Today is Mother’s Day, and what better way is there to celebrate this day than by sitting down and watching some great crazy mom-themed horror films? Below is a list of the bat-shit craziest bunch of moms you’ll ever meet. Who are your favorite crazy moms from film? Whom did I miss? Note that this list is in no particular order.

Norma Bates, Psycho (1960)

You have to start the list off with the Patron Saint of crazy moms, Norma Bates!! Norma is second to none in being overbearing and brow-beating the shit out of her son!!

Mrs. Loomis (Debbie Salt), Scream 2 (1997)

In her defense, Debbie Salt (Laurie Metcalf) is just avenging her son’s death. But let’s not forget that her son is a psychopathic killer!!

Mum (a.k.a. Vera Cosgrove), Dead Alive (1992)

Not only could Vera (Elizabeth Moody) give old Norma a run for her money in the overbearing department, but Mrs. Cosgrove is literally the mother of all zombies in this gore-heavy film. Vera is bitten by a Sumatran rat-monkey and not only becomes a zombie, but also creates a legion of zombies in her small New Zealand town. Not even Dr. Freud himself could help Lionel at the end when dear old mum becomes a twenty-foot tall behemoth zombie-vulva-monster!

Lucy Harbin, Strait-Jacket (1964)

In this classic William Castle film, written by Robert Bloch (also the writer of Psycho), Joan Crawford, who is locked up in a mental hospital for twenty years for decapitating her husband and his mistress, is released. When she reunites with her daughter, people start mysteriously turning up without heads. Coincidence? Strait-Jacket asks the question, “Does killing skip a generation?”

Mrs. Wadsworth, The Baby (1973)

Some women are baby-crazy and love them so much they can’t stand to see them grow up. I’m not sure that’s the main motivation behind Mrs. Wadsworth’s (Ruth Roman) behavior, but this is a pretty sick momma. She’s a domineering mother who keeps her twenty-something son in an infantile state through intimidation, physical abuse, and an electric cattle prod. His sister also sleeps naked in bed next to him. Yeah, this is pretty high up on the sleaze-meter!

Nola Carveth, The Brood (1979)

Here we get a slight variation on the crazy mother. Don’t worry; Nola (Samantha Eggar) is crazier than a shit-house dung beetle, but she’s crazy in that Cronenbergian way. Nora gets to screw her kids up before they are born. Nola gives birth to her own rage and sends it out into the world to cause chaos and havoc. Add to this Nola’s penchant for licking the blood and gore off her brood when they are born, and you know you’re deep in Cronenbergian territory.

Erica Sayers, Black Swan (2010)

This is the most recent film on my list, and Erica (Barbara Hershey) has more than earned her place here. Overbearing, fanatical, and trying to make up for her lost youth, Erica pushes her daughter Nina (Natalie Portman) beyond the breaking point. Plus, Erica likes to sit in a corner and watch her daughter sleep. Yikes!!

The Queen, Aliens (1986)

The only non-human on my list. Even though the Alien Queen isn’t human, she protects her brood until her final breath. I guess it helps having acid for blood and a mouth within a mouth within a mouth!!

Margaret White, Carrie (1976)

Okay, okay … I concede. Margaret (Piper Laurie) might just be the craziest mother on this list. I think old Norman looks well adjusted compared to Carrie!! Besides Margaret being insane, when you add a heavy dose of religious fervor to the mix, things get a lot out of control.

Pamela Voorhees, Friday the 13th (1980)

Oh, Pamela. This poor mom feels so much guilt for not being there for her child that she goes on an epic killing spree to avenge his death and alleviate her guilt. Those horned up, substance-altered camp counselors let her son, Jason, drown; and now there’s hell to pay.

Mother, Mother’s Day (1980)

Forget The Baby… Mother’s Day is so sleazy that you need a shower after watching it!! Mother (Beatrice Pons) lives out in the woods with her two inbred, hillbilly, psychopathic sons. Her sons fight for her attention and love, and Mother makes it clear that the best way to get her love is to excel in the areas of rape and murder. Mother, in fact, teaches them how to rape and murder. When her sons kidnap a group of girls camping, this film goes down the rabbit hole of sleaze. I love every second of this film!!

Dorothy Yates, Frightmare (1974)

Electric drills, psychopathic children, and cannibalism are the things Dorothy (Sheila Keith) has to deal with. After being institutionalized for eighteen years, Dorothy is out and still has the same old urges. Frightmare answers the question, “Does killing skip a generation?” No… no, it doesn’t.

Special Mention: Madeline Matheson, Grace (2009)

This film gets a special mention because Madeline Matheson (Jordan Ladd) isn’t like the other bat-shit crazy mothers above. Madeline isn’t a killer; in fact, she’s just the opposite. Madeline loses her baby in the final month of her pregnancy. The baby is stillborn, and Madeline is so devastated that she wills the dead infant back to life. But there’s a price to pay. Some mothers just care too much!!

There’s the list. Let me know what you think. Whom did I leave off? Is there anyone that doesn’t belong here?

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It’s been a busy weekend for TV news, and hot on the heels of the networks announcing all their various cancellations and pickups for the upcoming fall season, we have NBC’s new timeslot for “Grimm” Season 5 plus stirrings in the Twittersphere and on the convention circuit about a previously talked about “Constantine/Arrow” crossover that could still go forward.

