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XX Trailer Premiere!

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Magnet will be releasing the female-driven anthology film XX on February 17, 2017, but right now we the official Trailer premiere for you! Dig it!

Directors attached include: Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent) rocks her directorial debut with “THE BIRTHDAY PARTY”; Karyn Kusama (The Invitation, Girlfight) exorcises “HER ONLY LIVING SON”; Roxanne Benjamin (V/H/S trilogy, Southbound) screams “DON’T FALL”; and Jovanka Vuckovic (The Captured Bird, former editor of Rue Morgue Magazine) dares to open “THE BOX.” Award-winning animator Sofia Carrillo (La Casa Triste) wraps together the stories of terror, blood, and mayhem.

Natalie Brown, Melanie Lynskey, Breeda Wool, Angela Trimbur, Sheila Vand, Mike Doyle, Christina Kirk, Kyle Allen, Peyton Kennedy, Peter DaCunha, Ron Lea, Jonathan Watton, Lisa Renee Pitts, and Morgan Peter Brown star.

The film will make its world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival in the Midnight category. Benjamin, Carrillo, Clark, and Vuckovic will be in attendance.

Synopsis:
XX is a female-driven horror anthology with each director given full creative license to tell any story they choose revolving around a female protagonist. While the directors have been given free creative rein within budget and time constraints, all of the segments themselves involve the horror genre.

XX

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Go North to See an Exclusive Clip

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On tap right now we have an exclusive clip from Go North to help you all get your apocalypse on! Check it out!

Go North, which will be released day-and-date on January 13, 2017, is the narrative debut of Emmy-nominated documentarian Matt Ogens (Meet the Hitlers) and was executive produced by Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me, Rats). Its haunting, evocative score was composed by Greg Kuehn.

Patrick Schwarzenegger, Jacob Lofland, Sophie Kennedy Clark, and James Bloor star.

Synopsis:
In the aftermath of an unknown catastrophe, a community left with zero living adults has descended into a modern-day Lord of the Flies, run by a small cabal of what had been the jocks occupying the athletic and social upper crust of the local high school, headed by Caleb (Schwarzenegger).

Faced with the bleak despair of their situation, Josh (Lofland) and Jessie (Clark) strike out on a dangerous journey into the unknown to find family and hope for the future, with Caleb and his vicious underling Gentry (Bloor) in hot pursuit.

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New Series Dark/Web Deals With the Dangers of the Digital Age

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However you feel about living in the digital age, you have to admit the fact that the government can now track your every move is unsettling. The new series “Dark/Web” will explore the darker side of today’s connected world.

Here are more details plus a few exclusive images from the “Eat. Prey. Love.” episode!

From the Press Release:
Dark/Web,” a new eight-part anthology series, combines a serialized narrative with stand-alone sci-fi/thriller segments.

“Dark/Web” is the brainchild of brothers Michael and Tim Nardelli and Mario Miscione, creators of last year’s cult hit Circle; and each episode deals with the dangers of a totally connected world.

“Dark/Web’s” cast includes Gabriel Luna (“Agents of Shield’s” new Ghost Rider) and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” alums Nicholas Brendan and Clare Kramer, along with Hannah Marks (“Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency”), Zelda Williams, and Sully alums Molly Hagan and Graham Sibley. Brian Elerding (“Mad Men”), Brandon Scott, Siobhan Fallon Hogan (“Wayward Pines”), Michael Nardelli, and Shannon Collins (Inherent Vice) also appear in the show.

About the Show:
Each episode of “Dark/Web” explores themes related to the Internet and the dangers present in the murky, unexplained layers of the web. Paranoia, isolation, vanity, loss of identity, the viral nature of ideas, and social media pressures are just a few of the subjects the show tackles. Socially, the Internet is as unifying and divisive as it’s ever been; only now, when the entire world is connected, it’s never been harder to unplug. In order to showcase diverse and varied points of view, each episode comes from different writers, directors, and actors. 

Episodes & filmmakers:
“EAT. PREY. LOVE” (director/writer Roxy Shih (2017’s The Tribe))
“RIDESHARE” (director/writer Boman Modine)
“HACKED” (director Eric Salberg, writer Christopher Webster)
“ZERO” (director/writer Zelda Williams (TV’s “Dead of Summer”))
“BLACKHEART” (director/writer Mario Miscione (Circle))
“VIRAL” (director/writer Michael Nardelli (Circle))

“Dark/Web” is set to premiere later in 2017. Keep tabs on its progress via the “Dark/Web” Facebook page.

The post New Series Dark/Web Deals With the Dangers of the Digital Age appeared first on Dread Central.

Pitchfork (2017)

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PitchforkStarring Daniel Wilkinson, Brian Raetz, Lindsey Nicole

Directed by Glenn Douglas Packard


It had to happen sooner or later…I just REALLY had hoped that it wouldn’t have happened so damn soon: we’ve officially got our first “lame-duck” of 2017, and it comes at the expense of the pseudo-slasher, Pitchfork. Here’s a little bit of a lesson for those contemplating a career in filmmaking, and especially those who want to create the new brand of slasher-flick: just cause ya slap a mask on a disenfranchised youth with an axe to grind, it doesn’t always make them a compelling killer…or an entertaining one, for that matter.

Directed by Glenn Douglas Packard, the film tells the story of a kid named Hunter (Raetz), who is facing the ever-so-difficult prospect of declaring his sexuality to his parents. On one side is his mother, who takes a somewhat sympathetic approach to things, and then there’s dear old dad, who is sure to flip his lid at the thought of his son stating his homosexuality as a standing in his life – live and let live, pop. So, Hunter has assembled the usual slasher-flick assemblage of soon-to-be victims to act as his support system – we’ve got the jock, the slut…come on, do I really need to fill in the rest of the blanks with this descriptive? They’re all here, and it won’t be long before their blood is spilled in copious amounts.

