Location:
299 Museum Village Road Monroe, New York

Webpage:
http://www.pureterror.com

Introduction:

Pure Terror Screampark is an extensive haunted attraction featuring diverse attractions each featuring detailed set designs, providing a lengthy show that caters to diverse interests of haunt fans and horror aficionados of all backgrounds. We first visited Pure Terror Screampark two seasons ago and found the attraction to be solid, yet unremarkable. Furthermore, negative reviews from last season made us wary of visiting this attraction again. Last year, Pure Terror Screampark earned the “Guinness Book of World Records” award for longest haunted attraction. While the award attracted attention from the media, many visitors complained the extended nature of each attraction hindered its effectiveness showering the haunt with poor reviews. After researching the attraction’s changes, we still were unsure whether this was a haunt worth visiting. We decided to give Pure Terror Screampark another visit, and to be honest, were blown away by the quality of this attraction. The haunt’s ownership and management team took negative reviews to heart, and completely redesigned, and rebuilt the massive attraction for the 2016 season. We wish we visited Pure Terror Screampark earlier in the season as it is one of the best overall haunted attractions this year.

Pure Terror Screampark features six massive walk-through haunts each with diverse set designs and scares. Each of the six attractions boasts detailed scenes of horror, with lifelike props, animatronics and unique scare concepts that make it stand out among other haunts visited this season. Diversity in haunt design drives the haunt’s success as each specific attraction targets different fears and provides an experience that caters to haunt/horrors fans of all interests and backgrounds. Every single attraction is designed meticulously using impressive special effects, perfectly themed set designs, props, and animatronics that create perfect distractions for scare actors to generate fear. Effective use of spatial structural diversity creates a constant sense of tension and anticipation.

Set designs feature interactive rooms that force guests to “crawl”, pray on claustrophobic fears and sensory deprivation created by lighting effects, pure darkness and set specific soundtracks. No expense is sparred in the development of the haunt; as large scale set designs create an immersive experience that undergoes a yearly construction cycle. Pure Terror Screampark starts its construction cycle in February and continues right until the start of the next haunt season. Management strives to create a perfect experience for all guests by constantly communicating with actors and staff members to ensure correct placement and blocking We were blown away by the sheer quality of each attraction and the level of complexity placed in its design. Structural design is used to control lines, allow scare actors to always be in place and generate sensory/psychological fear. An obsessive attention to detail, design diversity, coupled with quality scare acting makes this an impressive attraction that is well worth its cost.

Attractions:

Pure Terror Screampark features six interconnected haunted attractions, each with a unique theme. Each attraction is diverse in design and execution, targeting multiple fears and sensory triggers. Line management strategies effectively control groups moving through each attraction, ensuring that each small group gets to experience the show in a personal manner. An emphasis on keeping groups separated allows actors to remain in place and the structural flow of each haunt is utilized to ensure proper pacing between and within each attraction.

The Crypt:

“Crypt” is the first attraction featured at Pure Terror Screampark and is best described as a creepy, surreal movie quality trip to the underworld forcing guests to escape a twisted series of catacombs and scenes that convey an ominous sense of death. Quality set detail is immediately present in this attraction’s design as each corridor features haunting structures and effective lighting. High impact, interactive animatronics create excitement in every room and effectively misdirect guests allowing talented actors to pop out of every corner.

“Crypt” is a high-energy interactive attraction implementing diverse designs and creative scenes that build anticipation. Impressive details around every corner and we cannot stress how massive and sometimes interactive. On our visit to “Crypt”, we had to crawl through extensive dark passageways, walked through tight rooms depicting scenes of murder, bumped into skulls, had to move endless heavy bodies, hanging heads and grotesque body parts that serve to help control movement through the attraction and allow actors to always remain in place. The final climax of the attraction is memorable, a long cavernous hallway featuring animatronic skeletons that reach out and grasp for each guest. The surreal nature of the attraction never goes overboard keeping a sense of realism using animatronics to create a movie quality adventure. Crypt’s scare actors hide in small crevices along tight corridors creating constant paranoia and inducing claustrophobia. Lighting effects such as slow strobe lights and periods of darkness guide eye direction to see each scene and showcase the massive animatronics and grotesque props.

Plague:

Entering “Plague” we had a disturbing encounter with a twisted doctor, who had what appeared to be breathing tubes sewn in his mouth. This vile costume design and creepy demeanor of this scare actor were a great set up to a gruesome, mature attraction. Scenes of surgical nightmares are featured in every single scene. “Plague” uses grotesque animatronics and hanging mutilate bodies that have been subjected to torture. Dark hallways and tight corridors create claustrophobic fear and scare actors do a fantastic job of interacting with guests. We witnessed twisted characters’ crawl, chase and torment guests creating a constant sense of dread. “Plague” takes on a more sensory approach to generating scares as tight spaces and corridors to create fear. Make-up and costume designs are unsettling and transform the actors into monsters. Insane doctors and mutated patients run wild in this attraction and work tirelessly to engage each guest. “Plague” is gritty, it is a representation of psychotic medical practices that creates a disturbing sense of dread throughout each room.

Coven:

“Coven” is a “witch” based attraction with dark, border line Satanic themes and a creepy atmosphere that incorporates a twisted sense of humor into the haunt. Typically, we find “witch” themed haunts to be somewhat silly, but “Coven” is not the case. Creepy witches roam each scene, featuring large spiders, freakish characters and detailed set designs that feature large scale props and animatronics. Special effects such as smoke rising from “witch” animatronics, and demonic character designs are featured in this attraction.  “Coven” effectively implements mature scare acting into its classical Halloween presentation. Witches and freaks constantly taunt and tease as each room is a scene of complete horror. While visiting Coven, we began to run into some line management issues that were not present in the first two attractions. Lines are not managed at the entry to “Coven” allowing guests from the prior attraction to enter immediately. On more crowded visits, this causes guests to move through the attraction in large groups. A line management system outside of “Coven” can address this issue and allow customers to experience this show in its entirety.  We have never visited a witch or coven based attraction as impressive of “Coven” and would like to see it with fewer visitors next season.

Terror Under the Big Top:

“Terror Under the Big Top” takes a funhouse-clown concept and injects insane energy and gruesome details to breathe life into a traditional haunted attraction. We have visited countless clown and funhouse themed attractions which all fall flat or lack the creativity to execute effective scares Pure Terror Screampark’s clowns are insane, they carry chainsaws, Tasers and a variety of demented tools used to carry out an aggressive assault on each guest. Set designs depict a nightmarish carnival starting with a journey through a clown’s mouth. Not only do set designs allow the insane clowns to do their jobs at creating a variety of jump and startle scares. This is one of the few perfectly executed clown/funhouse themed attractions visited this season and we only wish we could experience it in a smaller group. Without a line management system in place at the attractions start, multiple groups entered the haunt at the same time which caused minor back-up issues.

