We’re just a week and a half away from the outbreak of Viral, the new flick from filmmaking duo Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (Catfish, Paranormal Activity 3, Paranormal Activity 4); and on tap today is an exclusive sneak peek courtesy of us and our friends at Crypt TV, in which Gracie (Linzie Gray) is having a very bad day at school.

Look for Viral in select theaters and on Digital HD July 29th and on DVD/VOD August 2nd.

Barbara Marshall and Christopher Landon penned the script. Sofia Black-D’Elia, Analeigh Tipton, Travis Tope, and Michael Kelly star.

Synopsis:
Teenage sisters Emma and Stacey live a normal life, until their small suburban neighborhood is stricken with a mysterious parasitic virus. As the disease rapidly spreads throughout the town, the two band together to barricade themselves from infection.

But it may already be too late – when the virus enters their home, the sisters are faced with an impossible choice: protect each other, or survive the virus.

The post Exclusive Viral Clip: Things Go Bad for Gracie appeared first on Dread Central.

When Hellraiser was originally released, Stephen King famously said, “I have seen the future of horror, and his name is Clive Barker.” So yeah, Barker is a pretty big deal in the horror industry.

If you feel like celebrating the work of the Candyman creator, then head over to an exhibition that’s being held at the Copro Gallery in Santa Monica, California, on August 6. It features art by Barker and was curated by composer Cris Velasco.

The combined exhibit will also feature works inspired by HP Lovecraft. Talk about a win-win!

Get the full details of the event below and on the poster.

Synopsis:
Best known for his epic musical scores on blockbuster video games such as Bloodborne, Darksiders, H1Z1, Zombi, Mass Effect 3, as well as the Borderlands and God of War series, Cris Velasco also previously scored Clive Barker’s Jericho and Clive Barker’s Books of Blood, for which he was personally selected by the celebrated author, filmmaker, and painter. His latest game scores include Battleborn and Overwatch, and he’s currently scoring two new horror/sci-fi TV shows (to be announced shortly).

The post Experience the Art of Clive Barker in Santa Monica Next Month appeared first on Dread Central.

Another installment of Dinner for Fiends so soon? But how can this be? It hasn’t been 6 months to 2 years yet! This isn’t right at all.

The gang’s back together so soon for another spirited episode of mindless internet horror-themed gobbledygook. Minus Buz, that is. He was off being Mr. Hollywood or something that day, so expect 90% less “Supernatural” discussion this episode.

Uncle Creepy, myself, Andrew Kasch, and Matt Serafini were freestyling this one, babbling aimlessly about whatever topic any of us wanted to bring up.

Matt Serafini was feeling especially grouchy this edition so you’ll hear quite a bit about how he felt The Conjuring 2 was repetitive and boring, The Boy outright sucks, and 10 Cloverfield Lane was ruined by its ending. On the positive side, he really liked Lifetime’s lesbian vampire flick Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?

Other random topics include just what in the bloody hell is going on with the new Friday the 13th movie, AMC’s “Preacher,” Creepy’s love for CBS’s “Braindead” (which may already be cancelled by the time you read this), Andrew’s latest escapades with a certain Halloween cult that will ultimately lead to his and Buz’s mutual destruction, and my reading of a list of the best/worst dog movie pitches of all time.

It’s all about Woofies, folks.

The post Dinner for Fiends: Mother, May I Sleep with Fiends? appeared first on Dread Central.

We love monster movies (who doesn’t), but you know what we love even more? A monster movie that’s being worked on by legendary FX artist Gabe Bartalos, who’s known for his work on some mighty fine films including Darkman and Gremlins 2.

He’s currently working on Malacostraca from director Charles Pieper, in which a mentally disturbed husband views his perfectly normal baby as being a hideous lobster-like creature. He sure sounds like Father of the Year material.

Malacostraca stars Amber Bollinger and Charlie Pecoraro, and it is looking to raise $30,000 on Indiegogo.

Synopsis:
Malacostraca is a psychological horror film with creature puppetry that will be created by FX artist Gabe Bartalos. Gabe has worked on films such as THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE PART 2, BRAIN DAMAGE, FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 6, LEPRECHAUN, GREMLINS 2, and Matthew Barney’s CREMASTER CYCLE.

Malacostraca is an exploration of the fragility of the human mind, the male ego, and of difficulties in communication. It will be a horrifically scary film full of universally relatable feelings and fears. It will have a tone of trapped dread and nature-based horror; think ‘Possession’ meets ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock.’

Malacostraca will feature the talented actors Amber Bollinger and Charlie Pecoraro as a married couple going through extreme difficulties. The film is seen through the unreliable eyes of the husband, who’s losing his mind and ability to love… One day when, seemingly suddenly, his wife announces that she’s pregnant, his mind snaps… When the baby is born, he doesn’t see it as being his, or even as being human. Instead he sees his baby as a hideous lobster-like creature…

The post FX Artist Gabe Bartalos Working on New Film Malacostraca appeared first on Dread Central.

