Starring Amber Frank, Mason Dye, Dylan Sprayberry, Keely Wilson, Tom Everett Scott, Brigid Brannagh

Directed by Larry A. McLean

Left Behind appears well on its way to becoming the Children of the Corn of Christian cinema.

You know, that misbegotten film franchise they just keep pumping out sequels to and reboots of even though nobody is really clamoring for it. Someone owns the rights to a name brand property and is bound and determined to milk every last penny out of it even though there’s really nothing left to milk. That poor cash cow…

Just two years removed from the last attempt to revive the most famous of Christploitation film franchises with Nicolas Cage on acting autopilot in a Rapture-themed airline disaster flick (If you don’t know what the Rapture is, don’t worry; the true believers that get the express ticket to heaven are going to leave behind flash drives containing pre-recorded videos to explain it to those left behind) comes yet another tepid attempt to reboot Left Behind, this time with a Young Adult take on the subject boasting one of the most preposterously, needlessly long movie titles in recent memory: Vanished: Left Behind – Next Generation.

Not even the Star Wars, Hobbit, or Pirates of the Caribbean films have resorted to a title that required the double whammy of both a colon and hyphen.

Not only does this re-reboot take square aim at millenials by giving us the tweener’s point-of-view of the Rapture, Vanished: Left Behind – Next Generation: At World’s End boldly goes into Mormon-inspired Twilight territory by tossing in a love triangle among our cute 15-year old heroine, her handsome blonde longtime neighbor BFF who wants to be more than just friends with promise ring benefits, and the Edward Cullen-esque homeless teen with the soulful sultry eyes that joins up with them on her trek to daddy’s house outside the city as The Rapture crumbles society into the PG-rated version of The Purge. The blandest whitest kids on the planet having the chastest ménage-a-trois you can stand–that is, until the script just completely abandons the romantic triangle in lieu of that vilest of Christian movie villains:

The Antichrist, you say? Heavens, no! The spawn of Satan doesn’t show up until the final moments in the guise of “Global Community Leader” Nicholae Carpathia (a name that screams I’m either a vampire, a Highlander villain, or the Antichrist) delivering a Cobra Commander speech in his most calming Tony Robbins voice. Nothing seems to terrify fundamentalist Christians more than the concept of the people of the earth coming together as one, even though I kind of thought that was the ultimate goal of their very faith as well. I’ll leave that debate for Sunday school.

No. Having Tribulation teenagers fight back against the Antichrist might have proved compelling. Wouldn’t want that. Instead, before that isn’t-this-what-the-whole-movie-should-have-been-about climax, these clean cut young do-gooders, but not clean or good enough to get Raptured, must contend with an arrogant, paranoid, delusional, genius, doomsday prepper atheist with a god complex. You read that correctly: The villain of this “Produced by Rick Santorum” production is an atheist with a god complex. That sounds like a hell of an oxymoron to me.

Played by Tom Everett Scott (“Z Nation”) with a certain degree of menacing, though frequently bordering on campy histrionics, our “man of facts, not fantasy or fairy tales” (wink, wink: silly religious beliefs) knew the government, society, and technology as we know it would collapse one day and his elaborate farm sanctuary would make him a beacon of hope in the brave new world he speculates to be the result of an EMP or gamma burst that has KO’d all communications on the planet and caused random people to spontaneously disintegrate. More than anything else, he just cannot handle anyone questioning his authority. If you do, he’ll slap you around and stalk you with his hunting rifle like Elmer Fudd’s The Shining.

The bulk of Vanished: Left Behind – Next Generation: The Consecration of Smaug plays out like a training wheels primer for the greater battle to come when the Antichrist makes himself known as a false prophet promising the same sense of communal safety in exchange for absolute unquestioning loyalty. Like making a Hunger Games reboot about a group of teens in a district playing paintball in the woods only for a few of them to go nuts and try killing their friends for real; then the sole survivors of that game gone wrong get home just in time to have their names drawn for the actual Hunger Games. The actual Hunger Games is the movie you should be making, not a dopey metaphorical prologue.

As was the case with the previous and seemingly unrelated Left Behind reboot with Nic Cage as Capt. “Sully” Sullennoraptureberger trying to land a crippled airplane after everyone goes poof, the story being told once again feels excessively trite given the ultimate stakes at play everywhere in the world except where our protagonists are. Even the Kirk Cameron movies got that much right.

One thing Vanished: Left Behind – Next Generation – Episode Three: Revenge of the Christ does get fairly right in a too brief, surprisingly effective sequence is the immediate chaos of the Rapture. Doing so gave me hope that would soon vanish as the film settled into a dramatically inert and spiritually superficial mix of teen romance, suspense-less mystery, sloppily assembled cat-and-mouse chase scenes, and a plethora of come-to-Jesus talks, which in a movie like this are literal come-to-Jesus talks.

Spoiler Alert: When our heroine finally locates her father and rescues him from captivity, the first quiet moment they get alone, he immediately begins giving her this oddly vague speech about how he’s now a true believer because of the amazing sights and miracles he’s experienced since a billion people vanished. By all accounts, his past couple of days consisted of getting into a car accident, being accepted into a commune run by a lunatic, being taken hostage, and then being imprisoned inside a locked box in the woods for hours at a time. I really wanted him to be a little more specific about what he’s seen that suddenly filled him such faith. I suppose when you’re locked in a box baking in the sun for days at a time, you have nothing else to do but think about the meaning of life and death.

Another tried and true trope of Rapture movies that plays out yet again here is mothers crying over their babies and small children that have vanished in a blink of an eye. However, our heroine’s 11-year-old kid sister did not get Raptured, once again leading me to ponder as I have during previous movies about the Rapture: What exactly is Jesus’ cut-off age for automatic Rapturing by virtue of childhood innocence? From the looks of this movie, that little girl is about the only preteen left on the planet. What evil thoughts must lurk in her head that she’s the one kid that didn’t get called up?

