“Ash vs. Evil Dead” made a splash at this year’s New York Comic Con with both a panel and a screening of the first episode.  If you missed it like we did, then read on for a look at the entire panel, which was moderated by Kevin Smith, plus fan reactions to the premiere.

“Ash vs Evil Dead” premieres Saturday, October 31st, at 9:00pm ET/PT exclusively on STARZ with a 10-episode season.

Related Story:  Exclusive: Sam Raimi Talks Ash vs. Evil Dead and Working with Bruce Campbell Again

Bruce Campbell reprises his role as Ash, the stock boy, aging lothario, and chainsaw-handed monster hunter who has spent the last 30 years avoiding responsibility, maturity, and the terrors of the Evil Dead. When a Deadite plague threatens to destroy all of mankind, Ash is finally forced to face his demons – personal and literal. Destiny, it turns out, has no plans to release the unlikely hero from its “Evil” grip.

Along with Campbell, the cast includes Lucy Lawless (“Salem,” “Spartacus,” “Xena”) as Ruby, a mysterious figure who believes Ash is the cause of the Evil outbreaks; Ray Santiago (“Touch,” Meet the Fockers) as Pablo Simon Bolivar, an idealistic immigrant who becomes Ash’s loyal sidekick; Dana DeLorenzo (A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas) as Kelly Maxwell, a moody wild child trying to outrun her past; and Jill Marie Jones (“Sleepy Hollow”) as Amanda Fisher, a disgraced Michigan State Trooper set to find our anti-hero Ash and prove his responsibility in the grisly murder of her partner.

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With the long-awaited movie being released on October 16, the Goosebumps game is out now for most platforms.

The point-and-click game is set before the film and features some of the series’ most iconic villains, including Slappy the Dummy, Fifi the Vampire Poodle, and the sinister Lawn Gnomes. Yes, there’s nothing scarier than murderous garden ornaments. If my memory serves me correctly, they actually spent most of the book in which they appeared damaging property and ruining flowerbeds rather than actually hurting anyone, but you get the idea. They’ll certainly be scary to kids.

Developer GameMill tried to create the perfect Goosebumps experience, as producer Andy Koehler explains: “Goosebumps is one of the literary world’s most emotionally and commercially successful franchises. Between those of us who read the books with our kids and those of us who actually were kids when they first came out, there’s a lot of love here for the unique blend of fun and easy horror that author R.L. Stine brought to life.”

The publisher of the books, Scholastic, was all too happy to be of assistance in the game’s development, according to Gary Hymowitz, their Vice President of Consumer Products: “Goosebumps has a special kind of cross-medium, cross-generational appeal that few other names in entertainment command. We’re excited to have GameMill as part of our team to bring a new Goosebumps experience to imaginations everywhere.”

If you have kids and they enjoy the game, it could end up being an incentive for them to read the books. The Goosebumps books may never have been great works of literature, but they are a hell of a lot better than all the Young Adult crap that floods the market today. If you want to get your kids reading, then it’s definitely a good place to start. They didn’t sell 400 million copies for nothing.

Goosebumps is out now on PC, Nintendo DS and 3DS, Wii, Xbox One and 360, PS3 and PS4.

Synopsis:
The walk home from school today is going to be a lot spookier than usual… Your sleepy neighborhood’s been overrun by monsters! Werewolves prowl the woods, Gnomes roam underfoot, and scarecrows walk at midnight. But these aren’t ordinary monsters—they’re R.L. Stine’s famous Goosebumps monsters, released from their books and looking to wreak havoc! You’ll need to use your wits to investigate the surroundings, puzzle out clues, and outsmart the monsters before it’s too late! Survive a trek through your neighborhood, unravel the mysteries of the Dead House, and sneak through the mall after hours; only then can you confront Slappy and stop his plans for revenge! Players beware… you’re in for a scare in the exciting Goosebumps video game, a prequel to the major motion picture in theaters October 16th!

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To go along with the various posters, clips, and TV spots released thus far for The Last Witch Hunter, today we have two more TV spots plus a “sizzle reel” to share.  The film arrives on October 23rd from Lionsgate.

Starring Vin Diesel along with Elijah Wood, Rose Leslie, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Julie Engelbrecht, and Michael Caine, this adrenaline pumping fantasy film follows Kaulder (Diesel) as his secret order – The Axe and Cross – leads the intense battle against the most horrifying witches in history.

Synopsis:
Live Forever… Hunt Forever…

The modern world holds many secrets, but the most astounding secret of all is that witches still live amongst us… vicious supernatural creatures intent on unleashing the Black Death upon the world. Armies of witch hunters battled the unnatural enemy across the globe for centuries, including KAULDER, a valiant warrior who managed to slay the all-powerful QUEEN WITCH, decimating her followers in the process. In the moments right before her death, the QUEEN curses KAULDER with her own immortality, forever separating him from his beloved wife and daughter in the afterlife.

Today KAULDER is the only one of his kind remaining, and he has spent centuries hunting down rogue witches, all the while yearning for his long-lost loved ones. However, unbeknownst to KAULDER, the QUEEN WITCH is resurrected and seeks revenge on her killer, causing an epic battle that will determine the survival of the human race.

The post New The Last Witch Hunter TV Spots and Sizzle Reel Cast a Spell appeared first on Dread Central.

Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak (review) arrives on Friday, October 16th, and another featurette for the film is now available.  Check out how director del Toro’s vision was translated into these stunning windows which are currently on display at Bergdorf Goodman, incorporating original props and set pieces from the film.

Legendary Pictures’ Crimson Peak, a co-production with Universal Pictures, is a 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.

The post Peek Through the Windows of Crimson Peak appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Peter Tell, Rick Lidstone

Directed by Courtland and Peter Tell

Ever have one of those creepy guys (or gals) inexplicably follow you on social media? Pretty frightening, isn’t it? How did they find you? Do they harmlessly sift through your posts or photos, or is it something more evil at hand? Directed by the Tell Brothers, @now_following just might be the best caveat for setting ALL of your profiles to “private.”

The quickie (5 minutes) follows a man (Peter Tell) who’s just found out that some black-eyed kook is now following him on one of his social media accounts and has more than a few spooky pics that he’s posted himself. Not a whole lot of setup here, but the delivery is inherently scary, and the last few seconds of this short will make you probably soil your own shorts – right to the point, and MAN does this offer some neck-hair raising instances!

For anyone who ever wondered, “How did this person find me?,” this is the one short film to check out. It’s well put together, excellently executed, and scary as all hell – a must watch!

The post @now_following (Short, 2015) appeared first on Dread Central.

Have you ever wanted to experience a monster movie from the point of view of the creature itself? That’s the angle writer/producer Evan Pleger is taking with Thing on the Beach, a short film that unfolds through the eyes of the sea-dwelling abomination. In short: first-hand carnage!

In order to bring this (bad joke alert) thing to life, the folks behind the flick are reaching out for donations on Indiegogo, and they’re pretty close to hitting their goal of $5,000. Which, of course, is where you and your stash of extra cash come into play.