This Saturday night, July 23rd, the “Ghost Adventures” crew head back to the site of one of their most infamous experiments/investigations – The Winchester Mystery House. To say they have unfinished business there is an understatement.

For those who don’t remember… Back in Episode 4 of Season 5, the crew set up at the Winchester House, EVP experts Mark and Debby Constantino (who are, sadly, no longer with us) set up shop at The Old Washoe Club, and the Tri-State Paranormal Society of Northern Kentucky set up at Bobby Mackey’s Music World. Their mission: to create the first-ever manmade portal with the help of paranormal scientist Joshua Warren. Three locations… demonic activity… and one long distance investigation made for a very disturbing lockdown. One that had to be cut short due to the nature of some unexpected negativity.

You can watch the video recap below.

Their aforementioned return to The Winchester Mystery House episode airs this Saturday on Travel Channel, and we caught up with Zak to find out what to expect.

“In the ten years that we’ve been filming, The Winchester Mystery House is the only location that we left without finishing our lockdown. We literally walked out because of something bad happening. This upcoming episode redefines the term ‘unfinished business’ for us. During that first investigation…,” Zak paused for thought, choosing his words carefully and with an obviously heavy heart, “something happened to me at the precise moment that my grandmother died. She was three time zones away, but that didn’t matter. I believe that I felt something at that moment she passed… some bit of her mortality slipping away. It was a deeply personal experience for me that I’d rather not go into the details of, but this was something truly frightening to me that I felt inside. This all happened during our countrywide experiment, which I feel in retrospect may have been really dangerous.”

Bagans continued, “For me going back to this location… it hit upon some really personal notes for me. It brought back that moment… that feeling of my grandmother passing… thoughts about the Constantinos’ involvement… and some really dark feelings which consumed Aaron the first time we were there. Aaron had a really bad reaction to what had taken place during that experiment. He broke down emotionally for a very long time as the result of it. We all felt something very dark come out of that experiment that I don’t think was present at The Winchester Mystery House to begin with.”

A past “Ghost Adventures” team member present at the time of the initial investigation is no longer part of the team, so with this return to the location, Bagans brings with him an altogether new vibe and, I dare say, a better and more complex type of synergy.

“We return to the Winchester House now with a new crew and a new vibe. Our chemistry is incredible together. I feel that together we can accomplish anything. For instance in this return episode we captured what can be considered the holy grail of paranormal evidence. During our interviews we captured an apparition, and no matter what we did, we could not debunk it. We tried. There was NOBODY from my crew there. At the moment of capture we were all far behind that particular point. On the cameras we witnessed a man walking in the distance, a figure. One of The Winchester Mystery House staff identified that figure as the wheelbarrow man… an apparition they themselves had seen before in the basement. This is an incredibly cool capture,” says a very excited Bagans. “When you see it, you have to say to yourself, ‘That’s gotta be a human.’ Again, though, there was nobody over in that area. We tried to see if it was any of their staff at the house, and it wasn’t. They couldn’t debunk it, and neither could we. It’s really awesome. As soon as we saw the footage, we immediately showed it to a guy who worked there, and he identified it as the same exact figure he saw… the wheelbarrow man.”

Zak wasn’t done there, however… “On top of that… it was the coolest thing EVER… we captured what can only be described as a ghost hand. It’s so cool! We captured a hand coming out of an area that is said to be a known portal in the house. Basically this hand manifested out of a mirror that is at the famed staircase to nowhere. I mean, it looks as if something was just waving at is. It’s so awesome. So bad-ass.”

If you’re in the San Jose area this Saturday, The Winchester Mystery House will be home to a screening event for the episode. Season 12 of “Ghost Adventures” continues this Saturday. But what of the new season?

Zak gave us permission to share that premiere date exclusively with you! Look for “Ghost Adventures” Season 13 to officially begin on September 24th.

For more info visit “Ghost Adventures” on Travel Channel, and “like” “Ghost Adventures” on Facebook. In addition be sure to follow @GhostAdventures, @Zak_Bagans, @JayWasley, @AaronGoodwin, and @BillyTolley on Twitter using the hashtag #GhostAdventures.

The post Exclusive: Zak Bagans Talks Return to Winchester House and Incredible Evidence Collected; New Season Premiere Date appeared first on Dread Central.

What’s this? A board game based on Stanley Kubrick’s version of Stephen King’s The Shining? In a perfect world! What we have here is a neat little faux commercial that hits all of our happy buttons.

Hey, kids! It’s The Shining board game. Now you can relive the Stanley Kubrick classic complete with blood-spilling elevator, hedge maze, and figures!

Created by Chainsaw Estates, we are crazy in love with this. For the love of all that is holy, somebody Kickstart this shit like yesterday! I’m waiting cash in hand! The line forms to the left.

The post Play The Shining Board Game… Forever and Ever and Ever… appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Colin Price, Alyssa King, Gwen Cumyn

Directed by Jeff Maher

Screening at Fantasia 2016

“You made your bed, now lie in it!” Or is it DIE in it? Any way you tuck your covers in, Jeff Maher’s latest gory shocker, Bed of the Dead might not garner all the attention it’s looking for with a title such as this, but it’s a fairly fun movie to watch, aside from its complete inanity.

