In just a few hours we’ll all be heading to “Sleepy Hollow” for Episode 2.04, “Go Where I Send There…,” but if you can’t wait that long to see what shenanigans await us this week, here are four new clips just released by Fox.

“Sleepy Hollow” Episode 2.04 – “Go Where I Send Thee…” (airs 10/13/14)
Abbie and Crane’s (Nicole Beharie, Tom Mison) search for a missing Sleepy Hollow child reveals a creature akin to the Pied Piper, whose legacy with the child’s family extends back to a centuries-old curse.

Related Story:  See Several Stills and a Sneak Peek of Sleepy Hollow Episode 2.04 – Go Where I Send Thee…

For more info visit “Sleepy Hollow” on Fox.com, “like” “Sleepy Hollow” on Facebook, and follow “Sleepy Hollow” on Twitter.

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Can’t say I didn’t see this one coming. With all the past MGM “Midnite Movies” Scream Factory has been announcing thus far this month, I figured some nature gone amok titles from the ecological disaster era of Seventies cinema were bound to rear their human-hating heads.

Bert I. Gordon (AKA the man who gifted the world with such Atomic Age greats as The Amazing Colossal Man, Beginning of the End, and Earth vs. the Spider) was behind 1976’s Food of the Gods, a very loose adaptation of H.G. Wells’ classic tale. Quite appropriate calling this film cheesy since the central characters are primarily being attacked by giant rats.

While it makes more sense to pair this one with Empire of the Ants (Gordon’s follow-up, also loosely based on an H.G. Wells tale), instead Scream Factory has announced on its Facebook page that Food of the Gods will be released as a double-feature Blu-ray with another Seventies killer animal classic: Frogs.

The Frogs movie poster is an absolute work of pop art as far as I’m concerned, but don’t be fooled into thinking this one is about man-eating frogs. The frogs hold psychic powers over the other critters of the swamp and use them to seek revenge against humanity on behalf of their polluted ecosystem. Sam Elliot, Ray Milland, and Joan Van Ark soon find themselves under attack by dangerous snakes, spiders, and alligators while the frogs make like Hynotoad.

If Scream Factory has a sense of humor, Frogs will include an audio commentary track that’s nothing but the sound of actual frogs croaking and ribbitting for 90 minutes.

We’ll have to wait on this one as the Food of the Gods/Frogs double-feature won’t be coming out until next summer.

Expect more Scream Factory announcements at any moment. Who knows? Empire of the Ants, Tentacles, even a Reptilicus/Yongary, Monster from the Deep double-feature Blu—ray could be feasible at this point.

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Starring Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Rupert Evans, Steve Oram

Directed by Ivan Kavanagh (interview here)

The fear of the inevitable is just as frightening as the actual scare itself, I believe. When you can see what the action will be, whether it’s an instantaneous reaction that elicits the fright or something that takes its time to simmer – you know it’s coming, and it STILL gives you the foreboding presence of dread that hangs until the scare slams into you. With director Ivan Kavanagh’s slow-creeping startler The Canal, nothing is as creepy as what’s laid out in front of the viewer… like I said, you can see it coming, and it still gives you the heebies.

The movie could possibly be one of the best deterrents for the cheating spouse since Glenn Close decided to steep one of the Easter Bunny’s relatives in Fatal Attraction way back in the day. David (Rupert Evans) is a quiet and reserved film archivist who goes about his job, almost in a mundane fashion. His reason for such a lack of motivation at work is the persistent feeling that his wife, Alice (Hanna Hoekstra), is having a lurid affair behind his back. Then again, you can’t really have it behind your back if virtually ALL the signs are in your face (i.e., text messages in the middle of the night and that glance from the other guy when he’s speaking to David’s wife while at a party).

Alice is a stunner, plain and simple, and she doesn’t go too far out of the way to hide the fact that she’s interested in her latest client, Alex (Carl Shabaan). The inclining worries about an adulterous wife, coupled with the crime footage from a murder back in 1902 that David has been glossing over at work, have sent his mind into overdrive.

Oddly enough, the home where the murders took place looks exactly like his family’s home, and upon further review, we learn it is the same place, providing the groundwork for a very intense series of events that are almost certain to unfold right in front of your eyes (see paragraph 1 above).

The supposition grows so heavily that David decides to follow his wife one night when she’s “working late” – even so intent on catching her in the act that he forgets to pick up their young son at school. After witnessing the unforgivable, David passes out in a grimy bathroom while having a nightmarish vision, and the next morning he returns home to find his wife is gone.

An instant investigation begins into the whereabouts of his wife, and after she’s found floating in a local runoff canal, he is immediately fingered as the numero uno suspect – I mean, who else could it possibly be, right? Her murder is deemed “accidental”; yet, David refuses to believe that arbitrary ruling, as does a very skeptical police detective (Steve Oram).