The film simply doesn’t offer anything new in its approach – from whimpering, whining victims, to uninspired kills, to Mr. Pitchfork himself…good lord, man – animal fur with a pitchfork on his mitt – REALLY? Look, I could bemoan over this movie’s lamentations until the cows come home, but the bottom line is simply this: I don’t want to type it, and you won’t want to read it – now if you decide to incur some ocular trauma to yourself, then that’s up to you. Pitchfork isn’t necessarily the worst thing that’s come along to horror flicks in this short calendar-span of 2017, but it’s just the idea that “been there, done that” has yet been done again – do yourselves a favor and walk on by this stagnant exhibition of what’s already been slapped on a slab and save yourself a good 90 minutes or so to reflect on what was.

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The Story of Travis Walton and the Fire in the Sky

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We’ve all long wondered the legitimacy of the countless claims of alien visitations. Some will tell you they’ve seen big eyed, elongated, blue in hue creatures lurking about in the woods. Some will tell you that mysterious ships have been seen hovering over rural regions, no apparent concern with being spotted by us feeble humans. Hell, some will tell you they’ve actually witnessed those ships land right in their backyards.

And then there’s the case of Travis Walton, a logger putting in long hard hours in Arizona, only to be abducted – allegedly – by those strange creatures.

Fire in the Sky

It was November 5th, 1975. Walton and a handful of his co-workers were stuffed in a truck, in motion, when they suddenly spotted something unidentifiable hovering in the air a mere 110 feet away. The UFO emitted a high-pitched buzz, and apparently, that buzz called to the curious side of Walton, who left the truck and approached the floating ship. If the story is true, Walton’s curiosity fueled departure from the vehicle led to a uniquely horrifying experience.

A sizable beam of light, or energy, as Walton described it in his book, “Fire in the Sky, The Walton Experience” descended from the ship lingering in the sky, focusing directly on Walton. Within seconds the man had been essentially sucked through the air, into the ship. He was gone, just a work truck full of Walton’s fellow co-workers left to witness the anomalous abduction.

What followed for local residents was a five-day manhunt, a massive search party that yielded nothing. Walton’s body wasn’t found mutilated or lifeless; the man seemed to have disappeared from the earth we know. But nearly a week after Walton’s strange disappearance, he came back. And he came back with a terrifying account of what transpired during his time away from our reality.

What followed for Walton was a tornado of questions from media and locals. He also endured the terror of reliving an encounter with beings not of this world. As Walton would tell it, in the wake of that brilliant light emitted by the craft, he found himself in a makeshift hospital room, strange, short aliens leaning over him, examining. Although Walton’s memory of the entire ordeal would prove blurry at best, he did carry the memory of being suffocated with a plastic material of some sort.

That sounds pretty fucking creepy (if you ask me), and a bit out of bounds when contemplating innocent human study.
According to Walton, and to the chagrin of nonbelievers (whom Walton contemplates but ultimately dismisses with an air of acceptance, not everyone is prepared to accept the possible reality of the situation), the abduction seems as though it did indeed happen. And if that is undeniably the case, it was certainly a paralyzing ordeal that changed one man’s life on November 5th, 1975, and forever after.

That great beam of energy, or light, that Walton carelessly approached out of morbid curiosity and a temporary lapse in self-preservation, would have long lasting effects, a few of which weren’t exactly terrible. Walton was able to write a very successful book chronicling that initial night’s occurrences (and some of the challenges that arose on the heels of his reported abduction) and some of the things he directly endured at the gangly hands of alien lifeforms. He also eventually saw his story picked up by Paramount, which means he pocketed a fair load of change in the cinematic deal. I’ll reiterate: for as harrowing as his journey may have been, he did eventually walk away with a paycheck large enough to ensure he ate well for many a moon.

Travis Walton

Travis Walton

Could that financial influx been the truest motivation for what may have been a brilliantly planned hoax, or did Travis Walton go where few – if any – ever had before?

Walton was adamant that the fire in the sky that eventually “beamed him up” was no hoax, joke or elaborate prank. According to the man, what we’ve seen, and what we’ve read in his novel, his recounting of those terrifying incidents were not fabricated, and as for Walton’s work buddies and witnesses to the strange occurrence – who were also subjected to polygraph tests – no blatant signs of deception were detected. The whole ordeal left everyone rather mystified, perplexed by the understanding that the abduction incident might actually be a complete truth.

Walton’s life would forever change following the events of November 5th, 1975, and while writing a successful book can help to establish some financial security, Walton was already employed in a field that isn’t exactly known for shortchanging laborers. Why fabricate such a wild and unlikely occurrence? Was it an unquenchable thirst for fame? Could stardom have been the greatest driving fact behind setting up such a well-executed occurrence? It’s possible, but it’s impossible to write the story off without at least a bit of curiosity.

Even if you believe this story is entirely manufactured – possibly for financial gain – there are thousands of individuals who disagree, standing firm behind the belief that Walton was abducted by aliens and subjected to rigorous, often uncomfortable tests by little blue men. But there are a number of other specialists in the law enforcement and medical fields that believe the whole ordeal to be a meticulously planned hoax. And supporting those disbelievers are polygraph tests in which – while initially passed – eventually helped to exploit some inconsistencies in the men’s’ stories.

Well known UFO researcher, Philip J. Klass shared his opinion that the tests were “poorly administered” and that Walton used “polygraph countermeasures” (holding ones breathe, for example) to beat the test. Klass also managed to uncover an earlier failed polygraph test administered to Walton, by an examiner who concluded the test involved “gross deception.”

So where does it all leave fans, the curious and the skeptical alike? It essentially leaves us nowhere, pondering the legitimacy of the case. The more time that passes only helps the memory of this disturbing story to slowly fade.