Ultimately, The Incredibly Bland Christians that Started Believing and Become Mixed-Up Tribulators squanders a capable cast of actors and falls into that unfortunate category where the best I can say is there’s nothing especially bad about it nor is there anything particularly good about it. Worst of all, it never truly justifies its own existence other than to squeeze a few more dollars out of a brand name. It exists to exist. I’m sure it will play just fine with the choir but will just be white noise to anyone else interested in watching a decent Biblical thriller. It’s no Megiddo: Omega Code 2, that’s for certain.

Honestly, I feel like I already saw the layman’s version of this premise once already this year, and it wasn’t much better when it was called The Fifth Wave.

The post Vanished: Left Behind – Next Generation (2016) appeared first on Dread Central.

Even though Dario Argento doesn’t see the point of a Suspiria remake, that’s not stopping the Hollywood film machine from moving forward with it; and today we have some new casting news. Variety is reporting that Chloe Moretz is set to star opposite Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, and Mia Goth in Frenesy Film Company and Mythology Entertainment’s new retelling of the classic horror film.

A Bigger Splash helmer Luca Guadagnino (interview) is directing. Amazon Studios, which acquired the worldwide distribution rights and is financing the production, had no comment.

The film is a passion project of Guadagnino, who has wanted to do a new re-imagining for some time and has been at the forefront of getting this remake off the ground. David Kajganich is penning the script based on the original film, which was written by Dario Argento and Daria Nicolodi.

Based on the 1977 film from Italian horror master Argento, the movie follows a young ballet dancer who travels to a prestigious dance academy in Europe, only to discover it is a front for something far more sinister and supernatural amidst a series of increasingly grisly murders. Suspiria is a Latin word for “sighs.”

The film will be produced by Frenesy Film Company, Mythology Entertainment, First Sun Films, and Memo Films. The producers on the project are Guadagnino, Brad Fischer, Kajganich, Francesco Melzi d’Eril, Marco Morabito, Gabriele Moratti, William Sherak, and Silvia Venturini Fendi. Mythology’s James Vanderbilt, Paul Deason, and Carlo Antonelli are exec producing.

The post Chloe Moretz Dances Her Way to Suspiria Remake appeared first on Dread Central.

Starz has released a bevy of Presidential campaign videos in support of “Ash vs. Evil Dead” and its #Ash4President campaign, and we have ’em all for you right here!

You can show your support for the #Ash4President Campaign by subscribing to this month’s Box of Dread, and you’ll even get some cool swag you won’t find ANYWHERE else for doing so!

And there’s also this gem of a new video!

“Ash vs. Evil Dead” Season Two Release Details:
Season Two of the STARZ Original Series “Ash vs. Evil Dead” premiered October 2nd. Since Season One, Ash has been living it up in Jacksonville, Florida, with his loyal sidekick Pablo and revenge-filled Kelly. Season Two kicks off with a double-deadite battle royale interrupting the party; Ash is forced to return back to his hometown of Elk Grove, Michigan… and as always, Evil follows him.

The cast is led by Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead, “Burn Notice”) in the role of Ash Williams; Lucy Lawless (“Salem,” “Spartacus”) as Ruby, who now possesses the powerful Necronomicon; Ray Santiago (“Touch,” Meet the Fockers) as Pablo Simon Bolivar, Ash’s loyal sidekick dealing with the trauma he suffered in the cabin; and Dana DeLorenzo (A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas) as Kelly Maxwell, who, grief-stricken after the death of her parents, plots revenge against The Evil Dead. Lee Majors (“The Six Million Dollar Man”), Ted Raimi (“Xena: Warrior Princess,” Spider-Man), and Michelle Hurd (“Law & Order: SVU”) join the cast this year as Brock Williams, Ash’s father; Chet Kaminski, Ash’s childhood best friend; and Linda, Ash’s high school love, respectively.

Sam Raimi serves as executive producer with Rob Tapert (Evil Dead, “Spartacus,” “Xena: Warrior Princess”), Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead, “Burn Notice”), and Ivan Raimi (Drag Me to Hell, Spider-Man 3) along with Craig DiGregorio (“Workaholics,” “Chuck”), who serves as executive producer/showrunner. Aaron Lam (“Spartacus”) and Moira Grant (“Spartacus”) serve as producers.

The post The #Ash4President Campaign Is in Full Swing; Support it – Subscribe to Box of Dread THIS MONTH! appeared first on Dread Central.

The city of lights has quite the dark side and that’s exactly what we’ll be discussing this Wednesday October 5th when Brainwaves: Horror and Paranormal Talk Radio returns to the only airwaves ballsy enough to host it DeepTalkRadio.com!

Join us for all the spooky discussion that’s worth its salt as ScarePop‘s Layla Halfhill, Jessica Babila, and Phil Crain join us for the usual shenanigans!

Brainwaves: Horror and Paranormal Talk Radio is available to subscribe to on iTunes. Not an iTunes user?  You can also listen right here on the site.

Also you can hit Dread Central on Facebook to watch a live stream of the show as it happens.

Spooky, funny, touching, honest, offensive, and at times completely random, Brainwaves airs live every Wednesday evening beginning at 9:00 PM Pacific Time (12:00 midnight Eastern Time) and runs about 3 hours per episode.

Knetter and Creepy will be taking your calls LIVE and unscreened via Skype, so let your freak flags fly! Feel free to add BrainWavesTalk to your Skype account so you can reach us, or call in from a landline or cellphone – 858 480 7789. The duo also take questions via Twitter; you can reach us at @UncleCreepy and @JoeKnetter using the hashtag #BrainWaves.

Have a ghost story or a paranormal story but can’t call in? Feel free to email it to me directly at UncleCreepy@dreadcentral.com with “Brainwaves Story” in your subject line. You can now become a fan of the show via the official… BRAINWAVES FACEBOOK PAGE!

Brainwaves: Horror and Paranormal Talk Radio is hosted live (with shows to be archived as they progress) right here on Dread Central. You can tune in and listen via the FREE TuneIn Radio app or listen to TuneIn right through the website!

For more information and to listen live independent of TuneIn, visit the Deep Talk Radio Network website, “like” Deep Talk Radio on Facebook, and follow Deep Talk Radio on Twitter. And don’t forget to subscribe to Brainwaves on iTunes.