David’s worry now focuses on the safety of his young boy and the babysitter who looks after them – he believes that whatever (or whoever) killed the family way back in 1902 is without equivocation the reason for his wife’s death, and it could still be residing in his house behind the walls. The mood is dark and dismal throughout the entire film, especially the last half, acting as a one-two combo of hopelessness and despair for the characters involved. David is a shattered soul with an innocent son who is now without a mother. Jeez, I even felt remorse for the detective because the mood was so heavily wrought. Kavanagh’s use of photography is simply beautiful – one supreme shot is the view inside Alice’s casket as you can hear the first shovelfuls of dirt rain down upon it – brilliance.

If I had to (unfortunately) look for a negative in all this creepy goodness, it would be the cross-worked circuitry that is the movie’s final acts. You’re twisted and turned in about a dozen different directions, left to wonder which way is up, even after a shocking conclusion. (Be sure to look for a nod to The Ring in one latter scene.) Aside from the roadblock that impedes a certain touchdown on this field of fright, The Canal is a movie that should definitely be watched with the lights off, not necessarily to enhance the scares, but to better immerse yourself in the darkness that these characters so radiantly display even through the opacity.

The post Canal, The (2014) appeared first on Dread Central.

As a whole, Stephen King adaptations haven’t fared so well thus far, but Lifetime is forging ahead with its own version of King’s short story “Big Driver” from Full Dark, No Stars (published in November 2010), which arrives on Saturday night. Curious? Then check out this new sneak peek!

About “Big Driver” on Lifetime:
From a story by Stephen King, “Big Driver” marks the first collaboration between Lifetime and King.

This dark story of a young novelist hell-bent on revenge after falling victim to a brutal crime stars Golden Globe nominee Maria Bello (A History of Violence). Bello’s co-stars include Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis (Steel Magnolias), Grammy nominee Joan Jett, film and television veteran Ann Dowd (“The Leftovers”), and Will Harris (“NCIS”).

In “Big Driver” Tess Thorne (Bello), a famous and revered mystery and thriller writer, faces a long drive home following a book-signing engagement. But while driving on a lonely stretch of New England road, her tire blows out, leaving her stranded. Relieved when another driver stops and offers assistance, Tess quickly discovers her savior is actually her assailant, a serial killer who repeatedly assaults her. Left for dead in a drainage pipe to rot with the bodies of his other victims, Tess escapes and makes her way safely home. With her fragile mind beginning to unravel, she is determined to find her rapist and seek revenge, as payback is the only thing holding her together.

Produced by Ostar Productions, “Big Driver” is executive produced by Bill Haber (The Trip to Bountiful) and Jeffrey Hayes (A Day Late and A Dollar Short). The screenplay adaptation was written by Richard Christian Matheson (“Masters of Horror,” Happy Face Killer) and is directed by Mikael Salomon (Drew Peterson: Untouchable). A+E Networks handles international sales for “Big Driver.”

Be sure to tune in for the world premiere of “Big Driver” on October 18th at 8/7c on Lifetime.

The post See the First Sneak Peek of Lifetime’s Big Driver appeared first on Dread Central.

While we put the finishing touches on our dams and lodge in anticipation of the October 20 UK DVD and Blu-ray release of Zombeavers (review), we also figured we’d treat you all to an exclusive infographic that aims to make sure that you KNOW YOUR BEAVER!

Synopsis
The film follows a group of college students headed out into the wilderness for spring break, unaware of the danger that lurks beneath the lake. Unbeknownst to the vacationers, a chemical spill has irreversibly altered the wildlife, and Zombeavers are on the prowl. As a weekend of sex, drugs, and debauchery gets under way, the beavers close in on their prey; and the bloodthirsty beasts really do take the term ‘killer weekend’ to the next level.

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It’s time for an update on our own Staci Layne Wilson’s upcoming feature Fetish Factory, and on tap today is the film’s official artwork, which was created by artist Aaron Kai. Read on for your first look at the new poster!

From the Press Release
In the gritty, sexy, and scary old school tradition of exploitation and grindhouse art comes the kick-ass poster for Blanc/Biehn Productions’ latest fright flick, Fetish Factory.

BBP commissioned Los Angeles-based artist Aaron Kai to come up with a throwback concept and create artwork that would tell a story – using scenes from the film and building intrigue through visuals just like they did back in the 60s and 70s.

Kai’s meticulously executed, photorealistic film-inspired artwork has been featured globally from Hollywood to Tokyo to commemorate high-profile landmark events including Blade Runner: The Final Cut 25™ Anniversary, The Bette Davis Centennial, and the Jules Verne Film Festival. Prominent collectors of Kai’s original works include Ridley Scott, Harrison Ford, and Clint Eastwood.

Fetish Factory is written and directed by Staci Layne Wilson based on a story by Lony Ruhmann. The plot centers on pin-up vixens vs. bloodthirsty zombies and is set in post-apocalyptic Hollywood.