Knowing it has a good thing on its hands that it really shouldn’t mess with, NBC is keeping its only remaining supernatural series, “Grimm,” on Friday nights but moving it yet again time-wise to 9PM ET/PT.  It’s being wedged between comedies  “Undateable” and “People Are Talking” in the 8-9PM hour and “Dateline,” airing at 10PM.  For this they cancelled “Constantine”?

Speaking of which, fans of the show, who include William Shatner, “Arrow’s” Stephen Amell, Joseph Morgan of “TVD/The Originals,” “Supernatural’s” Mark Sheppard and Jim Beaver, and many more, are not letting it go quietly.  They’ve all tweeted their support, and during an appearance at this weekend’s Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con, Amell had quite a bit to say…

Per ComicBook.com, Amell said with regard to the possibility of Oliver Queen meeting up with John Constantine (and other DC characters not on The CW), “…there is an opportunity for interconnectivity with any DC television show that exists.  Like, as an example, yesterday ‘Constantine’ was cancelled. And there is… yeah, I know, it’s brutal… it’s a good show, and it should come back. And it may come back, like there are various platforms where it could come back.”

Amell continued, “Now, ‘Constantine’ was an NBC show. I’m on The CW. I had had discussions with DC… so not NBC, not CW… but with DC Entertainment about guest starring on ‘Constantine’ when it was still on the air. And that was and is still on the table. So we have ‘Flash,’ we have ‘Legends of Tomorrow,’ a new show which is directly connected to the ‘Arrow’ universe, we have ‘Supergirl’… she got picked up, directed by my good friend Glen Winter, that pilot, I can’t wait to see it, I’m sure it’s going to be amazing… there’s ‘Gotham’ obviously, and I’m missing something… ‘Titans,’ there you go. So again, I wouldn’t worry too much about the movie universe, because we have no shortage of options for me and other characters to populate.” (Click the above link for more about any DC movie/TV show crossover possibilities.  The short version: Not gonna happen.)

But what would have led Oliver to appear on “Constantine” anyway? Amell explained, “The reason that I was going to guest star on ‘Constantine,’ at least the idea that we were throwing around, was he’s an expert when it comes to the Lazarus Pit, which is now something that is a part of and will continue to be a part of ‘Arrow.’”

Amell also went on to voice his support for “Constantine” returning on another network:  “I think that all the support that it got, Geoff Johns at DC was supporting it, Jim Lee was supporting it, I think Grant [Gustin] was throwing a little weight behind it, as he should, because that dude is a heavyweight in the DC television universe.  I don’t know how it would play. I just think that it deserves an opportunity. I really do.”

We do, too, Stephen… we do, too!

@CW_network Actors are rallying to #SaveConstantine Who will be next? #Constantine is not done yet. pic.twitter.com/WMBvwcm96E

— Dave Blass (@BlackhawkDesign) May 9, 2015

@amellywood man, it would be a real pleasure to explore these Guys dynamic #Constantine #SaveConstantine — Matt Ryan (@mattryanreal) May 9, 2015

For those asking what they can do to help, make noise and BUILD FANS. All eps of #Constantine STILL streaming. #SaveConstantine #Hellblazers

— Daniel Cerone (@DanielVCerone) May 8, 2015

The post TV Terrors: Grimm to Air on Same Day at New Time; Constantine Not Dead Yet appeared first on Dread Central.

Another in a long series of TV spots has arrived for the upcoming remake of Poltergeist, and it’s electric! Boogie woogie, woogie! Sorry… had to… couldn’t resist!

In Poltergeist, which is to be released in 3D on May 22nd, Jared Harris plays Carrigan, a larger than life TV personality who left the world of academia behind to become the star host of basic cable TV show “Haunted House Cleaners.” Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Saxon Sharbino, and Jane Adams also star. Gil Kenan directs.

Related Story: Poltergeist Clown Doll in Box of Dread’s May 2015 Seventh Box

For more info visit the official Poltergeist website, “like” Poltergeist on Facebook, and follow Poltergeist on Twitter.

Synopsis:
Legendary filmmaker Sam Raimi (producer) reimagines and contemporizes the classic tale about a family whose suburban home is invaded by angry spirits. When the terrifying apparitions escalate their attacks and take the youngest daughter, the family must come together to rescue her.

The post New Poltergeist TV Spot Powered by Electrical Currents appeared first on Dread Central.

We have a new inside look at tomorrow night’s Episode 1.09 of “iZombie,” entitled “Patriot Brains,” in which executive producers Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright preview Liv and Lowell at a crossroads.  With Bradley James, the actor who portrays Lowell, set to star in the upcoming “Damien” on A&E, we have a feeling their budding relationship may not continue, but we’re staying hopeful he’ll stick around at least a little while longer.

“iZombie” Episode 1.09 – “Patriot Brains” (airs 5/12/15)
PERCY DAGGS III (“VERONICA MARS”) GUEST STARS — Liv (Rose McIver) and Clive (Malcolm Goodwin) investigate the mysterious death of a former sniper, Everett (guest star Ronald Patrick Thompson), who has been working as an instructor at a paintball facility. They begin questioning family members, including Everett’s ex-wife and her new husband, Sean (guest star Percy Daggs III), and realize things are not what they seem.

Meanwhile, Major (Robert Buckley) continues to get closer and closer to the truth, and Blaine (David Anders) does the unthinkable. Guy Bee directed the episode written by Robert Forman.

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

The post Producers’ Preview Goes Inside iZombie Episode 1.09 – Patriot Brains appeared first on Dread Central.

