In the latest devil possession horror film, Grace: The Possession (review), we follow innocent and lovely Grace (Alexia Fast), a sweet, sheltered teen who’s being raised by her fervently religious grandmother, Helen (Lin Shaye). Helen doesn’t want to let Grace go into the big, bad world – but Grace is insistent on leaving for college.

The only thing she learns is that the Devil is there, and he’s determined to possess her. When Grace moves back in with Grandma, it’s all Helen can do to keep from saying, “Told ya so!”

We had a chance to chat with Lin about her juicy role as a zealot and were surprised to learn that she – a true horror icon! – actually auditioned. Or at least read for the director, Jeff Chan. “Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, one of the producers, actually invited me to come and meet Jeff and read for him, which I was happy to do.”

Although the film is not technically found footage, it does show everything from Grace’s point of view. At first Lin found this concept somewhat difficult to get a handle on. “I didn’t quite grasp yet what the POV thing was, and it was mostly then for me about the character and the story. I thought Helen seemed like such an interesting character to try to find because, as Jeff admitted as well, she was written just one-dimensionally. She could just be the evil nasty grandmother, and so we started discussing this at the audition; how much more there was to her, her loss and her struggling to keep her head above water with all she had been through, and her desire to control her life and her granddaughter’s life and have her granddaughter replace the love she had of her own daughter.”

“So it became for me a much more interesting character to draw and to try and show not just the evil things that she’d done to try to control everyone’s life around her but to show her, the heart of this character too and what her losses had been. I found it a really interesting character to play, and Jeff was so great in terms of how we kind of excited each other, because we kind of kept building on each other’s thoughts and ideas, and in terms of playing the scenes too; sometimes we would do them 360 degrees different.”

The character is somewhat reminiscent of Piper Laurie’s depiction of the mother in Carrie, but Lin brought her own vibe to it. “There’s more backstory to Helen than there was in the mother in Carrie. I mean, we know that she lost this first daughter to bad things, and also people who are ultra-religious in that sense are… I feel like they’re trying to control their own weakness somewhere inside. Not that we all aren’t [weak] on some level, but people find different ways of trying to sustain themselves and to bolster themselves and to make themselves strong, and a lot of religion is often used in that way, you know. Religion obviously has a lot of different reasons that people gravitate to it, and especially that kind of zealot.”

Why do so many people love a good exorcism film, even after all these years since the Satanic panic era of the 70s and 80s? “I think maybe it’s because we all have those things inside of ourselves that you try to get rid of, and there’s a tangible in terms of the exorcism; there becomes a tangible experience to either witness or try to duplicate… I guess some people do inside as well of ridding yourself of scary, evil things,” says Lin. “I have my personal point of view, and it is quite different than that, but I think that’s a very attractive element, especially to see it when it’s not really you; movies in general I think are about having an experience that you’re afraid to have in real life on some level. I think people have a desire to find a way to rid themselves of pain and evil… evil meaning what you’re scared of… [not so much] on the outside as much as it is a fear of what you have inside.”

Although Grace: The Possession will be released on VOD everywhere, Lin does suggest you watch it on the biggest screen you can. “I wish that this movie was going to be in the theaters because there’s something in that experience of being in a dark room with all these strangers with a screen as big as your heart, you know, that’s out there, and experiencing something that’s private in public, and I think this movie totally would have benefited from that as well.”

Nonetheless, the intimate POV concept should lend itself to home viewing. “I think it’s going to be a terrific experience,” Lin says. “The POV [is great because] what it gives to you is, you become the characters in the film and you experience what they’re going through in your own personal manner. And there was one moment of violation that we all watched on the monitor with the POV and it was crazy. It was the first time watching it; [everyone] had their own private moment of horror, really, of what was going on. And I thought, ‘Ah! That is the lynchpin of this film.’ People are going to experience things personally that they didn’t know they were going to experience from watching this film. It’s a very exciting experience.”

Grace: The Possession Release Details
Just in time for Halloween, a producer of Sinister and executive producer of Insidious brings a chilling twist to the classic horror story when the terrifying GRACE: THE POSSESSION debuts on DVD and Digital HD October 28th from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Alexia Fast (Jack Reacher) plays the title role of Grace, an 18-year-old Catholic girl who moves away to college, never having sipped alcohol, done drugs, or had sex. But something dark comes over her, and her purity is taken as she becomes possessed by demonic forces. The film offers audiences a unique first-person perspective of the possessed like never seen before. The cast also features Lin Shaye (Insidious franchise), Alan Dale (“Lost”), Alexis Knapp (Pitch Perfect), and Joel David Moore (Avatar).

GRACE: THE POSSESSION has a run time of approximately 88 minutes and is rated R for sexual content/violence/disturbing images, some drug and alcohol use, and language.

