Have you ever stared into the windows of a funeral home? Ever wonder what you'd see late at night when it was closed down? Spirits dancing maybe? Find out in this new clip from Beneath the Darkness (review here)!

From the Press Release
The rural bliss of small town life has been celebrated as part of the American dream, but sometimes a small town is the perfect place to hide one’s secrets, one’s mistakes, one’s sins. And once discovered, it doesn’t take long for the American dream to become the American nightmare. On February 28th Image Entertainment unleashes the small town shocker Beneath the Darkness on Blu-ray™ and DVD. Starring Golden Globe™ nominee Dennis Quaid in a rare villainous turn and coming off a recent national theatrical release, this gripping psychological thriller entwines cold-blooded murder, sinister secrets, and modern hauntings on Maple Street. SRP is $27.97 for the DVD and $29.97 for the Blu-ray™.

Directed by Martin Guigui (My X-Girlfriend’s Wedding Reception, National Lampoon’s Cattle Call) and written by the late Bruce Wilkinson, Beneath the Darkness is a taut thriller pitting high school kids against a psychotic killer in a community where adults blindly refuse to see the ominous dangers right before their eyes. Along with Quaid, Tony Oller (Nickelodeon’s “Gigantic,” Disney’s “As the Bell Rings”) co-stars as Travis, and Aimee Teegarden (Scream 4, “Friday Night Lights”) co-stars as Abby.

In the film Quaid plays Ely, the well-respected mortician of rustic Smithville, Texas, where he was once a heralded high school football star. Among the kids, however, he is legendary for a more sinister reason -- rumors that his house is haunted. The truth is, this pillar of the community is actually a flesh-and-blood monster who buries his victims alive, a sociopath who befriends adults and police while openly flaunting his murderous intentions to the youths. Beware Ely’s charming smile – it may be the last thing you see, looking up from your freshly dug grave...

Bonus features on the Beneath the Darkness Blu-ray™ and DVD include a behind-the-scenes featurette and the original theatrical trailer.

Now I know you may be wondering touched where or touched how, but it's a bit naughtier than all that. What we have got here is Blake's yearly Valentine's Day short-film, Touched. Check it out!

From the Press Release
Director Blake Reigle (BENEATH THE SURFACE) releases his second annual Valentine’s Day horror short, and this year, he wants you to get TOUCHED.

TOUCHED stars Mike Ruston and Tara Holt ("DOLLHOUSE", "HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER"). Reigle looks forward to announcing his next feature later in the year.

Synopsis
A brash young man’s date with his girlfriend takes a dark turn after he breaks the rules and inappropriately touches a diabolical lingerie mannequin. Stepping out of bounds could cost you your relationship… or your life!

It's hard to imagine a better director more suited than to tell the tale of Beauty and the Beast than the prolific Guillermo del Toro. Thankfully Warner Brothers thought so too and the project is officially cooking!

According to Variety, Del Toro will direct Beast, a new take on the Beauty and the Beast tale that Warners has tapped Bridget Jones's Diary scribe Andrew Davies to write.

WB's Harry Potter star Emma Watson is in final negotiations to topline the period pic. Del Toro was originally on board just to produce.

DiNovi Pictures' Denise Di Novi and Alison Greenspan will produce with del Toro, who plans to write a treatment from which Davies will work.

Del Toro, who's currently filming Pacific Rim for WB and Legendary Pictures, is credited as a co-writer on both of WB's upcoming Hobbit movies.

More soon!

The first film in AD Calvo's planned gothic mental illness trilogy, The Melancholy Fantastic, is about to hit USA Video-On-Demand in April. Take a look at the trailer below and we're sure you'll agree, this definitely falls into the mental illness category.

Written and directed by Calvo, The Melancholy Fantastic stars Amy Crowdis, Robin Lord Taylor, Josh Caras, Geneva Carr, David Pirrie and Shirley Knight. It's about a girl, her doll and her dementia. It has a little bit of a May feel to it, which is always a good thing.