We’ve been talking about the dinosaur flick Extinction, formerly The Expedition, for what feels like forever now. Finally the film is hitting DVD Stateside under the title Extinction Jurassic Predators. Look for it June 2nd from XLRator Media

Produced by award-winning producer Ben Loyd Holmes and directed by Adam J. Spinks, the film stars Ben Loyd Holmes, Sarah Mac, Neil Newbon, Daniel Caren, Ernesto Cantu, Ross O’Hennessy, Simon Burbage, and Dolores Reynals.

Synopsis:
Deep in the Amazon jungle, a research team led by a respected professor embarks on an expedition to protect vulnerable and endangered species. After a series of strange events, their superstitious guides abandon them, and the team members choose to remain deep in the jungle, dedicated to the project… but as night falls in the camp, they begin to realize that all is not as it seems and that they are in the hunting ground of a predator… one they never could have expected.

The post Extinction Jurassic Predators Arrives on DVD in June appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Freddie Stroma, Brittany Allen, Jesse Moss, Melanie Papalia

Directed by The Vicious Brothers

Distributed by The Scream Factory

Scream Factory’s bread and butter are the lavish special editions they produce for classic cult titles; releases which often sell themselves due to the popularity of the film and/or the typically excellent bonus features that accompany them. But a company can’t subsist on prestige releases alone, and so Scream Factory has also partnered up with production companies, such as Chiller and IFC Midnight, to present recent horrors that would receive little fanfare otherwise. It’s a noble endeavor, providing a spotlight for low-budget productions that need a solid marketing push to get recognition. The main problem, however, is that none of them have been very good. At best, a few of them have been an easy way to kill 90 minutes; at worst you’re watching something like Larry Fessenden’s Beneath (2013), a dull film chock full of reprehensibly irritating characters. The bar for quality remains low.

I had hoped for more out of Extraterrestrial (2014), an alien thriller brought to you by The Vicious Brothers, a moniker that probably sounded very cool when they were in high school. In one of the bonus features, one of the brothers unintentionally sums up the experience of watching this film so succinctly by stating it’s the sort of film he’d have been stoked to see at sixteen. And there’s the problem. Adolescent audiences aren’t known for discerning taste, something my 16-year-old self would agree with as he sits down to watch Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings (1993) for the third time. There are so many terrible horror films I saw as a teenager that, as an adult, I wouldn’t even consider re-watching again – even ironically just for the laughs. Extraterrestrial can be added to that list.

Once the film gets past the requisite opening kill (or in this case, abduction), we’re introduced to April (Brittany Allen) and her boyfriend Kyle (Freddie Stroma). The couple is headed out to the woods for the weekend to get April’s childhood cabin ready for sale since her parents recently divorced. Could be a romantic weekend, right? Not quite, as Kyle has taken it upon himself to invite three intolerably annoying friends, all of whom you will want to die immediately. Seth (Jesse Moss) in particular, who is one of those annoying YouTube prankster-types everyone wants to punch. Everyone gets to the cabin and parties hard into the night. Later, a bright shining object in the sky zooms down and crashes into the trees, drawing the kids out of the cabin the investigate. It’s a flying saucer, and a set of alien-like footprints seems to indicate something survived. The rest of the night has everyone running around like panicked morons while aliens kill them or control their minds or probe their butts. That last one isn’t a joke.

It’s difficult to even muster up the energy to discuss this film because it’s just so poorly handled. It isn’t even spectacularly bad; it’s just a miserable chore to watch. Alien films aren’t done often, or effectively, and I went into Extraterrestrial with an open mind hoping for something akin to, say, Fire in the Sky (1993). That movie is awesome. Instead, Extraterrestrial is filled with horribly clichéd caricatures of real people. Were they purposely written to be so annoying that we want them to die quickly? This is basically a rote cabin in the woods slasher film, only replace “masked killer” with “alien” and you’ve got the entire premise. When the kids kill off the first alien they see, apparently this breaks a treaty that has existed between aliens and humans, and now the tall skinny green guys are out to kill our hapless twentysomethings. This is all according to Travis, played by Michael Ironside, who gives the film all the gravitas it’s going to get and he actually provides a bit of comic relief as a paranoid pot grower.

The aliens look stereotypical – lanky, big eyes, big head – and they’re done with CGI that looks like it was pulled from a PlayStation video game. Some reviews have stated the computer effects blend well with the in-camera visuals, and that is true for some scenes that are static and don‘t feature moving characters, but the aliens here looked far too hokey and contrived to feel threatening or dangerous. Extraterrestrial might have been the sort of movie I’d have dug at sixteen, but it is definitely not the sort of fare I find entertaining in my thirties.

Typical of digitally shot productions, there’s not much fault to be found in the 2.35:1 1080p picture. There is no grain and no print damage, leaving the image remarkably crisp and clear. Color grading is mostly natural, although some of the daytime scenes have a slight yellow push. Black levels are a little more grey than black at times. A handful of scenes are presented as shot by Seth’s phone and they look chunky and ugly. Details are sharp, even when the picture is bathed in darkness.

An English DTS-HD MA 7.1 (not 5.1, as the back cover states) surround sound track carries the action here. This is an active track, with plenty of activity emanating from the rear speakers. Dialogue sounds clear and balanced within the mix. There are some nicely done moments of tension when the aliens are hiding in the shadows. The film’s score is a major mixed bag, though, with no sense of cohesion. It bounces from low-key synth to techno to terrible source music and bombastic bass explosions. It’s a schizophrenic mix that simply doesn’t suit the film very well. An English DTS-HD MA 2.0 track is also included. Subtitles are available in English, English SDH and Spanish.

