Tomb Raider will release for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on March 5, 2013. Players can get prepared to survive the horror with the Final Hours video series. Gamers will get the chance to join Lara Croft and what transformed her into the badass we know today.

Armed with only the raw instincts and physical ability to push beyond the limits of human endurance, Tomb Raider delivers an intense and gritty story into the origins of Lara Croft and her ascent from a frightened young woman to a hardened survivor.

When the first ever Tomb Raider game launched in 1996, it was a revolution. Outstanding in terms of graphics, gameplay, and storyline , it changed the way that video games were played and developed forever. Fronting the game’s assault on the world was the central character, Lara Croft. Lara was also to have an incredible impact, quickly becoming the most recognized and celebrated female action heroine and an icon for the video games industry. Today over 30 million Tomb Raider games have been sold, making it one of the most lucrative video game franchises while also generating movies, advertising, magazines, books and merchandise.

For more information, visit the official Tomb Raider website.

Seduction of the Innocent will release on February 19, 2013. New York Times bestselling author Max Allan Collins, known for his book Road to Perdition, once again has outdone himself with Seduction of the Innocent, which blends fact and fiction in a true-thriller fashion!

AMANDA DYAR: Seduction of the Innocent is an upcoming novel from yourself that focuses on the real life story of 1950s proposed ban of violent and horror-filled comic books. How did you become involved in this project, and how did you prepare for the beginning of your work?

MAX ALLAN COLLINS:Seduction of the Innocent takes a fairly lighthearted approach to a serious subject, and I hope it doesn't stint on either one. The format is a Golden Age mystery -- that's the era of Rex Stout, Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, Erle Stanley Gardner -- since the '50s setting of the novel is appropriate to that kind of story. I do a series about a private eye in Chicago, Nate Heller, who takes on real crimes in a fairly gritty manner. Here I'm taking on a real subject, as I have in two previous Jack and Maggie Starr mysteries, but fictionalizing the characters...not using their real names as in the Heller novels...and adding a murder where there wasn't one. I think the humorous aspect here, the cartoon or caricature nature of the approach, works well with the basic absurdity of the ill-informed attack on comics by the likes of Dr. Fredric Wertham and Parent's Magazine.

AMANDA: The novel is based in part on a novel of the same name published in 1954. Were you familiar with Dr. Fredric Wertham's work before writing this novel, and how did it inspire you in the creation of your new work?

MAX:Wertham's book was not a novel -- he presented it as non-fiction, but that's debatable, since so much of it is nonsense. It's an attack on comics from the viewpoint that comics are strictly for little kids, and that readers of comic books are likely to imitate crimes they see depicted. It's idiotic, but is it so different than the blame heaped on "violent media" today? It's always been an easy scapegoat. Wertham hid the fact that all of his research was based on minority kids in ghettos -- with no mention or discussion about the effect of poverty on those kids. Really was a shameful sham of a piece of psuedo-science.

I was a little kid when censorship all but killed the comics. I've never forgiven Dr. Wertham. And now he's the murder victim in a novel of mine. Or anyway a caricature of him is.

AMANDA: Some more modern works such as The Walking Dead and other horror themed novels and comics could be considered far more gruesome than some of the earliest works in the genre. How do you think some of these works would have fared back in the 1950s, and do you believe the old trials and criticisms would have turned out any different if it were these works being judged instead?

MAX:Those horror comics were pretty gruesome. There's an overtly sexual content today, in some horror comics and novels, that wasn't present in EC Comics and its imitators. But the gore was right up there with anything today. But keep in mind Wertham's two false premises -- that comics are aimed at little kids, and that readers of comics are unsophisticated louts who will imitate what they see in a comic book. Many, many readers of comics in the early Fifties were young adults and adults. GIs out of World War Two had learned to read comic books that they got at the PX, portable reading material that didn't require a high degree of literacy. They kept reading comics when they got home to the post-war world. College students dug the hip stuff EC was doing, like Ray Bradbury adaptations.

Now, at least, horror comics and graphic novels can be clearly marketed to an age-appropriate audience.



AMANDA: Seduction of the Innocent is first and foremost a detective novel, but how does horror fit into the storytelling in the novel? Also, this certainly won't be the first go-round for the characters Jack and Maggie Starr. Where do these two characters rank among your favorite characters you've created stories for, and what type of audience are these two characters geared towards?

MAX:There have been two previous Jack and Maggie Starr novels -- they were published a few years ago by Berkley Books, complete with Terry Beatty illos. I had conceived the Starr series as at least a trilogy. I've been doing novels for editor Charles Ardai at Hard Case Crime, where I've revived my Quarry character and even done a Ms. Tree prose novel. I pitched the idea of Seduction of the Innocent to him, and he loved it. Now people are responding well to the book, and I'm thinking about doing another. I see the audience as general, really a series that young readers -- middle school up -- can enjoy, and Baby Boomers can appreciate the nostalgia value. Seduction is more violent and sexy than the previous two entries in the series -- my former publisher did mostly cozy mysteries, but Hard Case Crime likes 'em...hard.

As to how I rank them, I don't really think about that kind of thing...though I will admit Nate Heller and Quarry are probably in number one and two position, respectively. But Jack and Maggie are coming up fast -- with a bullet.

To learn more, check out the book on the official Titan Books and Max Allan Collins websites.

