Our own Vanessa “Gore Whore” Gomez has uploaded a cool video to help celebrate our 10th anniversary, and we have it for you right here.

In the short, she mainlines some horror loving and ends up in a fantasy world in which she can be anyone… or anything… no matter how gloriously macabre… that she wants. Check it out below!

And make sure you all have a safe July 4th filled with your own favorite choice of Blood Candy!

Whatcha waitin’ for? Dig in!

The post Blood Candy – A Wonderfully Tasty Treat to Watch Now! appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Justin Long, Gina Philips, Jonathan Breck

Directed by Victor Salva

Distributed by Scream Factory

There was a bit of controversy a couple months back when Scream Factory announced they would be releasing collector’s editions for both films in the Jeepers Creepers series. This is because writer/director Victor Salva is a convicted pedophile, having videotaped himself molesting the then-12-year-old star of his debut film Clownhouse (1989). Detestable as his crimes are, there are plenty of shitbags working in Hollywood whose crimes have not be made public, so the only purpose of this review will be to judge the film based on its own merits, with no further discussion of how Salva is a huge piece of shit.

The state of American horror in the early aughts was bleak. The cinematic landscape was largely devoid of any lasting titles, save for a few lucky franchises and the odd instant classic. The swill most directors served up was redundant, callow, and – like most of the cast by the time the credits rolled – lifeless. What happened to the time when horror thrived on being unique and weird? Right around the turn of the century, word began to spread of a film that was being heavily touted as The Next Big Thing in horror: Jeepers Creepers (2001). This wasn’t exactly the pre-internet days, but I was rocking a horribly outdated Dell desktop with a 56K modem so horror news had to be learned the old-fashioned way: magazines. Specifically, Fangoria, since it was just about the only horror publication worth reading (how times have changed). All of the written press made it sound like writer/director Victor Salva had crafted something truly worthy of horror fans’ time. Unlike today’s pop culture climate, where on-set photo leaks and spoilers are the norm, the big reveals of Jeepers Creepers were left for the theater. Despite a few missteps the trades were mostly spot-on; Salva had delivered the goods. More than that, he created one of the most interesting, enigmatic antagonists in horror cinema: The Creeper.

Darry (Justin Long) and his sister Trish (Gina Philips) are on a cross country adventure, heading home during spring break to visit their parents. Their idyllic trip through the quiet Florida countryside is cut short when their car is run off the road by a blacked-out, rusty old truck, its horn incessantly blaring as Darry scrambles to get out of the way. Soon after, they spot the same truck parked behind a decaying church where the driver is seen dumping something that looks awfully like a body, wrapped up in bloody white sheets, down a large drainage pipe. Darry convinces Trish, against her better judgment, to drive back so he can investigate. He crawls into the pipe with Trish holding his feet, but a handful of rats spook the two of them and Trish winds up letting go, dropping Darry into the abyss.

Down there, Darry finds himself inside a mammoth lair filled with preserved bodies, intricate weaponry, bizarre decorations… and the wrapped-up body seen earlier. Darry rips open the sheet to find a young man, just barely alive, with a crudely stitched incision running down his chest. Before he can get out a cohesive word, the man dies. Darry freaks out and hurries back to the car so he and Trish can find a phone and call the police. The cops arrive and hear Darry’s tale, agreeing to check out the church, but on the way back they’re intercepted by the “man” they saw earlier. Realizing he is no man, a game of cat-and-mouse ensues with Darry & Trish trying to outrun The Creeper (Jonathan Breck), who proves to be amazingly resilient and full of surprises. The only hope they seem to have comes from a crazy old woman named Jezelle (Patricia Belcher), whose dreams are able to predict the future and may hold the key to the two of them surviving the night.

The inability to distance Salva from his crimes is unfortunate because he really is a gifted filmmaker. With Jeepers Creepers, Salva culls from a lifelong obsession with monster movies and the macabre to deliver a 21st century creature in the vein of Universal’s old-school ghoul heydays. Although, conversely, I have read theories that Salva sees himself as The Creeper and the film was his way of getting back at the young boy who had him sent away to prison. But that’s a long digression I don’t plan to tackle. The film leans into horror tropes as much as it attempts to subvert them; The Creeper is initially presented as a mysterious dark figure, a serial killer looking for his next victim. But as the film moves ahead it is made clear this thing is no man and our two leads won’t be able to rely on tried-and-true methods to kill it off. Though much of the mystery is squandered in the film’s second half, Salva does a great job presenting a horror villain full of wonder. What exactly is this thing? Where does it come from? The Creeper is humanoid, yet so very inhuman. There is a rich mythology there, with only hints of its extensive backstory presented. I hope Salva can avoid the temptation to illuminate The Creeper’s origins if he ever gets a third entry off the ground. The adage “less is more” works best in horror.

Salva almost shows too much of his hand by adding Exposition Character to the film, though. I think Patricia Belcher is a fine actress, but her character of Jezelle nears derails the film. It reeks of studio interference or just plain old laziness. It’s understandable that Salva would want to clue his audience in on what The Creeper is, where his motivations lie, but couldn’t there have been a smoother way to present this information than through the prism of a character whose only purpose is to spout exposition like gospel? Options are limited when dealing with a character (The Creeper) that doesn’t speak, so the info has to get out somehow; I get that. I suppose it’s better than having Darry read it in a conveniently placed book or something. I just found Jezelle as a character to be a bit too ham-fisted in her approach. And if you think she’s bad, Salva actually does worse in his sequel.