The audio commentary features The Vicious Brothers & actors Brittany Allen and Melanie Papalia. I’m not going to pretend I listened to this because, frankly, I started it and just couldn’t bear to listen to the filmmakers trying to discuss what makes their film fun or different or whatever it is they think they made.

A handful deleted scenes (mostly extended character bits), “The Making of Extraterrestrial” and a trailer – all in HD – round out the extra features.

Special Features:

• Audio commentary with The Vicious Brothers & actors Brittany Allen and Melanie Papalia
• Deleted scenes
• The Making of Extraterrestrial
• Trailers

The post Extraterrestrial (Blu-ray / DVD) appeared first on Dread Central.

James Cullen Bressack is one of the busiest guys working in independent horror. In addition to prepping the release of his upcoming genre outing Pernicious (read our review of the flick here), he’s also executive producing the follow-up to his 2013 shot-on-iPhone thriller To Jennifer. If that wasn’t enough to keep him busy, he just wrapped principal photography on Bethany.

Thanks for making the rest of us look bad, Bressack!

Here’s what Bethany is all about.

A woman moves back into her childhood home with her husband. The abusive, traumatic memories of her mother return to haunt her.  Her husband becomes busier with work, and she finds herself in a fog of memories — as a small figure tries to reach out to her.

Stefanie Estes, Tom Green, Shannen Doherty, Zack Ward (who also co-scripted), Felissa Rose, and Anna Harr co-star in Bethany. Check out some behind-the-scenes footage plus a few stills below.

The post Bethany Wraps Principal Photography; Behind-the-Scenes Footage and Images appeared first on Dread Central.

Earlier today we got word from Fox that the network will be premiering “Lucifer” and “The Frankenstein Code” as new midseason entries on its schedule, and now we’re back with trailers and inside look videos for both.  Neither sounds especially horror-driven, but we’ll keep up our coverage until they debut and we know for certain what’s what.

“THE FRANKENSTEIN CODE”
What would you do with a second chance? From executive producer/writer Rand Ravich (“Life,” “Crisis”) and executive producer Howard Gordon (“Homeland,” “24”) comes “THE FRANKENSTEIN CODE,” a modern reimagining of the Mary Shelley classic, about a man brought back to life by two scientists playing god.

Seventy-five-year-old JIMMY PRITCHARD (guest star Philip Baker Hall, “Modern Family,” Magnolia) is a shell of his former self. A drinker, a womanizer, and a father who always put work before family, Pritchard was forced to resign as L.A. County Sheriff for corrupt conduct more than a decade ago. Now, some 15 unkind years later, he is killed when he stumbles upon a robbery at the home of FBI Agent DUVAL PRITCHARD (Tim DeKay, “White Collar”), one of his three children. But death is surprisingly short for Jimmy, who is brought back to life by billionaire tech-genius twins MARY GOODWIN (Dilshad Vadsaria, “Revenge”) and her brother, OTTO (Adhir Kalyan, “Rules of Engagement”), founders of the social networking empire Lookinglass. Resurrected as a younger version of himself, with physical abilities of which he never dreamed, a re-animated Pritchard (Rob Kazinsky, “True Blood”) is given a second chance at life. What will he do with it? Will he seek vengeance against those who killed him? Will he try to repair the damage he did to his family? Will he embrace a new sense of purpose or fall prey to old temptations?

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: 20^th Century Fox Television, Teakwood Lane Productions, Kara Productions
WRITER: Rand Ravich
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Rand Ravich, Howard Gordon, Michael Cuesta (pilot)
CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Hugh Fitzpatrick
DIRECTOR: Michael Cuesta
CAST: Rob Kazinsky as Jimmy Pritchard, Dilshad Vadsaria as Mary, Adhir Kalyan as Otto, Tim DeKay as Duval Pritchard, Ciara Bravo as Gracie Pritchard

“LUCIFER”
The Devil has come to Los Angeles… Based upon the characters created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, and Mike Dringenberg for DC Entertainment’s Vertigo imprint, “LUCIFER” is the story of the original fallen angel. Bored and unhappy as the Lord of Hell, LUCIFER MORNINGSTAR (Tom Ellis, “Merlin”) has abandoned his throne and retired to L.A., where he owns Lux, an upscale nightclub. Charming, charismatic, and devilishly handsome, Lucifer is enjoying his retirement, indulging in a few of his favorite things – wine, women, and song – when a beautiful pop star is brutally murdered outside of Lux. For the first time in roughly 10 billion years, he feels something awaken deep within him as a result of this murder. Compassion? Sympathy? The very thought disturbs him – as well as his best friend and confidante, MAZIKEEN aka MAZE (Lesley-Ann Brandt, “The Librarians”), a fierce demon in the form of a beautiful young woman.

The murder attracts the attention of LAPD homicide detective CHLOE DANCER (Lauren German, “Chicago Fire”), who initially is dismissive of Lucifer. But she becomes intrigued by his talent for drawing out people’s secrets and his desire to dispense justice, doling out punishment to those who deserve it. As they work together to solve the pop star’s murder, Lucifer is struck by Chloe’s inherent goodness. Accustomed to dealing with the absolute worst of humanity, Lucifer is intrigued by Chloe’s apparent purity and begins to wonder if there’s hope for his own soul yet. At the same time, God’s emissary, the angel AMENADIEL (DB Woodside; “Suits,” “24”), has been sent to Los Angeles to convince Lucifer to return to the underworld… can the Devil incarnate be tempted toward the side of Good, or will his original calling pull him back toward Evil?