For more info check out The Melancholy Fantastic Facebook page and The Melancholy Fantastic official website.

Finally something other than paparazzi pics have surfaced online for the sisterly vampire tale, Byzantium and we've got it right here. The best part? You won't even have to worry about getting bit! Dig it!

Neil Jordan's Byzantium stars Gemma Arterton, Saoirse Ronan, Caleb Landry Jones, Danny Mays, Jonny Lee Miller, Tom Hollander, Bradley James, and Sam Riley in the vampire flick wherein Arterton stars as Clara, a vampire who has to protect herself and her daughter (Ronan) from those seeking to plunge a stake through their hearts.

More on this one as it comes.

Synopsis
On the run for murder, two young "sisters" arrive penniless at an English seaside town. Clara is a fiercely modern woman who has her eyes on the future and no time for the past. Teenager Eleanor is shy and innocent. Yet, they both hide the same secrets: They are really mother and daughter, and they are both ... vampires!

Eleanor is exhausted by 200 years on the run and desperate to settle down. But little does she know that her mother has been protecting her all of the years from their own kind, "The Brotherhood". To escape them, they must either blend in or continue running away. But just as they think they may have escaped, their past rapidly catches up with them.

Twisted Metal and its soundtrack are coming on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2012. The game will take a whole new approach to the series, relying much more on delivering a well thought out story for each of the game's three protagonists: Sweet Tooth, Mr. Grimm and Dollface. Each of the four main characters' themes are composed by musician Michael Wandmacher who is well established in the industry.

The Twisted Metal soundtrack (review here) will feature 35 songs. 15 will be comprised of classic and more modern songs from various genres, while the other 20 will be all-new tracks composed specifically for the game.

"Twisted Metal combines ultimate destruction, dark humour, vehicles, and weapons that act as extensions of each character. The game follows four characters who participate in the Twisted Metal Tournament hosted by Calypso. The tournament results in one lone player, the survivor, to whom Calypso awards one wish- often money or power. However, this time Calypso has much more to offer. At the same time one player is trying to bring Calypso Industries down."

"Composer Michael Wandmacher created individual themes for each character faction for Twisted Metal. Wandmacher stated, “The primary role of the music is to give each character their own sound to portray their individual struggle.” Wandmacher created Sweet Tooth the Clown’s theme and his ice cream truck’s theme using large amounts of dissonance combined with dark industrial sounds. Mr. Grimm, a modern day Josey Wales, has a biker rock theme with sad undertones imitating his need for redemption. Dollface has a distorted lullaby theme as if written by demons from hell mirroring her struggle with her physical imperfections. “For Calypso, the mastermind behind the tournament, I created an epic theme. I used gothic tones created by pipe organs, guitar, and strings,” Wandmacher stated."

"Starting in commercial advertising, Michael Wandmacher quickly gained composing credits for works including film, television, and video games. His recent film credits include Bachelorette, Drive Angry, and Piranha. His other film credits include Never Back Down, My Bloody Valentine 3D and The Killing Floor. Wandmacher’s video game credits include Singularity, Over the Hedge and Madagascar. He has written and mixed music for two time Grammy winner Kelly Clarkson for the film From Justin to Kelly. Michael Wandmacher recently recorded and produced the Extended Play single “Can You Hear Me?” featuring Sarai Gavity to also be released Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2012."

You can learn more about the Twisted Metal Soundtrack by checking out our review. For more information on the game and soundtrack, check out the official Twisted Metal website.

You know the story, we've all been there. You have that great Valentine's Day date planned and it turns into a nightmare. Either you don't click or he's a jerk, she won't stop talking for two seconds, whatever the reason the date is a bomb. But don't despair…you've never had a date as bad as Britney's. Check it out.