The post Brainwaves Episode 16 – Guest Announcement – Layla Halfhill, Jessica Babila, and Phil Crain Talk Haunted California appeared first on Dread Central.

Our buddies over at HalloweenCostumes.com are back with another seasonal infographic that dishes the dirt on actors who launched their careers by getting bloody! Check it out!

From the Site:
Psst. Come closer. We want to fill you in on a little dirty secret of ours: we are completely obsessed with horror movies. Slasher flicks, zombie films, science fiction thrillers, and supernatural major motion pictures; we bloody love ’em all! Bring on all the gore, mangled monsters, blood-curdling shrieks, and the perpetual paranormal hauntings because we can handle it. Sure, we watch most horror movies through spliced fingers while shielding our eyes, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Seriously. There’s something about being immobilized with fear that makes us feel so…alive.

So, being the self-confessed creepy movie connoisseurs that we are, we couldn’t help but notice one particular startling trend: whoa, there are so many baby-faced Hollywood A-listers popping up in our favorite old-school scary movies. Before these big league stars made the big bucks, they could be seen dodging flesh-eating furballs and running from chainsaw-wielding psychopaths. Watching these cinema hall of famers being hacked to bits by some classic fictional killers makes us giddy with delight, so we’ve decided to expose all of the skeletons hiding in their horror movie closets. Our infographic is one force to be reckoned with that these stars won’t be able to run away from!

Image Created by HalloweenCostumes.com

The post Actors and Their Killer Careers appeared first on Dread Central.

We’ve seen several films take some long and winding roads on their way to being released, but Dark Seduction‘s 30-year journey could be the longest yet! This vampire noir thriller, shot in 1984, was lost for decades before being rediscovered and lovingly completed by the film’s star and director, Greg Travis.

Along with Travis, the film stars Tyler Horn, Victoria Hughey, and Catherine Simmons.

In the years since Dark Seduction‘s initial production, Travis has gone on to cult acclaim, appearing in films such as Showgirls, Starship Troopers, Watchmen, and many, many more. He’s thrilled to finally be releasing the film this year on October 11th on VOD and is eager to connect with horror/genre/cult audiences.

From the Press Release:
This is a little indie film gem that got lost but is finally coming to light. It took many years to complete this super cool project; finally, on October 11, 2016, just in time for the Halloween festivities, this epic adventure will be released on many VOD-MOD North American platforms. Any movie lover who enjoys classic noir films and vampires dressed in 80’s style will appreciate this unique detective/vampire cult classic.

The production was shot in Los Angeles, CA, in the summer of 1984 and is an adventure full of danger, seduction, bloodsucking, and a ticking clock. A detective must solve his case and find two exotic beautiful vampires, while fighting back becoming a vampire himself.

It has been with persistence and endurance that this film has come together 30 years after its initial creation. You will not want to miss out on being a part of this exciting experience.

For more info visit the Dark Seduction website and Facebook page.

The post Dark Seduction Release 30 Years in the Making! appeared first on Dread Central.

On September 22nd, we made a truly frightening trek (two hours and change in snarled L.A. traffic from Hollywood to Buena Park, CA) to the commencement of Knott’s Scary Farm, 2016. But was the event, now in its 44th year of operation, worth the drive? Step inside for a rundown on what we saw, what we missed, and a photo gallery.

With two more maze attractions than its competitor Halloween Horror Nights (nine in total), in this writer’s estimation, when it comes to park attractions turned “haunt” in SoCal, there’s no bigger bang for your buck than Knott’s: world-class coasters (we rode the Silver Bullet until we were nearly sick), Elvira’s comedic and risqué returning show (this year titled “Elvira’s Danse Macabre”) and the traditional “The Hanging”, that sense of sweet nostalgia for Los Angeles residents given the attraction’s four-plus-decade run, and oh, let me not forget two of the park’s best aspects – rather inexpensive tickets and short lines – all conspire to make for an entirely enjoyable experience.

Related Story: MUST READ: Save the Horror Fan! Petitions We Actually NEED!

So, what did we see? First up on our maze tour was the all new “PARANORMAL, INC.”

Unlike its competitor HHN, whose mazes are derived from licensed and known film properties, Knott’s attractions and their narratives are often based on historical characters, urban legends, and in this case, the public’s fascination with reality TV shows focusing on paranormal investigation. Beginning with a “live” taping of a ghost hunting show, the opening scene of “PARANORMAL, INC.,” served as an entirely effective setup for a gasp-inducing punch line we couldn’t have predicted. What followed was a claustrophobic journey into a haunted hospital, complete with elevated production design, startling wire gags and more than a few jump scares.

On the heels of this ghostly encounter, we ventured into “Red Barn” (cannibal hillbillies galore), “The Tooth Fairy” (grim, gory, and unsettling with A Nightmare on Elm Street “boiler room” aesthetic), and “Trick or Treat” mazes. All are a good time, although the latter seemed lacking in that its impressive finale, last seen in 2014, is still missing (and the cheaply made, one-dimensional plywood tree, in lieu of the previous and altogether impressive one, still resides at the maze’s entrance). Still, the attraction remains eye candy for those with a love of the Halloween season, and the opening jack-o’-lantern strewn staircase effectively evokes the holiday.

Possessing perhaps the most top-notch production design of the mazes we experienced, we headed over to the returning “Voodoo: Order of the Serpent” attraction, and we weren’t let down. A descent into the haunted bayous of Louisiana and populated with nefarious voodoo priests, priestesses, corpses, crocodiles, and more, the maze delivers.

With so much to do we missed the mazes “Shadow Lands,” “The Dead of Winter: Wendigo’s Revenge,” and “Gunslinger’s Grave: A Blood Moon Rises,” as well as both Elvira’s show and “The Hanging,” though we did experience the upgraded zombie shoot “Special Ops: Infected” (and for fans of first person shooters, this is a “bucket list” item).

What we wanted more of? Fog. There wasn’t nearly enough (“Fog Alley” exempt), scare actors in the scare zones (there seem to be less each year), the missing tarot card and fortune teller tents in Camp Snoopy, and the sounds of the 90’s goth band Switchblade Symphony, the latter still suspiciously absent from the park (c’mon, Knott’s, don’t break tradition; we notice these things).