But the number of the disbelievers continues to grow, fueled by curiosity, and a goal of torching all obdurate beliefs. But on the flipside of the very same ccoin, there are countless paranormal and extraterrestrial specialists who will more likely than not know whether Walton’s story is entire truth, or a complete hoax, or even a blend of both. The Fire in the Sky story remains America’s highest profile case of this nature. And on one hand, I’d love to know – definitively – the truth or fabrication of the haunting tale.

The post The Story of Travis Walton and the Fire in the Sky appeared first on Dread Central.

Such Sights to Show You – 01/11/16

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Such Sights to Show YouArtist Kevin D. Clark brings his unique brand of cartoon humor to us here at Dread Central weekly. Read on for the latest in horror-themed chuckles.

About the Artist:
Kevin D. Clark is a cartoonist from Scotland who grew up watching classic monster movies, cartoons, and wrestling as well as reading comics. Kevin started drawing at an early age and hasn’t stopped since. His sense of humor is a veritable cornucopia of the wacky and weird inspired by the likes of Monty Python, Mel Brooks, “MST3K,” and Rab C. Nesbitt as well as his older brother.

Kevin was diagnosed with Asperger’s and because of that tries to push himself to work as hard as possible. He has self-published his own comic book and helps run a film club for autistic people. He’s also pretty sure he can take an octopus in fight.

Such Sights to Show You

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Rally Around These New Monster Trucks Videos

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A clip and another video in which real-life monster truck fans get the ride of their lives have arrived to help get you ready for this weekend’s debut of Monster Trucks.  Dig in!

Coming to theaters January 13, 2017, in RealD 3D from Paramount Pictures, Monster Trucks is directed by Chris Wedge and stars Lucas Till, Jane Levy, Barry Pepper, Amy Ryan, Rob Lowe, Danny Glover, Thomas Lennon, and Holt McCallany.

Melding cutting edge visual effects and state-of-the-art CGI, Monster Trucks is an action-filled adventure for the whole family that will keep you on the edge of your seat and ultimately touch your heart.

Synopsis:
Looking for any way to get away from the life and town he was born into, Tripp (Lucas Till), a high school senior, builds a Monster Truck from bits and pieces of scrapped cars. After an accident at a nearby oil-drilling site displaces a strange and subterranean creature with a taste and a talent for speed, Tripp may have just found the key to getting out of town and a most unlikely friend.

monstertrucks-poster

 

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TONIGHT! #Brainwaves Episode 29 – Cindy Sauer – A Haunting

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Around these parts we’re huge fans of the TV series “A Haunting.” One of its spookier episodes was from Season 5 and focused on “The Exorcism of Cindy Sauer.” Years later, Cindy is still suffering the after effects of her possession, and she’ll be joining us live to talk about the entire ordeal.

Tune in TONIGHT, at 9:00PM PT/12:00 ET for all the scary.

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!

Cindy Sauer Brainwaves

Listen to Stitcher

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 most 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 @BrainwavesRadio or @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.

How to Contact Brainwaves

Scared to Call

Brainwaves-logo-l

The post TONIGHT! #Brainwaves Episode 29 – Cindy Sauer – A Haunting appeared first on Dread Central.


The ReZort Arrives on North American VOD January 17th

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We’ve been talking about The ReZort for quite a while now, and finally those of us here in North America will be able to see it for ourselves! The film is heading to all major VOD platforms on Tuesday, January 17th, following its North American premiere at Toronto After Dark this past October.

Jurassic World meets “The Walking Dead” in The ReZort, releasing on all major digital platforms in North America on January 17, 2017, courtesy of Content Media.

Starring Dougray Scott, Jessica De Gouw, Martin McCann, Elen Rhys, Claire Goose, and Jassa Ahluwalia, The ReZort is a horror film offering a fresh twist on the zombie genre. It is the third feature from director Steve Barker (Outpost, Outpost: Black Sun) and was written by Paul Gerstenberger.

Synopsis:
After an almost-apocalyptic zombie outbreak, humans have won the war and are exploring how humanity can recover after such a huge percentage of the population has been wiped out. Humankind finally has the upper hand, but Melanie, who lost her entire family, is still deeply traumatized. In a bid to overcome the demons of her past, she goes on a zombie safari retreat. It is the ultimate in therapeutic revenge.

The ReZort is actually a highly controlled and monitored environment with a maze of concealed security cameras, restraints, and barriers. The eyes and ears of trained security personnel are on the guests 24/7, ensuring a safe shooting distance between the living and the undead–that is, until the resort’s security system is hacked and a computer virus crashes it, potentially unleashing thousands of bloodthirsty zombies back into the wild.

The post The ReZort Arrives on North American VOD January 17th appeared first on Dread Central.

Covers Revealed for Penny Dreadful Sequel Comic – The Awaking

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Back in early November of last year, we learned that Titan Comics has a four-issue “sequel” to the Showtime series “Penny Dreadful” on the way, and today we’re back with a look at the six various covers that will grace Issue #1.

From the Press Release:
Titan Comics is excited to share the covers from PENNY DREADFUL #1 – a brand-new ongoing series, entitled “The Awaking,” which is set six months after the shocking events of Season Three from Showtime original series “Penny Dreadful.”

Written by “Penny Dreadful” TV series co-executive producer Chris King, with interior art from Jesús Hervás (Sons of Anarchy) and colors by Jason Wordie, this new comic sees Ethan Chandler (portrayed by Josh Hartnett in the series) unable to move on. As he searches desperately for meaning in a world without Vanessa, ancient words echo across the centuries, and he is called on once again to take up arms against the creatures crawling out of the night.