Brought to us by the folks at Cambio.com, we have Just Another Valentine's Day Horror Story. It's a four-minute comedy film about the perils of bringing a zombie to dinner on that most love-filled of all days. Check it out, you'll get a chuckle out of if, Also, Britney is a fox and Justin's zombie make-up is nicely done. Something for everybody!

From the Press Release
Cambio, the entertainment destination for teens and young adults, knows that even though love is in the air February 14, some Valentine’s Day dates can still be horror stories. In Cambio’s exclusive original video, Just Another Valentine's Day Horror Story, Britney, a beautiful and sweet girl, thinks she is going on a date with a cute young guy named Justin, but his ghoulish looks and zombie-like antics leave her wondering if he is a dead-beat date or just simply dead. Even though Justin shows up looking disheveled and forgets to make reservations, Britney is still touched that at the end of their date he shares that he likes her for her brains. Could it be that Justin is into intelligent girls or just wants to eat Britney’s brains for a Valentine’s Day treat?

We'd love to hear from our readers who are watching "Lost Girl" on Syfy what they think of the show, but in the meantime here are a preview and a clip from the upcoming Episode 1.06, "Food for Thought".

Series Synopsis:
Raised by human parents, Bo had no reason to believe she was anything other than the girl next door -- until she “drained” her first boyfriend to death. Bo has since hit the road alone and afraid. She discovers she is one of the Fae, creatures of legend and folklore who pass as humans while feeding off them in secret, as they have for millennia. She is faced with choosing an allegiance between the Dark or Light Fae clans. Bo decides to take the middle path between humans and the Fae while embarking on a personal mission to unlock the secrets of her origin, protecting humans along the way.

"Lost Girl" stars Anna Silk ("The Ghost Whisperer") as supernatural seductress Bo . Silk's co-stars are Kris Holden-Ried as Dyson, a shape-shifting Fae, homicide detective, and Bo’s love interest; Ksenia Solo as Kenzi, Bo’s human confidante and a street-smart survivor; Zoie Palmer as Lauren, a human doctor who competes for Bo’s heart; Rick Howland as Trick, the mysterious owner and bartender at The Dal Riata tavern with a secretive past that is yet to be unlocked; and K.C. Collins as Hale, a handsome male “Siren” who is the eternal bachelor, ultimate wingman, and Dyson’s partner on the force. Emmanuelle Vaugier guest stars as “The Morrigan”, the leader of the Dark Fae. The series creator is Michelle Lovretta.

"Lost Girl" Episode 1.06 "Food for Thought" (2/20/12 Air Date):
Bo and Lauren's search for the cure for a disease that's killing Kenzi yields unexpected fruit.

In the clip Bo uses her powers to subdue a security guard and even manages not to suck all the life out of him. However, while she is congratulating herself on not killing the man, he regains enough strength to stand up and point a gun at her. Will she have to resort to killing another person to save Kenzi?

Round Three of MTV's slasher film franchise, the better than you'd expect My Super Psycho Sweet 16 Part 3, will be here in just a couple of weeks, and to get you geared up, we have the first trailer for you right here! Dig it!

Lauren McKnight, Jillian Rose Reed, Kirsten Prout, Ryan Sypek, Niko Pepaj, Ben Winchell, Onira Tares and Autumn Dial star.

Produced by Pop Films, the creative team behind the first two movies returns for the third installment as well. They include director Jacob Gentry, screenwriters Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, executive producers Maggie Malina and Alexander Motlagh, and co-producer Chris White.

My Super Psycho Sweet 16 Part 3 will premiere on Tuesday, March 13th, at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. Hit up the official My Super Psycho Sweet 16 Part 3 website for more.

Synopsis
Having endured the torment of high school, surviving the bloodbath at the Rollerdome and confronting her serial killer father at the Boneyard - ending his reign of terror once and for all - Skye Rotter is ready to break free of "Psycho Skye" and head to college for a new life. But before Skye can truly escape her dark past, there's still one last party she has to attend - tonight, her estranged sister, Alex, is having her Sweet 16, and someone has made certain the Lord of the Rink's bloody legacy lives on. Once again Skye gets blamed for the horror that ensues, only this time it's Alex pointing the finger. Skye must now outrun the nightmare long enough to repair her shattered family bond. There's bad blood between these sisters, and they're going to have it out...one way or another. The party ends here.