Debuting at the 2016 Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, this non-family-friendly flick tags along with a foursome of overly horny pals (King, Cumyn, Dennis Andres, George Kressa), who are celebrating the birthday of one of their own. Are they throwing a party? Well, not entirely. Are they giving the birthday boy a gift? I’ll say!

Yes sir, instead of the conventional beer-bash, this small pairing of couples decides that in order to ring in their friend’s yearly celebration, it would best be observed by visiting a sex dungeon, renting a room, and shaking the bed off of its casters… gee, all I used to get was cake and a pointy hat. Without divulging too many details, let’s just say that this particular bed in Room #18 (which was acquired for the night via hefty bribe) isn’t the most friendly memory-foam bunk you’ve ever laid your private parts down upon. Turns out that this thing has been cursed for centuries, and whoever presses ass to the sheets gets met with a dispatching that borders on the fringes of both psychologically damning and flesh-rending, all in one gory, glorious display.

Aside from the foursome in peril, a side story of an alcoholic detective (Price) has its way with the audience, telling a tale of dual tragedies that’s left him a fraction of the man he used to be, and now that he’s investigating a heinous crime with a very close connection, it’ll come to pass that his dance with the bottle and flask isn’t out of reach for long. It’s an interesting touch to the story; however, at times it can feel a bit disjointed with the flow of what we’re currently taking in with the two couples in danger on the Sealy Posturepedic from Hell. The idea that none of our oversexed youngins are allowed to set foot off of the bed is indeed a little ludicrous, but it is an interesting way to keep the floor clean–that is, until some viscera manages to wash over it in mass quantities.

What makes this such an interesting watch is that upon first inspection, you wouldn’t expect something like this to grab your attention; yet, aside from the cheesy performances and slightly insipid plot, it works, and it’s pretty damn fun to take part in. Definitely worth a watch, and hopefully it will help you make up your mind when shopping for a new bed.

The post Bed of the Dead (2016) appeared first on Dread Central.

So this year at the San Diego Comic-Con, it’s the hands of the dead which will be ushering attendees in and out of the event. Yep! “The Walking Dead” will be right there to great you and bid you farewell! Remember to tap your ID card in and out, kids! Please, lord, let this go smoothly.

Thanks to Beth Accomando on Twitter for the eye candy below.

Look for extensive Comic-Con coverage beginning tomorrow evening as Preview Night is looming over us like the grim specter of death. Please pray for our sanity as we wade our way through a seas of ill-worn spandex as a means to bring you all the sights and sounds. Keep it locked, kids!

New this year at #ComicCon2016 are RFID badges that you have to tap in and tap out at these scanners. pic.twitter.com/JNnlmyCvDz

— Beth Accomando (@cinebeth) July 20, 2016

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It’s the eve of the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con, and everyone’s already buzzing. We told you earlier that in honor of Season 3 of “The Strain,” a 25-foot “infected” Lady Liberty statue would be erected in downtown San Diego. Here’s your first look!

Big thanks to Beth Accomando.

“The Strain” Screening and Q&A
Thursday, July 21st, 3:15-4:15pm – Ballroom 20
The munchers are back! The Strain, FX’s action-packed vampire thriller based on the bestselling books from Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, returns August 28. Get an exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming third season, plus the debut of a Comic-Con exclusive original video that’s sure to go viral. Showrunner/executive producer/director/writer Carlton Cuse, co-creator/executive producer/writer Chuck Hogan, and stars Kevin Durand (Vasiliy Fet), Ruta Gedmintas (Dutch Velders), Richard Sammel (Thomas Eichhorst), and Miguel Gomez (Augustin “Gus” Elizalde) discuss the challenges of bringing this chilling world to life.

The post #SDCC16: First Look at The Strain 25-Foot Lady Liberty Statue appeared first on Dread Central.

It’s been a long time coming, and it’s finally come to this. We’ve all talked about it, complained about it, some people have even gone as far as to send death threats to the director and actresses. Well here we go, we watched 2016’s Ghostbusters and boy do we have some thoughts and opinions!

Was it as bad as everyone thought it’d be? Does Melissa McCarthy make a thousand fart jokes? Is Jorge going to get his Melissa McCarthy as Slimer tattoo? Listen and find out. We also circle jerk the new Netflix show Stranger Things, give our thoughts on the first photo of Pennywise, and the latest casting announcement for American Gods. Matt shows off his “south bay” dialect, Jorge goes super saiyan and we bust some ghosts with Cancer Bats. You may be Robert to your friends but you’re fly shit to me! It’s the Who Goes There Podcast episode 76!