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Warner Bros. Television, Jerry Bruckheimer Television, Aggressive Mediocrity
BASED ON THE CHARACTERS CREATED BY: Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg for DC Entertainment’s Vertigo Imprint
WRITER: Tom Kapinos
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Jerry Bruckheimer, Tom Kapinos, Jonathan Littman, Len Wiseman, Ildy Modrovich, Joe Henderson
DIRECTOR: Len Wiseman
CAST: Tom Ellis as Lucifer, Lauren German as Det. Chloe Dancer, Rachael Harris as Linda Martin, DB Woodside as Amenadiel, Lesley-Ann Brandt as Maze, Nicholas Gonzalez as Dan, Scarlett Estevez as Trixie

The post Inside Look Videos and Trailers for Fox’s The Frankenstein Code and Lucifer appeared first on Dread Central.

Going through walker withdrawal and dying for any scrap of info you can find on “Fear the Walking Dead”?  Well, today’s your lucky day because AMC has released an early look at the set of the new “The Walking Dead” companion series with executive producers Dave Erickson, Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, and Greg Nicotero.

“Fear the Walking Dead” premieres this summer on AMC. The main cast includes Cliff Curtis, Kim Dickens, Alycia Debnam Carey, Mercedes Mason, and Frank Dillane.

The new series will be set in Los Angeles and focuses on new characters and storylines. The show’s first season will consist of six one-hour episodes and premiere on AMC in late summer. The second season will air in 2016.

Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, Greg Nicotero, and David Alpert from “The Walking Dead” are executive producers of the new series, which, like the original, is being produced by AMC Studios. Dave Erickson (“Marco Polo,” “Sons of Anarchy”), who co-created and co-wrote the pilot with Kirkman, is an executive producer and showrunner.

The post First Look Video from the Set of Fear the Walking Dead appeared first on Dread Central.

Kevin Durand and Lukas Haas are on the prowl for something dangerous in the first full trailer for director Jack Heller’s upcoming monster movie Dark Was the Night. In addition to Durand and Haas, the flick stars Heath Freeman, Sabina Gadecki, and Nick Damici. The movie is presently set for release this summer, giving folks yet another choice in a schedule that is already packed to overflowing with options. Here’s hoping you’ve been saving your pennies!

Haven’t heard of this one yet? Check out the following synopsis.

Maiden Woods is a remote and quiet town of decent, hard-working people, but something stirs in the dark woods surrounding this isolated community. After a logging company decimates an area of the forest, a rash of increasingly violent and unexplainable events transpires. Sheriff Paul Shields and his deputy struggle to confront their own personal demons while facing down a new breed of raw terror that is possibly older than humanity itself… And much, much hungrier.

Dark Was the Night creeps into theaters on July 24.

The post Dark Was the Night Releases Full Trailer appeared first on Dread Central.

Previously, on “Bates Motel”: White Pine Bay saw the return of Bradley Martin, who soon discovered that the world had long ago moved on following her staged death; after the gunrunning trip went sour, Caleb brutally beat Chick and took from him the money he felt Dylan was due – delivering the stolen cash to his son before skipping town; Romero turned over the incriminating flash drive to the DEA, infuriating Norma; and Figment Norma appeared yet again to Norman, interrupting a romantic tryst between him and a soon-to-depart Bradley.

Tonight’s season finale (Episode 3.10, “Unconscious”) opens with Norma informing Dylan that Caleb has left and she is driving to someplace she believes might be able to help Norman. In fact, this “someplace” she intends to put Norman in is a mental health facility – one she finds to be more than adequate upon her arrival, before discovering that the treatment they provide is exorbitantly expensive. Norma eventually sits her troubled son down and attempts a heart-to-heart, letting him know that he needs help and she is trying to find a place that might better care for him. Norman takes this badly, feeling as though his mother has simply given up on him.

Romero continues to work with the DEA, and he and the agency are planning a raid on Bob Paris’ home. Romero pays a visit to Norma, letting her know in advance of the upcoming takedown – and apologizes for not having been able to protect her. This leads Norma to speak about her fears that Norman will be found out and put away in prison. She tells Romero that this would kill her. As the raid is set to begin, Romero phones Paris and warns him, noting that his reasoning is simply that Paris’ arrest wouldn’t be in his best interest. Moments later, the DEA finds Paris’ house empty.

Meanwhile, Emma’s father informs her that a pair of healthy lungs now await her at the hospital (neglecting to tell her that it was Dylan’s money that ushered her name to the top of the donor list). Unfortunately, Emma goes missing shortly after, having fled in advance of the operation that could save her life. Dylan hears about this and finds her at his cabin. They talk – she about the fears concerning the transplant, he about his feelings for her. It’s this talk that leads to the kiss between the two that “DylEmma” shippers have been waiting for. Making this, y’know, the second time Dylan has shown a romantic interest in one of his burgeoning psychopath brother’s ex-girlfriends. Given his behavior, and the character’s entire lack of a presence in any sort of previous Psycho tale, one can practically see a ticking clock appear on screen next to Dylan – counting down to his inevitable death, likely at the hands of his baby bro.