Terror in the Dark:

“Terror in the Dark” is a pitch-black maze attraction, featuring interactive rooms and sensory triggers that create fear. “Terror in the Dark” utilizes its maze structure to create confusion and panic. Not only do guests cautiously navigate a traditional dark maze, they must move objects become lost in areas of dense fog and feel their way to escape. The structural design of this maze is impressive, incorporating effective spatial design as large dark rooms make way to small corridors, which disorientate and confuse lighting and fog effects to spur constant confusion. At times, we were completely lost as we could not feel a wall or way to escape the haunt. Rubber and plastic objects block passageways serve as a blocking agent as it is impossible to know what is next.  The scare actors found throughout this attraction rely mostly on jump or startle scares, and this attraction could use a few more actors to make the experience even more terrifying. The attraction would also be even more effective at creating sensory fear if it can close off the top of the maze. At some points, we could see the roof of the structure which takes away from the immersive experience. Despite these minor issues and areas for improvement “Terror in the Dark” is an excellent pitch black style maze which preys on the senses of its victims.

Legends of Horror:

“Legends of Horror” is a tribute to classic movie monsters, and scenes transforming each room to represent its respective franchise. Many haunted attractions utilize famous iconic characters but Pure Terror Screampark utilizes world-class set designs to transport guests into realistic movie scenes brought to life. Accurate, detailed representations of each movie are brought to life using a perfect mix of life like props and scare actors play their iconic roles perfectly. The costume design of each horror movie character is not cheap, and quality costume design allows the scare actors to hide next to the life size props which represent each movie. While in this attraction we encountered horror legends “Jason Voorhees” “Michael Myers”, “Leatherface”, “Chucky” and “Freddy Krueger”. Each famous character incorporated the environmental design of the attraction to play their role to the tee. Gruesome scenes of slaughtered body parts were seen in Leatherface’s layer, and we were stalked by Michael Myers. “Legends of Horror” does not spare any expensive in brining horror franchises to life in a fantastic climax to Pure Terror Screampark. While many other haunts feature these characters, none have recreated entire movie scenes within their attractions in such a detailed manner. An obsessive attention to detail, from Chucky’s playroom to a 70’s era recreation of the infamous “Myers” house emphasizes the quality of this attraction.

Pure Terror Screampark is a popular, lengthy attraction and provides great value for its cost. The entire show (minus any wait times) is close to an hour long with little downtime between each attraction. You will not be walking through empty hallways or plank mazes as an extreme attention to detail is emphasized in each creative attraction. Guests can purchase a VIP upgrade which helps reduce wait times as lines can get long, and management strives to not allow many guests into each attraction at once. Food vendors and photo opportunities are available along with a gift shop.

Pure Terror Screampark is nonstop action, nonstop fun and one of the most refreshing attractions visited this season. Each haunt preys on diverse fears, using world class, Hollywood quality special effects, animatronics, make-up and character design to create fear. Sensory based interactive elements are utilized in multiple attractions from claustrophobic corridors to blinding lights, great planning and thought and implemented into the attractions’ design. Scare actors are intense, feature customized costume/makeup designs and stay in “character” based on the attractions specific scene. A high-energy approach to scare acting permeates throughout each haunt, as a friendly competition between each attraction fuels the passion to scare. Actors work tirelessly to engage guests, using their characters to cultivate powerful reactions, using relentless scare tactics and aggression. Every single aspect of this attraction is almost flawlessly executed from start to finish. Ignore reviews from previous seasons, as the entire attraction has undergone a complete resonance in creating a first-class haunt experience that appeals to a variety of different haunt audiences.

The post Pure Terror Screampark Haunt Review appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Maria Simona Arsu, Patrick Sebastian Negrean, Marius Dan Munteanu

Directed by Mark Evans

Have you heard of this movie called The Blair Witch Project? Came out back in 1999. Was quite revolutionary at the time. Spawned a sequel that flopped but now a lot of people online work really hard to convince you is actually a misunderstood gem. There was even this heavily hyped remake/sequel that came out just a few weeks ago that flopped even worse than the sequel.

I’m going to state something very controversial here that I know a lot of you are going to take issue with. I honestly don’t believe The Blair Witch Project is as highly regarded outside of hardcore horror circles as horror fans want to believe. Horror fans always cite it as one of the seminal horror films of the past 20 years, but have you ever noticed you rarely hear its title escape the lips of mainstream movie-watchers when they talk about their favorite horror films of the past few decades? Horror fans seem to forget a large chunk of the audience that saw the movie back in 1999 actually hated it. I think back to that “Family Guy” joke when Bryan was serving as a seeing-eye dog for blind moviegoers, describing The Blair Witch Project as “nothing’s happening, nothing’s happening, something about a map, movie’s over, everyone in the theater looks pissed.” That pretty much sums up how a lot of average viewers of The Blair Witch Project felt. It’s definitely how I suspect even the most hardcore horror fans will feel about The Devil Complex.

Opening text:

Three filmmakers entered the Hoia Baciu, Romania forest on the 29th November 2012.

They are still considered missing.

Immediately cut to shaky-cam POV footage of two people running through the darkened woods screaming, footage that looks exactly – EXACTLY! – like a scene from The Blair Witch Project.

Cut to more text informing us the footage we are about to watch was taken from footage found amongst the possessions of a professor in 2014 after he committed suicide.

Always baffled by horror movies, particularly found footage movies, that give away the ending before the opening credits. The title hasn’t even appeared on the screen, and we already know this is going to end with everyone dead. Odds are a found footage horror movie is not going to end well; that doesn’t mean you have to spoil your own movie before it even begins.

That professor now appears on camera, reiterating the tragedy to come. He ponders why this deep Romanian forest with the ability to look into your soul chose to let him live — possibly because he’s not actually in the movie? Cut to black, the sound of a gunshot, and the title card.

What follows is the I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter of Blair Witch movies.

I don’t know what in this footage would make anyone want to commit suicide. At the very worst it’ll just make you want to fast forward. Or press stop. Either or. Tedious to say the least, yet hardly the stuff of nightmares worth killing yourself over.

The Devil Complex title stems from, as one of the myriad of Romanian locals they’ll interview in the opening minutes informs us, how the forest can prey upon your inner demons and punish you for it. The locals fall into one of two categories: those that issue dire warnings about going into the forest and those that dismiss it as superstitious hokum.

Young documentarians Rachel (Arsu), Tom (Negrean), and Joe (Munteanu) do not heed their warnings, dismissals. They hire a creepy bearded old man guide with a history of spousal abuse who looks like one of the wild feral Santas from Rare Exports to lead them into the forest.

From there, again, does any of this sound very familiar to you?

Head off into the woods to investigate a legend. Get lost in the woods. Find strange symbols in trees. Bicker amongst themselves. Confessionals directly into the camera. Run screaming into the night after something attacks their tent. Get killed off by something off-camera.

It’s one thing to leave things to the imagination of the viewers; it’s another thing altogether for filmmakers to display no actual imagination of their own.

We’re talking about a movie where early on a Romanian local tells them how some people who go into the forest break out into a big red rash for unknown reasons. Sure enough, one of them will develop a big red rash… a development that leads to absolutely nothing and is forgotten about just as quickly.

The movie appears to have been shot on location, giving it plenty of local flavor and gorgeous Transylvanian winterscape to behold. That’s about all it has going for it.