The Who Goes There Podcast is available to subscribe to on iTunes right here. Not an iTunes user? You can listen on our Dread Central page. Can’t get enough of our terrible jokes? Why not creep on all of our social media? Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. See you next Tuesday…

The post Who Goes There Podcast: Episode 76 – Ghostbusters appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Krista Dzialoszynski, David O’Brien, Mary Mikva

Directed by Derek Mungor

The act of replacing “found footage” with “first-person POV” isn’t all too terribly different from an audience standpoint – I mean, if you’re going to get nauseous with swaying, jerking, whipping camera usage (okay, gotta sit down for a minute), it’ll happen regardless of how you’re looking through the eyes of the affected.

In Derek Mungor’s POV thriller You Are Not Alone, we get to see first-hand the results of what will most likely be the heir to the found footage throne… and it’s not much more reassuring to those with motion-sickness issues. Slap on your puke-guards, as this one’s going to frappe your guts into a fine paste.

This 93-minute jaunt into the world of slow, plodding home-invasion terror follows our leading lady, Natalie (Dzialoszynski), as she visits her hometown for a little Independence Day fun (no, I’m not talking about an alien invasion). What I mean is some party time with the family and friends, some fireworks displays, and a little terrorizing from a kook who wants to break into her home and slice her up (I’d have just sufficed with the fireworks, but that’s me).

The film is shot through her eyes, and we get to see her take her time as far as relaxation goes… and I mean a LONG TIME – we’re talking some 50 minutes into the film before we get a glimpse of damn near anything remotely interesting. If you’re into mundane conversations, party footage, and general paint drying, then by all means feel free to indulge, but if it’s straight-up gloom and doom you’re looking for, you’ll be a might disappointed. Mungor still does an admirable job setting the table for what will be a somewhat interesting final half-hour or so, but the journey to get there is painfully dull.

When those last 30 minutes do come upon us, the actions of Natalie’s stalker are a bit unnerving, yet still not truly able to hammer in the scares. Sure, it’s a little spooky to see some nutcase standing on your lawn late at night, but come on, how many times has this trick been yanked out of the hat?

Overall, You Are Not Alone is a solid gut punch to anticipation and an even more flopping thud of a conclusion. Sorry, but I’m gonna have to take a pass on this one, and I’m convinced that I’m not alone in my thinking on this either.

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We’re pretty damn obsessed with monsters here at Dread Central so we’re pretty damn excited to read the new comic anthology Monster Smash-Ups, which is so filled with monsters that they’re practically bursting out of the pages. You can purchase your copy fracturedscarytales.com.

From the Press Release:
Indie horror comic label Scary Tales Publishing has announced the publication of its newest horror anthology comic magazine, MONSTER SMASH-UPS. This new 40-page magazine format comic book was inspired by the classic Warren Publishing B&W horror comic mags of yesterday. The premiere issue even includes a story written by frequent Warren contributor and comic legend Nicola Cuti. Each of the six stories has its own unique style and was illustrated by a different artist, from industry veterans like Manuel Martin and Bob Berry to talented newcomers assembled from around the world.

All of the stories are mash-ups; the villagers attacking the monsters in “The Diary of Anne Frankenstein,” a swamp creature vs. zombies in “The Bogman Cometh,” Dracula vs. an Arthurian knight in “Unholy Grail,” vicious predators vs. space miners in “Harvest,” a renowned naturalist vs. unnatural terrors in “Mr. Darwin’s Zoo of Horrors,” and even an Arabian legend vs. a horde of menacing mummies in “Ali Baba and the Mummy Thieves.”

Kevin M. Glover, publisher of the relatively new indie comic label, said: “We’re very excited to present this more serious collection of horror shorts. Each tale of terror ends with an ironic twist, a la the old ‘Tales from the Crypt’. People really seemed to love our companion comic mag, the frighteningly funny FRACTURED SCARY TALES’ (currently launching its third print run), but they also asked if we could make a book that was more scary than parody. MONSTER SMASH-UPS is that book. Just don’t read it alone in the dark!”

The first issue of the semi-annual publication has over forty pages of content, with six chilling short stories. The suggested retail price is $14.95, but it is selling for an introductory price of only $10.00. It can be purchased online at fracturedscarytales.com.

Publisher Glover is perhaps best known as the producer of the cult films Dinosaur Valley Girls and Venus Flytrap. He is also a multi-award winning screenwriter, published author, and active member of the Horror Writers Association. He can be contacted through his website ScreamWriter4Hire.com.

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Starring Anthony Steffen, Erika Blanc, Sybil Danning, Barbara Bouchet

Directed by Emilio P. Miraglia

Distributed by Arrow Video

Arrow Video has been killing it with stellar releases, and their box set game in particular has been stronger than any other specialty company. One of their best releases of the year features two stylish, gothic entries in the giallo subgenre – The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave (1971) and The Red Queen Kills Seven Times (1972), both of which are directed by Emilio P. Miraglia. In addition to featuring the usual marquee-massacring titles for which gialli are known, Miraglia’s twofer comes with all the standard trappings: a drippy gothic atmosphere, red herrings aplenty, costumed figures, spectacular deaths, frequent police interrogations, and a lack of coherence. In regard to that last point, it is a testament to the artistry of giallo filmmakers that their films can entertain and thrill equally as much as they confuse and frustrate. I would have a simpler time counting the number of gialli that are easy to follow than the number of films where I just said “Screw it!” and sat back to visually feast on beautiful cinematography, bloody kills, and gorgeous women before arriving at a conclusion that kinda/sorta wraps up everything. Speaking of ladies, Miraglia sure knew how to cast his films with sultry sirens of the silver screen. Neither of the two titles included here reach the apex of gialli, though each combine so many strong elements that their stories can be seen as secondary to the imagery.