Synopsis
It’s 1954, and a rabble-rousing social critic has declared war on comic books – especially the scary, gory, bloody sort published by the bad boys of the industry, EF Comics. But on the way to a Senate hearing on whether these depraved publications should be banned, the would-be censor meets a violent end of his own – leaving his opponents in hot water.

Can Jack Starr, private eye to the funny-book industry, and his beautiful boss Maggie unravel the secret of Dr. Frederick’s gruesome demise? Or will the crackdown come, falling like an executioner’s axe...?

An illustrated whodunit inspired by America’s real-life “war on comic books” in the 1950s from the award-winning master of the historical detective novel, MAX ALLAN COLLINS.

Bungie has announced its upcoming title Destiny with a new trailer entitled Pathways Out of Darkness. Players will travel to the near future as Guardians and scour the solar system in order to save the last city on Earth. A sci-fi, out-of-this-world adventure is ahead!

From the Press Release
Today, Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), together with critically-acclaimed developer Bungie, revealed the first sneak peak of their partnership. The game, called Destiny, is an ambitious evolution of the first-person action genre that brings gamers together in a shared, persistent world. The result of a large-scale collaboration between Activision, the publisher of such mega franchises as Call of Duty, Skylanders Spyro's Adventure and Skylanders Giants, and Bungie, the creators of Halo®, Destiny is poised to become the next advancement in interactive entertainment by melding first-person action gaming with a persistent, dynamic online world.

Destiny combines Bungie's trademark grand scope, sci-fi storytelling and adventures with visceral first-person action gaming that takes place in an unfolding, cinematic universe. Additionally, Destiny delivers a unique social gaming experience to consoles by offering players a connected, living world that they can explore, combined with vibrant social spaces where they can congregate and celebrate achievements, and share remarkable adventures grouped with friends or solo.

"Bungie defined first-person action games over a decade ago with Halo, and with Destiny they will evolve the genre once again," said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. "Destiny is a world that evolves. It is a world with wide boundaries that allows you to roam and explore. It is a world where, even in story mode, you could encounter other players on their own adventures. And of course, it is a world that brings all of this together with the visceral, heart pounding immediacy of an expertly crafted first-person action title. We are very excited to bring this ambitious, innovative and creative game to players around the world."

"Activision focuses on doing a few things, exceptionally well. And Bungie has had the same ethos," Hirshberg continued. "Together we are focusing the considerable resources, creativity and energy of both organizations to do something new, something ambitious, but most importantly, something fun."

Set in the distant future, Destiny casts players as Guardians of the last city on Earth, who will traverse the ancient ruins of our solar system from the red dunes of Mars to the lush jungles of Venus. Able to wield incredible power, players must battle humanity's enemies and reclaim all that was lost during the collapse of mankind's Golden Age. In a story-driven universe, Destiny's saga unfolds through grand tales and sweeping adventures by immersing gamers in a bold new world filled with cooperative, competitive, public, and social activities, all seamlessly connected. Bungie's new next-generation game engine will allow Destiny to come to life on both the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, as well as other future console platforms.

"Destiny is the game that we've been dreaming of building for years. We couldn't be more pleased about our extraordinary collaboration with Activision. We finally have the right partner, team and technology to bring the experience to millions of players worldwide," said Harold Ryan, Bungie president. "Destiny will draw players into a world filled with mystery, action, and adventure, but most importantly, Destiny is more than a disc in a drive, it is a living social universe filled with other players."

"Not only does Destiny look amazing, but its new living world will change the way players think of co-operative online gaming," said global retailer GameStop president Tony Bartel. "This is just the type of innovation the game industry has been waiting for and I'm anxious for players to experience the vast universe of Destiny."

For more information, visit the official Destiny website.

A quick tidbit has come in for Jurassic Park 4... Producer Kathleen Kennedy has moved on to Star Wars and will not be producing the fourth film in the long awaited dinosaur laden project. Read on for details.

Co-producer Frank Marshall announced the news via his Twitter account, tweeting, "She’s traded raptors for TIE fighters.". Thankfully the news does not impede the film's progress.

Universal Pictures and Steven Spielberg are ready to re-open the famous park, setting a June 13, 2014, release date for Jurassic Park 4 3D. As of right now Steven Spielberg is only on as a producer, and plot details are being kept under wraps. Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver penned the script.

Look for more on this one soon!

While words cannot describe just how much we're looking forward to Guillermo del Toro's new film Pacific Rim, the director is already talking a bit about his other project, Crimson Peak, as well as a sequel to his upcoming Kaiju monster mash!

"It’s the turn of the century. So it’s at the turn of the century and half of the movie takes place in America, and the other half takes place in a crumbling mansion in Cumbria," says Del Toro of Crimson Peak to Total Film. "And basically it’s a ghost story and gothic romance, trying to subvert the rules of the usual gothic romance. It’s very much... the first half is a love story, then that love story turns darker. And it’s at the same time a ghost story. I’m working at this moment with Lucinda Clarkson who is a really great playwright from the UK. She has the proper degree of perversity and intelligence to turn it into something interesting to watch. It’s sort of a very compelling version of the classic gothic romance, where you have the spookiness and the windswept landscape that dooms the characters, you know?"

Emma Stone and Charlie Hunnam will star and production is on track to begin later this year.

As for Pacific Rim 2...