Try as the cast might, when 75% of your movie is first-person footage of people hiking about confused, running around in a panic, yelling the f-word and each other’s names, and long hard staring at things they find far more disturbing than the viewer will, there’s only so much as an actor you can do with that. Even when they begin to panic and argue among themselves, they do so in the blandest way possible.

The makers of The Devil Complex also clearly saw REC because (SPOILER ALERT!) they rip off the exact – EXACT! – same ending. Are you kidding me?

As I’ve stated in the past, filmmakers don’t have to reinvent the wheel, but they should at least try rotating the tires.

The post Devil Complex, The (2016) appeared first on Dread Central.

Sure, all the major cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, etc., are home to wall-to-wall horror events and film festivals this time of year, but what about some of the smaller towns? Like, for instance, Ithaca, New York? Well, fests are springing up everywhere, and Ithaca can take pride in the fact that the city’s Ithaca Fantastik is embarking on its fifth iteration in early November, and it truly offers something for everyone, including lots of buzzed-about new horror fare.

Not only are there some incredible retrospectives mixed in with the features and documentaries, but they’ve also added two new programming blocks: “Festival Favorites” and vanguard block “Cinema Pur.” And they just announced that the closing film is Train to Busan. It just gets better and better!

From the Press Release:
Ithaca Fantastik will unleash its fifth annual film festival November 9-13, 2016, in Ithaca, NY. The IF team has carefully crafted a lineup to offer something for every fantastic film lover. 

The festival has horror fans covered with some of the year’s stand-out genre gems. Fantastic Fest award winner The Autopsy of Jane Doe (André Orvedal) will lead the pack, followed closely by the “knock your socks off” Safe Neighborhood (Chris Peckover)—a coming-of-age twist on home invasion that the IF team calls one of the most fun films of 2016. Horror lovers will be delighted by action-packed Headshot (Kimo Stamboel, Timo Tjahjanto), socially-infused zombie anime Seoul Station (Yeon Sang-ho), disturbing Pet (Carles Torrens), as well as an over-the-top Indian take on a zombie breakout: Miruthan (Shakti Soundar Rajan).

Extreme horror will be well-represented with yakuza tale Kiyamachi Daruma (Hideo Sakaki) and K-Shop (Dan Pringle), a fun horror film with deeply-anchored social commentary on British society, plus the wickedly fun Japanese response to Freddy vs. Jason: Sadako vs. Kayako (Kōji Shiraishi).

Festival offerings will go far beyond pure horror to provide a wide view into the fantastic genre – from enchanting love story Aloys (Tobias Nölle) to mental illness-exploring biopic I, Olga Hepnarová (Tomás Weinreb, Petr Kazda) to mumblecore horror comedy Another Evil (Carson D. Mell) and Argentinean horror commentary Terror 5 (Sebastian Rotstein, Federico Rotstein). Sci-fi fans have not been forgotten; IF will present mind-blowing anime Nova Seed (Nick DiLiberto) and the newest trippy film from Hikaru Tsukuda: Return of MIZUNO—these movies will be an excellent segue into horror for those new to the genre.

For its fifth year, IF will continue to bring the best in documentaries to upstate NY. 24×36: A Movie About Movie Posters (Kevin Burke) will open the festivities. The reality continues with an intimate take on Stanley Kubrick: S Is for Stanley (Alex Infascelli) as well as Creature Designers: The Frankenstein Complex (Gilles Penso, Alexandre Poncet)—an enlightening look at special effects history with interviews from masters like Phil Tippett, Rick Baker, and Guillermo del Toro. Finally, with a perfect mix between feature film and documentary, Belief: The Possession of Janet Moses (David Stubbs) mind-blowingly blurs the lines between reality and fiction in this account of a New Zealand exorcism.

For the full rundown, including short films, events, ticketing info, and more, visit ithacafilmfestival.com.

Features and Documentaries:

24×36: A Movie About Movie Posters
Kevin Burke, Canada

Alipato: A Very Brief Life of Ember
Khavn, Philippines/Germany

Aloys
Tobias Nölle, France/Switzerland

Another Evil
Carson D Mell, US

Autohead
Rohit Mittal, India

The Autopsy of Jane Doe
André Orvedal, UK

Belief: The Possession Of Janet Moses
David Stubbs, New Zeland

Creature Designers: The Frankenstein Complex
Gilles Penso & Alexandre Poncet, US

Dearest Sister
Mattie Do, Laos

Headshot
Kimo Stamboel & Timo Tjahjanto, Indonesia

Here Alone
Rod Blackhurst, US

I, Olga Hepnarova
Petr Kazda &Thomas Weinreb, Czech Republic/Poland/Slovakia/France

Kiyamachi Daruma
Hideo Sakaki, Japan

K-Shop
Dan Pringle, UK

The Love Witch
Anna Biller, US

Master Cleanse
Bobby Miller, US

Miruthan
Shakti Soundar Rajan, India

My Father Die
Sean Brosnam, US

Nova Seed
Nick DiLiberto, Canada

The Open
Marc Lahore, France

Pet
Carles Torrens, USA/Spain

Return of MIZUNO
Hikaru Tsukuda, Japan

S Is for Stanley
Alex Infascelli, Italy

Sadako vs. Kayako
Koji Shiraishi, Japan

Safe Neighbourhood
Chris Peckover, Australia/USA

Seoul Station
Yeon Sang-ho, South Korea

She’s Allergic to Cats
Michael Reich, US

Terror 5
Sebastian Rotstein & Federico Rotstein, Argentina

Train to Busan
Yeon Sang-ho, South Korea

Werewolf 81’

Wolfen
Michael Wadleigh, US- 1981

American Werewolf in London
John Landis, US- 1981

Retrospective: The Known Unknowns

The Naked Prey
Cornel Wilde, US- 1965

Deliverance
John Boorman, US- 1972

Long Weekend
Colin Eggleston, AUS- 1978

Altered States
Ken Russell, US- 1980

Aliens
James Cameron, US- 1981

The post Ithaca Fantastik 2016 Lineup Includes The Autopsy of Jane Doe, Pet, Sadako vs. Kayako, Master Cleanse, and Lots More! appeared first on Dread Central.

We’ve been chomping at the bit for more details on Marvel’s Monsters Unleashed ever since they confirmed the project back in September. Now we have intel on six new creatures set to become a part of the comic Universe and more.

From the Press Release:
Run if you can! Hide if you must! Nothing can prepare you for MONSTERS UNLEASHED! As massive monsters rain from the skies, rise from the seas, and pour from the center of the very Earth – the table is set for the epic battle fans have been waiting for! It’s all happening this January as Cullen Bunn and some of today’s biggest artists bring you the next thrilling Marvel Universe epic.

Gargantuan beasts from across Marvel’s long and storied history have risen up, intent on destroying the planet. But they’re not the alone! Marvel is pleased to announce six brand new creatures invading the Marvel Universe!

“Everything about this story is massive – the scope, the stakes, and of course, those incredible monsters,” says Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso. “Five action-packed issues celebrate Marvel’s past, present, and future, as one new, unforgettable character and several brand-new monsters – created and designed by Cullen Bunn, the five artists, and a few surprise guest artists – arrive to leave an indelible mark on the Marvel Universe.”