A crumbling gothic mansion located on a palatial estate, complete with its own mausoleum. An insane eccentric aristocrat. The haunting memory of a dead wife. A sex dungeon. Strippers. These are the wares of The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave, one of only two giallo films directed by Emilio P. Miraglia. Alan (Anthony Steffen) has just been released from a mental institution following the death of his wife, Evelyn. He retreats to an impressive country estate where he engages in all sorts of fun activities, like hiring red-headed hookers who look like his former wife and bringing them downstairs to his literal sex dungeon where he whips and kills them. Evelyn was a cheater, but even worse she died before Alan could get some proper revenge! So, instead he kills these unfortunate escorts. It’s very cathartic, apparently.

At a séance, where a medium attempts to contact Evelyn, Alan has another episode and passes out. His cousin and only heir (who certainly wouldn’t try to exploit that fact…), Farley (Umberto Raho), agrees to stay over and make sure Alan recovers. His first order of business is to get Alan to a strip club, where he finds another redheaded pole princess that he takes home and tries to kill. Only this one is smart; she manages to escape Alan’s clutches and flee into the night. On Farley’s advice Alan ditches his digs and heads to London, where he has an overnight affair with yet another firecrotch… except this time he marries her. Good luck, lady. His new wife, Gladys (Marina Malfatti), isn’t feeling very welcomed at home, as though some sinister presence wants her out. She also isn’t well liked by Albert (Roberto Maldera), Evelyn’s creeper brother who skulks around the property, or Aunt Agatha (Joan C. Davis), but that doesn’t matter because both die horrible deaths. Gladys has noticed a new maid appearing at night, one with red hair. Is Evelyn dead? Or is something else continuing to haunt Alan and his new bride?

This is the lesser of Miraglia’s two giallo pictures, though that is only because the story is a bit unfocused and the ending sputters right out. There is still plenty of wild depravity and the giallo staples are well executed. One thing that works very well is the hinting of a supernatural element without being explicit about its veracity. Given the decrepit stone mansion and eerie woodsy locale, the setting appears ideal for some malevolent specter to give a few frights and exact some revenge. The film plays with this notion, at times dismissing it before once again giving it credence. Most giallo film killers are of the “human, black-gloved” variety; the ghostly suggestions here add a little diversity.

That theme of possible poltergeists continues with The Red Queen Kills Seven Times. Although released just one year later, Miraglia’s direction is tighter, the story improved, and the giallo elements even stronger. When Grandpa Tobias (Rudolf Schundler) has to break up a shockingly violent fight between his two young nieces, Kitty and Eveline, he reminds them both of the Red Queen. A hundred years ago, the Black Queen stabbed her sister, the Red Queen, seven times and buried her. The Red Queen rose from the grave and claimed six victims before killing the Black Queen as her seventh and final. Legend has it the curse is doomed to be repeated throughout all history, occurring a hundred years before that tale and again one hundred years after. At the time of Tobias’ telling, there are fourteen years left until it is set to happen again.

Cut to fourteen years later and Tobias has just kicked the bucket. His granddaughters Franziska (Marina Malfatti), Kitty (Barbara Bouchet), and Eveline have been summoned to the reading of the will… except Eveline never shows. Kitty says she went off to America when in reality she knows exactly where Eveline is – because she killed her. Gramps has a clause in his will stating that it can’t be executed for a year, so everyone will have to reconvene then. What can be executed now, however, are the people surrounding Kitty and her family. The witnesses to these murders have reported a person wearing a red cape, with a face that looks an awful lot like Eveline, something that spooks the hell out of Kitty. When she and Franziska check the crypts under the family mansion, they find the Eveline’s body and a red cape before being scared off by a mysterious stranger. If Eveline is dead, then who is carrying out the Red Queen killings?

A big part of why this film is superior to The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave is the killer. That film left it largely ambiguous as to who was doing the deeds, whereas this film presents the character of the Red Queen. She’s striking, memorable, a bit spooky, and a bit sexy. Giallo films love their dressed-up killers, and the Red Queen is one of the best. I may also be a bit biased since I have been in love with her design for years, having a little Red Queen figure prominently displayed on my desk. Plus, her mask reminds me of Christiane in George Franju’s Eyes Without a Face (1960), a film that likely had an influence on Miraglia’s work.

Let’s give it up for the other ladies here, too. Remember how hot Sybil Danning looked in Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf (1985)? Especially her, uh, rather special cameos during the end credits. Knock thirteen years off her and she is practically unrecognizable here as a fresh-faced actress who, even at the beginning of her career, clearly had no issue with nudity. Miraglia shot this film in Germany, which explains many of the casting decisions.