Quick note: Trish and Darry are terrible. Long is a fine actor in other projects; Philips has never worked for me as an actress. They both deliver good enough performances here, but I never really bought them as brother and sister. Their interplay comes across as two actors playing siblings; it never felt organic to me and, after having seen the film more than a few times, I don’t think it ever will.

Faults aside, Jeepers Creepers is an effective little film full of some gorgeous cinematography, brooding atmosphere, and injected with something horror always needs: awe. The Creeper is a character we know so little about, even with Jezelle’s revelations, and by the end viewers will still be left with many lingering questions. Rare is the film that’s able to pull of such a feat, even more so when it’s a studio picture. Amazingly, Salva nearly achieves this accomplishment twice, since Jeepers Creepers 2 is every bit as entertaining as this film.

Kudos to Scream Factory for not simply recycling MGM’s old master for this release, instead opting to produce a new 2K scan from the inter-positive. As such, expect to see some improvement in the 1.85:1 1080p picture over the previous Blu-ray release. Film grain looks a bit tighter, clarity is tad greater, and colors are slightly more robust. Black levels seem on point with the last release; strong overall but spotty in some areas. Shadow delineation is average, leaving some images looking muddy in total darkness. If you’re considering upgrading your existing Blu-ray solely for the new transfer, know you really don’t need to.

The English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound (or 2.0 stereo) track is a strong effort, largely due to composer Bennett Salvay’s brooding, primal score. There is a great deal of activity in the rears – road rage vehicular assaults, a murder of crows, The Creeper enjoying a late-night snack, completely excessive gunfire. Salva knows the effectiveness of immersing a viewer in the film and this sound mix capably gets the job done. Dialogue levels are perfectly balanced, too. Subtitles are available in English.

DISC ONE:

First up is a new audio commentary, featuring writer/director Victor Salva, along with stars Justin Long and Gina Philips.

Salva’s original audio commentary track he recorded for the initial DVD release is also included here.

DISC TWO:

“Jeepers Creepers: Now and Then” – Salva commands this piece, which is a look back at the film’s production history. Select members of the crew are also interviewed about making the picture. There is some good information here but it’s all pretty standard stuff. There aren’t many memorable anecdotes.

“From Critters to Creepers” – Producer Barry Opper sits down to discuss the pictures he’s been involved with during his career.

“The Town Psychic” – Actress Patricia Belcher, who plays Jezelle, discusses her time on this film as well as her overall career.

“Behind the Peepers” features the following featurettes found on the previous DVD release:

– “Finding Trish & Darry” – This focuses on casting the two leads. Salva talks about what he saw in both actors that made him feel they were right for his film. We also get to see some of Long’s audition footage.
– “Designing the Creeper” – Salva, along with artist Brad Parker and FX artist Brian Penikas, talk about how they came up with the film’s creature.
– “Cars & Trucks” – Get a closer look at the classic Plymouth that Trish and Darry drive, as well as the menacing horn-blaring Truck from Hell that The Creeper pilots.
– “The Creeper Comes to Florida” – Meet Jonathan Breck, the man behind the makeup, as he discusses what it was like shooting in Florida’s naturally humid conditions.
– “Night Shoots” – Focuses on the film’s lighting, such as how they lit the street to appear like moonlight using dozens of raised mega-watt bulbs.
– “Making the Score” – Bennett Salvay, the film’s composer, takes us through his process for writing and recording the score, and we get to see some scenes with isolated score to show how it enhances them.

“More Creepers” has the remainder of the old DVD features – deleted scenes, a photo gallery, theatrical trailer, and a radio spot.

The two-disc set comes housed in a standard Blu-ray keepcase. The cover art is reversible, allowing for display of either the newly created artwork or the key theatrical art. A slipcover featuring the new art is included on first pressings.

Special Features:
Jeepers Creepers (Collector’s Edition)
Disc 1:

• NEW 2K scan of the inter-positive
• NEW Audio Commentary with writer/director Victor Salva, stars Gina Philips and Justin Long
• Audio Commentary By writer/director Victor Salva

Disc 2:

• NEW JEEPERS CREEPERS: Then and Now featuring interviews with writer/director Victor Salva, producer Barry Opper, director of photography Don FauntLeRoy, editor Ed Marx and actor Tom Tarantini (37 minutes)
• NEW From Critters to Creepers – an interview with producer Barry Opper (19 minutes)
• NEW The Town Psychic – an interview with actress Patricia Belcher (16 minutes)
• Behind The Peepers: The Making of JEEPERS CREEPERS featuring writer/director Victor Salva, producer Tom Luse, actors Gina Philips, Justin Long, Eileen Brennan, Jonathan Breck and more… (60 minutes)
• Deleted & Extended Scenes including an alternate opening and ending sequence (17 minutes)
• Photo Gallery
• Theatrical Trailer
• Radio Spot

The post Jeepers Creepers (Blu-ray) appeared first on Dread Central.

Have you ever watched Psycho and wondered how it would have been if the characters’ genders were reversed? Well, thanks to the YouTube series “Scream Queens Stream” from Jessica Cameron and Heather Dorff, you can now find out.

About the “Scream Queen Stream”:
Jessica Cameron and Heather Dorff are the ladies behind the new YouTube series “Scream Queens Stream,” a variety show that showcases their lives and horror friends with interviews, drinking games, challenges, and more.