Synopsis
GRACE: THE POSSESSION is a story told like never before – through the eyes of the possessed. Grace (Alexia Fast) is a beautiful, naive, virginal college freshman trying to deal with campus culture and her outgoing new roommate. But when a terror takes over her body and unleashes chaos, Grace returns to the cold clutches of her severe grandmother (Lin Shaye) and the strict rules of the Church. Haunted by the horrific death of her mother and her deeply ingrained destructive urges, Grace must stop the demon inside before it’s too late.

The post Exclusive – Lin Shaye Talks Grace: The Possession appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Kate Beckinsale, Jim Sturgess, Ben Kingsley, Michael Caine, Brendan Gleeson, David Thewlis, Jason Flemyng

Directed by Brad Anderson

For as long as there have been movies, there have been cinematic adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling tales of terror. Most have been true to the source, but there have been some, er, creative interpretations (remember 2012’s The Raven, starring John Cusack?). For those who like their Poe faithfully followed and set in the period, Stonehearst Asylum (based on the 1845 short story “The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether”) is sure to please.

With a look and feel quite reminiscent of 2010’s Shutter Island, Stonehearst Asylum is replete with dusky caverns, hidden passageways, shadows, secrets, and lies. In the thick of it is Edward Newgate (Jim Sturgess), a young, earnest Harvard Medical School graduate who becomes obsessed with a beautiful and musically gifted mental patient named Eliza Graves (Kate Beckinsale).

As the mystery unfolds, it seems the asylum has been taken over by the inmates… or has it? If you believe Eliza’s attending physician Silas Lamb (Ben Kingsley), it is the imprisoned Dr. Salt (Michael Caine) who’s suffering from delusions of grandeur and has been locked up for his own good. But as Salt pleads his case to the impressionable newbie, Edward begins to doubt Silas’s story. Danger lurks around every corner in form of criminally insane inmates, torturous forms of treatment, and the vast and harsh hinterlands surrounding the isolated fortress.

Director Brad Anderson is best-known for his command of blending suspense with the psychological terror of his protagonist (Session 9, The Machinist, and most recently The Call), and Stonehearst Asylum is no exception. However, with such a large ensemble cast of big personalities – the aforementioned Kingsley and Caine, plus David Thewlis and Jason Flemyng – our hero gets lost in the shuffle. Also, the film varies in tone… mostly it feels just a tad over-the-top with an undertone of comedy, and so the horror elements are weak.

Having said that, Stonehearst Asylum is still quite entertaining. Think: “Downton Abbey” meets “The Knick”.

3 out of 5

The post Stonehearst Asylum (2014) appeared first on Dread Central.

Finally, after yesterday’s teaser of the teaser, the official first trailer has arrived for Insidious Chapter 3, and you can check it out right here.

Also, if you want to learn more about the film, you can “like” Insidious Chapter 3 on Facebook and tune in today at 7PM ET/4PM PT for a live Q&A with writer/director Leigh Whannell.

Insidious Chapter 3, arriving May 29, 2015, stars Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott, Lin Shaye, Angus Sampson, and Whannell.

Synopsis
The newest chapter in the terrifying horror series is written and directed by franchise co-creator Leigh Whannell. This chilling prequel, set before the haunting of the Lambert family, reveals how gifted psychic Elise Rainier (Shaye) reluctantly agrees to use her ability to contact the dead in order to help a teenage girl (Scott) who has been targeted by a dangerous supernatural entity.

For more information visit the official Insidious website, “like” the Insidious Facebook page, and follow along on Twitter at @InsidiousMovie.

The post Official Insidious Chapter 3 Teaser Trailer Sneaks In appeared first on Dread Central.

The art of Halloween pumpkin carving has gone above and beyond just your standard jack-o-lantern. Don’t get us wrong; there’s a lot of personality to be found in pumpkins that bear the ever so familiar triangular eyes and noses, but what you are about to see is truly some next level stuff.

Seriously, if we could, we’d collect and shadow-box frame every one of these incredible pieces of artwork, but alas, just like anything that was once beautiful… they soon whither and die.

Still, these are mega fun while they last! Trick or treat! Halloween pumpkins forever!

The post 35 Incredible Halloween Pumpkins Carve Out Scares appeared first on Dread Central.

Greg Berlanti is a TV force to be reckoned with these days, what with his production company’s “Arrow” and “The Flash” burning up the small screen; and now he’s dipping his toes into another comic’s universe with “Riverdale,” based on the Archie gang.

Here are the details, straight from ArchieComics.com:

The news is out: “Riverdale,” a one-hour drama based on the iconic Archie comic book characters, has landed at Fox. Warner Brothers Studios is producing along with studio-based Berlanti Productions. 

“Riverdale” offers a bold, subversive take on Archie, Betty, Veronica, and their friends, exploring the surrealistic twists of small-town life plus the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale’s wholesome facade.

Set in the present in the small fictional town of Riverdale, New York, the show will focus on the eternal love triangle of Archie Andrews, girl-next-door Betty Cooper, and rich socialite Veronica Lodge and will include the entire cast of characters from the comic books—including Archie’s rival, Reggie Mantle, and his slacker best friend, Jughead Jones. Popular gay character Kevin Keller will also play a pivotal role. In addition to the core cast, “Riverdale” will introduce other characters from Archie Comics’ expansive library, including Josie and the Pussycats.