Related Story: I Love My Zombies… A Mini-Memoir on the Making of Fetish Factory

The film stars Carrie Keagan (“Reno 9-1-1!”), Chase Williamson (John Dies at the End), Jennifer Blanc (Everly, Havenhurst, Hidden in the Woods), Daniel Quinn (Rubber), Stephen Wastell (“Criminal Minds”), Jenimay Walker, (Serpent’s Kiss), Tristan Risk (American Mary), Emma Julia Jacobs (Hitchcock), Ruben Pla (Big-Ass Spider), Diane Ayala Goldner (The Collector), Jesse Merlin (FDR: American Badass), Benjamin Easterday (Poseidon Rex), and Tom Ayers (“Bosch”). Montreal-based alternative model and fetish superstar The Richard rounds out the cast.

Lony Ruhmann is executive producer, and cinematography is by Steve Romano. The original score is by Mars Homeworld and introduces new original songs by guitar superstars The Ventures.

It’s SURVIVAL OF THE FOXIEST! in Fetish Factory, a thrilling and darkly comic horror suspense film with a heaping helping of vintage burlesque bawdiness.

Look for the film in 2015.

Synopsis
Imagine a wickedly saucy by invitation-only stage show and posh private peeps in which your every fantasy can come true, fulfilled by the likes of luscious ladies imitating the sex goddesses of yore: Bettie Page, Jayne Mansfield, and Suzie Wong. Along with classic burlesque strip-teases and curio acts – a ventriloquist, a magician, and a whip-dancer – you are in for the night of your life at the Fetish Factory. That is, until your life is at stake when the apocalypse strikes! Once mild-mannered men become bloodthirsty zombies, and it’s up to the girls to defend themselves by any means – even if that means turning their bullet bras, garter belts, and spike-heels into deadly weapons.

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Having been one of the lucky few who have experienced appendicitis, I can honestly tell you it’s one of the worst minor afflictions anyone could have. However, it could be worse. Especially if a spider decides to burrow into your scar and live inside your chest.

Such was the fate of one Dylan Thomas of Bunbury in Australia. Thomas was in Bali on vacation when he noticed a mysterious red trail stretching two inches from his belly towards his left nipple.

“It was like someone had scratched me with a knife,” he told NT News. “It wasn’t really a tickling sensation; obviously once the venom started to affect my skin, it was a really burning sensation like a searing feeling. Well that’s escalated,” he told Bunbury Mail.

Dylan finally put this harrowing ordeal behind him and has announced on Facebook: “After running tests and putting things inside my stomach, they finally found out it was a tropical spider that’s been living inside of me for the last three days; [they] managed to get it out luckily. Spider man is well and truly going to stick as a nickname here. Haven’t felt so violated in my life before! Just glad it’s all over.”

In the end Thomas had an arachnid “a bit bigger than the size of a match head” removed from his body. The creature was already dead as it was plucked out with tweezers.

Thomas is now hoping his friends will chip in to pay for a Spider-Man tattoo to cover up his scar.

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Starring Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, Paul A. Partain, Terri, McMinn, William Vail, Jim Siedow, Gunnar Hansen, Edwin Neal

Directed by Tobe Hooper

Distributed by MPI Media Group

When Dark Sky/MPI Media Group announced a 40^th Anniversary Edition of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, you could hear synchronized groans from movie collectors the world over. “What was wrong with the last one?” That question echoed across the digital ether, leaving message boards and horror blogs to wonder if this wasn’t just another cash-grab for a revered title. In this miraculous age where folks like Synapse Films, Scorpion Releasing, Scream Factory, and Vinegar Syndrome (to name a few) are bringing dozens of titles to Blu-ray for the very first time, it’s maybe harder to get excited about a film that, unquestionably, has been treated very well in the annals of DVD and beyond.

I’m not going to spend a lot of time talking about the film itself. At this point, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is inborn in us as horror fans. We know why it resonates, and why it’s a perfect horror film. But I’m not sure I can think of another movie that takes on new layers, discoverable through repeat viewings and, perhaps more importantly, a constantly evolving world view. In my youngest years as a horror fan, Tobe Hooper’s film was easily categorized as sort of a proto-slasher. Yes, it has elements commonplace in the subgenre (kids in rural isolation killed one-by-one by a masked maniac), though I never considered The Texas Chain Saw Massacre a bona fide slasher. It’s too real, trading suspense for primal ferocity, and then focusing on the encroaching insanity of its victim, as opposed to boiling into a battle of wits between hero versus killer. Yes, it has elements of a slasher (namely the second act), but it’s so much more.

There comes a point in any film fanatic’s life when he or she begins digging deeper into the movies they love. And like any good college student, I did that same, reading The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as a meditation on the destruction of the nuclear family in post-Vietnam America. The local economy has wilted in the wake of cost-savings and efficiency measures, leading to the closing of the mainstay slaughterhouse, sapping many jobs from an area that needed them. Those who refused to follow the work are left to their own devices, and we get the sense that maybe the Sawyers weren’t always so brazen in their mass-murdering efforts (especially since the Hardesty’s grandfather essentially lived right next door to them).