There is nothing like an outstanding short film. You get all the perks of a feature without having to dedicate two hours to the thing. And BenDavid Grabinski has a star-studded short for you entitled Cost of Living.

Starring no less than Brandon Routh (Superman Returns, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Dylan Dog: Dead of Night) and Bret Harrison ("V," "Reaper" and "Breaking In"), Cost of Living is a cool look at the day-to-day life of a pair of security guards who are just about fed up with their current positions.

If you like what you see, check out the official Cost of Living website .

COST OF LIVING from BenDavid Grabinski on Vimeo.

SEGA announced the launch of House of the Dead 3 for Playstation Network today. The new release will support HD graphics as well as trophies and Playstation Move support. You can purchase your own copy of this gory classic for only $7.99. Read on for more details!

From the Press Release
“We know not everyone has easy access to an arcade with a House of the Dead cabinet so we wanted to give players around the world the chance to have that same experience in their living rooms,” said Haruki Satomi, Senior Vice President of Digital Business at SEGA of America. “We hope everyone enjoys The House of the Dead 3’s classic gameplay and new features and look forward to introducing console owners to the fourth, previously arcade-only, installment later this spring.”

The House of the Dead 3 added a number of key features to the series’ creature-shooting roots, including interactive “rescue events” and a ranking and grading system that tracks each agent’s shot accuracy. This new console version of The House of the Dead 3 can be played using a PlayStation Move controller or a standard PlayStation controller, and as a special bonus SEGA has also included a unique reward for players to earn in-game: their very own virtual The House of the Dead 3 arcade cabinet for their PlayStation®Home space!

To learn more, visit the House of the Dead 3 website.

Just when it was starting to seem like the powers-that-be behind "The Secret Circle" didn't have a clue what to do with the Melissa character once her lover died, from the looks of this new clip from the upcoming Episode 1.15, "Return", her storyline is definitely heating up.

"The Secret Circle" Episode 1.15 "Return" (2/16/12 Air Date; 9:00-10:00 PM):
CASSIE'S PAST COMES BACK TO HAUNT HER — Cassie (Britt Robertson) is stunned when a notoriously evil figure from her past shows up on her doorstep (guest star Joe Lando, “Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman”). However, her surprise quickly turns to suspicion when he asks her to return the medallion she found in the wreckage of the fire that killed their parents.

Cassie storms off but is captured by Eben and his band of witch hunters. Jake (Chris Zylka) offers to trade himself for Cassie’s freedom, and when Adam (Thomas Dekker) realizes they’re in trouble, he calls the Circle.

Meanwhile Faye (Phoebe Tonkin) and Diana (Shelley Hennig) are concerned when Melissa starts spending more time with Callum (guest star Michael Graziadei).

Gale Harold and Natasha Henstridge also star. Brad Turner directed the episode written by David Ehrman.

The Skullgirls are sending out a very special greeting for their fans this Valentine's Day. The new trailer and screenshots feature Nurse Valentine wishing everyone a Happy Valentine's Day although her running around in that skimpy little nurse's outfit would've been good enough for most. Enjoy!

Character Biography
Valentine is the only survivor of the Last Hope, a group of special anti-Skullgirl lab operatives. Before meeting their end at the hands of the Skullgirl, the Last Hope worked for the mysterious Lab Zero and performed duties ranging from reconnaissance and sabotage to advanced research.

Now Valentine dutifully serves the Skullgirl, carrying out her will from the shadows. She keeps to herself so much of her true nature and personality are unknown.

Find out more at the Skullgirls website.