What’s the movie about? I’m glad you asked:

Led by executive producer Gerald Olson, THING on the Beach is a short monster movie shot from the point of view of The Monster, an other-worldly deep sea creature beached after a storm. It will be exciting to watch but challenging to produce. The unique perspective and shooting on a beach location will be difficult to pull off. Done right, we think it’ll produce a spectacular picture, filled with gripping action, exquisitely disgusting practical effects, thrills, chills, and spills!

Want to contribute to Thing on the Beach? Swing by the Indiegogo campaign and give until it hurts. If you’re still on the fence, then take a look at the pitch video below.

The post Thing on the Beach Takes the Monster’s POV appeared first on Dread Central.

We didn’t hear much from you guys after the season premiere of “American Horror Story: Hotel,” but if you’re looking forward to tomorrow night’s Episode 5.02, “Chutes and Ladders,” we have a few images from the ep to share along with a new video about the art of Arik Levy, which tells its own creepy story. Go behind the scenes to see how his designs help define the Hotel.

“American Horror Story: Hotel” – Episode 5.02 – “Chutes and Ladders” (10/14/15)
Fashion mogul Will Drake (Cheyenne Jackson) brings couture to the Hotel Cortez. A model catches The Countess’ (Lady Gaga) eye. John (Wes Bentley) learns about the hotel’s sadistic first owner.

For more info visit the “American Horror Story” Facebook page, and follow @AHSFX on Twitter along with “American Horror Story” on FX.

The post Explore the Art of American Horror Story: Hotel; Images from Episode 5.02 – Chutes and Ladders appeared first on Dread Central.

Grabbing a handful of toys and throwing them haphazardly into the Hollywood machine has worked well for several studios over the past couple of years. Although G.I. Joe is still having trouble proving that it’s worthy of our attention, Michael Bay and Paramount Pictures are practically printing money at this point with the Transformers franchise. Should Jem and the Holograms make a ton of cash at the box office later this month, you can expect studios to delve deep into your toy box to see what old shows they can magically transform into modern-day cinematic gold.

Here’s something you probably never expected to hear: According to The Tracking Board, the boys and girls at Mattel are looking to develop the 80s cartoon “Dino-Riders” into a major motion picture. Producers Alissa Phillips and Stephen L’Heureux are reportedly developing the project, but a studio hasn’t tossed wads of Hollywood cash in their direction just yet. However, that doesn’t mean someone won’t eventually bring this obscure property to the big screen in hopes of striking it rich.

Don’t remember “Dino-Riders”? Don’t feel bad — the show only ran for a single 14-episode season. However, that didn’t stop the writers from creating an in-depth mythology. If you’re curious, take a look at this huge slab of information straight from digital pages of Wikipedia.

The Valorians were a peaceful race that had lived in Cellardyke until the evil Rulons came and attacked them. The Valorians tried to escape from the Rulon assault and attempted to use their “Space Time Energy Projector” to do so, however something went wrong and they ended up being sent back through time 65 million years to the age of the dinosaurs. Unknown to them, the Rulons in the spaceship Dreadlock were also sent back through time when the S.T.E.P. was activated.

The Valorians, led by Questar, after making planet-fall use their AMP necklaces to telepathically communicate with the dinosaurs they come across and befriend them. The Rulons, led by their leader Emperor Krulos, on the other hand used brainwashing devices known as brain-boxes to control dinosaurs for their own ends. The Rulons then launched an attack on the Valorians, who call upon their dinosaur friends to assist them in fighting back. After successfully defeating the Rulons, the Valorians declare themselves to be the Dino-Riders.

There’s still a chance this project could fall apart, and “Dino-Riders” will return to the world of obscure 80s cartoon. But don’t be surprised if this thing becomes a summer blockbuster.

The post Dino-Riders Movie Reportedly in the Works at Mattel appeared first on Dread Central.

I love Universal monster movies (Creature from the Black Lagoon in particular), and I love talented artists. Put them together, and my mind has a tendency to explode. Figuratively, of course; otherwise, I would have a difficult time gushing about Nicolas Delort’s absolutely gorgeous Universal Classic Monster prints.

Even if you’re kind of wishy-washy about the monsters themselves, you’ve got to admit that Delort has a metric ton of talent. Maybe more than that. Such things are hard to weigh.

The folks at Dark Hall Mansion still have some of Delort’s prints for sale, though they’re going to set you back quite a bit of cash. If, like me, you’re coming up short in the coin department, just stare lovingly at the images below. And if you’re like the cool kids, follow Nicolas Delort on Twitter.

The post Nicolas Delort’s Universal Classic Monster Prints Are Simply Gorgeous appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Dylan Penn, Ronen Rubenstein, Lydia Hearst

Directed by Eli Morgan Gesner

We’ve all seen them: those dilapidated, crumbling tenements that some unfortunate souls call home – usually located in larger cities. And the squatters living inside aren’t exactly the world’s most reputable citizens with meritorious contributions to make to society, but these are the ills of overpopulation, crime-infested neighborhoods, and overall poverty on a sweeping scale.

The same can be said for some movies as well – you’ve got your pretty, shiny ones that all the world loves to eyeball, and then you’ve got your detestable, ramshackle, and abhorrent displays that literally sting your peepers when you look deep inside them. For this review, I offer you the latter.

From former skateboarder turned fashion designer, now turned film director Eli Morgan Gesner comes Condemned – the maiden leap off of the big vert ramp into the horror swimming pool, and I’ll simply sum this initiatory venture as scattered, painful to watch in spots, wonderfully gory in others, and overall one giant coagulated, chaotic presentation that will leave many viewers wondering what the hell just happened to the last 80 minutes of their time.

The film stars Dylan Penn, the uber-knockout spawn of Sean Penn and Robin Wright-Penn; she plays Maya, a girl who decides to pay her boyfriend, Dante (Rubenstein), a visit to his place in the big city, where he is shacking up with a couple of bandmates – fledgling rockers live the glamorous life, don’t they? It turns out that Dante’s domicile is the aforementioned crap-castle, stuck dead in the middle of the Manhattan Lower East Side grid and festering with a course congregation of inhabitants whose pastimes include drug dealing and abusing, various stages of dementia, sadomasochistic activities, and generally all-around immoral conduct.

As the film’s backbrace begins to form, we see the indwellers’ darkest vices come to light, and the bodily fluids begin to spray – we’ve got all the pee, poo, puke, and blood (actually, not that much blood) you could hope to see while you’re enjoying a movie snack. The building’s open-ended supply of human waste and garbage is infecting the occupants and reducing them to boil-covered, regurgitating reprobates that love to attack, leaving Maya and her boy-toy to fend for themselves.

As you watch the film, for easily the first 30 minutes or so, you’ll wonder just where in the blue hell this path is leading, and after we’re introduced to the reason for the inane activity from the residents, you’ll probably still wonder where the hell the movie is going, but it will be slightly easier to process… notice I said “slightly” easier? In any event, I’ll give kudos to Gesner for making a leap and ultimately tossing a film out there that will please gorehounds, but this reminded me of a goofier version of Quarantine. The movie’s odder-than-odd initial display of its characters will turn some viewers’ heads the other way, and with a sub-80-minute runtime, by the time the film gets its traction, the credits begin to roll.