The BAFTA Award-winning “Penny Dreadful” TV show — created, written, and executive produced by three-time Oscar nominee John Logan (Hugo, Gladiator, Skyfall, Spectre) — features classic characters from Victorian Gothic literature and a host of brand-new characters, including Vanessa Ives, Sir Malcolm Murray, Frankenstein’s Monster, Sembene, and Mina Harker.

Titan Comics’ Penny Dreadful #1: The Awaking comes with six fantastic covers to collect from artists including Stephen Mooney (Half Past Danger), Rob Davis (The Motherless Oven), Shane Pierce (Judge Dredd, Vikings), and Louie De Martinis (Penny Dreadful prequel mini-series) and also two incredible connecting photo variant covers.

Penny Dreadful #1: The Awaking hits comic stores and digital platforms on April 5, 2017.

 

 

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Sci-Fi/Horror Film Atomica Heading Our Way in March

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We’re always on the lookout for interesting sci-fi/horror “hybrid” films, and the upcoming Atomica sounds totally up our alley. It’s coming our way in March, and we have all the early details you need right here along with a first-look photo!

From the Press Release:
Syfy Films is pleased to announce the release of sci-fi thriller ATOMICA, in theaters on March 17, 2017, and on VOD and Digital HD on March 21st. The film is directed by Dagen Merrill (Beneath, Broken Hill, Murder in the Dark) and written by Kevin Burke (Ultimate Spider-Man, Marvel’s Avengers Assemble, Beneath), Fred Fernandez-Armesto, and Adam Gyngell.

The cast includes Dominic Monaghan (the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Pet), Tom Sizemore (Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down), and Sarah Habel (Hostel: Part III, USA Network’s “Rush”).

ATOMICA is produced by Jaime Burke (The Pact, The Possession of Michael King) and Vahan Paretchan (The Millionaire Tour) and executive produced by Simon Chen, Kieth Merrill (Broken Hill, The 12 Dogs of Christmas), Shawn Sackman, Barry G. Walker (Solara, Finding Harmony), and Dominic Monaghan.

For more information on the film, visit ATOMICA on Facebook.

Synopsis:
When communications go offline at a remote nuclear power plant isolated in the desert, a young safety inspector, Abby Dixon, is forced to fly out to bring them back online. Once inside the facility, mysterious clues and strange behavior cause Abby to have doubts about the sanity and, perhaps, identities of the two employees onsite.

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New Resident Evil: The Final Chapter Clip Goes Inside The Hive

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Anyone who’s even the slightest bit familiar with the Resident Evil saga is aware of The Hive, and this new clip from the upcoming Resident Evil: The Final Chapter takes us inside the formidable location.

The film was written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson and stars series regulars Milla Jovovich, Iain Glen, Ali Larter, and Shawn Roberts in addition to newcomers Lee Joon-gi, Rola, William Levy, and Ruby Rose.

Look for Resident Evil: The Final Chapter on January 27, 2017.

Related Story: Resident Evil: The Final Chapter – Video Interviews with Paul W.S. Anderson, Milla Jovovich, and More!

Synopsis:
Picking up immediately after the events in Resident Evil: Retribution, humanity is on its last legs after Alice is betrayed by Wesker in Washington, D.C. As the only survivor of what was meant to be humanity’s final stand against the undead hordes, Alice must return to where the nightmare began – Raccoon City, where the Umbrella Corporation is gathering its forces for a final strike against the only remaining survivors of the apocalypse.

In a race against time, Alice will join forces with old friends and an unlikely ally in an action-packed battle with undead hordes and new mutant monsters. Between losing her superhuman abilities and Umbrella’s impending attack, this will be Alice’s most difficult adventure as she fights to save humanity, which is on the brink of oblivion.

Resident Evil Final Chapter

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter

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Monster Calls, A (2016)

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Starring Lewis MacDougall, Liam Neeson, Felicity Jones, Sigourney Weaver, Toby Kebbell

Directed by Juan Antonio Bayona


I’ve lost family members to cancer, so I can relate to the plight of young Conor O’Malley as his mother slowly succumbs to the disease. As a coping mechanism, Conor summons a gigantic, tree-like creature to teach him the acceptance of loss.

I read Patrick Ness’ original novel shortly after its release, and as he also wrote the screenplay for the film, it’s about as close an adaptation as you could get, which works in its favor and, to a lesser extent, to its detriment.

My biggest question after watching A Monster Calls is:  Whom is it for? Whilst it would be easy to write it off as a children’s film, as many have done, this has none of the charm or the cheer that you’d find in, say, Pete’s Dragon or The BFG. And I don’t mean that in a derogatory way; I just think that either this isn’t aimed at kids or it was intended to teach them the harsh realities of life in a way that most other films of its ilk would go to great lengths to avoid because as we all know, in real life there are no happy endings. Monster or no monster, at the end of the day, this is a film about someone dying of cancer.

This seems like such an obvious thing to say for a film of this kind, but as Conor, Lewis MacDougall gave an amazing performance and certainly deserves all the awards he’s already been nominated for. And while there were some gaping gabs in logic regarding his character, such as him getting let off the hook for actions that should land him in a youth detention facility, and his school bullies, who seem like plot conveniences more than anything else, I still found Conor to be one of the most genuinely human protagonists that I’ve encountered in a long while.

But let’s face it; there’s one reason and one reason only why most people will watch A Monster Calls: the monster. Yup, the giant talking tree is certainly a spectacular sight to behold, even if, as many have pointed out, he resembles an overgrown version of Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy. But no joke, the titular creature here was one huge wooden pile of awesome. And as for Liam Neeson’s vocal performance? Well, 2hen you think of a giant talking tree monster, do you envision it as having any voice other than Liam Neeson’s?