Look for these giants to make their grand appearance in the pages of Monsters Unleashed – and make a monster-sized footprint on the Marvel Universe to come!

1. SLIZZIK by Steve McNiven
2. SCRAAG by Greg Land
3. MEKRA by Leinil Francis Yu
4. AEGIS by Salvador Larroca
5. HI-VO by Adam Kubert
6. FIRECLAW by Art Adams

“Monsters Unleashed is a love letter to Marvel’s history,” says Marvel SVP Sales & Marketing David Gabriel. “So we wanted to do something fun for our six new monsters. Being the massive Marvel fan that he is, Cullen had already come up with statistics, power rankings, and factoids about all of them. We couldn’t resist the opportunity to create some fan-favorite Marvel Universe trading cards for the big reveal!”

It’s all hands on deck as the Avengers, the Champions, the Guardians, the X-Men, the Inhumans, and more make their desperate stand against armies of towering beasts of destruction! With 6 powerful new monsters standing in their way, do they stand a chance? Something big is coming to the Marvel Universe – and it’s happening in MONSTERS UNLEASHED #1 – smashing into comic shops everywhere on January 18, 2017!

MONSTERS UNLEASHED #1 (of 5) (NOV160745) – Pre-order here
Written by CULLEN BUNN
Art & Cover by STEVE MCNIVEN
Variant Cover by KEN NIIMURA (NOV160746)
50s Movie Poster Variant Cover by FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA (NOV160747)
Video Game Variant by JEEHYUNG LEE (NOV160748)
New Monster Variant by STEVE MCNIVEN (NOV160749)
Monster vs. Hero Variant by MIKE MIGNOLA (NOV160750)
Teaser Variant by GEOFF DARROW (NOV160751)
Hip Hop Variant by MIKE DEODATO (NOV160752)
FOC – 12/19/16, On-Sale 1/18/17

To find a comic shop near you, visit comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook.

The post Marvel Unveils Six New Creatures Appearing in Monsters Unleashed appeared first on Dread Central.

Location: 130 Davisville Road, Warminster, Pennsylvania
Web Page: http://thehauntedhallows.com/

Haunted Hallows is a special haunted attraction driven by the passion and creativity of its management, staff and actors. Haunted Hallows is a one of a kind, theatrical based haunt featuring a unique take on creating a fully functioning “town” that features a whole host of oddballs, freaks, and twisted characters. This haunt is what we consider to be “character” driven creating mini-stories with twisted humor, gore and a clear passion for producing a quality Halloween show. The characters created by the attraction are some of the very best scare actors you will see, including a hilarious performance by the town’s “Mayor” who roams the grounds of the attraction.

Each attraction is linked with a crazy town concept in which various demented locations featuring twisted characters create awkward, uncomfortable and at times unsettling interaction with each of its guests. The storyline unfolds throughout each attraction, from a humorous slightly off-color start to an aggressive climax our visit was nonstop entertainment. Haunted Hallows is a bizarre, creative, interactive experience that cultivates a constant urge to explore and learn more about the freakish inhabitants created by this town. An emphasis on storytelling and creative development keeps the attraction from ever losing its entertainment value as every single scare actor strives to use its absurd, gory and grotesque scenes to create mayhem. The strangeness of the attraction makes it special, providing laughs for mature haunt fans and scares for younger guests.

Haunted Hallows features an extensive midway area where guests can watch shows, such as a circus act, magic shows and listen to live music. Food options include hoagie stands, traditional carnival food and drinks. The midway area is in the center of the three attractions which make up the “town” and character actors roam the premises providing entertainment throughout the evening.

The Forsaken Town:

“Forsaken Town” is a theatrical journey through the downtown of an odd neighborhood in which a variety of demented townsfolk interact with their guests. Each scene features dark humor and a twisted theatrical presentation, unlike many major haunted attractions. The personal interactions created between guests and the patrons of the town are unique, humorous, uncomfortable and macabre. On our visit to “Forsaken Town”, we visited with a local barkeep, a psychotic barber, a demented teacher who locked up her students, a corrupt dentist, and a fortune teller. Use of humor coupled with disturbing storytelling creates a special haunted attraction experience that stands out among traditional haunted attractions. “Forsaken Town” sets up the “storyline” of the town’s fictional history and is a great opening attraction. Some of the characters featured along this walk-through are genuinely disturbing, such as the demonic teacher who took glee in “tormenting” her students.

Labyrinth:

“Labyrinth” is a darker outdoor walk-through attraction featuring more aggressive scare actors and mature themes. Dark humor is used throughout the attraction but there is an adult/mature edge implemented in scene design and scare actor interactions. “Labyrinth’s” backstory involves the lost town’s craziest residents who are left behind in an area that is rarely visited by the more adjusted townsfolk. On our journey through the “Labyrinth” we were offered to purchase “children” from a carnival-barker, had an uncomfortable encounter with a hillbilly family who warned us not to date their “sister”, visited manic doctor who made a variety of medical mistakes, had an uncomfortable encounter with former “carnival workers”, and celebrated the holidays with “Krampus” as we left this disturbingly creative haunted attraction.

“Labyrinth” is the most mature, surreal attraction at the Haunted Hallows featuring themes that are bizarre and far from normal.  Interactions with scare actors in each surreal scene are thoroughly engaging, and entertaining experiences. Dark humor and creativity drive the quality of the attraction as the emphasis on characters to create entertainment are admirable. Due to the open nature of the outdoor trail, several of the scenes feel too “safe” for such a twisted attraction. The addition of enclosed structures and tighter spaces can help increase the fear factor coupled with the strange hilarity created by the oddball characters and psychos lost in the “Labyrinth”.

Purgatory:

“Purgatory”, the final attraction visited, is an aggressive prison based attraction featuring endless chain-link fences, violent prisoners, and constant panic. Violent, vicious scare actors use their skills to intimidate and harass guests as they move throughout the corrupt prison. Each scare actor uses weapons, manic scare acting and personal taunts to create a constant sense of paranoia as we made our way through the lengthy final attraction. “Purgatory” is a strong ending to a theatrical, interactive haunt which pushes the limits of sanity. Escaping from “Purgatory” is not always easy as scare actors use their talents to try to block escape routes. Improved structural designs and enhanced interactive experiences can boost the quality of “Purgatory” and create a memorable ending to an oddly bizarre but always entertaining haunted attraction.

The Haunted Hollows is a family friendly yet mature attraction that is far from cheesy, as we thoroughly found ourselves laughing, and being entertained by the dark, creepy freaks that inhabit this “abandoned” town. The twisted dark humor presented by this attraction is off-color and boasts many scenes that are likely to induce scares. Along with our journey, we encountered a variety of freaks including hillbillies who warned us not to “date their sister”, a ghoulish doctor responsible for creating a variety of deformed residents, and a visit with “Krampus”, followed by a stop at the local town jail. The Haunted Hallows excels at creating a storyline for each attraction with scare acting that remains aligned with each scene. The banter between characters, and guests made for an entertaining visit at this unique, pleasantly bizarre haunted attraction.

