci's Demons” is an historical fantasy, following the ‘untold’ story of the world's greatest genius during his turbulent youth in Renaissance Florence. Brilliant and passionate, the twenty-five year old Leonardo Da Vinci is an artist, inventor, swordsman, lover, dreamer and idealist. As a free thinker, with intellect and talents that are almost superhuman, he struggles to live within the confines of his own reality and time. He begins to not only see the future but invent it.

The series also stars Laura Haddock (The Inbetweeners Movie, “Honest,” Captain America: The First Avenger), who plays the celebrated beauty with obscure motives, Lucrezia Donati; Elliot Cowan (“Marchlands,” “The Fixer,” “Lost in Austen”), who plays the shrewd de factor ruler of Florence, Lorenzo Medici; Lara Pulver (“True Blood,” “Sherlock,” “Robin Hood”), who plays his wife, Clarice Orsini; and Blake Ritson (RocknRolla, Titus, “World Without End”) as Pope Sixtus’ ruthless bastard son, Count Riario.

“Da Vinci’s Demons” is the first project to enter production under the multi-year agreement between Starz Entertainment and BBC Worldwide Productions. Goyer, co-writer of blockbuster and critically-acclaimed films Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, and writer of the upcoming Man of Steel, is showrunner. Julie Gardner is Executive Producer, along with Jane Tranter, head of BBC Worldwide Productions. Production began this summer, and STARZ will premiere an eight-episode first season in the U.S. in 2013.

Synopsis:
In a world where thought and faith are controlled, one man fights to set knowledge free.

The secret history of Leonardo Da Vinci's tantalizing life reveals a portrait of a young man tortured by a gift of superhuman genius. He is a heretic intent on exposing the lies of religion. An insurgent seeking to subvert an elitist society. A bastard son who yearns for legitimacy with his father.

He finds himself in the midst of a storm that has been brewing for centuries. A conflict between truth and lies, religion and reason, past and future. His aspirations are used against him by the opposing forces of the time—luring him into a game of seduction where those who despise his intellect need him most. Leonardo must take up the fight against foes who use history to suppress the truth. A hero armed only with genius, Da Vinci stands alone against the darkness within, and the darkness without.

Facing an uncertain future, his quest for knowledge nearly becomes his undoing as he explores the fringes of his own sanity. Da Vinci throws himself into his genius and emerges as an unstoppable force that lifts an entire era out of darkness and propels it into light. His story becomes a mirror into our own world, calling us all to join his fight to Free the Future.

We're back with another installment of Radio 66.6! This week features the latest news, music, videos and tour dates from the likes of Aerosmith, Coheed and Cambria, Bad Religion, All That Remains, Green Day, Hatebreed, Johnny Marr, Suicide Silence and more. Don't touch that dial!

NEWS

Suicide Silence vocalist Mitch Lucker passed away last week after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle crash. Our hearts go out to his young daughter, his wife and all of his family, friends and fans. May he rest in peace.

Hatebreed will release their new album, The Divinity of Purpose, on January 29 via Razor & Tie. The artwork can be seen here.

Johnny Marr release a solo album entitled The Messenger on February 26 via Sire/ADA. This marks the influential The Smiths guitarist's first solo venture.

MUSIC

Stream Aerosmith's new album, Music From Another Dimension!, here. The legendary rockers' 15th studio album is out this week on Columbia Records.

Stream All That Remains' new album, A War You Cannot Win, here. It's out this week on Razor & Tie.

Listen to a new Bad Religion song entailed "Fuck You"here. The punk band's new album, True North, will be released on January 22 via Epitaph Records.

VIDEOS

Watch Green Day's music video for "The Forgotten"here. The track will appear on the Twilight: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 soundtrack.

Watch Whitechapel's music video for "Possibilities of an Impossible Existence"here. It was shot on the 2012 Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. Their self-titled album is out now on Metal Blade Records.

Watch Napalm Death's music video for "Everyday Pox"here. Utilitarian is out now on Century Media Records.

Watch How to Destroy Angels' music video for "Keep It Together"here. The latest project from Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor will release its new EP, An Omen, on November 13 via Columbia Records.

Watch August Burns Red's animated music video for "Sleigh Ride"here. The metalcore band's Christmas album, Sleddin' Hill, is out now on Solid State Records.

Watch Secret Fun Club's music video for "Kathleen Turner Overdrive"here. It spoofs the hokey works of Ed Wood. The band's debut album, Skull With Antlers, is out now on Three One G.

TOURS

Coheed and Cambria, Between the Buried and Me and Russian Circles will be touring together next year. Dates can be found here.

Soilwork are planning lengthy North American headline tour. Dates are here.

Be sure to check back every Monday for the latest music news!