And don’t worry; the monster is in this film a lot. Rest assured they didn’t just slap him in to get the shots for the trailer. He really is the star of the show, and I couldn’t get enough of him. This may be a film about death, but it also delivers a message of hope that we so very rarely encounter in real life. Most of us who have lost people to cancer wish we, too, could have a monster come and tell us stories. Highly recommended.

 

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Batman: The Telltale Series (Video Game)

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Batman: The Telltale SeriesDeveloped by Telltale Games

Available on Android, iOS, PC, Mac, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, and PS3

Rated M for Mature


Well, here we are again. At the end of another episodic series, ready to decide if it was all worth it. It’s a bit emotional, really. Telltale Games have come a long way from taking seven months to round out a season, but I’ve still been with Batman: The Telltale Series since it premiered in August. As a modern binge watching millennial, I often forget about the emotional maelstrom that comes with getting locked into a season from the start. Even my favorite shows like The Flash and Supernatural (yeah, I know, deal with it) I tend to let pile up until I can spend at least 10 hours in a sweaty haze powering through. But not you, Batman. No, you hooked me from the get go and didn’t let go.

I missed reviewing Episode 4: “Guardian of Gotham” due to it coming out around my birthday and me being too drunk to care, but it’s fine since the final episode came out like two weeks later. So now I’m just going to review it all as one final package, lumping Episodes 4 & 5 (“City of Light”) into a single section. It’s fitting, since the two episodes are so closely connected that they basically feel like one anyway.

If you’ve been following my coverage so far like a good little boy/girl, you’ll remember that Episode 3 had left Bruce at an all-time low. Blamed for the sins of his family and forced into an assault on his rival Cobblepot, he wakes to find himself in the infamous Arkham Asylum. Things are rough right off the bat, but he finds an unlikely ally in a white faced, green haired, grinning madman named, “John Doe.” He might seem like a joker, but he’s no laughing matter. The best part of the episode for me was spending some time in Arkham. I’ve enjoyed the Telltale take on Batman so far, and seeing their versions of Victor Zsasz and Ventriloquist was great.

Batman: The Telltale Series

Even if you guess the punchline, the joke is killer.

From there, Batman: The Telltale Series quickly ramps into its final act. You’ll do some more detective work to find the truth about Lady Arkham, and quickly after have to make the choice between facing Harvey as either Batman or Bruce. Regardless of your previous choices, shit goes downhill fast. In an iconic Telltale moment, the “Harvey will remember that” prompt becomes “Two-Face will remember that.” You’ll have a tough final decision in whether to confront Penguin or Two-Face, the consequences of which are powerful.

From there we go into the final chapter, which attempts to both quickly wrap up everything the season has set out so far. With either Penguin or Two-Face taken down in the previous episode as Batman, you start “City of Light” going after whoever is left standing as Bruce. It’s the kind of thing that might sound like a typical Telltale, “choices don’t actually matter” moment, but the split between the Batman and Bruce characters make each feel distinct.

Batman: The Telltale Series

Don’t you tell me choices don’t matter, I had to go into the final battle with a Bat Suit made of cloth! At least it didn’t have rubble nipples…

By the time the credits role, Bruce has begun to repair his reputation and Batman is heralded as a hero. This conclusion doesn’t come without considerable loss and sacrifice, however. No matter what path you take, Bruce/Batman and those he cares about do not escape unscathed. I’m eager to see how this carries over to future games, but as it stands it’s an ambitious, “to be continued…”

I’m still trying to keep this spoiler free, but there’s only so much more I can talk about the narrative without having to discuss the specifics. As a general criticism, the villains’ fall from grace comes far too quickly. You go from being the undisputed nemesis of Gotham in the public eye to their savior in a day. It’s a concern I expressed at the end of Episode 3, that the remaining time wouldn’t be enough to smoothly resolve all of the storylines. To Telltale’s credit this could have been handled much worse, but it’s worth mentioning.

Batman: The Telltale Series

Gosh, it’s a good thing you decided to start murdering cops in a public park. It would be really hard to get my position back as CEO otherwise.

Now here we come to my big rub with Batman: The Telltale Series. For years, I’ve been engaged in a debate over the importance of choice in games. Through the medium of game, we have the unique ability to interact with our stories in ways impossible in movies, books, television, etc. Through our actions and choices, we shape the story. Whether it be in minor ways like deciding between a melee or ranged class, or far reaching decisions of factions, allies, and ultimately who lives and dies. It’s a perpetually unattainable goal: no matter how we try, there is only so much time to write so much dialogue and program so much code. It’s the same problem of Plato’s Aesthetics, but that eternal struggle toward an ideal is what makes each venture interesting. We endeavor, experiment, and ultimately misstep, all to evolve the artform of storytelling.

Batman: The Telltale Series

Ah yes, akin to the greatest works of Caravaggio.

In that regard, Telltale needs to knock off telling me shit like, “Falcone will remember that,” when he gets shot in the face the very next level. When Telltale first gained its major fame through The Walking Dead, the only real criticism people could find was that there were too many ultimately inconsequential story arcs. It was acceptable at first, since we really never knew who would survive. Maybe you should be nice to Larry so that Lily would side with you? The illusion that anyone could be important fit the theme of the world acceptably.

You know what else would fit the theme of not knowing who would make it to the end? Just not saying anything. Don’t tell me who remembers what and I won’t know what to expect. And don’t you go and tell me that I can turn off the prompts in the options. I know I can. My problem isn’t that I lack the ability to ignore them, but that they are antiquated and dishonest. It would be a minor nitpick, if not for how fundamental this is to the game. From the get go, Telltale games describe themselves as games that will remember your decisions, and that choices matter. To their credit, Telltale Games do give you some really major and impacting decisions. But this effort to characterize them all as important is an artifice. We agonize over our minor conversational choices, when really all that matters is if we go left and right at the major chapter forks.

Batman: The Telltale Series

Sorry Harv, you still wind up all Two-Facey.