Additionally, “Skeleton Key” attractions are now stand-alone and no longer situated within any of the park’s nine mazes, and given that wait times for what ultimately are very short experiences, it seems an odd choice, and a bit of a let-down. And as for the now-shuttered “Fear VR”, closing fright attractions because a small segment of society deems them “offensive” is akin to shuttering the doors of a confectionery because someone deems it too “sweet.” What’s next? Canceling “The Hanging,” because of its political incorrectness? Or Elvira’s show, because someone deems her décolletage too racy? Get it together, Knott’s.

Overall, though, it was a blast, if not retaining the elevated production value exhibited by the park in the 1990’s (“Dominion of the Dead”, anyone?)

Recommendation? While the park’s lines are happily short, purchasing a Fright Lane pass with a Skeleton Key for $110.00 is the way to go, if you have hopes of seeing everything. Even with one, the park indeed has so much to offer, that you’ll probably demand a return visit in order to take it all in (we’ll be returning ourselves).

Knott’s Scary Farm is located at 8039 Beach Blvd. in Buena Park, CA, and runs on select dates from September 22 until Halloween. For ticket info and more, click here and don’t forget to check them out at Knott’s Scary Farm on Facebook!

The post Event Report: Knott’s Scary Farm 2016 appeared first on Dread Central.

There’s just three days until Lucio Fulci’s Zombie #2 becomes available at Eibon Press website!  It’s an epic new issue featuring all the awesome gore and wild characters from the classic film, including SHARK VS. ZOMBIE and EYE VS. SPLINTER!

THREE DAYS, people!

Hot damn!!!

But there’s even more reason for Fulci fans to be excited about the new issue which drops on FRIDAY.  Check it out:

That’s right!  You’re gonna get an extended preview story from the first chapter of Eibon Press’s wildly ambitious SEVEN GATES SAGA, based on the legendary “supernatural trilogy” created by Lucio Fulci in the 1980s.  The first comic series in the trilogy will be Lucio Fulci’s Gates of Hell, based on Fulci’s City of the Living Dead.  And you can get an exclusive look how all of that will come to bloody life within the pages of ZOMBIE #2!  Eibon has added a full preview chapter to the new issue that will blow your mind, depicting the classic opening of the film, in which a young medium (Catriona Macoll) witnesses Father Deacon Thomas hanging himself, thus opening the gates of hell!  Seriously, kids, Lucio Fulci’s Gates of Hell is a complete and total motherfucker. It’s a crazy adaptation that is faithful to the plot and characters of the film, featuring amazing art by Derek Rook and a script by Zombie writer and editor Stephen Romano… but this thing goes even beyond what you’ve seen in the film, creating the groundwork for an epic horror comics trilogy unlike any other!  Here’s another look at some of the wildness in store for you the “Gates of Hell” mini-series:

Plus, as usual, Lucio Fulci’s Zombie #2 features all the awesome collector’s bell and whistles, including a variant cover album sleeve and a metric fuck-ton of extra goodies inside!

Be sure to get to eibonpress.com early because the signed copies always go very quickly!

S

The post Lucio Fulci’s CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD comic preview drops in THREE DAYS from Eibon Press! appeared first on Dread Central.

Right now is an exciting time to be an Evil Dead fan. Ash vs. Evil Dead is back on our screens and the month of October is the perfect time to revisit Sam Raimi’s original trilogy. However, on top of that, Space Goat Productions – the creators of the upcoming Evil Dead 2 board game and the critically acclaimed comics series – are celebrating all things boomstick and Deadite.

This month they’ll be hosting an exclusive event where they’ll be giving away some groovy prizes, including a copy of the highly anticipated board game and some comics. Furthermore, they’ll also be watching the movies in all their splendid splatstick glory via Twitter and we’re all invited to join them.

Related Story: Exclusive Collectible Ash Vs Evil Dead Pin Comes to October Box of Dread

Let’s flood social media with all things Evil Dead this month.

From the Press Release:
Space Goat Publishing calls all Evil Dead fans to raise their hands — and chainsaws —  for Evil Dead Days. Running from October 12th thru October 31st, Evil Dead Days will have Evil Dead 2 comic releases, host Evil Dead live-tweets, and hold an Evil Dead 2 photo contest.

“Because of the success of our Evil Dead 2 Board Game Kickstarter, we had to delay the release of some of our upcoming Evil Dead 2 comics,” Space Goat President Shon Bury said. “But in order to make it up to our loyal Evil Dead fans and comic retailers, we wanted to put on a big celebration of all things Evil Dead.”

The cornerstone of the event is the Evil Dead Days contest put on by Space Goat Productions. Evil Dead fans just have to post a picture of themselves with Space Goat’s Evil Dead 2 comics on Facebook or Twitter with #evildeaddays. Space Goat will pick their top 3 favorites out of all entries to win Evil Dead 2 prizes. First place is a deluxe copy of Evil Dead 2: The Official Board Game (valued at $80), Second Place is Frank Hannah’s Evil Dead 2 graphic novel trilogy (Valued at $58.97), while Third place is a $25 gift card for MerchGoat.com.

Space Goat Publishing will also host Twitter viewing events of all the Evil Dead movies where fans can join in. Space Goat will be holding the online events at the following times:

On October 19th at 7PM PST: Evil Dead (1981), on October 21st at 7PM PST: Evil Dead 2, on October 26th at 7PM: Army of Darkness and on October 27th at 7PM: Evil Dead (2013). Fans just need to follow @gospacegoat and tweet using the hashtag #evildeaddays to join in.

Finally, Space Goat Publishing will debut three new Evil Dead 2 comics on the first day of the celebration. The First is Evil Dead 2: Revenge of Dracula, written by Veteran DC writer and editor Scott Peterson (Batman: Gotham Adventures, Batgirl) and pencilled by Yvel Guichet and Horacio Domingues. The second is Evil Dead 2: Revenge of the Martians written by Ty Templeton (Batman Adventures, Batman ‘66) with layouts also by Ty Templeton and pencilled by Eduardo Vienna. Lastly, Evil Dead 2: Dark Ones Rising #1 begins a 3-issue mini series written by Frank Hannah and pencilled by Oscar Bazaldua and Raul Valdez.