When all was said and done, I enjoyed Condemned to a fault, and I am truly a glutton for punishment when it comes to these types of films – now is it worth a replay? Most likely NO, but if you’re looking for that perfect film to make your mother-in-law yack in her purse, this will serve quite nicely.

The post Condemned (2015) appeared first on Dread Central.

Our good friends over at HalloweenCostumes.com are always looking to go above and beyond the normal everyday spookery that we all love, but today, in honor of the release of the feature film adaptation of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps, they’ve taken a very cool minimalist approach.

Check out their new line of posters below to see what we mean!

There was a time when children’s horror wasn’t a mainstream concept. Kids were either forbidden from reading or watching horror, or they had to watch made-for-adults horror alongside their parents. But then R.L. Stine started writing Goosebumps, his wildly successful series of horror novellas for children. How successful? Over 350 million copies sold successful! Then came the Goosebumps television series, games, and other merchandise. And now there’s a feature film starring Jack Black. (Talk about finding a niche, R.L.! Can we call you R.L.?) We’re fans of horror of all kinds, so we made these minimalist posters based on some of our favorite Goosebumps books.

Head over to the Halloween Costumes site for larger clickable versions.

Many kudos to artist Jacob Kuddes for designing these bad boys!

The post Halloween Costumes Gives Us Goosebumps appeared first on Dread Central.

In the upcoming feature film Fear, Inc., a horror junkie (Lucas Neff) and his hapless friends sign up with a top secret, exclusive company that brings their customers’ greatest fears to life. If it sounds a little bit like The Game, you’re right – that old David Fincher film was a definite influence on co-writer and director Vincent Masciale, but more than anything it was his own desire to experience true terror in the myriad of Halloween mazes and haunted tours that turn up every Halloween.

Masciale and writer Luke Barnett put their heads together to make a short film a few years ago along these lines, and the feature grew from that. Dread Central visited the set of the film in Los Angeles a few weeks ago, and here’s what we found out. You’ll find our interviews with the cast by clicking here. Photos are by Trisha Harrison and Micah Wesley.

Dread Central: When you directed the short film version of Fear Inc., were you already thinking toward a feature, or was it just a little story you wanted to tell and things grew from there?

Vincent Masciale: One of the reasons we decided to make Fear, Inc., the short, was because we had a pretty good idea the concept could lend itself to a feature-length version. But it wasn’t until the short was finished and received good press and reviews that we decided to fully develop the idea into a feature.

DC: What are some of the haunted maze and haunted attraction tropes that inspired you – either in a good way or that made you think: We can make it scarier than that!

VM: I’ve been a big fan of haunted house attractions since I was old enough to attend them. Knott’s Scary Farm in Orange County became an annual trip with my friends starting in junior high school, but even then I remember not being as scared as I was hoping I would be. The thing that always irritated me was seeing other groups of people getting scared, instead of my group. I loved the sections of the park that were filled with fog, Knotts called them the “Scare Zones.” On a not too crowded night, you would walk through, clutching the arms of the people next to you, waiting for someone to jump out. The anticipation alone was what always got me!

DC: Do you remember your first experience going through a spooky maze? What was it like?

VM: When I moved to Los Angeles, I started going to Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, which mixed my love of Halloween with movies. The first year I went, they had the Michael Myers house from Halloween, which was amazing. It felt like you were in the movie, on the run from Myers in the house from the original film. He would pop out of corners, scaring everyone. It was thrilling!

DC: At its core, what is Fear, Inc., really about?

VM: Our society is obsessed with all things horror. We love horror films, haunted houses, Halloween, zombies, vampires, you name it. Most people living in Western culture have pretty safe lives, so maybe this fascination with getting scared is a way for us to live dangerously, while knowing in the back of our minds that we’ll be able to sleep safely at night. Fear, Inc., takes that idea up a scale or two and asks, “How scared do you want to be?”

DC: Please tell us a little bit about how your cast came together, and how the ones selected won their roles.

VM: We have such an incredible cast for our film! We didn’t really have auditions; we took meetings with actors that we really wanted to work with with. It was a little bit tricky to find four actors that were similar in age and looked like they could all be friends, that also understood the tone we were going for. A lot of horror/comedies tend to be a bit campy, which we didn’t want for Fear, Inc., so we had to find actors that had experience with comedy and knew how to walk that fine line. The people we cast had such good chemistry, and they knew the appropriate times to be funny and when they really needed to be scared. We also wanted our cast to have decent name recognition, which we got in spades. Even our supporting cast came from some really huge shows and films. We had a couple actors that just came out for a day or two because they loved the script!

DC: I was lucky enough to be on set with Luke Barnett in the coolest location ever: CIA (California Institute of Abnormalarts). I’ve been there a number of times and was even IN a friend’s film which was shot there. What an amazing place it is to shoot! Please explain to our readers what it is about that little hole in the wall that made you want to shoot there.

VM: CIA is incredibly weird and amazing. I’m not exactly sure how we originally found it, but one of our producers went to one of their monthly freak shows and fell in love with the place. Once I saw it in person, I knew we had to shoot there. The owner of CIA collects strange and creepy artifacts and puts them on display for people to see. He has a story behind everything there, including an artifact that brings you bad luck if you snap a photo of it. So of course we used it in our film.

DC: I understand Laurie Hallak does your makeup effects… what are some of the more unusual creatures you can talk about, and how closely did you collaborate — or did you just let her do her thing?

VM: Laurie was fantastic! She has such a love for what she does. We collaborated with her team on a number of special effects for Fear, Inc., including the mask we needed for our main antagonist. After several discussions and concept drawings, we found an original look that we loved, and her team fabricated the mask in house. They also designed several special blood and gore gags for us that were incredible. There was rarely a day where Laurie wasn’t walking around set carrying her signature “Laurie’s Bucket of Blood.”

DC: What’s more fun for you to direct – the emotional character moments or the horror action?

VM: They both have their challenges for sure, but my biggest challenge as a director was finding my own voice in a genre that already has so many expectations. In Fear, Inc., we have a nice blend of comedy that leads to emotional character moments that leads to some horror action that leads back to emotional character moments and then back for some more comedy. It all connects into a fun adventure story that hasn’t really been told before. It may sound cliche, but this film really does have a little something for everyone to sink their teeth into.

DC: What do you hope the takeaway will be, when all is said and done?

VM: We’re really proud of our film! We found a great balance of scares and laughs that I think create a really unique tone in Fear, Inc. Our background with Funny or Die, mixed with the talent of our cast, allowed us to find natural moments of tension and release that should make for a fun rollercoaster ride. When your experienced crew sneaks into the DIT station to take a peek at clips in between setups because they can’t wait to see footage, you know you have something special!

The post Fear, Inc. – Exclusive Interview with Director Vincent Masciale appeared first on Dread Central.

