As this new sneak peek of next Tuesday night’s Episode 10.04 of “Supernatural,” entitled “Paper Moon,” indicates, our boys are embarking on a very familiar hunt.  Good thing, too, since Dean is no doubt still getting his bearings after being un-Deanmonized.

“Supernatural” Episode 10.04 – “Paper Moon” (airs 10/28/14)
WEREWOLF KATE RETURNS — A recent string of werewolf attacks points to a surprising culprit – Kate (guest star Britni Sheridan), the werewolf Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) let live. Jeannot Szwarc directed the episode written by Adam Glass.

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

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Written by Mario Covone

Art by Vasilis Logios

Colours by Sam Palmer

Available from MarioCovone.com

It’s 1983, and the sleepy Midlands town of Kettering, England, is rocked by a savage murder in the local park at the beginning of Mario Covone’s six-issue comic series Video Nasty. Drafted in to investigate is inspector David Gorley, who finds himself pressured into linking the grotesque incident with the growing popularity of horror films – dubbed ‘Video Nasties’ by the media at the time – by his politically-motivated Chief Constable.

Disbelieving of the link between film and real-life violence, Gorley sets about immersing himself in the sadistic material lining VHS rental shelves, soon drawing a disturbing parallel between the increasing number of brutal slayings plaguing the town and scenes from various horror movies. As the bodies pile up without a corresponding increase in evidence, the situation becomes ever more dire for Gorley – but is the killer really just a blood-crazed man in a demonic suit or something much more sinister?

On a base level, Covone’s Video Nasty is a simple ‘whodunnit?’ tale, with our desperate inspector moving from crime scene to crime scene, anxious to get to the bottom of the killings while the story continues to throw the requisite red herrings and hints at the reader. Covone sets up a few nice kill sequences mirroring various ‘nasties’ of the time, especially one related to Ruggero Deodato’s infamous Cannibal Holocaust.

Thrown into the investigation are various side characters, including the local Neo-Nazi gang leader and the horror-loving video rental clerk, though few are particularly well developed. Most rounded of the supporting characters is B-movie director Alan Derry – desperate to protect his filmmaking career, he rather naively offers himself up to the media as a voice of reason, only to be summarily dragged through the mud amidst the anti-horror fervour of the era, much to his chagrin. The final revelation of the killer’s identity and motivations feels rather too abrupt and expository, also, even for the more dialogue-driven format.

Underneath the simplistic nature of the story itself, though, lies Covone’s astute tackling of the mentality of the times: career politicians and those seeking to ride on their coattails playing an easy media-fuelled blame game as distraction in order to win over the very hearts and minds that they were, on the other face, riding roughshod over. The cards are on the table quite early, with initial reactions to the first murder on the news including one local man pointing the finger squarely at “all these bloody immigrants” – an ignorant accusation that makes as much sense as the assertion levelled at horror movies that immediately follows it. It’s a story that focuses on this use of distraction for means of varying degrees of manipulation and evil, and it does it very well.

The panel art by Vasilis Logios is suitably low-key and grim, matching the written material with a style that hearkens nicely to the historical setting, sporting some excellent full-page images such as Issue #1’s victim pausing at the entrance to the park while his stalker approaches from behind. Cover art for each issue by Graham Humphries is excellent – visceral, evocative, and a perfect draw for horror fans.

As an independent release, Video Nasty is a clear success for Covone and Co. With Series 2 having been announced, here’s hoping that the writing truly finds its stride, rounding out the characters a little more and avoiding the uncomfortably abrupt blast of a climax that sees this first turn for the theme fall just short of excellence, but remain well worth picking up.

The post Video Nasty (Comic) appeared first on Dread Central.

“Friday Fright Nights” are back on NBC, and we’d love to hear what you think of the pairing of “Grimm” with “Constantine.” We still haven’t watched the new eps yet, but if you’re ready to look ahead to next week, here are the previews and synopses of the former’s Episode 4.02, “Octopus Head,” and the latter’s Episode 1.02, “The Darkness Beneath.”

As an extra bonus the network also released a sneak peek of “Constantine” that introduces us to new character Zed Martin.

“Grimm” Episode 4.02 – “Octopus Head” (10/31/14; 9-10pm)
AN UNFORGETTABLE WESEN CONTINUES HIS PATH OF DESTRUCTION AS HE SETS HIS SIGHTS ON TRUBEL — ELIZABETH RODRIGUEZ, LOUISE LOMBARD, ALEXIS DENISOF, AND JACQUELINE TOBONI GUEST STAR — As Nick (David Giuntoli) and Hank (Russell Hornsby) turn their attention to a string of attacks where victims are left without their memories, Nick weighs whether or not he should regain his Grimm abilities. Trubel (guest star Jacqueline Toboni) joins the investigation and puts herself in harm’s way.

In Vienna, Adalind (Claire Coffee) is being held captive and learns that she is more connected than ever to Nick. Meanwhile, Captain Renard (Sasha Roiz) continues to fight for his life as a mysterious visitor (guest star Louise Lombard) arrives to help him.

Bitsie Tulloch, Silas Weir Mitchell, Reggie Lee, and Bree Turner also star. Phillip Anthony Rodriguez and Brian Letscher also guest star.