The post The Haunted Hallows Haunted Attraction Review appeared first on Dread Central.

Halloween is now just ONE DAY away, and DUST, a recently launched multi-platform destination for horror/sci-fi filmmakers and fans, is celebrating by presenting three horror/sci-fi short films for your viewing pleasure!

Things kick off with xVoid, a stunning experiment of setting and creature effects from writer/producer/director Meny Hilsenrad.

That’s followed up with Click, which uses classic horror motifs and atmosphere to lead audiences on a journey
with the characters. At the end of a long day, five children look to fill the remaining hours of sunlight in an abandoned building – a location that leads them to discover why we are afraid of the dark.

And finally, we have The Cloud, directed by Alfonso García, written by Vincent Blonde, and starring Martjin Kuiper. It tells the story of Mike, who is trapped in an elevator and discovers that his only solution to escape is “The Cloud,” an Operating System Phone which saves a copy of his brain.

DUST is the first multi-platform destination for binge-watchable sci-fi. They feature science-fiction short films and other content from emerging filmmakers with stunning visual effects, captivating plots, and complex character explorations. Robots, aliens, space exploration, technology, and human experience are all a part of DUST. There are new uploads every week so explore, subscribe, like, #getdusted, and follow for more.

The post Halloween Treat: A Trio of Horror/Sci-Fi Shorts to Get You Ready for the Holiday appeared first on Dread Central.

Just a few years ago the saying was “If it’s Halloween, it must be Saw.” This year if it’s Halloween, it must be Madea. Would you like to play a game, horror fans? What’s your favorite Madea movie?

Tyler Perry continued his reign as the new king (and queen) of Halloween as Boo! A Madea Halloween held on to the top of the box office this All Hallow’s Weekend. Per Box Office Mojo, Boo! hauled in an impressive $16.6 million. That’s only a 41% drop from its $28 million opening weekend. Turns out this time the “A” Cinemascore viewers polled gave Perry’s newest Madea movie translated into big bucks.

Like Michael Myers at the Academy Awards, Madea continued turning the Halloween season into a bloodbath for some aging A-list movie stars. After carving up Tom Cruise last weekend, her reign of terror claimed Tom Hanks’ head this weekend. Inferno, the Da Vinci Code threequel with Hanks returning as a crime-solving symbologist trying to prevent an ancient plague from being unleashed, fell into its own personal Dante’s Inferno with a paltry $15-million, second place opening weekend. That allowed Tyler Perry to claim Ron Howard’s beautiful mind as another trophy for his shelf.

Next weekend Doctor Strange will work some cross-dimensional magic to finally wrestle the box office away from the raunchy moralizing that is Tyler Perry’s cross-dressing Mademon. If Marvel can’t stop Madea, nothing can.

Hey, I got an idea for a Tyler Perry Marvel movie. We’ll combine Perry’s iconic character with Marvel’s #1 swamp monster and create “Madea-Thing.” Whoever doesn’t know Jesus burns at the touch of Madea-Thing. I’d watch. You’d watch. The “Giant-Size Madea-Thing” comics would sell like hotcakes.

Meanwhile, the only theatrically-released horror flick out there, Ouija: Origin of Evil, dropped 50% in its second weekend, down to 5th place with an estimated $7 million. That brings its total domestic box office up to $24 million. Not bad for a low-budget prequel to a movie few people actually seemed to like – just not Madea money.

Here’s a crazy idea…Maybe next year Hollywood will actually release actual horror movies in the month of October. Horror movies people actually want to see. What a novel idea.

The post Madea Continues Her Reign of Terror as Queen of the Halloween Box Office appeared first on Dread Central.

For those of you who missed Saturday’s late night broadcast of our investigation of The Davis-Horton House (formerly The William Heath David House), we’re rebroadcasting it this Wednesday, November 2nd, in its unedited entirety. It was a truly compelling and lively outing, and Joe and I… we’re still a bit shell shocked and need a rest.

PLEASE READ BEFORE LISTENING:
About an hour and a half into the show, shit went sideways in a big way. During one of our breaks everything went absolutely haywire. This is reflected within the original recording, which we’ve left untouched. Around the hour and a half mark, we were hit with what could only be described as rapid fire distortion. During this time the house became thoroughly unhinged. Things were happening in every part of this 166-year-old historic and thoroughly haunted home, all while I was struggling to get things back on the air. The chaos is reflected after we come back on. The distortion lasted about 4 minutes so feel free to skip ahead… or listen. Maybe you’ll hear something. Maybe there’s nothing there… I honestly do not know.

So tune in for what was probably some of the most interesting shit I’ve ever experienced. Draw your own conclusions. We periscoped nearly the whole show, and Joe got some night-vision footage, so we’re gonna try to present all the video so you can see first-hand what was going on. Let’s just put it this way, in a home filled with the dead… the Brainwaves Halloween Special sure was unexpectedly lively. Holy shit.

It’s radio without a safety net, kids. It’s Brainwaves: Horror and Paranormal Talk Radio.

PLEASE SUPPORT BRAINWAVES: HORROR AND PARANORMAL TALK RADIO ON PATREON!

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 on Wednesday nights 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 Listen to the #Brainwaves Halloween Special This Wednesday Evening appeared first on Dread Central.

Word has come across our desks that Wesley Snipes will be starring in a new flick entitled The Recall. The film is said to be in the vein of Cabin Fever and Skyline, and it’s looking to cause a stir at AFM in Santa Monica this week.

Mauro Borrelli directs. Hannah Rose May and RJ Mitte co-star.

Synopsis:
A group of friends are spending the weekend at a cabin on the lake while unbeknownst to them aliens have begun to attack planet Earth. A number of the friends are abducted immediately by the ship hovering above; and the remaining two members of the group, Annie and Charlie, must rely on an eccentric and dangerous hunter who seems to have special knowledge of the attack explaining that this day has been prophecized for years and extraterrestrials have been guiding Earth’s evolution in preparation for their ultimate takeover.

Even with the help of the hunter, Annie and Charlie are eventually abducted as well but returned to Earth the next morning. When they wake, everyone is back at the cabin and seems to fine. But when they turn on the news, they learn that the planet has just declared war on the 7 million individuals who were abducted and returned…

Images courtesy of VMI Worldwide and Deon Nel Photography.

The post AFM 2016: Wesley Snipes Infected in The Recall appeared first on Dread Central.

A pair of images from the latest alien invasion flick to come our way, Revolt, have been released; and we have ’em for you right here to dig on!

Joe Miale directs. Lee Pace and Bérénice Marlohe star.

Synopsis:
Revolt is the story of humankind’s last stand against a cataclysmic alien invasion. Set in the war-ravaged African countryside, a U.S. soldier and a French foreign aid worker team up to survive the alien onslaught. Their bond will be tested as they search for refuge across a crumbling world.

The post AFM 2016: Aliens Invade! Earth Will Revolt! appeared first on Dread Central.