Jim Beaver is a character actor. He’s “that guy” you’ve seen in TV series like “Deadwood,” “Justified,” and of course “Supernatural.” He’s been in some fine films, too – and his latest just might be the greatest. It’s Crimson Peak (review), directed and co-written by the inimitable Guillermo del Toro.

The tale begins in Buffalo, New York, in 1901; and it follows the tragic, terrifying journey of American heiress Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska), who’s spirited away to Allerdale Hall, a less-than-enchanting English estate, by her dashing and romantic new beau, the titled but penniless Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), and his conniving, overprotective sister, Lady Lucille (Jessica Chastain). But before she heads to the haunted hills, she spends some time with her loving, widowed father, played by Beaver.

We caught up with Jim just a couple of days before the film’s release, and here’s what he had to say about how he came onto the project and working with the visual master.

Dread Central: We’ve been following Guillermo del Toro’s work since we first fired up our horror site. For a long time, he was “ours” — and now he’s so popular with the mainstream. What was your first del Toro movie seen, do you remember?

Jim Beaver: The first thing I saw of his was Pan’s Labyrinth, and I was pretty bowled over by it. I certainly had no reason to think I’d ever cross paths with him, but I found it pretty astonishing, his work. I didn’t see much else of his until I was aware that I was going to be in Crimson Peak. I saw The Devil’s Backbone when I found out I was going to be in Crimson Peak, and I loved that. It’s engaging stuff. I’m not a big horror fan, per se. I certainly have favorite films in the genre, but I’m not one of those who seeks them every time they come out – I see them haphazardly, as I see any other kind of film. If I hear good things about it, I’ll go see it. I happened to catch those two and was really, really bowled over by them. I’m not at all a big crash-and-smash movie fan so I probably would not have seen Pacific Rim if I had not just signed on to work with Guillermo. But I really liked it, too. It was much more thoughtful than a lot of pictures of that genre.

DC: We know he’s a real cinefile, but he’s also very interested in people, no matter who they are… So, what was it like to meet him for the very first time?

JB: It was a great meeting. I had gotten a call in March of 2013 asking me if I would be interested in doing the movie, and I said “Absolutely.” Then I didn’t hear anything more until August. In the interim I thought, “Oh, it’s gone away,” because movies have a way of doing that. Suddenly, I got a call asking if I would come meet him. On first meeting him, I stuck out my hand, and he grabbed me into a big bear hug. As he was hugging me, he said, “You were the only person on my list for this role,” and so with that sort of thing you connect very quickly. I remember the meeting well. It was at the studio, we were sitting outside, and he was so gregarious and so warm and friendly. He kept talking about how much fun we were going to have in Toronto, and I finally had to say, “Does this mean we’re actually doing this, then?” Because I thought it was a “let’s meet Jim and see if we get along before we make an offer” thing. [But] it was decided before I ever even got there so that was really flattering.

We didn’t get a lot of time to just talk there because he was in the midst of cutting Pacific Rim. As you know, he’s got enormous attention to detail – an astonishing amount of attention to detail, and I think they were only a week or two before releasing Pacific Rim, and he was still tinkering with it. Guillermo is so busy, and so active in so many different areas at the same time, that I’ve never really had the chance to just sit for hours and chat with him, which is what I would love to do because we both have a love of the history of film. Every time we’ve gotten into those conversations, they’ve been too few and too short.

DC: Well, you may have more opportunities since he likes to works with the same actors over again.

JB: I’m hoping!

DC: I enjoyed the movie; it was a real ode to the Gothic films of yesteryear. I’m wondering what your thoughts were when you first read the script because that’s where it all begins. And you play a pivotal character in it, who sort of sets all these events – however unwittingly – into motion.

JB: First off, even before I saw the script, the way it was put to me was, “Would you be interested in playing the father of the lead in Guillermo del Toro’s new movie?,” which is good… but as I read it, I got more and more excited because sometimes the father of the heroine is basically the guy who picks her up at the airport in the first scene, and then that’s it. And of course you’ve seen the movie so you know there are certain portions I’m not in… and when I hit those portions [in the screenplay], I was slightly disappointed because it’s the kind of story that I would want to be in every scene. I felt bad I wasn’t able to work in that great house set. I didn’t get to see it either because I was away while they shot that; then, when I came back, the set was torn down. But Guillermo was so proud of it. Every time someone came by, even the guy delivering pizza, he was [showing them art] saying, “Have you seen this?”

That’s one of the great things about working with him; he’s got this childlike excitement and wonder mixed with just the right healthy amount of practicality when it comes to Hollywood. He knows the business, but he’s still got that excited little boy quality, which is so much fun to be around. I just loved it. I loved working for him, and I don’t say that about every director.

Legendary Pictures’ Crimson Peak arrives tomorrow, October 16th.  A co-production with Universal Pictures, it is a 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.

The post Exclusive: Jim Beaver Talks Working with Guillermo del Toro on Crimson Peak appeared first on Dread Central.

To get you geared up for the release of Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension, we are running a weekly blog from Christopher Chacon – a world-renowned Anomalist, Parapsychologist, and one of the world’s foremost authorities on the scientific exploration of paranormal, supernatural, and anomalous phenomena as well as the occult/metaphysics and mysticism. Welcome to Week 3.

Chacon deals with things that most of us would run screaming from on a daily basis. This blog will reflect his weekly dealings and cases. Enjoy, and you may want to turn on your nightlight!

My clients (cases) last weekend consisted of: a reported recurrent possession phenomena in connection to an object (ancient artifact), an anomalous recurrent lightning strike, a reported multiple human disappearance, and a reported haunt phenomena (apparition, coupled by other smells, sounds, etc.) that exhibits possession/walk-in characteristics. The required assessments were performed on each client/situation (psychological, physiological, environmental and circumstantial) in an attempt to rule-out conventional explanations. Confidentiality and security requests were implemented, including the securing of any locations.

An antiquities acquisition specialist had acquired an ancient artifact and was in the process of transporting it for analysis and appraisal. The specialist claims that from the moment he handled the artifact, he began to feel “uneasy” and was quickly overcome with a variety of “disturbing imagery”. His condition grew exponentially worse (began hearing a voices that seemingly controlled his bodily functions) until he began blacking-out for periods of time only to discover he was responsible for a variety of violent acts. Having found his way to a religious leader of his faith, he was seen by a doctor and two academic professionals who claim to have discovered that the artifact is responsible for what is described as possible “possession/walk-in phenomena”. The same consciousness that had quickly possessed the specialist would seemingly possess any holder of the artifact with identical symptoms. After interviewing each client and some cursory experimentation with the phenomena-in-question (artifact), and uncertain of the multitude of dynamics in this situation, the artifact was forwarded to a safe location to avoid any further human contact until a conclusion can be made.

A rural location reportedly continues to produce recurrent (randomly once an hour) lightning strikes over the course of weeks, practically hitting the exact same strike-point each time (within a 3-foot circumference). Additionally, the sferics (radio waves) produced by the phenomenon is exhibiting a variety of anomalies (possible patterns associated with types of communication) not typically produced by lightning. The ongoing phenomenon allows an exceptional opportunity to assess and possibly determine explanations.