Every Friday at 11:00 AM “Scream Queen Stream” presents a new adventure. This week’s episode features the girls’ first gender reversal parody of a popular scream queen scene from a classic film. This is going to be an ongoing segment, so feel free to request your favorite horror movie scene!

The series is funded through the subscription service Patreon, and subscribers gain access to exclusive content including giveaways, group and private live streams with Jessica and Heather, signed postcards and photos, and more! Anybody can watch, but subscribers get a close, intimate look at the making of the series and are even able to offer input such as suggestions for future episodes.

For more info check out patreon.com/screamqueenstream.

The post Psycho Gets a Gender Reversal in Latest Scream Queens Stream Episode appeared first on Dread Central.

“Hi, my name is David Shark. If you ever need a stand-in, backup,
or someone to take a hit or a fall, please consider me.”
-David “Shark” Fralick to the producers on the set of Revenge of the Nerds II

What do you get when you combine soul singer Isaac Hayes, a zombified United States veteran, and one helluva potato sack race? The 1997 William Lustig B-horror film Uncle Sam, of course!

Director: William Lustig; Writer: Larry Cohen
Cast: William Smith, David “Shark” Fralick, Christopher Ogden, Bo Hopkins, Timothy Bottoms, P.J. Soles, Leslie Neale, Isaac Hayes
Synopsis: After some teens burn an American flag over his burial site, a Desert Storm vet who was killed in combat rises from the grave on July 4th to kill the unpatriotic citizens of his hometown.

For at least the last decade, I’ve popped in my copy of Uncle Sam on (or close to) the 4th of July holiday. Several years ago, on a brutally hot day, a bunch of us watched the film on laserdisc. (The number of fans going that afternoon may have outnumbered the friends visiting.) Years before that I sat in a college dorm room (I had been working on campus that summer painting interiors of buildings) watching the film on the Blue Underground DVD release.

Regardless of the format, I know for a fact lots of horror fans bask in the patriotic mayhem of this Bill Lustig Independence Day slasher — and for good reason! It’s a lot of fun and, despite its flaws, is a great film to watch once a year with a group of buddies (or patient spouses…)

After some Internet searching, I managed to locate the towering beast of a man who played good ol’ (Uncle) Sam Harper — a back-from-the-dead Desert Storm vet hellbent on cutting down any and all anti-American hoodlums he can find. As soon as I initially made contact with him, I knew David “Shark” Fralick was a super cool, down to earth dude — mainly because he signed his first email to me as “Master Sergeant Sam Harper.” Turns out Fralick has been one busy guy these last few decades and, as they say in professional wrestling, has taken more than his fair share of bumps along the way.

From playing a litany of high school and college sports (water skiing, tennis, rugby, surfing), Fralick was also a member of the 1979 championship football in Alabama (he was part of the 1979 championship team, on which he played wide receiver or, as he puts it, “tackle dummy”). What’s more, and to my surprise, Fralick actually has a legitimate military background, adding another element of coolness to his role in Uncle Sam.

From Navy and Air Force ROTC programs to stunt work in Hollywood, Fralick is — simply put — a badass. And he’s hardly slowing down. Just as I caught up with him to talk about Uncle Sam, he was en route to Canada with a full calendar of filming, teaching, and charity events. Oh, and he’s also been doing marital arts for as long as he can remember, though likely since “probably five or six years old.”

The Makeup and the Music: Memorable Moments for Fralick on the Set of Uncle Sam
I loved the original idea — that he was this patriotic killer. I loved the concept. Then there was all of the makeup sessions. (I didn’t do the burn, but I did all the rest of the stunt work.) It was four and a half hours in makeup and four and a half hours out of it. It really just tore my skin up. What they do is they use alcohol on skin to get the oils off so that everything they needed to put on you would adhere. It was pretty amazing. In fact, I still have the last mask I wore in the film!

Meeting Isaac Hayes on set was amazing. He had two albums come out that when you put them together. they formed part of his head and face. He was nice enough to sign both of the records for me, which of course I still have. He was such a gentleman. His music was (and still is!) so legendary.

*For Real? A Military Man in Uncle Sam and in Real Life
I was ex-military to start with, which I think was why they originally hired me. Because of that training I could be patient and had a high tolerance for pain (I don’t bitch and complain). I really started young: first with the tadpoles, then I went to the fleet cadets, the Naval ROTC, and then I transferred to the Air Force when I went to college. But I essentially grew up on ships and went through all of the training.

In the beginning (I remember really wanting to be a SEAL but I’ve never had much fat on my body and so soaking in the water — here in California and especially with no wetsuit on — you’ll get hypothermia in an hour and a half). So from there I wanted to be a pilot and went through the Air Force ROTC down in Alabama, went to Maxwell Air Force Base, and went through all of the OTS (Officer Training School) training there.

Sam was Almost Jason: Fralick Reflects on Almost Facing Off with Freddy Krueger
When I was on “The Young and the Restless,” you had to give the producers at least six months’ notice to take four or five weeks off — because the writers are constantly developing the story — and I was up for the part of Jason Voorhees in Freddy vs. Jason and I even had a call back but I had to turn it down because it was shooting a few weeks later. [The “Y&R” producers] wouldn’t let me have the time off to do it. It would have been so cool to have been part of the Freddy/Jason franchise.