Each year we sit here covering all that Santa Monica’s American Film Market has to offer, and each year we wonder if we’re ever gonna see a tenth of the projects we’re writing about. Below is a series of artwork for projects that may or may not be on the way.

We gathered ’em here in one spot because we don’t want to have to be writing until 11:00PM this evening. Check ’em out and let us know if any strike your fancy. Get your peepers focused, kids, because you’re gonna be here for a bit!

Below you’ll find the sales art for Vampire Cleanup Department, The Temple, The Game Changer, The Party Crasher, The Night Watchmen/Night Watchmen, Kristen, The Evil Within, Freak Out, Eat Local, Dance to Death, Game Changer, Binding Souls, City of Darkness, Be Afraid, The Axe Murders of Villisca, The Gracefield Incident, B&B, and more.

The post AFM 2016: Random Artwork Blowout appeared first on Dread Central.

The 2016 American Film Market kicked off today, which means you’ll be hearing about a lot of projects that may or may not ever come to fruition. One that we hope to see next year for sure is Beverly Hills Lizard People, from Cthulhu Crush Productions, the masterminds behind horror feature WTF!

Below you’ll find the early details plus some awesome concept art.

From the Press Release:
Cthulhu Crush Productions announces development of the new horror-comedy BEVERLY HILLS LIZARD PEOPLE, with filming to begin in 2017.

Produced by the shingle’s Jody Wheeler and Steve Parker, whose upcoming horror feature WTF! will be released shortly, the film is inspired by the legend that Lizard People live under the ground in Los Angeles (as reported in the papers in 1944!)… not to mention rule the world!

Fashioned in a similar tone to Slither and Scream, BEVERLY HILLS LIZARD PEOPLE will tell of an ancient race of shape-shifting Lizard People from the depths of the Earth who return to the surface to reclaim what was once theirs: Beverly Hills.

The project is scripted by Wheeler.

Synopsis:
Disturbed from their ancient slumber by the excavation of a cross-town subway, the ancient reptilian masters of a faded empire strike out to reclaim what was once theirs: Beverly Hills. Ground zero for their invasion? A once popular, though now faded, hotel, currently the site of a reality TV cooking show competition and directly above their secret city.

Can the collection of unlikely contestants — ambitious, backstabbing, and determined — stop the shape-shifting terrors from below before the reptilian ravagers achieve their goal of conquering first Beverly Hills and then the world?

The post AFM 2016: Beverly Hills Lizard People Ready to Reclaim What They Lost appeared first on Dread Central.

The remake of Vincenzo Natali’s masterpiece Cube has run into quite the snag, and it doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing it anytime soon.

Arrow in the Head caught up with screenwriter Jon Spaihts to get an update on the project known as Cubed.

“I have been involved with it,” Spaihts told AITH. “I think it’s resting right now as we look for a new creative direction, but we still are inspired by the vision of that original, independent, high-concept film. With any luck, we’ll still bring a new iteration of that story to light.”

When asked if director Saman Kesh was still attached to the project, he said, “To be honest, I’ll have to check. I don’t know.”

Bloody Disgusting caught up with Kesh for an additional update…

“Cube has potential to be a great re-envisioned film. Spaihts and I have been working hard on our vision of a reboot for the last year and a half. Unfortunately, the cogs of studios sometimes don’t move at the pace we’d all like. As for now, it looks to be some time before we’ll see a reboot.”

The post Cube Remake Cubed Slows Way Down appeared first on Dread Central.

A new thriller is on the way starring Al Pacino that sounds right in our wheelhouse. Variety is reporting that Pacino, Karl Urban, and Brittany Snow are starring in the upcoming flick Hangman, with shooting set to start November 17th in Atlanta.

Patriot Pictures and Union Patriot Capital Management’s CEO Michael Mendelsohn and Arnold Rifkin of Cheyenne Enterprises are producing. The film will be financed by Union Patriot Capital Management.

Patriot is collaborating on a series of films with Etchie Stroh (The Promise, Afterglow), who is the film’s executive producer and will represent the film for international sales in a new venture at the American Film Market.

Hangman will be directed by Johnny Martin, who helmed Vengeance: A Love Story starring Nicolas Cage and Don Johnson. Michael Caissie and Charles Huttinger co-wrote the screenplay, with revisions by Martin and Mendelsohn’s Patriot Pictures.

Pacino will portray a decorated homicide detective, and Urban will play a criminal profiler who collaborate to catch a serial killer who’s terrorizing a city with a macabre version of the children’s game Hangman. Snow will play a crime journalist shadowing the detectives.

“It’s every director’s dream to work with Al Pacino,” Martin said. “Brittany Snow brings a fresh, instinctual presence to the production, while Karl Urban’s strength, instinct, and versatility heighten the action and this genre. This film is amazing and will appeal to a wide audience.”

Let’s hope Martin has nerve enough to actually direct Pacino instead of just letting him play Al Pacino.

The post AFM 2016: Al Pacino and More Play Hangman appeared first on Dread Central.

The new trailer for the US release this coming Friday of Train to Busan quotes a lot of mainstream sites – god forbid they actually select a horror site! – and let me just say that if you live in one of the cities where it’s playing, this is one film you do NOT want to miss!  Our own Gareth Jones called it “one of the best modern zombie films ever made” and bestowed it with a 5/5 rating.  High praise indeed!

Written and directed by Sang-ho Yeon, the film stars Yoo Gong and Dong-seok Ma.

Synopsis:
As an unidentified virus sweeps the country, the Korean government declares martial law. Those on an express train to Busan, a city that has successfully fended off the viral outbreak, must fight for their own survival.

Train to Busan (review) will deliver chills and thrills to U.S. audiences beginning this Friday, November 4th. Myx TV, along with Well Go USA Entertainment and TFC@theMovies, will jointly bring the world’s surprise thriller of the year to the following theaters across the United States. Click here for ticketing info.

SAN JOSE
Century 25 Union City and XD
32100 Union Landing Blvd.
Union City, CA 94587
(510) 487-9347

SACRAMENTO
Century Laguna 16
9349 Big Horn Blvd.
Elk Grove, CA 95758
(916) 683-5282

SAN FRANCISCO / BAY AREA
Century at Tanforan
1188 El Camino Real
San Bruno, CA 94066
(650) 588-6052

AMC Cupertino Square 16
10123 N. Wolfe Road
Cupertino, CA 95014
(408) 252-5960

Cinemark Century 20 Daly City
1901 Junipero Serra Blvd.
Daly City, CA 94015
(650)994-2488

Century 14 Vallejo
109 Plaza Drive
Vallejo, CA 94591
(707) 553-1205

Cinemark 20 Great Mall
1010 Great Mall Drive
Milpitas, CA 95035
(408) 942-7441

LOS ANGELES / ORANGE COUNTY
Cinemark Century Stadium 25 and XD
1701 W. Katella Ave.
Orange, CA 92867
(714) 532-9558

AMC Atlantic Times Square
450 N. Atlantic Blvd.
Monterey Park, CA 91754
(626) 407-0240

AMC Fullerton 20
1001 S. Lemon Street
Fullerton, CA 92832
(714) 992-6962

AMC Burbank Town Center 6
770 North 1st Street
Burbank, CA 91501

SAN DIEGO
AMC Plaza Bonita 14
3050 Plaza Bonita Road
National City, CA 91950
(619) 475-2200

LAS VEGAS
Century 16 Suncoast
9090 Alta Drive, #100
Las Vegas, NV 89145
(702) 869-1880

Century Orleans 18
4500 W. Tropicana Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89103
(702) 889-1220

WASHINGTON, D.C.
AMC Hoffman Center 22
206 Swamp Fox Road
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 236-1083

NEW JERSEY
AMC Jersey Gardens 20
651 Kapkowski Road
Elizabeth, NJ 07201

JACKSONVILLE
Cinemark Tinseltown and XD – Jacksonville
4535 Southside Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 32216
(904) 998-2122

SAN ANTONIO
Cinemark Dollar Movies 16
5063 NW Loop 410
San Antonio, TX 78229
(210) 522-9660

The post Train to Busan US Screening Locations Revealed! appeared first on Dread Central.