The show will be produced by Greg Berlanti’s Berlanti Productions and written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.

Bertlanti’s track record as a producer includes a number of small-town teen dramas, such as the acclaimed “Jack & Bobby” and “Dawson’s Creek,” and superhero fare pulled from the four-color pages of legendary comic books like Arrow and The Flash. Aguirre-Sacasa, in addition to being the Chief Creative Officer at Archie Comics, also writes two of the publisher’s best-selling titles – the horror series Afterlife with Archie and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. He spent three years as a writer on “Glee” and penned the remake of teen-angst classic Carrie and the cult horror classic The Town that Dreaded Sundown as well as the Broadway-bound musical adaptation of American Psycho.

“This is a historic moment for Archie Comics, and we couldn’t be happier to partner with Fox, Warner Bros., and Greg Berlanti to bring our characters to television,” said Archie Comics Publisher/Co-CEO Jon Goldwater. “Greg and Roberto are experts when it comes to making great, compelling television and bringing beloved comic book creations to life on the screen. They’re the perfect team to welcome viewers to ‘Riverdale.’”

“This is something we’ve been working on for a while now, figuring out the best way to bring these characters to life for what will be, essentially, the first time,” Aguirre-Sacasa said. “The entire team working on ‘Riverdale’ is as passionate about Archie as Jon and I are, so it feels like the stars have finally aligned for Archie and the rest of the gang.”

We’ll be keeping an eye on this one; here’s hoping some of Afterlife‘s genre flavor carries over into the series.

The post Greg Berlanti Shepherding Dark Archie Comics-Based Series Riverdale at Fox appeared first on Dread Central.

The CW just released the synopses for all of its shows airing during the week of November 10th, and while there’s some good stuff ahead on each of the series we cover here at Dread Central, what caught our eye was the description of “Supernatural” Episode 10.05, “Fan Fiction.”

Read on for the first details of the fan favorite series’ milestone 200th episode.

“Supernatural” Episode 10.05 – “Fan Fiction” (airs 11/11/14)
SUPERNATURAL CELEBRATES ITS 200TH EPISODE — When Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) investigate the disappearance of a teacher, they are stunned to see the school is putting on a musical based on their lives.

Familiar faces abound in this milestone episode directed by Phil Sgriccia and written by Robbie Thompson.

For more info visit “Supernatural” on cwtv.com, “like” “Supernatural” on Facebook, and follow @CW_spn on Twitter.

The post First Details on Supernatural’s 200th Episode – Fan Fiction appeared first on Dread Central.

Deliver Us from Evil is coming home on Blu-ray and DVD soon, and we have an exclusive clip from the home video package which explores both the real and the fictitious Ralph Sarchie. Check it out!

Deliver Us from Evil Release Details
From the director that brought audiences Sinister and The Exorcism of Emily Rose comes the action-packed thriller DELIVER US FROM EVIL, debuting on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD October 28th from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

DELIVER US FROM EVIL is a chilling story inspired by the actual accounts of New York Police Department (NYPD) Sergeant Ralph Sarchie (played by Eric Bana, Lone Survivor), who teams up with Father Mendoza (played by Edgar Ramírez, Zero Dark Thirty) to investigate a series of strange events that are taking over and terrorizing their city. Olivia Munn (Magic Mike) co-stars as Sarchie’s wife, and Joel McHale (“The Soup”) co-stars as Sarchie’s NYPD partner.

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer (“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”) and directed by Scott Derrickson, the DELIVER US FROM EVIL Blu-ray and DVD give fans bone-chilling bonus materials, including a director’s commentary as well as an all-new featurette, “Illuminating Evil: Making Deliver Us from Evil,” which explores how writer/director Derrickson collaborated with Sarchie on the film. The Blu-ray includes three exclusive featurettes: “Deliver Us from Demons,” which gives an all-access pass to the production team’s approach to creating a realistic and frightening demonic presence in the film; “The Two Sergeants,” which highlights the collaboration process between Ralph Sarchie and Eric Bana; and “The Demon Detective,” which offers fans an intimate interview with Sarchie as he recounts some of his more harrowing experiences in the field of demonology.

Synopsis
New York police officer Ralph Sarchie (Bana) begins investigating a series of bizarre and disturbing inexplicable crimes. When he uncovers that the crimes are of supernatural origins, he must join forces with an unconventional priest (Ramírez), schooled in the rituals of exorcism, to combat the frightening and demonic possessions that are taking over and terrorizing their city. Filled with action and thrilling suspense, the film is inspired by the book which details Sarchie’s bone-chilling real-life cases.

DELIVER US FROM EVIL is based upon the book by Ralph Sarchie and Lisa Collier Cool; screenplay by Scott Derrickson and Paul Harris Boardman. Executive producers are Mike Stenson, Chad Oman, Paul Harris Boardman, Glenn S. Gainor, and Ben Waisbren.