Uncle Sam Hopes to Be the Next Horror Convention Recruit
I’d love to do something like a fan convention, though it’s all about coordinating it. It’d be great to spend two days, one doing a fan meet-and-greet/autograph session and the second day doing a screening of the film. Maybe with William Lustig!

Master Sergeant Sam Harper and I would like to wish you all a Happy 4th of July!

The post Celebrate the 4th of July with Uncle Sam Actor David “Shark” Fralick appeared first on Dread Central.

FX has set the premiere date for the return of the acclaimed, award-winning “American Horror Story” for its sixth installment, it was announced today by Chuck Saftler, President of Program Strategy and COO, FX Networks.

“American Horror Story” returns for its sixth installment on FX on Wednesday, September 14, at 10 PM ET/PT. That’s a bit earlier than we were expecting, but no doubt we’ll be treated to an awesome Halloween episode per usual!

The returning stars for S6 are expected to include Kathy Bates, Denis O’Hare, Angela Bassett, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Finn Wittrock, Cheyenne Jackson, Wes Bentley, Lady Gaga, Leslie Jordan, and Matt Bomer.

“American Horror Story” Season 6 will be set in two different time periods, but primarily in the present. Look for lots more soon!

The post FX Reveals American Horror Story Season 6 Premiere Date appeared first on Dread Central.

Finally, after years of false starts and ridiculous bits of rumors and news followed by months of incessant complaints from disheartened fans, the new Ghostbusters flick will be in theatres; and everyone can just STFU. In the interim, enjoy this new clip!

Ghostbusters will begin haunting the big screen on July 15, 2016. Directed by Paul Feig and written by Feig and Katie Dippold, Ghostbusters 2016 is based on the 1984 film of the same name written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis.

Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones are our new paranormal investigators along with their loyal secretary Chris Hemsworth. Neil Casey, Andy Garcia, Michael K. Williams, Matt Walsh, Pat Kiernan, Cecily Strong, and Charles Dance also star. Cameos will include the original film’s stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potts plus Ozzy Osbourne and more.

Synopsis:
Dead criminals from all eras of New York’s under­belly past have returned to roost among the living. Pilgrims, old-­timey sailors, Revolutionary War spirits, and even a couple of zoot­-suited gangsters are ready to take on four formidable female busters looking to rid the city of its phantasmic filth.

The post New Ghostbusters Clip Goes Awry appeared first on Dread Central.

There aren’t too many werewolf movies released in the last ten years that we can recommend, but Adrian Garcia Bogliano’s Late Phases is damn sure one of them. What’s next for the Spanish filmmaker? We’ve just learned that he’s wrapped principal photography on Black Circle, so read on for all the details!

Per Entertainment Weekly, the Swedish-language supernatural horror movie follows the story of two sisters whose lives change dramatically after going through hypnosis using a mysterious vinyl album recorded in the 1970s.

Felice Jankell and Christina Lindberg star, and the cast also includes Hanna Asp, Hanna and Erica Midfjäll, Madeleine Trollvik, Hans Sandquist, Inger Nilsson, Iwa Boman, and Johan Palm.

“It was a blast to shoot this film with an amazing cast of performers from the most different backgrounds and coming with exciting approaches to the material,” Bogliano told EW. “It was exciting to have the chance to do something that takes place in a country with such a unique culture and an overwhelming film history.”

Check out a set photo below, featuring Bogliano and the Black Circle cast.

The post Late Phases Director Draws a Black Circle appeared first on Dread Central.

There are few things I can think of worse than either drowning or catching fire. Don’t believe me? Ask Freddy or Jason! Or Ronny Yu for that matter… In any event, on tap right now is the first one-sheet for the new flick The Chamber.

StudioCanal today confirmed its acquisition of the underwater thriller following Friday’s World Premiere announcement within the FrightFest programme.

Shot in Wales, The Chamber stars Johannes Bah Kuhnke (Force Majeure) Charlotte Salt (The Muskateers), James McArdle (The James Plays), and Elliot Levey.

The Chamber is the first feature film from director Ben Parker, who previously made the short Shifter that played at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. The film is produced by Jen Handorf, Paul Higgins, and executive producer Hugh Spearing. Production financing for the film comes from Fields Park Media Partners, Ffilm Cymru Wales, and Great Point Media.

Synopsis:
In The Chamber, a Special Ops unit commandeers a commercial research vessel and its submersible to locate a mysterious item at the bottom of the Yellow Sea. When an explosion causes the sub to overturn and take on water, the crew members begin to understand that not all of them will escape, and a fight for survival ensues.

The post The Chamber One-Sheet Begins to Sink appeared first on Dread Central.

An adaptation of M.R. Carey’s same-named novel, Colm McCarthy’s infection flick The Girl with All the Gifts is headed to UK theaters on September 9th, and as we recently reported, Saban Films is closing in on US distribution rights. While we wait for a Stateside date, check out the official UK poster art, along with the quad!

The post-apocalyptic thriller stars Gemma Arterton (Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, Clash of the Titans), Paddy Considine (The Bourne Ultimatum, Hot Fuzz), six-time Academy Award nominee Glenn Close (Guardians of the Galaxy, Albert Nobbs, Dangerous Liaisons), and Sennia Nanua, in her breakthrough performance.

The Girl with All the Gifts is set in a dystopian world where a seemingly normal and very intelligent little girl lives in an underground army bunker with other children her age. They are all experimental cases being examined by scientists – led by Dr. Caldwell (Close) – to find a cure for a fungal spore that has infected the planet.