Former “True Blood” and Tarzan star Alexander Skarsgard is getting ready to have Cara Delevingne help him beat off amnesia in the new flick Fever Heart, and we have your details right here.

THR reports that Ben Briand will direct the action-thriller, which Fortitude will introduce to buyers at AFM.

The road movie follows an amnesiac (Skarsgard) who teams up with a quick-witted circus sharp shooter (Delevingne) to uncover his lost memories. With a charming and malevolent tracker named Blood Lieberman in violent pursuit, the pair needs to learn to trust each other if they are going to survive this strange land stained with mysticism.

The project, which was co-written by Briand and Kevin W. Koehler, is being produced by Picture Films’ Margot Hand and Matt Dooley, with Michele Bennett and Nadine de Barros executive producing. The film is slated to begin shooting in 2017.

Fortitude International is handling international rights and will introduce the project to buyers at AFM. WME Global and CAA are co-repping North American rights.

“I’m a huge fan of Ben’s work. I’m overjoyed at the opportunity to work with him,” said Fortitude’s de Barros. “Ben and Kevin’s script had me on the edge of my seat, and Alexander and Cara are the perfect match for this material.”

The post AFM 2016: Alexander Skarsgard Has a Fever Heart on for Cara Delevingne appeared first on Dread Central.

Here’s a secret you may not know about us Dread Central gals and dudes… we’re all a bunch of softies. We love sweets, we’re obsessed with cats, and we’re fond of pushing buttons at Target.

Okay, that’s actually just proof we’re really a group of grown-up children. The point still stands. We’re all just a bunch of saps, especially when it comes to a good cause.

Well, this Saturday we’re putting our controllers, keyboards, and mice where our mouths are. April Marie and Ted Hentschke have teamed up with some friends to join Extra Life. This is a 24-hour gaming marathon that raises money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Starting in the early morning (around 9 a.m. PT) this Saturday, November 5, 2016, we’ll be streaming 24 hours straight on our Twitch channel, the Den of Dread. Join us throughout that time to see what we’re up to! We’ll be playing a variety of games, all with the intention to raise money for kids.

Each year Children’s Hospitals around the country treat thousands of kids for things like cancer, cystic fibrosis, and injuries from accidents. This treatment is given whether or not their parents have the ability to pay. Therefore, Children’s Hospitals can always use our help. ALL of the money donated to our Extra Life fundraiser goes straight to local Children’s Hospitals. Your donations are also tax-deductible! So it’s win, win, win!

Check out our Extra Life team page: The Raven’s Plume. Select a team member from our roster that you’d like to support, and give that donate button a click! Donations are accepted securely through the Extra Life website.

After you’ve done that, head over to the Den of Dread and give us a follow so you can watch our marathon this Saturday, November 5th!

We hope to see many of you there this weekend because the more, the merrier! Let all your friends know, too! We’re looking forward to 24 hours of awesomeness for the kids.

The post Join Us in the Den of Dread November 5th for 24 Hours of Gaming appeared first on Dread Central.

If you live “Down Under,” as they say, you should be well aware of Monster Fest, which returns to Melbourne for its 6th edition this year, running November 24-27. We previously provided you with the early details (click here in case you missed them), and now we’re back with the final wave announcement.

Monster Fest takes place at the Lido Cinemas, 675 Glenferrie Road. Click here for ticketing info.

From the Press Release:
In a fitting complement to this most sinister season, Australia’s premier genre festival, Monster Fest, has unveiled its final wave of films for the 2016 festival, which is set to take place November 24-27 at the Lido Cinemas in Melbourne.

The team of programmers – which include festival director Kier-La Janisse, Monster Pictures co-founder Neil Foley, Boston Underground Film Festival Director of Programming Nicole McControversy, and writer/programmer/punk legend Chris D. – vetted over 600 features in selecting the 2016 Monster Fest lineup, which includes new crime films DOG EAT DOG and THE HOLLOW POINT from Paul Schrader and Gonzalo López-Gallego, respectively, gory slasher throwback THE WINDMILL MASSACRE, the hometown premiere of epic period western THE LEGEND OF BEN HALL with cast in person, and acclaimed TIFF selections PREVENGE and INTERCHANGE alongside Fantastic Fest faves such as the Aussie-made yuletide thriller SAFE NEIGHBOURHOOD and the devastating – and polarizing – PLAYGROUND. Brief descriptions of all films in the final wave follow below.

Select panels for the Swinburne University Media and Communication Monster Academy – Monster Fest’s two-day industry component running November 23 + 24 – have also been announced, including a panel with director Geoffrey Wright and producer Daniel Scharf about the making of Aussie cult sensation ROMPER STOMPER, a panel on the Golden Age of Ozploitation featuring producer Antony I. Ginnane (PATRICK, TURKEY SHOOT) and cinematographer Vincent Monton (ROAD GAMES, LONG WEEKEND), a case study panel on ‘The Westbury Faery’ as an example of international multi-platform storytelling, panels on festival strategy, the opportunities and obstacles facing women working in the genre space, and more to be added. The full lineup for Monster Academy will be announced in the coming weeks.

See the final wave of Monster Fest 2016 films listed below along with a few images:

A DARK SONG
Director: Liam Gavin | Ireland 2016 | 100 mins | Australian Premiere
Driven by an all-consuming desire to make contact with her murdered child, Sophia hires an occultist named Solomon (Steve Oram) to conduct a black magic ritual that would grant her wish. As they delve deeper into the tedious, trying ritual, Sophia and Solomon find their bond of trust and sense of sanity pushed to the very limit as a sinister presence makes itself known.

AUTOHEAD
Director: Rohit Mittal | India 2016 | 97 mins | Australian Premiere
This Man Bites Dog take on a Mumbai taxi driver follows a documentary crew as they shadow an auto-rickshaw driver named Narayan. The slice of life angle soon skews into dodgy voyeuristic complicity as the film crew documents the unraveling of a man’s humanity, culminating in a chilling, bloody climax.