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

“Constantine” Episode 1.02 – “The Darkness Beneath” (10/31/14; 10-11pm)
AN ANCIENT SPIRIT TORMENTS A PENNSYLVANIA MINING TOWN — JAMES LEGROS GUEST STARS — Deep in the mountains of Western Pennsylvania, John (Matt Ryan) is a small mining community’s only defense against an ancient Welsh spirit. In the course of protecting these isolated innocents, John finds a vital new ally in a mysterious young woman named Zed (Angélica Celaya).

Harold Perrineau and Charles Halford also star.

For the latest news, like “Constantine” on Facebook and follow “Constantine” on Twitter.

The post Previews and Synopses for Grimm Ep. 4.02 – Octopus Head and Constantine Ep. 1.02 – The Darkness Beneath appeared first on Dread Central.

With Halloween drawing ever closer, all sorts of people are getting in touch regarding their horror-themed projects, and the latest goodie to land in our inbox is an exclusive clip from truTV’s “Fake Off” featuring “Kristef Strikes Back,” a four-member comedy acrobatics team from Vegas, in which they get in touch with their dark sides.

Formed by Kristofer Saly and Stefan Liden (i.e., Kristef), the troupe combines comedy and acrobatics in a totally unique way.

Born into circus families and friends since they were 6 years old, Kris and Stefan seem born to do hand-balancing and other acrobatic feats. As a duo they’ve traveled the world, but for “Fake Off” they’ve doubled in size to include Jacky, Kris’ fiancée, and Faegann. So performing with “girls” will be a Kristef first. The team has also never performed with props, nor worked within a particular theme. And it could be a challenge for Stefan’s strong body to embrace storytelling. But the entire team is ready for anything “Fake Off” can throw at them.

And what exactly is “Fake Off”? It’s an original performance competition series hosted by Rob Hoffman (Step Up 2) with judges Harry Shum Jr. (“Glee,” “The LXD”), Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas of the mega-group TLC, and world renowned visual and concept designer Michael Curry (Broadway’s The Lion King, Cirque du Soleil’s Love).

You can watch the premiere of “Fake Off” on Monday, October 27th, 10 p.m. (ET/PT) on truTV. Check out our exclusive clip below, and to learn more about Kristef and all the other talented teams, visit truTV.com.

The art of “faking “is the combination of theatre, dance, acrobatics, illusion, black light, shadow puppetry, and performance technologies to tell a story. Think Cirque du Soleil meets “America’s Got Talent.” Each week, the performance teams are challenged to create a totally original act that reimagines a theme or moment in pop culture to wow the audience and the judges to see who’s got truly got the skills and imagination to be named America’s “Fake Off” Champions.

The post Exclusive Clip from truTV’s Fake Off Recreates Iconic Horror Moments appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Alexander Dreymon, Anne Curtis, Natalina Maggio

Directed by Francis dela Torre

With equal parts of horror, romance, and the film noir-ish look and pursuit characteristics of a crime drama, Francis dela Torre’s Blood Ransom gives vampire fans an adequate slice of cinematic blood sausage, without getting all of that Twilight residue stuck in your fangs.

The movie stars Anne Curtis (the Philippines’ Queen of the Box Office) as Crystal – a woman who is devastated due to the passing of her parents, and her solace is found at the immortal hands of an evil head-honcho bloodsucker (Caleb Hunt as Roman), thus beginning her seven-day evolution into becoming a creature of the night. Her hunger pains grow stronger every day, and if that isn’t enough of a problem to be dealing with, she is now being pursued by Jeremiah (Alexander Dreymon), a man that has been sent to bring her home to safety. Now you all didn’t think that would be the stone-cold endline of the plot, did ya? No way!

To further complicate things for those involved, a sadistic hitman named Bill (Jamie Harris) is dispatched to run the two escapists down and return Crystal to her rightful place at her master’s side. However, a strong bond begins to grow between her and Jeremiah as their attempts to flee from the villains that pursue them cause their hearts to grow fonder for one another.

Okay, I need to put the brakes on here for a few… I’m beginning to drone on like one of those Harlequin romance novels. In any event, as the two absconders continue their hot and heavy entanglement with each other, the violence level ratchets higher and higher when Crystal’s need to feed gets SLIGHTLY out of control (they don’t call this movie Blood Ransom for nothin).

The remainder of the film has a sound cat and mouse chase that will give the noir-nostalgists a nice feeling in their guts, with a semi-pleasing dosage of crimson to shower in. Performances are standard fare (with Curtis as the exception – her gaze is hypnotizing). The whole “vampire” centerpiece isn’t used to excess, and that is a good thing, mainly due to the fact that I don’t think at this point in cinema showcasing there can be much left to either present or accomplish with the undead nightcrawler plotline.

This film tosses a nice mix of ingredients into the bowl, and outside of some slow movement and scattered scenes here and there, I’d offer this up as a decent watch to those who like their vampire flicks gritty and paced with danger… and not so much damn glitter strewn all over the place.

The post Blood Ransom (2014) appeared first on Dread Central.

For my money Dolph Lundgren hasn’t done nearly enough creature features. Though from the sounds of things Shark Lake will have him be the man responsible for the creatures, not the man trying to kill them.

As the American Film Market approaches, a plethora of fantastical sounding films will be announced that are guaranteed to have you impatiently awaiting their arrival, only to be almost assuredly disappointed by the final product. Thus is the life cycle of most b-movies.