NOTE: Taking the above client, offered me the opportunity to assist/counsel another client in an adjacent region reporting that a phenomena (haunt phenomena with walk-in/possession elements) was taking over their house. Clients had been reporting of the sudden manifestation of “poltergeist activity” (location has no history of this phenomenon) and the longer the duration of exposure, the individual would begin to exhibit a behavioral transformation. This reported walk-in/possession would only affect one person at a time and not more than one and would immediately terminate upon exiting the house.

Five separate non-related individuals attending an educational/training institution suddenly disappear (dematerialize) as they walked along with a crowd of others from one building to the next. Over a dozen individuals (four of them friends that were walking along with them) in close proximity of the phenomenon claim to have witnessed the event. Discreet investigations are ongoing in an attempt to ascertain further information and missing persons reports have been issued for the five individuals.

It should be duly noted that other possibilities and theoretical explanations could be made to diagnose/define the phenomenon in each of these three clients (cases).

This week I am also communicating with several select individuals/groups who are experiencing or had experienced some type of experience they consider to be paranormal, supernatural or anomalous, including;

• Consultation on how a small team of excavators might deal with a reported “dark spiritual manifestation” (in connection to ancient mythology) that is impeding their work by allegedly producing a variety of disturbing phenomena.
• Consultation on children who all see visions (could be subjective haunt residual)
• Consultations on Voices in desert
• Consultation on a type of exorcism where the ‘possessed’ is allegedly exhibiting telepathic abilities that are intruding/confusing those trying to perform the ritual.
• Consultation on a reported moving “anomalous mass” (similar to an iceberg or small hill about half of one-square city block in size) moving at approximately 35 miles per hour (30 knots)
  I spoke with the individuals associated with these situations, as well as a couple other, this week to discuss some of the many possibilities that might be tied-to or explain the phenomena or encounter in question, while offering feedback to those individuals potentially traumatized on how they might better cope with their experience.

Among the clients I’m dealing with this coming weekend include;

• A mother and father reportedly “dissolve-away” in front of their five children leaving no physical trace.
• A five-year-old child that telepathically sends imagery when asleep (and dreaming), allegedly overriding/perceptually-blinding the senses with their images of anyone in close proximity.
• Assessment of a turn-of-the-century marionette puppet that reportedly comes to life, attacking several members of an extended family, as well as unassuming friends/associates.
• A young girl who is claiming to have come in contact with a UFO, been abducted with no memory of the days that followed until she was found in a field 300 miles away a week later.

Two separate locations (a residence and a small store) with no known connection to each other, almost 600 miles apart that are both reportedly exhibiting concurrent poltergeist activity (manifesting at the same times) of the exact same nature.

– Christopher Chacon.

Bio:
Christopher Chacon is a world-renowned Anomalist, Parapsychologist and regarded as one of the world’s foremost authorities on the scientific exploration of paranormal, supernatural and anomalous phenomena, as well as the occult/metaphysics and mysticism.

For nearly thirty years, Christopher has traveled the world extensively investigating and researching thousands of cases dealing with every type of phenomena imaginable, including; possessions and exorcisms, haunts and poltergeists, psychic phenomena and altered states of consciousness (i.e. clairvoyance, psychokinesis, near death experiences, reincarnation, etc.), UFO/alien close encounters, unexplainable anomalous phenomena (i.e. raining frogs, spontaneous human combustion, distortions in space, crop circles, etc.) and cryptozoological phenomena (i.e. encounters with unknown life-forms/creatures). He has additionally participated on countless international expeditions involving ancient mysticism, the occult and archaeological discoveries relating to the supernatural.

Christopher’s vast experience includes decades as a veteran Anomalist for a private scientific think-tank and prior to that, many additional years conducting Parapsychological research, as well as a background of being a professional illusionist/magician. He is also a former member of the following scientific organizations: The American Association for the Advancement of Science, Federation of American Scientists, The New York Academy of Sciences, The Society for Scientific Exploration and The Center for Science Education.

He continues to internationally consult for private organizations, religious and academic institutions, government agencies and corporations in dealing with phenomena and situations that often defy the known laws of nature and physics.

Because of his incomparable reputation, extensive knowledge and extraordinary first-hand experiences, Christopher has been featured on countless popular TV and radio programs worldwide. Among the many TV appearances, include: National Geographic Explorer, Unsolved Mysteries, Discovery Channel, NBC, CBS, FOX, BBC, Japan NIPPON Network News, Telemundo, 20/20, Eye to Eye with Connie Chung, Sightings, Tom Snyder Show and Hard Copy, just to name a few.

Gregory Plotkin’s Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension will open on October 23, 2015. Olivia Taylor Dudley, Chloe Csengery, Maria Olsen, Brit Shaw, Aiden Lovekamp, Jessica Tyler Brown, Ivy George, Chris J. Murray, Nathan Brewer, and Michael Krawic star.

For more info “like” Paranormal Activity on Facebook, follow @TweetYourScream on Twitter, subscribe to Paranormal Activity on YouTube, and check out Paranormal Activity on Instagram.

Synopsis:
The Ghost Dimension follows a new family, The Fleeges – father Ryan (Chris J. Murray), mother Emily (Brit Shaw), and their young daughter, Leila (Ivy George) – who move into a house and discover a video camera and a box of tapes in the garage. When they look through the camera’s lens, they begin to see the paranormal activity happening around them – including the re-emergence of young Kristi and Katie.

The post Guest Blog – Parapsychologist Christopher Chacon Talks REAL Paranormal Activity: Week 3 appeared first on Dread Central.

This October we’ve been pumping out contests like nobody’s business! Being that for all intents and purposes this is our holiday season, we’re happy to do so. Right now, in conjunction with Synapse Films, we’re giving away Blu-ray bundles featuring the 20th Anniversary Edition of Mosquito along with one of the best worst movies ever made, Manos: The Hands of Fate.

To enter for your chance to win, just send an email to contests@dreadcentral.com including your FULL NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS with “Synapse – The Contest of Fate” in the subject line. We’ll take care of the rest.

This contest will end at 12:01 AM PT on October 26, 2015.

Mosquito Synopsis:
Science-fiction becomes horrifyingly real for a park full of innocent campers, as a hideous horde of mutated mosquitoes viciously attack without warning! A band of survivors flees the bloodthirsty swarm in a death-defying attempt to warn the world of the mosquito menace. Led by a brave young couple and a resourceful government agent, the group realizes their only hope is to take on the bloodthirsty bugs in an explosive final showdown! A chilling blend of sci-fi, humor, and old-school horror, MOSQUITO is a tour de force of terror.

Starring genre icon Gunnar Hansen (the original Leatherface from THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE) and the late, great Ron Asheton (founding member of the punk rock band The Stooges), MOSQUITO is a gore-drenched tale made with traditional stop-motion and practical effects!