I’m not going to be someone that complains my decisions between paper and plastic didn’t alter the fate of the universe. I get that minor colorations during the narrative can do as much to paint my experience as the major turning points. As long as my choices feel real and I’m never the wiser, who am I to complain? And hey, Batman: The Telltale Series did a great job of this! I honestly thought I could help Harvey right up until the end, and it even let me pick which major boss I could take down first. So is it a win?

In many ways, yes. The brushstrokes and colors that Batman: The Telltale Series provided me with allowed me to paint my own unique picture, even if it made me stay in the lines and follow the guide. Their new take on Bruce as the son of a criminal and Batman as a potential masochist was great. The Batman/Bruce split never felt artificial or forced. I genuinely felt for the characters, and was thoroughly invested until the end.

Batman: The Telltale Series

“Thoroughly invested”

The ultimate issue is that the Telltale Games formula is starting to show its cracks. These are essentially visual novels with some quicktime events, and they need to evolve. The detective segments were never made into something more than simple matching puzzles, and the combat was… well it’s a Telltale game, isn’t it? These games are great, mature stories full of intrigue, passion, sex, violence, and compelling questions of the vast grey between right and wrong. I wish that Telltale would start treating their narrative structure the same way. Forget the five pivotal forks per episode with one “big” decision. Forget the little prompts. Make that invisible. Make me wonder what I could have done better instead of telling me where I went wrong. Batman: The Telltale Series gets a pass for now, but I can’t say the next one will.

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Production Kicks Off on Killer Weekend – Go Behind the Scenes

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Blanc/Biehn Productions always has several projects in the works, and now another has officially kicked off… get ready to have a Killer Weekend sometime next year!

For now, take a peek at a batch of behind-the-scenes images and get a few more details below.

From the Press Release:
Blanc/Biehn Productions (BBP), the powerhouse indie film studio founded by actors/filmmakers Michael Biehn and Jennifer Blanc-Biehn, announces that principal shooting for Killer Weekend has begun in Los Angeles.

Jamielyn Lippman (When the Bough Breaks) will direct the thriller, with an original screenplay by Travis Romero, who wrote the story with Lony Ruhmann; Romero and Ruhmann have also collaborated on behalf of BBP on 2013 release Treachery and the upcoming Altered Perception.

Killer Weekend follows Kimberly (Vanessa Zima), a sexy young coed who’s enjoyed a lavish lifestyle thanks to rich sugar daddies but quickly realizes she could access their money far more easily… by killing them. She soon meets her match, however, in her new rich, handsome boyfriend… who happens to also be a serial killer.

“We are already excited to start shooting this one in the next few days and are thrilled to have Jamielyn on board as director. Travis and Lony’s story is twisted and amazing,” said Blanc-Biehn. “This is one Weekend that fans of BBP’s films are going to want to stay in for.”

Killer Weekend stars Biehn and Blanc-Biehn in featured roles, as well as Andy Davoli, Alex Urbom, Jenise Blanc, and Jasmine Jessica Anthony with a tentative release date set for early 2018.

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Batman Dismisses the Supernatural in New Justice League Dark Clip

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Just days after we reported that “Constantine” Matt Ryan would be returning to voice the character in a new animated web series, Warner Bros. have now released a new clip for the R-rated Justice League Dark movie, in which he once again provides the voice of the chain smoking Liverpudlian occult detective.

The clip showcases the regular Justice League debating how to tackle the paranormal menace threatening the Earth. Ever a man of reason and logic, Batman smugly dismisses the existence of the supernatural, because being in a room with a bunch of god-like alien beings is not strange at all.

Justice League Dark also features the voices of Jason O’Mara, Camilla Luddington, Nicholas Turturro and Rosario Dawson, and hits VOD on January 24 and DVD and Blu-Ray on February 7.

Synopsis:
To battle unparalleled supernatural forces, Batman must combine efforts with a new team of heroes – led by occult specialist John Constantine – in the next DC Universe Original Movie, Justice League Dark. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment, the full-length animated film arrives from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Blu-ray/DVD on February 7, 2017, and via Digital HD on January 24, 2017.

When innocent civilians begin committing unthinkable crimes across Metropolis, Gotham City and beyond, Batman must call upon mystical counterparts to eradicate this demonic threat to the planet. Enter Justice League Dark, reluctantly led by the Hellblazer himself, John Constantine. Like Batman, Constantine is a cunning, often cynical loner who is the best at his chosen profession – but quickly realizes the sinister forces plaguing the planet will require help from other supernatural alliances. Forming a new “league” with sorceress Zatanna, otherworldly Deadman, and Jason Blood and his powerful alter ego Etrigan the Demon, this team of Dark Arts specialists must unravel the mystery of Earth’s supernatural plague and contend with the rising, powerful villainous forces behind the siege – before it’s too late for all of mankind.

This all-new clip features the Justice League assessing the situation — and at least one member of the group not quite believing in other-worldly influences. The clip also features the first appearance in a DC Universe Original Movie of John Stewart/Green Lantern as a member of the Justice League.

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Witchula Adds Regions International to its Roster

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Witchula, from directors Marcus Bradford & Pat Kusnadi, is finally gearing up to shoot this year. Ahead of its start date, it’s added yet another production company to its roster in the form of Regions International.

Witchula will star Dee Wallace, Kane Hodder, Tyler Mane, Bill Oberst Jr. and Eileen Dietz.

From the Press Release:
MAB Studios officially has announced a production deal with indie production company, Film Regions International for the film “Witchula.” “Witchula,” which producers are calling “The real Expendables of horror,” boasts attached actors that already include some of the biggest names in independent horror. According to writer/director/executive producer Marcus Bradford, “MAB Studios is absolutely elated to welcome on board, a successful company such as Film Regions International (FRI) for ‘Witchula’. The joint, collaborative venture will bring a whole new relationship experience for both companies working together to make ‘Witchula’ the best possible horror feature in Tinseltown. To extend our partnership into a successful business venture will not only create more opportunities for the project, but also for MAB Studios and FRI.”