“Carey has adapted his novel into a film with an unmatched level of cataclysm,” said Saban Films’ Bill Bromiley. “The Girl with All the Gifts is a sophisticated movie, with McCarthy’s vision and this dynamic cast, and we know that our audiences will be hooked from start to finish.”

The BFI (British Film Institute) and Creative England financed the film, which was produced by Camille Gatin and Angus Lamont. Bill Bromiley and Ness Saban negotiated the deal on behalf of Saban Films with Altitude’s Mike Runagall representing the filmmakers. Altitude Film Sales is handling ROW sales. Warner Bros. UK will release the film in the UK.

The post New Posters Reveal The Girl with All the Gifts appeared first on Dread Central.

Some international distribution news has arrived for the film Raw, originally titled Grave, an award winner at this year’s Cannes Film Fest.  Read on for the details!

From the Press Release:
Affirming its commitment to specialty and foreign films, Focus World, the multi-platform distribution initiative owned and operated by Focus Features, has acquired from Wild Bunch most worldwide territories on writer/director Julia Ducournau’s psychological horror thriller Raw. Focus World has firmed global rights to the movie for Focus Features release internationally, excluding France, Israel, Czech and Slovak Republics, Benelux, former Yugoslavia, Latin America, Greece, Australia, and New Zealand.

In the U.S., Focus World will debut the movie in theatrical release in the spring of 2017.

The Petit Film/Rouge International/FraKas Productions film world premiered at the 2016 Cannes International Film Festival in the International Critics’ Week section, where it won the FIPRESCI Prize. Produced by Petit Film’s Jean des Forêts, the French-language Raw stars Garance Marillier and is the debut feature from Ms. Ducournau.

Ms. Marillier portrays the teenaged Justine, who commences her studies at veterinary school to follow in her family members’ footsteps. Raised as a vegetarian, Justine is pressured at school to try meat for the first time. Once she does, she plumbs both the depths of her own soul and tests the limits of her darkest cravings.

The deal was negotiated by Robert Walak, President of Focus Features, and Anjay Nagpal, SVP of Focus World, with Beth Lemberger, Focus Features’ EVP of Business Affairs.

Mr. Nagpal said, “While favorably recalling some of cinema’s greatest tales of terror, Raw is its own animal, a completely distinctive and fresh piece of work. We are thrilled to serve Julia’s galvanizing first feature to audiences around the world.”

Focus World curates exciting works from first-time and rising filmmakers for the digital age while also preserving the theatrical release component, allowing audiences to choose how they will watch a new movie. Its slate encompasses both narrative and nonfiction features, and both English-language and foreign-language films.

Focus Features is part of NBCUniversal (a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation), one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.

The post Focus World Acquires Global Territories for Horror Thriller Raw appeared first on Dread Central.

Another take on the much beloved 18″ Kenner Alien will be on display at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con courtesy of Super 7, who brought us last year’s highly sought-after Alien playset.

According to Super 7: “The Alien Warrior figure never existed in prototype form in 1986. The backstory is that this piece is a prototype sample of the Alien Warrior for ‘internal review.’ The package is meant to be a mock-up, with hand-written notes about what is approved, needs to be changed, or filled in during the production process.”

The Alien Warrior measures 18 inches and matches the features of the original 1979 Kenner Alien. It is articulated at the hips, shoulders, wrists, and tail and has the same spring-loaded jaw mechanism to release the horrifying inner jaws, operated with a trigger on the back of the head. The figure can also hang from its tail just like the original.

The post #SDCC16: Super 7 Bringing 18 Inches of Alien to San Diego appeared first on Dread Central.

Looking for some badass T-shirts to show your love for all things spooky?!? Well, our buddies over at Rotten Cotton have three of their most popular shirts on sale THIS WEEK ONLY!

It’s the Rotten Cotton $13.99 SALE! Three designs are on sale at Rotten Cotton for ONE WEEK ONLY! Get one TODAY and SAVE! Cheap!!! What are you waiting for? An engraved invitation to save dough?

HP Lovecraft! Only $13.99!!! One Week Only!

Chas Balun’s Dr Loomis! Only $13.99!!! One Week Only!

Leatherface, Chas Balun’s Bubba Sawyer! Only $13.99!!!

And since you’re saving so much moolah… buy a friggin’ Dread Central T-shirt, why dontcha?

The post Rotten Cotton Has Lovecraft, Loomis, and Leatherface on Sale this Week Only! appeared first on Dread Central.

Back in May we showed you this stunning mockup of The Addams Family Mansion built using Legos. The good news? It’s gained enough supporters via the Lego Ideas website to enter the Review phase, which begins in September! Thanks, horror fans!

What that means is:  A “LEGO Review Board” composed of designers, product managers, and other key team members will examine the idea. They’ll build concept models and determine if the concept meets their high standards for what it takes to be a LEGO product. This includes factors such as playability, safety, and fit with the LEGO brand. Every potential LEGO product goes through a process like this and must meet the same standards. The Review is a thorough process and from its start can take several months. When finished, they will make a “go/no go” decision to develop and sell a product based on the Addams Family Mansion. If green-lit, this project goes into the longest phase of the project: the Development phase.

It’s easy to see why it got so much support. Just look at it! It’s the Addams Family Mansion through and through, down to the most minute details. They even included the polar bear.

We’ll keep you posted on developments.