"Travis [Beacham, co-writer] and I have been working on it. We co-wrote the screenplay on this first one, and now we’re hard at work at doing the second one. We want to take however long it takes to really find out the idea and try to bridge something that really makes the mythology roll."

Look for more as it comes.

Thinking about attending the Triple Threat Film Fest in Chicago this March, which is showing Albert Pyun's Road to Hell along with director's cuts of his earlier films Nemesis and Cyborg? Then check out this promo he cut together for the event!

It's lengthy but covers all three films and reminds us why the older ones are still cult favorites to this day. Along with the video, Pyun sent over a new "Triple Threat" banner ad by graphic artist Jerry Scullion, who also did the Cyborg case art.

The "Triple Threat" event is taking place at the Patio Theatre (click here for tickets). There's also a "Triple Threat" Facebook event page so be sure to RSVP there if you plan to attend.

On Saturday, March 9th, the Patio Theatre (6008 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL 60634; (773) 685-4291) will screen three of director Albert Pyun's films from 7:00 pm to 12:00 midnight as part of the Triple Threat Film Fest. These movies are Nemesis, Cyborg, and the Chicago premiere of Road to Hell. Road to Hell was directed by Pyun, written by Cynthia Curnan, and is the unofficial sequel to the 1984 rock & roll fable Streets of Fire. It stars Michael Pare, Clare Kramer, Courtney Peldon, and Roxy Gunn with a special appearance by Deborah Van Valkenburgh.

Director Pyun and producer-screenwriter Curnan will be in attendance. Albert will be making presentations and greeting fans individually. You can bring items for him to sign at no charge or purchase DVDs, soundtracks, and posters available at his table.

To keep tabs on Road to Hell and everything else Pyun is working on these days, be sure to visit the Albert Pyun Movies Facebook page.

It had a lot of memorable moments, but the highlight of last night's Episode 3.10 of "The Walking Dead" had to be the finale. Who didn't stand up and cheer when two certain someones reappeared at just the right moment? Relive it now with this "Most Talked About Scene" video from AMC!

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.

Related Story:Recap of "The Walking Dead" Episode 3.10 - "Home"

"The Walking Dead" Episode 3.10 - "Home" (aired 2/17/13)
As the group debates their next course of action, Rick (Andrew Lincoln) wanders after a lost friend. Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Merle (Michael Rooker) question their choices. The Governor (David Morrissey) restores order in Woodbury and makes plans to punish those responsible. Written by Nichole Beattie; directed by Seith Mann.

VISIT THE EVILSHOP @ AMAZON!
Got news? Click hereto submit it!
"Like" us on the Dread Central Facebook Fan Page!

Discuss "The Walking Dead" in the comments section below!

Injustice: Gods Among Us will arrive this April and the third
week of the Injustice's Battle Arena is now in session! This week's contenders
pit Aquaman against Cyborg and the Green Latern takes on Solomon Grundy. Who do you think is going down?

From the Press Release
Today, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment reveal the third round of challengers set to clash in this week’s Injustice Battle Arena. This week’s pair of matches pit clever, gadget-laden specialists against brute force challengers, as the cunning Aquaman summons the powers of the deep to take on tech-heavy Cyborg, while intergalactic-traveling Green Lantern faces off against the brutish undead strength of Solomon Grundy.

The victors of these two legendary matchups will be announced this Friday, with two new gameplay videos featuring the winning contenders.

By participating in these weekly show-downs, fans based in the United States can enter to win amazing prizes each week, simply by submitting their votes for each complete round of competition. Voice your opinion via Facebook, YouTube or Twitter and join the debate!

Injustice: Gods Among Us is an all-new game in development by award-winning NetherRealm Studios. The title debuts a bold new fighting game franchise that introduces a deep, original story featuring a large cast of favorite DC Comics icons such as Batman, Green Arrow, Cyborg, Harley Quinn, Nightwing, Solomon Grundy, Superman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and many others. Set in a world where the lines between good and evil are blurred, players will experience heroes and villains engaging in epic battles on a massive scale.

Injustice: Gods Among Us is scheduled for release on April 16, 2013 for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and the Wii U system from Nintendo.

To learn more, visit the official Injustice: Gods Among Us website.

UK fans of "Being Human" have just two episodes left before the series finale, and while we here in the States wait for word of when the show's last season is heading to BBC America, here's a clip from next Sunday's BBC Three installment, "The Greater Good."

In this clip Hal tries to save the hotel guests from a werewolf attack; as Crum panics, Alex is extremely unimpressed.

"Being Human" Episode 5.04 - "The Greater Good" (airs 24 February 2013)
It's vampire rehab at Honolulu Heights when Crumb (Colin Hoult) comes to stay. Tom has his work cut out reintroducing werewolf Bobby (Feth Greenwood) to a world he's long forgotten.

The series stars Michael Socha as werewolf Tom, Kate Bracken as ghost Alex, and Damien Molony as vampire Hal.

For more visit "Being Human" on BBC Three, "like""Being Human" on Facebook, and follow "Being Human" on Twitter.

With Tribeca Film giving Hansel & Gretel Get Baked a nationwide VOD and digital release on February 19th and screenings in select cities on February 22nd, we thought it time to bring you our interview with the flick’s director, Duane Journey. Look for our review tomorrow!