More recently, Phil Noble, Jr. from Badass Digest tweeted about the film’s astrological aspects, suggesting that the kids were perhaps fated to die that August 18^th. It’s something that hung over my head as I watched the film for the umpteenth time and found it gave the movie an even more disturbing quality.

What this says of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is that it works on numerous levels. Yes, it’s grounded in oft-celebrated “gritty naturalism” that makes some fans feel like they need to be watching it on blurry VHS in order to truly ‘experience’ it. But consider the rest of the information presented in the film and it becomes something of a cinematic Rorschach: what exactly was Tobe Hooper trying to say? Some maintain it’s the stuff of parody, while others read it as a broad depiction of personified insanity. After 40 years, this conversation continues unabated, and that’s perhaps the greatest testament to its abilities.

About the transfer

Now I’m sure you want to know if The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 40^th Anniversary Edition is worth your hard-earned bucks. And since I’ve spent a good chunk of my life consuming all of the content packed onto this disc, and scrutinizing the new 4k transfer, I’ll attempt to provide you with an answer. Let me start by saying there is absolutely nothing wrong with the MPI “Ultimate Edition” disc released in 2008, other than the fact that the master was made over a decade ago, and sourced from the 16mm internegative taken from the camera A/B rolls. All things considered, that disc still looks great and it continues to be a respectable way to savor the film.

TCM 40’s transfer was taken from the original 16mm ECO positive, offering a 4k version supervised by Tobe Hooper. Colors pop, grain structure is good, and there’s plenty of detail on display. I think it goes without saying that 16mm looks the way it does, and so the bizarre, ongoing mindset that Blu-ray is going to make The Texas Chain Saw Massacre somehow feel like a new and clean movie is completely asinine. If anything, the added clarity makes the movie feel more authentic and nasty because of the details present. The slightly “warmer” feel of this transfer may be a bone of contention for purists, but it’s not as drastic as some detractors have cited.

There are a few minor tweaks that are raising eyebrows in some corners of the Internet. At the beginning of the film, Tobe Hooper replaced a fade to black with a hard cut to black. Fans have been vocal, and Dark Sky says that Tobe has agreed to restore this to the way it once was in future pressings of the disc. While I’ll talk more about the audio, there’s also a split second glitch that impacts Sally’s scream from the pick-up flatbed at the end of the film. I’ll admit, I didn’t notice this upon my watch, though Dark Sky says it will be addressed in future pressings as well.

Regarding the audio: you choose from four flavors: English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, LPCM 2.0, and LPCM Mono. Generally speaking, I spring for the mono tracks when offered, as I don’t like it when older films are outfitted with rear channel FX simply to give audiophiles a reason to be excited. But I did spin the 7.1 surround in my home theater and was impressed by its quality/clarity. Dialogue is clear, never drowned out by the chaos, and the surround channels are surprisingly active, and never forced. I was thrilled by the ferocity of this audio and have only nothing but good things to say about it—even with half a second less of Sally’s scream at the end.

The extras

Moving onto the supplements, I was supplied with the limited Black Maria edition for review. It includes the chipboard Black Maria truck packaging, a Leatherface apron (complete with blood stains), and a five disc set (two Blu-rays, three DVDs) with alternate Blu-ray packaging that’s only available here. Disc five is a bonus DVD, depicting a conversation between Exorcist director William Friedkin and director Tobe Hooper before a Los Angeles screening of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It’s a good discussion that benefits greatly from Friedkin’s gift of gab, handling the crowd with equal parts hilarity and contemplation as he grills Hooper on the film’s legacy. It runs an hour, but I could’ve watched it for another two.

Other than those exclusive supplements, the rest of the extras can be found on the four disc edition (there’s also a barebones single disc set that only houses the four audio commentaries). Anyone familiar with previous editions of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre will find some of this stuff to be a case of déjà vu, though it’s nice to have all of these materials housed in one comprehensive package.

What’s new:

• Audio commentary with director Tobe Hooper: this is a mediocre track, with Hooper lapsing into dry stretches without much insight or info. Honestly, who can blame him at this point?
• Audio commentary with DP Daniel Pearl, editor J. Larry Carroll, and sound recordist Ted Nicolaou: pretty nifty and enjoyable discussion, especially getting the chance to hear Nicolaou and Carroll get a chance to speak at length. It’s great to hear some different perspectives and while I had truthfully only intended to skim this track for time purposes, it wound up capturing my attention.
• Interview with production manager Ron Bozman: a 16 minute discussion from a more business-minded perspective.
• Interview with actor John Dugan: a 15 minute chat with Grandpa that covers the discomfort of shooting in those conditions. It’s well-worn territory, but what isn’t at this stage in the game?
• Interview with editor J. Larry Carroll: a 10 minute conversation that covers similar ground as the commentary track.
• New deleted scenes & outtakes: presented here without sound, sadly, but still worthwhile for archival purposes.
• Horror’s Hollowed Grounds: I swear I’ve seen this before, but it doesn’t look to be on my 2008 Blu-ray.