About the Lego Addams Family Mansion:
From the 1964-66 TV sitcom “The Addams Family,” this is the Mansion and Family! The project is an “end of series” anniversary tribute to the last new episode aired on April 8, 1966 – 50 years ago!

The Addams Family was a group of fictional characters created by American cartoonist Charles Addams and includes Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Lurch, Grandmama, Wednesday, Pugsley, and Thing. They lived in this mansion at 001 Cemetery Lane.

Construction details:
– 3-Floor Mansion; each floor is a removable segment
– Sits on two 15”x10” base plates (for a total of 3,072 studs)
– The Mansion separates into two halves through the center
– A full glass greenhouse out back
– All original Lego pieces with no modifications
– All floors are covered in tiles and “carpet” tiles
– All ceilings are covered in inverted tiles
– The Mansion is 22” high
– The entire build is comprised of 7,200 pieces
– Look for these special characters and details:
* Tish relaxing in her large rattan chair, with her black fan
* Gomez practicing fencing in the living room
* Lurch and his harpsichord
* Beware of Thing…delivering mail from his table
* Cleopatra, the meat eating plant, and others in the greenhouse
* Kitty Kat, the lion, by the grand staircase
* The tall stuffed polar bear watching over all the proceedings
* The NYSE stock market ticker tape machine
* Call for Lurch… with a black rope noose butler bell call
* Suit of Armor – who is hiding inside?
* Massive fireplace, with a moose head on the mantle
* Have a rest on the bed of nails!
* Grandmama and Uncle Fester with his light bulb and dynamite
* Cigar Store Indian watching over Pugsley and Wednesday
* Back upper porch with cannon, cannonballs, and a catapult
* Backyard cemetery with unknown inhabitants
* Attic spider web
* Family automobile
* Special guests include bats, owls, spiders, snakes, and parrots

The post The Addams Family Mansion Lego Set Gains Enough Support for Review Phase appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Ray Wise, Jonathan Breck, Nicki Aycox

Directed by Victor Salva

Distributed by Scream Factory

In a review for Jeepers Creepers (2001), I mentioned wanting to avoid discussion of Victor Salva, the creepy child molester, in order to focus on Victor Salva, the writer/director who is a legitimately talented filmmaker. Still, as much as I would like to eschew that kind of talk Salva makes it awfully hard when it seems he just can’t learn a lesson. You would think a man who was convicted of child molestation, and also spent time in prison for those crimes, would buck up and, at the very least, make it less obvious he is still that same creep. We all know a leopard can’t change his spots, but the motherfucker can try to camouflage. Not Salva. Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003) isn’t disturbing because of its thematic content, or gruesome death scenes, or the body horror of The Creeper. It’s unsettling because Salva offers up many scenes stuffed with shirtless teenage boys. This isn’t making a mountain out of a molehill, as anyone who has seen the film can attest. These characters aren’t scantily clad for story purposes (one appears shirtless near the end for absolutely no good reason); this is simply Salva producing jerk off material. There’s my rant.

This is a shame because Jeepers Creepers 2 is actually a competent follow-up, with at least one strong character anchoring it all and an abundance of Creeper action. Salva does little to step outside horror norms but that’s ok because The Creeper is still a mysterious figure, with only minor information about its biology and history exposed. Ray Wise aside everyone else is fodder; watching The Creeper in action is the film’s true saving grace. Salva had thought he was clever enough to avoid doing a sequel by stating The Creeper only appears every 23 years. Producer Francis Ford Coppola exploited a hole in his plan: set the sequel during the same 23 days as the first film. Salva does, placing the action right at the tail end of The Creeper’s country buffet.

Day 22 of 23. Only a few days have passed since The Creeper’s encounter with Trish (Gina Philips) and Darry (Justin Long), wherein the latter lost more than just his life, but the creature is back on the prowl looking for fresh body parts to consume. He first strikes in a cornfield on the property of Jack Taggart, Sr. (Ray Wise), farmer and post-puncher extraordinaire. The Creeper flies off with Jack’s young son, Billy (Shaun Fleming), turning his old man into a hot white agent of vengeance. He lives for nothing more than to kill whatever took his boy. Meanwhile, the aforementioned group of shirtless teenagers (boys only!) is part of a basketball team school bus ride, along with coaches and cheerleaders. The bus suffers a flat when The Creeper launches a crudely made blade at the wheels. The driver decides to limp on, but just a few hours later another tire is shredded.

The students and faculty find themselves stranded when The Creeper strikes, first getting the adults out of the way before he can abuse the kids. Way to get meta, Salva. One of the girls, Minxie (Nicki Aycox), drops into sleep and has visions of Darry and Billy and The Creeper and now she knows all sorts of information worth sharing! Think of her as an even lazier version of Jezelle from the first film. The kids are able to get a message out to the cops, which Jack picks up since he’s been listening to his police channel scanner all night with rapt attention. Eventually these two storylines converge when the students are forced off the bus, allowing The Creeper to pick them off one by one until Jack shows up with his son, his truck, and a modified post-puncher with one purpose: blast whatever this thing is straight to hell.

The school trip story is of no consequence. This is simply Salva using tried-and-true horror plotting in an attempt to ratchet up some tension before selectively delivering expected deaths. Some of the interplay between the kids and The Creeper is darkly humorous, such as when students play a game of “Who, me?” as The Creeper visually nods and shakes his way through the group before making his entrée selection. But for the most part these are one-note characters, with Salva trying to make statements about everything from sexuality to race relations. His efforts don’t go unnoticed, to the detriment of the film, because it all feels a bit heavy handed. Plus, it’s hard to focus on teenage laments when half the guys are shirtless and all you’re able to picture is Salva behind the camera, eye peering through the lens like a professional pepping tom, sweating heavily and making mental snapshots for later.