Produced by James Cotton (Madison County), Brett Hudson and Mark Morgan with executive producers William S. Beasley and Michael Pollack, Hansel & Gretel Get Baked was penned by first-time feature screenwriter David Tillman. The film stars Twilight actor Michael Welch as “Hansel,” Molly C. Quinn as “Gretel” and Lara Flynn Boyle (“Twin Peaks”) as “Agnes” the witch and revolves around an old crone (Boyle) who lives in Pasadena, California, and lures teens into her house with a special blend of marijuana in order to eat the adolescents in an effort to maintain her own youth and beauty.

Shooting day nineteen of twenty-one, we sat down with director Journey just outside Stage #3 at Gower Studios in Hollywood, CA, on January 30th of 2012 to chat with him about his approach to the material, and he proved not only enthusiastic and affable, but also a horror fan through and through.

“It’s been going great,” Journey told us, who previous to Hansel & Gretel Get Baked worked as a key grip on countless genre films and television series, as well as in the capacity of assistant director, line producer and more.

“It has been a tight shooting schedule, but when we put together the script, it was kind of done in a way that it could be done. A lot of the story takes place in the witch’s house and in this kind of underground cavern, where all of her magical marijuana grows, so it was actually written to work on a tight schedule with minimal locations. I have shot on tight [schedules] in the past.”

“It’s been challenging,” Journey continued. “It’s a horror film with a lot of action and adventure elements. I mean, I don’t get to blow up buses or anything like that on this kind of show, but there is a lot of action to it, and on a tight schedule that’s always tricky. This cast has been great, though, and they’ve really helped me through the process, and they are having a really good time with it. It’s a very fun script, and I think that keeps everyone laughing and light.”

Given the limitation of rationed time, “We are shooting in 4K HD on the RED,” Journey told us when we asked of the project’s camera package. “I haven’t shot a lot on the RED camera. I’ve shot mostly film, so it has been different for me, but I really enjoy that I can see it. The system they have for me here allows me to see dailies within hours of shooting, and that’s what we all wanted ten years ago! Literally twenty-five minutes after I shoot a scene, I can see it with full color correction, and I can actually look at it and manipulate it, and I’ll know if I need to get another shot. On a schedule like this, it’s incredible, and I have a lot of heavy makeup and a lot of creature effects and a good amount of gore, so to be able to go in and see it the night I shoot it, that really helps. I don’t know if I want to shoot again without that ability.”

We asked him if he felt he’d become a digital convert.

“I grew up for a lot of years shooting on film, and not necessarily always directing, but in other areas of film, too, and I must say shooting on digital is very liberating because you can print everything,” Journey offered. “I still treat it like film, though. I still want to keep my shooting ratio down to 3:1 or 4:1, but I just don’t let it roll for an hour. But it does free you up for more takes and to be able to review them all. You never had that in film. You either circled a print, or it was gone.”

As for what attracted Journey, whose past credits include work on the horror features Waxwork (1988), I, Madman (1989), Class of 1999 II: The Substitute (1994) and 1995’s Leprechaun 3, as well as over a hundred combined episodes of the television series “Felicity” and “Alias,” to the project, “Horror is hot, and horror will always be hot,” he replied. “I’m a horror fan. But also the whole thing with going back to the Brothers Grimm fairy tales; I kind of feel like people are into fairy tale stories right now, because maybe the economy is a little bad, and because Hollywood has already made a movie of every video game you can think of practically. With this, the Brothers Grimm fairy tales are very basic stories, so the idea of going back to a basic story that everyone knows, and modernizing it with a weird marijuana twist, just really appealed to me. I thought, ‘That’s cool!’”

On working with actress Boyle,“She’s brought a different character than what was on the page, and she brought a really fun character,” stated the director. “I think the character that was written was really good,” he added, “but Lara’s really brought it to life, in kind of a really ‘off the wall’ kind of fun way, and I think people will really like it. It’s not what people would expect of a Grimm witch. It’s very different. It’s not your ‘fairy tale’ witch. It’s a little strange, a little more emotional, and very quirky.”

“There’s a lot of contrast in this film,” Journey communicated regarding his visual approach to Hansel & Gretel Get Baked. “In the beginning of the film, the director of photography [John Smith] and I decided, since it’s almost very ‘fairy tale’ and Spielberg-esque but progressively gets darker, that we wanted the colors to become more saturated as it goes on. So we go from in the beginning with very clean, crisp colors to very dark and heavy greens and blues, and then into the pot forest, where it has that very fluorescent, ‘grow light’ green-blue. So we are actually filming it one way and then in color correction taking it somewhere else. So for me it was taking it from the beginning of the film, where it’s just birds and kids playing in the neighborhood, and then, ‘bam!’ It’s kind of saying, ‘In any neighborhood in America, something really screwed up could happen.’ I’m a big David Lynch fan so I like that whole attitude. I certainly wouldn’t compare myself with Lynch, but I would like to think that it has the same feeling. So that’s kind of the whole tone.”

“The other thing I wanted to do was to keep the feel of a Grimm [tale] but in a modern story, and I know that there’s a television series and other current films that are based on them, and some of them are taking them and making them very modern, and I think that’s great and that they are doing a very good job,” he continued, “but for me the trick again was to keep it in the Grimm world. Even with the clothes, like Molly’s, I wanted them to be modern, but with a Bohemian style. I wanted to see a German influence. Even in the houses I’m picking that they live in, especially the great house we found for the witch. It’s this great three-story house, built in 1890, with stone and dark wood, and it actually has a basement that has nine rooms in it, and that’s hard to find in California. Initially we were going to build those sets on a sound stage, but when I saw the house, I thought, ‘Okay, this is scaring the shit out of me, so let’s shoot here.’ So I am trying to keep the original German influence, just for fun, to see if people catch the references. Costume designer Elizabeth Jett did a great job helping with this, and so did production designer Billy Jett.”