What’s back:

• Audio commentary with author David Gregory, art director Robert Burns, and actors Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, and Allen Danziger: A classic commentary from 2006, which walks the line between fun and informative.
• Audio commentary with director Tobe Hooper, DP Daniel Pearl, and actor Gunnar Hansen: this commentary dates all the way back to the 1998 Pioneer DVD and is probably even older. It was one of the first commentaries I ever got to listen to and I loved every second then.
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth: a 72 minute documentary that exhausts every aspect of the film, from its origins to the arduous shooting and beyond. An excellent complement to the movie itself.  
• Flesh Wounds: Seven Stories of the Saw: as the title implies, seven stories (Daniel Pearl, Tim Harden, Edwin Neal, Dr. W.E. Barnes, Gunnar Hansen, a remembrance of those passed, and the film as seen through the eyes of horror fans) help explore the film’s legacy and impact.
• Off the Hook with Teri McMinn: this was a Blu-ray exclusive on the 2008 release. A quick tour of the infamous house with the lovely actress.
• Tour of the TCM House with Gunnar Hansen: if you’re eager for another tour, from a different perspective.
• Deleted scenes & outtakes: these date way back to the 1998 DVD and perhaps go back further to the laserdisc.
• Blooper reel
• “Shocking Truth” outtakes
• W.E. Barnes Presents “Making Grandpa” still gllery
• Still Gallery
• Trailers, TV & Radio spots

An exhaustive release in every regard. No stone is unturned. I can remember thinking in 1998 that I finally had the definitive release of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. 16 years later, MPI Media Group has proven me wrong. We’re fast approaching the point where Blu-ray producers should find it challenging to add anything of value to future releases. As it is, the sheer volume of information housed on these discs begins to feel redundant (especially when consumed in a single weekend).

But it’s everything a Chain Saw fanatic could want, and the audio and picture quality are superb. One of the best horror films of all time is graced with one of the best releases of the year. I can’t imagine anyone being disappointed with MPI, no matter the edition chosen.

The post The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: 40th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray / DVD) appeared first on Dread Central.

As we weren’t excited enough already about Showtime’s recent announcement of a limited “Twin Peaks” series heading our way in 2016, today we learned that Mark Frost, who co-created the iconic show with David Lynch, is writing a tie-in novel, The Secret Lives of Twin Peaks.

Per The Wrap, the book’s publisher, Macmillan subsidiary Flatiron Books, has said that the novel “reveals what has happened to the people of that iconic fictional town since we last saw them 25 years ago.”  It will also offer “a deeper glimpse into the central mystery that was only touched on by the original series.”

The Secret Lives of Twin Peaks will go on sale worldwide in late 2015, ahead of Showtime’s revival of the series.

Related Story: 9-Episode Twin Peaks Miniseries Heading to Showtime

“[Flatiron president and publisher] Bob Miller and I have enjoyed a fantastic fifteen-year relationship in publishing,” Frost said of the book. “This has long been a dream project of mine that will bring a whole other aspect of the world of ‘Twin Peaks’ to life for old fans and new. I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

In addition, the site says Showtime will run the first two seasons of the original series. Get those DVRs ready!

The post The Secret Lives of Twin Peaks Novel Being Released Prior to Showtime Miniseries appeared first on Dread Central.

Here at Dread Central we love tales of men vs. beasts. Especially giant beasts. Such is the case pertaining to Ron Howard’s latest film, In the Heart of the Sea. Read on for the first info, trailer, and more!

From the Press Release
Oscar winner Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind) directs the action adventure In the Heart of the Sea, based on Nathaniel Philbrick’s best-selling book about the dramatic true journey of the Essex.

In the winter of 1820, the New England whaling ship Essex was assaulted by something no one could believe: a whale of mammoth size and will and an almost human sense of vengeance. The real-life maritime disaster would inspire Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. But that told only half the story.

In the Heart of the Sea reveals the encounter’s harrowing aftermath, as the ship’s surviving crew is pushed to their limits and forced to do the unthinkable to stay alive. Braving storms, starvation, panic, and despair, the men will call into question their deepest beliefs, from the value of their lives to the morality of their trade, as their captain searches for direction on the open sea and his first mate still seeks to bring the great whale down.

In the Heart of the Sea stars Chris Hemsworth (The Avengers, Rush) as the vessel’s veteran first mate Owen Chase; Benjamin Walker (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) as its inexperienced Captain, George Pollard; Cillian Murphy (The Dark Knight Rises) as second mate Matthew Joy; and Ben Whishaw (Skyfall) as novelist Herman Melville, whose inquiries into the event 30 years later helped bring the story to light.

Tom Holland (The Impossible) also stars as young seaman Tom Nickerson with Brendan Gleeson (Edge of Tomorrow) as the same man, 30 years later. Spanish actor Jordi Mollà (Riddick) is the captain of another ship, the Archimedes, who tries to warn the Essex of what may lie ahead.