DOG EAT DOG
Paul Schrader | USA 2016 | 93 mins | Australian Premiere
Based on a 1995 novel by acclaimed crime writer and ex-con Edward Bunker, the latest from the writer of TAXI DRIVER and ROLLING THUNDER and director of MISHIMA, HARDCORE, CAT PEOPLE, and so many other now-canonized films, is a pitch black, uncompromisingly brutal, and at times highly theatrical crime thriller about three ex-cons (Nicolas Cage, Willem Dafoe, and Christopher Matthew Cook) who team up for that fateful ‘one last job’ only to have everything go horribly – and hilariously – awry.

GUYANA: CULT OF THE DAMNED
Director: René Cardona Jr. | Mexico 1979 | 90mins
When over 900 Americans were made to commit mass suicide by drinking cyanide-laced Kool Aid in the middle of the steamy Guyana jungle, exploitation filmmakers couldn’t wait to cash in on the tragedy, and Mexican filmmaker René Cardona, Jr. (TINTORERA: TIGER SHARK) was the first on the scene. Hypnotically sleazy and enjoyably lurid as only Cardona, Jr. could make them. Co-presented by the Morbido Film Festival.

THE HOLLOW POINT
Director: Gonzalo López-Gallego | USA 2016 | 97 mins | Australian Premiere
Patrick Wilson stars as Wallace, the new sheriff of a small town in Gonzalo López-Gallego’s full-blooded take on the western genre. Building on the best of B-movie westerns and not skimping out on the gore, Gallego crafts a tale of one man investigating the aftermath of a drug cartel deal gone wrong – cleverly filling all the roles with terrific actors including Ian McShane, John Leguziamo, Jim Belushi, and more.

INTERCHANGE
Dain Said | Malaysia 2016 | 102 minutes | Australian Premiere
In this Malaysian ritual thriller and TIFF Midnight Madness selection, a forensics photographer is lured into a world of shamans and mystic creatures while helping his detective friend investigate a series of macabre murders.

THE LEGEND OF BEN HALL
Matthew Holmes | Australia 2016 | 134 mins | Victorian Premiere
In this epic period western based on the true story of one of Australia’s most famous outlaws, Ben Hall is drawn back into bushranging by the reappearance of his old friend John Gilbert. Reforming the gang, they soon become the most wanted men in Australian history.

MAXIE DIABLO AND THE FUNKY FUNKY SEX MURDERS: A LIVE RADIO PLAY BY MYSTERY RADIO THEATRE
From the makers of Man Bites God and the Theatre of the World podcast, Mystery Radio Theatre is a comedy/murder mystery performed in the style of old-timey radio theatre. There will be sound effects. There will be silly voices. There will be live ad reads. There will be a special musical guest. And there will be blood.

MY FATHER DIE
Sean Brosnan | USA 2016 | 102 minutes | Australian Premiere
The debut feature from Sean Brosnan (son of Pierce) about the vengeful path of a man left mute since childhood following a family tragedy straddles the border of nihilistic revenge tale and brutalist Southern Gothic redemption with a poetic, even romantic sensibility, recalling at times sleeper hits WINTER’S BONE and COLD IN JULY.

PLAYGROUND
Bartosz M. Kowalski | Poland 2016 | 81 mins | Australian Premiere
Certain to be the most controversial film of the festival, acclaimed documentary director Bartosz Kowalski issues his first narrative feature, the stark tale of two pre-teen budding sociopaths and what they do on the last day of school. A devastating film in the vein of NOTHING BAD CAN HAPPEN and THE TRIBE.

PREVENGE
Alice Lowe | UK 2016 | 88 mins. | Australian Premiere
This brilliant first feature from actress/director/writer Alice Lowe (SIGHTSEERS) channels Lowe’s comedy background to create a completely unique horror comedy about a woman who is seven months pregnant and full of homicidal fury.

PSYCHONAUTS, THE FORGOTTEN CHILDREN
Director: Alberto Vázquez, Pedro Rivero | Spain 2015 | 80 mins | Victorian Premiere
Based on the graphic novel of the same name, PSYCHONAUTS is a gorgeous, haunting animated allegory that follows rebellious teen Dinky and the silent, drug-addicted outcast Birdboy as they attempt to escape life as they know it from an island ravaged by an industrial accident.

SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD
Chris Peckover | Australia/USA 2016 | 85 mins | Australian Premiere
On a quiet suburban street tucked within a ‘safe neighborhood’, a babysitter must defend a twelve-year-old boy from strangers breaking into the house, only to discover that this is far from a normal home invasion. A great new yuletide terror film from the director of UNDOCUMENTED (2010).

THE WINDMILL MASSACRE
Nick Jongerius | Netherlands 2016 | 85 mins | Australian Premiere
Windmills, they’re those things you see in storybooks surrounded by daffodils right? Think again! THE WINDMILL MASSACRE is a freakishly ferocious slasher reboot about unsuspecting tourists who awaken a mysterious evil in the Dutch countryside after their tour bus breaks down, stranding them at an abandoned barn beside a sinister windmill where a miller used to grind the bones of locals.

The post Monster Fest 2016 Final Wave Films Announced appeared first on Dread Central.

Um… the only good bug is a remade bug? Dunno about this one, but THR is reporting that Columbia Pictures is rebooting Starship Troopers, the 1997 science-fiction film directed by Paul Verhoeven.

The studio has tapped Mark Swift and Damian Shannon, the writing duo behind the upcoming Baywatch movie, to write the script for a new theatrical feature film that would relaunch a potential franchise.

Neal H. Moritz, the producer behind the Fast & Furious franchise, is producing with Toby Jaffe, with whom he worked on the studio’s remake of another 1990s sci-fi pic, Total Recall.

Starship Troopers is based on the sci-fi war novel by Robert A. Heinlein that told of the military life of a soldier named Johnny Rico, who moves up the ranks as mankind fights a war against alien bugs.

Verhoeven took some of the novel’s themes and ran with them, making a movie that satirically took on fascism and militarism and echoed propaganda films like Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will. It starred Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, and Neil Patrick Harris.

It was a mixed success at the time of its release but did achieve a cult following. During the DVD boom of the 2000’s, it became a mini-franchise for the studio, which produced three direct-to-DVD movies.

The studio is not remaking the film but is said to be going back to the original Heinlein novel for an all-new take. No personnel from the 1997 film are involved.

Matthew Milam is overseeing for the studio.

The post Starship Troopers Reboot Starts Bugging Out appeared first on Dread Central.

Our friends over at Dark Horizons are reporting that as a means to celebrate the original Suspiria‘s 40th anniversary next year, Videa and QMI are teaming up for a special event running January 30th through February 1st in Italy – a theatrical run of a 4K remaster of the Dario Argento classic.

German lab TLEFilms did a painstaking digital restoration of the damaged 35mm celluloid original which was shot on EastmanColor film and processed using a Technicolor Dye Transfer. The original screen titles have been also been restored, as they appeared in Argento’s original cut.

Argento says: “I can’t wait to see it at the movies again with all the young people who will see it for the first time.” The freshly restored Suspiria is also expected to premiere internationally at the upcoming Berlin Film Festival and hopefully make its way to other countries soon after.

The post Suspiria Getting a 4k Restoration appeared first on Dread Central.