Syfy's website and the teaser trailer that debuted today have different names for this film, but for now we'll stick with Gretl: Witch Hunter. Look for it on Saturday, February 25th, at 9/8c.

Gretl: Witch Hunter (or Witchslayer Gretl), written by Brook Durham (Red: Werewolf Hunter), stars Shannen Doherty, Paul McGillion, and Emilie Ullerup.

Synopsis:
Twenty years after his encounter with the witch, a grown-up Hansel returns to the haunted forest, seeking revenge. But there's a surprise waiting - his sister Gretel (whom he thought had been killed) is the witch's protégé.

Players will enter the mysterious world of Night Falls in pursuit of Alan Wake's evil doppelganger Mr. Scratch starting February 22, 2012. But who is Mr. Scratch, really? A new trailer from Remedy should answer just that, as we get a glimpse into the mind of this "psycho."

About Alan Wake's American Nightmare
After the events of Alan Wake, our eponymous hero finds himself in the middle of a new adventure in Arizona, where his own words again hold the key to defeating his evil twin, the malevolent Mr. Scratch, who spreads darkness where he goes. Now more experienced at dealing with the weird and horrific, Wake is determined to turn the tide.

To learn more, visit the Alan Wake's American Nightmare website.

Independent developer Drinkbox Studios has announced that their new game Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack will be available for download beginning February 21, 2012 from the Playstation Store. The game will cost only $7.99 in North America.

The game has also released some Valentine's Day promotional images that you can see below. Happy Valentine's Day!

About Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack
Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack is a side-scrolling puzzle platformer about an ornery mutant blob that, after being held captive in a lab that can only be described as something out of a retro sci-fi movie from the early ’50's, escapes into the world and sets out on a path to destroy and consume everything! A follow-up to last year’s PlayStation®Network title Tales from Space: About a Blob, Mutant Blobs Attack will contain a wide range of exciting new features and gameplay modes designed exclusively for the PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system.

For more information on the game, check out the Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack blog.

Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack - Official Launch Trailer from Ryan MacLean on Vimeo.

The hit game Catherine is Amazon's Deal of the Day for Valentine's Day. For today only, you can purchase the game at the discounted price of $29.99 through the online website. The "Love is Over" Deluxe edition is available for purchase as well. This deal is sweeter than chocolate so act now!

About Catherine
Vincent likes his girlfriend. Katherine's pretty, smart, and successful. Trouble is, she's starting to talk about long-term commitment, something Vincent's spent his entire life avoiding. Since romantic complications are the last thing he wants to deal with, Vincent meets his friends for their regular night of drinks. Little does he know that he's about to be blindsided by a beautiful, seductive, irresistible freight train named Catherine. Suddenly, he's hung over in bed next to the most beautiful woman he's ever seen, unsure about the previous night's events. Was it just making out, he wonders, or did something more serious happen between them? Should he tell Katherine? Will he ever see Catherine again? Vincent's about to find that a stumble on the staircase of love can turn into a horrific, fatal plummet...

You can find the Deal of the Day on Amazon's website.

You can find out more about the game on the official Catherine website..

Darksiders II is scheduled to release June 29th for Xbox, PS3 and PC. THQ Inc. is offerings tons of pre-order bonuses to get your copy early! Have a giving spirit this Valentine's Day and pre-order a copy for a loved one or even as special gift to yourself! Read on for details.

From the Press Release
Players who pre-order the game from GAME, GAMESTATION (and GAMESTOP in Ireland only) will receive the ‘Death Rides’ pack. Featuring multiple exclusive side-quests, this pack allows the most fearless adventurers to explore more of the Maker’s Realm and Dead Plains and earn additional experience and loot. Aid an ancient Construct, battle The Bloodless and retrieve Karn’s lost treasure in around two hours of unique game play content.

The ‘Angel of Death’ pack will give you an edge with a unique set of enhanced armour with an angel inspired design as well as a pair of upgraded matching scythes and a exclusive visual trail for your companion crow Dust. This pack will be available in UK & Ireland – retailer tbc.