What does work: Ray Wise. Can this guy do any wrong? Jack Taggart becomes the Captain Ahab of the story, out to hook himself a white whale in the form of The Creeper. Hell, the guy even uses a harpoon gun during the climax. Again, Salva’s strong suit isn’t subtlety. Wise has one of the most expressive faces I have ever seen, and when his resolve is affirmed and the only game is focusing on revenge, man, does he sell it perfectly. If Salva ever does a third film I hope it picks up where this one ends, with old man Taggart at the ready, harpoon in hand.

The Creeper gets more face time than here than in his last outing, which isn’t such a bad thing. The shroud of mystery has already been lifted; once a boogeyman is revealed little can be done to recapture that sense of unknown terror. The Creeper is a bit different, though, because there are so many nuances to his biology. Salva knows this, so he delivers lots of killer Creeper action to sate fans. One of the best sequences also answers a relevant question: if this thing can replace body parts, is there a limit to what can be replaced? What if it loses its head? Jonathan Breck once again steps into the role, delivering a fine performance that allows him to bring some gallows humor alongside all that menace.

It has now been thirteen years since Jeepers Creepers 2. Salva has plans to shoot a third film for a 2017 release, though he hit a roadblock recently when Canada refused him entry due to his crimes here in America. Producing sequels to long-dormant series has been a trend lately, with most failing to meet audience expectations. I think Salva could pull it off, though. His last film, Dark House (2014), was surprisingly not terrible (though there is plenty of bad in it), and it reaffirmed the guy knows how to shoot horror.

Unlike the first film, Jeepers Creepers 2 has not received a new transfer – not that it needs it. The 2.35:1 1080p image is very strong, yielding greater detail than the first film, as well as showing off some stronger lighting choices and deeper black levels. Early scenes at the Taggart farm have an intentional yellowish hue, while the rest of the film looks more natural. Colors are well saturated, with black levels looking much inkier this time around. Detail is excellent, especially during daylight scenes. Cinematographer Don E. FauntLeRoy improves upon his work from the last film by composing better shots and making stronger lighting choices. The Creeper is shot with a certain sense of reverence; it’s all very cinematic.

The English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound track hits all the required marks for delivering a solid audible experience. Nothing about the track stands out as particularly impressive, though. Sound effects sound weighted and realistic, with some big moments – like a car crash – immersing viewers in the impact. Dialogue has no issues and is balanced nicely within the mix. There is also a 2.0 stereo option available. Subtitles are included in English.

DISC ONE:

The first audio commentary track features writer/director Victor Salva & cast members, carried over from the previous DVD.

A second audio commentary features Jonathan Breck (The Creeper), Brad Parker (Production Illustrator), and Brian Penikas (Special Effects Makeup), also carried over from the old DVD.

DISC TWO:

“Jeepers Creepers 2: Then and Now” – Salva and the same participants from the retrospective on the first film continue their talks here, now focused on this sequel. The runtime isn’t long and the information gleaned is minimal.

“A Father’s Revenge” – Actor Ray Wise sits down to recall his time on this film; sounds like the man had a great time.

“Don’t Get Off the Bus” – The adult triumvirate of two coaches and a bus driver are interviewed here about their roles in the film.

Several featurettes on the making of the film have been included, all of which originated on the previous special edition DVD:

– “A Day in Hell – A Look at the Filming of Jeepers Creepers 2”, “Light, Camera, Creeper – The Making of Jeepers Creepers 2”, “Creeper Creation”, “The Orphanage Visual Effects Reel”, “Creeper Composer”, and “Storyboards”.

A reel of deleted scenes that run for over 15 minutes, a couple of photo galleries, and the film’s theatrical trailer are the remaining extra features.

Special Features:
Jeepers Creepers 2 (Collector’s Edition)
Disc 1:

• Audio Commentary by writer/director Victor Salva and cast members
• Audio Commentary by Jonathan Breck (The Creeper), Brad Parker (Production Illustrator) and Brian Penikas (Special Effects Makeup)

Disc 2:

• NEW JEEPERS CREEPERS 2: Then and Now featuring new interviews with writer/director Victor Salva, director of photography Don FauntLeRoy, editor Ed Marx and actor Tom Tarantini (22 minutes)
• NEW A Father’s Revenge – an interview with actor Ray Wise (15 minutes)
• NEW Don’t Get Off the Bus – interviews with actors Tom Tarantini, Thom Gossom Jr. and Diane Delano (20 minutes)
• A Day in Hell – A look at the filming of JEEPERS CREEPERS 2 (26 minutes)
• Lights, Camera, Creeper: The Making of JEEPERS CREEPERS 2 featuring writer/director Victor Salva, actors Travis Schiffner, Josh Hammond, Billy Aaron Brown, Eric Nenninger, Nicki Aycox, director of photography Don FauntLeRoy and more… (15 minutes)
• Creeper Creation featuring interviews with production illustrator Brad Parker, special make-up effects artist Brian Penikas and Jonathan Breck (12 minutes)
• The Orphanage Visual Effects Reel (4 minutes)
• Creeper Composer – an interview with composer Bennett Salvay and writer/director Victor Salva (10 minutes)
• Storyboard Renditions of Scenes Not Filmed – “The Creeper’s Lair” and “Ventriloquist Creeper”
• Deleted Scenes (16 minutes)
• Photo Gallery
• Theatrical Trailer

The post Jeepers Creepers 2 (Blu-ray) appeared first on Dread Central.