Manos: The Hands of Fate Synopsis:
Mike (Harold P. Warren) and Maggie (Diane Mahree), on a road trip with their daughter and family dog, take a wrong turn in Texas and become trapped at a weird lodge inhabited by a polygamous pagan cult. They soon find themselves in the middle of a power struggle among caretaker Torgo (John Reynolds), cult leader The Master (Tom Neyman), and two warring factions of The Master’s wives. As the family tries to escape, the worshipers of Manos decide their fate...

MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE, the sole directorial effort of Texas fertilizer salesman Harold P. Warren, perplexed even the most jaded drive-in audiences and was deemed by many “the worst movie ever made.” Nearly lost, the original 16mm Ektachrome film elements have been finally unearthed and lovingly restored by Ben Solovey to create the definitive version of this accidental masterpiece. There’s no other movie like MANOS… now in HD with picture and sound unseen since 1966.

The post Win Blu-ray Copies of Mosquito and Manos from Synapse and Dread Central appeared first on Dread Central.

Yesterday we brought you our exclusive Q&A with Keith Allan, aka Murphy on Syfy’s “Z Nation,” and today we’re back with his partner-in-crime, Pisay Pao, who plays Cassandra.  Now that Cassandra is a semi-zombie, turned by Murphy in order to save her life, we thought it was the perfect time to check in with Pisay to see what’s in store for her during the rest of the season.

Photo Credit: Vince Trupsin

Dread Central: Your relationship with Murphy is so interesting now that your character has semi-turned. Can you shed a bit of light on that and let us know what it’s been like working with Keith in such a different way this season?

Pisay Pao: Cassandra is deeply loyal to Murphy. Not only did he extend her life, but she has his saliva running through her bloodstream from the bite he gave her last season. I cannot help but think of “True Blood” when Bill bites Sookie and is forever connected to her no matter where she may be. I am not comparing Cassandra and Murphy to Bill and Sookie; I do not think that Cassandra and Murphy have a romantic future ahead of them. (There is still a place in Cassandra’s heart for 10K.) What they do have is a strong, physical connection that will be hard to break. I loved working with Keith. He truly cares about the show and every detail. He even taught me a few things about taking a hit off the Z-weed.

DC: After we learned so much of your back story, your character is basically cut off from her cohorts now, not speaking, etc. How hard has it been? You’ve even had to watch some of them die off; yet, you’re unable to express any emotion about it.

PP: I worked on Cassandra for a couple of months before we started shooting. I knew going into it that she was not going to have many lines, and I was perfectly okay with that because I loved working on the other aspects of her: her physicality, her breath, and how she reacted to her environment. There was so much there for me to explore and continue exploring even while we were shooting. At certain points it was actually hard to say the few lines that I had because I had not really practiced speaking as Cassandra at all.

DC: In the last episode Murphy’s baby daughter, Lucy, was born. How is that going to impact your relationship? You’ve exhibited a bit of jealousy already with regard to him so this baby could be a threat… or vice versa maybe?

PP: Murphy is the master so whatever he says goes. Given that, I do not think either of us will be a threat to each other, but I would definitely question Cassandra’s babysitting skills.

DC: So far Season 2 has been a pretty wild ride! You’ve been hitting the Z-weed pretty heavy – LOL. Can you tell us anything about what’s ahead during the second half of the season, especially as it relates to Cassandra?

PP: So far we have only really seen the primal side of Cassandra’s new state. There have been some moments between her and 10k, and even when she is smoking the Z-weed, we get to see a little of her human side again. Cassandra is really battling with that. She cannot help but follow Murphy, and yet, she also has not completely lost who she is yet. The question is: Which way is she gonna go?

DC: Are you a fan of zombie movies and horror films in general? Can you share a few of your favorites, and have any of them influenced the way you portray Cassandra on the show? The way you’re crawling around is really more animal-like than the shambling zombies we typically see.

PP: I am actually a big scaredy-cat when it comes to zombie and horror movies – BUT I love movies so much that I will honestly watch any genre as long as the movie is good. 28 Days Later was very good. On the flip side so were Warm Bodies and Zombieland. As far as horror movies… just thinking of The Shining gives me the chills. Cassandra is a whole new being in zombie folklore history. Her brain and her logic might be deteriorating, but her desires and needs are very heightened, which is what made me relate her more to an animal than a zombie. In fact, I watched a lot of YouTube videos of animals hunting to prep for the role.

DC: Aside from more “Z Nation” (we’re rooting for another season or two at least!), what else is coming up for you?

PP: I have Comic Cons in both Milan and Germany that I am super excited about. It is amazing to have so many fans from all over the world.

DC: Halloween is quickly approaching… is it a popular holiday at your house? Do you have any annual traditions you’re looking forward to?

PP: My only tradition for Halloween is to create something fun. So far I have made every costume I have ever worn since middle school. My favorite was my “Crazy Cat lady” costume. I got a pink bathrobe and attached a bunch of stuffed animal cats all over the robe. Then I put on giant fuchsia eyeglasses and teased my hair like I had not run a comb through it in years. It was totally last-minute but easy to put together, and I was very warm running outside in October.

DC: Is there anything else you’d like to mention that’s not covered here?  And thanks so much for your time, Pisay!

PP: I would like to mention that if you are not watching “Z Nation,” then you should be! And also, do not forget to be good to one another. Those are totally two separate thoughts but both important to remember.

“Z Nation” Episode 2.06 – “Zombie Baby Daddy” (10/16/15)
While Murphy (Keith Allan) is falling for his baby girl, the rest of the team is suspicious of her. Vasquez (Matt Cedeno) sneaks away for a meeting; 10K (Nat Zang) makes a difficult decision.

For more info keep your eyes on “Z Nation” on Syfy.com and follow @ZNation on Twitter.

The post Exclusive: Z Nation’s Pisay Pao Talks What’s Ahead for Cassandra this Season appeared first on Dread Central.

What a night it was in Hollywood when Rachel Belofsky’s Screamfest Horror Film Festival kicked off its 10-day run with the big West Coast premiere of Tales of Halloween (review). The Chinese Theater at Hollywood and Highland was packed to the rafters with 9 of the 11 directors of the horror anthology, plus most of its stars and crew members, not to mention producers from Epic Pictures. And it was epic!

At the Q&A, sort of moderated by Adam Green (Frozen), there were only two directors M.I.A. — Neil Marshall (“Bad Seed”) and Lucky McKee (“Ding Dong”) – but everyone else…

Darren Lynn Bousman (“The Night Billy Raised Hell”)
Axelle Carolyn (“Grimm Grinning Ghost”)
Adam Gierasch (“Trick”)
Andrew Kasch and John Skipp (“This Means War”)
Mike Mendez (“Friday the 31st”)
Dave Parker (“Sweet Tooth”)
Ryan Schifrin (“The Ransom of Rusty Rex”)
Paul Solet (“The Weak and the Wicked”)

…had fun stories to share onstage as the end credits rolled and before the teeming-with-terror after-party at Ripley’s Believe It Or Not kicked off.