Journey concluded of Hansel & Gretel Get Baked, “I’m not going for campy with this film. There is some comedy, and a ‘wink and a nod’ approach like a lot of 80’s and early 90’s horror. The horror fan base is very smart and literate, and they know their stuff, so you hope that they like what you are doing. We are having fun with it.”

For more on Hansel & Gretel Get Baked, visit its Facebook page.

Ready for a second sneak peek of this week's Episode 4.15 of "The Vampire Diaries," entitled "Stand By Me"? Well, you better be because here it is!

"The Vampire Diaries" Episode 4.15 - "Stand by Me" (airs 2/21/13, 8-9 pm)
THE TERRIBLE TRUTH — When Stefan (Paul Wesley) arrives back in Mystic Falls with Elena (Nina Dobrev) and Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen), Caroline (Candice Accola) is immediately worried about Elena’s state of mind. Stefan reaches out to Dr. Fell (guest star Torrey DeVitto) and Matt (Zach Roerig) for help.

Still on the island, Damon (Ian Somerhalder) relays somber news to Rebekah (Claire Holt) and is surprised at her reaction. Together, Damon and Rebekah learn an unexpected bit of recent history from Vaughn (guest star Charlie Bewley).

Everyone is horrified when Bonnie (Kat Graham) reveals the rest of Shane’s (guest star David Alpay) plan. Finally, after Damon does his best to help her, Elena comes up with a plan of her own.

Lance Anderson directed the episode written by Julie Plec.

For more visit "The Vampire Diaries" on CWTV.com, "like""The Vampire Diaries" on Facebook, and follow "The Vampire Diaries" on Twitter.

Merle (the great Michael Rooker) takes a moment to explain The Governor's character (or lack thereof) to Hershel (Scott Wilson) in this second clip from next Sunday's Episode 3.11 of "The Walking Dead," entitled "I Ain't a Judas." It comes to us by way of AMC's "Talking Dead."

"The Walking Dead" Episode 3.11 - "I Ain't a Judas" (airs 2/24/13)
Their security threatened, Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and the group must make a choice. With Woodbury in a police state, Andrea (Lori Holden) grows uneasy. 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.

VISIT THE EVILSHOP @ AMAZON!
Got news? Click hereto submit it!
"Like" us on the Dread Central Facebook Fan Page!

Discuss "The Walking Dead" in the comments section below!

Fans of J-Horror are gonna be pretty stoked about this new line of evil spirit collectibles that are on their way from Skeleton Key Collectibles. Personally we'd love to get our hands on all five of them, but man, is there a price, and we don't mean just having seven days to live.

Each one of these Far East spookers will set you back over 100 bucks, but if you're daring (and rich), you can order them from the Skeleton Key Figures website, where you can also read about the legend behind each!

Skeleton Key Figures is a production house specializing in the creation of highly detailed action figures and collectible statues based in Osaka, Japan. Established in 2011, they aim to produce premium quality limited edition figures. All of their figures are resin cast and hand painted in Japan.

Shuonan is their forthcoming series of five “Yurei” or Japanese ghosts. Each of the five figures is based upon a traditional Japanese ghost story. The ghosts will only be available in a strictly limited edition of 250. All figures come with a large detailed base and a thorough explanation of the ghost story in both English and Japanese.

Japanese ghosts, or Yurei, are the restless souls of the departed that are unable to find peace in the hereafter. They linger on in this realm, driven by powerful emotions such as rage, sorrow, or devotion. Yurei are often malevolent spirits, seeking vengeance on those that wronged them in their mortal life. Yurei typically appear in the hot months of summer, especially around Obon, the Japanese festival of the dead. “Shuonan” refers to a sanctuary for spirits where malice can be paid back to their enemies.

“Oiwa” March 18

Oiwa is scheduled for release on March 18th, 2013. Preorders are available now. Oiwa comes complete with dead tree and haunted lantern base and full explanation of the ghost story in sealed and numbered deluxe packaging. She stands approximately 12cm (4.7 inches) tall. The base has a diameter of 19cm (7.5 inches). The model is not articulated. Oiwa will be produced in a strictly limited edition of 250.

“Bunya” April 22

Bunya is scheduled for release on April 22nd, 2013. Preorders will be available on March 18. Bunya comes complete with Japanese graveyard base and full explanation of the ghost story in sealed and numbered deluxe packaging. He stands approximately 15cm (5.9 inches) tall. The base has a diameter of 19cm (7.5 inches). The model is not articulated. Bunya will be produced in a strictly limited edition of 250.

“Okiku” May 27

Okiku is scheduled for release on May 27th, 2013. Preorders will be available on April 22. Okiku comes complete with well and enclosure base and full explanation of the ghost story in sealed and numbered deluxe packaging. She stands approximately 15cm (5.9 inches) tall. The base has a diameter of 19cm (7.5 inches). The model is not articulated. Okiku will be produced in a strictly limited edition of 250.