For more information on Space Goat and Days of the Evil Dead, follow them on Twitter at @GoSpaceGoat or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/spacegoatpublishing.>

Evil Dead 2: The Official Board Game is available for pre-order here: https://evil-dead-2-the-official-board-game.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

The post Who Wants to Win Some Groovy Evil Dead Prizes? appeared first on Dread Central.

Looking to spend some truly quality time with The Tall Man! Then fire up whatever VOD service you use and start watching all 5 Phantasm films right now!

In the interim dig on this new featurette!

The 4k restoration of Don Coscarelli’s Phantasm premiered at this year’s SXSW in Austin. All five films, including Remastered and Ravager will be available on digital HD on On Demand October 4th, but Remastered and Ravager will be in theaters October 7th!

Synopsis:
The residents of a small town have begun dying under strange circumstances, leading young Mike (Michael Baldwin) to investigate. After discovering that the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm), the town’s mortician, is killing and reanimating the dead as misshapen zombies, Mike seeks help from his older brother, Jody (Bill Thornbury), and local ice cream man Reggie (Reggie Bannister). Working together, they try to lure out and kill the Tall Man, all the while avoiding his minions and a deadly silver sphere.

Phantasm: Ravager is an all-new film that brings one of cinema’s longest-running franchises (36 years!) without a reboot to a close, with Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) and Reggie (Reggie Banister) teaming up to confront the dimension-hopping Tall Man (Angus Scrimm, in his final role) once and for all.

Synopsis:
For 37 years, audiences have followed small town friends Reggie, Mike, and Jody in their quest to stop the evil, dimension-hopping schemes of The Tall Man (Angus Scrimm in his final performance) and his armada of killer Sentinel Spheres. Now, Don Coscarelli’s acclaimed horror/sci-fi Phantasm franchise comes to a close in a truly epic finale, a multi-dimensional battle across multiple timelines, alien planets, and altered realities, where no less than the fate of Earth is on the line.

The post All 5 Phantasm Films on VOD NOW; New Featurette: Phantasm and YOU! appeared first on Dread Central.

The Casket Creatures have become one of the prominent bands in today’s horrorpunk scene, and in addition to the band’s several albums that have been released since their original formation in 2010, the band has also completely nailed it several times when it comes to making music videos over the years.

Without a doubt the most notable video that they have done is for the song “Zombies Werewolves From Outer Space” off of their 2014 EP She Screams. Since the release of their current album Deranged earlier this year the band has put together a video for the title track that was extremely NSFW, and now they have put together a video for another standout track on the album, “HeXed”. And I am extremely proud and happy to be premiering the video today here on Dread Central, which you can see below!

Forgoing the usual tradition of a horrorpunk music video being set at night and darkness, the band filmed the entirety of “Hexed” during the day. According to vocalist Ryan Cadaver “We shot it all during the day because it is something different and it made us really have to work hard to ensure everything looked right, since it would be visible in the scenes.”

The video for “HeXed” was directed by Kevin Slayfield who also directed the video for the aforementioned “Deranged.” In addition to directing, Slayfield is also one of the guitarists in the band, joining frontman Ryan Cadaver, fellow guitarist Derek Obscura, bassist Cliff Damage and drummer Tony 2 Skulls. Filming took place at Darkness Pines Haunted Trail in Anderson, South Carolina, and what better place for a horrorpunk video to take place than at a haunted trail! While discussing the style of the video, Cadaver says “The Casket Creatures have always tried to convey stories with our music. We feel like the video for HeXed conveys the imagery of what was originally imagined in the lyrics.”

After checking out the video, you can go and get your own copy of Deranged, as well as the rest of the bands releases at their CDBaby page and be sure to go give them a Like on their Facebook page to stay up to date with the band!

The post Dread Central Exclusive: The Casket Creatures “HeXed” Music Video Premiere! appeared first on Dread Central.

The new flick from indie director Tommy Faircloth (Dollface, Crinoline Head) entitled, Family Possessions will be premiering at the upcoming Nightmares Film Festival in Columbus, Ohio, and ahead of its debut we now have the trailer and poster. Dig it!

Leah Wiseman, Jason Vail, Suzie Haines, Lizzie Mears, Morgan Monnig, Michael Alig, Erika Edwards, Michael David Wilson, Robert Haulbrook, Andrew Wicklum, Mark Patton, and Felissa Rose star.

Synopsis:
A young girl named Rachael that inherits her Grandmother’s mansion. Rachael and her family relocate across the country to move into the house, as the father recently lost his job and fell on hard financial times. Once in this new town and this new house, Rachael begins having paranormal experiences in the house and later finds out a big secret that her mother and father were keeping from her and her younger brother.

The post A Look at Some Haunting Family Possessions appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Aisling Goodman, James Drew Dean, Caz Odin Darko, the soothing voice of Eric Roberts

Written and Directed by David DeCoteau

David DeCoteau has become the Nigerian prince email scam of filmmaking. How else to explain expecting people to pay for the feature length b-roll he frequently passes off as cinema or the sheer gall it takes to promote Eric Roberts as the star of your film knowing he does not actually appear in it, merely providing brief voiceovers at the very beginning and end?

It’s been quite some time since I last reviewed a David DeCoteau film – with good reason. I wasn’t planning to watch or review this one, either. I was kind of fascinated when I saw that the long time b-to-z grade filmmaker dropped four new movies onto VOD this past Friday. One, Asian Ghost Story starring 90’s action heroine Cynthia Rothrock, dealt with the vengeful spirit of a Chinese rail worker that comes back for some reason as a Japanese ninja killing college kids in the woods. Another, Evil Exhumed, from the looks of both trailers seemed to be roughly the exact same film except the ninja with a katana sword was instead a mummy brandishing a scythe. I should have known better. I do know better. Yet, thanks to a friend’s Twitter rant over the weekend about the lack of quality mummy movies, I decided to give Evil Exhumed a look even though I knew I would probably regret it. Did I ever!