Fans of these films will recall NoShame released an attractive little double feature some years ago, featuring remastered versions of both films, a nice selection of bonus features, and that adorable little Red Queen figure I have in front of me. Arrow Video has, unsurprisingly, one-upped that release by presenting both titles with excellent a/v quality, a host of new extra features in addition to those found on NoShame’s release, reversible cover art, and a 60-page booklet filled with photos and essays – all housed inside a sexy side-loading sturdy slipcase.

The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave bonus features:

Actress Erika Blanc provides a newly-recorded introduction for the film, which can be selected on the main menu.

Author and Italian cinema authority Troy Howarth provides an audio commentary.

“Remembering Evelyn” – Author Stephen Thrower sits down for an in-depth look at the film. Thrower is very knowledgeable and his appearances are always worth watching.

“The Night Erika Came Out of the Grave” – Erika Blanc sits down for a new interview, discussing her role here and a bit about her career.

Trailers in both Italian and English are included.

The archival features brought over from NoShame include a 2006 film introduction by Erika Blanc, a 20-minute interview with Blanc recorded at the same time, and a lengthy interview with production designer Lorenzo Baraldi.

The Red Queen Kills Seven Times bonus features:

Critics Alan Jones and Kim Newman deliver the audio commentary this time around.

Production designer Lorenzo Baraldi provides an introduction to the film, from 2006.

“The Red Reign” – Stephen Thrower once again appears to deliver his insight and thoughts on Miraglia’s second giallo.

“Life of Lulu” – Actress Sybil Danning still looks fabulous, and she sits down here for a new interview about her film career.

An odd alternate opening is included, as well as trailers once again in Italian and English.

The archival features that appear here include an interview with Baraldi, an interview with actor Marino Marse, a featurette detailing what some of Miraglia’s collaborators might say if they saw him today, and a very short interview clip of Barbara Boucher.

Both films also included DVD copies of their respective features.

Special Features:
LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• Limited Edition box set (3000 copies) containing The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave and The Red Queen Kills Seven Times
• Brand new 2K restorations of the films from the original camera negatives
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
• Original Italian and English soundtracks in mono audio (lossless DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray Discs)
• Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtracks
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtracks
• Limited Edition 60-page booklet containing new writing by James Blackford, Kat Ellinger, Leonard Jacobs and Rachael Nisbet

THE NIGHT EVELYN CAME OUT OF THE GRAVE

• New audio commentary by Troy Howarth
• Exclusive introduction by actress Erika Blanc
• Writer Stephen Thrower on The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave
• The Night Erika Came Out of the Grave exclusive interview with Erika Blanc
• The Whip and the Body archival interview with Erika Blanc
• Still Rising from the Grave archival interview with production designer Lorenzo Baraldi
• Original Italian and US theatrical trailers
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx

THE RED QUEEN KILLS SEVEN TIMES

• New audio commentary by Alan Jones and Kim Newman
• Writer Stephen Thrower on The Red Queen Kills Seven Times
• Archival introduction by production/costume designer Lorenzo Baraldi
• Dead à Porter archival interview with Lorenzo Baraldi
• Rounding Up the Usual Suspects archival interview with actor Marino Masé
• If I Met Emilio Miraglia Today archival featurette with Erika Blanc, Lorenzo Baraldi and Marino Masé
• My Favourite… Films archival interview with actress Barbara Bouchet
• Alternative opening
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx

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You have to admit there just aren’t enough witches in films these days. So we’re glad that a new witch movie’s finally coming along in the form of Reel Nightmare (Facebook). If you are, too, the full details are below.

From the Press Release:
Reel Nightmare, a hybridized found-footage horror feature film by independent production company Together Magic Films, completed principal photography in Los Angeles on July 16th, following a ten-day shoot primarily set at the historical Woodbury-Story house.

The film exists in a contemporary interpretation of the H.P. Lovecraft universe, with the New England-set story centered around the discovery of a Necronomicon inside a Victorian house cursed by three body-snatching witches, and the main characters are depicted as students from the film school at the fictional Miskatonic University.

Synopsis:
An ambitious female director and her crew pick a remote Victorian house with a dark history as their shooting location, only to discover the mystical place is haunted by the spirits of three vengeful witches.

Written and directed by and co-starring Armand Petri, Reel Nightmare was produced by Art Arutyunyan in their feature film debut. Petri describes the film as: “A paranormal found-footage hybrid where the characters record the supernatural forces threatening them… until it’s logical to keep filming them. When the movie hits that point, Reel Nightmare switches to a traditional narrative style.”

The film boasts an international and diverse cast toplined by Madeleine Heil, Garrett Morosky (Ballet of Blood), Eric Saleh, Colombian import Andres Mejia Vallejo, and Canadian and Estonian beauties Hailey Chown and Mari-Liis Userdnov. Eliza Bone from Bulgaria and Brazilian thesp Christine Uhebe play two of the main witches. John DeFazio (Avengers Grimm, The Canyons) served as Director of Photography.