Howard directed from a screenplay by Charles Leavitt (Blood Diamond), story by Charles Leavitt and Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), based on the book In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick, winner of the 2000 National Book Award for Nonfiction.

The film is produced by Joe Roth (Oz the Great and Powerful), Paula Weinstein (Blood Diamond, This Is Where I Leave You), Will Ward, Brian Grazer (J. Edgar), and Ron Howard. Serving as executive producers are Bruce Berman, Sarah Bradshaw, Palak Patel, Erica Huggins, and David Bergstein with William M. Connor as co-producer.

The behind-the-scenes creative team includes Oscar-winning director of photography Anthony Dod Mantle (Slumdog Millionaire, Rush); production designer Mark Tildesley (The Fifth Estate); Oscar-winning editors Michael Hill (Apollo 13, Rush) and Dan Hanley (Apollo 13); costume designer Julian Day (Rush); and composer Roque Baños (Evil Dead).

In the Heart of the Sea is a Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, a COTT Productions-Enelmar Productions, A.I.E. co-production, a Roth Films/Spring Creek/Imagine Entertainment Production, in association with Kia Jam.

Opening on March 13, 2015, in theatres and IMAX, the film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures.

The post In The Heart of the Sea Yields a Whale of a Trailer; First Artwork appeared first on Dread Central.

We’ve been anxiously awaiting next week’s return of “Grimm” to NBC, and the network has finally released the first clip from the upcoming Episode 4.01, “Thanks for the Memories,” in which Nick, Trubel, Hank, and Juliette face the aftermath of Season Three’s finale.

Evil has a new enemy in “Grimm” Season Four, premiering October 24th on NBC, followed by the series debut of “Constantine.”

“Grimm” Episode 4.01 – “Thanks for the Memories” (10/24/14; 9-10pm)
NICK MUST LEARN TO COPE WITH HIS NEW REALITY AS A NEW WESEN HITS PORTLAND TO STEAL ITS VICTIMS MEMORIES – ELIZABETH RODRIGUEZ, LOUISE LOMBARD, ALEXIS DENISOF, AND JACQUELINE TOBONI GUEST STAR – After the events at Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) and Rosalee’s (Bree Turner) wedding, Nick (David Giuntoli) is faced with losing his identity as a Grimm. Hank (Russell Hornsby) and Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch) join Nick as they try to figure out how to deal with Trubel (guest star Jacqueline Toboni) as she faces the consequences of a heinous murder she committed.

Meanwhile, when Wu (Reggie Lee) arrives at the scene, his discoveries bring back images of his traumatic encounter. A new threat arrives in Portland to steal the memories of its victims, leaving them in a state of dementia. Elsewhere, Captain Renard’s (Sasha Roiz) life hangs in the balance and Adalind (Claire Coffee) falls into Prince Viktor’s (guest star Alexis Denisof) trap as she desperately searches for her baby.

For more info visit “Grimm” on NBC.com, check out some InstaGRIMMS on Instagram, “like” “Grimm” on Facebook, and follow “Grimm” on Twitter.

The post Get a Sneak Peek of Grimm Episode 4.01 – Thanks for the Memories appeared first on Dread Central.

There’s a big dinner happening in N’awlins next Monday night on “The Originals,” and along with a clip from the upcoming Episode 2.03, entitled “Every Mother’s Son,” we also have a new preview hosted by executive producers Julie Plec and Michael Narducci.

“The Originals” Episode 2.03 – “Every Mother’s Son” (airs 10/20/14): When Klaus (Joseph Morgan) and Elijah (Daniel Gillies) receive a cryptic invitation to dinner from their mother, Esther, who continues to inhabit the body of Harvest girl Cassie (guest star Natalie Dreyfuss), they find themselves preparing for the worst.

With the help of a new witch named Lenore (guest star Sonja Sohn), Klaus, Elijah, and Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin) attempt to stay one step ahead of Esther, but things quickly take an unexpected turn. While Elijah finds himself reluctantly teaming up with Gia (guest star Nishi Munshi), a newly-turned vampire, Hayley is faced with an enticing proposition about her new status as a Hybrid after a startling encounter with Esther.

Finally, Esther reveals a shocking secret about Klaus’ childhood and unveils her ultimate plan for her children. Charles Michael Davis also stars. Dermott Downs directed the episode written by Christopher Hollier.

Related Story: New Images and an Extended Preview of The Originals Episode 2.03 – Every Mother’s Son

For more info visit “The Originals” on CWTV.com, “like” “The Originals” on Facebook, and follow “The Originals” on Twitter.

The post See a Clip and Then Go Inside The Originals Episode 2.03 – Every Mother’s Son appeared first on Dread Central.

Is everyone enjoying the sights and sounds of “American Horror Story: Freak Show” so far? Want to learn more about Finn Wittrock’s character, the lovably loony Dandy? Then check out this “inside” look at him along with a preview of next week’s Episode 4.03, “Edward Mordrake Part 1,” which features guest star Wes Bentley.

As a bonus, FX has also released Sarah Paulson’s amazing performance of “Criminal” from last night’s episode.