Knowing what I was potentially in for with Evil Exhumed; I decided to exhume an old review technique I hadn’t dusted off in quite a long time. As a matter of fact, I believe the last time I did what I call a “real-time review”, in which I jot down my time-stamped descriptions/thoughts/despair while watching a film; it was also for a similar DeCoteau production years ago that consisted primarily of shirtless dudes walking in the woods until a monster kills them off-camera. So, join me, as you die vicariously through me as I experience the nothingness that is Evil Exhumed.

00:01:00 – Eric Roberts as the slickest sounding Native American shaman ever relaying a whole lot of historical back-story for a movie I strongly suspect will have very little actual story.

00:02:00 – Some random guy finds a parchment in a mound in the woods. Already more plot than I’ve come to expect from previous DeCoteau films.

00:04:00 – More Eric Roberts’ voiceover yet still no actual movie to speak of.

00:07:50 – Nothing of a prologue ate up five minutes. Opening credits now eat up two more. I think I see where this is headed.

00:09:45 – Phone call. Something about a professor we haven’t seen summoning some students to these woods to help unearth (Pacific Northwest?) Native American peat bog mummies “like the ones found in Ireland”.

00:10:30 – Guy takes off his shirt for no reason. Yep, it’s a David DeCoteau movie.

00:10:45 – Shirtless guy silently walking in the woods. The cosmic ballet begins again.

00:12:00 – Guy walks. Mummy stalks. Pulse-pounding music comes to an abrupt stop because even it realized nothing was actually happening.

00:14:00 – All that alleged suspense building to an off-camera kill. Yep, it’s a David DeCoteau film.

00:14:45 – Another character. Another phone call. I knew I should have gone with the Chinese railway samurai ninja ghost flick.

00:15:40 – Yet another character. Yet another phone call. The premise is being conveyed via phone tag between on-screen characters and non-characters not actually in the movie.

00:18:00 – Someone walking very slowly through a hallway. Yep, it’s a David DeCoteau movie.

00:19:15 – More phone tag. David DeCoteau once again stretching the limits of what constitutes “written and directed by”.

00:21:00 – Native American peat bog mummies like the ones you find in Ireland look remarkably like high-end Egyptian mummy costumes found at a Spirit of Halloween store. #culturalappropriation

00:24:00 – Can you guess what’s happening now? Did you guess “shirtless guy walking through the woods while a mummy slowly stalks him from a distance”? Wrong! The guy is wearing a shirt. #diversity

00:25:10 – The mummy with no eyes continues to watch from the woods.

00:26:30 – Still just watching a guy on an aimless hike. I could be binge watching “Luke Cage” right now.

00:27:20 – Our human villain, the victim of a prank the year before, calls forth the “spirit of the tribe” to do his bidding. Does that mean the killer mummy has been acting independently up until now?

00:28:00 – Eight solid minutes of absolutely nothing leads to yet another off-scream kill. #yepitsadaviddecoteaumovie

00:28:30 – An actual phone conversation between two actual characters. These calls still just keep repeating the same non-plot points. This film takes “phoning it in” to pathetic new heights.

00:29:45 – The vengeful prank victim is named Brundle. I’d like to put DeCoteau in the telepod with a filmmaker who still gives a damn to see what comes out.

00:31:00 – Guy walking in the woods: Take 3.

00:32:45 – Correction: Guy has chosen to lounge shirtless by a lake. Can’t wait to see how many minutes this eats up.

00:34:00 – Woman in a sports bra goes jogging. A little something for the straight guys.

00:40:40 – Swear to God. I accidentally hit the screen causing the movie to skip six minutes and instantly realized I had not missed anything.

00:43:20 – Mummy raises arm, slashing motion with scythe and an off-camera scream. Another 12 minutes of my life I’ll never get back.

00:44:00 – I’d be better off binge watching grass grow.

00:45:00 – Another phone call. Two more shirtless guys. Another recap of info we already know.

00:46:30 – So a guy is on a supernatural killing spree because some college kids locked him in an attic overnight? Like that time when I was a kid some bullies locked me in a closet for ten minutes and I got even by conjuring Pumpkinhead to kill them all. #parity

00:48:15 – A guy just put on a shirt to go running through the woods. Are we in the Upside Down?

01:00:00 – This is a scam, right? I feel like anyone who pays to watch this should get double their money back. #classactionlawsuit

01:08:00 – If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it can David DeCoteau still film it for 20 minutes and pass it off as a motion picture?

01:09:15 – Actual dialogue between actual characters in the same room for only the second time in the movie!

01:10:00 – This movie reminds me a lot of an old drive-in cheapie called Death Curse of Tartu in that I would rather be watching Death Curse of Tartu instead.

01:14:25 – The mummy’s name is Zadarak. I love his Cajun seasoning.

01:15:00 – Somehow DeCoteau managed to stretch five minutes of story into 75 minutes of screen time and then had the nerve to not even give the movie an actual ending. I wonder if Asian Ghost Story also had a similar anticlimax that didn’t even involve the supernatural killer and did Cynthia Rothrock also only appear by way of blathering voiceover? I know I’ll never find out.

Even giving Evil Exhumed zero stars feels too charitable. Calling it a movie at all feels too charitable. This is the filmmaking equivalent of the Nigerian Prince email scam—and I fell for it… again. #sadtrombone

I get that guys like DeCoteau are just trying to eke out a living but at any point does a modicum of shame come into play knowing you’re just flagrantly ripping people off?

Or maybe David DeCoteau should be considered an inspiration to all aspiring filmmakers for proving once again that even if you don’t have any money or an actual script you can still make a movie?

The post Evil Exhumed (2016) appeared first on Dread Central.

The Alamo Drafthouse is the best theater in the world.  Period.  It’s not up for discussion.

Dread Central is one of the best horror outlets in the world.  The science is settled there as well.

It only makes sense for us to join forces and bring you something that only the combined forces of awesome can. Starting this month, we bring you DreadVision!