Film Regions International (FRI) is a fully equipped Independent production, development and distribution entity with both a domestic and international presence. FRI has secured financing and executed lucrative distribution deals for films such as My Amityville Horror and Rumah dan Musim Hujan.

Film Regions International’s president, John Blythe, who was already personally attached as a producer released this statement:”On behalf of Film Regions International (FRI), we are ecstatic to formally become part of the Witchula production. While I’ve served as a producer on the project thus far over the course of the last year, extending the partnership as a formal business venture I feel as solidified our efforts to help Marcus Bradford bring Witchula to the big screen. This is a great opportunity for FRI because this will give us more exposure and involvement in a major motion picture on a producing level.”

Witchula, which many are already referring to as the “Real Expendables of horror,'” Stars Dee Wallace, Kane Hodder, Tyler Mayne, Bill Oberst Jr, Eileen Deitz and Marilyn Ghigliotti. Witchula’, combines several sub genres into a project that is sure to delight horror fans.

LOGLINE: A group of college students travel to a small and remote town situated on an exotic island; only to discover they are being hunted down by a powerful witch-vampire “hybrid” that seeks something in their possession.

For More information

‘Witchula’ Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/witchulamovie

‘Witchula’ Twitter Page: http://www.twitter.com/WitchulaMovie ‘Witchula’

IMDb Page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3707200/

‘Witchula’ Twitter Page: http://www.twitter.com/WitchulaMovie ‘Witchula’ IMDb Page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3707200/

 

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Tom Deady Surrounds Us with Eternal Darkness

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Heading our way in just a few more days is Eternal Darkness by Tom Deady; and if you’re a fan of old-school, character-driven horror, this book is for you! Read on to learn more.

From the Press Release:
Tom Deady, acclaimed author of Haven, is releasing another horror book, Eternal Darkness, available for pre-order now on Amazon Kindle. Bloodshot Books is releasing it on January 23, 2017. For fans of old-school horror and character-driven stories with people you can identify with, this is sure to be a hit. It promises a deeper look at the secrets people hide from one another and the malice right next door.

Something is killing the people of Bristol, Massachusetts. Do you dare to find out what? The only thing you know for sure is… something’s not right.

“First and foremost, that’s what Tom Deady is about as an author: story. And those are my favorite kinds of writers,” says Richard Chizmar, owner of Cemetery Dance and author of A Long December, who also wrote the book’s introduction. “Tom understands this traditional school of writing very well, and if his first two novels are any indication of his focus and growth as an author, all of us readers are in for many more treats in the future. Tom Deady is a true storyteller, and I can offer no higher words of praise,” says Chizmar.

“Tom Deady writes the type of novels that made me a fan of the genre decades ago – big, hefty books about regular folks fighting monsters against incredible odds,” says Pete Kahle, owner and founder of Bloodshot Books. “I’m ecstatic that we are able to debut Bloodshot Books’ line of original novels with Eternal Darkness. We need more authors like Tom,” says Kahle.

Synopsis:
SOMEONE HAS MOVED INTO THE OLD BREWSTER PLACE
Ben Harris and his best friends, Richie and Jack, knew the stories about Old Man Brewster, what happened to his wife… and the flies. They had no idea why anybody would want to live there, but then they met Greg Lupescu, the new kid who moved in. He looked strange, his father was never around, and he had this creepy butler named Karl. Soon, however, he became their close friend.

SOMETHING IS KILLING PEOPLE
First, a young boy goes missing. Soon after, the boy’s abusive deadbeat father is slaughtered. And his grieving mother burns to death in an unnatural fire… People are dying all over Bristol, Massachusetts, and the boys are beginning to realize that it all started when the Lupescus moved to town.

SOMETIMES YOU CAN’T FIGHT YOUR DESTINY
Ben and his little sister, Eve, can sense that a dark storm looms on the horizon threatening to engulf Bristol, and at its center stands his new friend. Can they all help Greg resist the sinister forces against him, or in the end will he choose to succumb and embrace an Eternal Darkness?

 

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Sundance 2017: Trailer and More Details on Indie Thriller Lake Alice

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Each year the offsite events at the Sundance Film Festival grow in prominence, and 2017 marks the Indie Lounge’s 7th year at the fest. It’s being held January 19th-25th, offering Sundance attendees an escape from the barrage of meetings and crowds.

Of special note at this year’s Indie Lounge is the world premiere of thriller Lake Alice with star Eileen Dietz in attendance. We have the film’s trailer, some behind-the-scenes photos courtesy of Gas Lamp Ent., and a few more details to share.

If you’ll be in Park City, UT, later this month, mark your calendars for Sunday, January 22nd, at 3:00 pm for the premiere.

Lake Alice is set during Christmas at an isolated cabin in the subzero temperatures of northern Wisconsin, where the days are short and the nights last forever. With elements from Psycho, Scream, and The Strangers, the macabre labyrinth of Lake Alice will tingle your soul and make you wonder who’s really climbing down your chimney this Christmas!

It’s directed by Ben Milliken and written by Stevie Jane Miller. Along with Dietz (The Exorcist), the cast includes Brando Eaton (American Sniper), Peter O’Brien (X-Men Origins: Wolverine), Brad Schmidt (“House of Lies”), Caroline Tudor (Mortal Combat: Legacy), Laura Niemi (Jobs), and Michael Shamus Wiles (“Breaking Bad”).