“The Gaki” July 1

The Gaki is scheduled for release on July 1st, 2013. Preorders will be available on May 27. The Gaki comes complete with gory remains base and full explanation of the ghost story in sealed and numbered deluxe packaging. He stands approximately 15cm (5.9 inches) tall. The base has a diameter of 19cm (7.5 inches). The model is not articulated. The Gaki will be produced in a strictly limited edition of 250.

“Yuki Onna” August 5

Yuki Onna is scheduled for release on August 5th, 2013. Preorders will be available on July 1. Yuki Onna comes complete with snow and cadaver base and full explanation of the ghost story in sealed and numbered deluxe packaging. She stands approximately 15cm (5.9 inches) tall. The base has a diameter of 19cm (7.5 inches). The model is not articulated. Yuki Onna will be produced in a strictly limited edition of 250.

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 Black Sabbath, Megadeth, Every Time I Die, Hellyeah, Gwar, and more. Don't touch that dial!

NEWS
Megadeth will release their new album, Super Collider, in June. It will come out on frontman Dave Mustaine's new album, Tradecraft, in partnership with Universal Music Enterprises.

HIM have signed to Razor & Tie. Their new album, Tears on Tape, will be released on April 30.

The Dillinger Escape Plan's new album is titled One of Us is the Killer. A release date is expected soon, but it will be out this year via the band's own Party Smasher Inc. Check out the artwork and additional details here.

MUSIC
Stream Puscifer's new EP, Donkey Punch the Night, here. The band is fronted by Tool's Maynard James Keenan. The EP (which features a cover of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody") is available this week.

VIDEOS
Watch some footage of Black Sabbath in the studio recording their new album here. 13 is due out in June.

Terror's music video for "Live by the Code" can be seen here. It's the title track of their upcoming Victory Records debut.

TOURS
Dates for Hatebreed's The Divinity of Purpose 2 Tour with Every Time I Die, Terror, Job For A Cowboy and This Is Hell can be found here.

All That Remains, Hellyeah, In This Moment and Nonpoint will be touring together. Dates are here.

Gwar have announced the second leg of their Fate or Chaos Tour. Warbeast and Wilson will provide support. Dates here.

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

Perhaps the most polarizing film on Doctor Gash's Top 10 Greatest Horror Movies…Ever! list is Number 9, The Blair Witch Project. I've heard many people talk about how they detested this film, that nothing happened, that it was a waste of time.

Not only is The Blair Witch Project undeserving of these criticisms, it was one of the most influential and profitable films of its time.

#9-The Blair Witch Project
"I'm afraid to close my eyes, I'm afraid to open them."

Those that criticize the movie certainly missed the point of the effort, but regardless of any negativity, the box office take was staggering. Made on a budget that would barely cover a decent bachelor party in Vegas, Blair Witch ended up bringing in nearly $250,000,000. Not a bad return on your investment. In addition to the earnings, it solidified the found footage sub-genre of horror, and, most impressive of all, The Blair Witch Project was launched with a groundbreaking viral marketing campaign that was so effective it had many people thinking the whole thing was real.

Much like the Number 10 film on this list, Scream, The Blair Witch Project does not earn its spot here solely on the content of the film. Scream made the top 10 for being a great film at the perfect time. The Blair Witch Project makes the list primarily for the fact that its guerilla advertising campaign turned the world of film marketing completely upside down and reshaped the entire business of selling movies.

The brilliant marketing campaign, spearheaded by Artisan studio executive Steven Rothenberg, included a Sci-Fi (not yet Syfy) Network mockumentary about the missing filmmakers entitled "The Curse of the Blair Witch". The program even included interviews with the "parents" of the missing kids, and it aired just before the release of the film. An internet buzz about the movie possibly being real police footage stoked The Blair Witch Project and had audiences completely intrigued from the start. Blair Witch used the internet as no one in Hollywood had before and by doing so left audiences ravenous to see the film. It's a marketing strategy that is envied and copied relentlessly to this day.

And the trailblazing of The Blair Witch Project did not stop with its marketing campaign; it only began there. Creators/directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez solidified an entire sub-genre of horror, the found footage style. This wasn't the first film to use the idea of found footage as Ruggero Deodato's Cannibal Holocaust used the same technique in 1980, and there were a few movies scattered between then and The Blair Witch Projectthat tried it, but it never really took off. After the success of Blair Witch we’ve seen an endless parade of movies that use this technique, and some do it well. Just a brief glance of the found footage film list reveals offerings such as the Paranormal Activity series, Cloverfield, The Last Exorcism, [REC] and [REC]2 and (here's one for you) August Underground’s Mordum. An entirely new technique of filmmaking was embraced after Blair Witch which was not only fresh to audiences, but allowed films to be made much less expensively, giving more moviemakers a chance to bring their stories to life.

After the great marketing and creative presentation, what do we have? We have a film that is a study in tension. The best horror films give you a balance of tension and payoff. You have your build-up scenes and then your payoff scenes. A few minutes of walking through a strange dark house is paid off by a killer jumping from the closet and doing nasty things. Blair Witch was very adept at creating the tension, but they never gave the payoff…and it didn’t matter. The movie taught us that great horror wasn’t about seeing the gruesome monster or the knife plunging directly into the victim. It taught us that the journey was just as important as the money shot. If not more so. The Blair Witch Project was so tense with its creepy sounds and strange occurrences that you're cringing in your seat waiting for something to happen during your first viewing. Well, spoiler alert, nothing really does happen, but does that mean you were never cringing? No sir. The Blair Witch Project scared us, it scared the crap out of us, but people rail against it because it never showed the antagonist. Would it have been scarier if we eventually saw what was making all the crazy noises and toying with the filmmakers? Not at all. No filmmaker can create something scarier than we can conjure in our own minds. Only we as individuals know our own deepest, darkest fears, and this is what we use to fill in the blanks for The Blair Witch Project.