Special Features

• Director’s Commentary
• “Illuminating Evil: Making Deliver Us from Evil” – An in-depth exploration of writer/director Scott Derrickson’s journey as he created the film with a dynamic cast on location in the Bronx. In this featurette, Derrickson and Sarchie’s collaboration is detailed, the actors’ journey into the demonic is explored, and all facets of this unique production are laid bare.
• “Deliver Us from Demons” – An all-access look at the production’s approach to creating a very frightening demonic presence. (Blu-ray exclusive)
• “The Two Sergeants” – A behind-the-scenes exploration of the collaboration and process used by Ralph Sarchie and the actor playing him, Eric Bana. (Blu-ray exclusive)
• “The Demon Detective” – An intimate interview with Ralph Sarchie on his experiences, including his entry into demonology, the power of his faith, and his continuing battles against the demonic. (Blu-ray exclusive)

For more info “like” Deliver Us from Evil on Facebook.

The post Deliver Us from Evil and this Exclusive Clip appeared first on Dread Central.

One of the reasons we took part in the upcoming film ZombieWorld was so that we could expose the general masses to the work of indie filmmakers who may not have otherwise been given the spotlight. There’s so much talent out there that goes unnoticed, and this latest short film entitled Tuck Me In is probably one of the most unsettling things you’ll see all year.

Even cooler? It’s only a minute long. Check it out and see if you agree. Major kudos to director Ignacio F. Rodó of Spain. Luka Schardan and Mark Schardan star.

The post Tuck Me In – Scariest Minute-Long Short Ever! appeared first on Dread Central.

Heading to DVD and Blu-ray on October 28th is the truly out there Korean flick Moebius, and right now we have your chance to score a copy on either DVD or Blu-ray on us!

To enter for your chance to win, just send us an email at contests@dreadcentral.com including your FULL NAME, MAILING ADDRESS, and FORMAT PREFERENCE. We’ll take care of the rest.

This contest will end at 12:01 AM PT on November 1st.

Kim Ki-Duk’s Moebius stars Lee Eun-woo, Cho Jae-hyun, and Seo Young-ju.

Synopsis
When she catches her husband having an affair, a woman attempts to castrate the cheater for his wrongdoing. Unsuccessful, she instead inflicts the unspeakable act on her own son, setting off a series of grotesque yet provocative events ranging from a hurried genital transplant to pain-inflicted orgasms that all merge in a continuous thread of delirious storytelling. With both husband and son damaged and living in grief, the wife returns as the family heads towards destruction even more horrific than before.

Kim Ki-Duk, whose signature style pushes the limits of challenging filmmaking and often blows right through them, won the Golden Lion with Pieta at the Venice Film Festival last year. The prolific director is set to shock audiences again with Moebius, his latest perverse statement on family tensions, sexual boundaries, and society’s issues with each.

The post Win a Copy of Moebius on DVD or Blu-ray appeared first on Dread Central.

If you didn’t see Edge of Tomorrow this past summer, you really missed out on a fun time, but now you can head right to the source since VIZ Media is releasing All You Need Is Kill, the graphic novel on which it was based, as an over-sized omnibus edition in November.

From the Press Release
VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, announces the print launch of famed manga artist Takeshi Obata’s latest manga (graphic novel) masterpiece with the release of ALL YOU NEED IS KILL as an oversized omnibus edition on November 4th.

ALL YOU NEED IS KILL collects both volumes into this complete edition and features color inserts, is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens, and will be available under the Shonen Jump Advanced imprint with a print MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN.

Digital editions for the pair of individual volumes are also available for $6.99 each across all platforms serviced by VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App and are similarly available on the storefronts for the Kindle, iBooks, GooglePlay, Kobo, ComiXology, and Nook.

Takeshi Obata’s ALL YOU NEED IS KILL originally premiered in VIZ Media’s WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP digital manga anthology earlier this year and is the stunning manga realization of the popular Japanese sci-fi novel written by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. In this rousing action story, when the alien Mimics invade, Keiji Kiriya is just one of many recruits shoved into a suit of battle armor called a Jacket and sent out to kill. Keiji dies on the battlefield, only to be reborn each morning to fight and die again and again. On his 158th iteration, he gets a message from a mysterious ally – the female soldier known as the Full Metal Bitch. Is she the key to Keiji’s escape or his final death?

The bestselling ALL YOU NEED IS KILL novel also inspired the live-action summer blockbuster Edge of Tomorrow, which starred Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, and Bill Paxton.

The original novel also was the launch title in 2009 for Haikasoru, VIZ Media’s unique literary imprint dedicated to publishing the most compelling contemporary Japanese science fiction and fantasy for English-speaking audiences. VIZ Media also published a special movie tie-in version of the ALL YOU NEED IS KILL/EDGE OF TOMORROW novel over the summer to support the release of the live-action film.