One such potential film currently in pre-production is Shark Lake, starring the reddest of scorpions, Dolph Lundgren.

Synopsis
Meredith Hendricks happens to be the best cop in her quiet town on Lake Tahoe. When a black-market exotic species dealer named Clint is paroled from prison, something he let loose begins to make its presence known. Swimmers and land-lovers alike begin to become part of the food chain at an unbelievable rate. Meredith and her team discover that they’re not just hunting one eating machine, but a whole family of them. Not everyone will make it out alive, but those who do will never forget this summer at Shark Lake.

Not much else is known about Shark Lake at the moment except that Screen Media is behind the project, Jerry Dugan is the director, and Robert Kurtzman is reportedly handling the visual effects.

Expect to hear more about this one in the future.

The post AFM 2014: Dolph Lundgren Chumming the Waters of Shark Lake appeared first on Dread Central.

Along with all the cool Halloween season tie-ins we’ve been getting non-stop, and will no doubt continue to be bombarded with for the next week, some interesting TV casting news has crept in with regard to two shows on The CW: “The Originals” has added Debra Mooney as a werewolf matriarch, and a “Veronica Mars” reunion of sorts is in the works at “iZombie” as Percy Daggs III reteams with Rob Thomas, creator the former and co-creator of the latter.

Per TVLine Mooney (“Everwood,” “Scandal”) will recur in Season 2 of “The Originals” as Mary, a “tough, no-nonsense” werewolf who will do quite literally anything to ensure the safety of her pack. But don’t expect to see her too soon; she will first appear in Episode 2.11.

Related Story:  Davina’s in Charge of this Second Clip from The Originals Episode 2.04 – Live and Let Die

As for “iZombie,” it still doesn’t have a premiere date yet beyond “midseason,” but thanks to TV Guide we do know Daggs (aka Wallace Fennel on Thomas’ “Mars”) will play Sean Taylor, a wealthy genius who lives in Seattle. When he gets a job offer in Silicon Valley, he plans to move his wife, Penny, and six-year-old stepdaughter, Anna, there but then finds himself in a tough custody battle with Anna’s father, Everett.  The problem, however, is seemingly solved when Everett is killed.

Loosely based on the comic book series of the same name, “iZombie” follows Olivia “Liv” Moore (Rose McIver), a medical resident whose life is changed forever when she attends a party that turns into a zombie feeding frenzy. It co-stars David Anders and Robert Buckley.

“iZombie,” from Rob Thomas Productions and Warner Bros. Television, is written by Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero and produced by Thomas, Ruggiero, Danielle Stokdyk, and Dan Etheridge.

Synopsis
Med student-turned-zombie Liv (McIver) takes a job in the coroner’s office to gain access to the brains she must reluctantly eat to maintain her humanity. But with each brain she consumes, she inherits the corpse’s memories. With the help of her medical examiner boss and a police detective, she solves homicide cases in order to quiet the disturbing voices in her head. Based on the characters created by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred; published by DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint.

;’

The post Casting Update: The CW Adds Debra Mooney to The Originals and Percy Daggs III to iZombie appeared first on Dread Central.

You know… we really appreciate good marketing. At least we hope this is marketing. Or maybe we don’t? Any way you slice it, it’s time for another message from Merrick and his putrifying pet project, Killcast!

Killcast promises to be “the bloodiest show on Earth,” and it’s starting on October 27 at 10 a.m. PT!

For more information and to bid on bods, check out official Killcast website, “like” Killcast on Facebook, and follow Killcast on Twitter.

Enough with the talking! Let’s get bloody! Tis the season, you know!

The post Killcast Auctioning Body Parts appeared first on Dread Central.

Magnet has released another clip from the third chapter in the V/H/S anthology franchise, and as always we have it for you right here. This one comes courtesy of Hulu, and we only mention that because we love the word Hulu. It’s fun. Try it. Hulu. See?

V/H/S: Viral (review) features segments from directors Nacho Vigalondo (Timecrimes, Extraterrestrial), Marcel Sarmiento (ABCs of Death segment “D is for Dogfight”), Gregg Bishop (The Other Side, Dance of the Dead, The Birds of Anger), Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (Resolution, Spring, Wrecked), along with Todd Lincoln (The Apparition).

Related Story: New V/H/S Viral Red Band Clip; Death Toll Infographic

Gary Binkow and Brad Miska produced for Collective Digital Studio and Bloody Disgusting, marking their third collaboration with Magnet on the V/H/S films.

Synopsis
A police chase after a deranged ice cream truck has captivated the attention of the greater Los Angeles area. Dozens of fame—obsessed teens flock to the streets with their video cameras and camera phones, hell—bent on capturing the next viral video. But there is something far more sinister occurring in the streets of L.A. than a simple police chase. A resounding effect is created onto all those obsessed with capturing salacious footage for no other purpose than to amuse or titillate. Soon the discovery becomes that they themselves are the stars of the next video, one where they face their own death.

The post Another V/H/S Viral Clip Adjusts Your Tracking appeared first on Dread Central.

Monday night’s upcoming Episode 2.06 of “Sleepy Hollow,” the ominously titled “And the Abyss Gazes Back,” introduces us to Zach Appelman as Sheriff Corbin’s son Joe, a soldier back from battle, and promises that a daring mission is about to ensure.