Speaking of Norman – he spends the bulk of this episode with Bradley. The long-thought-dead teen returns to her old home after her mother leaves, breaking in and robbing the place – before completely wrecking it. She meets up with Norman back at the motel, showing him the thousands in stolen jewelry she now has in her possession – and offers one last time for him to come with her, leaving him to think on it.

Bob Paris, doing his best to dodge the DEA and leave town, winds up on his secret houseboat – where Romero surprises him, having stowed away in waiting. The old friends/foes chat for a bit before Romero executes Paris. It’s a shocking moment, if not unexpected. One wonders what the show has in store for Romero. He’s a fascinating character, often coming across as a solid and dependable character, even as he’s been racking up a higher body count than the Bates family. This writer is very curious to see what fate lies ahead for the good Sheriff (who, much like Dylan, is not based on any preexisting character from the Psycho books or film franchise).

Back at the Bates home, Norma discovers Norman attempting to leave. The two argue, before Norma clubs the boy unconscious. She drags him into the cellar, ties him up, and locks him in before calling Dylan to help. When her eldest arrives, the two trek back down into the cellar, only to discover that Norman has managed to escape.

Norman meets up with Bradley and heads out of town with her. But just as the two leave White Pine Bay in their rearview, Figment Norma appears – triggering Norman’s own full transformation into “Mother.” As Norma, Norman brings the car to a halt, pulls Bradley from the driver’s seat, and then chases her down and beats her to death with his bare hands. That the show would come to this was inevitable – but that doesn’t make the moment any less terrifying or powerful. Both Highmore and Farmiga are excellent in this sequence, fully and perfectly portraying the many facets of one of horror’s greatest monsters.

Norman comes to a moment later – ”Mother, what have you done?” He plays the dutiful son, loading Bradley’s body into her car and – in a moment straight out of Psycho – pushes the vehicle into a body of water and watches it sink. Figment Norma appears to console him, making him promise to never talk about what has just happened. We leave him there, the both of him, as he gazes into the lake – “mad as a hatter” at long last.

Now having taken in the entire set of episodes, this writer and long time Psycho fan is confident in saying that this season of “Bates Motel” has been the best yet. With its strong writing and stellar performances, Season 3 has been a significant improvement over the previous 20 episodes and has finally ushered in the beginning of what appears to be the inevitable endgame for the series. With Norman now the cross-dressing, mother-impersonating murderer of young women we know from the previous iterations of this story, one can only think that the next season will stand a chance at being better still. I, for one, cannot wait.

Hats off to A&E and the creative forces behind “Bates Motel” for making one of the best damned shows on television!

For more info visit “Bates Motel” on AEtv.com, “like” “Bates Motel” on Facebook, and stop by “Bates Motel” on Instagram.

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Terminator Genisys is set to infiltrate theaters across the U.S. this summer. To help spread the good word about the latest installment of the long-running franchise, the folks at Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions have released a handful of new character posters. Not only do you get to see Arnold Schwarzenegger as the T-800, the images also give us a glimpse of the T-1000 and the T-3000. Two humans, namely Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor, are represented as well.

Need a refresher on the plot? Here you go.

When John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the human resistance, sends Sgt. Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and safeguard the future, an unexpected turn of events creates a fractured timeline. Now, Sgt. Reese finds himself in a new and unfamiliar version of the past, where he is faced with unlikely allies, including the Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger), dangerous new enemies, and an unexpected new mission: to reset the future…

Terminator Genisys blasts into theaters on July 1st.

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In theaters on October 16, 2015, is Guillermo del Toro’s Gothic ghost story Crimson Peak, and while we wait for the official trailer to hit tomorrow, we currently have a new motion poster for you. Dig it!

Legendary Pictures’ Crimson Peak, a co-production with Universal Pictures, is a haunting Gothic horror story directed by the master of dark fairy tales, Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy series, Pacific Rim), written by del Toro and Matthew Robbins, and starring Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Hunnam, and Jim Beaver.

Synopsis:
When her heart is stolen by a seductive stranger, a young woman is swept away to a house atop a mountain of blood-red clay: a place filled with secrets that will haunt her forever. Between desire and darkness, between mystery and madness, lies the truth behind Crimson Peak.

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Lightning Entertainment has premiered a brand new one-sheet and trailer for its upcoming release of the new horror thriller The Pack, and we’ve got the goods on this killer dog flick for you right here.

Nick Robertson directed the film, which was produced by Michael Robertson (The Reef, Black Water, Road Train) and Kent Smith (2:37, The Tree) under their new genre label, BREAKOUT Movies. Anna Lise Phillips, Jack Campbell, and Kieran Thomas McNamara star.

Synopsis:
THE PACK follows hardened farmer and devoted family man Adam Wilson, who is shocked to discover that the last of his livestock have been mauled to death on his rural ranch. Making matters worse, his wife informs him that their home veterinary business is failing, making a comfortable future uncertain for their feisty teenage daughter and young son. When a determined bank representative makes a surprise visit to the ranch to threaten foreclosure on the property, Adam firmly reassures his family that they are going nowhere and that he will fight for the place that they call home.

Adam plans a celebratory feast that night, hoping to allay everyone’s concerns about the future, but dark shadows lurk outside their isolated farmhouse. A large pack of hungry and ferocious feral dogs circle restlessly in the darkness, thirsty for blood, waiting for their chance to attack. Suddenly the power to the farmhouse is cut, and the evil hounds are unleashed, triggering a bloody and desperate battle for survival. With no way to call for help, Adam must protect his family from the violent onslaught of vicious evil howling outside their door!