Darren Lynn Bousman said that his wife, Laura, was 8-1/2 months pregnant with the couple’s first child while he was filming his segment, so he requested “The Night Billy Raised Hell” be shot in his own neighborhood with his home as the base of operations. He talked about working with child actors, as did Adam Gierasch, who quipped, “Who knew you’re not supposed to mix kids and sex toys in the same scenes?”

Andrew Kasch and John Skipp expressed their newfound admiration for folks who go all-out on lawn and exterior home décor for Halloween, as they had to not only dress two major sets, but shoot their entire segment in two days.

And yes, there were hints that sequels to Tales of Halloween are likely. For more about that, and our full image gallery, check out my cohort Sean Decker’s full report from the October 13th event.

Screamfest Horror Film Festival continues through Thursday, October 22, and Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension will premiere as the closing night film of the festival, playing in RealD 3D at the TCL Chinese Theatre (this is the day before its wide release).

The post Screamfest L.A. 2015 Kicks Off with Tales of Halloween appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Ali Larter, Max Rose, Chloe Perrin, Arjun Gupta

Directed byAlistair Legrand

When Madison (Ali Larter from Resident Evil’s Extinction and Afterlife), a struggling single mother of two young children (Max Rose and Chloe Perrin), is tormented by an increasingly disturbing and intense presence in their suburban home, she basically gives up and decides to just live with it as best she can. Unlike most horror movies of this ilk, we don’t go through the motions of seeing the haunting from its very beginning.

The evil entity is already in full swing when we tune in. Madison has tried everything, and nothing has worked to rid the home of its unwanted intruder. Even the simple act of running from one room to the next is an exercise in futility, as the ghost can easily walk through walls and enter anywhere from floor to ceiling. What else can be done?

Eventually, Madison’s new boyfriend, Nikolai (Arjun Gupta from “Nurse Jackie”), finds out about her daily terror and jumps in to help. Needless to say, the horror only increases as the sinister spirit finds itself a fresh new victim. Subplots include a mystery involving the loss of Madison’s husband and constant visits to the house by a relentless bill collector (Patrick Fischler from “Californication”).

The phantom itself is a curious cypher, who, when its true nature is revealed, becomes that much scarier. As a corporeal being in the film, he’s a burned, gory mess like something out a Clive Barker story. But unfortunately, the CGI augmentation softens the audacity of the F/X makeups (too many artists to name).

First time writer-director Alistair Legrand makes an impressive feature film debut with The Diabolical, a rather large undertaking when it comes to cast, complexity, and special effects. Not all of them are juggled to perfection, but given all the elements – especially on a fast-track shooting schedule and a moderate budget – The Diabolical stands out as one of the more memorable supernatural thrillers of recent months.

The post Diabolical, The (2015) appeared first on Dread Central.

Just yesterday we showed you the new trailer for The Boy, which stars “The Walking Dead’s” Lauren Cohan, and now a pair of stills from the film have arrived.

William Brent Bell (The Devil Inside) is directing the project, which is aiming for a January 22, 2016, release. Jim Norton (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets), Diana Hardcastle (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Ben Robson (“Vikings”), Rupert Evans (Hellboy), and James Russell (“Blue Bloods”) also star.

The script, written by Stacey Menear, centers on a nanny (Cohan) who is tasked with overseeing a lifelike doll by a bizarre couple who treat it as a real child. The couple use the doll as a way to cope with the death of their young son, but the nanny becomes increasingly convinced that it is alive.

Producing are Lakeshore’s Gary Lucchesi and Tom Rosenberg, Vertigo’s Roy Lee and Adam Stone, along with Jim Wedaa.

Synopsis:
Greta (Cohan), a young American woman looking to escape a troubled past, takes a job in a small England village as a nanny for a wealthy couple’s 8-year-old son while they take a long vacation. She arrives at the remote manor to discover that things are not quite right. The surprisingly elderly Mr. and Mrs. Heelshire (Norton and Hardcastle) have a list of strict rules for her to follow in caring for their son, Brahms, and they mysteriously warn Greta that not following them precisely could result in something terrible. But the most disturbing realization of all is that Brahms is not an actual 8-year-old boy… he’s a life-sized porcelain doll, whom the doting parents care for and deeply love, just like a real boy.

“If you love him,” Greta is sternly instructed, “he will love you back.”

Isolated and alone, Greta notices that every time she breaks a rule, something strange happens in the house, and the doll reappears in different places and positions than where she put him. Compelled to uncover the mystery behind Brahms, Greta enlists the help of the local grocery delivery man, the only human being she sees for weeks, who shares horrifying details about the Heelshire family’s disturbing past, leading Greta to realize that she wasn’t just hired – she was chosen.

The post A Pair of Images Introduce You to The Boy appeared first on Dread Central.

This isn’t the first time I’ve ranked the Halloween franchise. And this ranking doesn’t exactly mirror past lists. Time changes opinions. But this particular list doesn’t just differ as a result of time; it differs because for the first time (well, my first time) it also includes a breakdown of the recently released producer’s cut of Curse of Michael Myers, an excellent piece of work that should have never been shelved to begin with.

You’ll learn a bit about that specific picture – if you haven’t yet seen it – and you’ll also get a fresh perspective on the franchise as a whole. A recent return to all 11 pictures has spawned some renewed insight that warrants a little discussion. It is, after all, October; and that means those of us who desperately need a Michael Myers fix are unquestionably going to be digging into the crates in order to once more visit the deceptively quiet Haddonfield, home of the most terrifying and relentless murderer known to man.

Halloween: The masterpiece of all masterpieces… well, at least in terms of slasher films. John Carpenter’s Halloween hits all the right notes. The drawn-out camera shots, the general patience in the visual approach, the continuity of the story; this is all stunning work. Carpenter captures the essence of Halloween like no one else, and Laurie Strode comes to life with the great Jamie Lee Curtis approaching the character. While a few of the smaller players come off as slightly wooden, they fit wonderfully into the picture. Michael Myers, with his silent but ominous demeanor, is absolutely terrifying; and his mask – while quite simple – is the most unsettling facial accessory ever featured in a horror production. The picture has aged wonderfully (we’ve seen some stunning remastered renditions released over the last few years), and its position as king and igniter of the slasher sub-genre has long gone all but unrivaled. This is what a brilliant flick looks like.

Halloween II: While John Carpenter has expressed some disappointment in the 1981 follow-up to his career defining picture, most fans would agree that Halloween II is handled precisely as a sequel should be. The characters that matter are all present and accounted for, the immediate continuation of Carpenter’s original story is exactly what fans wanted, and the slight intensification of the gore works to take the jolts up just a notch, without becoming offensive or insulting to those who cherish purity in their horror. Dean Cundey once more returns to handle the camera, and as a result we get a piece of work that looks damn near identical to its predecessor. Play Halloween and Halloween II back-to-back, and it feels like one long, gratifying film. That’s how a sequel should play out. That’s a sequel done very right.