Check out this pair of clips for a few more clues of what awaits in that damn abyss.

“Sleepy Hollow” Episode 2.06 – “And the Abyss Gazes Back” (airs 10/27/14)
Sheriff Corbin’s son returns from war, but his strange behavior leads Abbie (Nicole Beharie) and Ichabod (Tom Mison) to question his intentions.

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

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Edited by Andy Cox

Published by TTA Press

The fiction offerings in Issue 42 of TTA Press’ esteemed Black Static start off in grotesque form with Sara Saab’s religion-themed Be Light. Be Pure. Be Close to Heaven, which follows the crisis of faith suffered by Tanta, a young woman who happens to be part of a religious sect which advocates the ritualistic voluntary removal of limbs as a show of devotion. With her mother having given up a leg, and her father his eyes, Tanta remains caught in the quandary of just which particular offering would be suitable for her physical and spiritual transcendence.

Whilst puzzling over this and dealing with the tribulations of juggling home and work life alongside her faith, Tanta’s will is tested by family friend and would-be beau Guillermo, who himself has decided that he wishes to become an apostate from the sect – unable to reconcile their hushed practises with his own life in the modern world. Saab breaks down Tanta’s internal thought process very well throughout the tale, using subheadings that vocalise her decision-making process and preparation for dealing with everyday activities without her chosen limb with a dash of grim humour. While the actions taken by this particular religion (one that appears to be completely of the author’s imagination, it should be noted) appear to be quite horrific to the modern outsider – something given life within the story by the character of Guillermo – Saab wisely eschews passing judgment on any of the unfolding, creating an authentic-feeling universe and cast of characters whose motivations, as shocking as they may be, feel natural and somehow justified within the confines of this dissection of duty, family and commitment.

Alyssa Wong continues the body horror with Scarecrow, a story told in the second person which places the reader in the shoes of one of a group of friends attending the untimely funeral of the local preacher’s son. Bound together by a dark secret involving the death, the group begin to discover their bodies changing – sprouting feathers from their skins and, gradually, beaks on their faces – alongside frequent nightmarish visions of the bloody boy whom they so egregiously wronged. Wong’s tale works on multiple levels, from the ghost story to body horror and a well-crafted observation of the personal transformations faced in adolescence, but also finds itself delivering a heartfelt, bittersweet take on love and peer pressure come the finish that rings true in its current of grief and regret.

Things get a little too weird next in Noah Wareness’ What Happened to Marly and Lanna, which follows the young narrator and his sister, Lanna, as they bury their beloved cancer-suffering dog in the back yard. While burying the supposedly dead animal, our narrator believes that he sees Marly take a breath, but forges ahead with the burial anyway. Wracked with uncertainty, he convinces Lanna to help him dig the dog back up for a second goodbye, and reveals that he believes that they may have buried it alive. Lanna reacts violently to the news, and our narrator runs from the scene to come across what appears to be a spectral version of the Salvation Army, offering up trinkets and pieces composed of the dead, buried and forgotten.

Unfortunately, at this point Wareness seems to enter fever dream territory, throwing imagery on top of imagery in a discombobulated flood that becomes very, very difficult to penetrate. An attempt to bring the story home with a brief epilogue only serves to tip it on its head once more – and while there’s a feeling of something very deep here, the mark is regrettably missed. Just a couple more sentences would possibly have linked this all together with more success, but as it stands it’s one of those tales that becomes much too peculiar for its own good – you may have a slight notion as to what actually happened, but are also likely to be frustratingly unsure of yourself at the same time. Of course, sometimes that can be a good thing; here it is not.

Matthew Cheney takes us to post-apocalyptic climes in Patrimony, dropping us into a kind of future frontier town within a society that no longer holds any value in the act of procreation. To deliberately bring children into this damned new world is faux pas – an act of frowned-upon hubris in a society constantly battling the elements, social breakdown and scarcity of essential resources.

Into this town comes an imposing stranger, riding in the husk of a Toyota drawn by a pack of dogs. The stranger proclaims his domination, setting about impregnating nearly all of the town’s women, whether they are compliant with his carnal intentions or not. Like some demonic entity, he holds sway before deciding to move on. Later, when the children are born, the people of the town set off on a pilgrimage of vengeance, tracking the stranger through various towns and cities before finally getting their hands on him, mutilating and dragging him back home to be made an example of – thanked in their every step by the previous communities affected by his appetites.

It’s horrific stuff, but really comes to the punch in the final moments, which drip with a legacy of evil palpably realised in the blood-caked maws that represent it. Cheney’s tale is a keeper; dark as night, and incredibly bleak in the finish – the sheer horror and brutality made all the more stark by the learned, meek language of its narrator.

David D. Levine follows up with Goat Eyes, opting to take the second-person perspective as Wong did in Scarecrow. Here, the narrator (you) is reeling from a violent alleyway encounter with an unidentified assailant which resulted in the attacker being staked in the chest… and thus melting away. Yes, indeed… it seems vampires are real – and they have eyes like goats.