“Coming just after Takeshi Obata’s first-ever U.S. appearance at the recent New York Comic Con, we are very excited to announce the print debut of his action-packed manga treatment of ALL YOU NEED IS KILL,” says Mike Montesa, Editor. “Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s award-winning novel comes to life with tense and engrossing characters and plenty of visceral battle scenes, all wonderfully depicted with Obata’s signature highly detailed style. The alien Mimics are bent on destroying humanity, but they are about to meet their match in this exceptional new release from VIZ Media!”

Obata is also the artist of the smash hit series DEATH NOTE (also published by VIZ Media).  ALL YOU NEED IS KILL is his latest work following the hugely successful series BAKUMAN (also published by VIZ Media).

For more information on ALL YOU NEED IS KILL or other manga and/or anime titles published by VIZ Media, please visit VIZ.com.

The post Death Note Artist Takeshi Obata’s All You Need Is Kill Manga Debuts in November appeared first on Dread Central.

Filmmaker, musician, performer, and all-around Renaissance guy Rob Zombie is coming out with another horror film, called, simply, 31. It takes place in the five days leading up to Halloween and follows the fates of five people who’ve disappeared.

31 is set in a place called “Murder World,” and so of course, me being the 70s cinema geek I am, my first question to Rob was whether or not he was influenced by Michael Critchton’s Westworld. He shut me down on that one, stating, “No, not at all.”

So then I asked if it was inspired by haunted houses or Halloween mazes. I was getting warmer. He replied, “The movie’s not really inspired by this, but what kicked off the idea was the Great American Nightmare I was running and promoting [last year]. I was just watching the crowds running in terror from clowns running around with chainsaws and things. And I thought, ‘Oh, man, it’s so funny watching people be scared and be chased. People hate being chased.’ And they know it’s totally fake. I was like, ‘I don’t know; people certainly hate clowns.’ So I was inspired by that. That was what we were thinking; [it was] the light bulb moment about something that could be our next movie.”

After months of teasing fans with video clips and mysterious messages, Zombie unveiled via Rolling Stone a crowd-funding campaign for his new film at RZ-31.com.

Rolling Stone noted, “The director is offering up a variety of high-quality rewards to people who want to support the movie, including autographed posters, a chance for Zombie to follow a winner on Twitter, a winner’s name in the credits, a lifetime laminate to see Zombie on tour at any show, and a gig as an extra in 31. Zombie will also offer selected props from his movies, including Halloween masks and giant crosses from House of 1000 Corpses.”

Rob said, “I’m crowd-funding because I realize that it’s an incredible opportunity to engage the fans. They’ve always been the most important thing for me because, with metal and horror, the fans aren’t just fans – it’s their life, their lifestyle. They live and breathe it, as I do, and any way that you can bring the people that are as passionate about it as you are into the process is a win-win for everybody.”

When I talked to him, I asked what he thought about the stigma associated with crowd-funding. Although it’s definitely becoming more acceptable, some people do still see it as a virtual tin cup. Asking him to tell us a little bit about what pushed him over the edge to go ahead and try it for the first time, Rob replied, “Yeah, I mean, I felt the same way, you know, because I didn’t really know too much about it. When the idea to do this came up, I was like, ‘I don’t know; it seems kind of weird.’ And I wrestled with it for a long time. And the way that I kind of got my head around was it that well, we’re not asking for free money. That’s not the case. Actually, it’s people are donating money and then receiving something that’s basically equal that value in return. It’s more just kind of running an online 31 store in advance of the film. And in that case it didn’t really bother me. You know… it’s not mandatory.  If someone wants to do it, they could do it; and if they don’t, they don’t have to… There are things that people have mentioned to me over the years, but they usually mentioned them too late. You know, ‘Oh, can I get an autographed this or that, or how do I be an extra? Or how could I do this?’ And I’m like, ‘Well, we can do all those questions I always get asked now.’ And when we put it all together, that was the thing… it was like, okay, this seems cool; this doesn’t seem too weird. I mean, if I was a kid and something was happening that I could be a part of, cool! So that stigma didn’t seem appropriate in this case.”

If you’d like to check it out, “It’s pretty easy to find,” says Zombie. “It’s at RZ-31.com, and it’s all over my Facebook page and Twitter. They could go there and see all kinds of stuff. Some of it’s original prop stuff left over from Halloween and some other movies and things, some used stuff. There’s a variety of things… these are the common sections though. I always look at that, and if anyone mentions a lot that they would like [something], we would try to add it. So it’s very fan-involved. It has been since day one. It ends on Halloween.”

Dread Central: As horror fans we, of course, do have the Halloween franchise to go to, but relatively speaking there are not that many horror films centered around the holiday. Is that the basic concept for 31 then?

Rob Zombie: Yeah, it’s very simple. It’s Halloween, [but what's] another good term for it? That’s when I thought about 31, that’s a nice symbol for October 31st. And really the concept is very simple. Five people are kidnapped the day before Halloween, taken to a location, they don’t know where they are, and forced to fight for their lives in a sort of a ‘Most Dangerous Game’ scenario until one second past midnight, when it becomes November 1st. And if they’re alive, they’re released; if they’re dead, well, obviously they’re dead. And so that’s the simple concept. And what killed it was I was doing some research and Halloween is the number one day of the year that people go missing.