DreadVision is a new monthly series at the Alamo Drafthouse Richardson in the DFW area.  Hosted by yours truly, Mr. Dark, DreadVision will represent Dread Central in a that fits the Alamo Drafthouse and their commitment to cinema.

Every month, we’ll bring you a great horror movie you haven’t seen on the big screen in a long time, or possibly ever.  Pulling from the past, present, and future of horror, this curated series of gruesome gems aims to reintroduce lost classics, show you current films that never saw a theatrical run, and sometimes even present movies that haven’t been released yet!

In tradition with the Alamo way, each screening will feature contests and prizes.  Sometimes you might even see a surprise guest or two related to the film being shown.

The first DreadVision screening is Wednesday, October 12th at 9:00pm. The first selection?

The scariest haunted spaceship film in history: EVENT HORIZON!

Many modern moviegoers missed this nugget of awesome back in the day during it’s very brief theatrical run.  We’re going to throw it on the big screen in a room full of horror fans for you to enjoy in a way you probably never have.

Buy tickets NOW at the Drafthouse website! Tickets are only $7 and, as always, the Alamo’s wonderful full menu of food, beer, and cocktails is available throughout the show.  Come out, enjoy some food, and watch a great film with Dread Central!

The post Announcing DreadVision in Dallas at the Alamo Drafthouse! appeared first on Dread Central.

In keeping with its strong 2015 showing, Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor is back this year with a maritime vengeance, and we were there this past Thursday, September 29th to soak it all in. Read on to see what lurks in the bowels of the eighty-year old ship which houses this long-running SoCal fright fest.

Taking place on the dock and aboard the 1,000-foot-plus, three-stack, Art Deco steamer RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA, the 2016 rendition of Dark Harbor offers up six fright mazes, which include the new “Intrepid” attraction, all delivered within an engagingly fun, carnival-like atmosphere.

Arriving to the event, we grabbed a cocktail at the Big Top Bar before venturing out into the festivities. Mere moments later, amid the searing, bellowing flames which lit the harbor and an array of booths hawking everything from food (there are many choices, “Toxic Fries” turned out to be our favorite) and beverage to assorted spooky merchandise, we ventured into the add-on attraction “The Sideshow of Freaks and Oddities,” in which we were greeted by the animatronic and interactive Sparky the Skeleton.

Engaging in a game of “Simon Says” with the comedic prop (in this case and more correctly a game of “Sparky Says”), many laughs ensued, culminating with fellow journalist and Sinful Celluloid writer Christopher Michael Jimenez spouting, “Sparky sucks!” to which Sparky replied, “Sparky doesn’t suck. Sparky doesn’t have lips.”

Following this hilarious encounter, we worked our way through the remainder of the attraction, which features carnival performers seemingly straight out of Tod Browning’s classic film Freaks and culminates in a bar/lounge area complete with a stage, on which magicians and carnie’s perform under the supervision of Dark Harbor’s character of Ringmaster.

From there it was on to the maze “Circus,” a dockside-erected clown-filled labyrinth which contained a ball pit, a vortex tunnel and more malevolent pranksters than you can shake a rubber nose at (and seemingly without end), followed by the maze “Deadrise,” in which we were marauded by cadres of monsters and ghosts within the faux watery grave of the Queen Mary herself.

Evident within both were two things: a decided lack of the now de rigueur human traffic jam inherent of most similar attractions, and the maze’s sheer size, which allowed for utter immersion into the narrative. Production design was high, and the actors were entirely committed and seemingly unfettered by the rigidity imposed on scare casts by other theme parks. In mazes and scare zones alike, we were often approached by cast, and given their demeanor, those encounters often concluded in good-natured laughter, regardless of their frightening visages (Dark Harbor’s makeup FX team is absolutely on point this year).

This personality continued throughout the majority of Dark Harbor’s mazes (although in this writer’s opinion “B340” was confusing in its design and the only letdown), in particular the hair-raising “Lullaby” and “Soulmate” mazes, all held within the darkened bowels of the eighty-one-ton vessel (purportedly one of the most haunted places in America).

Moving through the ship’s depths, it became delightfully evident that the park’s creative director has decided for this season to for the most part eschew jump scares in favor of a more nerve-wracking, slow-build experience. The use of “Lullaby’s” Scary Mary character, often standing backlit and dead still at the end of a hallway before us, was particularly effective in achieving that.

Evocative of a traveling carnival on steroids, Dark Harbor’s goal is to deliver sheer fun, and it does that in spades, and that’s just one more reason, in addition to the amazingly affordable ticket prices (under $40.00 for General Admission) you should visit.

Well played, Queen Mary. We loved it.

Dark Harbor runs 7:00pm to midnight through October 31. General admission ticket prices start at just $20 online, with Fast Fright upgrades, VIP R.I.P. Lounge access, Creepy Cabanarentals, and historic hotel packages available. For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit Dark Harbor online.

The post Event Report: Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor 2016 appeared first on Dread Central.

New York Comic Con kicks off tomorrow, but Dark Horse isn’t waiting to announce that comic and graphic novel adaptations are on their way for Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, which we’ll also be seeing on TV shortly.

You’ll be able to check out Issue #1 of the first arc, American Gods: Shadows, in March of next year. Read on for all the details.

From the Press Release:
Dark Horse is excited to announce the adaptation of American Gods into comic book form. Originally published in 2001 by William Morrow and Headline, American Gods is a Hugo and Nebula Award–winning novel by Neil Gaiman (How to Talk to Girls at Parties, The Sandman). North American rights were acquired from Gaiman’s literary agent, Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House.

American Gods is the latest Gaiman adaptation from Dark Horse, preceded by graphic novel adaptations of How to Talk to Girls at Parties, Troll Bridge, Forbidden Brides, and many more. Starz will also premiere an “American Gods” TV show in spring 2017, adapted by Bryan Fuller (NBC’s “Hannibal,” CBS’s “Star Trek: Discovery”).