After coming to terms with what really happened, ‘you’ set out to uncover more of the creatures, eventually settling on a gentleman frequently seen in a local cafe who wears sunglasses constantly. But your covert actions aren’t quite as hidden as you think they are, and the stage is set for a rather interesting confrontation that delights in reminding us that all creatures of human-like intelligence have a choice in how they act. Whether their natures may be frightening to us does not change that fact, and considerations should be made before forcing conflict. Goat Eyes is a very well written and compelling piece of work that flies by without much effort. While it doesn’t plumb the depths of fear and overcoming trauma, it doesn’t really need to in the end – it’s entertaining enough to hold its own without wallowing in minutiae.

On a similar note is Kristi DeMeester’s December Skin, in which brother and sister combo Aaron and Rory seek shelter from an apparently demonic force that has its sights set on the latter. Aaron has his work cut out for him though, as not only is the light inside the only thing keeping whatever terror lurks outside at arm’s length, but his sister has already been ‘infected’ by it, slipping frequently into dark thoughts of harm against her determinedly protective sibling. December Skin is a very quick read, but makes for a fantastic little short, sharp slap with the horror paddle. There’s darkness inside and out, an unseen ‘something’ clawing to get in and beleaguered characters who seem doomed from the very start despite their best efforts to the contrary. I loved it.

Finally, Stephen Hargadon’s The Bury Line takes the soul-crushing frustrations of being lost amongst the office-dwelling number-people of the modern age, and condenses them into a tale that will make anyone who often feels despondent about their existential place or workplace rut need to look away for the occasional moment to let what rises pass. Narrator Martin is rapidly reaching critical mass with regards to disdain for his big city office job, observing the high-fliers and the barely-competent managers fight to sink or swim, either burning themselves out or being taken out by the more ruthless amongst them.

Things change when he comes across an ex-colleague working as a ticket inspector on the tram – a life which appears to have lightened much of the weight he always seemed to have on his shoulders; a changed man. Similarly changed is another ex-colleague who simply doesn’t recognise Martin after an encounter on the street, and soon after winds up committing suicide-by-train. Except it would appear not, when self said-terminator shows up alongside Martin’s other colleague checking tickets on the trams. This mystery is much more appealing to Martin than the day-to-day drudgery of his actual job, and soon he’s skipping work entirely to ride the trams and attempt to reconnect with something he feels to have lost inside. Noticing his new habits, his ex-colleagues invite him to try out for their new employer… but, as always, there’s a price to be paid for escaping the rat race.

The Bury Line is a brilliant piece of work that will likely resonate with a great many folk out there. Be warned, though – this is pure existential horror for the modern age, and it doesn’t have a kind word to say for your chances. Hargadon makes great use of his ruling metaphor and, depending on how you take it, dishes up a story that can be absolutely crushing, or profoundly liberating, and in doing so brings this issue’s fiction to a resoundingly successful close.

Backing up the aforementioned stories this month are Stephen Volk and Lynda E. Rucker’s respective columns, which prove as thought-provoking as they’ve ever been; a great extended Q&A with author Carole Johnstone (whose excellent novella Cold Turkey, also published by TTA Press, is reviewed here), and the usual swathe of book and film reviews that are guaranteed to add a few more items to your shopping list.

Is it wrong to be wishing at this stage that a totally poor issue of Black Static would come out just so that I could have a really good whinge? That doesn’t look likely, alas, as it remains as formidable a publication as ever. Keep up the good work, folks.

The post Black Static #42 (Magazine) appeared first on Dread Central.

I think it’s pretty safe to say that “The Walking Dead” wouldn’t be “The Walking Dead” without Greg Nicotero, a guy who was quite frankly born and bred to bring the zombies from Robert Kirkman’s comic series to life on the small screen.

Nicotero began his career as a special makeup effects artist, cutting his proverbial teeth on the sets of films like Day of the Dead and Evil Dead 2, and not only is he in charge of the zombie makeup on “The Walking Dead,” but he’s also become an executive producer and even occasional director of the show.

Nicotero has been given a lot of freedom when it comes to designing the walkers that Rick and the gang are perpetually on the run from, and he’s had a whole lot of fun with that freedom over the years. It’s not uncommon for him to throw in little Easter eggs for us horror fans, giving us quick glimpses of walkers that will undoubtedly look quite familiar to those who are big time horror fans, particularly of the zombie cinema that inspired guys like Robert Kirkman.

While there’s no room for cameos from recognizable stars on “The Walking Dead,” it is these blink and you’ll miss ‘em zombie cameos that serve as a fun little ‘Where’s Waldo?’ game for folks like ourselves. Today we take a look at a handful of them that have appeared on the show throughout the years, along with other references to our favorite horror flicks that Nicotero has thrown in!

The first of the undead Easter eggs was included in the very first season of the show, with this particularly gruesome Episode 4 zombie. Her lower jaw ripped off and her tongue hanging out, she’s one of the most memorable walkers in the show’s history and was a direct homage to the very first feature film that Greg Nicotero ever worked on: George Romero’s Day of the Dead. Nicotero was Tom Savini’s assistant on the film, and it was Savini’s Dr. Tongue creation that he paid tribute to with this horrific makeup design. Dr. Tongue is notable for being the first zombie seen in Day of the Dead.