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Last night’s Season 2 finale of “The Originals” took a slightly different approach, ending rather quietly and quite beautifully instead of leaving fans with a cliffhanger as we await Season 3.  Along with word that Riley Voelkel (“Freya”) is now a series regular, we have a few teases of what’s ahead in said upcoming season from executive producer Michael Narducci, including the first word on a “new arrival” in town.

Below are the highlights; be sure to hit the EW link for all the gory details.

“Freya is going to stick around and help raise [Hope],” Narducci told TVLine.  “She’s allowing Rebekah the chance to go have a life by sticking around. I’m really excited to see what role this new sister is going to have in the family and how she may play off of both of her brothers. I’m really excited about that family dynamic.”

He relayed to EW that “Freya is going to make good on her promise to help that child grow and have control over herself. Even though Hope is a first-born Mikaelson and has a lot of power as a witch, Freya too is a first-born Mikaelson and might be just the person to help Hope figure out who she is and how to grow up and be a healthy person.”

In addition, “The White Oak Stake as we have known it for many, many seasons is destroyed forever. The question now becomes: Does that mean that there’s no more White Oak in all the universe? Does that mean that there can’t be a witchy workaround where magic will always find a way and there might be some new sapling as there was on ‘Vampire Diaries’? And then we have also said in the mythology of ‘Vampire Diaries’ that a strong enough witch can kill anyone, even an immortal all-powerful Original, so I’m not suggesting that our heroes are without threat, but the same White Oak Stake that we have seen time and time again is now gone for good, and we will be addressing that going forward.”

As for who might be next season’s “big bad,” Narducci indicated, “That’s what we’ve been talking about in the writers’ room for a very long time now. I think when we are finally able to reveal what’s happening, it should make a lot of sense and feel like the next stage in what this family will need to go through and deal with. It’s pretty frightening, and we’re having a lot of fun with it.”

We haven’t seen the last of Vincent (Yusuf Gatewood) either. “We’re definitely going to explore a lot of stuff with Vincent. We’re going to see his past and where he’s from and why he’s such an interesting character: What led him to walk away from magic, why he feels obligated to remain in New Orleans and be a part of everything that’s going on in his city.”

Lastly, what about the Marcel/Davina relationship?  Is it salvageable?  “Now [that] his adopted daughter, Davina, is becoming the regent of the nine covens of New Orleans, she’s going to have a definite perspective on vampires that’s going to perhaps put her at odds with vampires in general and perhaps Marcel, who’s going to reclaim his leadership position. Klaus is seemingly retiring to focus on caring for his family, but of course that’s not who Klaus is so Marcel’s going to find himself in a really tricky place, caught between Klaus Mikaelson the manipulator on one hand and Davina and the witches on the other hand. And then there is going to be a new arrival into the town of New Orleans, and I think that it’s going to highlight Marcel’s special relationship with this family in a way that’s going to bring Marcel back to the forefront.”

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

The post The Originals – Riley Voelkel Upped to Series Regular; What’s Ahead in Season 3 appeared first on Dread Central.

There’s been various chatter over the years regarding a new 28 film to round out the trilogy started with 28 Days then 28 Weeks Later. Recently Indiewire caught up with Ex Machina director Alex Garland to get the scoop on the possible third film.

According to the site Garland says a third picture is moving forward with Andrew McDonald, the producer of the first two 28 films and a producer on all of his movies thus far and many of original Danny Boyle’s films (including the intended Trainspotting sequel).

“About two years ago, Danny started collaborating on the potential to make ‘Trainspotting 2,’ another sequel,” says Garland. “In that conversation, an idea for ’28 Months’ arrived. I had a funny idea. I had a sort of weird idea that popped into my head. Partly because of a trip I’d taken. I had this thought, and I suggested it to Andrew and Danny, but I also said I don’t want to work on it. I don’t really want to play a role, and Andrew said, ‘Leave it to me.’ So he’s gone off and is working on it.“

Garland continues, “The rights to ‘28 Days’ were frozen, effectively, because they were shared between Danny [Boyle], [producer] Andrew [McDonald], myself, and Fox. After the second one, none of us really wanted to do another. Fox may or may not have, I don’t know.”

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The Exchange and Brian O’Shea are heading to Cannes with a new stop-motion animated feature entitled Hell & Back, and we’ve got all the details you need right here to yuck it up!

Directed by Tom Gianas and Ross Shuman, Hell & Back features the voice-work of Mila Kunis, Danny McBride, T.J. Miller, Rob Riggle, Susan Sarandon, Nick Swardson, Jennifer Coolidge, and Kumal Nanjiani.

In the vein of Team America: World Police and South Park: Bigger, Long & Uncut, Hell & Back is an outrageous new comedy from the teams behind the wildly popular series “Robot Chicken” and “BoJack Horseman.” This raunchy animated comedy features an all-star cast voicing some of their most hilarious and bizarre characters yet.

Synopsis:
Remy, Augie, and Curt have been best friends since birth. When they jokingly take a blood oath and break it, Curt is dragged to Hell to be sacrificed. The guys must risk everything to save their friend from a slew of misfit demons, Greek legends, and the Devil himself. Are they prepared?… No, absolutely not.