“American Horror Story: Freak Show” – Episode 4.03 – “Edward Mordrake Part 1″ (airs 10/22/14)
The Freaks refuse to perform on Halloween due to an old carny superstition. Jimmy (Evan Peters) is smitten by a woman claiming to be a fortune teller. Ethel (Kathy Bates) receives life-changing news.

For more info visit the “AHS: Freak Show” Facebook page, check out “AHS: Freak Show” on Tumblr, and follow @AHSFX on Twitter along with “American Horror Story” on FX.

The post Go Inside American Horror Story: Freak Show to Meet Dandy; See a Preview of Episode 4.03 – Edward Mordrake Part 1 appeared first on Dread Central.

Good news for our UK fans: we got our furry mitts on two copies of director Lowell Dean’s howlin’ good time, WolfCop (review), on Blu-ray to give away courtesy of Studiocanal. Get in here and enter nooooOOOOOWWW!

Synopsis
It’s not unusual for alcoholic cop Lou Garou (Leo Fafard) to black out and wake up in unfamiliar surroundings, but lately things have taken a strange turn. Crime scenes seem oddly familiar. Lou’s senses are heightened, and when the full moon is out, he’s a rage-fueled werewolf.
WolfCop is one cop’s quest to become a better man… One transformation at a time.

To be in with a chance of winning, just send us an email at contests@dreadcentral.com including your FULL NAME AND POSTAL ADDRESS; then sit back, crack open a brewski and enjoy some hair o’ the dog. We’ll take care of the rest.

Please note that this competition is open only to UK residents.

The post UK Readers: Win WolfCop on Blu-ray! appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Kaitlyn Leeb, Cassi Thomson, Dejan Loyola, Graham Wardle, Jesse Wheeler, Tom Stevens

Directed by Steven R. Monroe

Distributed by Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment

Ah, vengeful Asian ghosts – can ever we get enough of them? Director Steven R. Monroe hopes not as he dishes up a forest full in Grave Halloween. Set in the real-life Aokigahara Forest in Japan (a strange cultural hotbed of self-termination), Grave Halloween follows a bunch of American students studying nearby who set off to the forest in order to perform a ritual that should lay to rest the tortured spirit of the mother of one of their number. The girl in question, Maiko (Leeb – looking nowhere near as convincingly Asian as the child playing her in flashbacks is), lost her mother to suicide when she was a young girl, and was then adopted by American parents.

Seeking to reconnect with her heritage, she is thus back in Japan with the only physical reminder that she has of her mother – a box of trinkets that she received, supposedly left to her by her late parent.

Accompanying Maiko on her trip are a group of various friends, including film students looking to make a documentary of the ritual, and a further uninvited group of stereotypical party dudes who take none of their activity within the forest seriously. Pretty soon, the theft of a watch from one of the suicide sites by the aforementioned part dudes angers the restless spirits residing in the forest, and the blood begins to flow. Throw in a couple of cops who take care of the forest, and are sick to death of disrespectful tourists, and a wizened old local man and you have a recipe for some ghostly fun, right?

Well… almost. As your typical ‘twenty-something “teens” in peril’ movie, Grave Halloween mostly achieves what it sets out to do via some good use of location (even if completely fails to capitalise on the disturbing nature of its setting), and especially its effectively grim menagerie of menacing ghosts. There’s a surprising amount of convincing gore to be had, most impressive being a particularly nasty sequence involving one unfortunate being quartered by living trees. On the flipside the characters are generally nondescript – usually only making their mark on you when being particularly annoying – and the presentation rarely feels anything beyond the typical Syfy Channel fare amongst which it holds root. Monroe attempts to spice things up a little by chucking in found footage elements using the film crew’s camera, but it merely serves to add to the unambitious feel of the entire affair; a ‘been there, done that’ element that merely adds to the sense of familiarity and really isn’t necessary at all.

The history of Maiko and her mother feels muddled – strange flashback sequences presenting a foreboding element that makes you constantly question why on Earth she’d want to have anything to do with her spirit, restless or not – but does lead to a nice twist in the payoff that unfortunately may be missed, or misunderstood, if you’ve already given up on caring by then. Which would be entirely forgivable, frankly, given the threadbare script. There’s also a secondary twist, quite integral to the story, that is so cack-handed and difficult to believe that it’s a wonder that anyone involved saw fit to keep it in there.

Still, the cast do what they can with the thin script and Monroe sets up a number of tense and creepy set pieces, relishing the manner in which the spirits of the forest toy with and segregate their prey before moving in for the kill. Grave Halloween isn’t great – hell, it’s barely even ‘good’ – but it does what it needs to, ultimately. It’s a relatively inoffensive, if overly familiar, slice of horror sporting a smattering of creepy moments. If anything, at least it’s a step up from Monroe’s odious 2013 effort, I Spit On Your Grave 2. Then again, that’s faint praise indeed.

Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment’s UK DVD release of Grave Halloween is a barebones one. Just like the film, there’s nothing special to see here, folks.