DC: Really? I had no idea.

RZ: Which is understandable. Since everyone’s in costume, it would be pretty easy to kidnap somebody on Halloween. And I thought, wow, that’s really kind of scary. That thought was actually one of the big inspirations.

DC: Will you be working with your favorite actors again in the film? Will we get to see Bill Moseley and Sid Haig and Sheri?

RZ: I don’t know if they’ll be in this one. You know, I’m still working on it. I’m not sure. There’ll probably be some recognizable faces from the past, and there will be a lot of new faces. That would be my guess.

DC: As a fan, of course, you watch horror movies all year round. But I’m wondering, what does Rob Zombie like to watch on Halloween? Do you have a favorite holiday film?

RZ: I like going back to all the classic stuff… I think it’s because that’s what I would watch when I was a little kid when it was Halloween. So any early Universal stuff, you know, when I’m in the mood. But, of course, ‘The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.’ If that does not play, Halloween did not happen.

Synopsis
31 is the story of five random people kidnapped during the five days leading up to Halloween and held hostage in a place called Murder World. While trapped inside this man-made Hell, they must fight to survive by playing the most violent game known to man… a game called 31.

The post Exclusive: Rob Zombie Talks 31 and More! appeared first on Dread Central.

They each turned to crowdfunding for their film projects. But neither Joe Dante (Burying the Ex) nor Stuart Gordon (Nevermore) reached their goals. And it doesn’t look like Dario Argento (The Sandman) or George Romero’s son, Cameron (Origins), will either.  (The last two are failing the “30% rule” explained below.)

These are well known directors with high profile projects and horror fans are a loyal and generous crowd, always willing to fund a new film by these masters of the genre. So what went wrong or is going wrong? Here are seven tips that all filmmakers should abide by before they consider crowdfunding their film.

1.     At least two months before you post your project, launch a Twitter account in the name of your film. Twitter has proven to be faster than Facebook in spreading the word about a project. And you can rig it so it automatically posts each tweet to your Facebook account, saving you a lot of time.

2.     You and everyone in your crew should open Twitter accounts in your own names. That way, you can easily re-tweet (RT) each post from your film’s Twitter account. I call your online presence your “heartbeat” so the more tweets and RTs you have about your project before you post it, the better your chance for success since awareness will already be established. (And all your current/new followers are your “base” that will help fund your project during the first week it’s posted.)

3.     Keep your funding trailer short, two minutes or less. Crowdfunding stats show that people click off your trailer at the 20-second point if you haven’t engaged them. That’s right—you have 20 seconds to convince someone to pledge to your project. And anything over two minutes is really too long. Keep it short, compelling, and with a call-to-action repeating at least three times.

4.     Limit your premiums to only six to eight items. Again, stats show that the fewer pledge options you have, the more likely people will pledge. More than eight options tend to confuse people and they feel overwhelmed, so they don’t pledge.

5.     Don’t bother with $1 or $5 or $10 pledges. You need a lot of money fast, and stats show that most people will give $20, so start there. Remember, the clock is ticking against you once you post your project so you want a lot of money as quickly as possible.

6.     You have one chance at getting the press’ attention, so don’t use it announcing your project. That’s right; don’t use the press upfront. Here’s why: Remember the suggestion to start building your social media presence—your heartbeat—two months before you post your project? Those contacts are your base and they are the ones you announce your project to. And you ask each of them for a specific amount to pledge when your project starts. Most will give you that $20 or more since you’ve been in touch with them for two months. (It’s called relationship marketing since you are building a relationship with them.) So they are all contributing hundreds and thousands of dollars to your project. That way, when you do have the press reporting about your project five to seven days into it, people visiting your project will see significant funds have already been pledged. There’s nothing worse than reading about a director’s project and you visit the site and nothing or only a few hundred dollars are pledged. When the press announces your project, you’ll get a nice bump of new people who will hopefully pledge to a project that already shows a lot of activity.

7.     Know the 30% rule. In crowdfunding, momentum is king—and key. That’s why you want to have your “base” behind you before you post the project. Stats show that if you launch and 30% of your goal is quickly pledged within the first week, you have a 90% chance of reaching your target. And this 30% comes from the contacts you’ve cultivated two months before your product was launched. So remember: Campaigns that obtain 30% of their goal within the first week are more likely to succeed.

What happens if you haven’t reached 30% of your goal in the first week? Do you continue on or pull the plug and start over? Stats show that depending on the platform used, it’s estimated that only 14% to 40% of crowdfunding efforts succeed in reaching their goals. So most fail, and if you do, you’re not alone. Try again—just be sure to follow the above seven guidelines, and you’ll have a much better chance at reaching your funding goals.