“The film is a fun ride that will appeal to fans of traditional horror and to those who crave an extra dosage of wit and humor in their scary movies. It features a fantastic location, an intriguing ghost story with three creepy (yet seductive) witches causing chaos, and a charismatic cast,” adds Arutyunyan.

Reel Nightmare is currently in post-production and seeking distribution. A sequel, also written by Petri, is in development.

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Starring Valorie Curry, Callie Hernandez, James Allen McCune, Brandon Scott, Wes Robinson, Corbin Reid

Directed by Adam Wingard

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a HUGE fan of The Blair Witch Project. Hell, while not perfect, to a certain extent I even dig Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2. The third Blair Witch film is here, and you know how a lot of movies are described as “this generation’s Blair Witch Project?” Well, this truly IS this generation’s Blair Witch Project.

Blair Witch is a direct sequel to the original 1999 film. Seventeen years have passed since Heather, Mike, and Josh disappeared in the Black Hills Forest of Burkittsville, Maryland. After the discovery of some new footage of the house Heather went missing in hits online, Heather’s brother (McCune) arranges a meeting between himself and the couple responsible for uploading the new footage to find out where it came from. Along for the ride and experience are three of his friends, one of whom is making a documentary about their trip, providing a reason for them all to be sporting small ear cameras.

Together they travel back to the famed sites… Coffin Rock… the infamous creek that Mike kicked the map into nearly two decades ago, etc. It doesn’t take very long for stuff to go sideways, and when it does, it does so in spectacularly frightening fashion.

In the year 2000 when Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 was released, the Blair Witch fanbase cried foul. It was literally the sequel that nobody wanted. It goes off the rails and never delivers the goods that the original film and even the various stellar TV tie-ins such as “Curse of the Blair Witch” and “The Burkittsville 7” did. As a result it remains one of the more reviled sequels of all time. It seemed as if no one understood how to make a follow-up to the phenom that was the original film. Well, one thing’s for sure… director Adam Wingard and his longtime collaborator, writer Simon Barrett, certainly do; and they’ve done so with hardly any missteps.

Blair Witch only really makes one mistake… it never strays too far from the groundwork laid by the original movie and at times feels like more of a remake that takes advantage of today’s technology than it does a sequel. Given the fact that the second one was so far out of the box in comparison to the original, I’m guessing the decision was made to play the events close to the chest, if only to salvage the fanbase and introduce Elly Kedward to a brand new audience. Make no mistake, though; Blair Witch is very much a sequel in every sense of the word, and at the end of the day it’s the movie we’ve all been hoping for.

Wingard and Barrett definitely bring their own flavor to the world created by Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick, expanding upon the mythos and everything we thought that we knew while planting a veritable treasure trove of easter eggs within the film for the fans to discover. When things get cooking, the film takes a pretty relentless approach to the scares, and the last act is undeniably intense. The final 20 minutes are home to some of the most claustrophobic and nerve-wrenching moments the horror genre has seen in quite some time. It literally feels like being locked inside of a deranged funhouse with your worst nightmares. The scares come fast and furious, and they do not relent until the very last frame, leaving the audience thoroughly shaken.

I get why the filmmakers stayed on the path paved by the original film, but since the groundwork has been laid (or relaid, for that matter), I’m also more eager to see what Wingard and Barrett could do now that the franchise has been retooled and reintroduced. The Blair Witch is back… and now that she’s here, it’s time for things to be a little less safe and a lot more dangerous.

Oh, and for those of you who complained that in the original we never saw the witch, I can now confirm that you d…

Elly, I have missed you so. Welcome home.

The post Blair Witch (2016) appeared first on Dread Central.

One of the biggest complaints we hear about “Preacher” from people who are fans of the comics is that what we’ve been seeing in Season 1 is basically just the backstory of what said comics are all about.  Well, from the looks of this new trailer that was unveiled at the San Diego Comic-Con for the final two episodes of Season 1, they should be pleased because it seems things are about to change course as Jesse and his compadres finally turn to the task of finding God.

There’s some other pretty cool stuff going on in the video provided by AMC so scroll down and check it out below the synopses of the upcoming Episodes 1.09, “Finish the Song,” and 1.10, “Call and Response.”

Even though the show’s already been renewed for an expanded 13-episode second season, slated for 2017, we couldn’t get much intel about it from exec producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg during “Preacher’s” Comic-Con press conference, but we did glean a few tidbits from them, comic creator Garth Ennis, and co-stars Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga, Joseph Gilgun, Ian Colletti, and Graham McTavish. We’ll have our full report shortly.

“Preacher” Episode 1.09 – “Finish the Song” (airs 7/24/16)
Jesse is on the run, while those around him face life-altering decisions. Meanwhile, the Cowboy returns to Ratwater to exact his revenge.

“Preacher” Episode 1.10 – “Call and Response” – Season Finale (airs 7/31/16)
In the first season finale, it’s the day the entire town has been waiting for, as Jesse tries to follow through on his promise to get answers from Heaven.

The post #SDCC16: Preacher Finally Sets Off to Find God in New Trailer appeared first on Dread Central.