In the fifth episode of the show’s third season, which Nicotero directed, he threw in a nice little reference to one of the most iconic zombies in horror history, from the original Dawn of the Dead. George Romero has stated in the past that the zombified version of Stephen ‘Flyboy’ Andrews is his favorite of any of the zombies he’s ever brought to the screen, and Nicotero included a dead ringer for Flyboy in the scene where Merle is forced to fight for his life in the Governor’s zombie fighting arena.

The post 8 Times The Walking Dead Paid Tribute to Our Favorite Horror Movies appeared first on Dread Central.

Jay Weisman’s Shockwave, Darkside 3D, featuring “The Walking Dead’s” Sonequa Martin-Green, has been ten years in the making; but this past August it finally premiered at the prestigious Film4 FrightFest in London.

While we wait to hear when we might be able to check it out in the States and elsewhere, we have additional info on the writer/director’s ambitious project in the form of a teaser video, a handful of stills (including one at the bottom in 3D so grab those anaglyph [red/blue] glasses you no doubt have stashed in a drawer), and more.

Shockwave, Darkside stars Martin-Green, Meim Melancon, Bill Sage (We Are What We Are), Rich Ceraulo, and Alexander Cendese. Its producers include Christian Arnold-Beutel, Dan DeFilippo, Kevin Fox, Dave Marken, Isen Robbins, and Aimee Schoof.

Synopsis
Five soldiers find themselves marooned on the dark side of the moon, shot down behind enemy lines in a battle over water which is frozen in the deep craters of the lunar surface. With depleting air and supplies, they have no choice but to start a dangerous trek through hostile territory. As their numbers dwindle and nerves fray, they make an amazing discovery about the moon that may just save their lives but destroy the very cause they are fighting for.

For more info visit the official Shockwave, Darkside 3D website and “like” Shockwave, Darkside 3D on Facebook.

The post Teaser, Stills, and More on Jay Weisman’s 3D-Shot Shockwave, Darkside appeared first on Dread Central.

Last week was full of news about “new” TV projects in the works involving the likes of Frankenstein’s monster, the Phantom of the Opera, the Archie gang, and even Hitch (Will Smith’s version, not Sir Alfred, thankfully).

Two people we certainly miss from our small screens but are in no hurry to see remade, reimagined, or rebooted are Buffy and Angel; fortunately, so far we (and they) seem to be safe. If you’re also a fan and want to relive some of the show’s highlights during this Halloween season, then read on!

Beginning tomorrow (October 27th) at 2pm PT/5pm ET, Pivot will air select episodes of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” as part of its week-long “A Very Buffy Halloween” marathon in celebration of the year’s scariest and creepiest holiday.

Special themed blocks will start each day at 2pm PT/5pm ET, including “Monday Sucks“ (10/27), “Eve of the Demons” (10/28), “Witchy Wednesday” (10/29), and “Thursday Unleashed” (10/30). Then, on Halloween Day (10/31), the marathon kicks off extra early at 7am PT/10am ET with a “Classic Monsters” theme and concludes with the top Halloween episodes from Buffy and her villain-fighting gang starting at 4pm PT/7pm ET.

They’ll also have on-screen trivia, and if you use the hashtag #BuffyHalloween, you will be entered to win some sweet “BTVS” prizes.

Never heard of Pivot before? Here are the details:

About Pivot TV
Pivot is a new TV network where what you watch does make a difference. We’ve got all the usual stuff like original shows, movies, and docs, but we’ve also got a little something more. When you watch Pivot TV, you won’t just be entertained.  You can also take action on the issues raised in our content.  The chance to do something about it will be right there on the screen or just inside the next commercial break. 

So go ahead and pivot. You just might be able to make a meaningful difference in the world. Pivot TV: It’s Your Turn.

Follow Pivot on Twitter at @pivot_tv and on Facebook. Here are some other places you can find Pivot:  COMCAST – TIME WARNER CABLE – CHARTER – SUDDENLINK: CHECK YOUR LOCAL CABLE LISTINGS, DIRECTV: CH. 267, DISH: CH. 197, VERIZON FIOS: CH. 692 HD + CH 287 SD, AT&T U-VERSE: CH. 1492 HD + CH. 492 SD, RCN: 114 SD + 552 HD

The post Pivot TV Airing A Very Buffy Halloween Marathon Starting Tomorrow! appeared first on Dread Central.

Yet another trailer has arrived for the world’s first Iranian vampire western, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, an upcoming release from Elijah Wood’s company, SpectreVision; and it looks pretty bitchin’!

Kino Lorber will release A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night in New York and Los Angeles on November 21st, with national expansion to follow.

Directed by Ana Lily Amirpour, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night stars Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Dominic Rains, Marshall Manesh, Mozhan Marnó, and Milad Eghbali.

Synopsis
Strange things are afoot in Bad City. The Iranian ghost town, home to prostitutes, junkies, pimps, and other sordid souls, is a bastion of depravity and hopelessness where a lonely vampire stalks its most unsavory inhabitants. But when boy meets girl, an unusual love story begins to blossom… blood red.

The post A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night and Finds a New Trailer appeared first on Dread Central.

When we spoke with Alexandre Aja during Fantastic Fest about Horns (interview here), he mentioned he was currently working on The 9th Life of Louis Drax, which he described as a very dark exploration of “all the secrets that the human mind can hide.”

We’ve been hoping to learn more about Louis Drax ever since, and now that production has kicked off, we have an official update from Miramax.