– Jeff C. Stevenson

For more information about succeeding in your crowdfunding goals, click here. Jeff C. Stevenson has decades of experience as a creative director/copywriter in marketing and advertising, and he is now using his skills to help filmmakers bring their projects to life. Plus he loves horror films!

The post Guest Blog: Seven Reasons Why Most Horror Directors Aren’t Reaching Crowdfunding Goals appeared first on Dread Central.

Some of the folks behind the bat-shit nuts flick Evidence are back with a short film that’s really Ruff around the edges; therefore, we have to make it our business to expose it to you as a Halloween season treat!

Ruff is directed by Howie Askins and stars Ashley Bracken and Keith Lewis. The flick tells the tale of an adventurous puppy who encounters darkness in the woods behind his house.

Don’t worry… no animals were harmed in the making of this short. Humans however? That’s a different story entirely! Enjoy!

The post Exclusive: Things Get Ruff in This New Horror Short appeared first on Dread Central.

Ever since its announcement, we’ve been waiting patiently to dig our zombie-loving claws into the new game from Sony Online Entertainment, H1Z1. Now, just in time for Halloween, we have a slew of new imagery showcasing the game’s zombie animals.

And here you thought you’d just be subject to the two-legged dead! Please note the zombified versions of the animals are still a ways off in the future and won’t be coming to the game right away, but believe us… they’re coming, and they’re hungry!

H1Z1 is an upcoming Massively Multiplayer Online Game developed by Sony Online Entertainment for the PlayStation 4 and the PC. The game is set in the United States during a zombie apocalypse wherein players will have to interact with the resources in the world to survive, build shelters, and craft weapons against zombies.

For more information keep on eye on the H1Z1 website!

The post Exclusive: H1Z1 – Zombie Animals Unleashed appeared first on Dread Central.

More extraterrestrial lunacy is on its way as LevelK has acquired international sales rights to Scandinavian horror/sci-fi film Encounters, Anders Bukh’s feature debut, in the run-up to the AFM.

Variety writes that the pic “follows a group of four young filmmakers who travel into the Swedish woods to shoot a low-budget horror movie. The shooting unravels when they get lost and one of the actors disappears, only to return hours later, naked and in a catatonic state.”

Encounters will roll-out on VOD simultaneously with its premiere at the Danish horror festival Bloody Weekend.

The post AFM 2014: LevelK Has Encounters appeared first on Dread Central.

In honor of Halloween, Whitepages, the leading provider of contact information for people and businesses in the U.S., has revealed its list of the 13 most common names in the country shared with horror movie villains as well as a few famously frightening directors and authors. We thought their list makes for a fun little Halloween treat so read on for the details!

Taking the top spot on the list – and putting fear in the hearts of audiences everywhere – is Michael Myers from Halloween with 4,282 people nationwide sharing the name.

Rounding out the top five are Stephen King (author; 2,068 people), Norman Bates (Psycho; 96 people), Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th; 30 people), and Annie Wilkes (Misery; 25 people).

“Many people could say they’ve been scared by a number of the villains on this list but until now have probably never thought that one could be living next door!” says Liz Powell, culture and trend expert from Whitepages. “For fans of a ‘friendlier ghost’ neighbor, Whitepages data found 2,632 Caspers nationwide, the most living in North Dakota.”

Additional Halloween-centric name data includes:

Carrie (Carrie): 315,711; 23,343 in CA; first name only
Hannibal (The Silence of the Lambs): 6,399; 97 in CA; first name only
Frankenstein: 510; 92 in PA; last name only
Ghost: 38; 14 in PA; last name only

The Whitepages Top 13 list breaks down how many people share the name in the U.S. as well as the states where the most people with these names are living.

Top 13 Most Common Horror Movie Monikers:

1. Michael Myers (Halloween): 4,282; 333 in OH
2. Stephen King (Author): 2,068; 168 in TX
3. Norman Bates (Psycho): 96; 9 in TX
4. Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th): 30; 4 each in PA, CA, NY
5. Annie Wilkes (Misery): 25; 10 in GA
6. Jack Torrance (The Shining): 10; 2 in CA
7. Wes Craven (Director): 7; 2 in NC
8. Alfred Hitchcock (Director): 7; 2 each in CA and MD
9. Max Cady (Cape Fear): 6; 3 in FL
10. Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street): 5; 2 in WA
11. Donnie Darko (Donnie Darko): 4; 3 in PA
12. Samara Morgan (The Ring): 2; 1 each in TX and ND
13. Damien Thorn (The Omen): 1 in CA

The post Nightmare on Name Street: Do You Share a Name with a Horror Icon? appeared first on Dread Central.

A new chapter in the life of the highly acclaimed film  Banshee Chapter (review here) is about to open as the flick is poised and ready to become the first to take terror to a brand new level!

From the Press Release
Indie development studio Jamwix announced today that they’ve created software called CHIMERA that allows feature films to be distributed in an incredibly immersive 3D experience within the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. The first feature film released for the Oculus Rift is the award-winning horror film BANSHEE CHAPTER distributed in the U.S. by XLrator Media.