Get ready to break out your wallets and bust your bank account because Scream Factory just announced 13 new Blu-ray titles that will begin rolling out as early as this November.

Scream Factory dropped the news at its San Diego Comic-Con panel Friday evening, followed by an update on Facebook. Most of these movies need no introduction to horror fans so here’s the news direct from the source:

BUBBA HO-TEP (2002) (Collector’s Edition) – Stars Bruce Campbell and directed by Don Coscarelli.

WILLARD (1971) – The rare 70s rat-revenge film is (finally) coming to DVD & Blu-ray!

BEN (1972) – The sequel to Willard.

BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974) (Collector’s Edition) – The original slasher classic!

POLTERGEIST II (1986) (Collector’s Edition)– “They’re Back!”

POLTERGEIST III (1988) (Collector’s Edition) – “They’ve Found Her!”

DREAMSCAPE (1984) (Collector’s Edition) – The fantasy cult classic starring Dennis Quaid and Kate Capshaw.

RABID (1977) (Collector’s Edition) – The early Cronenberg classic!

DEAD RINGERS (1988) (Collector’s Editon) – Another Cronenberg favorite. Stars Jeremy Irons.

SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE II (1987) & SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE III (1990) double feature – You asked for it (a lot) so make sure to buy it!

THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED (1970) – Rare AIP early “slasher” film!

DEAD OF WINTER (1987) – Chilling thriller starring Mary Steenburgen and the late great Roddy McDowell.

No further details yet on what to expect from any of these titles, but given how many are billed as “Collector’s Editions,” we can expect them to be fully loaded with all sorts of extras. No doubt we’ll be providing you with more details when Scream Factory announces specifics in the weeks and months to come.

In related news, Matt Serafini just filed for bankruptcy.

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Some big news came out of the San Diego Comic-Con on Day 2 during the “Scream Queens” panel: Cecily Strong (“Saturday Night Live,” Ghostbusters) is guest starring as a patient in the hospital (which used to be an asylum) where Season 2 is set.  In addition, there will be a three-year time jump when the show returns on September 20th.

Some other highlights of the panel per THR include:

• Keke Palmer’s character, Zayday, is now a med student at the hospital. In addition to being a doctor there, John Stamos’ new character is also “the recipient of the world’s first complete hand transplant.” It could be the hand of “a brilliant surgeon” or maybe from “a squash player who killed his opponents.”
• The Chanels are in a “low-status position” in the new season according to exec producer Ian Brennan. “They have fallen from glamour,” star Emma Roberts said. “It’s really funny seeing them trying to hold on to their style when they have no money. They have to work, which is something really foreign to them.”
• When asked if we might see the Red Devil this season, Brennan said, “It’s a different killer this year, the look is different, the color is different… [Season 2] will be “bloodier and funnier… I think we’re leaning into the creepiness a little more and a little bit more into the comedy as well.”
• Palmer added, “The mystery aspect with the killer is much higher this season. In this one it’s like. ‘What’s going on? Where is this happening, and why is this happening?'”

About “Scream Queens” Season 2:
Premiering Tuesday, September 20 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), on FOX, Season Two of “SCREAM QUEENS” graduates from the college campus and into an all-new location, as a terrifyingly funny mystery will begin once again. Season Two is set in a hospital, where some of the most fascinating and bizarre medical cases are under observation.

Golden Globe Award nominee Jamie Lee Curtis, Emma Roberts, Lea Michele, Abigail Breslin, Keke Palmer, Glen Powell, and Niecy Nash are set to reprise their Season One characters. Emmy Award nominee John Stamos, Taylor Lautner, and James Earl also joins the cast as the series’ new male leads with Colton Haynes and Cecily Strong as guest stars.

“Scream Queens” is from Ryan Murphy Television and Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision in association with 20th Century Fox Television. The series is created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan, who also serve as writers and directors on the series. It is executive produced by Murphy, Falchuk, Brennan, and Alexis Martin Woodall (“American Horror Story: Hotel”).

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Our love affair with all things plastic on the showroom floor of the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con continues as right now we take you into the booths of two of the industry’s heavy hitters – NECA and Mezco, along with some other surprises.

They’re all here, kids! Freddy, Jason, Chucky, Predator, Alien, Beetlejuice, Living Dead Dolls, and Star Trek. So what if Star Trek isn’t horror! You tell Kirk he’s not good enough to be included, and we can guarantee you’ll be leaving with a Tribble shoved where the sun doesn’t shine!

Read on for the goods! Get to clickin’!

The post #SDCC16: March of the Horror Toys Part 3: NECA, Mezco, and More! appeared first on Dread Central.

The strangeness of the San Diego Comic-Con continues as we’ve scoured downtown to bring you some of the more interesting sights you may have missed if you were here.

From cosplay to demonic beds to everything in between, this sliver of strange has it all waiting for you. Honestly, at this rate we don’t even know if we’ll have a third random sights gallery. I mean, we probably will, but… man, could we use a break!

In any event! Enjoy!

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