From the Press Release
Miramax, the global film and television producer and distributor, along with the film’s producers AntColony Films and Brightlight Pictures, announced today the start of principal photography on the supernatural thriller The 9th Life of Louis Drax starring Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades of Grey, The Fall), Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad,” Need for Speed, Triple Nine), and Sarah Gadon (Dracula Untold, The Amazing Spider-Man 2).

Joining Dornan, Paul, and Gadon in supporting roles are Oliver Platt (X-Men: First Class, Chef, Frost/Nixon) playing Louis Drax’s psychologist, Dr. Perez; Molly Parker (pictured above; “House of Cards,” The Road) as Detective Dalton; Barbara Hershey (Black Swan, Falling Down), who will play Violet, Louis’ grandmother; and Aiden Longworth (Hector and the Search for Happiness, A Christmas Story 2) in the title role of Louis Drax.

The 9th Life of Louis Drax is being directed by Alexandre Aja (Horns, The Hills Have Eyes, High Tension). The feature screenplay, based on Liz Jensen’s best-selling novel of the same title, was written by Max Minghella.

Producers are Tim Bricknell (Breaking and Entering, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency) and Minghella (The Two Faces of January) of AntColony Films, Shawn Williamson (The Interview, 50/50) of Brightlight Pictures, and Aja. Rosanne Korenberg (Half Nelson, Hard Candy) is executive producer.

Brightlight Pictures will handle distribution of the film in Canada, and Miramax will distribute throughout the rest of the world with Sierra/Affinity as the international sales agent. Zanne Devine, Executive Vice President, Production and Development, is overseeing the project on behalf of Miramax. The film is a Canadian/UK co-production.

Synopsis
The 9th Life of Louis Drax begins on Louis Drax’s 9th birthday, when he miraculously survives a near fatal fall. His doctor, Allan Pascal (Dornan), finds himself tangled between his professional responsibility and his growing affections for the boy’s mother (Gadon), a fragile young beauty. When Louis’ father (Paul) comes under suspicion, Pascal realizes other mysterious forces may be at work.

With echoes of The Sixth Sense and Gone Girl, The 9th Life of Louis Drax is a supernatural thriller filled with unexpected twists and turns.

The post Production Begins and Cast Expands for The 9th Life of Louis Drax appeared first on Dread Central.

John Squires wrote me weeks ago pining, “Aw, man! I wanted to do that Hellyfish story!” It is now with a great deal of continued spite and spirit that we do not let him write this one either, which announces that the film can finally be seen online.

Why? Because he STILL refuses to nut up and get a PS4 so we can smack each other around next gen style! Though one day soon we will join up to perform the Usos’ entrance – much to the chagrin and embarrassment of our significant others.

From the demented minds of Pat Longstreth and Rob MacLean comes Hellyfish…

Synopsis
America’s only missing nuclear weapon is leaking radioactive material into the ocean just off the coast of Tybee Island, GA. The trifling existence of a hapless cast is disrupted by a vicious force of nature that shows no mercy.

For more on Hellyfish, which is looking to become a feature film, cast your line out to the official Hellyfish Facebook page!

The post The Hellyfish Strikes Online! Watch Now! appeared first on Dread Central.

Earlier today we shared the first details about Stan Silas’ upcoming graphic novel series Norman, heading our way next year from Titan Comics, and now we’re back with an exclusive look at one of eight teaser poster virals for the horror/comedy, which follows the adventures of an eight-year old psychopathic killer.

Silas both writes and draws the four-part tale of a very bad boy named Norman.

Norman Vol. 1
On Sale: March 4, 2015
Writer & Artist: Stan Silas

Synopsis
A IS FOR ARTERIAL SPRAY! B IS FOR BLOOD-SOAKED! C IS FOR CORPSES!

Eight years old. Blonde-haired elementary school psychopath. Looks so cute while burying his eviscerated friends in the sandbox.

With humor as black as dried blood, Norman looks set to join the padded-cell pantheon of murderous lunatics – and this time he’s bringing his lunch money!

The post See One of Norman’s Exclusive Teaser Posters from Titan Comics appeared first on Dread Central.

All month long we’ve been posting loads of short films that celebrate all things macabre, spooky, and/or generally insane. We do this out of love, and a new website is doing its damnedest to curate all the best horror shorts out there under one webbed roof!

To check out what we’re talking about, make with the clickin’ and head on over to the official #Creepy website to check out some of the finest horror shorts on the net. You can even check out their first bit of original programming below, entitled appropriately enough #Creepy Halloween.

The post #Creepy Curates Short Form Corpses appeared first on Dread Central.

We’ve been covering the very non-mainstream PollyGrind film festival for several years now and have always admired their independent spirit. We’re hoping it continues beyond this year’s event, but considering all the fest’s organizers have had to contend with to keep it afloat (more on that below), it could be the end. But they definitely plan to go out with a bang!

If you’re in the Las Vegas area, read on for the details of PollyGrind’s 2014 Victory Night, taking place Thursday, October 30th.

From the Press Release
PollyGrind officially brings its fifth annual film festival to a close on October 30, 2014, with the world premiere of Albert Pyun’s The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper, the handing out of awards, and a “best of” screening block, featuring music videos, shorts, and a replay of Stuart Simpson’s Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla at the Galaxy Luxury+ Theatres in Green Valley.