Synopsis:
Meeting the Thomas family for the first time, Ryan Emerson (Schmidt) must prove his intentions with their daughter, Sarah (Tudor), and win the approval of her father, Greg (O’Brien), while he masks his jealousy for Sarah’s ex-fling, Tyler (Eaton). As the Thomases settles in, things start to happen around the cabin: strange footprints by the windows, noises from outside, and a bitter animosity from the locals, including the law enforcement.

As a blizzard descends on Lake Alice, so does the evil from behind the camera, as the family members are hunted down one by one. They struggles to stay alive as their power in numbers slowly dwindles.

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Why Castle Freak Is Classic Gothic Drama for Gore Lovers

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Stuart Gordon’s Castle Freak is not held in high regard as a highlight of its era, nor is it even widely recognized as a cult classic on the same level as Re-Animator. Its biggest claim to fame is a Fangoria Chainsaw Award. This isn’t even the most well-known Full Moon production as that honor is clearly divided between the Puppet Master and Subspecies franchises. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a good movie, because it genuinely is.

Full Moon was never known for providing us with actual, good feature films. That was never the niche they carved out for themselves. But sometimes they delivered something truly unique and surprising and Castle Freak was absolutely one of those times. Maybe even the last of them.

The story, though it has its twists and turns, is fairly simple. An American family inherits an Italian castle and moves there to test it out, hoping for a fresh start. They don’t know that there’s an abused, disfigured man who’s been kept in the basement all his life until his mother, the duchess to whom the castle belongs, suffers a heart attack and dies. It’s more than simplistic, it’s classical. This reeks of 1940s gothic melodrama in the best way possible.

Castle Freak

Like all films of that type, it’s about the characters and their interactions. Instead of a bunch of strangers confined in a large castle together, as is typically the case, this is about a family who are becoming strangers to one another. Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton both give incredibly strong performances, the likes of which I don’t think anyone expected after the more stylized campiness of Re-Animator and From Beyond.  

I don’t think anyone expected it from Stuart Gordon, either. He’d played in gory realms before, but always kept a strong sense of humor, however dark. Castle Freak, on the other hand, is a very raw movie. He’d approached this territory with Pit and the Pendulum, but even that didn’t allow him to reach the level of bleakness that he hits here.

When we’re introduced to Combs, Crampton and their teenage daughter, we recognize all of the archetypes immediately. This is a broken marriage, the husband just wants to piece things back together, the mother isn’t ready to forgive him for the things she blames him for, and the daughter just wants her parents to be together and happy again. We’ve definitely seen it before. But it quickly becomes something very different.

Crampton’s character, Susan, definitely doesn’t have it in her to forgive her husband, John. As much as you’d expect a resolution, even from a movie like this, it becomes clearer and clearer as it goes on that that’s just not in the cards. Her character is amazingly layered and three-dimensional. She hates her husband now and she knows that she shouldn’t, but she can’t help the way she feels and there’s just something so blunt and honest about her character that makes her so refreshing to watch.

Castle Freak 1995

While John can be very frustrating, he’s just as believable. Even if the situation is not as extreme, we’ve all known someone like this. We’ve all known that one person who knows they screwed up and tries so aggressively to make everyone happy that they just wind up making everything worse. He just wants to do the right thing by his family, but he keeps making terrible decisions. The ending feels so natural because, by that point, there’s no way to redeem this family unit. There’s no way to fix this. The best thing John could do, the only way he can really prove to his wife how much he cares, is to die for his family.

It may seem like a huge stretch to compare Castle Freak with everyone’s favorite Oscar-bait La La Land, but I’m going to do it anyway. Everyone expects a Hollywood ending from a big, glitzy Hollywood musical. It just feels natural. So (SPOILERS) it comes as a bit of a shock when that doesn’t turn out to be the case. There are people who come into your life at the perfect time, but that doesn’t mean you’re destined to be together. That’s what La La Land turns out to really be about. And the same is honestly true of Castle Freak.

Redeeming this family was never going to be about actually getting the family back together. As much as you expect that to happen, it becomes so clear upon rewatching that that is just never going to be the case. She will never forgive him for killing their son, and that’s that. But even from a movie like Castle Freak, you expect a glamorous ending. I’d say you would even expect it more than you would expect it from an Oscar drama.

Castle Freak

Up to this point, there was something very old fashioned about Full Moon. More than almost any type of horror film at the time, they would end on a completely black and white note of good triumphing over evil. The bad guys were defeated and vanquished, leaving the good guys to embrace and walk off into the sunset. But that’s not at all what we get with Castle Freak. Even the noble sacrifice seems kind of blunt and unflattering, which is part of the genius of the whole movie. It’s just honest. Yes, John sacrifices himself, but he didn’t fight the monster with the intention of dying.

The best thing about Castle Freak is that it combines this family melodrama and molasses thick gothic atmosphere with the unapologetic, in-your-face gore efforts of Italian maestros like Mario Bava and Lucio Fulci. It’s the perfect mixture of moody gothic drama and Italian exploitation. The two things work surprisingly well together. It’s as blunt viscerally as it is emotionally. There are things that we see in Castle Freak that no other Full Moon feature dared to show. Thumbs bitten off, nipples bitten off, cats being eaten… Castle Freak was a major player in the split between Full Moon and Paramount because of just how shocking and grotesque it was compared to anything else the company had made.

I commend Full Moon for not trimming it down, because there’s no real way to censor this movie. The gore just stems from the tone. It’s not pretty, but at the same time, it has a mood and atmosphere that’s just as captivating as an old Val Lewton film. Castle Freak feels in some ways like the missing link between the classic and modern ages of horror.

It’s downbeat, melancholy, shocking, uncomfortable, but it handles all of these things well. Above all, it harkens back to all great gothic pieces by just being about the decay of a single family unit. It has a very simple focus, but examining these characters under a microscope, magnifying their flaws—even the Freak itself—that’s what allows the film to work as well as it does.

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