Overall, the film is amazing. As our characters are lost in the woods, it has an incredibly claustrophobic feel even though they are in the wilderness and completely unencumbered. Stephen King has proven time and again that being trapped is the most horrific scenario one can find himself in. He's used the idea repeatedly in books like Misery, Cujo and Gerald's Game. And in reality, if a character isn't trapped on some level, can you really have a horror story? Our three young filmmakers are trapped, unable to find their way back to the car. They walk south all day and end up right back where they started and hunker down for another night of strange noises and freaky happenings. Welcome to the world of the Blair Witch.

The Blair Witch Project is basically an improvised piece of work, adding to the authentic feel of it. Myrick and Sanchez really challenged the actors physically during filming (rationing food, keeping them in the elements) to enhance the tension. It worked. Their ad-libbed dialogue felt real. It all worked so perfectly.

Although it has its critics, The Blair Witch Project was groundbreaking not only for its unique filming style, but for its brilliant marketing campaign that has been, and will be, copied for years to come. The movie was masterful at building tension, so much so that it never had to give the money shot. Audiences were uncomfortable enough with the tortures of the woods that no further aggravation was required. However, when we finally get to the basement of Rustin Parr's cabin and Mike is standing in the corner of the cellar, an iconic horror image is created. For '90s horror, this final shot was your moon landing, your Zapruder film. It's the culmination of a perfectly original horror experience. An amazing ending for a groundbreaking film.

Hitting home video February 19th is the long awaited flick from Warner Brothers The Factory, and we have an exclusive clip for you cats to sink your teeth into. Check it out, and look for our review very soon!

Written by Morgan O'Neill and Paul Leyden and directed by O'Neill, look for The Factory on DVD right now. Dallas Roberts, Sonya Walger, Mae Whitman, Katherine Waterston, Mageina Tovah, Cindy Sampson, Conrad Pla, Michael Trevino, and Cas Anvar also star.

Synopsis
An obsessed cop is on the trail of a serial killer prowling the streets of Buffalo, New York, but when his teenage daughter disappears, he drops any professional restraint to get the killer.

When Sinister was released in October 2012, we had the pleasure of chatting with co-writer C. Robert Cargill and co-writer/director Scott Derrickson about their gut-punch thriller. With the film's home video release this week, we thought it the perfect time to catch up with the duo.

Derrickson and Cargill (read our previous interview with them here) spoke more about the mythology they created for Sinister as well as what's been the most surprising aspect of their collaboration since they began writing the project together not all that long ago. We also heard from the pair about a potential Sinister sequel and what sort of pitfalls they want to avoid when creating a follow-up to what was by far one of the more intense horror flicks to grace the big screen in 2012.

Be warned, though; the following interview with Derrickson and Cargill does contain some spoilers so if you haven't seen Sinister yet, fix that STAT, and then head back here for our exclusive interview with the duo.

Dread Central: So the last time I saw Sinister was back in August; I wasn't sure how well it would hold up while watching it again at home, but man, it's still insanely creepy. Congrats on being able to really get under people's skin and make a great horror film that holds up upon revisiting.

C. Robert Cargill: Thanks so much for saying that! That's really what we wanted to get out of this- to make a really good scary movie. Every single decision we made on one element of the story or another was in order to scare the hell out of you, and it's great to hear it still has some scares even if you've seen it before.

Scott Derrickson:I've always said that a horror movies is only as good as it is scary, which is ultimately why I think Sinister succeeds- we have some great scares in there and give you real characters to care about, too.

Dread Central: One thing I wanted to ask about was some of the symbolism in Sinister, particularly the scorpion, snake and dog, and how they relate to the character of Mr. Boogie. Was that something based on real mythology?

C. Robert Cargill:We created everything for that mythology ourselves, but it had roots in real folklore stories. When we started, we had a lot of long discussions on just who Bughuul was - whether he was going to be a Pagan deity or a normal one - and we ultimately decided on Pagan so we gave him roots in Babylonian culture. I spent an entire week just doing research on everything from demons to gods to supernatural powers and used that research when we were fleshing out the character. And the dog, scorpion and snake are all associated with entities that could transfer their power into this world, which worked well with our story.

Dread Central: Have you guys been talking about a follow-up to Sinister yet considering how ripe this world is with different stories you could tell and since the original did so well?

Scott Derrickson:We have; we've discussed where we'd like it to do and where we don't want it to go. Since we're both horror fans, we're very familiar with horror franchises, and we've seen what can happen if you make a sequel for the wrong reasons. There's a lot of potential with Sinister, and we don't want to waste that potential with a sequel that doesn't live up to expectations.

C. Robert Cargill:This is a point I've made before- audiences always say they want something new or fresh, but in reality that's not always the case. You have to have some familiarity to bring the fans in, or they just don't get it. Take Halloween III; fans complained back then that part three didn't have Michael Myers or a slasher running around killing people even though the producers and everyone behind it intended to take that franchise in a totally different direction. Fans didn't care; they wanted Michael Myers even though the story of Halloween III was great on its own. Sometimes the desire of the audience can be a huge limiting factor when you're writing a sequel.