During the past few weeks PollyGrind was banned from its original venue, briefly canceled, resurrected, had its press release on all the chaos go viral (more than 42,000 views and over a million headline impressions), played to a packed house of 176 for the world premiere of Heidi, had its first DVD released, and was featured in The National Enquirer.

“It’s been a hell of a year and an even crazier October,” founder and director Chad Clinton Freeman said with a laugh. “It’s only fitting that we have our grand finale, which is being called Victory Night, on the night before Halloween, which many of course refer to as Hell Night.”

The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper is an experimental one-take found footage project shot in March 2014. It’s the first film Pyun (The Sword and the Sorcerer, Cyborg, Nemesis, Captain America) has completed since he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in late 2013.

A total PollyGrind inspired feature, The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper stars past PollyGrind girl Tommie Vegas (Thrill Kill Jill) and PollyGrinder Shane Ryan (My Name is A by Anonymous) and was shot by PollyGrinder Michael Su (My Demon Within). Pyun screened three films at PollyGrind in 2012, including Road to Hell, which won the audience choice award. He also took home the first ever Filmmaker of a Different Breed Lifetime Achievement Award.

“Albert is the kind of filmmaker I’ve always respected and admired,” Freeman said. “He always finds a way when there isn’t one. He’s been an inspiration for me, and I feel like in the past few years PollyGrind has helped inspire him. I always talk about the creative environment and the ripples of inspiration this festival offers, and I think this film is the epitome of that.”

The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper is scheduled to take home 11 awards Thursday, including the top honor Biggest Baddest Mother of the PollyGrind, best actor (Ryan), best actress (Vegas), and best director (Pyun). Ryan, Vegas, and Pyun are all scheduled to be in attendance along with cast and crew members Brittany Bochart, Cynthia Curnan (Road To Hell), Su, Glenn Cochrane (FakeShemp.net), Tony Riparetti (Mean Guns, Brainsmasher), Michael Tushaus (The Adventures of Loop & Rhett), Kelly Schwarze (Territory 8), and Amanda Martinez (Cyborg Nemesis).

Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla is slated to pick up half a dozen awards, including best dark comedy and best overall performance for Glenn Maynard, who will be in attendance.

Daniel Ray’s Heidi will not be screening, but it will be picking up some awards too, including best Nevada film, audience favorite, actress on the rise (Joei Fulco), and The Willy B.  PollyGrind’s nod to the NFL Draft’s Mr. Irrelevant award, named after the festival’s biggest hater, The Willy B is being given to Heidi as it was the very last entry judged by Freeman. It was screened at 5 a.m. on the day official announcements were made.

Award winners The Gradations of Purgatory (Douglas Farra), If Only Tonight I Could Sleep (Douglas Farra), Shoot 4 The Sky (Jake Stark), Black Mask (Alex Colonna), Cassandra (Guy-Roger Duvert), and Manscapping (Mike Lenzin) are also scheduled to screen and take home awards.

The underground and indie world who’s who list of award winners for this year’s festival also includes Tara Reid, William Grefe, Nathan Jones, Bill Moseley, Kane Hodder, Ted V. Mikels, Glen Coburn, Flavor Flav, and Doms Gauge.

The audience is encouraged to come in Halloween costumes and will get $5 off admission at the door if they do. The four-hour grindhouse celebration is $15 in advance or $20 at the door.

An international film festival steeped in artistic freedom, PollyGrind celebrates individuality, diversity, creativity, and empowerment by showcasing the work of filmmakers with defiantly independent visions. Named one of 2014’s “50 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” by MovieMaker, PollyGrind has seen its official selections earn distribution deals from Lionsgate, Sundance, Showtime, IFC Midnight, Wild Eye Releasing, Whacked Movies, and a slew of other reputable outlets.

Victory Night on Hell Night may very well be PollyGrind’s very final curtain call. Freeman announced the first day of this year’s event that the festival would take a hiatus next year and possibly never return.

“Which makes this Thursday so important to me,” Freeman said. “I’m still waiting on my refund from my original venue so I had to borrow $1,500 to make these screenings happen. But nothing was going to stop PollyGrind this year. This is for indie film. It’s for artistic freedom. If for only one last night, I want the grinders to unite to show this town and the world that you can hurt us, you can beat us and kick us, you can ban us, you can take away our spark temporarily, you can try to destroy us, but you can not break our spirit to hustle, fight, and grind.”

When the original screenings canceled on PollyGrind just a week before this year’s event, Pyun helped put Freeman in touch with the vice president of Galaxy Theatres.

After the main PollyGrind screenings October 16-18, Freeman stepped away from the event for a few days. In that time, Pyun stepped up and took a lot of the October 30 pressures on his shoulders. The chaos of it has led to much stress and many seizures.

“I needed a breather but didn’t realize how much pressure he would feel in my absence,” Freeman said. “Well, I’m ready to get back in the game to take the world back on my shoulders for this one last 2014 PollyGrind event. For Albert, for me, for all those involved in The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper, for the fans, filmmakers, friends, and community of PollyGrind. It’s been hell. So a celebration on Hell Night is in order. Let the Victory begin.”

For more information visit PollyGrind.com or PollyGrind on Facebook.

The post Full Details on PollyGrind’s October 30th Victory Night Event appeared first on Dread Central.