People who pre-order the game from AMAZON.CO.UK will get to ride into battle with increased speed thanks to the ‘Deadly Despair’ pack. This unique pre-order offer adds an additional speed boost for Death’s trusty steed Despair, allowing players to travel across the vast world even faster than before. This perk is a permanent increase that will last throughout the game.

Jim Huntley, Vice President of Global Brand Marketing commented: “We are happy to be able to offer a range of exciting offers to reward gamers for pre-ordering copies of the game prior to its 29th June release.”

Darksiders II follows the exploits of DEATH, one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, in a weaving tale that runs parallel to the events in the original Darksiders game. This epic journey propels DEATH through various light and dark realms as he tries to redeem his brother WAR, the horseman who was blamed for prematurely starting the Apocalypse in Darksiders.

Check out the Darksiders II website for more dark delectables.

This Friday, February 17th, Columbia Pictures will bring us Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, the sequel to the 2007 film starring Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze, a.k.a. the Ghost Rider. Dread Central was lucky enough to sit down with Cage and have him share some Spirit of Vengeance knowledge with us.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance takes place eight years after the original film left off. "That's eight years John Blaze has been on the lam in Eastern Europe," Cage said. "He's there because he doesn't want to hurt anybody. He's hiding out, knowing he can erupt into the Ghost Rider and cause a great deal of damage. So he's far from home."

And viewers will be happy to hear that this time away has left Johnny Blaze a darker individual. "In Mark Steven Johnson's movie (the original Ghost Rider), the comedy comes from John Blaze trying to keep the curse at bay. He's more like a child," Cage said. "He's eating stupid jelly beans and listening to very relaxing music because he doesn't want to have the curse. With this version of John Blaze, he's been living with it for eight years, and it's taken a toll on his state of mind. The comedy in this comes much more from irony, sarcasm, cynicism, not unlike a cop or a paramedic that develops a dark sense of humor to deal with what he sees. So it's an edgier John Blaze."

Cage also felt he was able to put some of himself into the character. "Fortunately I'm working with filmmakers that create a very spontaneous atmosphere on the set where you can play and hopefully find some other bits of dialogue in the improv that also give it some flavor," Cage said. "There's very little CGI in the movie, just the skull and the fire and a bit of heat on the costume. But all the things you see are really happening. I would get into character. I would try to transform my body language and try to present a Ghost Rider that's kind of enigmatic, like a bad dream."

And although he was an avid Ghost Rider reader as a child, Cage feels his approach to the character is quite a bit different than in his youth. "As a child reading Ghost Rider when I was eight, it was more about trying to get my head around how could something that terrifying, using forces of evil, also be good," Cage said, "and that was a very complicated thought process for an eight-year-old, as I'm sure you can imagine. But with the movie, at least Spirit of Vengeance, I wasn't referring to anything except my own imagination as to how would a spirit of vengeance walk or how would he move his head or what can I give him that separates him from John Blaze, but still there's that little bit of a connection and also how it would mess with his victims' minds as well as the audiences' minds in some way."

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance opens this Friday, February 17th, in theaters everywhere.

It was exactly a year ago to the day that we did our last news story about the Butcher Brothers' upcoming sequel to the vampire flick The Hamiltons, known as The Thompsons, and we've got your first look at the artwork straight from Berlin's EFM! Dig it!

All the regulars will return -- Cory Knauf, Samuel Child, Joseph McKelheer, and Mackenzie Firgens -- in the sequel that follows the Hamiltons as they sneak into a new town.

Synopsis:
In the sequel a bloodbath at a gas station in the desert puts the family on the run, eventually seeing them resurface in the U.K. under a new identity as 'the Thompsons'. Desperate for protection in this unfamiliar country, the Thompsons seek out the help of a shadowy underground rumored to be sympathetic to vampires.

Look for more soon!