Beginning today, BANSHEE CHAPTER: OCULUS RIFT EDITION will be available for free via Jamwix.com.

Blair Erickson said: “This is an incredibly exciting moment for technology and entertainment. We were thrilled to begin unlocking the potential of the next generation storytelling experiences in virtual reality.”

Winner of the “Scariest Film” award at both the 2013 London FrightFest and Toronto’s After Dark Film Festival, BANSHEE CHAPTER centers on a young online journalist who follows the disturbing trail of a missing friend and a mind-altering chemical developed in secret 1973 CIA experiments. The story is often described as a modern re-imagining of an H.P. Lovecraft tale fused with real life facts.

BANSHEE CHAPTER was produced by Sunchaser Entertainment’s Stephanie Riggs, Before the Door’s Corey Moosa and Sean Akers, and Christian Arnold-Beutel. The film stars Ted Levine (Silence of the Lambs), Katia Winter (“Sleepy Hollow”), and Michael McMillian (“True Blood”). For those who don’t have an Oculus to experience it, a 2D release of the movie is available on iTunes, Amazon, Netflix, and other digital platforms.

As the Creative Director of Omnicom’s high-tech interactive agency “Millions of Us,” Erickson created breakthrough interactive stories, transmedia experiences, and live-action stories in virtual worlds, short films, and online communities. His diverse array of work for entertainment companies and clients include Warner Bros., Fox, Syfy Channel, E! Entertainment Television, Facebook, Activision, Ubisoft, Discovery, and DreamWorks. He is co-founder of Jamwix.

The post The Banshee Chapter Goes Virtual with Oculus Rift Support! appeared first on Dread Central.

After last night’s surprising reveal about little orphan Sarah’s parentage, it’s a bit disappointing to not see her mentioned in the synopsis for next week’s Episode 6.05 of “The Vampire Diaries,” entitled “The World Has Turned and Left Me Here.” But with so much else going on, it’s no surprise.  After all… IT’S HOMECOMING!

“The Vampire Diaries” Episode 6.05 – “The World Has Turned and Left Me Here” (10/30/14)
With Homecoming around the corner, Elena (Nina Dobrev) invites Liam (guest star Marco James) to attend a party at the corn maze with her. Instead of attending the homecoming festivities, Caroline (Candice Accola) is preoccupied after Stefan (Paul Wesley) shows up unexpectedly and needs her help cleaning up a mess created by Enzo (Michael Malarkey).

Heeding Elena’s advice to be more social, Alaric (Matt Davis) reluctantly attends the party, but a devastating accident quickly leaves him and Jo (guest star Jodi Lyn O’Keefe) rushing to save lives. Elsewhere, Tyler (Michael Trevino) finds himself in a dangerous position when his werewolf curse is put to the test, and an emotionally embattled Stefan comes clean to Caroline about his intent to move on from Mystic Falls.

Lastly, Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Bonnie (Kat Graham) make an important discovery that affects their quest to get back home. Leslie Libman directed the episode written by Brett Matthews.

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

The post Image Gallery and Extended Preview of The Vampire Diaries Episode 6.05 – The World Has Turned and Left Me Here appeared first on Dread Central.

The original Saw is on its way back to theatres for one week only this Halloween, and to celebrate its return, Lionsgate has released a special interview with the film’s star, Cary Elwes. Check it out!

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 Cary Elwes Reflects on 10 Years of Saw appeared first on Dread Central.

A second sneak peek of “The Originals”  Episode 2.04, “Live and Let Die,” has arrived; and just like the first, this one focuses on Mikael and Davina.  She may be in charge now… but how long can that last?

Want more? The CW also just released a new Producers’ Preview of the ep, in which executive producers Julie Plec and Michael Narducci talk about the chess game going in on New Orleans.

“The Originals” Episode 2.04 – “Live and Let Die” (airs 10/27/14)
A HIDEOUT IN THE WOODS — Knowing that it’s only a matter of time before Klaus (Joseph Morgan) comes after them, Davina (Danielle Campbell) takes Mikael (guest star Sebastian Roche) to her family cabin in the woods. When Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin) gets a tip that Vincent (guest star Yusuf Gatewood) is recruiting young, unsuspecting teenagers in order to build a werewolf army, she enlists the help of Elijah (Daniel Gillies) and Marcel (Charles Michael Davis) to rescue the group.

After Cami (Leah Pipes) inadvertently lets Klaus in on Davina’s whereabouts, she tags along in an attempt to truly understand the deeply rooted hatred he has for his parents. At his mother’s urging, Kaleb (guest star Daniel Sharman) seeks out Davina in order to locate the missing white oak stake and is caught off guard when he has a dangerous encounter at the cabin.

Lastly, Josh (guest star Steven Kruger), who continues to struggle with his vampire identity, opens up to an unexpected ally. Jeffrey Hunt directed the episode written by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson.

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

The post Davina’s in Charge of this Second Clip from The Originals Episode 2.04 – Live and Let Die appeared first on Dread Central.