Scott Derrickson:The Paranormal Activity franchise is a great example of keeping that familiarity while giving fans something new, particularly parts two and three. I love those movies, and I think they really delivered on those movies for the fans and even for those people out there who were expecting the same movie again and again. Those movies had a lot of great surprises but still kept true to the spirit of the original, which I feel doesn't nearly get the credit it deserves. I haven't seen part four yet, but I absolutely loved three.

Dread Central: Looking back at your journey of making Sinister, what would you guys say has been the most surprising aspect of this whole ride?

C. Robert Cargill:I think for me just how quickly this all turned around for us; it usually never happens this quickly. From when we wrote the script, we had a first cut of Sinister less than a year later, which is remarkable. I think also the other thing that really surprised me was just how well Scott and I took to working together. It was really natural.

Scott Derrickson:You know, I think there was this gravitational pull already in play where we would have worked together at some point regardless. We became friends first because of Cargill's reviews; he is one of the best online critics ever, and we just built our friendship around movies. He'd send me recommendations on films I'd never heard of, and we'd just email back and forth about movies all the time. The first time we met in New York City, I felt like we were sort of separated at birth, and that was a few years before we even talked about working together. Our friendship and our working relationship has been by far the best part of this whole thing and definitely the most surprising aspect, too.

Synopsis
Sinister, starring Ethan Hawke (Daybreakers), arrives on Blu-ray Disc (plus Digital Copy and UV), DVD (plus Digital Copy and UV), Digital Download, Video On Demand and Pay-Per-View February 19 from Summit Entertainment, a LIONSGATE company. Directed and co-written by Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose) and co-starring Juliet Rylance (Animal), Fred Dalton Thompson (TV's "Law & Order"), James Ransone (The Next Three Days), Clare Foley (Win Win) and Michael Hall D'Addario (People Like Us), Sinister is a terrifying and intelligent new take on the found footage genre.

Ten years ago, true crime writer Ellison Oswald (Hawke) made his reputation with a best-selling account of a notorious murder. Now, desperate to replicate the success of his first book, he moves his family into a home where the previous occupants were brutally executed and a child disappeared, hoping to find inspiration in the crime scene. In the home, Ellison discovers a cache of terrifying home movies, unwittingly opening the door into a nightmarish mystery.

Special Features

We're getting closer and closer to being able to exorcise our demons theatrically as the sequel to The Last Exorcism is right around the corner. To help usher it in, we've got a brand new one-sheet for you to drink in! Dig it!

Ed Gass-Donnelly directs The Last Exorcism Part II from a screenplay by Gass-Donnelly and Damien Chazelle. Ashley Bell stars. Look for The Last Exorcism Part II in US theaters on March 1st and in the UK on March 15th.

Synopsis
Continuing where the first film left off, Nell Sweetzer (Ashley Bell) is found terrified and alone in rural Louisiana. Back in the relative safety of New Orleans, Nell realizes that she can't remember entire portions of the previous months only that she is the last surviving member of her family. Just as Nell begins the difficult process of starting a new life, the evil force that once possessed her is back with other, unimaginably horrific plans that mean her last exorcism was just the beginning.

On tap for you zombie-hungry cats are a handful of stills and an official sales trailer for the Wesley Snipes movie Gallowwalkers. Has the dust gathered from sitting five years on a shelf dulled Snipes' blade this go-around, or is he as sharp as ever? Let us know!

Directed by Andrew Goth and starring Wesley Snipes, Diamond Dallas Page, Simona Brhlikova, and Jonathan Garcia, Gallowwalkers is the story of a man (Snipes) who is cursed to have to deal with the zombified corpses of all those he’s ever killed. He enlists the help of a young warrior to help him put the dead back in the ground where they belong.

Courtney Lauren Penn and Brandon Burrows of bi-coastal Boundless Pictures produced, and UK-based Jack Bowyer served as executive producer.

Synopsis
Gallowwalkers is the story of a mysterious gunman, Aman (Snipes), the son of a nun, who breaks her covenant with God to ensure his survival. Her break with God curses her son to be hunted by all those who die by his hand – When he takes revenge on a gang that murdered his love, the gang rises as a cursed crew of undead warriors and hunt him mercilessly, seeking their ‘dying’ revenge.

Some more stills and an updated trailer for director Eric Walter’s truly frightening documentary My Amityville Horror (review here) have made their way to the haunted and hallowed halls of the interwebs, and we have 'em for you right here.

The film will be getting a one-night only theatrical release at the Laemmle Music Hall in Beverly Hills, CA, on Saturday, March 16th, at 10:00 pm. But don't worry if you're nowhere near the West Coast; it will be available via VOD starting on Friday, March 15th, through Sundance Now.

For more check out the official My Amityville Horror website and the My Amityville Horror Facebook page.

Synopsis
For the first time in 35 years, Daniel Lutz recounts his version of the infamous Amityville haunting that terrified his family in 1975. George and Kathy Lutz's story went on to inspire a best-selling novel, and the subsequent films have continued to fascinate audiences today. This documentary reveals the horror behind growing up as part of a world famous haunting, and while Daniel's facts may be others' fiction, the psychological scars he carries are indisputable.