Halloween 3: Season of the Witch: Let the comments of crucifixion spill down upon this head; it is welcomed! Season of the Witch caught a ton of shit from fans and critics alike. The problem? It doesn’t have Michael Myers in it. Well, boo-fucking-hoo! The movie still rocks the rock. This is ‘80s greatness, complete with a menacing villain, a staggeringly taboo concept, a dash of nudity, and the greatest mustache known to man. That’s right; Tom Atkins fronts the fun and chilling tale of a maniac hellbent on killing kids across the map with nifty little Halloween masks. This is a far out, kind of cosmic creep-out that – despite the absence of Myers – feels very much like a Halloween franchise film while successfully injecting a noticeable measure of fear in the hearts of viewers.

Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers Producer’s Cut: The producer’s cut of the sixth film in the Halloween franchise is not only borderline fantastic, it’s also so radically superior to the theatrical take that contemplating the decision to release that trash that hit theaters becomes a head-scratching, totally perplexing task. Why in the world the decision was made to shelf this story in favor of that other one is hard to grasp. See, like John Carpenter’s epic first picture, this rendition of The Curse of Michael Myers relies on mystery and drawn-out single shots. It eliminates the emphasis on graphic gore as well and affords the Jamie Lloyd character the respectable exit she deserves. It is, in short, a very respectful and honorable nod to the living legend, John Carpenter. When it all comes down to it, this particular spin on the film puts the theatrical version to total and complete shame; it’s one of the true finest in the entire franchise, believe it or not.

Halloween H20: Halloween H20 brings a fine aesthetic strength to moviegoers. It also features an excellent cast that consists of a returning Jamie Lee Curtis, Josh Hartnett, Adam Arkin, Michelle Williams, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the surprisingly polished rapper-turned-thespian LL Cool J, and the great Janet Leigh – mother to Curtis – herself. But this is a picture that offers up a whole hell of a lot of additional intrigue. The story – handled by Robert Zappia and Matt Greenberg – is a surprisingly tight tale, with very few loose ends to scowl at and even fewer illogical decisions to force a head-shake. There aren’t too many plot holes to deal with, and the continuity and cohesiveness of the flick is great. Curtis’ character is headstrong and likable, and the death scenes are generally satisfying. While the film lacks a bit of the Halloween atmosphere we all no doubt crave, it’s still a very successful picture that packs a powerful final reel and introduces a few characters that will always be respected in the Halloween universe.

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers: And here’s the point at which the franchise begins to take a very noticeable hit in quality. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers has a lot of good things going for it, including a credible seasonal vibe and a sharp Myers mask. The focal gang of protagonists are generally likable, and the brutality of the picture is going to please those who need unforgiving violence from their Halloween flicks. It’s not a bad film per se; however, it does feel a bit gratuitous from time to time, and the closing moments and final showdown with Michael leave a little bit to be desired. While The Return of Michael Myers is very serviceable, ultimately it lacks a little bit of the mystique showcased in some of the stronger franchise features.

Halloween (RZ): Rob Zombie gets a lot of credit for stepping out onto an unstable limb and attempting to actually flesh the story of Michael Myers out a bit more. Up to this point the time Michael spent in a psychiatric ward was largely left to the imagination of the viewer. But Rob actually takes us inside the sanitarium, where we see Michael gradually grow to be a truly heartless monster. That internal examination works surprisingly well. What doesn’t work is the dreadful pacing. What Zombie essentially does is stuff two films into one. It doesn’t entirely work. To take us inside Smith’s Grove is wonderful, and there’s a big story to be told there, which we all wanted to see. But to pull Myers from the sanitarium halfway through the film only to give us a complete rehash of the happenings of John Carpenter’s original feels like way too much; two full-sized packages stuffed into a rather small box. This movie doesn’t function under any standard setup. This isn’t a three-act film, or even a four-act film; it feels like there are a half dozen acts to take in, and that absolutely demolishes the continuity of the picture. It doesn’t feel cohesive, and that’s a damn shame because there’s a wealth of promise to behold in the first 45 minutes.

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers: The good thing about the fifth film in the Halloween franchise is that it feels like an adequate follow-up to Halloween 4. Unfortunately, beyond that, it’s not a shining installment in any way. The on-screen performances feel half-hearted, with Donald Pleasence providing the lone spirited showing; the story feels atypically lazy; and the conclusion of the film is just embarrassing. Somehow director Dominique Othenin-Girard even fails to capture the essence of the holiday… a major no-no. Now, if you’re as dedicated to the franchise as I am, you’ll happily tune in to this one, but you’re likely doing so for your annual Michael Myers dose and nothing more. John Carpenter’s mesmerizing creation slips deeper into the pool of forgetfulness with this one, but believe it or not, it still gets worse. Much worse.

Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers: There was ambition in The Curse of Michael Myers; that much cannot be denied. Screenwriter Daniel Farrands makes a valiant attempt at adding some intricate layers to the story, and he also makes a run at appealing to fans of Carpenter’s original by reintroducing Tommy Doyle, now grown, informed, and extremely paranoid. But all the cult nonsense comes across as astoundingly convoluted, so much so that it becomes rather easy to find your attention shifting from the film to… well, just about anything else because unfortunately, just about anything else is more interesting than this story. The gore has been ratcheted up to unnecessary levels, and while Dimension may have felt that would charm moviegoers, the truth is it is just blatantly lame, gratuitous silliness. The producer’s cut of this picture (which ranks fourth on this list) is immeasurably stronger so if you’re looking to sit back and enjoy a Halloween marathon, bypass the theatrical version in favor of the producer’s cut. The difference is night and day.

Halloween II (RZ): Rob Zombie delivers some mixed goods. Sometimes his work comes across as absolutely riveting, and sometimes it feels utterly devoid of direction or calculated restraint. Halloween II fits into the latter category. It’s plagued by some dreadful pacing (much like Rob’s first go at the Halloween brand, the flick feels completely misstructured); unnecessary, dramatic, and unlikable character changes (virtually everyone in the movie, sans the great Sheriff Brackett, has suddenly become a completely different person and it doesn’t work for a single second); strange visions of a white horse; and a vocal Michael Myers. It’s all wrong, defecates on everything we know of the Halloween storyline, and feels about as forced as a number two in the midst of the world’s worst case of constipation. You’d think it can’t get much worse for the Halloween series than this… but alas, somehow it does.

Halloween Resurrection: Let’s just call it like it is: Halloween Resurrection is a total and complete bomb. There isn’t a single element of the picture that is enjoyable. There’s an attempt to combine the standard cinematic approach and that of the handy-cam variety, but it doesn’t work in the least bit. In the opening moments of the picture we see the great and resilient Laurie Strode meet her demise, and it’s both anticlimactic and unjust; Strode deserved to depart the Halloween universe on a far grander note in a far stronger film. To be as blunt as possible, Halloween Resurrection is a shit-storm of a film that you’re better off avoiding. And if you find yourself asking, “What in the fuck was Rick Rosenthal thinking?,” you’re not alone in your inquiry.

The post Ranking the Halloween Franchise from Best to Worst appeared first on Dread Central.