Dark Horse tapped P. Craig Russell (The Sandman: The Dream Hunters)–who, having worked on Coraline and The Graveyard Book, is no stranger to adapting Neil Gaiman’s work–to adapt and co-write the comic series, while Scott Hampton (Hellboy, Batman) lends his illustrative skills to the complex world Gaiman created. Glenn Fabry (Preacher) and Adam Brown (Predator vs. Judge Dredd vs. Aliens) create the hauntingly beautiful cover art. David Mack (Kabuki, Fight Club 2) and Dave McKean (Black Dog, Cages) provide variant covers for the first issue. The American Gods comic series will feature guest interior art by Walt Simonson (Thor), Mark Buckingham (Fables), Colleen Doran (The Sandman), P. Craig Russell, and more.

American Gods creator Neil Gaiman explained his excitement for the upcoming adaptations: “There’s a tremendous amount of excitement, in my house and in the world, about the ‘American Gods’ TV series coming up on Starz. What we’ve managed to keep a secret until now is that there is something just as exciting out there: American Gods, the comic. I’ve been watching P. Craig Russell breaking down the book into comic form, watching Scott Hampton painting the pages, watching Glenn Fabry create the covers, and grinning to myself with delight because the American Gods comic is going to be an astonishing, faithful, and beautiful adaptation.”

American Gods: Shadows #1 finds Shadow Moon released from jail only to discover his wife has died. Broken and uncertain about his future, Shadow Moon meets the mysterious Mr. Wednesday, who employs him to serve as his bodyguard. This fateful decision thrusts Shadow into a deadly supernatural world where ghosts of the past come back from the dead, and a brewing war between old and new gods hits a boiling point.

Dark Horse will adapt American Gods into twenty-seven single issues with three story arcs: Shadows, My Ainsel, and The Moment of the Storm, to be collected into three hardcover graphic novels. The first issue of American Gods: Shadows goes on sale March 15, 2017.

The post #NYCC16: Dark Horse Adapting American Gods into Comic Book and Graphic Novel Formats appeared first on Dread Central.

Jennifer Blanc-Biehn heads behind the camera for the second time with The Girl, which stars Michael Biehn, Tia Carrere, Evie Thompson as the titular Girl, Tristan DeVan, Lorraine Ziff, Hallie Jordan, and Nick Nicholson. The film is generating some very positive buzz, including our own Matt Boiselle’s review, which gives it a “sure recommendation.”

Below is some new artwork for The Girl, which is being released domestically in January of 2017. Stay tuned for more soon!

Synopsis:
A kidnapped girl is rescued by a young boy and in return is compelled to save him from the horrors that lie in his home.

The post The Girl Heads Our Way in January; New Artwork Unveiled appeared first on Dread Central.

It’s a sad day for anyone who loved Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” as the BBC is reporting that the song’s writer, Rod Temperton, has passed on at age 66 after a brief but aggressive battle with cancer.

If the 80s are remembered for anything at all, it’s the dawn of MTV and the music video, and even though I couldn’t tell you what time to tune in to MTV to actually see a music video anymore, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention what an impact “Thriller” had on both the network and of course genre fans.

At this time we here at Dread Central would like to offer our sincerest of condolences to Rod’s many friends, his family and his constituents. Thank you, Rod, for making this world a little more funky! Godspeed!

The post Rest in Peace: Thriller Composer Rod Temperton appeared first on Dread Central.

If you’re an Archie comics fan and are also looking forward to the upcoming “Riverdale” TV series, you’ll be excited to hear about a new one-shot prequel to the show that will be followed by an ongoing comic series next year.

From the Press Release:
The CW’s upcoming “Riverdale” TV series will feature a must-read comic book series, written by showrunner and Archie Comics Chief Creative Officer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and the members of the show’s writers’ room, along with art by up-and-coming artist Alitha Martinez. The one-shot Riverdale comic, hitting early next year, will be followed by an ongoing series set in the universe of the TV series.

The one-hour TV drama will be written by Archie Comics Chief Creative Officer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and produced by Warner Brothers Studios and Berlanti Productions and has been described as a “subversive” take on the classic Archie mythos. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schecter, Jon Goldwater, and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa serve as executive producers.

The live-action series offers a bold, subversive take on Archie, Betty, Veronica, and their friends, exploring small-town life and the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale’s wholesome facade. The show will focus on the eternal love triangle of Archie Andrews, girl-next-door Betty Cooper, and rich socialite Veronica Lodge and will include the entire cast of characters from the comic books—including Archie’s rival, Reggie Mantle, and his slacker best friend, Jughead Jones. Popular gay character Kevin Keller will also play a pivotal role. In addition to the core cast, “Riverdale” will introduce other characters from Archie Comics’ expansive library, including Josie and the Pussycats.

“Riverdale,” which will premiere midseason on The CW, stars KJ Apa as Archie Andrews, Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper, Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge, Ashleigh Murray as Josie McCoy, Luke Perry as Fred Andrews, Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones, Madelaine Petsch as Cheryl Blossom, Ross Butler as Reggie Mantle, Casey Cott as Kevin Keller, Mädchen Amick as Alice Cooper, and Marisol Nichols as Hermione Lodge.

Here are the details on the one-shot:

Script: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Art: Alitha Martinez
Cover: Alitha Martinez with Steve Downer
Variant Covers: Derek Charm, Adam Gorham, Robert Hack, Sandra Lanz, Moritat, Dan Parent, Thomas Pitilli, Matthew Dow Smith, Cory Smith
Blank Sketch Cover Also Available
48-page, full color comic
$4.99 U.S.

The post Archie Comics Unveils Plans for New Riverdale Comic Series appeared first on Dread Central.

The Vicious Brothers, Colin Minihan and Stuart Ortiz, are back with a new film called It Stains the Sands Red which is set to have its premiere at the upcoming Sitges Film Festival. Right now though we have your first look courtesy of Entertainment Weekly.

Brittany Allen, Juan Riedinger, and Merwin Mondesir star.

Synopsis:
It Stains the Sands Red begins following a zombie apocalypse, when Molly (Brittany Allen) finds herself lost in the desert with one of the rabid living dead hot on her trail. Although at first she finds it hard to give him the slip, the situation gets even more complicated when the girl realizes that, unlike her, her pursuer has no physical need to stop and rest.

The post First Clip From The Vicious Brothers’ It Stains the Sands Red appeared first on Dread Central.