Special Features

• None

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The original Saw is on its way back to theatres for one week only this Halloween, and to celebrate its return, Lionsgate has released the third nifty new one-sheet that’s definitely wall worthy! Check it out along with the last two, and expect more!

Look for the film to open on Friday, October 31st, with select screenings beginning Thursday night, October 30th. The seven Saw films grossed $874 million at the box office worldwide and were hailed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “Most Successful Horror Franchise” of all time.

Saw was the first collaboration for co-creators James Wan, who directed the film, and Leigh Whannell, who wrote the screenplay. Together, they also created the successful Insidious franchise, and Wan has gone on to direct such high-profile films as The Conjuring.

Directed by Wan from a script penned by Whannell, Saw is a psychological thriller focusing on two men who wake up in a secure lair of a serial killer with a dead body lying between them. The killer, nicknamed “Jigsaw,” leaves them tape recorded messages with details of how to make it out alive. The only way for one man to make it out alive is to do the unthinkable. The two men desperately try to find a way out, while also trying to figure out who’s behind their kidnapping.

The post Third Saw Poster Arrives for Re-Release appeared first on Dread Central.

Jim Towns (House of Bad) is back with a new feature entitled State of Desolation, and we have an early look at its AFM sales art and all the details you need. Dig it!

State of Desolation is a provocative combination of intimate character drama set against an apocalyptic backdrop, balancing interesting characters and engaging performances with dynamic action, terrifying scares, and a frightening vision of our world in ruins.

The film teams critically acclaimed writer/director Jim Towns (House of Bad, Prometheus Triumphant) with celebrated horror star Jamie Bernadette (Reel Evil, Bunnyman Massacre, Axeman) and veteran thespian Craig Stark (Django Unchained). The film also stars Sadie Katz (Wrong Turn 6), Dominique Swain (Face/Off), Maria Olsen (Starry Eyes), Victoria De Mare (Killjoy), and Dan Buran (“True Blood”).

Synopsis
When a viral outbreak turns into a full-scale zombie pandemic, two mismatched survivors — a war-weary retired Special Forces operative and a young privileged suburbanite — begin a long trek to reach the perimeter of the hundred mile Quarantine Zone that used to be Los Angeles. Along the way the two very different people form a powerful bond, which will be put to the test as they try to survive marauding cannibals, doomsday cults, and hordes of the undead.

The post AFM 2014: New State of Desolation Sales Art and Info appeared first on Dread Central.

It’s a Fright Night remake reunion as two of its stars, Anton Yelchin and Imogen Poots, are working together again on a new film entitled Green Room, an indie thriller from Blue Ruin filmmaker Jeremy Saulnier. Read on for details and more.

According to THR the story centers on a punk band, headlined by Yelchin’s character, who witness a murder at one of their shows in a middle-of-nowhere venue. They find themselves locked in the green room and targeted for death by a gang of racist skinheads.

Poots will play a skinhead whose friend is the one whose death sets the action in motion and who joins forces with the band.

Alia Shawkat (“Arrested Development”), Callum Turner (Queen and Country), Joe Cole (“Peaky Blinders”), Macon Blair (Blue Ruin), and Mark Webber (Laggies) co-star.

The indie shoots later this month in Portland.

The post Anton Yelchin and Imogen Poots Head to the Green Room appeared first on Dread Central.

Some AFM news has arrived via Screen Daily, which is reporting that the UK’s 7 & 7 Producers’ Sales Service has picked up Movie Mogul’s The Sleeping Room for foreign sales at the American Film Market next month.

Set in an off-season, present day Brighton, revenge horror The Sleeping Room world premiered during London’s Film4 FrightFest in August. Leila Mimmack, Joseph Beattie, and Julie Graham star in the feature from writer-director-producer John Shackleton (Panic Button).

7&7’s Maura Ford commented: “John has created a real chiller in the classic British style: horror with intelligence and mystery – a combination that is sure to appeal to a broad international audience.”

Shackleton said: “Whilst very much a horror film, I never set out to make a cookie-cut genre piece. 7&7 are our ideal partners, not least for their vast experience but for their collaborative approach in international sales, perfect for the next stage of the film’s journey.”

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Some quick distro news has come in as Variety is reporting that Universal Pictures has acquired horror-thriller Cybernatural (review) and has set an April 10, 2015, release date.

Produced by Timur Bekmambetov and directed by Leo Gabriadze, Cybernatural stars Shelley Hennig, Moses Storm, Renee Olstead, Will Peltz, Jacob Wysocki, Courtney Halverson, and Heather Sossaman.

Synopsis
While video chatting one night, six high school friends receive a Skype message from a classmate who killed herself exactly one year ago. At first they think it’s a prank, but when the girl starts revealing the friends’ darkest secrets, they realize they are dealing with something from beyond this world, something that wants them dead. Told entirely from a young girl’s computer desktop, CYBERNATURAL redefines found footage for a new generation of teens.

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