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Around these parts we love us some Midnight Syndicate. In fact, they’re the playlist of our entire day… and night… and occasional human sacrifice to the old ones. Word has come that they’re looking to put a lot more spirit in the term “Christmas spirit” and more!

From the Press Release:
Midnight Syndicate has announced that their eighteenth album will have a Christmas and Winter Solstice theme. “I think there’s a rule that after a band’s been around for ‘x’ years, they are required to produce a Christmas album. So that’s how we got here,” joked Edward Douglas. “In all seriousness, though, a Yuletide-themed Midnight Syndicate album is something our fans have been asking us for since we began; this album will not disappoint them.”

“I will say that this album has been particularly challenging because we’re taking songs that are SO familiar and that have been treated in so many different ways throughout the years and trying to make them uniquely our own,” added Gavin Goszka. “We don’t want to make yet another Christmas album – we really want it to stand on its own as something truly original. We hope that it will evoke the spirit of the Yuletide season while also reflecting our ongoing musical style and vision.”

Content-wise, the album will be a mix of new material and twists on classics. “I’d describe most of the covers on the album as being reinvented, rather than simply adapted,” said Goszka. “I’ve found myself approaching this material with a very wide palette and a limited sense of allegiance to convention. That being said, it still has to make sense in some way and stay grounded in the familiar. I think we’re stretching our creative wings more than ever here, but there’s still a consistency and overall purpose to it.”

“The original songs have been a lot of fun to work on,” added Douglas. “I think the fans are in for a lot of pleasant surprises.”

Fans will not have to wait until Christmas for this present. Midnight Syndicate will be exhibiting at DragonCon in Atlanta this year on Labor Day weekend (September 4-7) and plans to have the CD available at the show.

Midnight Syndicate Live! update:
In October of 2014, Midnight Syndicate Live! debuted at Cedar Point’s HalloWeekends event. From the audience response to the critical reception to record-breaking attendance numbers, the show was an overwhelming success. Although the band will be using 2015 to focus on the new album, plans for a return of Midnight Syndicate Live! in 2016 are already under way. “The success of the inaugural run of Midnight Syndicate Live! has ensured that live Midnight Syndicate shows will be a permanent part of our plans going forward,” said Douglas.

For more info visit the official Midnight Syndicate website, “like” Midnight Syndicate on Facebook, and follow Midnight Syndicate on Twitter.

The post Midnight Syndicate Readying Christmas CD; Announces Plans for 2015 and Beyond appeared first on Dread Central.

Some quick casting news has come our way courtesy of THR, who are reporting that Anne Hathaway is set to star in Colossal, a project that’s sure to be one of the biggest curiosity factors at this year’s Cannes film market. Nacho Vigalondo (Timecrimes) is writing and directing for Voltage Pictures.

In the movie — described as Transformers versus Adaptation and Godzilla meets Being John Malkovich(!) — Hathaway will play Gloria, an ordinary woman who, after losing her job and her fiancé, decides to leave her life in New York to move back to her hometown.

But when news reports surface that a giant lizard is destroying the city of Tokyo, Gloria gradually comes to realize that she is strangely connected to these far-off events via the power of her mind. In order to prevent further destruction, Gloria needs to determine why her seemingly insignificant existence has such a colossal effect on the fate of the world.

Voltage Pictures is fully financing Colossal and will launch the project to foreign buyers in Cannes. CAA, which is representing domestic rights, packaged the movie and arranged financing in addition to representing Hathaway, Vigalondo, and producer Nahikari Ipiña. Ipiña is producing via her Sayaka Producciones. Garrett Basch and Vigalondo, who was nominated for an Oscar for his short film 7:35 in the Morning, are executive producing.

“Colossal is my most ambitious script so far and probably also the most personal one. Having Anne and this terrific team around goes beyond my craziest expectations,” Vigalondo said.

Added Voltage CEO Nicolas Chartier: “As huge fans of Timecrimes, we are thrilled to be collaborating with a filmmaker as talented as Nacho. He has written an extraordinarily unique piece of material, and we look forward to seeing Anne in such a challenging role.”

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As a New Yorker, one of the most fun things I’ve ever done was see the Pink Floyd Laser Light Show at the Hayden Planetarium. During the show the Laserium would fill with all manner of smoke… and not just from high-powered machines. Yep… saw some pretty crazy things there, but ghosts? That’s a different story and probably a different mind-altering substance.

Variety is reporting that Natalie Portman and Lily Rose Depp, the daughter of actor Johnny, will play spiritualist sisters in Planetarium, a 1930s-set drama to be directed by French helmer Rebecca Zlotowski (Grand Central).

Planetarium will mark Portman’s first time working with a French director since her role in Luc Besson’s Leon in 1994. She’s been beefing up on her French to prepare for the role.

Although plot details are kept under wraps, Zlotowski told Variety that the film follows the journey of sisters who are believed to possess the supernatural ability to connect with ghosts. They cross paths with a visionary French producer while performing in Paris.

The political context of Planetarium will have a modern resonance with the current crisis and rise of extremism in Europe. The character of the producer is freely inspired by Jewish producer Bernard Natan, one of the biggest French film industry figures of the ’20s and ’30s, who eventually died in Auschwitz.

The film is co-written by Zlotowski and Robin Campillo, who previously penned The Returned, the feature film that inspired Canal Plus’ supernatural drama series.

Frederic Jouve’s Les Films Velvet is producing; Ad Vitam will distribute in France. Principal photography will begin in Paris in September for an expected delivery in May 2016.

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