Described as a “Twilight Zone”-esque shocker, Canadian company Black Fawn Films’ Bed of the Dead will have its world premiere later this month at the Fantasia International Film Festival, but you don’t have to wait until then to take a nap on this bad boy. Want to check out the festival trailer? You know where to find it!

Bed of the Dead was written and directed by Jeff Maher and produced by Black Fawn Films in association with Breakthrough Entertainment.

Colin Price, Alyssa King, and Gwen Cumyn star.

Synopsis:
Four twenty-somethings find themselves stuck on a haunted antique bed where leaving means suffering a gruesome death. Plagued with frightening hallucinations, they must figure out the bed’s secrets before they are ultimately picked off one by one.

The post Fantasia 2016: Trailer Lets You Sleep on the Bed of the Dead appeared first on Dread Central.

Before Shane Black’s The Predator revives the franchise in 2018, the original action-horror classic is headed back to theaters in France this summer. On August 17th, a brand new 2K restoration of the film will be exhibited on a limited number of screens, and we’ve got your first look at the re-release today.

Directed by John McTiernan, Predator hasn’t yet been given the Blu-ray release that fans have been begging for, and the hope here is that the 2K restoration, though exclusive to France at the moment, will eventually make its way onto home video here in the States. We have no idea if that will actually happen, but it’s certainly a possibility.

For now, check out the re-release art and trailer below.

The post Predator Being Re-Released in France; Watch Restoration Trailer appeared first on Dread Central.

With the non-stop news stories of police brutality, it was only a matter of time before a cop went the extra mile and actually ate one of his victims.

Yup, we’ve had RoboCop, Maniac Cop, WolfCop, and now we have Cannibal Cop. And even more extraordinarily, it’s based on a true story. I guess doughnuts really weren’t enough for this officer of the law.

Director Donald Farmer is certainly no stranger to films with crazy mashup titles, as he previously bought us Shark Exorcist and Chainsaw Cheerleaders. Eat up more information about Cannibal Cop on Facebook.

The post Cannibal Cop Trailer Takes a Bite Out of Justice appeared first on Dread Central.

Those paying attention to the Ghostbusters toy line were privy to several bits of information about the remake before they were revealed in the various trailers and teasers, including a cameo by the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Another toy spoiler was that the film would feature a female version of Slimer, and we’ve got our first look at her today.

Check out the latest TV spot below, which introduces Slimer’s significant other!

Ghostbusters will begin haunting the big screen on July 15, 2016. Directed by Paul Feig and written by Feig and Katie Dippold, Ghostbusters 2016 is based on the 1984 film of the same name written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis.

Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones are our new paranormal investigators along with their loyal secretary Chris Hemsworth. Neil Casey, Andy Garcia, Michael K. Williams, Matt Walsh, Pat Kiernan, Cecily Strong, and Charles Dance also star. Cameos will include the original film’s stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potts plus Ozzy Osbourne and more.

Synopsis:
Dead criminals from all eras of New York’s under­belly past have returned to roost among the living. Pilgrims, old-­timey sailors, Revolutionary War spirits, and even a couple of zoot­-suited gangsters are ready to take on four formidable female busters looking to rid the city of its phantasmic filth.

The post Meet Female Slimer in New Ghostbusters TV Spot appeared first on Dread Central.

The Brookhaven Experiment is one damn scary game. Don’t believe me? Check out our earlier story about people being scared shitless by the VR zombie shooter.

If you fancy being scared shitless by virtual reality zombies yourself, then the game’s just been released on Steam, accompanied by one equally jumpy launch trailer.

Synopsis:
Brookhaven is a VR survival shooter for the HTC Vive. Players will have to use the weapons and tools provided to survive ever more terrifying waves of horrific monsters in an attempt to figure out what caused the beginning of the end of the world and, if they’re strong enough, stop it from happening.

The post The Brookhaven Experiment Launch Trailer Proves Monsters Are Real appeared first on Dread Central.

We can’t help but be incredibly curious about the second remake of George Romero’s Day of the Dead, which will feature a new iteration of beloved zombie Bub. Filming recently began on the new remake, and today we’ve got a little behind-the-scenes video to share with you. Are we perhaps looking at the new Captain Rhodes?

Check out the weapons test video below, shared by star @MarcusVanco on Instagram!

Hector Hernandez Vicens (The Corpse of Anna Fritz), who is directing, wrote the script. Johnathon Schaech stars alongside Sophie Skelton, Jeff Gum, and Lorina Kamburova.

The Day of the Dead remake comes courtesy of Millennium Films and Campbell Grobman Films. Avi Lerner, Boaz Davidson, and James Dudelson produce.

Synopsis:
The post-apocalyptic tale follows a former medical student tormented by a dark figure from her past, who happens to be a half-human, half-zombie hell-bent on destroying her.

Weapons training love my job #film #bandonhasagun #glock17

A video posted by Marcus Vanco (@marcusvanco) on Jun 29, 2016 at 2:08am PDT

The post Day of the Dead – Behind-the-Scenes Video Tests Firearms appeared first on Dread Central.